tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74973979294511394382024-03-13T20:01:55.272+02:00Tzedek-TzedekMusings and AmusingsDavid Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.comBlogger810125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-62724186653408467162017-05-26T13:30:00.001+03:002017-05-26T13:30:24.903+03:00יום ירושלים, ריקוד הדגלים תשע"ז. Jerusalem day parade 2017<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hV7Ld34m77o" width="480"></iframe>David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-61450485501178156682017-05-26T13:22:00.001+03:002017-05-26T13:22:48.252+03:00יובל להר הבית עליות יום ירושלים בשנת החמישים<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5sKD0CWSEW8" width="480"></iframe>David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-82765386082472918562017-03-30T16:37:00.000+03:002017-03-30T16:37:03.542+03:00Probably The Most Powerful Jewish Couple in the World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiocNiJSVyhyi-Xjyq_ro_Cz3NviDIhYZZTrbCp84y0mX9dA_vVKUEQuvAJxWKbCwm_R8qyPDkljFggVF8DOOIY_BITHlSU6dW75HJmSVAGPGGXBHHjqK3fgU-jRMYW7uM9i8CFsupy3HU-/s1600/ivanka_jared.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiocNiJSVyhyi-Xjyq_ro_Cz3NviDIhYZZTrbCp84y0mX9dA_vVKUEQuvAJxWKbCwm_R8qyPDkljFggVF8DOOIY_BITHlSU6dW75HJmSVAGPGGXBHHjqK3fgU-jRMYW7uM9i8CFsupy3HU-/s320/ivanka_jared.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Ivanka and Jared Kushner are probably the world's most powerful Jewish couple.<br />
<br />
Whereas Benjamin Netanyahu is a vastly more mature statesman and head of state, and so the most powerful Jewish man, the Kushner/Trump couple, now with senior (if unsalried) jobs and titles in daddy's White House are poised for global influence.<br />
<br />
Jews have long memories and so various historical prcedents come to mind.<br />
<br />
Most immediately, with Purim just passed, Mordechai and Esther could be en equivalent couple.<br />
<br />
Queen Esther used her family position of power (one of many wives to the King) to obtain influence, and following that, her uncle Mordechai's position as Prime Minister, to save the Jewish people from genocide. Not much is known about their wider influence in the Persian Empire, but a mention is made in the Book of Esther of levying taxes (boo, hiss).<br />
<br />
Less sympathetic is the model of the "Court Jew". During the Middle Ages, due to the ban on usuary (money lending) in the Christian world, Jews were required to help finance Governments. The good side is this arrangement gave otherwise persecuted and downtrodden Jews unprecedents access to the powers of their day, for both personal and national advantage. The down-side was that endebted or fickle royals could become incentivised to curtail that influence. An infamous case in point was Joseph Oppenheimer, who exterted formidable power under Duke Karl Alexander, but, on the Duke's passing, was charged with corruption and treason and hanged (more <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_S%C3%BC%C3%9F_Oppenheimer">here</a>).<br />
<br />
In American history, Henry Kissinger as Secretary of State and before him Henry Morgenthau, Roosevelt's Secretary of the Treasury, were perhaps the most influential Jewish politicians in US history.<br />
<br />
However, neither of these operated as a 'couple', in the sense of Ivanka and Jared.<br />
<br />
So, somewhat aghast, and searching for precedent, I wish the Kushner's behatzlacha raba/every good fortune in their lofty positions of influence and potentially of power in the new US Government.<br />
<br />
May they serve the American and Jewish Peoples for a blessing. David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-509000025311423002017-03-06T22:33:00.001+02:002017-03-06T22:33:27.355+02:00Trump and My Conspiracy Theory<br />
<img alt="Image result for obama wiretapping" src="http://worldtruth.tv/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/%E2%80%98This-is-McCarthyism-%E2%80%99-Trump-accuses-Obama-of-wire-tapping-Trump-Tower-before-election-win-%E2%80%94-RT-America.png" /><br />
<br />
Donald Trump's wild accusation that Barack Obama was wiretapping his phones in Trump Tower have astounded commentators the world over.<br />
<br />
Trumps accusation is grave, and it appears to be baseless.<br />
<br />
This follows Trump's unprecedented and fierce attacks on the Press, calling them liars, deliverers of 'fake news', and the 'enemy of the American people', and Trump's bitter campaign to stop leaks from the FBI and secret services.<br />
<br />
Attacking the Press for telling lies, while accusing the FBI of leaking true information to the press, appears contradictory. Either the stories in the press are false, or the unnamed sources of secret information are telling the truth - it can't be both.<br />
<br />
The link between Trump's senior campaign staff and Russian Government officials is now undeniable.<br /><br />Attorney General Jeff Sessions met Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak twice last year, and lied under oath about it to the Senate confirmation hearing.<br />
<br />Michael Flynn, the short-lived National Security Advisor to Trump, reportedly spoke five times with Sergey Kislyak and then denied doing so to Vice President Pence - a clumsy move which resulted in Flynn resigning.<br /><br />Paul Manafort, a former chairman of the Trump campaign, reportedly held numerous meetings with Russian intelligence officials; Manafort resigned from his position due to a scandal involving payments from the political party of Viktor Yanukovych, the former president of Ukraine and ally of Vladimir Putin.<br /><br />There are additional reports that Trump's son in law and close advisor Jared Kushner also met with the Russian Ambassador during the transition, together with Flynn.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And then there is Trump's campaign promises of bringing an improved relationship with Russia as his major foreign policy objective. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Trump's appointment of Oil Company executive Rex Tillerson to the extremely powerful position of Secretary of State, was primarily based on Tillerson's business dealing experience with Russia.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The US security and secret services discovered that the Russian Government had directly intervened in trying to swing the US election, by spying on the Democratic leadership, then exposing the compromising information gleaned. Russian officials were expelled for this,in the last days of Obama's administration. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This is all fact.</div>
<div>
<br />Now some conjecture.<br />
<br />
It is reasonable to surmise that Trump himself was also personally in on the Russian/Trump campaign relationship, and indeed may have participated in meetings and phone discussions with Russian Government officials. Indeed, it far less plausible to believe that Trump was not involved in such light level and strategic discussions with the Russian, involving almost all his key staff, than that he was somehow absent.<br />
<br />
If so, Trump definitely knows he is extremely vulnerable to exposure, and possibly impeachment.<br />
<br />
This exposure would probably come from leaked intelligence information, even from routine US intelligence gathering on the Russians involved, who are all under US routine surveillance.<br />
<br />
This leaked information would be fed to the press, causing enormous damage to Trump and perhaps terminating his rule as President.<br />
<br />
By systematically targeting and trashing both FBI 'leakers', and Press 'fake news', Trump is aiming to reduce the credibility of the expose when it comes, or even reducing the likelihood of an expose at all from intimidated agents and journalists.<br />
<br />
In short, Trump is already preemptively, deliberately and viciously targeting the messengers. </div>
David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-46099909423628431372017-02-15T22:24:00.001+02:002017-02-15T22:24:54.460+02:00Netanyahu Trump Summit - The Making of History<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kl5EA627b0U" width="480"></iframe>David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-4284553551282412152017-02-15T07:40:00.001+02:002017-02-15T07:40:28.193+02:00New Talent in Knessethttps://youtu.be/hPpSwvvWdGgDavid Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-39951690698853360782017-01-25T22:40:00.001+02:002017-01-25T22:40:32.757+02:00Israel's VIPs (Very Important Prisoners)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WkWEZJXZi0xm391DeyZmMoarr8cbfZP3mlEMWGFdnZgCJCby4KmHO7VioCapAWWhuK0hpPhbaJNIk0hhvXS3g3ViixDJL6KxcCJjUNUzsk1_Vp6q0MD1eo4VqEV3y81275pmEyIVvsJc/s1600/68692410990100640360no.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WkWEZJXZi0xm391DeyZmMoarr8cbfZP3mlEMWGFdnZgCJCby4KmHO7VioCapAWWhuK0hpPhbaJNIk0hhvXS3g3ViixDJL6KxcCJjUNUzsk1_Vp6q0MD1eo4VqEV3y81275pmEyIVvsJc/s320/68692410990100640360no.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
There's a Chief Rabbi, a Prime Minister and a President in a cell together....<br />
<br />
What sounds like the beginning of a joke, is painfully close to Israel's reality.<br />
<br />
Ex-Chief Rabbi Rabbi Yona Metzger will be imprisoned for three and a half years for corruption, having pocketed millions of shekels in illicit funds during his tenure as Chief Rabbi.<br />
<br />
He may have the distinction of 'sitting' with ex-Prime Minister Olmert, and he narrowly missing hob-nobbing with ex-President Moshe Katzav (who has been recently released after serving time for rape).<br />
<br />
With at least four investigations against Prime Minister Netanyau, perhaps something will stick and Bibi might join these celebs.<br />
<br />
Before the current batch of Very Important Prisoners, Shas Minister Aryeh Deri did his time, and Ariel Sharon's son Omri also; Prime Minister Sharon Minister may well have been imprisoned with Omri also, had it not been for Gush Katif and then his vegetative state following a stroke. <br />
<br />
Israel seems unique among Western democracies for the amount of leading politicians who cross into criminality and get caught & punished. Perhaps only Italy is close behind.<br />
<br />
Perhaps being criminally inclined is a helpful factor to progress in Israeli politics - or the operating itself environment is intrinsically corrupt, and so corrupts many of those who enter it. <br />
<br />
This is aside from the awful chilul Hashem/desecration of God's name, from such a prestigious Rabbi going behind bars.David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-66639306265680994032017-01-23T22:37:00.001+02:002017-01-23T22:37:09.499+02:00Overseeing The Journalists<br />
<img alt="Netanyahu (L) and Mozes (Photos: Avi Moalem and Hillel Maeir/TPS)" src="https://images1.ynet.co.il/PicServer5/2017/01/15/7519507/7519474492280autoresize.jpg" /><br />
<br />
The Bibi-Noni scandal appears to have shone a spotlight upon a murky world of politics plus journalism.<br />
<br />
A series of tapes, now in the hands of the police, reveal that Prime Minister Netanyahu held secret meetings with Arnon "Noni" Mozes, owner of Yediot Acharonot - a devotedly anti-Bibi newspaper.<br />
<br />
Various deals were being discussed between Bibi and Noni, with a view to reducing the criticism of Netanyahu by Yediot, in return for Netanyahu taking measures to reduce Israel Hayom's circulation.<br />
<br />
Israel Hayom is a free, Bibi aligned newspaper, founded and funded by Sheldon Adelson, which had undercut the tabloid market where Yediot had previously dominated.<br />
<br />
The quid pro quo appears to have been that Yediot would lower the volume on anti-Bibi journalism, in return for Bibi cutting Israel Hayom's circulation.<br />
<br />
Indeed, a bill was presented to the Knesset in 2014, nicknamed the "Israel Hayom Law", which effectively illegalized free mass-circulation newspapers, and practically speaking solely targeted Israel Hayom<br />
<br />
Netanyau has so far argued that "they will find nothing, because there is nothing". Netanyahu himself made the recordings (a la Nixon?) and claims this was to protect himself from blackmail.<br />
<br />
However, the most telling fact in Netanyahu's favour, is that Netanyahu voted against the Israel Hayom Law, and perhaps even called elections in order to defeat it.<br />
<br />
In other words, there was no deal, because Netanyahu never delivered.<br />
<br />
Whether the level of corruption was criminal, or whether this was actually corrupt at all (after all, wheeling & dealing is the essence of politics), is dubious so far.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, that the newspaper tycoon Noni Mozes was apparently willing to change editorial policy in order to make financial gain, severely compromises the idea of an independent press and freedom of expression.<br />
<br />
A pack of Israeli journalists have been quick to smell Netanyahu's blood, in spite of Netanyahu's insistence that people shouldn't party just yet on his political demise, as the case is vacuous.<br />
<br />
However, there appears to have been no public call by journalists, of any stripe or colour, to investigate and evaluate the level of collusion between journalism, business and politics, jeopardizing the impartiality and freedom of the press.<br />
<br />
Time, methinks, for some "cheshbon nefesh" (holding account) by the journalist community. David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-33706042167095343202017-01-22T22:31:00.004+02:002017-01-22T22:31:56.060+02:00Buddy, Can You Spare Don a Dime?<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Courier; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="m_4066654104029247483m_2471120141438343053m_6926335828994696397m_1032972400540838582m_3430539738051114396role_document" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: blue;">Poor old Donald. Had to move from here into subsidized housing which was vacated by a black family</span></b> </span></div>
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David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-21408734537703136192017-01-17T10:16:00.001+02:002017-01-17T10:16:06.953+02:00The Funny Side of Booking Online<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XiQ3-vkOM44" width="480"></iframe>David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-78389736183078868662016-12-31T21:29:00.001+02:002016-12-31T21:29:35.649+02:00The King's Son, The Gulf War and Obama<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Along with millions of my countrymen, I have been appalled at Obama and Kerry's 11th hour abandonment of Israel, the US's loyal and stalwart democratic ally in the Middle East.<br />
<br />
Seeking spiritual meaning in these macro-events, I recall the experience of living in Israel during the first Gulf War (1990-91).<br />
<br />
Thirty-nine Scud Missiles were fired from Iraq into Israel during that war. With each rocket, the warning sirens blared and we Israelis ran for our 'sealed-rooms', put on our gas masks, and prayed.<br />
<br />
According to reports, either 39 or 38 Scud Missiles hit Israel, with a total casualty toll of two deaths (one reportedly a heart attack), one severely wounded, ten seriously wounded and around 230 people lightly wounded.<br />
<br />
According to reports, there was an additional Scud Alarm sounded in Israel at the end of the Gulf War, but that missile never hit Israel. Instead, that single Scud missile was fired at Saudi Arabia and hit a US barraks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, killing 28 U.S. soldiers.<br />
<br />
In a <a href="http://faculty.publicpolicy.umd.edu/sites/default/files/fetter/files/1993-Nature-Scud.pdf">research paper</a> published in Nature in 1993, examining the impact of the Scuds fired at Israel, and comparing the casualties with other conflicts involving ballistic missiles attacks on urban targets (London in the 2nd World War, and Tehran in the Iran/Iraq War), the authors conclude that the expected causalties from Scud Missiles would have been around 5 deaths per missile, with a total of between 150-200 fatalities.<br />
<br />
The researches concluded, among other factors:<br />
<br />
<i><b>Coincidence.</b> Substantial statistical fluctuations are expected in attacks involving only a small
number of inaccurate ballistic missiles with small damage radii. Since only about ten warheads
detonated in Israeli cities, luck must have played a crucial role in determining the overall casualty
rate. Indeed, there is considerable anecdotal evidence that good fortune played an important role
in reducing casualties in Israel. Of the warheads that detonated in Israeli cities, one hit the only
empty lot in a densely populated neighborhood; two others hit a factory and a partially
constructed shopping mall during the night. Several other Scuds landed near unoccupied
buildings: an underground bomb shelter, a municipal center, and a school. Even when Scuds
severely damaged occupied buildings, casualties were remarkably low: a missile that landed in an
alleyway between several apartment buildings and caused one building to collapse killed only one
person, and an attack that destroyed a two-storey house and severely damaged several others also
killed only one person; two people reportedly survived only because they disobeyed government
instructions and went to their basement bomb shelter.</i><br />
<br />
At the time, a rabbi in Israel (I forget who) told a fascinating 'moshal' (illustrative story).<br />
<br />
There was a king who wanted his son, the prince and future monarch, to understand the severity of sentencing subjects to be lashed.<br />
<br />
The king therefore ordered his Chief Executioner to flog the prince with 39 lashes (the highest permissible number). This was in order to give the prince a sharp painful personal lesson about administering this punishment.<br />
<br />
The Chief Executioner had a dilemma.<br />
<br />
He was required to fulfil the King's instructions, of course, but he was also mindul that the prince would one day be the monarch, and his boss.<br />
<br />
The executioner therefore took up his whip and lightly touched the prince's back 39 times. No blood, and no pain.<br />
<br />
The king stood up angrily, and told the executioner to pass him the whip. The king then hit his son, the prince, with one mighty blow with the whip. The prince screamed, the whip spilled blood.<br />
<br />
The King's message was delivered.<br />
<br />
The rabbi who told the moshal said that the nimshal (meaning) of the story is that the thirty nine lashes which were light taps, were the thirty-nine scuds which hit Israel. The king's 'real' last lash, was the Scud which hit the US Barraks. The King, as is common in such stories, is God.<br />
<br />
In other words, we Israelis needed to appreciate that we were protected (perhaps underservedly) by God from all the 39 Scud attacks by Iraq, each one of which could have been as devestating as the one attack in Saudi Arabia.<br />
<br />
Our prayers had been answered, and God had been merciful.<br />
<br />
And so we come to Obama and Kerry.<br />
<br />
For eight years, Obama and Kerry have held power in the USA, and their anti-Israeli activities were limited and caused little damage. Indeed, US Aid continued to be awarded to Israel, and Israel was consistently protected by the US Veto, from the wolves pack, which is the UN. Although the administration attempted to broker "peace" between the Israelis and Palestinians, this was quietly abandonned as it became clear that there was no deal to be done.<br />
<br />
Israel came out of the eight years, reasonably unscathed.<br />
<br />
Now that Obama is a "lame duck", in his last days in office, in the process of handing the Government over to Donald Trump... Oabam's administration is launching the equivalent of the 40th Scud of the Gulf War, the 40th lash from the King.<br />
<br />
Obama's power to turn the world against Israel, has been done with a flick of his wrist, an Abstain vote, instead of a Veto. Delivering a bloody thrashing, instead of a light tap.<br />
<br />
We fear that Obama has more vicious diplomatic attacks planned against Israel, in Paris and perhaps again at the UN.<br />
<br />
Regardless, the overall spiritual message is that we can now better appreciate God's blessing over Israel, who has protected us from exactly the same awesome powers which are in Obama's hands, and causing us so much damage in the past days, for the past eight years.<br />
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<br />David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-58243939128660988062016-12-18T20:59:00.002+02:002016-12-18T20:59:31.931+02:00Reviews of Photo Aps<br />
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If you, like me, are from the era of Kodak Instamatic, Polaroid, and (for the more sophisticated), Single Lens Reflex, then you probably share my awe for the power of 'simple' phone cameras, and the wizardry now offered by photo processing aps.<br />
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Over the past year I have been discovering the amazing power of my (then new) Samsung Galaxy S5 phone camera.<br />
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The quality of simple 'snaps', can be astounding, and the behind the camera operations, functions and options are also (with a little practice) impressive.<br />
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But the ultimate photographic experience is combining the sophisticated little camera on the phone, with a range of (usually free) photo processing aps.<br />
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Perhaps the most popular photo ap is <b>Instagram</b>, used by over 500 million people, which offers photo editing, a range of beautifying filters and a social media combo - allowing you to publicise your great photos to people/friends who may be appreciative of you and your work.<br />
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You are warmly invited to "follow" my Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/davidmorrisisrael/<br />
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I also use <b>PicsArt</b>. If Instagram makes a good picture more beautiful, then PicsArt turns a good photo into art. Easy photo editing, prepares your photo for transformation with an array of creative filters and effects.<br />
<img height="599" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ioByUrG8ueMYiJ9DjHZ5X7fUdCqFjKnUyIyQbBJjJrJ26HHghVnJfGgPZlRwxqqEUZkCsL8bPoeBbrjYImz9nrFEk3Cj6PUOs0CxiAomUFx2LYePm66HNPwHOKiThAiRy0R5BdM0AQZ07WgxmNbJ3dGJgcYWH4H9P8IphJFTVk1pmiWN3mVzs4VMPIeVEwB1f_JWpwEUSB4tVJM3GK4vvTWMD8Dr6nHAjKZmNhGuIrAFmhhyWoHGqt4yPdQswWF6fOq--6F6dMyCTi76pYOB8JXzTlcv7rIuQH8sybv_-RhdeUUjToeJlx0PzVjSxiEose34A7CsL85cFg8DillRlRo6_8fJ2AnTFUglq3HoCsEu8Jsz7Bt4rSR9fm--jl3NN37jkrYl2XKqq9_1OQnkULX1G619UxMfYrFKjyq7N3LNPLPjiS63x26lmMCKqdY5AY4UGOTGRyMsaw31HaWpxInrrIkME9Sk9gC8knXDXRab9343GGS6mMVLio1KOqnOYG2oJu9zhO3hAvwtbuN2FfHDIuGIcl_8JKuHKdA5Go8GPB2_GR2ygIPw6NrnIWlkqjyIXRF5QiZrs1JJfHZ-6JcDD5c0MPK7T0mMy0KW9oPv2c61jQ=w1039-h974-no" width="640" /><br />
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<img height="324" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vjywDEMAi2myQ6m0Kjdp1l34PnL9H_smDac_MAWJvz3Rh6EhGmjGcSVNiHchEDi-ET9YXbE3mPjl97JA8CtvjHVJvmPh9RQ5rDhlozeV-0cGappxxrtFW4lGeNH1uvPf60EA8WISTBpdHTMh3h3lPpTMjFDkdBk-40jLyDo_gnOcIh8vbAljsNcJTFZ1lgcMOOHqW0JrHFpczE_Prg300HhzE0RlqJkUDLb4XiyqJ-tm8rQGjEYEgHgG6xVSyUn4XFcdaMw5c2MQORhxm6y5pbuiqqAsIH3scEMKBDqoo9seCD_jGvn02wrL83qmsyR3g2dFvRV-fN820SjhENXV--H1KMb3bkEiuEtPEkt_iVnLORTp-ZVA9zrVN4IJNfLVifE4wDDc9M5BCm0Wg7yRrXrXjx4yywpEOBNPUR4E3B0sKtbmWQwjQqKv3yMKpymXR6RqfRWaZ-IanHTAhqacDOdmvF9u9-zhD8AYwaAp3YlDFSbgVWKxTi50qSi_Qe-jgsqIZsJM0fzhnK2u11By4padVR8lqz1HRHfsfN6ZHvS6lb3UJ8XEqD4tQr9wO4Gcf2N8I7hdqKd_WgVL46wji-FmOpDZfXg6jwl2looWJkHSFQttl1FgmQ=w1444-h733-no" width="640" /><br />
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<img height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8Ps032mRHrIs3CdLJ-eqrKbLaypIc1zcs-53dMw14P5P_lo_7YqLgvWDlcZdGcBjad79vWwId13Eojxs4G-TYiw0uvpXgEhP0K1MZ05QyG4iT-0zG-nZs-iNmAwdRgN50JykAfXh8K6WMGECmwzvv7NYuuKRrCAP47hwMyoFfy0ujdyc92cZ00rMr55qy-Bg0VTm_9-pkl0ryJlkWDbfUPwmcTfFMdPtNYnC6Tw0wpDpCwD--orxDKh5NE1IU422Uv1sw3TOLeZxvEdpqNWLtq_VFaA0QiPL9iU5QwtGrKilk_vFyNAHKzR4gSb0wemmxnVakOJdN_27itY3as-8_0YU2nstAf1Tt3kIl_h2pQEN-BTZ5px0T-kmnXCSapC2GTKh4Snd4pRiuSJJmajZTbYAi4N2xUlvwv-xr4nlnTGhCXLEK_-iOsFJ5eSIRQg92kVTAelRgoYto5vROs6tOCRPqHfvnNOta9Ink-1Gr2K1yUpc7QHIDdC6jigfU36nvYoF235Aypk1CPKZaGZZw1utimKQ3WVpkhV_RNlffIkBeWcMG8QsLx7RgtucTI5bCCzzCNuYmm6w_F0kRg2SX39Gd_A5MjmIhevtm_8tyc3DiOI6MG0bJA=w780-h974-no" width="511" /><br />
As I understand the theory of 'filters', as used by artistic photo aps, consider a famous artist, say Picasso. During his cubist period, Picasso didn't simply draw out random shapes and colours. He saw an object and changed it in a consistent and creative fashion to produce his end result, a cubist painting of that object. Picasso applied a process, even rigorously.<br />
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This artistic process can be recreated in software algorithms, to give a computer generated Picasso-like effect to your 'regular' photos. Or any other real or imaginary artist's creative processes.<br />
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The photo processing ap <b>Prisma</b> excels in their artistic filters, or processing algorithms. As a user, you can flip through the various filters and chose which effect you find most satisfactory for your specific photo. The range of output images from any given photo is astounding. <br />
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The down side, is you have little control over the filter output - basically you can strengthen or weaken the effect, but not much else.<br />
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Here are some examples of my photos using Prisma:<br />
<img height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2xi698UHVhdUw6gziEOsnf2cw3u2i8FrCjvFq8nhPJHbdSZ_ZplfGCfaZN1iy-lshP8CCW4tTiOLECVbbWC5JxryWIsQWDsW3_aOA0Hck7tsSBHRRzy-TjsUaKwabCuoHaWX2JfdumdqhYJdT5ieVfD3xpoe_gxRoA6r2df-CXlxf3V1gbj-naQBfbq1xxjoHRm__C_72Nf7U-2bSC3dnLBhlTRDkGh8lZAu2iflr_PEB76vy7Bsho2hjcc2VSzPC0039_qCpG9HaMP7coHsd51qA_dzXlMWiUoyQWor_AWPu3NgDwaBXvGYTf3JRSo_HN2rFj4zI22Xf-xHGZoCMtsQsi1ZQlEIinOKVn0Z7-O2OsGUihKYWRF8qw__3eG9aEoTLsZmRjXx4eBRxRYxDAkRX2yjt3lWo9rVOWJqJvGnJOHByF9KkpiY2MJjhED28O96JC8viZrSijucO_N9RW7t3zE5BMfl2yKKgB9sYBSEvwERkHS85J4X915n8uvp5XacSgV4yiIf9DGjJiLAsZkp0aYNJgxbpvUG1ufuBNkpRdKjpwvUbEt7jeVHDcdX8zeUc0ItmUUy2RA3m51hHAzu6HIYunOXc7LFbBg724ymtZsFRZ7-1Q=s974-no" width="640" /><br />
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<img height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4_jB797mBSCtXkDuv1B1eqtUiW6JiByEjDKxVAzgojIW-xyIrpe0frA9fyNMUB0Jcol9OYRGfxFxtZ0E7X6UhKuWhdn202njHch4RHrrUJvas8FPcmeyZ9qSqFiQHi14bOni9hHqAvzFJrLKUvQvMxFKWeMRfVFmcbd1ZOtOkCgj9GnYuxRIabS4lIk-wxanuLriSrwDaFQ56vsC9e2CoUjoGF55E2hb4bXMbPXtOFW0_rvhaarZI4hcxMMSM1u4yksdk8IoEl5IrP-50z4ASNITPiIJZA0sihEQAckgcoQvNrXlCcnWcqsiCxFamwBoHdeXNavFNkUw5zk-9MFcTXpVNAv2jerZ0UFOugt1aFxAVSv9F-rPZMM9PP8XX0SUlSXhP3bqeeazlS6beMybJmIoO9fDaCDsV2lhxvZdnERPBobI5wUTr559WdW5-dEYv_kncCWEkAp04ZrNzbagpWAzBmW_17XQXROtLlGznSYLEDRfNqc0Y-2pkqMcXaPlQ6yuU6plKbBCGG2YhVrg41pJKbFsfS5tw6--QNnCxnD6bTypY6PuN8QMjVBxPGV9Z0ZzsscvRDFt7L-fy7qxC8geo4vSvypnKIq5FRxJw5-tBqYBGg=s974-no" width="640" /><br />
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<img height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/e3Yg5DRAr7MTPBI2KymHqZrzAIltfO8Dk6kagyjbw9gLkf_h5VoD9Tz_xgqNUKXC9pF3lQ5pvqI92FKkzS1ReCnfJB_BrK-C4xCrvZ7Dc9mY0_3yU6V60dCvVf99lb_g8l-fqEbJ3-_lC_2tqtBcBjVSrGZ_SEoH4rcx_Mx-s0Io4qeJciZqbkNVFbylZMQhN1MA1HbYgi03hgge5WrnJ_bS5NyvwLXdsCBCEu8zE6x9y6K74Mg_IIdXsXROXnkmiybQD9Xd-Meo2t6iFWZ5Mxw1861HTdA2rjCz9GGvUK-Etagik_BrFTB9D1srGzy3q9Rel450r8ipzx9_zoEz6YT0gozmdvgLwhpX-CgZnkaZWp0u34emJcR57YS48Ncx5U2-AjpfF35I3R6G86Hr_uW3nXuVkoBvGN9uYiC-XS0ZOiJf4f-Urh-vZJJ2GbbDz7L9KzrMAyU9hXgm5i2323Y8_nYJq9RmFLR2va6ih7FvYCdafO1BCIhJFtWUUSdWeVGEHS6gIZUq4VgCRg5rn_tqTS4iEAcwpupeiP5px3v_PMindjzBQOyzeRI_48f6RDnQpAsmvSRBQXlZSUVBFGALRJwO9o_sp72uEIpna_DtlZZ2ehR2JA=s974-no" width="640" /><br />
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<img height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/y8VtGl_t-oHzTdGxeOvPerI201MLeZo1SMy9iFUMJ_ySYLtHdYGchRJlpue23UWhuIjBSeJDKz5Rgeh39q6JuevsBQVPCfvRCru-1yejkY5iL_VXRpnsP6rwBovFb6MMDiO5E2Zl6unvrqxAIkgfzt0UZGMhrptLsdGAStFwWIrui8DAd_dQuDfXutym4DNlvVvOarVs4xHIxX2Xd45MUTSz3Hjpr27wdh1aeExnCGNJ7qXOixx0WkgNLyL0Bn3FGFTeA7fS7ZY35Cn-63lO4Gxp-04a1PS9zzaHtj-_OgZxacpCUVIw4JJTJsmvqD4Ws_Vv67FapAJKvSzgtkub2y5jViSWZFDnhGu0w9ZMlZ8F2viWGD1thFIFp5zHQwYq_Ene7WM7wbu4MRJAkzW6obgKiVbizP1GAicINvJvNKMtIlzSihEzGXlOySQGfb1c9_sI50aK9Pzb9Smfkji0r1lPpgkpkMv8hL0TpGbKvm6yBtOOXFBiKwg7-j7URXMIpbAC4uSOBbLg9MxyeUmIv0CwPS85R9qFlNvbJD49FOvFtl7aLzFVgim_tmPwhSzUIv5ur_vc35Ue3PiBpNdkUO3fNi1pDdjNrrEORX3YmS5c3augQfBsEg=s974-no" width="640" /><br />
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<img height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tz7CatYEoMJN7BsqoY_VriJCRYhy0YoeTcV2zub3tlDg5zQ70vSIdzAL74kyN7Af-5FUnTSdTdU_MICdnVRY7_G98qRukaNsH6xxYi9ZX5YZ6fJ8UpT_uDbhdImVsAZ4tuCHzZDBcNviDKAHi0OedHRzBAr0JeuafJpCf4U_FYC6ob6XVqi4Fh6j9hWjHJY7eiTuiwuuTDOrGRnrJhI_wIEBOxziDH2cFEdfYMKrZsTkz5QajRpINlfYx1hRCf92OuQvzgaREKaQVc_zm1LJ3imCmGeG6ODBr6_D3Tr1a8G95dwXFYkCLHCwP-3SQg3LFXNU5QryWvzF5LveP25MpHEcMoMwzWvf5kRPGVzFM-C1KVOgJH1qHqatp7VVKJ4LDuFTp1Kqw_V1RHgds8pCIAEhX9qnYCfPJMNTtLKr9Hc8-lYK0TK7YDMsKflD-t-C2egcqOt2jAN6KUKe6xZHKIUcC-pA1mCqcaXyk0GndrOjHy-p2iK6Gd25r6uhvMvvFtH4hbequX5EvXPFNuE_XPIUTkhn9142ADHUG1KX8rQQwW9iYq-zMYrJ_gEgAU_5dYI1hpBotBbzWv4w7ZfB6-knhGkQWKvvsyzyrByXhR0OVpGilQ=s974-no" width="640" /><br />
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<img height="480" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1_ssIuVTojK_VZrJ_BS1xD2-AIZ_nPgSgsedUM0Yvo3P0U_n5Fxs6Ji5REyI0ULQuXcdXf3G5ZVHXMUXXY4Vy3sOGqqoi9k6DKjMmVa3KgrmPQgUCj2D5XDT9mFtS93PihT1n5bggpHS000jR68Cd1_LdWIN67ClyZVRe0FdXc_5voWRFaJsRbRQh74urYEhpVWzXi-yqUH7g5GDz2q7vkCTGgc7JnUtdu5a-_SoyJbHCpYpbn4s_Z0Vin-XcK4A2N8yPHbUMSBQb2sUGxIompX5LnBBKGMIGHuiZJORkHCZdjiq-rZlIu6-N_oKI_D1z1gMemzINEO6lFoFkHFXX1OZVxBr7fPYj6Um4kzLEOV4Pq6FCxEY_l8R3nhtSWf1dUHXgtqT1z7saRajLX1-YIItQN0BeqvFsY6bk-Xzm7NDPeqqG-HETxI0K1l07m6gzKvkDxViSSlpCW-DdUcLDtmSktaVKKgQAypAbkw7QJsNvVNwWhKKNlaSC90SzALqCLHyxHbwtYUlqaQwczDOIe-K2WKuJ5-LF3Y463RsvhfwJHV6YD5sHZk08hZlUc-s0IzK5vS0PkN69sXZI6-HSCsol4zRc6PSlwoyda-kM2CO6YOaUXq2gA=w1280-h960-no" width="640" /><br />
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<img height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/QABsLWt4_ZMSY3UvpEARnsIh9J4g47Buj1s0FfK1ZatHEDfsKAT8IY22xEpMyil3NUyXUKT5A3tzR4ra4Fwc_mgQm36-SwezennoeehtKXB4w6dzB-Rta4-DXSwDTDzwJY_1yreQ6FmVdTEGv4aXRvxfbokcIgFTC0e93en64HvysxI44sRpYSBStHp7l9TQD7Rnkd4SUiEwKUqwPFKt882XlXkmJo0Nj2FOFhprQzfySkDcb3aeZVJyCSFWOHsTRzzQxqXErM4b0Ppn06k4nHqTHUxDsvJEVHgdQEzbXtYxbDNAl8B2ctbRkZe06h60SawGlUlOF3-9tgVEUU4ONltGaQTvNxeQjotA3cz8Q_7w8uvN6v3LSlLtFAgpm8lJF-Ma7ukRVN0_kcnirxTA_23psLTvUq9ET0ueZeSX73QrDg2EELk8yM1tMEkiQsUWO3Ls82V_8fI18xoDYcyXbPtT0LewO1XyqP_LEBRqy6ggbfqEInRuAsq3MeZsXHLQdNZb3hKsxwGblOZhLn68PFcjkidZZh3TMB0z3qjSYBN7O0b-6X_9ExCLKXlolwmbFydS60cH9YzgWMpwp2CikIQl2DV67ZSCD9siWTfFmLc_uah603HLRQ=s776-no" width="640" /><br />
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If you are looking for more control over the facets of your photo processing, then I recommend <b>Snapseed</b>. Snapseed's tools set and filters can create dramatic and beautiful images, while you remain in control.<br />
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Snapseed examples:<br />
<img height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/YFmg4a4YkcG96WLIMhMCMATX8YHnIBu-HFeixt_LZT6DNTCO_zETlrIotgTn5GvKvzqfl7hdQJiSPBoOE4zxBzfS6UTTEu3GNItItEa4WrCD1viKayQC4AeVwcaNy2BFd8Ihx_8TKXIi-xTjjo63abFy6LSGrqSvaCKwlj_lWdX_gDJFO7k0SLSiAK-s5Qg_3JCKgJlbfFykuTTD0Wcb5sjJvr5DCrYVJC2vwURpUAbZRksPgQhVkhqS-R723X4-zS5-77pEi8OC-7RT9TVSxA6ULFWogCi4o8nYi4f5Ex4yqurof_od1srSp90mzFOGaIQUBtQTsHJWmTagh0fH8xTB-gSqY5hDFX-hMesrWkkLQpJKBchgXnFjHGk19OcZXXQXJ80KOdPrg2bDX66EgEh87ZVYMoxyw9pyNJRR17iWHNmz0vQOJGt46m_u43Cwqty-D6_0_yb8HP29f88QaIdHL6wg8XZa5YKksnBfWfYm74G_R5vwSMIctY53xpKrWjh9mGA_eYB7xv6UCuT-zGV2dq6bxQtKVahpvI7cH900nAYZTPnAH81CEQAvD8c4MI5fln-ruXxlEFHeBZ-5pd7R8oYfgMlYcnjIDH8rYDJQgn--3IQ1lA=w780-h974-no" width="510" /><br />
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<img height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ecybdQlYU1lOyz4ai0B9AT7svoGslQ2TpDJniSu7SlTxxj1bpcowWckS0d4rIC71HQR8usp8x6M6ZKQJ8Q5foojWELcLgcmUkl95NN4yQOCXCM4AMHP5lTJheBekwovwlrjlBI1kq2DYq3ANu8cZuNjmSSNH_NCljWSmxyq1Q-2ARYUtaYfevdSwh6JG-qx70LIczq-lHvQlUD5zVTJ3hNXODXQZ2zkZOQ7mUuCyG77KBsbH4crJ5xQuOzfvR1oiCN5MbtrkIRR6irn7RARiH52UJ_1qBHiEE5R_JlULCfjxA-rfQfmQ4c9OACH08u_KQNnWuS1PVRXNiCysnYMuGr_ElIvqahhdllU8mNvYBpCEeT6_nf7eyxGWCQ-s5rnvnU3cdTl_5OaS5X7X_7yloCVLD3dj9y0u1nz4KMUxCiAhcYmgvbdfG9Zv5FDWlxZ-fPSj_M6PQH1Cd_MfJZZm-BmIibDzPIEVr5pQ5Ds5wmyM5ZFOHNbQJ6evpgz_9jduTxCHW6f2kH0Sf7cwOFlb-agiHuzK6XxfVcbVfbHDaNesUi8dSufMr8cauecLz00mVQyiwRUrlTUjcWcyzIenzNwjeJF7vwlCTbbaiDZMQZ6CLYxzJ1rK-g=w780-h974-no" width="512" /><br />
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For lighter fun, I recommend PIP Camera, which offers (regular) tools and some fun and impress-your-friends effects and filters. (I understand if you pay, you can remove the PIP watermark).<br />
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<img height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gjLbNXfKh6iF_RoE6FDJdgRlcefDO8Yuhn8UMCJS4xAtNSLVpKO9BCMtgxWXCmd0G745vB-g3fZo8N--7vd1mUDPttzfTJHhkoMlCh4qvtgKGt9xuHjhh4hOPvjolBdK59W4Wgu-30HBIlhw9thTaamYYOTJUgU3T_4NAslO_8jyClaaX9q3O6ttMivb3WDWbwqVtq9OiiDU2nTJ3hgWrMq8xhLMpMSo4RuI_byQnxbHcS6Bf16Kyo1NoCrOu80AK3gWykdJiXwfaRR48jdF_ZYJvqJSXOiHw04hUgWOQKAAFgCrDhkic7yqZl1-bMy2nFY_iop9o57jlHS3Y4BrHkzpruj5VgNwoueKSOIj2klxm-bhbKEaxEuHv99SYeeC64YLxobKeCC9oXim_6988eT8EnQDZGDzeDWqEE8cFG5hUAFkwUUs5Vn_PVpOD8aQeKnZd5vvJfvxmJ1rAr5J65f1X39z7YDwDoJj2-cM_txm8y_VJkiekt7S2ezljtGqawKpjmYWgSCRPv7WthvddVL5lWb0yjZXQ3LeR_RxRpIh9k4OEmVNeQYTkhprhyw15z7oQGwEE2suGsa22Wc3z9iWuO1FaFY4cNJiK0MCIPtYBN-7QZ-wzg=s960-no" width="640" /><br />
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<img height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/JKANXLOseKynLDpLUearYjVyL1QZMvpkDgDW2g4SwQ93oXICcRgg5bwqhZB9-JA_Vk-uRkLwf_Mi6ZGqimg4W8qnq042F-sP-TR8juaW32bX008rx7mvd6F84L2uBI1CWntDVG8AMqUmnNHfMceNP8X_jI0Qy1zBG7uGJtJr8gUu0cS4VAvh1csOTowIs7ZQfRwSxIPQR0FtXSHxOX0O8MdkpdgmCxdxTajj-jxKj7IEqU0O3FD9vykV0Av4olUWkHqzq8nWJz_5LkNuvQFDhEUZHLTWDddI8OW-f-N_ro9HNQYlNjvlxQ0eOseo18J-bw_bzC9FqvL5OPl75JNeRcJx__yCbRMaDUJHsWvQR4PdV9FAuy-Tra-smUFFlvQ73DLOsZK-47ne6CkJ4cm6qEvZfQte9V9ifCNpflIKurpLk-JHIhYUXeeZpMvmux2zmICHOGbiGH_vNvVE5MUF2v5r3MM1QzAT2gfjcOJvxzcf0G9C85W8np5zbSOoTwnzMjclrccRA-jbRZrKqN2UTrHMB5PNlpOdSB_QmEtmGYzCNYWL9y-dRlQOllgG3fytt3LlRaJLSkUJ2OLVWQTQpn84MmAUi_y8DhLQW8P8aPZDydcWT4IVpw=s974-no" width="640" /><br />
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I must also mention Google's "<b>Photos</b>", which is part of the google suite and is integrated with Google My Drive.<br />
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As well as storing all your photos (free up to a point, after which you may have to buy Google Drive memory space), you can also edit them and use filters.<br />
<br />
But for me the most astounding feature is the image recognition. For example, it will recognise specific people and animals, or objects, and group them for you.<br />
<br />
So it recognises that I am in certain photos. I can label me as "David". I then select a picture of my wife Julie, and label a photo of her "Julie". Not only will it recognise (to a reasonable accuracy) all the photos with "David" or "Julie" in them, but also "David + Julie" to find any photos where we both feature.<br />
<br />
"Photos" will also group your photos by date or theme, and even create collages and short video sequences using related photos.<br />
<br />
Here's a "Photos" automatically created collage of my daughter and her family which caught my eye:<br />
<img height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/v6rhFa9z0nZ7t4bfI7u_rsCAcZuczDMbAz86R2aNG-MXvvAXS4aFAUEfY-pbm1eliaLRZYn_xVECGxoFrjmnNiuE6ytiC5LMLIwEIUXbFglB99fnfsNbKH9zqbc23ZPEzxvJTfh0xbz4JPeGG5op4PrzHTMMRol6-8w93H6BdgCbPj9nB45cCvceI_zja1HlEBdXHk7wNEG4YyRmTVj0R7NKjDVAYR2EB-qOR-Taij52-_BVFmHtgeaCK-5S7EL1Mfv4r8aXh3wmrbVGr4UXFRQQdlPV3kb0PsT7TbA9phg6_RPDu7ks6pG4QdjawpdMhnyjH7g4WE5Wptt8jjptnrwkLcwIz4bc8R-3BCjua02XfWl3DRGJqg71_9V_GDyNy-hYGSuNF0BHaMFHP-gmP5-69Krzw9_GApAqcgt5sIXh0UmwpEkt-Vr0vvmZ3OqH2h2REyg1ZwigCY5u8ZjOIpNC_mZD2KYUv45r-vSlbX3nHExJng0-3aghvQjBbmcO2Rpg1HTaEk08GW9yip2IznI5j9hfcV9yRhQgLbzK8GGp2vkWG-9eszrMQ9xDoY3of9aBtSqjRmo9hGK1nYQxAyPsxLs9Tjlm7VzgNZL2gZKF9dF2YvsOZw=s974-no" width="640" /> .<br />
<br />
There are many more aps and tools for processing your photos, and publicising & distributing them.<br />
<br />
Other well known products, which I haven't explored yet, include Pixler, Camera360, Flickr and the iconic Photoshop.<br />
<br />
I advise you to use your cellphone camera regularly, select the better snaps, and experiment with any of the photo procesing and editing aps.<br />
<br />
When all said and done, a good photo is indeed worth a thousand words!David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-76221209506411936162016-11-13T21:38:00.001+02:002016-11-14T11:43:56.160+02:00The Quantum Effect of Polls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTOlbY23K4o8fhjKMqYla462h8lgcat0BwPKu-UOjcDZ7VZo2iKL8PmOS-3ZmxxNJWehtG8FGwuJIiACsKJ0XMHR7SkC-H_vKO16OnTuKjrFSfo3qi3in7mxMS8lrhFEjygKgzMHQepXu/s1600/Hillary%2527s+predicted+vitory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTOlbY23K4o8fhjKMqYla462h8lgcat0BwPKu-UOjcDZ7VZo2iKL8PmOS-3ZmxxNJWehtG8FGwuJIiACsKJ0XMHR7SkC-H_vKO16OnTuKjrFSfo3qi3in7mxMS8lrhFEjygKgzMHQepXu/s320/Hillary%2527s+predicted+vitory.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
If you ask 10,000 people who they are going to vote for, and 6000 say Blue, and 4000 say Red, then within a very small margin of error, you can predict that out of a million voters, around 600,000 will vote Blue, and 400,000 will vote Red. <br />
<br />
Donald Trump's unexpected victory is the fourth time we have recently seen the pollsters and political commentators get it absolutely wrong.<br />
<br />
The Brexit shock, the British National Elections Tory trouncing of Labour, and Netanyahu's victory in the last Israeli election, were similarly against every poll prediction and the pontifications of every credible political commentator.<br />
<br />
What is apparently at stake is not just the credibility of polls, or of political commentators, but the very basis of statistics. If political polls are worthless, then perhaps their mathematical basis is also bunk?<br />
<br />
Or, as Churchill would have it - "there's lies, damned lies, and statistics".<br />
<br />
However, these same statistical theories used by the pollsters are also the basis of medical testing, economics, quality control and life insurance. Our 21st Century life is, without exaggeration, based on the scientific truth of statistics.<br />
<br />
In this context, I propose that the pollsters should consider the Quantum Zeno effect. Also known as the Turing paradox.<br />
<br />
At the quantum level, there is a phenomena <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> in which an </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particle_decay" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none;" title="Particle decay">unstable particle</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, if observed continuously, will never </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioactive_decay" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none;" title="Radioactive decay">decay</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> One can "freeze" the evolution of the system by measuring it frequently enough in its known initial state." (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_Zeno_effect">Wikipedia</a>).</span><br />
<br />
In other words, the mere observation of the unstable particle changes its behaviour.<br />
<br />
I suggest that there is a similar effect, the Quantum Zeno effect of polls and commentators.<br />
<br />
In the example I gave above, of 60% say they will vote Blue, and 40% say they will vote Red, there needs to be research done into the effect of that prediction on people's behaviour.<br />
<br />
How would you vote, if I were to tell you 60% have said they will vote Blue, and 40% said they will vote Red?<br />
<br />
I am willing to bet that people will NOT respond in exactly the same ratio of 60:40.<br />
<br />
Rather, human nature will come into play and some people will go with the majority (if so many people say their voting Red, then I'm going with them too) while others will favour the underdog (I naturally cheer on David, not Goliath).<br />
<br />
This, I suggest, is what has been going on in these three important national votes.<br />
<br />
Beyond the regular statistics which apply to quality control of Coke bottles, and life insurance premiums, when you're measuring human behaviour and there is a feedback-loop (you tell them loudly about how other people have responded), additional factors come into play.<br />
<br />
In other words, what the polls & pundits publicly predict actually influences the election outcome itself.<br />
<br />
That's the unchartered fourth dimension of these polling statistics and predictions.<br />
<br />
I vote for the Quantum Zeno effect of polls.David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-82477440182078379752016-10-30T22:10:00.001+02:002016-10-30T22:10:12.822+02:00Response to UNESCO: Jews on Temple Mount<br />
<br />
<img alt="Image result for Jews on Temple Mount" src="http://israelstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Feiglin-Temple-Mount.jpg" /><br />
<br />
UNESCO's outrageous revisionist proclamations, denying the historical link between Jews and Temple Mount, cries out for an appropriate response.<br />
<br />
Israeli Governments since 1967 have claimed Israel's rights to sovereignty on the Mount, but have then consistently refused to implement these same rights. Indeed, the current regulations forbidding Jewish prayer or ceremony on the Temple Mount, and the hostile & suspicious reception dealt out to Jewish visitors by the Israeli security forces, play directly into the hands of UNESCO and other re-writers of history.<br />
<br />
If we the Jews do not exhibit and implement our deepest bonds to Temple Mount, why should the gentiles care any more for this connection than we do?<br />
<br />
Instead of actively discouraging Jews from going up to Temple Mount, the Israeli Government should be encouraging, educating, promoting, and protecting a massive Jewish presence there.<br />
<br />
Today, only a few thousand highly committed Jews venture onto the Mount each year.<br />
<br />
However, if the top of the Mount were to be visited by Jews the same way the (less sacred) Western Wall is, with a million or more Jewish visitors each year, UNESCO's absurd declaration becomes entirely irrelevant. David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-50868830392640060322016-10-02T13:52:00.001+03:002016-10-02T13:52:21.884+03:00Please BlowDavid Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-32016321768851786482016-08-25T18:40:00.002+03:002016-08-25T18:52:17.814+03:00Barry Chamish (OBM) & Me<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4gqbCv93W_SF805wPPN-UA-2RvPg3tqqMxhcFluXtp6_MSfwm03Eorl9U5H6v1EObC50YU9EvqqYK-PTdyRP5IEx0a_WC_Nre32iYg5HBJox9aDgBks72b-g1aeoAALA3ntNu_xxuh7vk/s1600/barry-007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4gqbCv93W_SF805wPPN-UA-2RvPg3tqqMxhcFluXtp6_MSfwm03Eorl9U5H6v1EObC50YU9EvqqYK-PTdyRP5IEx0a_WC_Nre32iYg5HBJox9aDgBks72b-g1aeoAALA3ntNu_xxuh7vk/s1600/barry-007.jpg" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>There is a saying that a man holding a hammer is looking for a nail.</b><br />
<br />
I was saddened to hear that Barry Chamish died this week, at 64.<br />
<br />
I had a brief encounter with Barry probably around 1999, shortly after the publication of <i>Who Murdered Yitzhak Rabin? (1998).</i><br />
<br />
I admired Barry's courage in publicising his detailed theories about the Rabin murder, at a time when the left wing purge and harassment of the right wing was in its hey-day. <br />
<br />
I invited Barry to my home in the still-young Ramat Beit Shemesh, and held a parlour meeting for the public to hear his presentation.<br />
<br />
We (literally) had a packed house with (I guess) nearly 100 people crammed into my salon.<br />
<br />
Barry arrived extremely late.<br />
<br />
This was in the days before cellphone were ubiquitous, and so we only heard the reason for his mysterious delay after Barry arrived, flustered and upset, at our house.<br />
<br />
Barry had arrived by taxi, which he ordered after dumping his car at a gas station somewhere on the Route 38.<br />
<br />
The reason he had dumped his (rather old) car, was that his axle had split in two. This was potentially extremely dangerous and Barry considered himself lucky to have escaped from the incident alive. <br />
<br />
Barry joined the dots of this massive mechanical failure of his car, and told us his axle had clearly been tampered with that 'someone' had attempted to kill him.<br />
<br />
After this dramatic introduction, and a stiff drink to calm him, Barry proceeded with his fascinating presentation of Who Murdered Rabin, with video of the assassination and his own frame-by-frame commentary.<br />
<br />
I have no idea if there had been an assassination attempt on Barry Chamish's life that night, or if his car had simply suffered an unfortunate mechanical failure. <br />
<br />
However, it says a lot about the man, and about his work, that there was credible ambiguity.<br />
<br />
Barry sought out such ambiguities, and read them as conspiracies and devious plots. Not just about<br />
Rabin, but about UFO's and broader Israeli and Middle East politics.<br />
<br />
He was a man holding a hammer, looking for nails.<br />
<br />
In the case of Rabin, I think Barry was close to the mark, if not spot on.<br />
<br />
I am not the only one who suspects that the official narrative of that tragic night of Rabin's murder, is false.<br />
<br />
Over 40% of Israeli apparently believe likewise.<br />
<br />
And this includes Rabin's family, such as Dalia who I heard in an Army Radio interview this past November (the time of the Rabin memorial) state how she has unanswered fundamental questions about the official version of events, which she knows to be untrue.<br />
<br />
Note; Dalia Rabin was Deputy Defense Minister under Arik Sharon - and had access to information way beyond a regular person's security clearance. She also was a personal witness, together with her mother, in the immediate aftermath of the assassination...<br />
<br />
After Barry left our home, we remained in contact for a few years, and I even gave him some assistance with aspects of his Rabin investigation - I introduced Barry to the alleged 'real assassin' of Yitzhak Rabin, who was then residing in Netanya.<br />
<br />
In the years which followed, Barry became emotionally broken, feeling his work was unappreciated, and he left Israel to return to the USA. He remarried there, I believe to a non-Jewish woman.<br />
<br />
Although it would be natural to speculate "Who Murdered Barry Chamish?" - I frankly do not think he presented a serious enough risk to the establishment he despised so much, that "they" would launch a mission to kill him.<br />
<br />
But, who knows? <br />
<br />
<br />David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-19120216133833137282016-08-17T18:54:00.001+03:002016-08-17T18:54:11.558+03:00Under the Radar in China<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDcI236Kzuu396w9_ng9_IZhAgh47dWaNCMtf4jXckgtORebgdNaPXxfudCb_Rk1Dg3Vp25EGG3UYICnTriUjlEFuPGRlTtwQ3_m0KtZBSqmxn-uw6Ug9RaFPGkPpYd5I-j8sX8u9eSltH/s1600/KlcS1048250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDcI236Kzuu396w9_ng9_IZhAgh47dWaNCMtf4jXckgtORebgdNaPXxfudCb_Rk1Dg3Vp25EGG3UYICnTriUjlEFuPGRlTtwQ3_m0KtZBSqmxn-uw6Ug9RaFPGkPpYd5I-j8sX8u9eSltH/s320/KlcS1048250.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Chabad regularly astound me with their remarkable mission to provide Jewish services absolutely wherever Jews may be present on the globe.<br />
<br />
I had the privilege and pleasure of visiting Chabad in China recently, during a business trip.<br />
<br />
The rabbi there explained how they operate - in a grey area, under the radar.<br />
<br />
On the one hand, China's constitution upholds freedom of religion.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, there are just five religious organizations which are officially recognised; these are (see Wikipedia) the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_Association_of_China">Buddhist Association of China</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Taoist_Association">Chinese Taoist Association</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Association_of_China">Islamic Association of China</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-Self_Patriotic_Movement">Three-Self Patriotic Movement</a> (ie Protestantism) and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Patriotic_Catholic_Association">Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association</a>.<br />
<br />
Judaism, with a tiny minority following in this vast country, understandably, is off the list of five.<br />
<br />
Therefore, by the letter of the law, any Jewish organized religious activity is officially banned.<br />
<br />
This is why the Chabad locations are outwardly discrete - no signage, banners, outsized Chanukiot, nothing...Just another villa on the row.<br />
<br />
The unofficial deal with the authorities is that Chabad solely provide services to foreigners. There is no missionising to Chinese nationals.<br />
<br />
As long as Chabad keep to this rule, the authorities do not interfere.<br />
<br />
On occasion, they receive interested approaches by Chinese nationals, and they politely turn them away.<br />
<br />
In still-communist China, you can't be too careful.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-52266270079159392032016-08-10T19:12:00.002+03:002016-08-10T19:12:29.516+03:00End of Cheap Made In China?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="223" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/oEHbqqsfqVfMRGzZAyVbBF8NPpYH7d0TFad71UiuS2k69a7vzLWNNUr7dnkchSxE8n62_PG3ggqU18G-P9jVU-xTm_bn9h4oLyeOhIR_6WyPmLFqf0LbQby5u6fw4j-chf-euX9gNxeJmIGWIOqpi7GfkNeBekyWRw02TgS8_CiGKX9fgH8VYsd4kYboClNe6AWIvJWMo13LpktJtEVGW6oE-ye7aENWW7Ngy18uJnN4uIxCySOOR0dab8l6IbGNbfFvBui1hhto8TSWf5YOLv9ivwghKoLSfvO25o1J_1LB2Sn__WtT8eKOBEo7IIHbd_ez6fnXhj7EyzpMH7rzdkuTh-HSHLnMVsAxYKPFlagdgRyClG1Quk4u3KpgPlG3_LlJRR31N6TQy0nEUwOsiY2qNVfzx_hZ1Nq1Sx2aAukRwLxNsyQHJNMsFsxscPJOT9NtiNqu9Hql670R2h_GIKGouFJvPCFghzWiLtp9I5yTS9HEDVHocaIoMjG0m8-pGWR-fc1UOkKSu0UsgphPMwj_OXwdaCNtwsl9e21y5b_en0I7E4uSRQ7MIFeKZhtVqrcHAD-zAQ4RCn8reRPHUN7fkeYLE8Q0=w1663-h935-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me in Shanghai, with a backdrop of some of the world's tallest buildings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I spent the past week in China, traveling for business in Shanghai and Chongqing.<br />
<br />
It is my second visit, the previous being about a year ago.<br />
<br />
Both times I was struck by the counter-intuitional lack of bargains available in the shops in China.<br />
<br />
The first visit, I came with a wish-list of gadgets requested by members of my family.<br />
<br />
I returned with some not-cheap phones, tablets, bluetooth speakers etc.<br />
<br />
The bill was not dissimilar to what one might pay after some bargain-hunting in Israel and on the internet. Furthermore, there were problems using this equipment in Hebrew and in Israel.<br />
<br />
This time, I didn't take a shopping list.<br />
<br />
Indeed a Chabad Rabbi in Shanghai told me that he doesn't buy anything anymore in China - but rather stocks-up on everything he needs on his occasional visits to the USA. He told me that, even if the goods are made in China, their quality and price will be better in the USA.<br />
<br />
Further investigation and observation showed that the cost of Chinese labour is increasing, as the salaries and standard of living increases. New fancy cars clog the city streets, apartments in sought-after locations are among the most expensive in the world, and therefore goods produced in China are no longer particularly cheap.<br />
<br />
Apparently the main sources of textiles and low-cost clothes are no longer China, but developing countries like Indonesia. Other manufacturing will also flow out of China also.<br />
<br />
The trend is similar to the in and then out-flow of manufacturing to Jaspan, and to Hong Kong several decades ago.<br />
<br />
The exceptions are likely to be electronics manufacturing, where the capital invested in China will anchor much of the production to this country also in the medium term.<br />
<br />
As the economy further develops, China will need to carve itself out a reputation and capability for quality, not necessarily the cheap quantity, of development and productions.<br />
<br />
"Made in China" will then read rather like "Made in Germany" does today. David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-3288619047878335492016-07-28T18:31:00.000+03:002016-07-28T18:31:02.313+03:00MExit<img height="294" src="https://baaghil.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/the-future-next-exit-1.gif?w=677" width="400" /><br />
<br />
I have recently returned from a trip to visit my family in England.<br />
<br />
They are still all a-chatter about Brexit, and the consequences.<br />
<br />
Following Britain's lead, I propose that Netanyahu also calls a referendum in Israel.<br />
<br />
The question should be:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Should Israel remain in the Middle East? </span><br />
<br />
Otherwise known at MExit.<br />
<br />
If MExit carries the day, as I'm confident it will, Israel will remove itself from our current nightmare neighbors of Lebanon, Syria (RIP), Jordan, Egypt, and Gaza. <br />
<br />
Quite where we, or our current neighbors, will relocate, will be thrashed out following a MExit majority.David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-70819762003122963712016-07-13T10:57:00.001+03:002016-07-13T10:57:44.579+03:00Four Children Died in Israel This Year - Forgotten in the Car - Get This Gadgtet<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CQlkxj7Nk6Y" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />
<br /><br />
Yet another baby died yesterday in an oven-hot car.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
This time it was the baby's grandmother; a social worker. Totally regular, level minded lady. No different from me and you. Simply forgot.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
According to Israel's child safety organization (I heard the interview on the radio this morning), these incidents tend to happen when people break their routine. In the case of the grandmother, she wasn't used to routinely picking up and dropping off this baby. It is natural and powerful that our minds go into auto-pilot, which is usually fine. But not when there's an added non-routine factor - in this case a baby on your back seat. <br /><br />
<br /><br />
There is potentially life-saving gadget is available in Beit Shemesh from Keren Yosef and also from Yad Sarah throughout Israel.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
See the attached video.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
There are also apps, tips (like leaving your cellphone on the baby's seat) and gadgets (pressure cushion activated etc).<br /><br />
<br /><br />
The time to act is NOW, rather than simply returning to each of our routines.David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-2220161958054906232016-07-10T14:02:00.001+03:002016-07-10T14:06:03.997+03:00Hilarious speech by Ugandan President at Israel Entebbe Raid commemorati...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5TaJSMoC2oI" width="480"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The above video is the highlights/lowlights of President Museveni, Ugandan President's madcap speech during the 40th Anniversary ceremony at Entebbe Airport, in the presence of Benjamin Netanyahu.<br />
<br />
The full rambling and unique speech is here, for those with patience (25 mins) and an enduring sense of the absurd:<br />
<br />
https://youtu.be/rkM9xBkrwgQDavid Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-17121402550150831542016-07-08T17:58:00.002+03:002016-07-08T17:58:44.194+03:00Israel's Soft Opponents Evaporating<br />
<br />
<br />
<img height="225" src="http://www.haaretz.com/polopoly_fs/1.722972.1464947016!/image/399283897.jpg_gen/derivatives/headline_609x343/399283897.jpg" width="400" /><br />
<br />
Israel has 'hard' enemies who spare no resources to attack Israel physically, and in any other way. These include Hamas, The Palestinian Authority, Iran, and most Arab States (aside from Egypt and Jordan)., and the BDS Movement. <br />
<br />
Israel also has soft opponents - who habitually and unfairly criticise and undermine Israel's actions, within a context of respectability.<br />
These 'soft opponents' include the UN, EU, Barak Obama, and much of the world's press.<br />
<br />
The EU launched it's latest offensive on Israel in their Middle East Peace Initiative, on 3rd June, following and supporting France's own initiative, and assembled 28 foreign ministers, but not Israel, to give their backing to an International Conference. This conference is highly likely to be anti-Israeli from-birth and is looking to impose a 'settlement' on Israel. This initiative has been strongly criticised by the Israeli Government.<br />
<br />
Another soft opponent of Israel is Tony Blair, who was officially the Quartet (UN, EU, USA and Russia) emissary to the Middle East. <br />
<br />
In the past couple of weeks, both of these 'soft opponents' have been effectively neutralised.<br />
<br />
The British mega-surprise Brexit vote, just a week following their Foreign Ministers' meeting about the Middle East, has thrown the EU into disarray - and they surely now have bigger and more immediate issues to focus their attention than their Middle East Conference.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Tony Blair has been the subject of a major report about Britain's conduct of the Iraq War, 13 years ago. Blair has been totally blasted by the report, which highlights his incompetence and duplicity in commencing the war, the war itself and the total lack of preparation for post-war Iraq.<br />
<br />
In the report, Tony Blair's war initiative is held responsible for much of the turmoil and bloodshed in Iraq ever since and in the establishment and success of ISIS.<br />
<br />
The cost has been literally millions of lives, uncountable wounded and disruption on a catastrophic scale.<br />
<br />
Exit Blair.<br />
<br />
As for soft-opponent Obama - his scheduled departure from the world stage is coming up in a few months.<br />
<br />
Not so fond farewell from Israel. David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-29581075864445523452016-07-03T15:55:00.001+03:002016-07-03T15:55:27.313+03:00Our Disgust - Their Tools of Trade<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is impossible for Jews, or indeed any other civilised humans, to fathom the evil of (literally) millions of Arabs, and to understand the moral blindness of the hundreds of millions who support them.<br />
<br />
Israelis are reeling from the murders last week of 12 year old Hallel Arielasleep in her bed at her home in Kiryat Arba, and the car-shooting murder of Rabbi Michael Marc, head of Otniel Hesder Yeshiva, and father of 10 kids.<br />
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The stabbing terrorist's mother <a href="http://www.timesofisrael.com/kiryat-arba-attacker-had-a-death-wish-facebook-posts-show/">is reported</a> to have praised the depraved and horrific actions of her son.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">“My son is a hero…My son died as a martyr defending Jerusalem and the al-Aqsa Mosque. Praise God, he is united with the martyrs before him, and he is not better than them. God willing, all of them will follow this path, all the youth of Palestine.”</span><br />
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The Palestinian Authority, the "legitimate representatives of the Palestinian people", put out a statement of condolences to the family of...the terrorist.<br />
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I find it impossible to begin to understand how anyone could respond to such brutal and savage behaviour by supporting it.<br />
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I believe the answer is that the Palestinians have always, from their pogroms on Jews in 1929, through the inception of the PLO in the 1960's, in the terror attacks on civil aircraft, and on Israeli civilians wherever they may be found, viewed slaughter of innocents as the essence of their "struggle" they are engaged in.<br />
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Electing to pursue barbarism is a strategic step long since taken by the Palestinians and their representatives. Whatever dissonances or human conscience they may have faced, has long since been silenced. <br />
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For those who may view the PA as 'moderate', know that the last Palestinian elections resulted in a Hamas majority, in the West Bank, of 70%. (That's why the PLO cancelled the election results, and have since ruled solely by dictatorship). Hamas itself, who still publicly espouse and pursue terror and barbarism, have literally millions of rabid supporters in the Palestinian 'moderate' street.<br />
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The PA can not genuinely view or denounce the grisly and savage murder of innocent fathers, mothers and children as illegitimate and amoral, as doing so would undermine and contradict their chosen national strategy and narrative for close on a century.<br />
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As for those who support them, such as the EU and every Arab state in the world, their failure to call-out this national strategy, and turn their backs on the PA-generated terror (at least) by cutting billion dollar funding and political support, is a chilling moral blindness, at the very highest levels of supposed civilisation.David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-14149472843572650692016-06-28T15:03:00.001+03:002016-06-28T15:03:22.456+03:00My Take on Turkey-Israel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<br />
Between the years 2005 until 2011 I visited Turkey extensively, averaging five or six times each year. I developed close friendships and happy customers there throughout that period.<br />
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This came crashing down with the Marmara incident in 2010, and then the UN Report in 2011 (which largely absolved Israel) which ironically was the last straw for the Turks.<br />
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My main customers were issued an anti-Israeli directive by their government, and I was officially persona non-grata.<br />
<br />
From my perspective, the Marmara protest fleet (flotilla) was a deliberate provocation against Israel, directly supported by the Government of Turkey. Their pretense that this was a humanitarian aid mission was a thinly veiled charade. <br />
<br />
It was a political protest. It was planned to spotlight the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip, subject Israel to international political pressure, and thereby politically further the cause of Hamas.<br />
<br />
However, the flotilla was not a terror or military attack on Israel. The protest ships were just that.<br />
<br />
The Israeli response to the Marmara provocation was, frankly, a 'fashla' (mess-up) at the operative level.<br />
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Yes, the thugs on the ship were violent and armed themselves with make-shift clubs and knives.<br />
<br />
However, from their perspective they were defending their protest ship from combat naval boats & helicopter-borne fully armed (and protected) elite naval "seals". <br />
<br />
Stopping this civilian protest ship from entering Israel's territorial waters by Israel's armed forces, if properly carried out, should not have cost 9 civilian lives. <br />
<br />
The cost of this operational fashla for Israel has been six years of deep-freeze relations with our erstwhile political friend, economic partner and military ally. <br />
<br />
In the meantime, the political, military and economic landscape has changes, both for Israel and for Turkey.<br />
<br />
Both Israel and Turkey are (even) more isolated politically than in 2010. Turkey in particular has fallen out with almost everyone imaginable - most recently Russia.<br />
<br />
The regional defense needs are even worse than 2010 - particularly with the implosion of Syria and the new ISIS conquests and threat on Turkey's southern border and Israel's Northern border.<br />
<br />
Economically, the gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean are potentially macro-economic game-changer for the whole region. The need for this is particularly acute for the Turks, given the loss of Russia as their strategic energy supplier.<br />
<br />
The times is ripe for both Ankara and Jerusalem to finally patch up this dispute and move forward. <br />
<br />
From what has been released about the Agreement now being formally ratified in both countries, it appears to be a reasonable balance between Turkey backing down on its quest to break Israel's blockade of Gaza, while requiring Israel to pay out financially and symbolically for its operational 'fashla'. <br />
<br />
Of course, Israel wants more, such as the return of the two Israelis being held in Gaza, and the bodies of the two fallen Israeli soldiers. But the bottom line is that it is not reasonable to demand from Turkey something which is not under their control. The hostages and bodies are held by Hamas in Gaza, not by Erdogan in Turkey. The Turks can exert influence, which can only help, and this, Netanyahu has stated, they have agreed to do.<br />
<br />
I hope this Agreement will be an important step in building a much better future between Israel and Turkey than the past six years of the freeze, and may even, with time, lead to rebuilding the previous mutual trust and burgeoning regional relations.David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497397929451139438.post-19156157377846618642016-06-03T15:40:00.001+03:002016-06-03T15:40:22.125+03:00Justice Not Served<br />
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<br />
Frankly, I found those Kahane crowd scenes- both the cheerers and the jeerers - ugly & repulsive.<br />
<br />
I saw Rabbi Meir Kahane on a couple of occasions in Jerusalem when I was an impressionable student discovering 'real' Judaism and, while I saw value in the books of his I read, I was extremely uncomfortable with his speeches and politics, and the raw emotions he evoked in his supporters and opponents.<br />
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There has been much water under the bridge, both nationally and personally, since those early 1980's scenarios.<br />
<br />
Rabbi Meir Kahane's assassination in 1990 and of his son & daughter in law Rav Binyamin Zeev and Talya Kahane in 2000 (by the PLO Force 17, near Ofra) were almost fatal blows also to Kahane's ideas and legacy.<br />
<br />
Fringe politicians, such as Michael Ben-Ari and Baruch Marzel have attempted to resurrect a Kahanist presence in the Kenesset, standing in many elections, and with only one success in 2009.<br />
<br />
In August 2015, Rabbi Meir Kahane's grandson Meir Ettinger, was arrested and has been held since under 'administrative detention", only being released this week, after 10 months in prison.<br />
<br />
Ettinger has been a "Hilltop Youth" activist and writes a blog.<br />
<br />
During his time in detention, no charges were brought, and the authorities even acknowledged that he is not a suspect in any crimes.<br />
<br />
Even his eventual release this week was under severe restrictions:<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Arial (Hebrew)', 'David (Hebrew)', 'Courier New (Hebrew)'; font-size: 14px;">Under administrative orders, Ettinger will not be allowed to enter the regions of Judea and Samaria for a whole year and will also be forbidden from entering Jerusalem for six months. He will be under house arrest every night for the next three months and has been given a list of 92 people with whom he is not allowed to have contact. (<a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4810572,00.html">YNet News</a>). </span><br />
<br />
This does look like systematic harassment by the authorities of a young man who may have undesirable political opinions (depending where you are on the political spectrum) - but has apparently committed no crimes. <br />
<br />
Sounds more like the Soviet Union or North Korea, than the thriving democratic State of Israel. <br />
<br />
Shame on the Shabak and the misused Justice System.David Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054370508508714804noreply@blogger.com0