Sharpton gets his dead cop

Israel went off of Daylight Saving Time yesterday (Sunday 2 AM).

Meanwhile, the rainy season is now upon us (there are only 2 seasons here, the rainy season and the dry season).  It was sunny this morning, when I went into Tel Aviv.  The rain started in the early afternoon during the bus ride home.

Back in the States, looks as though Al Sharpton has gotten what his people asked for.  Recall, last December, the marchers in New York City who were inspired by Sharpton's demagoguery were chanting "What do we want?  Dead Cops!  When do we want it?  Now!"

Seems that by the time you read this, Sharpton may already have  spoken at the funeral of fallen NYPD Officer Randolph Holder.  Queries (May already be answered by the time you read this):  Why is Officer Holder's family acquiescing in Sharpton's eulogism?  And will the NYPD rank and file, who, no doubt, will show up in force at the funeral, turn their backs on Sharpton as they did on Mayor de Blasio last December at the funerals of NYPD officers (posthumously promoted to Detectives)  Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos?  Just wondering.

Checks and Balances on Taxation

Of late, too many American courts have waved through the checkpoints the abuses of the Executive branch on both federal and state levels.  We have seen this in matters of firearms restrictions, property seizures, and taxation. 

For a change, there is one example of  a judiciary that did what it is supposed to do:  Prevent the excesses of the Executive Branch.  The case is Commissioner v. Proctor and Gamble Home Products Ltd.  The Commissioner appealed a decision from a lower tribunal.  The appeal was dismissed.  In dismissing the appeal, the Court, disgusted with the Commissioner's practice of appealing on issues already decided by it in prior cases, warned the Commissioner that he would be held personally liable for costs and penalties in future frivolous appeals.  The decision in the case can be read here or here; it is well worth the read.

Unfortunately, the above decision will not Directly Impact The Excesses Of Andy Cuomo Or Barack Hussein Obama.  The Court Is The High Court Of Judicature At Bombay, India.

Would that the American courts have such gumption to say "No!" to the Executive.

America, Read the Warning Labels!

Here in Israel, the past few days have seen a troubling trend in terror attacks:  Assailants going into public areas, pulling knives, and stabbing, sometimes fatally, people who have gone out into public places.  Much appreciation is now extended to all of you who have expressed concern for my well-being and that of my family.

Are we concerned for our safety?  Yes, obviously we are.  How has this impacted our normal routines?  The answer is that we are still following our normal routines.  G-d gave this land to the Jewish people, and we must behave as though it is indeed ours.

When I was in Tel Aviv this morning, all normal routines seemed to be operative (though there was heightened discussion regarding the situation).  More security guards are to be seen in buildings and public places, and more soldiers are to be seen visibly carrying their weapons in public areas.  And, if an old friend of ours is any indication, more people who are licensed to carry firearms are carrying them when they go out.

My wife and I are here for what likely will be an extended period.  And yes, we are concerned about our safety here; but we are even more concerned about what public safety will be when we return to the USA.  I hope that my fears prove unfounded, but it does not take a long stretch of the imagination to envision similar shtick being pulled in the USA.  Nor need such bloody tactics be necessarily confined to America's increasing Muslim population; it is quite possible that deadly carnage from knife-wielders in public crowds may turn into a color-based thing;  if so, then there is little room for doubt as to how the professional oddsmakers will paint which boxes which colors.

America, don't you see the implications?  You have already had ample warnings!  You have been ill-stanced to deny the possibilities ever since September 12, 2011 came around.  As the U.S. Constitution becomes increasingly mutilated, so will the governmental functions, including the function of prosecuting violent criminals.  Once that gets significantly underway, it will be a signal to the domestic terrorists and their inciters and enablers to start with the stabbings.

You in America can no longer say that you have not been warned!

Storm over Sandy Storm Money

Back on 19 August 2013, this blog weighed in on the entitlement mentality vis-à-vis victims of Superstorm Sandy and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA).  Included in the blogpost was mention of "the broader issue of the government throwing out so many dollars with so few strings attached, and then wondering why so many people are defrauding it."

Well now, FEMA seeks recoupment of funds improperly paid (which means, in addition to outright willful fraud, duplicated funds paid to the extent that private insurance policies also gave coverage).

Included in the 19 August 2013 blogpost was mention of "the broader issue of the government throwing out so many dollars with so few strings attached, and then wondering why so many people are defrauding it."

I applaud FEMA's purported efforts at recoupment, but FEMA is still encouraging affected homeowners to file claims.  My only qualm is the effective usurious interest rate FEMA intends to slap on the affected payees.  There is a mixed message here. 

Removed as I now am geographically, economically, and socially from the situation (other than having some former clients who were affected), I do not now attempt to prognosticate the success or failure of FEMA's declared recoupment program.  However, one can easily see political officeholders at various levels trying to call off FEMA on that one; nor would I rule out a race-based distinction in enforcement efforts, brought about at the behest of the White House.

Medical Tourism to Israel

Been quite busy here of late, which has affected my posting on this Blog.  Expect heavy work situation to continue for next month, at least.  I was supposed to go into Tel Aviv today, but that meeting was scrubbed.

Israeli hospitals have long been the preferred healthcare providers to Ismail Haniyeh and his family.  Haniyeh is among the elite of Hamas, which seeks to destroy Israel and kill all the Jews.  But not all medical tourists to Israel are such hypocritical ingrates.  Indeed, Israel is a very highly rated local for medical treatment -- and medical training -- of foreigners

An old friend of the family is now here for medical treatment; turns out that the lead physician treating him was a year ahead of my wife in the same medical school.  Our old family friend is staying with his brother-in-law's family while he is here.  My wife, of course, is keeping an eye on the progress of our friend's medical adventures.  I am also helping out in various ways, including arranging to borrow a wheelchair.

The weather here has cooled down a bit, but the terrorist activities have, of late, heated up.  Bibi Netanyahu needs to start taking some definitive and visible physical measures, world opinion be damned!

And expect more medical tourists to Israel as ObamaCare continues to deteriorate.