The Muqata Thursday Post.

Instead of a posting roundup of blog posts like Ezzie and others, here are the topics I'd love to fully blog about today, but alas, don't have time. However...trust me, it's worth reading through to the end, as I've included a dozen pictures from a recent Muqata excursion :)

1. US State Department favorites in the Palestinian Authority, "Fatah" has the following kind wishes for their sponsor. Abu Ali Shahin, A Fatah leader and former minister in the Palestinian Authority (PA) has wished al-Qaeda success in attacking Americans during an appearance on PA TV, according to a report by Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) and YNET.

"Oh (Al-Qaeda) brother, leave us and focus on your business. You have Bush! Do to Bush what you want, and we wish you success with Bush, even more. I, Abu Ali Shahin, wish you success with Bush"

"Whoever is interested in creating a split in the Palestinian camp, is not serving anyone but the Americans and their protégé, the Zionist
Imperialist Project. We are fighting the Americans and hate the Americans more than you!"

"We know we are described as enemies of the Americans. About Americans, we say, publicly: the central, head enemy to the Arab Palestinian people and to the national struggle, is this American leadership embodied by the White House and this George Bush sitting there"

Makes you wonder why the US is so ardent in their support of the "moderate" Fatah militia, while telling the world, "Hamas are the evil ones." And you also have to wonder why Olmert keeps kissing PA President Abbas, when the Fatah people are the ones shooting Qassam rockets at Sederot.

Today's PA Gaza scorecard: 5 killed, 10 kidnapped. Four of the killed are from Fatah, one bystander. The 10 people kidnapped were both from Hamas and Fatah.

Guys, aren't you all on the same team?

2. Iranian leader Ahmadinejad ignores rising AIDS problems at home and launches a full scale verbal attack on Israel.

"I'm sure that soon we will observe the collapse of the Zionist regime (Israel)," the official IRNA news agency quoted him as saying, without elaborating.

I wouldn't mind certain Zionist regime elements disappearing, like those involved in our latest tax authority scandal. (The US and EU aren't thrilled either)

3. Good News! Yeshiva University in Israel is organizing a Magen David Adom blood drive for their students in Israel; The event will take place this Friday, January 5, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. in Zion Square. Minimum Requirements (I had to know this last week, when I helped out at a blood drive...there are more requirements, but these are for starters); You must weigh at least 110 lbs. (50 kilo) -- NO EXCEPTIONS. Your systolic blood pressure must be at least 100. You should not have been sick the past week. Go out and donate blood (if you can). It's important and we need the blood.

4. 2006 Darwin Award Winners Announced! For those who have never heard of the Darwin Awards: they are the ultimate accolade for those who have contributed to the "improvement of the human genome by accidentally removing themselves from it".

The full citation reads:

Two more candidates have thrown themselves into the running for a Darwin Award. The feet of Jason and Sara, both 21, were found protruding from a deflated, huge helium advertising balloon. Jason was a college student, and Sara attended community college, but apparently their education had glossed over the importance of oxygen.

When one breathes helium, the lack of oxygen in the bloodstream causes a rapid loss of consciousness. Some euthanasia experts advocate the use of helium to painlessly end one's life.

The pair pulled down the 8' balloon, and climbed inside. Their last words consisted of high-pitched, incoherent giggling as they slowly passed out and passed into the hereafter.

Sheriff's deputies said the two were not victims of foul play. No drugs or alcohol were found. The medical examiner reported that helium inhalation was a significant factor in their deaths. A family member said "Sara was mischievous, to be honest. She liked fun and it cost her."

This runner up was close to winning as well.

2006 RUNNER UP: Hammer of Doom Darwin Award -- Confirmed August brought us a winner from Brazil, who tried to disassemble a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) by driving back and forth over it with a car. This technique was ineffective, so he escalated to pounding the RPG with a sledgehammer. The second try worked--in a sense. The explosion proved fatal to one man, six cars, and the repair shop wherein the efforts took place.

Of course, we are truly sorry that there wasn't more representation from our neighbors; they won in 1999. (Confirmed on the official Darwin Award Website)

5 September 1999, Jerusalem In most parts of the world, the switch away from Daylight Saving Time proceeds smoothly. But the time change raised havoc with Palestinian terrorists this year.

Israel insisted on a premature switch from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time to accommodate a week of pre-sunrise prayers. Palestinians refused to live on "Zionist Time." Two weeks of scheduling havoc ensued. Nobody knew the "correct" time.

At precisely 5:30pm on Sunday, two coordinated car bombs exploded in different cities, killing three terrorists who were transporting the bombs. It was initially believed that the devices had been detonated prematurely by klutzy amateurs. A closer look revealed the truth behind the explosions.

The bombs had been prepared in a Palestine-controlled area, and set to detonate on Daylight Saving Time. But the confused drivers had already switched to Standard Time. When they picked up the bombs, they neglected to ask whose watch was used to set the timing mechanism. As a result, the cars were still en-route when the explosives detonated, delivering the terrorists to their untimely demises.

5. With the upcoming weather forecast for a rainy weekend, it's unclear if our Shomron tiyul to the Samaritan community on Har Grizim will take place tomorrow. (Yes, I know I still have to finish the posting with pictures from the last one). So, I'll leave you with some sunny pictures from our family trip to Eilat this past Chanuka.

6. Eilat pix!

Driving down to Eilat...


The Eilat Underwater Observatory













The Glass Bottom Boat.




Muqata kids...




Motor Boating in the Red Sea.





A photo of the Snack Bar Menu in our hotel.


A top secret installation in the Negev, which Ehud Olmert disclosed 2 weeks ago in an interview with German TV.


Shabbat Shalom...and a very rainy Shabbat to us all!

Jameel

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael