An old friend – I’m talking about the 70s and 80s – now living in the UK connected with me on Facebook a while back. We no longer share the same interests, but a friend is a friend, and I enjoyed reading his status updates. A little while back I noticed that my friend count had dropped by 1. (Yes, I do notice; with a few exceptions, everyone I connect with on Facebook is (or was) a family member or friend IRL (In Real Life).) I didn’t manage to work it out at the time, but the penny just dropped today. Yes, indeed, said friend has un-friended me somewhere along the line. All I can say is, WTF!? http://amplify.com/u/bs5m3

Line item on a statement from an ophthalmologist. Bear in mind this is supposed to be a description of the medical service provided:“Basic capital equipment used in own room”I recall that a decade or two ago, motoring journalists in SA fought the creeping trend of service stations to charge for “consumables” (basically, rags) when carrying out a service on a vehicle. I don’t suppose we have any medical journalists prepared to make a stand on an issue like this?Who says it’s not just all about the money? http://amplify.com/u/br6ch

Google Sidewiki entry by Russell

This article really needs to be updated to take into account Custom and Predefined Filters, in terms of which many of the instructions are now obsolete or incorrect.

in reference to: How do I exclude my internal traffic from reports? - Analytics Help (view on Google Sidewiki)

Google Sidewiki entry by Russell

Don't bother downloading the manual from this particular site, unless you're totally comfortable with Spanish!

in reference to: User manual SAMSUNG SF-365TP Printer - User guide SAMSUNG SF-365TP - Portuguese - Diplodocs (view on Google Sidewiki)

Is what we’re seeing in the Maghreb and elsewhere the start of a democratic revolution? Or will it quickly become an Islamic fundamentalist counter-revolution, as happened in Iran in the late 70s? http://amplify.com/u/anqxz

My new Samsung CLX-3185FW multifunction printer needs a “catch a ****ing wake-up” button! I wish I’d bought an HP… http://amplify.com/u/anpe4

When did Standard Bank’s Internet Banking become so bloody useless? Just tried to log on and got the error message “Technical Error: Please try again later”. Fair enough. A split second later, however, I got the usual SMS message saying “Standard Bank Internet Banking – you logged on, on [date] at [time]. Go figure… http://amplify.com/u/anm84

Google exec: 60% of businesses could dump Windows for Chrome OS | Tech Sanity Check | TechRepublic.com

URL:  http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/hiner/?p=6943&tag=nl....

This is brave talk! Microsoft are doing some amazing things in the cloud at this stage. So this is going to be a long, cold, and tough war!

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/gov3

Nothing really has intrinsic value, not even gold, silver or diamonds. They have value because people desired them (initially for their beauty and /or utility). Now they have value because they have value. How is this critical mass of sentiment in favour of hard assets different to that for Dollar, Euro or Pound notes, or even just numbers in a banking system?They have value because a critical mass of people decided they have value. http://amplify.com/u/fmft

Remember the old saying that “charity starts at home”? Well perhaps the SA Orthodox community should adopt the idea that Interfaith starts at home. Their smarmy, politically correct attempts at Outreach to the Christian and Muslim communities mean nothing when they can’t even bear to share the same podium with their Progressive/Reform (and Masorti) Jewish brethren! http://amplify.com/u/fm1c

What I love about progressive Judaism(Saying the same thing in lots of different ways)I can listen to my conscience and reason and absorb the latest scientific findings, while remaining a believing Jew.I don’t have to indulge in “the willing suspension of disbelief”.I don’t have to carry around two sets of contradictory or irreconcilable beliefs in my head.I don’t have to brainwash myself, or my child. I can freely embrace or question.I’m not afraid of ideas, knowledge, philosophy, wisdom, science or others’ beliefs.I’m not afraid of questioning, or being questioned.I can embrace both my heritage and the modern world.I have no mental reservations about what I’m expected to believe, in the way that many nominally Orthodox people I know have. http://amplify.com/u/fi9w

I never thought I’d see the day when reports like this from Israel would become commonplace (from the latest Women of the Wall newsletter):“Along with commemorating the anniversary of the first arrest of a woman at the Western Wall, Women of the Wall will be holding a vigil with their Torah outside of the entrance to the Western Wall Plaza, in protest of the newest regulation passed by Rabbi Rabinowitz which prohibits men and women from entering the Western Wall Plaza with a Torah from the outside. “Whatever happened to our beautiful little Israel, our sanctuary from the madness of the world? http://amplify.com/u/ekm0

No link?

If there’s an online campaign, why no link to it? Perhaps try this one:

Rabbis Take a Stand! The official Women of the Wall website
http://womenofthewall.org.il/solidarity/take-a-stand/rabbis-take-a-stand

in reference to:

"SAN FRANCISCO (JTA) -- A group of North American rabbis has launched an online campaign to support women who want to pray at the Western Wall with Torahs and prayer shawls. The 28 rabbis, calling themselves Rabbis for Women of the Wall, sent a letter Monday morning to seven Israeli leaders urging protection for those women."
- Rabbis launch campaign for Women of the Wall | JTA - Jewish & Israel News (view on Google Sidewiki)

Google Sidewiki entry by Russell

Full marks to Microsoft for releasing the latest version of its free software suite, Windows Live Essentials 2011, including Windows Live Mesh/Sync.
Less 50% for dropping support for Windows XP in Live Essentials 2011.
No problem, you say? Just carry on using Live Mesh Beta if you still have Windows XP devices in your Mesh?
Wrong! Live Mesh Beta will only exist until the end of Q1 2011. Take that, you rat!
Less another 50% for punishing XP users because it took Microsoft almost a decade to release a viable alternative to Windows XP.
It’s obvious what Microsoft needs to do to show some respect for its increasingly reluctant installed base: provide support for Windows XP in Live Essentials 2011 (Mac clients are supported, why not XP?), or simply extend the life of Live Mesh Beta indefinitely for existing users.
Knowing Microsoft, though, it will choose the 3rd option: do nothing.

in reference to: Windows Live Essentials 2011 (view on Google Sidewiki)

Google Sidewiki entry by Russell

Wow, we’ve certainly come a long way! Back then, it was the British occupation that prevented us from exercising our religious rights at the Kotel. Now we have a Jewish government that prevents Jewish women from sounding the Shofar, carrying a Torah and reading aloud from the Torah at the Kotel. Once it was British tyranny that Zionism and the Yishuv needed to overcome. Now it’s the tyranny of the ultra-Orthodox and their camp-followers. Progress indeed!

in reference to:

"Under a British law in Palestine passed in 1930, Jews were forbidden to blow the shofar at the Kotel, pray loudly there, or bring Torah scrolls, so as not to offend the Arab population. Despite this restriction, for the next seventeen years, the shofar was sounded at the Kotel every Yom Kippur. Shofars were smuggled in to the Kotel where brave teenagers defiantly blew them at the conclusion of the fast. Some managed to get away - others were captured and sent to jail for up to six months."
- YouTube - Echoes of a Shofar (view on Google Sidewiki)

Google Sidewiki entry by Russell

Yes, “recognition” (whatever that means) of Israel as the Jewish State is important, but certainly not important enough to derail the peace process, such as it is. Israel exists on the ground. That fact is far more important than any recognition. And, to be honest, how many of our people and institutions would pass the test of recognition for the Palestinians?

The issue of continued or resumed settlement building activity is a real show-stopper, and one can hardly blame the Palestinian side for seeing it as such. What’s the point of negotiating over the pie while one side eats the pie as they speak? I actually cannot believe that a sane society is prepared to countenance the possibility of these peace talks failing over the issue of settlements that are important to only a tiny minority of Israelis and Jews!

You said:
“In contrast, Interior Minister Eli Yishai claimed that "we need to face the truth and not hide our head in the sand. I am very sceptical. I do not believe that the Palestinians want political negotiations."”

Well, many of us no longer believe that the Israelis want political negotiations!

in reference to:

"In contrast, Interior Minister Eli Yishai claimed that "we need to face the truth and not hide our head in the sand. I am very skeptical. I do not believe that the Palestinians want political negotiations.""
- PM demands Palestinians recognize Israel as Jewish state (view on Google Sidewiki)

Google Sidewiki entry by Russell

I made an almost identical proposal in a blog post back in May of 2008, when I said:

I would like to make a proposal that the scope of Yom Hazikaron be changed one more time, to also embrace the Jewish victims of radical Islamist terror worldwide. I believe this would be appropriate, not only because most victims were targeted as Jews, but also because many of the acts of terror were purported to be in response to Israeli acts or policies (or simply the existence of Israel or Zionism).

Modest proposals for Yom HaShoah and Yom Hazikaron
http://blog.maskil.info/2008/05/modest-proposals-for-yom-hashoah-and-yom-hazikaron/

in reference to:

"The IDF and Terror Victims Remembrance Day ceremonies included a special one that memorialized Jews killed in anti-Semitic terror attacks outside Israel, some of them Jewish Agency workers. According to Jewish Agency data, 200 Jews have been murdered in anti-Semitic actions in various parts of the world, since the founding of the Jewish State. Their names are carved on a permanent memorial that will be unveiled at the ceremony."
- Jewish Terror Victims Worldwide Memorialized - Inside Israel - Israel News - Israel National News (view on Google Sidewiki)

This is not silly

It’s not a “very silly piece” as you describe it, Miriam. It’s as close as we can to the truth of this seemingly intractable situation. Two thirds of us (or them, Israelis) really do want (or would prefer) peace. They realise that this will involve halting (and even rolling back) the settlement process, and a whole bunch of other unpalatable compromises. What they’re not (yet?) prepared to do is to translate that preference for peace into action at the ballot box and thereafter, i.e. putting pressure on the government and Knesset to do what’s necessary, not just go through the motions.
The shambolic Palestinian camp is our excuse for inaction. But the world and those who love Israel are starting to see through the excuse.
Peace will not come from Palestine. It will and must come from Israel, with Israel’s flagging allies there to pressure the Palestinian side.
Israel is the stronger party. Only Israel can initiate and carry out a genuine peace process.
Let’s hope the peace-preferring Israeli voter realises this, before it’s too late.

in reference to:

"A very silly piece by Larry Derfner in the Jerusalem Post, arguing that Israelis don't really want peace. Not, you understand, that he disagrees that most Israelis are willing to give up land for peace, or accept a two-state-solution. His complaint is that Israelis are unwilling to throw their arms open, embrace the Palestinians and sing kumbaya:"
- Do Israelis really want peace? | The Jewish Chronicle (view on Google Sidewiki)