Satire: Coronavirus Endorses Donald Trump

Though the miracle of artificial intelligence, I have been able to conduct an interview with Vincent Corona Virus (CV for short) and have his DNA sequences translated into English. LB: Since it appears that the pandemic has become a pivotal issue in the presidential campaign, I wondered which candidate you endorse. CV: Trump’s my main man. Nobody has done more to spread misinformation and me in the United States than him. [Satire by Laurie Baron, Ph.D]

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Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

Shopping in Coronavirus times

I wouldn’t say I’m a shopaholic, but I was brought up at a time and place where shopping was a regular feature of life. As a child in London I would be sent round the corner to the grocery store in Willesden Lane (which was no lane at all) to buy the loaf of rye bread my mother loved. On the way home I would gnaw the crust, and once I had handed the loaf over my mother would cut off the crust, spread it with butter and give it to me to eat like a civilized person, which made it rather less attractive. But I ate it anyway. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Business & Finance, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Lifestyles, Middle East

Jewish connections to Halloween?

With the coming of Halloween, San Diego Jewish World introduces a new feature — a three-part video reporting series by my daughter, Sandi Masori, who has been after me for years to utilize originally produced video.  “Fine,” said I, “you do it!”  And so she did. In this series, which can be viewed above and will continue tomorrow, and Halloween night, Sandi interviews Rabbi Scott Meltzer of Ohr Shalom Synagogue in San Diego about some of the parallels between Halloween and Jewish mythology.  They discuss the stories of golems — human-like creatures created by great rabbis  — intended to protect their communities, and how golem stories were background to Mary Shelley’s famous tale about Frankenstein’s monster. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Sandi Masori, USA

In regional game-changer, US seeks to sell F-35 jets to UAE

Washington (AFP) – The United States has agreed to sell more than $10 billion of top-of-the-line F-35 fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates to reward its recognition of Israel, potentially reshaping power dynamics in the turbulent region, Congress was informed Thursday.In an informal but required notification to Congress, President Donald Trump’s administration said it

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Middle East, USA

U.S. Passports Can List ‘Jerusalem, Israel’ as Birthplace

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Thursday that henceforth U.S. passports issued to American citizens born in Jerusalem will say  at their choice “Jerusalem, Israel,” rather than simply “Jerusalem,” as has been the case up to now. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

The world must remember Kristallnacht

On November 9th  1938, mobs burned synagogues, destroyed Jewish homes and businesses, vandalized Jewish hospitals, orphanages and cemeteries, and dragged thousands of Jewish men, women and children into the streets, where they were beaten and humiliated.  The Germans later called this night “Kristallnacht” – The Night of Broken Glass – because of the tons of shattered glass that scattered throughout German cities, after it had taken place.  The Jews began to call that date the beginning of the Holocaust because of the tremendous violence, which started on that night and grew even more dreadful as time had passed. [Rabbi Dr. Bernhard H. Rosenberg]

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Bernhard H. Rosenberg-Rabbi, International, Jewish History, USA

Normalization alone not a path for Mideast peace

Regardless of how many more Arab countries normalize relations with their country, the conflict with the Palestinians will not disappear and it must be addressed if Israel wants to ensure long-term stability and security. The Palestinians, on the other hand, must accept the emerging reality. Instead of opposing the normalization of Israeli-Arab relations, which in any case they cannot stop, they should be prepared to enter into such a process of reconciliation with Israel that would eventually lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state. [Alon Ben-Meir, Ph.D]

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Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East

Haters on the right and left this political season

I can’t blame either congresswoman for fearing for their lives. “Posting a photo with an assault rifle next to the faces of three women of color is…incitement,” tweets U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar. “There are already death threats in response to this post.” Adds her pal Rep. Rashida Tlaib: “It’s dangerous in a time of rising political violence openly encouraged by this fascist president that a soon to be member of Congress thinks a post threatening women’s lives is acceptable.” [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Bruce Ticker, Middle East, USA

Three killed in terrorist knife attack inside Nice church

Three people were killed on Thursday inside a church in Nice, southern France, in what President Emmanuel Macron said was “a terrorist, Islamist attack.”The attack, which was quickly condemned in France and around the world, came only two weeks after a schoolteacher who had used caricatures of the prophet Mohammed in a lesson was beheaded

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International