Sick in Bed - Mental Vacation

I was feeling a bit under the weather today - so much so. that I decided to lie down and take it easy for a few hours. Some folks, when in this situation, would pick up a good book or turn on an old movie. I grabbed a copy of a recent New York Times, left behind by one of my visiting American relatives.

What a mechaya (a pleasure!!).

I got a real look into American society in this Sunday issue, and I felt like I was on vacation all across the USA.

Firstly, I must point out that there was NO news about Israel - none. Four sections of the paper and nothing at all about Israel. That itself made the read worthwhile. The newspaper just focused on wild and wacky America.

Wet & Wild USA

A full third of the front page talked about the desire and need of surfboarders to do wild aerial stunts. The paper also discussed the growing number of senators, coaches and sports figures, students, motorists, musicians and even police officers who are "flipping" an annoyed finger at authority figures or anyone else for that matter.

Jay Says

A full half page was devoted to what TV's Jay Leno said the night before, and what David Letterman thought was important. A large part of their monologues were quoted. I kid you not.

There was an article about Mommies who blog, and another about Mommies who raise chickens, instead of fighting the rat race in the corporate world. And then there was advice to other women to jumpstart new careers by marrying celebrities and then dropping them.

Not a Word on Israel

The closest news about Israel didn't actually talk about Israel. It was about the thousands of "Palestinians" who are being stripped of their Jordanian citizenship so that they will not be able to vote any more in Jordan. It seems that Jordan is split almost exactly in half - 50% of their population was born West of the Jordan and 50% were born East. And the government doesn't want those Westerners ("Palestinians by birth or by grandparents' birth") to have any power in Jordan. It seems King Abdullah is terrified of a possible push for "Jordan is Palestine."

Making It in America

With a US President that possesses a golden tongue, many books are now pushing Americans to increase their vocabulary. Folks that want you to buy their vocabulary books say, "Size matters." Folks that want you to know the truth say that while it's important to sound smart to get ahead in this world, you shouldn't sound too smart.

Dreams and Deals

The last, but most interesting article, I read was on President Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. In about 1nine pages, the writer follows around ruthless Rahm and his friends/co-workers and watches him try to make the President's dream happen by cutting as many deals as possible. This must be one tense guy. Called a "Malcolm X Democrat", Emanuel is always in the hot seat, expected to produce for Obama. Unfortunately, he hasn't made the magic. Seems that he's dammed if he does, and dammed if he doesn't. But of course to me, the most important point of the story was that the author spoke about Rahm's pushing on issues of health care, banking, housing, big government, etc. etc. and not a word on Israel.

We in Israel are so obsessed with the thought that the whole world has its eye on us. Well, it simply ain't true.

Tonight, some judge in Tulsa Oklahoma is holding his arresting officer in contempt for improper hand motions. A Mommy is blogging about being a "tomato-canning feminist." America is settling down to watch Jay Leno. And Rahm Emanuel is worrying about his job. But no one is talking about Israel. Isn't that great? And with that comfort, I bid you all a peaceful night.