Washington PostGlobal end-of-2006: readers' fave proverb or saying

Replying to a Washington PostPostGlobal 2006-year-end query:

What is your favorite proverb or saying from where you live that you would want to share with the world? What does your proverb tell us about today?

I responded:

"We survived Pharaoh? We'll survive this, too..." goes the refrain of a popular song released many years ago by veteran Israeli pop-rocker, Ariel Zilber.

Casting a wry and darkly acerbic, yet wearily hopeful eye at personal and national predicaments, the tune tallies a litany of woe, each stanza ending with the tag line reminding the listener that a bit of historical perspective in facing crises is a useful trait.

The song incorporates a traditional Jewish attitude, memorialized in the Passover Seder, of sensible gumption and looking beyond the present peril to better times ahead. And not a moment too soon, taking a quick look up-thread at some of the obnoxious, mean-spirited replies slamming Jews ("Neocons" in WaPo PC-speak) and Israel in what was - clearly - to have been a pleasant, end-of-year multiculti "contrast and compare." Sheesh. Get. a. life. you losers...

And to the rest of the WaPo bloggerati: a healthy and successful 2007 to you and yours.

Israel: This Little Piggie Went to Heal...

"Jews and pigs? What, like, together? Isn't that, umm, un-kosher?"

Well, not really. Turns out that a "team from the Weizmann Institute of Science have demonstrated for the first time how tissues transplanted from pig embryos might, in the future, be able to induce the human body to produce blood-clotting proteins for hemophilia patients and other critical substances."

Read the rest here. More on Jewish views of this issue are here, here and here.

Sure beats going Islamic over anything porcine...

Cox & Forkum have more on the "Perils of Piglet" here.

Israeli and Palestinian reactions to Saddam execution

From Haaretz:

In the wake of the execution of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh on Saturday expressed his concerns about Iraq's path in the post-Saddam era.

Sneh told Israel Radio that Israel was concerned about the strengthening of Iranian influence in the Shiite sections of southern Iraq and also in the central government. Iraq had also become a regional "power station" for terror that could spread chaos throughout the Middle East, he said.

"We have to be worried about what is going to happen now," he said.

From Ynet News:

PA residents reminisced over the Gulf War, when dozens of Scud missiles were launched at Israel . The missiles, which landed in the center of the country in 1991, were accompanied by celebrations and chants: "Saddam, strike Tel Aviv."

The Iraqi president remained popular among the Palestinians also during the recent intifada, when he promised to transfer USD 25,000 to families of Palestinians killed in terror attacks and clashes with Israel.

From The Jerusalem Post:

He further endeared himself to the Palestinians during the recent uprising with Israel by giving US$25,000 to the family of each suicide bomber and US$10,000 for each Palestinian killed in fighting. The stipends amounted to an estimated US$35 million.

Day By Day: Saddam

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