Israel at 60

Sixty years ago, Palestine was divided and Israel was created. The next day, the Arab countries invaded, but they were fought off. Since then, it has been a rough ride. Israel has endured sixty years of war (Syreia is still officially at war with it) and forty years of conflict.

• The Arabs invaded again in 1967 on Yom Kippur, hoping to catch the Jews at their prayers. Israel repelled the invasion and took over the Golan Heights, which overlook it. Israel controls and oppresses its Palestinian workers.
• Peace and security are still distant dreams.
• Almost all the kibbutzim have been privatized
• Nadia Hilou is the only female Arab in the Knesset.
• Social divisions remain.

June Callwood, social activist & author, dies at 82

June Callwood, who has been fighting cancer for four years, has died. She will long be remembered for her sense of justice. Callwood was the author of thirty books and started fifty social organizations. Callwood once said,

“If you see an injustice being committed, you aren’t an observer, you are a participant.”

Canada’s first weatherman, Percy Sattzman, dies

Percy Saltzman, who brought the idea of dynamic weather reporting to television and made it happen, died at age 91 after a brief illness. Mr. Saltzman received the Order of Canada in 2003. He was an interesting character. Read about him.

Happy Sir John A. Macdonald Day!

Larry Moran at Sandwalk reminds us that it’s the birthday of our first Prime Minister:

In typical Canadian fashion, we honour our most famous Canadian (he’s on the $10 bill) by going off to work. There’s no holiday for Canadians on January 11th. You celebrate by raising a glass of scotch when you get home in the evening, or maybe at lunch.