Here is the latest, from today's www.IsraelNationalNews.com :

quote:

The Kinneret Lake (Sea of Galilee), Israel’s largest reservoir, currently stands at only 213.35 meters below sea level - 35 centimeters below the original “red line” minimum level. The current level is dangerously low, as normal summer usage will drop it down to the absolute minimum level of 215 meters below sea level.
The Kinneret is about 4.5 meters (15 feet) below the maximum level, at which the dams must be opened to prevent flooding. This last occurred in early 1993.
Israel has now undergone five winters in a row of less-than-average precipitation.

Donald

Apparently the drought continues, as this article on VP Biden's visit to Baghdad attests:

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-07-04-voa27.cfm

Donald

Here is a publication of Israel imposing a "drought tax",
http://www.bridgesforpeace.com...ile=article&sid=6054
plus the developing idea of a canal from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea.
(from the same source:

quote:

6. Red Sea-Dead Sea Canal Moving Forward?

After years of discussion and preparation, an effort to save the Dead Sea from evaporation using water pumped from the Red Sea appears to have gotten approval for a pilot project, depending on who is asked. According to The Jerusalem Post, Israeli Minister for Regional Cooperation Silvan Shalom announced that the water pump plan had received approval from the president of the World Bank, although he later clarified that the pilot project would not be funded by the World Bank.

Who would supply the funding still needed to be decided as of June 30. A statement from the World Bank published in the Post mentioned the project in general, saying the Bank was “working with all the parties to explore ideas, including the possibility of phased implementation.” It said any involvement by the Bank required approval from the Bank’s Board. The World Bank is currently still working on a feasibility study of the project that is expected to finish in 2011.

Donald

Just a follow-up note on Jerusalem:

quote:

Aug 19 Tomorrow
Mainly sunny. High 87F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.

The next ten days are like that, but this is par for summer, and no rain.

Donald

This is from today's www.IsraelNationalNews.com :

quote:

The Dead Sea is in danger of disappearing, and making it one of the official seven natural wonders of the world will help efforts to save it, according to environmentalists. Current projections indicate that the Dead Sea, which is more accurately described in Hebrew as the Salt Sea, indicate will be only a small pond in 40 years.
“Saving the Dead Sea is a regional issue, and if you take the heritage, environmental and historical importance, or even the geographical importance, it is an international issue," according to a water expert quoted by the London Telegraph. Industrial and agricultural demands, water-sharing with Jordan, and several years of drought, have contributed to the declining level of the sea.
The Dead Sea used to receive water from the north during years of abundant rainfall, but the last time the dams at the Kinneret, (Sea of Galilee) were opened, allowing more water to flow to the Jordan River and the Dead Sea, was in 1992. A proposal for a $2 billion pipeline from the Red Sea is in the works but worries environmentalists, who fear the differences in water quality will actually cause destruction.

Donald

you're so negative, donald...I just don't understand why you don't kill yourself.

Holy Bhagworm

HB
It is just part of eschatology, like patients dying in medicine.
By staying alive there is a possiblity of helping others survive.

Israelites are the Chosen People. Their environment is part of evaluating the prognosis. And there is that fact, that Jesus was a Jew.

I regard myself as friendly to Jews and Israel, having been there twice.

Donald

quote:

Originally posted by EQ:
HB
It is just part of eschatology, like patients dying in medicine.
By staying alive there is a possiblity of helping others survive.

Israelites are the Chosen People. Their environment is part of evaluating the prognosis. And there is that fact, that Jesus was a Jew.

I regard myself as friendly to Jews and Israel, having been there twice.

Donald

How convenient it is for you to choose the Iraelites for your nefarious purposes. I hereby ordain you to choose yourself from now on. you, Donald, are now a part of the new Chosen People and it shall remain that way for the rest of time. Have fun. No more belly-aching from you. you take your new status and be proud of it and do it a solid. I'm tired of you wimping out and being less than the human being you have to be in order to be amongst the Chosen Few. Get it through your thick skull, dammit! From now on, IT's YOU!!!And everyone expects all the perks and demands that go along with being the neo-chosen. Get with it and stop your incessant whining. You are the center of the controversy and it's now up to you to represent the "chosen few." Do it and do it correctly. Nothing I hate worse than low-life scum who shirks off his/her responsibilities to their fellow citizens, to G-d, and ultimately and most importantly to them selves. Apparently there's an entire collection of embittered people who always wanted to be the chosen few, but now that the opportunity has been thrust in your porcine faces, you don't have nothing to do with it. you simply can't handle it. And ultimately, do you know who is surprised? Take a guess. Who the hell is really surprised that your ilk cannot handle being the Chosen Few....well it turns out it almost every one of us. you're incapable of handling anything and the best you ever accomplished was a weak attempt to criticize others who were way out of your league. Basically, you're turned down a turnkey even to the chosen people and in the process made fools of yourself. Fact is, because you couldn't handle the objective, the original Chosen Few are the ones back in charge. We are the chosen few and will always be the chosen few. The rest of you are lucky if we give you a light ignore or better yet a total ignore, which is more than you deserve. In the future, you will need rows of intermediaries to speak to me, to raksha, possibly jeff, and to lynne the kewl, who has been promoted to one of the queens of the jews. A very high honor,indeed. But an honor for time immemorial.


Holy Bhagworm

HB

You are beginning to sound like Linda.

I'm hardly by myself in my charting and guess work, but I am not proclaiming myself a prophet or a pastor, merely an investigator.

To be a member of the Chosen ones is God's designation, documented in Torah.

If you are looking for a wimp, look in the mirror. You are adding nothing to the discourse.

Donald

quote:

Originally posted by EQ:
HB

You are beginning to sound like Linda.

I'm hardly by myself in my charting and guess work, but I am not proclaiming myself a prophet or a pastor, merely an investigator.

To be a member of the Chosen ones is God's designation, documented in Torah.

If you are looking for a wimp, look in the mirror. You are adding nothing to the discourse.

Donald

Pretty much all you do is talk about disaster, the end of the world, and the Chosen Few who you conveniently blame things on. you're the wimp. you can't handle life and I suspect you won't be able to handle death. you and your stupid friend, sela.

Holy Bhagworm

quote:

How convenient it is for you to choose the Iraelites for your nefarious purposes. I hereby ordain you to choose yourself from now on. you, Donald, are now a part of the new Chosen People and it shall remain that way for the rest of time. Have fun. No more belly-aching from you. you take your new status and be proud of it and do it a solid. I'm tired of you wimping out and being less than the human being you have to be in order to be amongst the Chosen Few. Get it through your thick skull, dammit! From now on, IT's YOU!!!And everyone expects all the perks and demands that go along with being the neo-chosen. Get with it and stop your incessant whining. You are the center of the controversy and it's now up to you to represent the "chosen few." Do it and do it correctly. Nothing I hate worse than low-life scum who shirks off his/her responsibilities to their fellow citizens, to G-d, and ultimately and most importantly to them selves.

Too funny, O Holy One...too, too funny! Now why didn't I think of that? For YEARS, and I mean literally for YEARS, ever since the old Prodigy Classic days, I've been trying to come up with some truly appropriate form of retaliation against Donald for saying that "the Holocaust was biblical punishment..."

And then when I went ballistic over those words like you've never seen me go ballistic before, in typical fundie fashion he "stood by what he said." Oh, he equivocated and tried to squirm out of the obvious meaning of those words just like he always does, but in the end he "stood by what he said." For some unknown reason fundies think sticking to their guns over something outrageous like that is the same thing as having actual principles and sticking to them. The truly sad thing, of course, is that he really believes that and just let it slip out in an unguarded moment.

And now you want to make him...one of us??? Complete with all the "perks and demands" that go with that status? Especially the demands...DAMN!!! Why didn't I think of that??? Now I'm going to be kicking myself for the rest of the week because I didn't think of it myself...you know that, don't you?

There's an aggadah (legend) to the effect that God offered the Torah and the covenant that goes with it to every one of the 70 nations in turn, but they all rejected it. Okay, maybe it was only 69 of them, because God finally found a bunch of nomad scum (Hapiru = Hebrew, which was in fact a put-down in Egyptian) clueless enough to accept it.

What can I say? They were only a bunch of escaped slaves who obviously didn't know any better. They got taken so badly on that deal that they've been cultivating a reputation for shrewd bargaining ever since to make up for it.

With everything that goes with it...above all, the curse of being perpetually misunderstood no matter how you try to explain yourself, no matter how many times you try to explain yourself, no matter how articulate you try to be. It's too beautiful...just too beautiful!

Congratulations on a true stroke of genius.

Namaste, Shalom and all that good stuff,
Linda

quote:

Apparently there's an entire collection of embittered people who always wanted to be the chosen few, but now that the opportunity has been thrust in your porcine faces, you don't have nothing to do with it. you simply can't handle it.

HB,

Of course they can't handle it. Remember the legend I just told you. Their ancestors knew they wouldn't be able to handle it, which is why they turned down the deal when it was offered. Nobody would have anything to do with it except for this one particular tribe of clueless camel jockeys, like I just said.

It's hard to understand what they're so embittered and jealous about, seeing as it took us generations to finally grow into the job although we still screw up a lot. But I guess they don't know that, not being part of the Chosen People and all...

--Linda

quote:

You are beginning to sound like Linda.

Donald,

That's high praise indeed, but in this particular case I don't deserve the comparison with His Holiness. He totally outclassed me on this one, as I just finished telling him. Humility isn't my strong point as everyone knows, but hey...credit where credit is due!

quote:

To be a member of the Chosen ones is God's designation, documented in Torah.

If you are looking for a wimp, look in the mirror. You are adding nothing to the discourse.

Oh, he added plenty to the discourse, but maybe you actually have to BE one of the Chosen People to get it. You know..."It's a Jewish thing; you wouldn't understand."

--Linda

HB

So what do you think you are doing?

Donald

quote:

Originally posted by Raksha:

quote:

How convenient it is for you to choose the Iraelites for your nefarious purposes. I hereby ordain you to choose yourself from now on. you, Donald, are now a part of the new Chosen People and it shall remain that way for the rest of time. Have fun. No more belly-aching from you. you take your new status and be proud of it and do it a solid. I'm tired of you wimping out and being less than the human being you have to be in order to be amongst the Chosen Few. Get it through your thick skull, dammit! From now on, IT's YOU!!!And everyone expects all the perks and demands that go along with being the neo-chosen. Get with it and stop your incessant whining. You are the center of the controversy and it's now up to you to represent the "chosen few." Do it and do it correctly. Nothing I hate worse than low-life scum who shirks off his/her responsibilities to their fellow citizens, to G-d, and ultimately and most importantly to them selves.

Too funny, O Holy One...too, too funny! Now why didn't I think of that? For YEARS, and I mean literally for YEARS, ever since the old Prodigy Classic days, I've been trying to come up with some truly appropriate form of retaliation against Donald for saying that "the Holocaust was biblical punishment..."

And then when I went ballistic over those words like you've never seen me go ballistic before, in typical fundie fashion he "stood by what he said." Oh, he equivocated and tried to squirm out of the obvious meaning of those words just like he always does, but in the end he "stood by what he said." For some unknown reason fundies think sticking to their guns over something outrageous like that is the same thing as having actual principles and sticking to them. The truly sad thing, of course, is that he really believes that and just let it slip out in an unguarded moment.

And now you want to make him...one of us??? Complete with all the "perks and demands" that go with that status? Especially the demands...DAMN!!! Why didn't I think of that??? Now I'm going to be kicking myself for the rest of the week because I didn't think of it myself...you know that, don't you?

There's an aggadah (legend) to the effect that God offered the Torah and the covenant that goes with it to every one of the 70 nations in turn, but they all rejected it. Okay, maybe it was only 69 of them, because God finally found a bunch of nomad scum (Hapiru = Hebrew, which was in fact a put-down in Egyptian) clueless enough to accept it.

What can I say? They were only a bunch of escaped slaves who obviously didn't know any better. They got taken so badly on that deal that they've been cultivating a reputation for shrewd bargaining ever since to make up for it.

With everything that goes with it...above all, the curse of being perpetually misunderstood no matter how you try to explain yourself, no matter how many times you try to explain yourself, no matter how articulate you try to be. It's too beautiful...just too beautiful!

Congratulations on a true stroke of genius.

Namaste, Shalom and all that good stuff,
Linda

Raksha,
You understand, as well as anyone could understand. These donald-types abuse our good intentions and they disregard our patience regarding their obtuse notions. And then they're nonplussed when we challenge them. Hahaha!

quote:

Originally posted by Holy Bhagworm:

quote:

Originally posted by Raksha:

quote:

How convenient it is for you to choose the Iraelites for your nefarious purposes. I hereby ordain you to choose yourself from now on. you, Donald, are now a part of the new Chosen People and it shall remain that way for the rest of time. Have fun. No more belly-aching from you. you take your new status and be proud of it and do it a solid. I'm tired of you wimping out and being less than the human being you have to be in order to be amongst the Chosen Few. Get it through your thick skull, dammit! From now on, IT's YOU!!!And everyone expects all the perks and demands that go along with being the neo-chosen. Get with it and stop your incessant whining. You are the center of the controversy and it's now up to you to represent the "chosen few." Do it and do it correctly. Nothing I hate worse than low-life scum who shirks off his/her responsibilities to their fellow citizens, to G-d, and ultimately and most importantly to them selves.

Too funny, O Holy One...too, too funny! Now why didn't I think of that? For YEARS, and I mean literally for YEARS, ever since the old Prodigy Classic days, I've been trying to come up with some truly appropriate form of retaliation against Donald for saying that "the Holocaust was biblical punishment..."

And then when I went ballistic over those words like you've never seen me go ballistic before, in typical fundie fashion he "stood by what he said." Oh, he equivocated and tried to squirm out of the obvious meaning of those words just like he always does, but in the end he "stood by what he said." For some unknown reason fundies think sticking to their guns over something outrageous like that is the same thing as having actual principles and sticking to them. The truly sad thing, of course, is that he really believes that and just let it slip out in an unguarded moment.

And now you want to make him...one of us??? Complete with all the "perks and demands" that go with that status? Especially the demands...DAMN!!! Why didn't I think of that??? Now I'm going to be kicking myself for the rest of the week because I didn't think of it myself...you know that, don't you?

There's an aggadah (legend) to the effect that God offered the Torah and the covenant that goes with it to every one of the 70 nations in turn, but they all rejected it. Okay, maybe it was only 69 of them, because God finally found a bunch of nomad scum (Hapiru = Hebrew, which was in fact a put-down in Egyptian) clueless enough to accept it.

What can I say? They were only a bunch of escaped slaves who obviously didn't know any better. They got taken so badly on that deal that they've been cultivating a reputation for shrewd bargaining ever since to make up for it.

With everything that goes with it...above all, the curse of being perpetually misunderstood no matter how you try to explain yourself, no matter how many times you try to explain yourself, no matter how articulate you try to be. It's too beautiful...just too beautiful!

Congratulations on a true stroke of genius.

Namaste, Shalom and all that good stuff,
Linda

Raksha,
You understand, as well as anyone could understand. These donald-types abuse our good intentions and they disregard our patience regarding their obtuse notions. And then they're nonplussed when we challenge them. Hahaha!

Holy Bhagworm

quote:

Originally posted by EQ:
HB

So what do you think you are doing?

Donald

I've taken care of you and your ilk, the donald. you've become a laughing stock.

Holy Bhagworm

HB

Enjoy your little kettle, but just watch the temperature.

Maybe you ought to make acquaintance with BlueLamp.

If you don't think the Bible applies to current times, I think you have a second think coming. BTW, the Holocaust was the direct line result of the Kaiser's actions precipitating WWI, Germany's losing that war, and the victorious countries precipitating economic chaos in post war Germany.
The result was no laughing matter, with both Christians and Jews persecuted in mass.

If you think God had no play in this, turn the heat up on the kettle.

Donald

quote:

Originally posted by EQ:
HB

Enjoy your little kettle, but just watch the temperature.

Maybe you ought to make acquaintance with BlueLamp.

If you don't think the Bible applies to current times, I think you have a second think coming. BTW, the Holocaust was the direct line result of the Kaiser's actions precipitating WWI, Germany's losing that war, and the victorious countries precipitating economic chaos in post war Germany.
The result was no laughing matter, with both Christians and Jews persecuted in mass.

If you think G-d had no play in this, turn the heat up on the kettle.

Donald

What kettle are you talking about, whackster? Everything you say is crazy. I'm surprised you're let out of the padded cell to use the computer.

Holy Bhagworm

quote:

The result was no laughing matter, with both Christians and Jews persecuted in mass.

If you think G-d had no play in this, turn the heat up on the kettle.

Donald,

Christians AND Jews??? Why did you mention Christians first? And why are you trying to make it sound as though they are in any way equivalent? Were 6 million Christians murdered just for being Christians? I mean not for being communists or partisan fighters or homosexuals, or for some other reason why the Nazis might have it in for them...but just for being Christians, the way Jews were murdered just for being Jews? The only Christians persecuted by the Nazis were the Jehovah's Witnesses, and they weren't singled out because they were Christians but because they were Jehovah's Witnesses.

So what exactly are you trying to prove here? Maybe you shouldn't answer that because I'm not sure I want to hear it. We all know how you specialize in evasion, so I'd probably end up knowing less about your real position than I did before.

HB has the right idea...ridicule is the only possible way of dealing with your ilk. Any attempt to engage you in rational dialogue is a total waste of time, as I've proven to myself over and over again.

--Linda

HB

You know, a dry kettle on the fire burns quickly when you touch it. Israel is in the midst of starting desalination plants, which is a story in itself.

Maybe you are from Missouri? That is the Show Me state. I am beginning to doubt your ability to learn from experience, since you are so into projection.

But, to each his own, que sera, etc. Enjoy! Happy Hanukkah! Maybe you can experience a new miracle of light.

Donald

quote:

You know, a dry kettle on the fire burns quickly when you touch it. Israel is in the midst of starting desalination plants, which is a story in itself.

What are you talking about, crazy-boy? "A dry kettle on the fire burns quickly when you touch it?" you're so dense. BTW, everything Raksha said about the "Christian and Jews" thing is exactly right on. you have no idea, do you?

Holy Bhagworm

quote:

Originally posted by EQ:
HB

You know, a dry kettle on the fire burns quickly when you touch it. Israel is in the midst of starting desalination plants, which is a story in itself.

Maybe you are from Missouri? That is the Show Me state. I am beginning to doubt your ability to learn from experience, since you are so into projection.

But, to each his own, que sera, etc. Enjoy! Happy Hanukkah! Maybe you can experience a new miracle of light.

Donald

And don't think for a second Hanukkah has anything to do with Xmas. Xmas is a made up phony holiday which has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus.

Holy Bhagworm

quote:

And don't think for a second Hanukkah has anything to do with Xmas. Xmas is a made up phony holiday which has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus.

HB,

Chanukah and Christmas are both about the same thing; namely the rebirth of the Light at the winter solstice, in the dead of winter. The meaning predates both Judaism and Christianity and isn't dependent on either one of them. I have it on good authority that this is the time of year when rebirth on ALL levels becomes possible. Including the spiritual level, of course.

You're right that Christmas is a made-up holiday that has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus. But then we all know that...don't we?

--Linda

On the contrary, Christmas as a Christian holiday (not counting the secular accretions and the hold-over pre-Christian customs) has everything to do with the birth of Jesus, irrespective of whether it's historically the date of the event.
--
Stephen