Recently Germany saw riots between Kurds and supporters of the Islamic State. German authorities were horrified by the brutality of people who openly endorse mass murder in the name of religion. I have no patience or sympathy for this indestructible denial. When it comes to terrorism, I live in a binary world. The choice is…
I pass AND Fail the Israel Test
October 30, 2014
An Israeli alerted me to George Gilder’s Israel Test. Although I pass the test as Gilder lays it out, I fail it miserably in other ways. First the test. You won’t regret the four minutes and thirty-seven seconds you invest in watching this video. I’ve never been envious of anybody for any reason, because as…
Cancer of the mind
October 21, 2014
There’s a cancer of the mind. It’s called “fantasy.” Like cheesecake, fantasy is great in controlled dosages. My brother Paul and my sister Carrie once made a cheesecake with strawberry topping, split it in half, and finished it down to the last crumb of graham-cracker crust. Neither of them ate cheesecake again for over twenty…
I’m living my favorite TV show
October 4, 2014
My favorite TV show of all time was The X-Files. There were episodes that were so brilliant that I hesitate to watch them again, for fear that they won’t be as great as I remember. The best episode is titled “All Souls.” It’s perfect because it has everything that moves me: pain, indescribable loss, letting…
Because I’ve experienced great evil
September 26, 2014
Almost every day I get a message asking me why I defend Israel and Jews. Most of the queries are sincere, while others are meant to be an accusation of sorts. Basically, people are accusing me of doing what I myself acknowledge I’m doing. Maybe they except me to snap out of a trance and…
Emotions hurt, as they should
September 20, 2014
I offered to send Ghosts and Ballyhoo: Memoirs of a Failed L.A. Music Journalist to a reader. She replied that emotions hurt, which I take to mean that she’d rather not read the book. I understand. Here’s what a reviewer said about it. At every turn revealing, enlightening, and heartbreaking in the most jagged fashion…
The person I came closest to murdering
September 17, 2014
Adapted from Ghosts and Ballyhoo: Memoirs of a Failed L.A. Music Journalist. The person I came closest to murdering is a lot like those who now threaten to murder me. Odd coincidence. So There You Are I met “Carmen” the Cardinal Ghost on November 6, 1987. Two days later, she invited me to her apartment…
May you live forever
September 16, 2014
Today my Website was hacked by the Islamic State. In return I say to them, “May you live forever.” It’s a line from 300, one of my favorite films. King Leonidas has been betrayed by Ephialtes of Trachis, who guided the Persians to the trail they used to encircle the Spartans and Thespians blocking the…
Guest post: The dance of the Israel hater
September 13, 2014
By Racheli Ben Yehuda. Reprinted with permission. Hi Thomas. Let me start by saying THANK YOU (if I could shout it I would). I have been following you since the start of Operation Protective Edge, and the daily articles you posted gave me a lot of confidence. I have a Pinterest account and was using…
Mindthoughts
July 21, 2014
A collection of completely random mindthoughts. Someone on Twitter thinks I hate Muslims because I support Israel. She call Jews “big-noses,” so her analysis of world affairs is coming from a different direction as mine. Twitter invited me to follow Life Loving Zo. I’ve declined. After Zo told me that Muslims aren’t killing each other…