Another week, another mass killing in the United States. This time it was a muslim married couple who massacred people, which officials said is highly unusual. Frankly, nothing should be usual with any of this.
When they went into the home of this couple they found nothing short of an arsenal: 2 pipe bomb-type devices, hundreds of tools, many of which could be used to construct improvised explosive devices, 2,000 9mm rounds, 2,500 .223 rifle rounds and several hundred more rifle rounds.
Is gun control the answer? Only partly. Up until yesterday, the man appeared to be a ‘normal’ American citizen who graduated from California State University in San Bernardino with a degree in environmental health in 2010. For all intents and purposes he was like everyone else where he worked. Until…
Until he went to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Somewhere along the way it appears he became a radicalized muslim, although the US authorities are loathe to say this as it will no doubt panic many people or they don’t want to o.f.f.e.n.d anyone. Plus of course, it doesn’t matter. These shootings, as the ones in Paris, are targeting regular working folks – a la Obama and there is no way to stop them.
Can these killings be stopped? Mostly likely not in the short term. This dude was not on anyone’s radar. He was an American lone wolf, who was obviously convinced in the last few years that the infidels – i.e. anyone not a muslim – has to be wiped off the planet. Whether or not the American news stations come out and say it, we think that most people can figure this out on their own. Nasty times we are living in right now.
Montreal’s mayor Coderre is back in the news again. This time it’s because he’s going to hire a few people to chauffeur him around. So how much does this job pay? Well, it appears that the city has allocated $200,000 for up to four people who will share this job.
You may be asking who was driving hizzoner around until now. Security agents belonging to the city’s blue collar workers union were doing a fine job. However, as they are in a dispute with the city, da mayor thinks they are listening to his calls and conversations and wants people he can trust.
Can we talk? This mayor is turning out to be extra special. At this rate he will outdo Jean Drapeau – you know the mayor who gave us the big Owe and other little ditties we are still paying for 50 years later. What makes us nervous is this is what we know Coderre is spending money on. It’s what we don’t know and will only find out later that makes us nervous. Our mayor needs to be brought down to earth a bit. Well, maybe a lot.
Donald Trump’s numbers are up again. He’s in the lead at 27%, Marco Rubio is at 17% and Ben Carson has drifted to third place. One of the headlines we read was this: Another Day, Another GOP Panic. Both the media and GOP hotshots underestimated Trump from day one.
The absolute funniest line we read in all the articles we perused on this topic was: Is there something stronger than panic? Because we seem to be careening there – referring to the establishment in the Republican party. Get a life dudes. You’re doomed. He’s going to win.
There is no doubt the travel industry, especially in Europe has taken a huge hit. During and after the Brussels shutdown, bookings to go there dropped 159%. The 100% part of that number means not a booking was made to go there. The 59% means that there were cancellations equal to 59 percent of the number of bookings made on the equivalent day last year.
Paris is not much better. Before November 13, the date of the attacks, a flight to Paris would set you back $1400. Today? You can get a flight to Paris for $600. Funny as it may sound, Israel did not appear to be suffering that much. That could mean one of two things: Either Israel is not divulging any information or people are going. We checked one of the hotels for next week, Chanukah and the prices are half the usual amount. Guess that answers the question.
The city of Outremont and it’s delightful mayor Marie Cinq Mars are in the news again. This time they want to ban the opening of any synagogue on two streets – Bernard and Laurier. Both have many commercial establishments. Laurier is out of the way for most of the oilem (Haredi Jews) living in that area. Bernard is another story. At one point it becomes and residential street and there is no reason not to allow the building or opening of a synagogue.
We will remind you that this is the same city and the same mayor who last year tried to curtail the building of sukkahs. We feel that what they are trying now is a trial balloon. If they succeed in passing this bylaw, other, more distasteful and outright anti-Semitic edicts are heading our way. Stay tuned for more on this story. It ain’t over yet.
Good Shabbos, We’ll talk…
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