animalmagic

Believing in Santa is a lot healthier than believing in a God. I can't think of any persons killed, maimed or tortured in the name of Santa. There have been many holy wars, intifadas and the like; but not one Santa Yuletide War!

I wonder if she would have done a similar 'expose' of racy nightlife in her own country. I'm sure the Chinese authorities would be delighted! With the 'Great Firewall' online activity and content is closely monitored with reaction and retribution very swift. Just another vapid, talentless tart who has a following of people who want to be scandalised and horrifed by content so they can live vicariously through other people's actions.

As part of its 'land for peace' deal Israel forcibly evicted/cleared Jewish settlers from settlements in Gaza. Gaza was then handed over to the Palestinian Authority; Egypt did not want the Gaza strip back! The eviction of all residents, demolition of the residential buildings and evacuation of associated security personnel from the Gaza Strip was completed by September 12, 2005. The eviction and dismantlement of the four settlements in the northern West Bank was completed ten days later. Eight thousand Jewish settlers from the 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip were relocated.

Perhaps true to an extent, but I don't think even a yank would break into their house, kill men, women and children with indiscriminate gunfire, burnings and beheadings. Nor would they use rape as a form of warfare or kidnap old women and young children that live there.

After the WWI Gaza became part of mandated Palestine, and a small coastal port (fishing, lighterage) was operated on the coast. When the Palestine partition plan was promulgated by the United Nations (1947), Gaza was assigned to what was to be an Arab state. That state, however, was not set up, and Gaza was occupied in 1948 by Egyptians. At the time of the signing of the Israeli-Egyptian armistice (February 1949), Egypt held Gaza and its environs, a situation that resulted in the creation of the Gaza Strip. Egypt did not annex the city and territory but administered it through a military governor. Gaza and its surroundings have continued to be greatly overpopulated by Palestinian Arab refugees. During the Sinai campaign of November 1956, Gaza and its environs were taken by Israeli troops, but international pressure soon forced Israel to withdraw. Reoccupied by Israel in the Six-Day War (June 1967), the city remained under Israeli military administration until 1994, when a phased transfer of governmental authority to the Palestinians got under way. In 2005 Israel completed its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, handing over control of the region to the Palestinian Authority (PA). In 2006 Hamas, a militant Palestinian nationalist and Islamist movement, won parliamentary elections held that year for the PA. After its victory prompted international sanctions, violence escalated between Palestinian factions, especially in Gaza. Hamas gained control of the Gaza Strip, which Israel subsequently blockaded, and the group largely maintained its dominance of the territory into the 2020s. Since 2008 the Gaza Strip has been at the center of several conflicts between Israel and Hamas, which have had a devastating effect on the city.

Which pocket?

The only things 'The Don' keeps open is his mouth....and his flies!

Automatics don't have a clutch per se, and you will be causing additional wear and tear on the internals. Basically, you're reversing the power flow, instead of the engine driving the wheels, you're driving the engine with the wheels. This occurs normally when you decelerate, but by downshifting you're increasing the amount of force that normally goes through the transmission in that way. There's no way to accurately predict how much additional wear you're putting on your drivetrain, but it makes more sense to put the wear on easily accessible parts (brake pads) that are designed to be replaced rather than on an expensive transmission? I wrecked the transmission of a BMW using engine braking.

I've watched Hamas invade Israel to murder, rape and behead civilians, including babies. I've watched Israel try to attack Hamas leadership and soldiers who hide behind innocent civilians by building headquarters under hospitals and launching rockets from the hospital car parks. Even when given messages to evacuate innocent civilians before Israeli bombing attacks they refuse to do so; preferring to use them as human shields and gain a propaganda advantage. You should have watched what your Momma did NOT what she said.

Thank you for the advice. My good Cantonese is not bad, and my bad Cantonese is quite good.

This supports part of your assertion for some of the Arab population of Israel, however it does not generalise to the same extent. Arabs comprise just over 20 percent of Israel’s population. The vast majority are citizens, while those in Jerusalem, which Israel claims as its capital, are considered “permanent residents.” Arab citizens have the same legal rights as Jewish Israelis, but they tend to live in poorer cities, have less formal education, and face other challenges that some experts attribute to structural discrimination. Arab political parties have long struggled to gain representation in Israel’s government, and many Arabs have expressed alarm at the leadership of right-wing Jewish politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. What to Know About the Arab Citizens of Israel | Council on Foreign Relations (cfr.org) The Hamas charter calls for the obliteration of Israel; the Israeli Constitution does not call for similar actions.

Not all Palestinians are Moslem. Palestine, as a location not a country, was run under a British mandate granted by the League of Nations (forerunner to the UN). From the end of WWI various elements of the Ottoman Empire were given to the victors and the area called Palestine was given to Britain to administer until the state of Israel was created in 1948. Up to that time it was inhabited by both Jewish and Moslem tribes; therefore not all Palestinians are Moslem, some are Jewish! There are also a few million moslems living happily and peacefully in Israel today. How many Jews are living happily and peacefully in the Arab states surrounding Israel? The numbers are recorded to be very small and probably less than a couple of hundred.

In 2016, Hamas militants executed one of their own commanders, Mahmoud Ishtiwi, for allegedly having sex with another man. Ishtiwi's allegiance to the group was clear: Just two years prior, he had overseen 1,000 soldiers and an assortment of attack tunnels. But not even his loyalty could save him after they lodged accusations he had engaged in homosexual activity. Prior to executing him with three bullets to the chest, Hamas reportedly tortured him by whipping him, hanging him from a ceiling for hours, and cranking loud music into his cell in order to deprive him of sleep. Last year, in the West Bank, 25-year-old Ahmed Abu Marhia's severed head was found on the side of the road after he was murdered for being gay. The killer videoed the execution and shared it on social media. The Contradictions of 'Queers for Palestine' (reason.com)

I was in a taxi in Hong Kong with my Chinese girlfriend and a colleague with his Thai wife. He explained to his wife where we going in Thai and used the phrase 'gai-gai'. Apparently, it means something like close to in Thai; in Chinese it is a slang word for pu**y. My girlfriend was horrified then amused.

Guy on the bike should have been wearing a helmet!

Gaza was plunged into darkness when Hamas took over control. Hamas won the Palestinian Legislative Elections in January 2006. Israel and the Quartet—comprising the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations—demanded that the new Hamas government accept all previous agreements, recognize Israel's right to exist, and renounce violence; when Hamas refused, they cut off aid to the Palestinian Authority.

Years ago, I was mistaken for my father's brother, and then for my mother's husband! I am happy to report I am now starting to age my look. 😊

If any person through some deception (false valuations, lies, etc) obtains a loan, or one at a more preferential rate, that they would not normally have been granted if the true facts were known, commits an offence. Commonly called fraud but can also be termed 'obtaining pecuniary advantage through deception'.

Seems about right. From my limited experience most Thais are ripped off by their siblings.

Of course you can. And be happy in the knowledge that at least Santa is real!🎅

One widespread explanation of the origin of the date is that December 25 was the Christianizing of the dies solis invicti nati (“day of the birth of the unconquered sun”), a popular holiday in the Roman Empire that celebrated the winter solstice as a symbol of the resurgence of the sun, the casting away of winter and the heralding of the rebirth of spring and summer. After December 25 had become widely accepted as the date of Jesus’ birth, Christian writers frequently made the connection between the rebirth of the sun and the birth of the Son. Basically, theft of a pagan ritual celebrating the natural changing of the seasons.

If you were born in 2024 would you prefer to be male or female? Yes

Ah yes, pray. Always effective! I'm pretty sure the Hamas terrorists said their prayers to seek blessing and success before killing babies, raping women and taking hostages.

I totally agree........animalmagic ????

Wrong, the war started AFTER innocent civilians were taken captive by Hamas