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The desert breeds a certain kind of person.

Deserts are harsh and unforgiving. Deserts consume the weak. Deserts demand everything that you have, and then a little more.

When you live in the desert, you live by desert rules, and if you forget those rules… you die.

However, desert rules don’t apply everywhere. It’s not necessary to live by desert rules in the rain forests of Africa and Southeast Asia. Desert rules don’t make sense in the fertile plains of the American Midwest.

In fact, Desert Rules only apply… in the desert.

The desert breeds a certain kind of person.

Deserts are harsh and unforgiving. Deserts consume the weak. Deserts demand everything that you have, and then a little more.

When you live in the desert, you live by desert rules, and if you forget those rules… you die.

However, desert rules don’t apply everywhere. It’s not necessary to live by desert rules in the rain forests of Africa and Southeast Asia. Desert rules don’t make sense in the fertile plains of the American Midwest.

In fact, Desert Rules only apply… in the desert.

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One of the great things about being a writer that lives in Israel is that there is so much to write about. There’s always something brilliant, or stupid, or evil, or good, or…

Well, there’s just lots of stuff.

But, I need to stick with my latest rant over why peace in the Middle East will take a miracle.

Yesterday, I mentioned Palestinian clannishness as an important reason why they don’t understand Israel (and is probably a key source for most of their problems). But, let’s not forget that they are people like you and I, and that our own clannishness lies not too far below the surface.

One of the great things about being a writer that lives in Israel is that there is so much to write about. There’s always something brilliant, or stupid, or evil, or good, or…

Well, there’s just lots of stuff.

But, I need to stick with my latest rant over why peace in the Middle East will take a miracle.

Yesterday, I mentioned Palestinian clannishness as an important reason why they don’t understand Israel (and is probably a key source for most of their problems). But, let’s not forget that they are people like you and I, and that our own clannishness lies not too far below the surface.

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After almost 60 years of direct conflict, you would think that the Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world would understand the Israelis. You would think that they would try to get inside the mindset of the Israelis – if for no other reason than to manage the conflict better.

You would think that the intellectuals among the Arabs and Palestinians would understand the Israelis. Understanding foreign concepts and ‘thinking outside the box’ are supposed to be one of the jobs of an intellectual.

After almost 60 years of direct conflict, you would think that the Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world would understand the Israelis. You would think that they would try to get inside the mindset of the Israelis – if for no other reason than to manage the conflict better.

You would think that the intellectuals among the Arabs and Palestinians would understand the Israelis. Understanding foreign concepts and ‘thinking outside the box’ are supposed to be one of the jobs of an intellectual.

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On Thursday, I said that I understood why the Palestinians hate.

And, with all the sympathetic attention that the Palestinians are getting in the media, you’d hafta be blind, deaf and dumb (and stupid) not to understand why the Palestinians hate.

Of course, that means you and I are in a good position to forgive the Palestinians for the evil that they have done in the name of hatred. It means that I can forgive them for shooting up my neighborhood and murdering my neighbors. It means that I can forgive them for bombing a packed bus of men, women and children just down the street from my apartment.

On Thursday, I said that I understood why the Palestinians hate.

And, with all the sympathetic attention that the Palestinians are getting in the media, you’d hafta be blind, deaf and dumb (and stupid) not to understand why the Palestinians hate.

Of course, that means you and I are in a good position to forgive the Palestinians for the evil that they have done in the name of hatred. It means that I can forgive them for shooting up my neighborhood and murdering my neighbors. It means that I can forgive them for bombing a packed bus of men, women and children just down the street from my apartment.

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I’m turning over a new leaf.

I’ve turned over all the old ones, so I’m left with new ones.

Well, this one, anyway.

It’s actually not a really new leaf. It’s a November-2006-in-America version of an old one.

Of course, you are wondering why I’m telling you all this stuff about leaf turning. Well, boys and girls. Blogs aren’t just about the deadly serious. They’re also about the lighthearted foolishness of the blog writer.

And, the deadly serious foolishness of the blog writer. But, you would never think that I’m a deadly serious fool, would you?

I’m turning over a new leaf.

I’ve turned over all the old ones, so I’m left with new ones.

Well, this one, anyway.

It’s actually not a really new leaf. It’s a November-2006-in-America version of an old one.

Of course, you are wondering why I’m telling you all this stuff about leaf turning. Well, boys and girls. Blogs aren’t just about the deadly serious. They’re also about the lighthearted foolishness of the blog writer.

And, the deadly serious foolishness of the blog writer. But, you would never think that I’m a deadly serious fool, would you?

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