Erlangen Beer Fest

As promised, here are some amateur photos taken at the Erlangen Bergkirchweih (beerfest), which ran from June 9-20, 2011. (It is scheduled according to the Whitsuntide religious season.)

On the left, our friend Preeya from Thailand

The unlucky ox of the day

My commandante on the left, Preeya on the right

In the blue shirt is a retired Erlangen cop (with his son) who happened to sit next to us. We reminisced about the good old days policing the city and troops way back when.

One of 4 bands playing that day simultaneously

Main entrance to Bergkirchweih going up the hill

View from the main promenade

Main entrance

The city. Schlossgarten. Old margravial palace on left. Huguenotten Fountain on right

Hauptstr facing north toward the beerfest grounds

Margravial palace facing Hauptstr. Now university admin building

Marksman band from Eskilstuna, Sweden (Erlangen sister city) performs in front of Margravial palace

The below photos were taken per the request of a co-respondent, who spent a few years of his youth living in the below building at # 3 Schillerstr. 

# 3 Schiller Strasse. Building is now University Sprachschule. (School of Language)

Corner of Schillerstr and Kochstr.

Corner of Schillerstr and Bismarck Str. (University area)

Lorleberg Platz (formerly Bismarck Pl.) facing south

Renamed in honor of the German commander who (against orders) surrendered Erlangen peacefully to the Americans on April 16, 1945. Within two hours, he was killed by holdouts while trying to get them to surrender.

OC Board of Directors Unanimously Renews Funding for OC Human Relations Commission

OC Supervisor John Moorlach looking to see which way the wind is blowing
"What happened, John?"


Several days ago, the Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to fund the OC Human Relations Commission for next year in spite of a steady stream of calls to cut off funding for this useless and biased outfit that sucks up about $300,000 annually from the local tax-payers. That includes a six-figure salary for their empty suit CEO Rusty Kennedy.

http://egov.ocgov.com/ocgov/Info%20OC/Departments%20&%20Agencies/OC%20Human%20Relations

Here is what is interesting. By our estimates, out of the 5 supervisors, we figured a couple were in favor of cutting off funding. (Three were needed.) What is surprising is that Supervisor John Moorlach also voted for renewed funding. Why is that surprising? On April 19, I spoke at the Board of Supervisors meeting along with two other activists and called for a stop to OCHRC funding. Afterward, all three of us were joined in the hallway by Moorlach's chief assistant, who encouraged us and assured us that his boss was against continued funding.

So what happened, Mr Moorlach?

Was it political pressure from CAIR that changed your vote? It is a fact that CAIR supported renewed funding when it came under serious attack. They like the OCHRC, and well they should. It does their bidding and ignores complaints of anti-Semitism at places like UC Irvine. In addition, Kennedy just gave one of his precious "Rusty Awards" to Muzammil Siddiqi.

Now that this white elephant is funded for another year, we can all look forward to the OCHRC's next annual publication with all those nice charts and graphs showing how many ethnic groups were victimized by other groups in hate crimes during the year in OC (not very many). And of course, more deserving liberals will receive this next year.....

The Rusty Award

Olive Tree Initiative's PR Drive in Israel

While I was away, an article appeared in the Jerusalem Post regarding the Olive Tree Initiative. I am cross-posting it here.

http://www.jpost.com/Features/InThespotlight/Article.aspx?ID=225167&R=R1

There has been a marked response to this (pro OTI) piece. Below is Nicole Hungerford writing for David Horowitz's Frontpage Magazine.

http://frontpagemag.com/2011/06/23/the-patrons-of-anti-israelism-3/

Many people whom I know have written to the Post with their critical comments. Apparently, some are having trouble getting the Post to publish them.


Fousesquawk comment:

Regarding the Post article, I find it amazing that the OC Jewish Federation's main justification for the OTI is that Jewish students who are pro-Israel get to know the Palestinian side so they can better know the opposing arguments and thus become better advocates for Israel.

How lame is that?

Of course nothing is said by OC Jewish Federation's feckless CEO Shalom Elcott about the 2009 meeting with Hamas official Aziz Duwaik. It is not mentioned in the above article. In addition, Elcott and Jeff Margolis cannot make the case that these trips have changed the attitudes of the Muslim students-certainly not on the UCI campus where last year, a speech by the Israeli ambassador to the US was disrupted repeatedly by MSU students. Every May, the MSU continues to bring in their radical speakers who want Israel to disappear from the face of the earth. Indeed, some Jewish OTI students have also become members of Students for Justice in Palestine, a rabidly anti-Israel organization.

Also, the article said nothing about the inherent risk of American Jewish students traveling around the West Bank. Many OTI critics are pointing out the legal risks that the University of California faces if, God forbid, one of these students is harmed-a distinct possibility. I have often quoted the recent examples of the Fogel massacre in Itimar, the kidnapping and murder of an Italian activist for the International Solidarity Movement, the violence occurring all over the Middle East, and the reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah. The list goes on and on.

I must also state with all due respect to Isaac Yerushalmi, his blanket description of OTI critics as "right-wing extremists" is inaccurate and unfair. I know several critics of OTI who are not extremist in any fashion nor even right-wing, conservative or whatever you want to call it.

For the record, here is my comment submitted to the Post. We'll see if it is "selected fror publication".

"This article says nothing about the 2009 OTI meeting with Aziz Duwaik of Hamas. In 2010, the Federation and Hillel were smearing a local community member who raised the issue of the ISM members involved in the program. All the while, the Fed was neglecting to advise their community of the 2009 incident. Wait until one of these kids is harmed on an oti trip to the West Bank. Elcott and UCI will have a lot of questions to answer."




Gary Fouse
adj teacher
UC-Irvine Ext

CAIR and UC Beserkley Team Up on Islamophobia

Hatem Bazian- Founder
Islamophobia Research and Documentation Project at UC Berkeley






Not surprisingly, UC Berkeley Professor Hatem Bazian and CAIR have teamed up with some other lefties at Beserkley to launch a project on Islamophobia.

http://crg.berkeley.edu/content/islamophobia-report-0910

Here is CAIR of California's own report.

http://ca.cair.com/sfba/news/cair_uc_berkeley_report_documents_growing_islamophobia_in_u.s

 l-r: CAIR spokeshole Ibrahim Hooper, CEO Nihad Awad, and Hatem Bazian


And in an earlier appearance


Yes, folks, This venture, under the auspices of something at Berkeley called the Center for Race and Gender (sounds like something invented by Heinrich Himmler), is going to "document" the incidents of people like Robert Spencer and Pam Geller when they point out examples of Islamic terrorism, extremism, supremism, and violence directed at non-Muslims. Can't talk about those things, you know. Islamophobic.



"Splendid idea!"


Of course, you won't hear Bazian or any of these folks at Berkeley say a word about swastikas scribbled on UCB bathroom stalls. Nor will you hear a peep from them when Jewish students holding a peaceful protest at UCB (last year ) in response to such expressions of hate, were heckled by UCB professor Andrew Gutierrez, who even gave them the finger (all of which is captured on camera and posted on this site).

http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2010/05/uc-berkeley-professor-objects-to.html

Bazian, of course, is the Palestinian professor at UCB whose main academic claim to fame is trying to deligitimize Israel. He travels the lecture circuit giving anti-Israel speeches and calls for "intifada" in America.

So happy hunting up there in Berkeley. Surely, they will find lots of good stuff-all under the banner of education, of course.

Note to UC President Mark Yudoff.

Wake up!

Is Delta Enforcing Saudi Discrimination Right Here in America?

World Net Daily has posted a disturbing story regarding Delta Airlines' conformance with Saudi restrictions. It has been charged  that Delta, in conformance with their agreement on flights to Saudi Arabia and their new partnership with Saudi Airlines, will not allow Israeli or Jewish persons or those with Israeli stamps in their passports to board flights to the desert kingdom.

http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=314309#ixzz1Q7NH7C00

It is a fact that Saudi Arabia will not allow Israeli citizens or passengers with Israeli stamps in their passports to enter Saudi Arabia. It is also a fact that if an airline brings a passenger into a foreign country who is not authorized to enter, that airline is on the hook for taking the person back and/or a fine. International travelers are well aware that airlines will check passports for passengers boarding flights out of the country. They will also check for American visas for non-American passengers flying to America. That is reasonable.

That said, the issue remains; should an American airline deny a ticket-holder to board a flight to Saudi Arabia if the person is Jewish, Israeli, or holds a passport with an Israeli stamp?  There is a problem here; the airline is enforcing and facilitating a discriminatory practice by a foreign country.

Here is another report from the Huffington Post, which carries an updated version of the original article written by Religious News Service.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/23/us-jews-not-able-to-fly-o_n_883568.html?ref=fb&src=sp

What is not entirely clear to me is whether Delta would deny passage to a person wearing Jewish (or Christian) garb. Would they deny boarding to one named Rosenberg simply because Mr Rosenberg would be turned away at the Saudi port of entry? What if a passenger showed up wearing a yarmulke or a Christian cross?

However, Delta appears at the least to be walking a very thin line that may involve discriminating and engaging in a practice at American airports that cannot be tolerated under our constitution. If this is what is involved in making agreements with foreign airlines or governments, then Delta should not engage in agreements which clearly go against our own sense of fairness and equality-not to mention the Constitution. This is a situation that merits close monitoring and possibly a lawsuit.

It is also a situation that may require intervention by the State Department.

Yeah, you!

At any rate, it is way past time that we explain to our Saudi "friends" that we will not be accomplices to their bigotry and discrimination. In diplomatic terms, this would fall under the principle of reciprocity, something we have long turned a blind eye to-especially when it comes to Saudi Arabia.

Update:

Courtesy of Fox News, here is an open letter from Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center to Delta Airlines.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/06/24/is-delta-airlines-letting-itself-be-hijacked-by-religious-bigots/

Back From Germany

I Just got back from my trip to Germany and Switzerland last night. The main purposes were to visit the Erlangen Beer Fest, keep up local interest in my book about Erlangen and maintain my contacts with my colleagues in the town who helped me with my research. They have become good friends. My wife accompanied me.

In Erlangen, we joined up with two old friends from our time in Thailand, with whom we have stayed in contact. The husband is Swiss and the wife is Thai. They now live in Switzerland, and my wife went with them after a couple of days when they returned home. I stayed in Erlangen for another week before joining them in Switzerland (Amriswil).

The only negative  was the that the weather was not the best, and one night, the fest was hit with rain forcing drinkers to huddle under plastic sheets. I tried unsuccessfully to find shelter under a tree.

I did have a great meeting for lunch at the fest with ex-Erlangen mayor Dietmar Hahlweg and ex-city official Helmut Horneber. Ditto for a meeting (at the fest, naturally) with Helmut Haberkam, an English teacher and poet who writes in the Franconian dialect. My old friends, Juergen Lang and Beate Gresser from the Erlangen University, also provided me great hospitality as always by having me over for dinner.

I had intended to contact the head rabbi of the Erlangen Jewish community, Dani Danieli. Unfortunately, we missed connections while I was en route, and since I was away from computers for a week, we missed connections. I wanted to get his perspective on anti-Semitism in Europe. I had intended to contact him by phone, but had to go to Switzerland prematurely when my wife took ill (nothing serious). We did connect via e-mail, however, and will begin a correspondence on the issue. Only after I had left to Switzerland, did I get his message inviting me to come to the center for Chabad. I am sorry I missed him.  Erlangen's Jewish community today is chiefly comprised of some 100 older refugees from Russia who were re-settled in Erlangen.

Following the news in several languages, the chief topic in Europe is the bailout situation with Greece and what to do about it. The Greeks want money, but are being told by the European Union that to get it, they must implement austerity measures. The Greek people don't seem to want to accept that.

Erlangen is hardly a typical town when compared to major German cities, but it does have a university as well as the second hqs for Siemans. It has changed demographically since the 1960s when I was a young soldier there. Notwithstanding the fact that American soldiers are no longer present, the city is much more cosmopolitan than before. It is refreshing and encouraging when you see small children who obviously came from places in Asia and Africa with their families speaking German with no accent and mixing in with their German peers. There has long been a fair number of Turks in the town, and they seem to be working, running small restaurants or shops. In spite of past discrimination when they first began coming to Germany, many have managed to persevere and assimilate. I am not an expert on the issue, but I certainly don't think their situation is as bad as it used to be.

I took several pictures of the beer fest  and will post them as soon as I figure out how to do it from my digital camera.

Fousesquawk's Leave of Absence- Der Berg Ruft!

"All for you, Fousesquawk."

That's right. Today I am leaving for Germany, Erlangen to be exact, where I will be attending the annual beerfest (Bergkirchweih), simply the best beer fest in Germany-and that includes Oktoberfest. Here is what will be going on for the next 12 days.

Below: Daily ox roast. Christian is the day's unlucky fellow.

Who needs Weenergate?

"I'll be back (maybe)."

More Photos, Weiner Goes For Treatment as Pelosi and Wasserman-Schultz Demand Resignation

Yesterday, Anthony Weiner did what all embarrassed celebrities do-run off to some treatment program. Today, we wake up to learn that this guy was taking pictures of himself in various stages of undress in the Capitol gym with his Blackberry, I-pod, or whatever important people carry around with them (See TMZ if you are interested. A couple are pretty, uh bad.) He insists he will not resign while asking for a leave of absence.

http://www.tmz.com/2011/06/12/anthony-weiner-representative-congress-house-of-representatives-gym-locker-room-photos-pictures/

"Ah wunnerful ah wunnerful ah"

Here is how Weiner's congressional web page is "announcing" the news:

http://www.weiner.house.gov/


Meanwhile, Nancy Pelosi has finally figured out that she should call for Weiner to resign, which she has now done (sort of; something about getting treatment without the pressures of Congress).

As for DNC Chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, when asked for a comment......




...also said that Weiner should resign-the first sensible thing she has said since taking up her new post.
(OK. Just kidding. Save your cards and letters. Actually, she DID call for Weiner to resign. )

Meanwhile, somewhere in New York, ex-Republican congressman Chris Lee, follows the news at home on his TV and thinks what might have been.



"Why the Hell did I resign?"

Douglas Murray vs. Tarik Ramadan

Tarik Ramadan is the grandson of Muslim Brotherhood founder Hasan al-Banna. Ramadan is one of those who have fooled the West into thinking he is a "moderate Muslim". (He lives in Switzerland.) He apparently has fooled Hillary Clinton's State Department because they recently lifted a ban on him entering the US, subsequent to which, he launched a US speaking tour.

Courtesy of Jihad Watch, here is Ramadan  in a recent debate with conservative British writer Douglas Murray in Athens hosted by Intelligence Squared (an NGO) and the British Council in Greece. The debate was over whether a mosque should be built in Athens. In this clip, Murray effectively counters Ramadan's point about banning gyms because someone might break an arm.

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2011/06/douglas-murray-dissects-tariq-ramadan.html

One might also point out to Mr Ramadan that pluralism is supposed to work both ways, not just in America and Europe, but in Egypt, Iran, Pakistan, Yemen and other countries where non-Muslims do not enjoy the benefits of "pluralism", however Mr Ramadan defines it.

Feeding Frenzy in Alaska

If you have ever wondered why it takes the likes of Matt Drudge, Andrew Breitbart and the National Enquirer to break stories on Democrat scandals like Bill Clinton, Anthony Weiner and John Edwards, look no further than what is going on in Alaska as the major news media are scouring through the just-released e-mails from Sarah Palin's office when she was governor.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/06/11/emails-reveal-palin-eyeing-vp-slot-months-before-pick/?test=latestnews



Even reporters from the British daily, The Guardian, are in Alaska looking for goodies.
(Question: Is is shorter to fly from London to Alaska through the Atlantic or Pacific?)

At this point, it looks that there has been one major revelation: She is ambitious (Horrors).

Here is another example of the arrogance of the media from the Orange County Register's Frank Mickadeit:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/weiner-304003-breitbart-didn.html

"Breitbart's is a very convincing recitation of all that is wrong with the media."
-Frank Mickadeit

To Mickadeit, what is wrong with the media is people like Breitbart. Yet, as I pointed out in my own comment to the OCR thread, it is reporters like Mickadeit who make people like Breitbart, with all his warts, necessary. Just recently, people opposed to the award given by the OC Human Rights Commisssion to local imam Muzammil Siddiqi, provided Mickadeit with all the public source information available on Siddiqi, which called into question his ":moderate" credentials. Mickadeit used about half of the information and asked a few questions to Siddiqi via e-mail and got Siddiqi's "answers" by e-mail which he printed. In effect, Mickadeit was given what could have been one of the biggest stories of his career and dropped it. Now he complains about Breitbart.

But I digress.

What is noteworthy in Alaska is that the media is bound and determined to get something on Palin to derail any possibility of her ascending to the White House. When is the last evening you can recall on MSNBC when her name wasn't mentioned at least once by the oafs who call themselves commentators? Palin is featured for attack virtually every evening on that network. Now we watch as the networks send reporters all the way to Alaska to scrounge through tens of thousands of e-mails sent by a former governor and VP candidate who may try to run for president. Happy searching.

What this means is that when it comes to Democrat scandals, it will take people like Breitbart to bring it to light while the mainstream media is still trying to dig up dirt on Sarah Palin.