Hal Johnson

Wussamatta, your Scooter cant handle the wind storms?

My son is the only person in all of North America who goes by his name. (First and last, of course.) And no, I wont tell you what it is, someone will steal it.

This probably isnt it either, but it does paint a pretty bleak picture as well. Its written by Haroon Siddiqui of the Toronto Star. A young Israeli was in Canada last week raising ethical questions about the conduct of Israeli soldiers in the Occupied Territories. Yehuda Shaul was born in Jerusalem to an American mother and Canadian father (from Toronto). Shaul went to school in a West Bank settlement and served in the army from 2001 to 2004. He did a 14-month stint in Hebron, guarding about 650 settlers living among approximately 150,000 Palestinians. He is one of the founders of Break the Silence, a group of ex-soldiers speaking out about what they saw and did during their tour of duty in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. At 6-foot 1-inch, the heavy-set Shaul cuts an imposing but engaging figure with his beard, ponytail and the kippa. He smiles easily. He had a lot to say during a vegetarian kosher lunch we shared in my office with his Toronto host, Judith Wiseman. He came here after a tour of six American cities. In Toronto, he spoke at the Winchevsky Centre of the United Jewish People's Order and at the Quaker House. Then he was off to London, Ottawa and Montreal. He recounted the moment when, three months before being released from the army, he was alone and wondering what he would do upon returning to civilian life. It struck him, he said, that he had become "a monster," doing things that were not right. "It was a frightening moment." He spoke to fellow soldiers. "They were feeling the same: `Something's rotten here.' Israelis don't know what goes on here, and we must tell them.'" Within three months of being discharged in March 2004, Shaul and friends mounted an exhibit, Bringing Hebron to Tel Aviv. It had powerful photos and video testimony by 64 soldiers showing and describing the treatment meted out to Palestinians by the troops as well as some of the settlers. There were pictures of Palestinians bound and blindfolded. There was a photo of a settler carrying an assault rifle with a decal on the magazine clip: "Kill 'em all, Let God sort 'em out." Another was of graffiti on a wall: "Arabs to the gas chamber." The exhibit drew 7,000 visitors and much media coverage. Other soldiers who had served in the West Bank and Gaza came forward. More photos were gathered, as well as about 400 audio and video testimonies. In them, soldiers talk about the total power of the occupiers over the occupied – throwing Palestinians out of their homes; making them stand for hours for disobeying the curfew or trying to bypass a checkpoint or even smiling or arguing at the wrong time, Shaul said. "We can play with them. This is the mindset from which everything flows." In Hebron, Shaul manned a machine gun. "It can shoot dozens of grenades a minute up to a distance of about 2,000 metres. We'd shoot 40 or 50 a day ... "We had three high posts, two where we had kicked the Palestinian families out of and the third was a Palestinian school which we had closed down. "The idea was that anytime they shoot, we shoot back. "But the machine gun is not an accurate weapon. You just shoot in the direction of the target ... We have no idea how many we killed. I hope no one." Shaul said some acts "flow from being afraid or being bored. You are there eight hours a night at the post. You just aim and shoot the water tank." Or, "when you drive your tank or your APC (armoured personnel carrier), you bump into a streetlight. As you turn a corner, you bump into a wall. It's fun ... It's all about you. Nothing else matters ... Palestinians are no longer human." Initially, Break the Silence members did not speak to foreigners, to avoid "airing our dirty laundry." But they have since changed their policy. Two members toured the United States last year. Two exhibitions have been held in Geneva and Amsterdam. The group (www.shovrimshtika.org and www.breakthesilence.org.il) exists to break two kinds of silences: "First, the soldiers keep quiet and, then Israeli society keeps quiet. "We provide the tools for people to understand the deeply woven moral corruption and numbness of what we do (in the Occupied Territories). It's like a slide; once you start going down, you keep going down. "There's no such thing as a benign or an enlightened occupation. You can't be an occupier and not be an occupier." Shaul's overall message: "The issue is not the right of Israel to exist but rather, does it have the right to occupy Palestinian lands and control civilians as it has for 40 years?" Shaul said he has been well-received in North America, even though some did criticize him. But, "you can't really criticize me because I am an Israeli who has served in the army." He's much more: a courageous citizen of Israeli democracy.

Thank God! I never liked Sawkiw, but I never expected the fan to know better. As for Jamie Campbell, hes not that bad. Mike Wilner bothers me though, hes allways making outlandish predictions and talks down to all his callers. Ive learned over the course of last season that what ever Wilner calls, bet against it, you'll win.

These guys are incredible. Think they're bored yet? I know when I play video game sports and go on a 6 or 7 game winning streak I get bored. And video games are EXACTLY LIKE REAL LIFE.

Damn, that was wicked. Potvin did good! One of my earliest memories of hockey (Im young compared to you grandpas) was in 87 I think when Hextall skated out of his crease and attacked Chris Chelios. I fell in love with hockey then.

Shitty. I honestly just really listened to them, and by really I mean, all by myself, no distractions, in a vehicle driving for about two hours. I was like, hey, why didnt I give these guys a chance before, they're pretty good. Ahh well...

Have a good one dude.

I thought they had Indy by 7? This is gonna be a rough Super Bowl. Usually I party pretty hard the night before and by the time Half-Time rolls around Ive had 8 more beers and a couple of doobs. I always manage to wake up for the end of the fourth, but this year, I duont know, Ground hog fest the night before...yikes.

They had a festival a few years ago called Lillith Fair.

Thats good shit, Tricky!

I dont think South Park could write a funnier song.

I want New Orleans and Indy to win, so I think it'll be the Bears and the Pats in the Super Bowl.

I hope not.

See this is why I dont like talking about rumours, well never really know how it pans out.

It was an honest mistake, as were you.

He was injured a lot last year. I think if he was healthy hed be much better. He had no time to get in a groove.

Thats assuming that Dead heads will still turn up when Billy Talent headlines it.

Ya, well, your guys better get the foot of the pedal soon, cuz we all know what happens when Ottawa steamrolls in to the playoffs...

If I were from Dildo, Newfoundland, I could say, "You can take the boy out of Dildo, but ya cant..." the rest writes itself really.

"Shortly after Brian's appearance on the "30th Anniversary Concert" stage in 2004, drummer Glen "Archie" Gamble departed to tour with The Joys and Brian returned to the Helix drum throne." and according to my buddy, was then snatched up by Saga's manager and whisked away to europe. Appaerently his innitial return to Helix, according to my buddy, was magical. This is why it burned so bad when Saga stole him away again. I pretty much consider my self a Helix afficianado right about now.

Im gonna start taking vocal lessons from their lead singer. Then i will be able to say that, i too, was once in the band Helix.

I met my half sister a few years ago. It was very strange to say the least, her mannerisms were much like my full(?) sisters.

Ya, but Ricciardi says a lot of things.

Im usually not one to discuss rumours, I generally find it pointless, but I heard a good one today involving David Wells and the Jays. SWEEEEEEEEEET!!! Ive always liked Wells, heck I like any professional athlete who everyone else hates. They keep the sport interesting. Okay, start with your: 1) Hes injury prone 2) Hes over the hill 3) He's a big fat jerk - he dissed Toronto in a way thats absolutely true and instead of fans saying, ya you know what, he's right, we should support the Jays better, we cried him out of town. We dont need that again. 4) he costs too much money or something I say the dudes got character and if placed with this team, hed be a firce competitor and would kick some major ass.