Ramallah, Prez, spies, Sarah, Jeremy

22 February Sleepless in Ramallah An Israeli man who wandered into Ramallah Monday night later told investigators he entered the Palestinian town to look for an apartment. The man was rescued by Palestinian police officers, who handed him over to the IDF. Who knows, things may be changing in the Holy Land after all. Spy kids 2 President Moshe Katsav is jetting off to Australia. There are sure to be serious matters on the table - trade, terror, etc... But the most fun part is about yet another Israeli spy scandal. A junior consular diplomat was quietly removed from Australia late last year after something or other involving the daughter of Australia's attorney general. Second secretary Amir Laty was invited for Christmas dinner at the AG's house, but never made it. The most credible guess about Laty was that he was engaged in official covert intelligence gathering, where a diplomat conducts spying operations under the guise of his official role. According to press reports from the land of Oz, Laty was well-known among young Canberra professionals and bar-hoppers despite his presumed quiet role. Somehow, people saw him as both a Casanova and a dork. His unnamed girlfriend (the AG's daughter?) says, however, he was a decent guy. And by the way, Prez, don't stop in nearby New Zealand, where relations are still a bit rough over the previous Oceania spy incident. The latest has the two countries talking - sort of. Movies we’re waiting for… ”Jesus is Magic,” a filmed version of Sarah Silverman’s one-woman standup show. Silverman - who has a screenwriter, an actress and a female rabbi for sisters - is a trash-talking performer and writer who has been on “Saturday Night Live,” “Seinfeld” and other shows and movies. Some quotes from Silverman (hat tip: IMDB): "People are always introducing me as "Sarah Siverman, Jewish comedienne." I HATE that! I wish people would see me for who I really am - I'm white!" On the US-Iraq war of 2003: "This is not the first time that Europe has been passive while a Jew-hating tyrant with a weird looking mustache killed the people by giving them gas. (Pause.) Obviously I'm talking about Chef Boyardee." Also on our list: “Lucky 13,” if only for Jeremy Piven. The indie comedy features Jami Gertz, Piven and Garry Marshall as family members trying to hold it together as 13-year-old Benjamin prepares for his bar mitzvah. Darryl Hannah is in the film somewhere, as is Richard Benjamin as a rabbi. Inventing immortality Inventor, polymath Ray Kurzweil says we will all live forever - if we can wait another 20 years for technology to get us there. So he is taking 250 vitamins a day and is driving carefully. Ray - Don't come to Israel, where the chances of getting into a car accident are far greater than being targeted by a terrorist. So popular, no one goes there anymore Wikipedia - down. Doctor, it hurts right here Tel Aviv University is looking for doctors with people skills. Good luck. The average Israeli doctor is more connected to his computer screen and your HMO swipe card (to make sure he gets paid) than to any of his patients.

Ramallah, Prez, spies, Sarah, Jeremy

In which we wonder about apartment-hunting, covert skullduggery Down Under, a 'magical' Jesus, and a bar mitzvah