How to Stop the Shortchange Artist
During my 23 years as owner of House of Books in Houston, I learned many valuable lessons. One in particular seems to have an application to the current situation in Israel. Let me explain.
In 1978, the store was victimized by a shortchange artist. One of my clerks was at the register when a well-dressed gentleman approached with a paperback book costing $2.95. He gave her a $20 bill, and then began a back and forth exchange of money. In the end, the bookstore lost about $60.
I called the Houston police department and requested that an officer come to the store and brief my employees on how to prevent this crime from happening again. The officer came and told us a little story. It seems that Johnny Carson once asked a shortchange artist to come to his television show and try to fool him while he was fully alert to what was going on. The criminal had no problem doing so and his skill marveled the audience.
The lesson? No matter how smart you are, a professional shortchange artist will win out. He is a pro. He does this day in and day out.
How do you stop the shortchange artist? You simply must not play his game. At the first hint of the scam, my employees were told to close the register and call security. They were specifically told not to try to outsmart or "keep up" with a shortchange artist.
Why One Shouldn't Make Redeployment Maps
How does this apply to Israel and the redeployment? Very simple. Think of Yasser Arafat and the US State Department as shortchange artists. They set up a scam called "Oslo" and the "peace process". They exchange promises for territory. They kept the territory, but never kept their promises. Like I said, it is a scam.
Along came the new Likud prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, who believed that he was smart enough to control the game. Only he couldn't. No one can. He was up against pros who have been scamming nations for decades. The State Department has reneged on commitment after solemn commitment to the Jewish State. Still they continue, pledging friendship while surgically inserting knives in our backs.
This high drama of Oslo, Roadmaps and Sharon's Retreat is just another manifestation of the attempt to control the game. There is only one way for Israel to win: don't play.
We must tell Ariel Sharon and the world that the cash register of Eretz Yisrael is closed. The game is over. The scam is through.
During my 23 years as owner of House of Books in Houston, I learned many valuable lessons. One in particular seems to have an application to the current situation in Israel. Let me explain.
In 1978, the store was victimized by a shortchange artist. One of my clerks was at the register when a well-dressed gentleman approached with a paperback book costing $2.95. He gave her a $20 bill, and then began a back and forth exchange of money. In the end, the bookstore lost about $60.
I called the Houston police department and requested that an officer come to the store and brief my employees on how to prevent this crime from happening again. The officer came and told us a little story. It seems that Johnny Carson once asked a shortchange artist to come to his television show and try to fool him while he was fully alert to what was going on. The criminal had no problem doing so and his skill marveled the audience.
The lesson? No matter how smart you are, a professional shortchange artist will win out. He is a pro. He does this day in and day out.
How do you stop the shortchange artist? You simply must not play his game. At the first hint of the scam, my employees were told to close the register and call security. They were specifically told not to try to outsmart or "keep up" with a shortchange artist.
Why One Shouldn't Make Redeployment Maps
How does this apply to Israel and the redeployment? Very simple. Think of Yasser Arafat and the US State Department as shortchange artists. They set up a scam called "Oslo" and the "peace process". They exchange promises for territory. They kept the territory, but never kept their promises. Like I said, it is a scam.
Along came the new Likud prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, who believed that he was smart enough to control the game. Only he couldn't. No one can. He was up against pros who have been scamming nations for decades. The State Department has reneged on commitment after solemn commitment to the Jewish State. Still they continue, pledging friendship while surgically inserting knives in our backs.
This high drama of Oslo, Roadmaps and Sharon's Retreat is just another manifestation of the attempt to control the game. There is only one way for Israel to win: don't play.
We must tell Ariel Sharon and the world that the cash register of Eretz Yisrael is closed. The game is over. The scam is through.