I say Spock the Hell Out of 'em

Bank of Canada urges ‘Star Trek’ fans to stop ‘Spocking’ their fivers | Dangerous Minds



From  Dangerous Minds

Bank of Canada is pleading with Star Trek fans to stop
“Spocking” its five dollar bills. Since Leonard Nimoy’s death, Canadian
folks have been “Spocking” the hell out of the five dollar bill that
features a portrait of Canada’s seventh prime minister Sir Wilfrid
Laurier.

Sir Wilfrid now sports, on certain bills at least, pointy ears, the
signature Vulcan haircut and eyebrows and Spock’s mantra “Live long and
prosper.”



According to Bank of Canada it’s not illegal to do this but:

“...However, there are important reasons why it should
not be done. Writing on a bank note may interfere with the security
features and reduces its lifespan. Markings on a note may also prevent
it from being accepted in a transaction. Furthermore, the Bank of Canada
feels that writing and markings on bank notes are inappropriate as they
are a symbol of our country and a source of national pride.”

I say Spock the hell out of ‘em if it ain’t illegal. Sir Wilfrid
Laurier’s face wasn’t that interesting, anyway. In fact, let’s just make
this a permanent improvement to the Canadian five dollar bill.

How did I not know about this? #SpockingFives http://t.co/a6cNVr85SK pic.twitter.com/CHhvRUeip8

— Tara Ciprick (@BringingOrder) February 28, 2015

SO #SpockingFives in #Canada IS NOT illegal! #LiveLongAndProsper #Canadians! pic.twitter.com/PrL6G2vbFf

— Ryan Siskow (@ryansiskow) March 2, 2015

#SpockingFives

Way to go, Canada pic.twitter.com/NAbAm8bFVt

— Zach Webb (@zach_webb) March 3, 2015

A modest proposal

Just a modest proposal to Mr Obama.

The phrase "violent extremism" is being used to bash you.  There is perhaps some value in being more specific.

I understand why, for tactical grounds, you may want to avoid 'Islamic extremism -- as it is argued it would give the extremist ammunition.

So I suggest use "religious extremism."  It fits the bill, and covers clinic bombers and doctor killers and such like.

And it covers the Republican party too.  Sort of a freebie.

What's the point

The Forward has an article Italy Celebrates Reopening of 13th-Century Synagogue


I have to wonder why this is being done.  According to the article

Built in the 13th century, the synagogue was confiscated by the Catholic
Church a few decades later during a wave of anti-Semitism* and converted
for use as a church

and

Today, a few dozen Jews live in the Apulia region.

Who is this being done for?  Surely not Jews.


I suppose the hope is that, like the European Day of Jewish Culture, it will draw some tourism.


This, and similar moves (like the Spanish right of return), seem to be a cross between expiation of old guilt, shilling for money (you know get us rich American Jews, who control the world, nostalgic), and necrophilia.


Hey Europe, your Jewery is gone in any meaningful sense, you got rid of us, get over it.


===

*How can you observe one wave in the middle of a hurricane?