THOUGHTS, MUSES AND RANTS OF JAH

  The late-night host ended his talk show the way he started it—with empathy, and an eye for entertainment. By David Sims The end of a long-running late-night talk show tends to play out in one of two ways: as a mournful funeral, or a joyous wake. In the case of hosts such as David Letterman and Johnny Carson, who picked the date and manner of their retirements, the send-offs were upbeat. Stephen Colbert, Letterman’s successor as host of CBS’s The Late Show for the past 11 years, is leaving his job under more forced, awkward circumstances. The network announced in July that it had canceledColbert’s often politically sharp program for what it claimed were financial reasons; critics, and the host himself, questioned whether the move was in fact motivated by the CBS corporate owner Paramount’s desire to avoid further conflict with the Trump administration. Colbert has spent the intervening months doing the same show that put him atop the late-night ratings heap, and Thursday night’s s...

I have been accused of hating “Palestinians.” How can I hate people who never existed? I don’t hate the ancient people of Filistin known as Filasṭīnu in Arabic or Sea People from Crete. Using that term, the Romans renamed Judea to Syria Palaestina, part of their efforts to sever the Jewish connection to the land. Just like Brigadoon, Neverland, and Lilliput, Palestine became another term through the ages for a fabled place that never existed.     I detest and abhor terrorists whomever and wherever they might be, especially the domestic ones. I do not hate Arabs or Muslims. I just don’t recognize a term coined by Yassar Arafat for his followers as referring to some biblical people that never existed. As I’ve mentioned previously, I believe in adhering to the facts and the truth. These are distorted through defamation, lies, and libels. However, I do not have to believe them.  As for my feelings about the people who live in The Gaza Strip, I have never visited there nor spo...

  At Synagogues, Tensions Are Boiling Over https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/04/06/at-synagogues-tensions-are-boiling-over

Donald J. Trump is not a leader and never has been. He is nothing more than a modern day Pied Piper leading his followers to moral ruin like he has done with every business he has been responsible for. The only difference is daddy is no longer here to find a doctor who will diagnose him with “bone spurs” and otherwise bail Trump out. “You cannot build a thriving society by convincing people to fear the most vulnerable. True leadership is not about intimidation. It is about fostering respect, understanding, and a shared humanity. Every great modern society has been strengthened by people who arrive seeking opportunity, dignity, and safety. The communities we discuss through political slogans are composed of human beings — people carrying the same hopes that built nations, art, and culture across the world. These are people who contribute to culture, education, and community. And yet we have reached a point where even empathy is treated as weakness. True leadership is not measured by the...

  Douglas Murray was asked about his thoughts after the June 17, 2024 Munk Debate on antiZionism.  Imagine living in a glass cocoon, a protective device. You’re just fine. Then one day, the glass shatters. That’s the reality Israel is facing. It’s living in the aftermath of that shattering. This is when the worst human evils confront you, and unimaginable acts occur right before your eyes. Facing an army of barbaric, torturous rapists and sadists is a horrifying reality. This is the reality that Hamas has created. On October 7th, they rampaged, committing acts beyond imagination. Gideon Levy criticized me for not discussing the Palestinians in my opening speech. The reason was a lack of time. However, we did address the issue later, including the situation of Gaza’s citizens. They represent a significant and seemingly insurmountable challenge for both Israel and the region. My initial focus was on Hamas's invasion of Israel. Wars have consequences. You cannot start a war and t...

Victor Davis Hanson wrote an opinion piece published on May 28, 2026 with which I mostly agree. Mostly, because he is a conservative and had harsh words for all what he called “left-wing.” Factually he is right, only I am not sure what to call the Columbia University protestors and their ilk. The primary factions at Columbia were Students for Justice in Palestine, Palestinian Youth Movement, Jewish Voice for Peace IfNotNow, Young Democratic Socialists of America. Since October 7, we have been continuously lectured about the alleged unique sins of Israel. Campuses, Progressive media, and new Democratic Socialist officials at both federal and state levels have echoed student activists and professors from the Middle East. They have depicted Israel and its Jewish supporters as Nazis, fascists, and some of the worst murderers in today's violent world. This portrayal is absurd. The medieval-style massacre of 1,200 Jews in their homes on October 7, during a peaceful period, should have he...