The artist formerly known as Cat Stevens was deported back to Britain from Washington last week after his name appeared on the U.S. no-fly list (how he was allowed to board the plane in the first place remains the future reason for some underling’s imepending unemployment.) Yusef Islam is suspected of having ties to terrorist groups, but Jewish leaders in the UK swear the guy’s all about the love.
However, the Canada’s National Post reports that a videotape exists of Cat/Yusef making some not-so-nice references to Judaism at a Canadian Hamas meeting in 1998 (link c/o Jack Be Nimble.)
So, is the guy a terrorist or a moderate Muslim peacenik? More importantly, will we still be able to enjoy listening to “Moonshadow” without a discomforting twinge?

According to E! online, the Egyptian government has seen to it that our beloved Maddonaesther will never see the Sphinx.
“According to published reports, Egyptian politicians have moved to bar the pop goddess from entering the country because of her recent visit to Israel and her devotion to Kabbalah. The fact that Madonna has no immediate plans to visit pyramid country apparently did not deter members of Egypt’s parliament from issuing an order to never issue a visa to the singer sometimes known as Esther.”
Sheesh, we could understand protesting a concert or something, but banning her from the whole country just because she’s (kind of) Jewish seems weirdly dramatic. Isn’t Egypt supposed to be a “friendly” Arab neighbor, or at least one of the not-so-insane ones? Is Egypt taking an active anti-Semitic stance here or is it just opposed to Kabbalist quasi-Jews who travel with overzealous bodyguards and an entourage of 2000 people? Wouldn’t it actually benefit Egypt to bring Madonna and her zoo to lubricate the local economy? My, my, this Kabbalahpalooza mishegoss has gotten rather political. What if the Kabbalah Center’s giant peace extravaganza instead ignites Armageddon?!
(That’s us being weirdly dramatic.)

Our East Coast Jmericans have battled with wicked bad weather for the past month, leaving the Left Coasters with a feeling of relief that even though the Big One may be coming, at least we don’t have trailers flying through the air every other day. Well, this morning a pretty f*ing big one hit Central California, with aftershocks felt from Sacramento to Santa Ana. And up in Washington, Mount St. Helens is currently shaking like a Polaroid picture with tremors rocking the crater as much as every two minutes.
Say, tornado season doesn’t start until spring! We hear Sukkot in Kansas is lovely this time of year.

Laugh all you want, but Barry Manilow is cool again. As far as we’re concerned, there was never a time when he wasn’t. Should he make out San Francisco way, we’ll be there in the orchestra seats next to the fifty-something ladies throwing their panties onstage.

They usually elicit eye-rolling or an exasperated snicker from us, but we finally found a Jewish joke that made us laugh. From J., the Jewish Newsweekly of Northern California:
“Just after the High Holy Days, the rabbi noticed little Alex was staring up at the large plaque that hung in the foyer of the synagogue. The plaque displayed names, with small American flags along its edges.
The 7-year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the rabbi walked up, stood beside the boy and said quietly,