Pretty typically, our bureaucrats have reacted to the sequester by punishing those who threaten their featherbed. All in an effort to shift the pain somewhere else and at the same time continue their cushy work situations.
Our local school board was famous for forcing ever increased school budgets in the face of declining enrollment and a shrinking physical plant, on our hapless landowning taxpayers. The ruse was simple. By state law, any proposed budget that didn't pass the electorate would immediately have to be replaced by an "austerity" budget (not very much less than the proposed one) which was drawn up as a backup in case the real budget didn't pass. The kicker was that if the school board's budget didn't pass the austerity budget was so designed as to inflict the greatest pain on the electorate. This was done by eliminating busing for anyone closer than 1 mile from his or her school. If you had five children going to five different schools, the threat of your having to carpool or drive your kids to and from each school was enough to reduce the electorate to a catatonic state and of course the proposed budget, or one very similar to it, would pass on the second try. The irony of all this is that 90% of the cost of busing was paid for by the state and so the local school board didn't have much skin in the game anyway. This worked until the state law was changed to make things more even handed,
I though of this when the predicted delays at airports took place, supposedly because of the sequester. The sequester didn't tell the bureaucrats to lay off the air traffic controllers (who do the actual work) but, of course, if the middle and top managers would have to take on 15% more work, the public wouldn't notice it and the managers would have a less cushy and privileged life.
We need the sequester and it's time the public asked the bureaucrats, how much of the sequester is being applied to non-direct labor.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Friday, April 19, 2013
Possibly Pink
So I've been griped at for not writing for a while. All justly deserved. I appreciate that you all are still checking, though.
I will recount a story for your reading pleasure.
I was having a discussion with Boo about how you say different colors in Hebrew. She said that pink had a particular definition, and I was unsure, so we decided to ask Bug, who had spent over a year in Israel as a student, and had many opportunities to speak Hebrew ( but, I believe, he eschewed most of them).
So we asked this veteran of the Israeli streets, who managed to navigate through the stores and restaurants of a foreign country, how one says pink in Hebrew.
He sat in thought and deep contemplation for a moment, looked at Boo and said, with great authority.
How should I know? I never ordered a pink felafel!
I will recount a story for your reading pleasure.
I was having a discussion with Boo about how you say different colors in Hebrew. She said that pink had a particular definition, and I was unsure, so we decided to ask Bug, who had spent over a year in Israel as a student, and had many opportunities to speak Hebrew ( but, I believe, he eschewed most of them).
So we asked this veteran of the Israeli streets, who managed to navigate through the stores and restaurants of a foreign country, how one says pink in Hebrew.
He sat in thought and deep contemplation for a moment, looked at Boo and said, with great authority.
How should I know? I never ordered a pink felafel!
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Not Only Public Transportation
I'm beginning to think that it is lower Manhattan and not just public transportation. Let me explain
I went to court today. I parked my car in a secondary lot that I use, as my usual lot was full and I couldn't get in. I told the attendant I would be a half hour or all day, depending on whether I had to run into Brooklyn. In the end, I spent the whole day waiting on one case and didn't get out of court until 4 PM.
Now I drive a black car of the Honda family, so when I got to the lot, I gave the guy my ticket. He looked at the ticket and said "Hyundai". I was a bit distracted looking over the near empty lot for my car, and not seeing it. But then it registered what he said, and I corrected him. He said it again, I corrected him again, getting a little nervous that I couldn't see my car.
Then he gets in a WHITE car, and says "this one's yours". I told him AGAIN no, I drive a BLACK car.
And then it hit me.
I took my mother in law's WHITE Hyundai to work today.
Maybe I SHOULD take the bus.
I went to court today. I parked my car in a secondary lot that I use, as my usual lot was full and I couldn't get in. I told the attendant I would be a half hour or all day, depending on whether I had to run into Brooklyn. In the end, I spent the whole day waiting on one case and didn't get out of court until 4 PM.
Now I drive a black car of the Honda family, so when I got to the lot, I gave the guy my ticket. He looked at the ticket and said "Hyundai". I was a bit distracted looking over the near empty lot for my car, and not seeing it. But then it registered what he said, and I corrected him. He said it again, I corrected him again, getting a little nervous that I couldn't see my car.
Then he gets in a WHITE car, and says "this one's yours". I told him AGAIN no, I drive a BLACK car.
And then it hit me.
I took my mother in law's WHITE Hyundai to work today.
Maybe I SHOULD take the bus.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Public Transportation 2
Interesting things happen to me whenever I go downtown for CLEs. Last year it was the bus, this year its the train. Here is the story.
I took the train to go to a CLE class in Manhattan (remember this, its important) this morning. I got on a very crowded Q train at 42nd Street. At the next stop, 34th Street, the strangest thing happened. Almost the entire train of people going to work got off. Then the train filled up with people who did not look like the type of workers who worked in midtown offices. There were coffee cups and some casual business attire, but a different group. Then at the next stop, 14th Street, almost the entire car emptied out again!
This time the car did not fill up, but the people that did get on looked even scruffier and less inclined to be going to work than the previous bunch. I sat there thinking about this until Canal Street, where I switched to the N to go to Whitehall Street.
As I got on the N, with dreams of a blog forming in my head, I realized three things, not all right away. The first was that the days of Giuliani and clean subway cars were gone, as the car was basically empty at the side I got on, except for a couple of homeless people, Secondly, the second homeless guy, the one not all bundled up and sleeping, was reading a couple of newspapers like some big business tycoon, and the third thing I realized, after I sat down and the doors closed and I looked up at the schedule of stops, was that
The N train goes from Canal Street to Brooklyn. Express
So here I am, no longer on time, going into the bowels of Brooklyn on a ten minute stop, with no recourse. Sure enough, I turned around, went back on the R to Whitehall, and showed up half an hour later than I should have, and like last year, running down Water Street to not be late for something. Which might not have happened if I would have actually been paying attention to things instead of looking for material to entertain all of you.
The sacrifices I make for all of you and my craft.
I took the train to go to a CLE class in Manhattan (remember this, its important) this morning. I got on a very crowded Q train at 42nd Street. At the next stop, 34th Street, the strangest thing happened. Almost the entire train of people going to work got off. Then the train filled up with people who did not look like the type of workers who worked in midtown offices. There were coffee cups and some casual business attire, but a different group. Then at the next stop, 14th Street, almost the entire car emptied out again!
This time the car did not fill up, but the people that did get on looked even scruffier and less inclined to be going to work than the previous bunch. I sat there thinking about this until Canal Street, where I switched to the N to go to Whitehall Street.
As I got on the N, with dreams of a blog forming in my head, I realized three things, not all right away. The first was that the days of Giuliani and clean subway cars were gone, as the car was basically empty at the side I got on, except for a couple of homeless people, Secondly, the second homeless guy, the one not all bundled up and sleeping, was reading a couple of newspapers like some big business tycoon, and the third thing I realized, after I sat down and the doors closed and I looked up at the schedule of stops, was that
The N train goes from Canal Street to Brooklyn. Express
So here I am, no longer on time, going into the bowels of Brooklyn on a ten minute stop, with no recourse. Sure enough, I turned around, went back on the R to Whitehall, and showed up half an hour later than I should have, and like last year, running down Water Street to not be late for something. Which might not have happened if I would have actually been paying attention to things instead of looking for material to entertain all of you.
The sacrifices I make for all of you and my craft.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Reap as you Sow
I finally heard some good news on the radio today. there were two pieces. The first was that the Times did not think that its layoffs that they have to make are going to be as severe as they thought (OK, so the news was not ALL good), and the second was that Time was going to have to have layoffs as well.
Now I feel bad for the fact that people are going to lose their jobs, but as far as the corporations that are in question here, it couldn't happen to more deserving companies, whose very own policies and positions helped to put them in the condition they find themselves.
Now if only there had been a mention about the struggles of Newsweek my day would have been made.
Now I feel bad for the fact that people are going to lose their jobs, but as far as the corporations that are in question here, it couldn't happen to more deserving companies, whose very own policies and positions helped to put them in the condition they find themselves.
Now if only there had been a mention about the struggles of Newsweek my day would have been made.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Out of the Mouth of ( no longer ) Babes
My kids are both too perceptive and slightly brutal, but they do tend to put things in perspective.
I used to keep utensils in the car for times that I would eat a snack pak or oatmeal. I recently switched cars, as my lease was up on my old one. I decided to downgrade a bit and go smaller, so I could save a little on the gas.
As I was looking over the car and features I noticed that there was no longer a little eyeglasses holder in the headliner between the sun visors. as I was bemoaning the general lack of storage space in the new car, i mentioned to Bug that there was no glasses holder. His response?
Oh no, where will you keep your spoons?!!?
I used to keep utensils in the car for times that I would eat a snack pak or oatmeal. I recently switched cars, as my lease was up on my old one. I decided to downgrade a bit and go smaller, so I could save a little on the gas.
As I was looking over the car and features I noticed that there was no longer a little eyeglasses holder in the headliner between the sun visors. as I was bemoaning the general lack of storage space in the new car, i mentioned to Bug that there was no glasses holder. His response?
Oh no, where will you keep your spoons?!!?
Monday, January 21, 2013
Dream? I Think Not
I heard the speech of Martin Luther Ling Jr. on Imus this week. He plays the speech in its entirety every year, and has done so for many years. (The hypocrisy of the people that attacked him is unbelievable, but that is for a different post).
I try to catch the speech every year. It is truly an amazing speech. I was especially struck how Dr. King could not have known nor probably even imagined that 49 years later this country would be inaugurating a black man for a second term.
I am also always struck by the message of the speech. That he is displeased with the status of race, but optimistic that it can improve, and improve through peaceful means.
Obviously, his trust has been borne out. However, I find it sad that the couple who has been a major beneficiary of his vision and the advantages of this country are the least deserving, most ungrateful, and most bent on destroying all that has made this country great.
The dream has turned into a national nightmare.
I try to catch the speech every year. It is truly an amazing speech. I was especially struck how Dr. King could not have known nor probably even imagined that 49 years later this country would be inaugurating a black man for a second term.
I am also always struck by the message of the speech. That he is displeased with the status of race, but optimistic that it can improve, and improve through peaceful means.
Obviously, his trust has been borne out. However, I find it sad that the couple who has been a major beneficiary of his vision and the advantages of this country are the least deserving, most ungrateful, and most bent on destroying all that has made this country great.
The dream has turned into a national nightmare.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Why do they Yell?
I have always tried to figure out why Israelis get so upset when trying to communicate with Americans who don't speak a very good Hebrew. over the years I have developed a few theories which I would like to share with you now, as illustrated by the following story.
I was on the bus to Kever Rochel (Tomb of Rachel). As we were approaching, there was some announcement over the loudspeaker, but I was on the phone and not paying attention ( which I really need to do if I am to translate and understand an announcement). The way this particular bus line works is that the bus arrives around a quarter to the hour, and leaves the following half hour. I, of course, did not know this. So as I got off, I asked the driver when he was leaving.
This immediately created a firestorm of hand waving, teeth gnashing, yelling, and general all around foul moodiness on the part of the driver. (The good thing about the Israelis is that when agitated, which is most of the time, they speak expressively with their hands, so I KNEW that he was annoyed that I had not followed the announcement, since he was gesticulating at the mic quite vehemently.) So i told him, in English, of course, ": I know you made the announcement, but I didn't hear it, so when are you leaving?"
He begrudging, in Hebrew informed me that he was leaving at 11:30. I, of course, still being half asleep from the flight over, did not compute this fast enough or correctly, and asked him if that was 11:15.
I cannot begin to describe the ensuing eye rolling, general shouting and overall annoyance of this gentleman, who could have saved a lot of time and grief if he would have just said the time in English ( which I truly believe every can or should speak, just like on Mutiny on the Bounty). Completely exasperated, he TYPED the time into the little change computer on the bus, and made me read it.
I politely thanked him, and made sure to be on the bus at 11:28, so as not to cause any more problems.
And got off two stops too early so as not to have to engage him again on the return trip.
So why do they yell?
Either
1) because they like to, and it is the preferred form of communication in the Middle East ( this theory has some merit shared by others as well)
2) they are frustrated that Americans can't speak their language and feel that everyone should.
3) they are frustrated that they do not speak English and have to try to communicate with foreigners, which is not necessarily in their job description as bus driver. Therefore they feel inadequate, which causes them to default to yelling ( see number (1) above) .
4) They are just grumpy people who don't feel like being helpful ( a trait shared by bus drivers here as well, at least for the Jewish bus companies, so it might be part of an international union thing)., and that is why they are bus drivers.
instead of working for the DMV.
.
I was on the bus to Kever Rochel (Tomb of Rachel). As we were approaching, there was some announcement over the loudspeaker, but I was on the phone and not paying attention ( which I really need to do if I am to translate and understand an announcement). The way this particular bus line works is that the bus arrives around a quarter to the hour, and leaves the following half hour. I, of course, did not know this. So as I got off, I asked the driver when he was leaving.
This immediately created a firestorm of hand waving, teeth gnashing, yelling, and general all around foul moodiness on the part of the driver. (The good thing about the Israelis is that when agitated, which is most of the time, they speak expressively with their hands, so I KNEW that he was annoyed that I had not followed the announcement, since he was gesticulating at the mic quite vehemently.) So i told him, in English, of course, ": I know you made the announcement, but I didn't hear it, so when are you leaving?"
He begrudging, in Hebrew informed me that he was leaving at 11:30. I, of course, still being half asleep from the flight over, did not compute this fast enough or correctly, and asked him if that was 11:15.
I cannot begin to describe the ensuing eye rolling, general shouting and overall annoyance of this gentleman, who could have saved a lot of time and grief if he would have just said the time in English ( which I truly believe every can or should speak, just like on Mutiny on the Bounty). Completely exasperated, he TYPED the time into the little change computer on the bus, and made me read it.
I politely thanked him, and made sure to be on the bus at 11:28, so as not to cause any more problems.
And got off two stops too early so as not to have to engage him again on the return trip.
So why do they yell?
Either
1) because they like to, and it is the preferred form of communication in the Middle East ( this theory has some merit shared by others as well)
2) they are frustrated that Americans can't speak their language and feel that everyone should.
3) they are frustrated that they do not speak English and have to try to communicate with foreigners, which is not necessarily in their job description as bus driver. Therefore they feel inadequate, which causes them to default to yelling ( see number (1) above) .
4) They are just grumpy people who don't feel like being helpful ( a trait shared by bus drivers here as well, at least for the Jewish bus companies, so it might be part of an international union thing)., and that is why they are bus drivers.
instead of working for the DMV.
.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
ICE capades
So I arrived this morning on the 6 am flight from Jerusalem. Flight landed right on time. I figured "great, I can be at mt desk in four hours". Right?
Well that was before I came up against the governments first line of defense to harass the heck out of its citizens, I mean protect this country from marauding Americans, Immigration.
The lazy geniuses that run this department not only don't bother to be open when flights start to arrive, but then they don't even bother to properly staff the hall to reduce the line to under 2 hours.
I am still on line. It's 8 am.
I can solve illegal immigration in this country. Make them go through immigration once we catch them. They will go home on their own.
Well that was before I came up against the governments first line of defense to harass the heck out of its citizens, I mean protect this country from marauding Americans, Immigration.
The lazy geniuses that run this department not only don't bother to be open when flights start to arrive, but then they don't even bother to properly staff the hall to reduce the line to under 2 hours.
I am still on line. It's 8 am.
I can solve illegal immigration in this country. Make them go through immigration once we catch them. They will go home on their own.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Requiem for a Jeep
Its a sad day for the good doctor, as we had to bid a sad farewell to a good friend who served us well for five years.
My jeep wrangler, my pride and joy and mid life crisis, has gone on to a new home. Having served the Greunkern family well and (more or less) reliably for the past 5 years, as well as providing lots of motoring fun with the top both up and down, the time had come for some other owner to have the joy of this fun vehicle.
So we say goodbye and wish our Jeep well in his new home in Orange County.
And commence the search for the next mid life crisis.
My jeep wrangler, my pride and joy and mid life crisis, has gone on to a new home. Having served the Greunkern family well and (more or less) reliably for the past 5 years, as well as providing lots of motoring fun with the top both up and down, the time had come for some other owner to have the joy of this fun vehicle.
So we say goodbye and wish our Jeep well in his new home in Orange County.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
New and Old Blogs I've seen and Mazal Tovs
Mazal Tov to our good friends over at Guess Who's Coming to Dinner upon the engagement of their son. Funny how this comes a day after I discovered a new blog, sons in the parsha. It seems new, and there isn't much there yet, but who knows, it might develop into something as good as Daughters in the parsha, which I wish would post more often.
Now back to my donuts.
Now back to my donuts.
Monday, November 26, 2012
what next?
It's pretty obvious to all that the Israeli cease fire is not even viable as a temporary solution. To leave the battlefield without disarming the enemy is foolhardy and will be costly to the cause of Israeli security. There are still plenty of rockets in Gaza if all the numbers bandied about -even discounted for massive exaggeration- by the various combatants and sympathizers are realistic.
The situation is clouded by the strange way in which this cease fire has been negotiated. Hamas has made its demands but Israel has not dealt with Hamas but only with Egypt who doesn't have much sway with Hamas either. So who knows what Israel has really agreed to with Egypt? Or, for that matter, what Hamas has agreed to. They stopped firing rockets so Israel stopped air raids. Nothing has changed.
Is it really credible that Israel would stop its blockade? No more credible than that Israel is planning suicide.
Years ago, I supported the pullout from Gaza believing, in my naivete, that once Gaza was a foreign country, it would no longer be an Israeli problem. I was too trusting.
The fact is that the inhabitants of Gaza and their leaders are hard core liars and thieves and I wouldn't trust any one of them to tell me the correct time of day. So where do we go from here? It wasn't good when Gaza was part of Israel and it's even worse now that it isn't. There are between one-and-a-half and two million savages living there who are answerable to no one and understand only overwhelming force.
We can't get rid of them, but we must bring them to heel. A ground invasion would have been the best solution.
A word about Israel's propaganda war. Take a look at how the Arabs handle any question that is asked of them. Did they fire rockets? It's Israel's fault. Did they try to infiltrate Israel? It's Israel's fault. Did they bomb the bus in Tel Aviv? It's Israel's fault. They stay on message and don't really say very much.
On the other hand, the Israelis are the biggest blabbermouths with their high minded, moralistic boastful blather. We do surgical strikes! We can pinpoint an ant at 30 miles! We have the Iron Dome! We protect civilian lives! We are the greatest! We wouldn't deliberately hurt an arab civilian! We are so good we even shoot ourselves so as not to hurt our enemies!
They are incapable of characterizing their conflict except in terms of they being the smartest, the best, the most humane, etc. What they should say is that all their enemies are bloodthirsty savages; men women and children, that they do their best to avoid mass killings of civilians, but, this is war and in war people get hurt.
Too bad.
The situation is clouded by the strange way in which this cease fire has been negotiated. Hamas has made its demands but Israel has not dealt with Hamas but only with Egypt who doesn't have much sway with Hamas either. So who knows what Israel has really agreed to with Egypt? Or, for that matter, what Hamas has agreed to. They stopped firing rockets so Israel stopped air raids. Nothing has changed.
Is it really credible that Israel would stop its blockade? No more credible than that Israel is planning suicide.
Years ago, I supported the pullout from Gaza believing, in my naivete, that once Gaza was a foreign country, it would no longer be an Israeli problem. I was too trusting.
The fact is that the inhabitants of Gaza and their leaders are hard core liars and thieves and I wouldn't trust any one of them to tell me the correct time of day. So where do we go from here? It wasn't good when Gaza was part of Israel and it's even worse now that it isn't. There are between one-and-a-half and two million savages living there who are answerable to no one and understand only overwhelming force.
We can't get rid of them, but we must bring them to heel. A ground invasion would have been the best solution.
A word about Israel's propaganda war. Take a look at how the Arabs handle any question that is asked of them. Did they fire rockets? It's Israel's fault. Did they try to infiltrate Israel? It's Israel's fault. Did they bomb the bus in Tel Aviv? It's Israel's fault. They stay on message and don't really say very much.
On the other hand, the Israelis are the biggest blabbermouths with their high minded, moralistic boastful blather. We do surgical strikes! We can pinpoint an ant at 30 miles! We have the Iron Dome! We protect civilian lives! We are the greatest! We wouldn't deliberately hurt an arab civilian! We are so good we even shoot ourselves so as not to hurt our enemies!
They are incapable of characterizing their conflict except in terms of they being the smartest, the best, the most humane, etc. What they should say is that all their enemies are bloodthirsty savages; men women and children, that they do their best to avoid mass killings of civilians, but, this is war and in war people get hurt.
Too bad.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Green Friday 2012 part 2
After a night filled with dreams of more sales and purchases in the morning, it was off to walmart (again!0 to see if we could actually get in to the store. As it was late ( almost 8AM) there was no line to get in to the store, and the aisles weren't too crowded either. However, the drawback is most of the items i was looking for were no longer available. But I still got some of the items that were not as popular.
Then it was off to the mall to see what was going on there. Best Buy was, as usual, out of flyers or anyone who knew anything, crowded, but with no people who were actually checking out.
A run through the usual suspects brought in the usual items, ( MORE CROCK POTS!) but nothing really exciting. Then a trip to Kohl's rounded out the days fun.
All in all, there was nothing unexpected, and we arrived home with a trunk full of stuff.
most of it for Lovey to return this week.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Green Friday 2012 part 1
So I went decided to start by Black Friday Shopping earlier this years, as the stores had all decided to accommodate me in quest for the perfect find. Last year's big score was a grill at Home Depot that wasn't even advertised. So off my went, with joy in my heart, to start the holiday season shopping.
What a disappointment.
The first stop was, where else, Walmart. I went before 10 to a store that was open all day. When I got there, the parking lot was full, as to be expected. However, there was a line being controlled by security, which was not expected, and the wait was an hour, which was REALLy not expected. So after a quick stop at the Soupy's to say hi, it was off to Sears to see what wonderful offerings they had.
I now understand why Sears is in such trouble. If you decide to shop there, bring your flyer. First, they make you wait on line by electronics to see a sales rep, who disappeared after five seconds. This was when there was no longer any kind of crowd in the section. Then, when I finally find the stuff from the flyer, its a different brand. finally, I go to check out. One person in front of me. a half hour. I asked to look at one of the doorbuster electronics to see if i wanted it, and the security guy by the gated storage bin housing these items tells me he isn't allowed to take it out until it is paid for, he knows nothing about the product, and apparently, he is also not allowed to look down and read the specs off the box for me either.
So the first items rings up, correctly. the next item rings up at the regular price. i tell the clerk that it is on sale. she takes the flyer, shows it to a manager,they have a discussion, and I get the sale price. The next three items repeat this scenario.
Now I am pretty careful when I shop to (a) know the prices, and (b) keep an eye on the staff when they ring it up, but I assume not all people do. In a major store like Sears you would assume that they would program their computers to accurately reflect what the sales are, and not try to cheat you by making you check that they charging you correctly.
However, I shall nevertheless persevere and shop today as well. I shall let you know how THAT goes.
What a disappointment.
The first stop was, where else, Walmart. I went before 10 to a store that was open all day. When I got there, the parking lot was full, as to be expected. However, there was a line being controlled by security, which was not expected, and the wait was an hour, which was REALLy not expected. So after a quick stop at the Soupy's to say hi, it was off to Sears to see what wonderful offerings they had.
I now understand why Sears is in such trouble. If you decide to shop there, bring your flyer. First, they make you wait on line by electronics to see a sales rep, who disappeared after five seconds. This was when there was no longer any kind of crowd in the section. Then, when I finally find the stuff from the flyer, its a different brand. finally, I go to check out. One person in front of me. a half hour. I asked to look at one of the doorbuster electronics to see if i wanted it, and the security guy by the gated storage bin housing these items tells me he isn't allowed to take it out until it is paid for, he knows nothing about the product, and apparently, he is also not allowed to look down and read the specs off the box for me either.
So the first items rings up, correctly. the next item rings up at the regular price. i tell the clerk that it is on sale. she takes the flyer, shows it to a manager,they have a discussion, and I get the sale price. The next three items repeat this scenario.
Now I am pretty careful when I shop to (a) know the prices, and (b) keep an eye on the staff when they ring it up, but I assume not all people do. In a major store like Sears you would assume that they would program their computers to accurately reflect what the sales are, and not try to cheat you by making you check that they charging you correctly.
However, I shall nevertheless persevere and shop today as well. I shall let you know how THAT goes.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Nuremberg, Dresden, Hiroshima, Nagasaki......
You should shortly hear from the good doctor about food and shopping so I will talk about what weighs heavily on my mind right now.
After reading Ban Ki Moon's idiotic and insipid remarks about the situation in Israel, I can't even think of food fearing it would cause me to throw-up. He reiterates his dogma that the most important issue in the middle east is the safety of civilians, not the root causes of the danger to civilians. And how many innocent civilians are there on the Gaza side? Every one of them supports their terrorist regime, women, children, and old people as well.
Hamas is like a little dog that keeps snapping at a big person's legs and when the person administers a strong kick to the dog and sends him flying, the dog cowers in a corner, but keeps barking. And all the bystanders feel sorry for the dog and think the kick was too hard. I'm not sure what is appropriate for such a dog but if the person he is threatening wants to be rid of the threat, only a strong reaction will do the trick.
Just because Hamas' rockets aren't very accurate or reliable doesn't mitigate the fact that the intention is to harm and to maim as many Israeli citizens as possible. So when Israeli ordnance is superior and more effective, there is no reason to claim that the reaction is inappropriate. Ban must think that if the death score is tied, it's a fair war, otherwise the one with the fewest casualties is the aggressor.
A lesson learned from the second world war is that when fighting a fanatic enemy like the Japanese or the Nazis, the only way to win the war is to inflict massive civilian casualties, convincing the people to withdraw their support for the war effort, for their leaders, and most of all for trust in their false gods who apparently cannot save them from destruction. That's why we bombed Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Dresden and Nuremberg. It did the trick.
Hamas is no less fanatic nor are their citizens.
After reading Ban Ki Moon's idiotic and insipid remarks about the situation in Israel, I can't even think of food fearing it would cause me to throw-up. He reiterates his dogma that the most important issue in the middle east is the safety of civilians, not the root causes of the danger to civilians. And how many innocent civilians are there on the Gaza side? Every one of them supports their terrorist regime, women, children, and old people as well.
Hamas is like a little dog that keeps snapping at a big person's legs and when the person administers a strong kick to the dog and sends him flying, the dog cowers in a corner, but keeps barking. And all the bystanders feel sorry for the dog and think the kick was too hard. I'm not sure what is appropriate for such a dog but if the person he is threatening wants to be rid of the threat, only a strong reaction will do the trick.
Just because Hamas' rockets aren't very accurate or reliable doesn't mitigate the fact that the intention is to harm and to maim as many Israeli citizens as possible. So when Israeli ordnance is superior and more effective, there is no reason to claim that the reaction is inappropriate. Ban must think that if the death score is tied, it's a fair war, otherwise the one with the fewest casualties is the aggressor.
A lesson learned from the second world war is that when fighting a fanatic enemy like the Japanese or the Nazis, the only way to win the war is to inflict massive civilian casualties, convincing the people to withdraw their support for the war effort, for their leaders, and most of all for trust in their false gods who apparently cannot save them from destruction. That's why we bombed Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Dresden and Nuremberg. It did the trick.
Hamas is no less fanatic nor are their citizens.
DONUTS!
I love Boo.
She really is the best. As the Chanuka season is upon us, I decided to continue the quest for the perfect fat free substitutes for the foods I love, and make donuts. So I fooled around with some recipe that takes aver two hours to prepare, as you need to let the dough rise twice, and finally baked them. The last rising didn't go so well so they were more like puffy cookies than donuts, so I put on some glaze, then added chocolate to the remaining glaze to make black and whites, and gave them to Lovey and Boo to taste.
Lovey wasn't impressed. At all.
However, Boo, who can be the most brutal of critics ( but to be fair, that is usually early in the morning), smiled and said that not only were they really good, they even tasted like Dunkin Donuts!
She is the best.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Back to Food and Other Things
So throughout the last few months when I have not been able to bring myself to write since I would have had to vent about all the crap going on with with the media and politics, I have been very busy cooking and learning more about cooking. Although I haven't posted anything, I do have pictures and I fully plan to do so as soon as I upload the pics from my phone to my computer.
For a quick preview, though, i will tell you that I have made and tweaked cinnamon and chocolate buns, eggs, sushi and granola bars.
Yum.
and green Friday is coming up, I am soooo excited.
For a quick preview, though, i will tell you that I have made and tweaked cinnamon and chocolate buns, eggs, sushi and granola bars.
Yum.
and green Friday is coming up, I am soooo excited.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
The Future is Now
Someone commented that they are sick of all this election stuff and we (I) should all move on. You may have all noticed that this blog was silent about all thing election ( and most other things too, really) up until yesterday.
The point that I am making here has nothing to do with the election, and everything to do with the future, as well as my opinion of the current population of this country as it relates to that future. My view of this future goes from bleak to miserable, but I will explain all that in the future.
So for now I will just remind all of you to check back here often, for an unvarnished view of the truth.
The point that I am making here has nothing to do with the election, and everything to do with the future, as well as my opinion of the current population of this country as it relates to that future. My view of this future goes from bleak to miserable, but I will explain all that in the future.
So for now I will just remind all of you to check back here often, for an unvarnished view of the truth.
Election Results
I now have something in common with the wife of our fearless leader.
I am embarrassed to be an American today.
I am embarrassed to be an American today.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Election Day
I have not written because of the hurricane. That would work for the last week, but not really before. The truth is I had much to say about the election, but decided not to rant here. Please go vote. If you vote, vote for Romney. If you plan to vote for Obama, stay home. This country cannot survive four more years of Obama, and if he wins, he might try to do away with the constitution and congress completely, as he has shown both a lack of understanding of the constitution and a complete disregard for the role of Congress in our government.
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