There are celebrations among two diverse groups in the middle east today. The one in Gaza and West Bank is understandable. The arabs, enemies of Israel, are delirious over their ability to have their murderers, thieves, terrorists - criminals all - released from Israeli jails to join the continued fight against Israel. People who should have been executed will now be returned to their families scot free. Truly cause for celebration.
The celebration on the other side of the green line is mystifying to me. Yes, if I were a close relative or friend of Gilad Shalit I would be unrelievedly joyous to have my son, brother or other loved one returned from the hell of the past five years. But in the big picture, our beloved nation is bleeding and, if anything, this deal with Hamas has opened a new vein.
The lopsided numbers don't make sense. We know from experience that the arabs will see this as a sign of softness in diplomacy, a sign that we will pay any price to ransom any one of our citizens. What does Netanyahu think will become of the criminals he releases? Does he expect these formerly unemployed troublemakers to suddenly take their place in palestinian society as doctors, teachers, lawyers and community officials? We know they will continue their fight against the nation that has now amnestied them, laughing all the way to the rocket launch site. We know that those who will be exiled to other democratic nations will use their new-found freedom to concoct further mayhem in the relative anonymity afforded them by the liberal governments in whose jurisdiction they will settle. And make no mistake, they always return home, at the head of a violent following to run a country inimical to the welfare and peace of mainstream established nations.
The arabs are now convinced that all it takes to get 1000 of their criminals released from jail is to kidnap a boy barely out of his childhood and then negotiate for as long as it takes.
What Israel desperately needs is a death penalty and a revamping of the judicial mindset that has corrupted the morality of the country and its religious base.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Huh?
Sometimes, the audacity of politicians exceeds even the unbelievably low standards that I expect from them.
I heard our wimpy leader stating that he would no longer defend the Marriage Sanctity law because he believes it is unconstitutional and that it should be repealed like Don't Ask, Don't Tell. So we have a president who had publicly stated that he is no longer going to follow the law of the land because he doesn't feel like it. Forget the problems with this line of reasoning an statement for a moment ( that is for a different time and post).
What really got to me is that the announcer then went on to say that the president continued to say that all the republican candidates MUST support the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell because IT IS THE LAW OF THE LAND!!!!
I guess the best liar with the most Chutzpa really should be the president.
I heard our wimpy leader stating that he would no longer defend the Marriage Sanctity law because he believes it is unconstitutional and that it should be repealed like Don't Ask, Don't Tell. So we have a president who had publicly stated that he is no longer going to follow the law of the land because he doesn't feel like it. Forget the problems with this line of reasoning an statement for a moment ( that is for a different time and post).
What really got to me is that the announcer then went on to say that the president continued to say that all the republican candidates MUST support the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell because IT IS THE LAW OF THE LAND!!!!
I guess the best liar with the most Chutzpa really should be the president.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Oh Give Me A Home...
Last week found me looking for a company in Crawfordsville, IN. Or rather, outside of Crawfordsville, IN. Near county road 400 south which translates into a road running east west four miles south of the center of town. The street address was 4414 east which means that it was something more than four miles east of the center of town. The town isn't very big although not small for that part of the country.
I found myself at the intersection of County road 400S and Ladoga road where 400 dead ended. I knew that it must continue somewhere further east but wasn't sure where, so being at a stop sign, I stopped and took up my trusty GPS for a look.
One of the difficulties of doing any kind of manual route planning using a GPS instead of a paper map is that in order to see the whole picture, you need to zoom out to a large scale but then you can't see enough detail to be useful. Then too, each time you zoom in, the place you are looking for appears at a different location on the screen because the scale changes and becomes difficult to find.
Anyway, fooling around with the GPS for a while, I determined how I wanted to go. It struck me that I had spent about 10 minutes at the intersection and in all that time, no one beeped me from behind. In fact, I realized to my amazement that I hadn't seen a single car on either road in either direction.
Here I was, alone, surrounded by a million corn plants and as many soybean bushes their leaves firing in the mid-morning stillness. It isn't empty, it isn't quiet; you can hear the birds calling, the insects buzzing and the plants rustling in an occasional gust of air. It's the solitude, the lack of any other human being in an area encompassing the size of Manhattan.
Truly awesome!
I found myself at the intersection of County road 400S and Ladoga road where 400 dead ended. I knew that it must continue somewhere further east but wasn't sure where, so being at a stop sign, I stopped and took up my trusty GPS for a look.
One of the difficulties of doing any kind of manual route planning using a GPS instead of a paper map is that in order to see the whole picture, you need to zoom out to a large scale but then you can't see enough detail to be useful. Then too, each time you zoom in, the place you are looking for appears at a different location on the screen because the scale changes and becomes difficult to find.
Anyway, fooling around with the GPS for a while, I determined how I wanted to go. It struck me that I had spent about 10 minutes at the intersection and in all that time, no one beeped me from behind. In fact, I realized to my amazement that I hadn't seen a single car on either road in either direction.
Here I was, alone, surrounded by a million corn plants and as many soybean bushes their leaves firing in the mid-morning stillness. It isn't empty, it isn't quiet; you can hear the birds calling, the insects buzzing and the plants rustling in an occasional gust of air. It's the solitude, the lack of any other human being in an area encompassing the size of Manhattan.
Truly awesome!
Nobody and Me
This seems to be the season to bash the good Doctor.
I had gone to tovel some things yesterday morning. This morning, Boo asked me why I only did three items when there is a whole box of stuff to be done. I told her that I had only been given the three things, but it would have been a great time to give me more, since the place was empty, or as I put it, " it was empty, just me and my thoughts". Which prompted Lovey to state
"Wow, it was REALLY empty".
I had gone to tovel some things yesterday morning. This morning, Boo asked me why I only did three items when there is a whole box of stuff to be done. I told her that I had only been given the three things, but it would have been a great time to give me more, since the place was empty, or as I put it, " it was empty, just me and my thoughts". Which prompted Lovey to state
"Wow, it was REALLY empty".
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Oscar and Me
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Short Takes
A few short observations.
I just heard that US test scores in Math and English Reading have again dipped to the lowest levels ever. We are raising a nation of morons and idiots and no one is doing anything about it.
The drop in payroll taxes instituted in 2008 to ease the growing economic crisis is scheduled to be continued if the jobs bill passes. It's great for the workers, but that is your future Social Security money which isn't being paid into the system, so if one day, you don't collect your Social Security, blame it on this. The truth is that there is no free lunch.
A European official came up with the draconian idea (that is how it is being styled) of separating commercial banking from investment banking. It's no different from Glass-Steagall which turned out was one of the best ideas for keeping the banks from risking your money. To now consider this revolutionary (it was enacted in 1935 and repealed in 1997) is ridiculous.
I just heard that US test scores in Math and English Reading have again dipped to the lowest levels ever. We are raising a nation of morons and idiots and no one is doing anything about it.
The drop in payroll taxes instituted in 2008 to ease the growing economic crisis is scheduled to be continued if the jobs bill passes. It's great for the workers, but that is your future Social Security money which isn't being paid into the system, so if one day, you don't collect your Social Security, blame it on this. The truth is that there is no free lunch.
A European official came up with the draconian idea (that is how it is being styled) of separating commercial banking from investment banking. It's no different from Glass-Steagall which turned out was one of the best ideas for keeping the banks from risking your money. To now consider this revolutionary (it was enacted in 1935 and repealed in 1997) is ridiculous.
MICHIANA
40 years is a long time and a lot changes from then till now. A recent visit to the South Bend area illustrates the point.
What hasn't changed (at least not to my uncritical eye) is the lovely St. Joseph river which wends its way through northern Indiana and up into Michigan. In some places along the shoreline of this swift flowing river, the houses which line it as well as the docks and boathouse are almost invisible, screened by heavy forestation but in other places, one sees the typical jumble of boats, docks and house right up against the treeless shore. Driving along either shore, one glimpses short peeks of the dark water wending its way to Lake Michigan as if the water is playing hide-and-seek with the observer. For me, the river dominates the whole of western Michiana.
Cheek by jowl with the natural scenery of the river is the manmade industrial landscape of South Bend. The brick and cement multi level buildings with their mullioned windows, which lined the whole southwestern corner of the city, have slowly given way, over the years, first to other industrial uses but lately to demolition.
The Studebaker automobile company built a huge manufacturing complex here in the early part of the 20th century. A landmark of the period was a building encompassing half a million square feet which stretched along 1500 feet of Sample street, built as Studebaker's engine plant. When the company closed in the 60's the building was taken over by the South Bend Lathe company, the largest lathe manufacturer in the world. They made the best lathes. The company eventually fell on hard times and the building was abandoned. When I first visited South Bend, I was impressed by the size and length of the building and on subsequent visits, it never failed to impress me. When I visited this week the building was no longer there. In its place was partly a cultivated field and partly an excavated demolition site. If the builders could see the site now, reclaimed into the open fields they originally were, what would they think?.
A metaphor for the history of American industry.
What hasn't changed (at least not to my uncritical eye) is the lovely St. Joseph river which wends its way through northern Indiana and up into Michigan. In some places along the shoreline of this swift flowing river, the houses which line it as well as the docks and boathouse are almost invisible, screened by heavy forestation but in other places, one sees the typical jumble of boats, docks and house right up against the treeless shore. Driving along either shore, one glimpses short peeks of the dark water wending its way to Lake Michigan as if the water is playing hide-and-seek with the observer. For me, the river dominates the whole of western Michiana.
Cheek by jowl with the natural scenery of the river is the manmade industrial landscape of South Bend. The brick and cement multi level buildings with their mullioned windows, which lined the whole southwestern corner of the city, have slowly given way, over the years, first to other industrial uses but lately to demolition.
The Studebaker automobile company built a huge manufacturing complex here in the early part of the 20th century. A landmark of the period was a building encompassing half a million square feet which stretched along 1500 feet of Sample street, built as Studebaker's engine plant. When the company closed in the 60's the building was taken over by the South Bend Lathe company, the largest lathe manufacturer in the world. They made the best lathes. The company eventually fell on hard times and the building was abandoned. When I first visited South Bend, I was impressed by the size and length of the building and on subsequent visits, it never failed to impress me. When I visited this week the building was no longer there. In its place was partly a cultivated field and partly an excavated demolition site. If the builders could see the site now, reclaimed into the open fields they originally were, what would they think?.
A metaphor for the history of American industry.
Monday, September 12, 2011
9-11 Tragedy or Triumph
9/11 found me in Detroit early in the morning. I had flown in on a ridiculously early flight, especially for a Sunday morning, but such are the vicissitudes of life.
In the days leading up to 9/11/2011 many articles appeared in the media discoursing upon grief, renewal, remembrance, forgiveness and love. Glaringly absent from all this syrupy, touchy-feeley pap was any mention of those who did this to us. It's as if a hurricane or a tornado or some other divine accident caused those towers to fall down. Let's not point any fingers, no one's to blame, let's all hold hands and forgive each other. To paraphrase something I read in a book by Mary Doria Russel, if G-d can forgive this, hell must be an empty place.
Back in Detroit, at the zoo in beautiful late summer weather (similar to conditions on that lovely Tuesday of 9/11), while New York and the nation mourned, I was surprised to see some ragheads, strolling there in full regalia, bold as brass, as if they had nothing to do with 9/11 on its tenth anniversary.
It reminded me of the celebrations in Gaza and other middle eastern cities as the towers collapsed.
WAKE UP AMERICA! Europe has already been overrun, let's not have it happen here.
In the days leading up to 9/11/2011 many articles appeared in the media discoursing upon grief, renewal, remembrance, forgiveness and love. Glaringly absent from all this syrupy, touchy-feeley pap was any mention of those who did this to us. It's as if a hurricane or a tornado or some other divine accident caused those towers to fall down. Let's not point any fingers, no one's to blame, let's all hold hands and forgive each other. To paraphrase something I read in a book by Mary Doria Russel, if G-d can forgive this, hell must be an empty place.
Back in Detroit, at the zoo in beautiful late summer weather (similar to conditions on that lovely Tuesday of 9/11), while New York and the nation mourned, I was surprised to see some ragheads, strolling there in full regalia, bold as brass, as if they had nothing to do with 9/11 on its tenth anniversary.
It reminded me of the celebrations in Gaza and other middle eastern cities as the towers collapsed.
WAKE UP AMERICA! Europe has already been overrun, let's not have it happen here.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Reflections on American Business
Note:
I wrote this a month ago after a bout of feckless shopping. I returned to this today after another bout of feckless shopping.
Finally, I bought what I needed from Amazon (a company I dislike for various reasons)with no frustration. I got a better deal than I could get in any store.
As I write this, the American business community is experiencing a blue funk. With nothing to buoy the system, the market has dropped like a stone, presaging another drop in economic activity which the wrangling in congress and the incompetence of our financial controllers has done nothing to prevent.
There exists a lack of sincerity in corporate dealings with both their potential customers and the public at large. They seek to create an image of altruism which is so false that no one is fooled by it. The mystery is why they persist in this nonsense.
Many E-mails today carry an admonition not to print a message unnecessarily in order to save paper. On the other hand, I found this tag line at the bottom of a message today:
I would be more impressed with this paean to the workers in the forestry industry had it not come from a manufacturer of papermaking machinery.
Products, especially electronic ones, have become increasingly complicated to operate for customer satisfaction. On the other hand, a customer's ability to determine if the product fills the bill for his application has increasingly dwindled. One cannot easily get information about a product from its packaging and the trend in retailing is to discourage hands-on inspection. You are limited to reading the few lines - for which there is still room on the virtually unopenable package - dedicated to product description . Most of the packaging is dedicated to warnings in the nature of "Don't eat the packaging, it will cause stomach aches" or "This knife is a sharp instrument and can cause severe injury when used to assault another human being" and similar messages. Repeating these warnings in three or four languages further diminishes room for substantive product information. Even stores with product displays carry only non-working, facade models which frustratingly can't be moved or picked up and is of no more use than the product's picture on the side of the box.
I visited a Walmart where every model of laptop displayed in their iron fetters had most, if not all, of their keys popped off their keyboards. The sales counters were unmanned and the products were locked behind closed gates.
The importance of customer service in the health of any business is a principle that was inculcated in me by my bosses from the moment I joined the business world. Indeed, even today, good customer relations is a cornerstone of our business. I guess it's a universal concept, but among giant businesses with tens of millions of customers, it is honored more in the breach than in fact.
Case in point: Cellular phone providers. Their first response to anything you say to them is to apologize. They can't seriously be sorry for your troubles because they have just made you wait 15 minutes subjected to loud jungle music interspersed with recorded messages telling you of their commitment to your full satisfaction, etc., etc. If you are lucky enough to get in touch with someone who speaks and understands English you are still not assured of having your question answered, especially if it is technical. This hand-holding is what passes for customer service. The truth is, they don't care! And why should they? They have millions of customers with revenues of billions of dollars; does it really matter if they lose a $600.00 a year customer. They will lose him to the competition, true. But the competition experiences the same scenario so no one loses. They expect their system to run flawlessly, which it usually does, and only have customer service to maintain the public's perception that they are concerned.
Woe to us all. The large retailers both brick and mortar as well as online, Walmart, Home Depot, Amazon, and their ilk have destroyed the hands on shopping experience where once a buyer could touch a product, see a real live product in action, ask questions on its use and features before comitting to a purchase. Today, you can return any product when you have determined it doesn't do what you bought it for, but your waste of time and the disadvantage to the guy who buys the product after you have disassembled and repackaged it with likely some parts missing is UnAmerican!
I wrote this a month ago after a bout of feckless shopping. I returned to this today after another bout of feckless shopping.
Finally, I bought what I needed from Amazon (a company I dislike for various reasons)with no frustration. I got a better deal than I could get in any store.
As I write this, the American business community is experiencing a blue funk. With nothing to buoy the system, the market has dropped like a stone, presaging another drop in economic activity which the wrangling in congress and the incompetence of our financial controllers has done nothing to prevent.
There exists a lack of sincerity in corporate dealings with both their potential customers and the public at large. They seek to create an image of altruism which is so false that no one is fooled by it. The mystery is why they persist in this nonsense.
Many E-mails today carry an admonition not to print a message unnecessarily in order to save paper. On the other hand, I found this tag line at the bottom of a message today:
Notice: It’s OK to print this e-mail. Paper is a biodegradable, renewable, sustainable product made from trees. Growing and harvesting trees provides jobs for millions of men and women, and working forests are good for the environment, providing clean air, clean water, wildlife habitat and carbon storage. When you are through, please remember to recycle it.
I would be more impressed with this paean to the workers in the forestry industry had it not come from a manufacturer of papermaking machinery.
Products, especially electronic ones, have become increasingly complicated to operate for customer satisfaction. On the other hand, a customer's ability to determine if the product fills the bill for his application has increasingly dwindled. One cannot easily get information about a product from its packaging and the trend in retailing is to discourage hands-on inspection. You are limited to reading the few lines - for which there is still room on the virtually unopenable package - dedicated to product description . Most of the packaging is dedicated to warnings in the nature of "Don't eat the packaging, it will cause stomach aches" or "This knife is a sharp instrument and can cause severe injury when used to assault another human being" and similar messages. Repeating these warnings in three or four languages further diminishes room for substantive product information. Even stores with product displays carry only non-working, facade models which frustratingly can't be moved or picked up and is of no more use than the product's picture on the side of the box.
I visited a Walmart where every model of laptop displayed in their iron fetters had most, if not all, of their keys popped off their keyboards. The sales counters were unmanned and the products were locked behind closed gates.
The importance of customer service in the health of any business is a principle that was inculcated in me by my bosses from the moment I joined the business world. Indeed, even today, good customer relations is a cornerstone of our business. I guess it's a universal concept, but among giant businesses with tens of millions of customers, it is honored more in the breach than in fact.
Case in point: Cellular phone providers. Their first response to anything you say to them is to apologize. They can't seriously be sorry for your troubles because they have just made you wait 15 minutes subjected to loud jungle music interspersed with recorded messages telling you of their commitment to your full satisfaction, etc., etc. If you are lucky enough to get in touch with someone who speaks and understands English you are still not assured of having your question answered, especially if it is technical. This hand-holding is what passes for customer service. The truth is, they don't care! And why should they? They have millions of customers with revenues of billions of dollars; does it really matter if they lose a $600.00 a year customer. They will lose him to the competition, true. But the competition experiences the same scenario so no one loses. They expect their system to run flawlessly, which it usually does, and only have customer service to maintain the public's perception that they are concerned.
Woe to us all. The large retailers both brick and mortar as well as online, Walmart, Home Depot, Amazon, and their ilk have destroyed the hands on shopping experience where once a buyer could touch a product, see a real live product in action, ask questions on its use and features before comitting to a purchase. Today, you can return any product when you have determined it doesn't do what you bought it for, but your waste of time and the disadvantage to the guy who buys the product after you have disassembled and repackaged it with likely some parts missing is UnAmerican!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Once Again into the Breach
As an end of summer treat, the chief multitakser and I took a day off. She from a grueling few weeks of hard work, and I for a pre autumn lazy day.
Of course our destination was once again, Manhattan. There seems to be an unlimited number of things to do there but boiled down, it's the same as can be done elsewhere only without the variety. I do have to admit, though, it's more interesting than the High Plains. All in all, it was a very relaxing day, and I'll tell you why.
I usually get uptight every time I even think of going into the city. It has never completely occured to me why, but yesterday was an exception. We traveled along the Jersey side of the Hudson River, parked the car at Port Imperial in Weehawken and boarded the ferry for the very short trip across the river to land in the heart of Manhattan.
I didn't take my car into the city!
There were no parking problems, and no traffic headaches. When we disembarked, free busses provided by the ferry company were on hand to take us along the main cross streets of midtown Manhattan; 34th, 42nd, 50th, 57th and up to Lincoln Center and even a bus that drove along the west side south of 39th street. These busses can be flagged down along any of the routes in order to get back to the ferry pier and theoretically to travel along the route from point to point. They even have a web site which tracks the busses via GPS so if you have an internet phone, you can check where the busses are at any time.
We took the bus to Times Square. It's been a while since I've been there. Although vehicular traffic still travels through the square many sections of it are closed to traffic and are furnished with small steel folding chairs and round tables where you can eat your lunch or just sit and watch the human traffic go by. And what traffic it is! The sidewalks and the pedestrian malls are so crowded that you can't take a power walk anywhere in the area. The side streets are filled with New Yorkers going about their business, but the more open areas are crowded with tourists and those who live off them. Wherever we walked, there were people selling tickets, mainly to the local theaters but also to sporting events and off Broadway shows not in walking distance of the square. The rest were tourists snapping pictures buying tickets, eating lunch or just sunning themselves in the stunning weather.
After deciding that the "half price" theater tickets sold in the middle of the square would pay about half the national debt, we opted to eat lunch at a fancy New York steak house but didn't have time for steak so settled for soup and salad.
It was a gorgeous afternoon and after walking around some and doing some shopping we decided to head back to the other side of the river. We ate dinner outdoors at a good suburban restaurant. Alls well and it ended well.
Of course our destination was once again, Manhattan. There seems to be an unlimited number of things to do there but boiled down, it's the same as can be done elsewhere only without the variety. I do have to admit, though, it's more interesting than the High Plains. All in all, it was a very relaxing day, and I'll tell you why.
I usually get uptight every time I even think of going into the city. It has never completely occured to me why, but yesterday was an exception. We traveled along the Jersey side of the Hudson River, parked the car at Port Imperial in Weehawken and boarded the ferry for the very short trip across the river to land in the heart of Manhattan.
I didn't take my car into the city!
There were no parking problems, and no traffic headaches. When we disembarked, free busses provided by the ferry company were on hand to take us along the main cross streets of midtown Manhattan; 34th, 42nd, 50th, 57th and up to Lincoln Center and even a bus that drove along the west side south of 39th street. These busses can be flagged down along any of the routes in order to get back to the ferry pier and theoretically to travel along the route from point to point. They even have a web site which tracks the busses via GPS so if you have an internet phone, you can check where the busses are at any time.
We took the bus to Times Square. It's been a while since I've been there. Although vehicular traffic still travels through the square many sections of it are closed to traffic and are furnished with small steel folding chairs and round tables where you can eat your lunch or just sit and watch the human traffic go by. And what traffic it is! The sidewalks and the pedestrian malls are so crowded that you can't take a power walk anywhere in the area. The side streets are filled with New Yorkers going about their business, but the more open areas are crowded with tourists and those who live off them. Wherever we walked, there were people selling tickets, mainly to the local theaters but also to sporting events and off Broadway shows not in walking distance of the square. The rest were tourists snapping pictures buying tickets, eating lunch or just sunning themselves in the stunning weather.
After deciding that the "half price" theater tickets sold in the middle of the square would pay about half the national debt, we opted to eat lunch at a fancy New York steak house but didn't have time for steak so settled for soup and salad.
It was a gorgeous afternoon and after walking around some and doing some shopping we decided to head back to the other side of the river. We ate dinner outdoors at a good suburban restaurant. Alls well and it ended well.
August in with a bang/ Out with..... Average
This was supposed to be the month that we rerally banged the post out at an alarming rate. However,I see that it is the end of the month, so I shall take stock on how we did.
Initially, I stated I would not write on the weekends, or jewish fast days. So that knocked out nine days. That left 21. I happened to go way for two days, so if I give myself a grace for those, (even though I got two posts out of the trip), I am down to 19.
We actually put up 17, so I claim the month a success for all the writers here at the good doctor.
Let's see what September brings.
Initially, I stated I would not write on the weekends, or jewish fast days. So that knocked out nine days. That left 21. I happened to go way for two days, so if I give myself a grace for those, (even though I got two posts out of the trip), I am down to 19.
We actually put up 17, so I claim the month a success for all the writers here at the good doctor.
Let's see what September brings.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Face, or something else
There was a terrible tragedy in the neighborhood, where a tzadik and a hero lost his life helping to save a little boy. I was on the scene. At one point, I noticed some photographers, so I put up my hood to avoid the cameras.
However, there is a picture of me with two other members. It happens to be the photo link into the pictures of the event on one site. I received an inquiry from a relative in Chicago questioning whether the guy in the middle was me. I went to look at it. It shows me from the back, sagging pants and all. He claims that he could identify me by my stance. It was nice of him to say so.
I was not really happy to be part of the pictorial recording of the horrible event, but that is life. Until i saw the brochure that they put together to raise funds for the family ( here is the link to donate). In the flyer that will go out to the community, there is that same picture. (I think they used it because it is the least offensive of all the pics, but that is for another time.)
So I see now that I am the tush of the organization.
However, there is a picture of me with two other members. It happens to be the photo link into the pictures of the event on one site. I received an inquiry from a relative in Chicago questioning whether the guy in the middle was me. I went to look at it. It shows me from the back, sagging pants and all. He claims that he could identify me by my stance. It was nice of him to say so.
I was not really happy to be part of the pictorial recording of the horrible event, but that is life. Until i saw the brochure that they put together to raise funds for the family ( here is the link to donate). In the flyer that will go out to the community, there is that same picture. (I think they used it because it is the least offensive of all the pics, but that is for another time.)
So I see now that I am the tush of the organization.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Shake, Rattle and Roll
Last week the entire region experienced what for many was a first time event, an actual earthquake. However, for those of you keen-eyed readers, you will remember that last June (2010) there was an earthquake that was felt in Brooklyn.
This earthquake was felt up the entire eastern seaboard from Virginia to Toronto. It really was scary up on the twelfth floor, with the whole building swaying, and we just being around the corner from the 10th anniversary of 9-11. Everyone in my office beat a hasty but orderly retreat for the street via the stairs. Without a consensus, just natural self preservation. We, at least, had an idea what it was, having felt a more milder version a year ago.
However, this got me to thinking. Three natural phenomena (potential disasters?) in the past calendar year in the New York area. The first significant hurricane in over ten years, preceded by an earthquake felt throughout the New York area, and a tornado in Queens last Fall.
I will assume the message is to change our ways. Quite appropriate this time of the year. G-d is watching and is in control of the world. It is a shame that not everyone can read the signs when they are so clear.
This earthquake was felt up the entire eastern seaboard from Virginia to Toronto. It really was scary up on the twelfth floor, with the whole building swaying, and we just being around the corner from the 10th anniversary of 9-11. Everyone in my office beat a hasty but orderly retreat for the street via the stairs. Without a consensus, just natural self preservation. We, at least, had an idea what it was, having felt a more milder version a year ago.
However, this got me to thinking. Three natural phenomena (potential disasters?) in the past calendar year in the New York area. The first significant hurricane in over ten years, preceded by an earthquake felt throughout the New York area, and a tornado in Queens last Fall.
I will assume the message is to change our ways. Quite appropriate this time of the year. G-d is watching and is in control of the world. It is a shame that not everyone can read the signs when they are so clear.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Happy Waffle Day
Wednesday I was out of the office, but I received an e-mail from someone who must read the blogs, or has seen my phone, and is aware of my feelings about waffles. ( Odd, that someone might know that.)
The e-mail told me that Wednesday was National Waffle Day, and I was floating along the Delaware without an outlet in sight for me to plug in my waffle maker and properly celebrate the day. However, all was not lost on the waffle front this past week.
On Saturday night I went out with my siblings because I missed the previous Thursday night get together.
We went to a dairy place. As I was perusing the menu, I noted out loud, " look, they have Belgian Waffles!" later in the evening, they brought a waffle to one of the tables near us, and I again exclaimed , in keeping with my image of being totally obsessed about the delectable versatile edible syrup holder, "oh look, a Belgian Waffle!"
My loving family, taking advantage of the wonders of texting technology, along with my complete cluelessness about everything around me, secretly went an ordered one for me and Lovey to commemorate a special day for us. I was touched and thrilled. It was absolutely delicious and enjoyed by all. Here is what it looked like.
Amazing, isn't it? And it tasted as good as it looked. The best part of it, though, was a comment from one of my siblings, I don't remember which one, who said
Don't forget to save a piece for Boo so she can give HER opinion on it.
The e-mail told me that Wednesday was National Waffle Day, and I was floating along the Delaware without an outlet in sight for me to plug in my waffle maker and properly celebrate the day. However, all was not lost on the waffle front this past week.
On Saturday night I went out with my siblings because I missed the previous Thursday night get together.
We went to a dairy place. As I was perusing the menu, I noted out loud, " look, they have Belgian Waffles!" later in the evening, they brought a waffle to one of the tables near us, and I again exclaimed , in keeping with my image of being totally obsessed about the delectable versatile edible syrup holder, "oh look, a Belgian Waffle!"
My loving family, taking advantage of the wonders of texting technology, along with my complete cluelessness about everything around me, secretly went an ordered one for me and Lovey to commemorate a special day for us. I was touched and thrilled. It was absolutely delicious and enjoyed by all. Here is what it looked like.
Amazing, isn't it? And it tasted as good as it looked. The best part of it, though, was a comment from one of my siblings, I don't remember which one, who said
Don't forget to save a piece for Boo so she can give HER opinion on it.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Bad Advertising
I was in Port Jervis yesterday to float down the Delaware with the family. After the trip, the place you rent the boats from drives you back from the river to your car. I was looking out the window and saw a funeral home. A couple of blocks later, I saw another funeral home. I thought this was a little odd, two in a row, but the next building really struck me as out of place, (or perhaps the others were in the right place).
it was the local hospital.
it was the local hospital.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
HELP!
You'll never believe what I found when I came home today!
See below
Is this revenge?
Some people never learn.
Of Pineapples and Peaches
When I arrived home last night, I noticed, in place of the rotting melon, a beautiful large pineapple and a box of 12 of the largest peaches I have ever seen. Obviously the chief multi-tasking householder had again been busy at Costco.
From previous experience, I think the pineapple will slowly wither, become spongy, and generate fruit flies before ultimately accounting for part of the 20lbs of garbage I heft outside every Monday and Thursday morning and every Friday afternoon.
The peaches as well don't have too much hope. I'll tell you why. Last night I was attempting to explain a principle of astronomy to one of my children and since I was in my kitchen at the time, I spied the peaches and quickly picked one up to demonstrate the principle physically, intending to use the peach to represent the earth. A loud protest from the chief multi-tasking householder indicated that I was not to touch the peaches. I remonstrated that I was only using the peach as a prop, not intending to eat such a delectable morsel, which mollified her a bit. It was a sure sign that the peach was to be left to begin its long decline into ballast for our tall kitchen garbage bags and our obligation to continue justification for the town's payment to its trash collectors.
I asked Ms Multi-tasker "What about melons? I don't see any here."
"I'm buying them tomorrow."
From previous experience, I think the pineapple will slowly wither, become spongy, and generate fruit flies before ultimately accounting for part of the 20lbs of garbage I heft outside every Monday and Thursday morning and every Friday afternoon.
The peaches as well don't have too much hope. I'll tell you why. Last night I was attempting to explain a principle of astronomy to one of my children and since I was in my kitchen at the time, I spied the peaches and quickly picked one up to demonstrate the principle physically, intending to use the peach to represent the earth. A loud protest from the chief multi-tasking householder indicated that I was not to touch the peaches. I remonstrated that I was only using the peach as a prop, not intending to eat such a delectable morsel, which mollified her a bit. It was a sure sign that the peach was to be left to begin its long decline into ballast for our tall kitchen garbage bags and our obligation to continue justification for the town's payment to its trash collectors.
I asked Ms Multi-tasker "What about melons? I don't see any here."
"I'm buying them tomorrow."
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Breakfast for Prayers
We were in Baltimore for the weekend. At the beginning of the services, a man walked in with his son. The son was holding an ordinary looking plastic shopping bag, not bulging or anything. I thought to myself, "Oh no, this is not going to end well". Generally when the kids come that prepared, its because they are unable to sit quiet for more that ten seconds.
However, he was sitting quietly, but immediately started to eat. "here comes the shmecking" I thought, but I was pleasantly surprised, as he opened a baggie full of cereal, made a brocho, and commenced to munch with his mouth closed. I was thrilled.
After the cereal came cookies and then mentos. These are NOT quiet, and the chewing got a lot louder, specifically noticeable because this was the one part of the services that are REALLY quiet. Except for the shmecking. Oh well, I guess that is the hazard of being near a child who came to shul for breakfast. ( I wonder if this is the root cause of future "Kiddush Club" members?)
This kids was not at all heavy, but there were more cookies, then some wafers. I am pretty sure there were more goodies that I just don'[t remember all of them, as I couldn't write down all that came out of this miraculous bag. I was beginning to think that this bag had Mary Poppins like properties, and was tempted to see if there was a lamp somewhere in the bag.
Eventually the services ended, I assume before the snacks ran out.
However, he was sitting quietly, but immediately started to eat. "here comes the shmecking" I thought, but I was pleasantly surprised, as he opened a baggie full of cereal, made a brocho, and commenced to munch with his mouth closed. I was thrilled.
After the cereal came cookies and then mentos. These are NOT quiet, and the chewing got a lot louder, specifically noticeable because this was the one part of the services that are REALLY quiet. Except for the shmecking. Oh well, I guess that is the hazard of being near a child who came to shul for breakfast. ( I wonder if this is the root cause of future "Kiddush Club" members?)
This kids was not at all heavy, but there were more cookies, then some wafers. I am pretty sure there were more goodies that I just don'[t remember all of them, as I couldn't write down all that came out of this miraculous bag. I was beginning to think that this bag had Mary Poppins like properties, and was tempted to see if there was a lamp somewhere in the bag.
Eventually the services ended, I assume before the snacks ran out.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Of Money and Melons
I don't know when I last looked but I am quite sure that this morning, our refrigerator was still well stocked with cherries and grapes. When I got home this afternoon, there were none to be found. Also missing was the spongy, hollow-feeling cantaloupe - the last of the original three - which only this morning was lying on a kitchen counter slowly deteriorating before our eyes.
I asked the chief, multi-tasking, householder about the cherries and grapes and she told me that they had been finished. Skeptically, I asked her if they had been disposed of and I was assured that they had been eaten.
"What about the melon?" I asked. Not being able to plausibly tell me that it had also been eaten, she agreed that it had been tossed.
"So, one's been given away, and one's been thrown out. Not very economical"
"Yes," came the reply. "I'll have to buy some more."
I asked the chief, multi-tasking, householder about the cherries and grapes and she told me that they had been finished. Skeptically, I asked her if they had been disposed of and I was assured that they had been eaten.
"What about the melon?" I asked. Not being able to plausibly tell me that it had also been eaten, she agreed that it had been tossed.
"So, one's been given away, and one's been thrown out. Not very economical"
"Yes," came the reply. "I'll have to buy some more."
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Important Activities
I was reading one of the Jewish newspapers the other day and came upon this piece in the News sections from different neighborhoods. The article mentioned that a certain leader of a small sect in some town in the Netherlands was going on holiday in Switzerland, and before he went, he had a Tish, spoke about the importance of learning, and gave out cake. This was accompanied further along in the paper in the pictures of notable events section with a picture of some plates of cake, (no picture of the ditributor of the goodies) and the heading, that this was the cake given out as mentioned in the previous article.
So lets see, a guy goes on vacation, has a little goodbye party for his friends and gives them cake.
THIS IS NEWSWORTHY????????
So lets see, a guy goes on vacation, has a little goodbye party for his friends and gives them cake.
THIS IS NEWSWORTHY????????
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