January 31, 2020

Hope You Had A Good "Veek"

So I was asked do you spell week with a "W" or a "V."

I guess sometimes it does sound like we say veek.

Someone else told me that they are divorced and that person is still a "dark force" in their life.

They said they have to pay child support but can't afford it. 
It's not like I still earn $55,000 like I used to.

But if they don't pay...
Well my ex will just refuse to let me see my son!

People have tough lives. 

So when you think about your week, hopefully in context, you can resolutely say that you had a good veek. 

Shabbat Shalom! ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 30, 2020

Your Expiration Date

So I was talking to someone about their challenges in life.

And they said something that really hit a chord:
You never know what your expiration date is!

What an interesting way to say you never know when your time is up.

They used the phrase "expiration date" like we so commonly see on food and medicine products. 

You know when you read the label and it tells you to discard after a certain date. 

So people are like all these other goods that have a date stamped on them.

We have a date stamped on us (maybe it's on our forehead or some other less conspicuous place), and we just can't see it. 

Yet, we need to live every day as if that expiration date is coming due. 

Because like that stale food in your fridge or the old medicine in your cabinets, everything and everybody has a shelf life.

So you better live every day good and meaningfully before your expiration date comes due. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 29, 2020

Street Art Wow

Some street art just makes you stop and say wow!

This mural on the side of a building in Philadelphia is just amazing. 

It takes a regular street (even next to an abandoned lot) and makes it eye-popping. 

Some people seem to walk by and not even notice. 

I'm not sure how. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 28, 2020

Hand Pointer

That's a cool way to point something out. 

Sort of unexpected sticking out of the wall like that. 

But effective use of visualization. 

The floating hand. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 27, 2020

Life Equated With Hate

Does anyone get this sign from the Pro-Life rally last week?
Pro-Life is Pro-Hate

But equating Pro-Life with hate doesn't add up.

It actually seems the opposite that if you want to sanctify and protect life that you are loving people, not hating. 

Sometimes to make a point, people will just say anything. 

It's related to "gaslighting" where they want to manipulate you into questioning your own beliefs, values, and sanity.

Perhaps, throwing around terms like hate just dilutes the real meaning of it similar to making other false accusations against people. 

We need to argue the issues, and not attack each other. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

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January 26, 2020

Cannibals Love To Have You For Dinner

I love this saying from one of my colleagues in the National Security field about the Middle East:
If you aren't invited for dinner, you're likely on the menu!

Oh how true it is. 

It reminds me of a mother-in-law joke my father used to tell about this guy telling his friend:
Yeah, we had my mother-in-law for dinner. And boy was she good!

Anyway, no one can tell a joke like he did. 

Last thing you want to be is on the menu. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

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January 24, 2020

NJ Pollution--How Do You Ignore It?

This is the view along the New Jersey Turnpike. 

The pollution and stink coming out of these smokestacks running up and down the Turnpike is enough to make anyone sick. 

Personally, I had to cover my nose and mouth with my shirt just to try and filter this crap out. 

What do people tell themselves that live near these?
Oh, it's okay because the government regulators wouldn't let them be here otherwise!

For real???

If you can see it's nasty, and you can smell that it's nasty, and there is a lot of it, then you better wake up as to what you are breathing, drinking, and eating. 

How about these polluters put a cork in it once and for all! ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 23, 2020

Help Victims Of Terror (Warning Graphic Content: Not For Children)

I don't usually do this, but I felt this situation truly merits your compassion and charitable giving. 

Niv Nehemia was the victim of terror in 2017 in this Israeli grocery.  He suffered "14 stab wounds to the head, chest, hands, and necks, including a cut in his esophagus."

The article appealing for help to cover his mounting medical costs appeared in the Jerusalem Post last week: Don't leave a hero behind.

I still remember this video from when it happened two years ago. Niv is truly a hero in fighting off his brutal attacker and in saving other store employees and shoppers!

Further, Niv and his wife, Sigal, have 5 beautiful children aged 18 to 4 1/2

If you can kindly open your heart to these victims of terror, here is the link for your donation as listed in the Jerusalem Post:
https://www.jgive.com/new/en/ils/donation-targets/24591.

May Hashem give a full and speedy healing to Niv and may He bless this family and all of us with peace!  ;-)
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January 22, 2020

How Are These Unlivable "Living Conditions" Allowed To Persist?

Continued to be appalled at the unlivable "living conditions" of the homeless in the Capital. 

Makeshift tents line up and down under the train tracks to Union Station. 

Spikes overhead make this an extra frightening looking arrangement. 

People walking by and to/from work--after a while, is there a mixture of acceptance and indifference?

It's freezing outside and this is NO WAY for any human being to have to live. 

Can we put partisan politics aside for any period of time to deal with the very harsh problems facing real people?  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 21, 2020

Dunkin' Mugs

I love my new Dunkin' Coffee Mugs.

Got one in each color: blue and orange. 

Inside the mugs, there is a finger sign "V" (for victory) and it says "Be Awesome".

These oversized mugs are so happy and I can't wait to fill 'em up.

And they really do make me ready to "Wake Up" for a brand new day. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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Visit Back Home


On the way to a family wedding in Monsey.

We stopped back home in Riverdale, NY after 20 years.

Wow, old building still here. 

And the KeyFood supermarket too. 

Had a nice lunch at Kai Fan kosher Chinese food (the Sesame Chicken was great!). 

Went up to my parents old apartment and saw the outlines of where the mezuzah had once stood. 

I wanted to hear their voices through the door and go in to see them again.

It was very emotional, but I felt like their presence was there with us. 

Enjoyed seeing how some (very few) things have changed and all that has otherwise stayed the same 

With seeing my wife's family, some after many years, it was like I had never not seen them. 

I imagined that this is what dying must be like when you go to the afterlife and there is no time and you see everybody and it's just like they have always been there. 

That was an amazing realization and feeling for me. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal) 

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January 19, 2020

@Eastern State Penitentiary















Photos are from my tour of Eastern Penitentiary in Philadelphia. 

The prison cells were in these tomb thick concrete structures, freezing cold, and completely claustrophobic!

You have to stoop through a tiny doorway to get in and out. 

The cell with the car in it shows how small these prison cells were.  

There is a photo of a cell with a stinking toilet and also the one with a barbers chair. 

Then there is the picture of the fancy cell which is that of Al Capone's (right after the regular disgusting cell). Pretty sure Capone had some real pull with the warden and guards, and I'm sure they were afraid to cross him.

There was even a synagogue in this frightful gothic-style prison with a light that says Shalom (peace).

One cell had art painted on the walls and had many of these dreamy-looking women in Island type spots so far away from the reality of these horrible prison conditions. 

It was also interesting the the prisoners inside these walls were I'm sure dying to get out, and yet the visitors to the prison were lined up at the ticket booth to get a glimpse inside. 

The whole experience was so full of juxtaposing contrasts. 

I feel like I learned a lot. Overall, a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live here! ;-)

(Credit Photos: Andy Blumenthal)

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January 18, 2020

Project Governance and Gate Reviews

Thought this may be helpful for those looking at a Governance Process and Gate Reviews for project management. 

This aligns the Capital Planning and Investment Controls (CPIC) process of select, control, and evaluate phases with the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC). 

There are 5 notional gate reviews with associated documentation for project conception, initiation, planning, execution, and launch.

Of course, this can be modified as needed based on the project threshold and governance stringency required and seeks to create strategic alignment with the goals of the organization. 

(Credit Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)
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Anti-Semitism: Preparedness Can't Be Blind

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, "Anti-Semitism: Preparedness Can't Be Blind."
As I'm standing there, I feel someone coming up behind me and then running into me. Of course, with anti-Semitic attacks prominent and growing, I may have been at a slightly higher state of alert, and I turn around ready for whatever or to give someone a few choice words...And then I see the cane from a blind person.

So even in these times, when there are gangs, drugs, violence, and anti-Semitism, and "we can't be careful enough" (especially given our long, deep history of religious persecution), at the same time, we need to judge our fellow man favorably first and foremost, and still we must be prepared for, G-d forbid, the worst at any time.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

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January 17, 2020

Airplane Art

Why aren't airplanes really decorated like this?

It would be so much more fun to get on a plane that displayed some pizzaz!

All we hear about are plane delays, cancelled flights, mishandled baggage, and involuntary bumping.

Oh, and don't forget the ever more cramped seating and the entertainment system that is habitually broken.

How does this industry get away with all this crap? ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 16, 2020

Sucking It Up

Here we are sucking up leaves in January. 

It almost looks like we're sucking up the whole ground with it!

After the warmest decade on record, we seem to be having the warmest year on record. 

It's 52 degrees out, and we've been reaching up into the high 60's so far this month.

Global warming or the big fires in Australia or action with Iran are heating things up here in Washington, D.C. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 15, 2020

G-d Hears Your Prayers

My son-in-law reminded me of a beautiful Jewish saying about prayer:
Even if a sharp sword rests upon a person's neck, he should not refrain from praying for mercy. 

One can still hope for mercy from the Almighty even at death's door. 

This is truly beautiful and uplifting--we can approach G-d anytime, and as long as we are alive, there is always hope.

The saving from G-d is like "the blink of an eye." ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 14, 2020

I Say Upside Down You Turn Me

I liked this advertisement for WOOW eyewear. 

Like the faces, the colors, the upside down and right-side up orientations. 

Seems cool, hip, with it. 

Happy hippie times. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Michelle Blumenthal)
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January 13, 2020

Roosters or Homelessness?

So I had to drive into downtown Washington D.C. 

Along the way, I saw this colorful artistic rooster. 

I appreciate this quick pick-me-up from this. 

Yet, all around the streets were homeless people. 

One was literally collapsed on a narrow island between the opposing lanes of traffic.

Some horrible-looking food, rags of clothes, and two bottles of liquor lay next to him and one of his arm hang almost into the moving traffic. 

This was just one of many that I saw in abject poverty and desperation. 

So I really feel conflicted looking at this colorful rooster. 

What good is it when the people are homeless, sick, and starving? ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 12, 2020

EMP Attack-->Danger, Danger, Danger

Saw the Movie E.M.P. over the weekend.  

Everyone needs to see this!

The explosion of a nuke(s) in the atmosphere over the country causes an electromagnetic pulse that fries all our electronics. 

Nothing would work!!!

Think cyberattack on steroids with everything out of commission and basically little to no chance of recovery. 

Prognosis is for mass riots, starvation, and illness that wipes out most of the population. 

Easy then for the enemy to swoop in and conquer the country with no resistance and the basic infrastructure still intact for them to build on. 

Just having mutually assured destruction is not enough!

We need to genuinely be able to counter these threats and not just say: "You'll die if we die." 

How stupid and immature is that thinking?

There are more than a share of radical nuts out there who don't care if they die as long as they take us down.

These are the threats we need to pay attention to before...before...before...it's too late. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 11, 2020

Traveling Chasidim @AISH Greater Washington DC




(Credit Video: Andy Blumenthal and Credit Photo: Minna Blumenthal)
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January 10, 2020

A Vision of Jewish Strength

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, "A Vision of Jewish Strength."
With the rebirth of the State of Israel came the rebirth of the Jew. No longer the Jew cowering in the face of pogroms, Inquisition, Crusades, persecution, expulsions, and the Holocaust. The new Jew, as epitomized by the brave men and women of IDF, would be remade in the image of Moses who led the Jews out of Egyptian slavery, and King David who vanquished our enemies in our land, as well as the Jews of Purim and Hanukah, who fought ever so valiantly and to victory against the great empires of Persia and Greece or for us, whoever rises against us as the modern day equivalent.

But as important to the new Jew as our physical survival is that of our spiritual wellbeing. The persecution of Jews over thousands of years was not just a physical attack, as horrible as it was, but also a spiritual, religious, and cultural one, where Jews were prohibited from learning Torah, worshiping, and practicing as Jews. Thus, the second point of criticality in having the State of Israel is that it provides for Jewish sovereignty and ensures "the Jew as actor, determiner of his or her own destiny." The Jewish people to truly thrive must be able to express themselves through their own language and history, religiously and culturally, and practically through their own leadership and decision-making to forge their own future.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

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3D Printed Octopus: "Shabbat Shalom"

This is a 3D Printed Octopus.  

The bendable legs are cute. 

It's sitting on a camera and tripod. 

Soon 3D Printed Objects will even talk, and when they do, this one will say: 
Shabbat Shalom!

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 9, 2020

Pacemaker No-No!

So I learned that this is called a Van de Graaff Generator.

It generates very high voltage electricity. 

The guy setting it up asks me:
Do you have a pacemaker?

I respond in the negative and ask what's the danger zone on this thing.

He says: 
You probably wouldn't want to get within 10 feet of this!

Good to know. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

(Please note that blog is not to be taken as medical advice.)
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January 8, 2020

Ballistic Missile Attack A Sham

I think that the Iranian ballistic missile attack on the American bases in Iraq was basically a sham and done in such a way, thank G-d, as to inflict minimal damage and causalities.
  • The Iranians needed to make a show that they were getting revenge on the United States to appease their radical terrorist base for the killing of arch terrorist, General Soleimani.
  • President Trump had already threatened 52 Iranian sites if they retaliated.
  • Iran choose a very limited response hitting 2 military bases in Iraq --10 missiles striking one base, 1 missile striking another, and 4 missiles (26%) that failed!
  • There were no American causalities!
The Iranians are smart not to provoke the U.S. any further.

They may just have dodged a VERY BIG hit on their military. 

The matter of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of the Ayatollahs remains an outstanding issue that MUST BE resolved once and for all even as we hope and pray for peace and security to prevail for the long term. ;-)

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January 7, 2020

Donuts With Syringe

So I never actually saw donuts being sold with the syringe. 

I get that they use the syringe to put the custard, jelly, and other fillings inside.

But leaving the syringe hanging out of the donuts like that conjures up images of addicts and junkies.

DESPITE that, these incredibly rich and overflowing donuts with gobs of toppings were some of the finest I've ever seen. 

Takes more than a good dose of willpower to resist and not become an addict of these carbohydrate powerhouses. 

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 6, 2020

Story About Dressing Modestly

One of my good friends told me a funny story.

The friend of his daughter was wearing one of those cropped shirts which expose the belly.

She said that her dad told her to throw a party for her clothes, so that her shirt could meet her shorts.

I guess all dads worry about the modesty of their daughters.

This was a good tznius story that hammers home the point and is also pretty funny. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 5, 2020

America's Got Belly Dancing


(Credit Videos: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 4, 2020

Gucci Bee Bag

Thought this was a pretty nice Gucci bag. 

Large decorated bee with expansive wings on the flap. 

Beautiful pink with white pearl studs. 

Brass chain and red, white, and blue shoulder strap. 

Priced around $1500! 

Small shoulder bag yet plush oversized and ornate make a big statement. 

Nice gift for that special someone or to treat yourself to Gucci! ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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January 2, 2020

'Uncut Gems' Cuts Deep

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, "Uncut Gems Cuts Deep."
Yesterday, we went to see the new Adam Sandler movie, Uncut Gems....Ratner's life is full of shlemazel of his own making. While he has a good wife, kids, and extended family (maybe with the exception of his loan shark uncle), a fancy-schmancy home in the suburbs with a newly renovated pool, his own jewelry business that even caters to some big-league sports players, and a shiksa girlfriend on the side (who seems to love him), Ratner is never satisfied or happy and is always pushing for more!

In the movie, Howard Ratner was driven by greed and made bad life choices, and to me, it was a shame that the he was portrayed as a Jew, which can feed the vicious cycle of discrimination and hatred that has often been anchored around money. With the vicious machete attack on Chanukah at a Rabbi's house in Monsey this week (after a slew of other anti-Semitic incidents, including an attack on a student for wearing a yalmulke on the NYC Subway to beatings and tire slashings of Jews in Brooklyn), we are reminded that there is once again a resurgence of prejudice and hate against Jews, but also that it's the light of Chanukah that "drives out the darkness," and that money and materialism are a mere shabby substitute to finding true security and success whether you work in the dense NYC Diamond District or live in the sprawling suburbs of America.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

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January 1, 2020

Holiday SHOULD BE Giving To Children's Hospital

Thought this was a pretty good display with the Three Bears for holiday donations for Children's National Hospital. 

While it gets your attention (who sees three pink bears lite up on the street at night?), asking people with a small impersonal sign on the floor to remember to login and make the donation later isn't very effective. 

People act on the spot, especially when it's an emotional appeal for charity for sick children that need help.  

The children deserve for there to be a way for would be donors to actually give on the spot--where they can swipe or tap their credit card, write a check, or drop some money in for giving. 

Later, later, later...and unfortunately, it may never happen for the Children. 

Come on--it's the new roaring 2020s--we can create some urgency and convenience and do better than this!  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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