Cholent Stew - Not Just A Game

So I can't believe they actually made a "strategy card game" about cholent. 

The only strategy that I know of with cholent is to make it hot, goopy, meaty, and savory. 

Cholent is a beef stew typically eaten for Shabbat lunch. 

Basic ingredients: beans, barely, potatoes, fatty fanken meat, sometimes a kishka is thrown in, onions and other veggies, salt, pepper, and lots of savory spices. 

Usually it cooks in a crock pot overnight. 

The sephardim call this dish Hamin (instead of cholent) and typically put in some hard-boiled eggs as well. 

With cholent, you can essentially throw in the kitchen sink as long as it add to the heartiness and flavor of the dish. 

Eating cholent is such a tradition that it is almost considered a special mitzvah to do it. Ah, would that make it commandment #614? 

When cholent is served at the kiddish (the meal after Shabbat services in synagogue), it is usually the highlight where everybody gathers around with big laddles to dig in and get the nice portions of meat bopping around in the stew or often sunken to the very bottom to be found and surfaced by the lucky lunch patrons. 

In New York, my friends used to have a running joke that there was a secret ingredient the Rebetzin used to make it so good--what it was, all bets were on. 

The biggest problem with cholent are the loads of beans ("the musical food") and the most unpleasant odor-filled aftereffects--and of this we will not speak again! 

What type of game can you play with cholent? You can probably just toot out the answer when you're ready. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Cholent Stew - Not Just A Game

Skip The Religious Brainwashing

So my wife and I took this picture yesterday of this Spongebob outside a matress store, but which you frequently find at places like a car wash.  

It gets some attention when your driving by. 

This cartoon fellow reminded me of something I heard in a movie trailer recently.

It was about people of faith, but rather than relying on being genuinely thoughtful about their beliefs, instead they adhere to a form of brainwashing, where the people in the community are kept in the fold by closing out any and all outside influences. 

When one of the ladies in the community was asked about this, she replied "You know what someone told me about brainwashing? What's wrong with a clean brain!"

While I am a huge proponent of devotion and service to G-d, I think that relying on intentionally keeping people sheltered is not the path to G-d. 

Especially for the Jewish people, who are known as the "People of the Book" for their intense learning of the Torah, intellectual pursuit and challenge is a source of true faith.

Of course, there are bad influences in society--addictive drugs, alcohol dependence, indiscriminate sex, violent and deviant people, and more--and we want to keep our families away from these things and safe.  

Interestingly, when someone is free from drugs and alcohol, they often say that they have been "clean" for so many months or years. 

If that is what a "clean brain" is--then that is a positive thing. 

But if a clean brain is truly cutting people off from education and legitimate worldly pursuits just to force them to follow and keep them in state of brainwashing, then that level of a geder (i.e. gate or limitation) is destructive to the person and community. 

Recently, a 30-year woman, Faigy Meyer, "who broke free from the iron-tight grip of her ultra-conservative Hassidic community" and had been shunned by her family, leapt from a rooftop to her death.

The term iron-grip used in the article sounds like a medieval torture device used to force or keep people at bay, and if that is what the "religious" community is doing so-to-say to limit free choice of their members, then that is not honest belief and practice. 

For myself personally, I lived for some years in a highly religious community that despite having many wonderful people and families was for the most part not very accepting of anyone who believed or practiced not exactly like them--there was no room for that. 

One time, the legacy Rabbi on the pulpit (not the current one who is an extremely fine person that I greatly respect) even warned the members to beware of people in their midst who were not true worshippers (and could be a harmful influence). 

In a closed community thinking, one can feel quite alienated and a huge void of spirituality. 

Thank G-d, in our community with the Magen David Sephardic Synagogue, we have found not only a beautiful love of Hashem, but that mixed with acceptance for everyone to come and participate.

Now we actually love to go to synagogue and look forward to it. It has become a central part of our lives (similar in our own way to how it had been for my beloved father). 

Take away the iron-tight grip, the forcing, the brainwashing and fear of the regular outside world, and you have people from many walks of life, intellectual pursuits and experiences come together to seek and worship G-d with a pure and open heart. 

In a way, it is similar to technology: if you have a closed system (not connected to the Internet and the outside), you have a safe tool, but it is very limited as a standalone. Alternatively, hook the computer up to the Internet and while you take some risks browsing the limits of the virtual world, you come away with so much more you can do and richness in the experience. ;-)

(Source Photo: Dannielle and Andy Blumenthal)

Skip The Religious Brainwashing

My Alter Fighting Ego

"His who life was a million to one shot."

He fought, he survived, and he triumphed.  

Go Rocky, Rambo, Sylvester Stallone. 

Human rights, social justice, good over evil. 

And never again! :-)

(Source Photo: here via Facebook)

My Alter Fighting Ego

Doggie On Nervous Lookout

So this dog is outside Starbucks.

And looking anxiously for its owner. 

The problem is the lady is inside the store and and the dog doesn't see her behind the glass window. 

Lady says to us, "Bang on the glass...so he'll know where I am."

We "obediently" bang, but the dog is still looking off down the block.

Lady is getting her coffee, dog is NER-VOUS jumping up and off the chair armrest to get a better look. 

Nope lady is not there.

An occasional bark, but no answer.  

Hope the dog doesn't pee the seat. ;-)

(Source Photo: Dannielle Blumenthal--she had the better angle)

Doggie On Nervous Lookout

Who Is Calling The Shots?

Who Is Calling The Shots?

What's The Capital Of The United States Again?

So this is what the state of education in the United States has come to.

We were having dinner last night with another couple. 

They asked my daughter, "Do they still teach geography in school? They don't teach that anymore do they?"

My daughter said, "Yeah, we learned a lot of geography" and gave some good examples both modern and ancient. 

So the guy says, "Well I don't think a lot of other schools are teaching geography anymore, like they used to with us."

Then he tells us a story how someone they know was asked what the capital of China was.

And he goes to me, "You know, you know [he emphasizes again], what the guy said?"

I looked at him a little puzzled by this question, like what could someone possibly answer to such a simple question, so I said, "Well I hope they said Beijing."

He nods his head back and forth no, eyes closed, lips pursed, like we won't believe what he was about to say.

Then, he says, "The guy said that the capital of China is...JAPAN!"

I looked at him my eyes squinting in disbelief, like that can't be a for real answer, right?

"No," he says, "That was what this guy thought, can you believe it?"

I said sort of laughing out loud, "Well maybe if World War II had ended differently that would be correct."

It sort of reminds me of the famous goof when Clinton gave the Russians the now famous "Reset Button."

It was supposed to indicate a thawing and renewal of peaceful relations, only the word printed on the button was "Peregruzka" meaning a more hostile "Overcharge."

Oops! 

Maybe the overcharge referred to was prophetic of the West's losing the strategic Crimea to the Russian blitzkrieg in 2014. How much did that mistake cost us?

I guess it's not only STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) suffering in our educational system. 

How's that standards based education reform "No Child Left Behind" (2001) working out? 

It definitely seems like some folks are most definitely being left behind if not completely lost in the system.

At this rate, I fear the capital of the United States is now Iran. ;-)

What's The Capital Of The United States Again?

Why Can't We Just Stay As Superman?

So when we're young, we think we're Superman, Batman, or whatever superhero comes to mind. 

Our bodies are beautiful, supple, strong, and heal quickly. 

We are taught by our helicopter parents and philosophic teachers that "You can do anything you set your mind to!"

In our fantasies, we surely can do amazing things--we lift unbelievable weight, fly around at the speed of light, do karate better than Bruce Lee, outthink Einstein, save the world, and then make off with the beautiful damsel to boot.

Kryptonite is no problem--we are (seemingly) invincible.

Then we hit middle age--40 something--and all of a sudden what do you know?

Oh, this doesn't work right and that doesn't feel right.

The Yiddish expression, "Oy vey" seems about it.

And off to the doctors we go.

After the exam and tests, doc says, "Mr. (or Ms.) [whatever], you have [fill in the blank]."

You respond, "Is that normal--at my age--already?"

Doc says, "Absolutely, this is what happens as you get older."

I say, "Doc, does anything good happen when we get older."

"Of course not"--we both laugh. 

This reminds me of when my dad used to sing this song in this funny mock Irish accent, "You're not as young as you used to be you're getting old and gray!" 

This week, a colleague was coming down with something--possibly something not good. 

I told him how I hoped this turns out well for him and how sorry I was for what he was going through.

Writing off the illness, he says to me, "We all end the same anyway" (i.e. we all end up dead!)--ah, another unhappy notion that is. 

I joked back, "But we all don't end up in the same place."

I got a few laughs at that too (some of my father in me). 

Well anyway, I thought about this after--about some of the special subhuman beings out there--and the very special place that I am certain G-d has in store for them:

- Serial murders and other violent criminals

- Rapists and child abusers

- Terrorists and their sponsors

- Megalomaniacs, bullies, and corrupt officials

- Thieves, cheats, and liars.

And guess what about these schmendricks--they get old too, they go to the doctor too, and then they are going somewhere warm, very warm, and it's not to the Caribbean. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Why Can't We Just Stay As Superman?

Looking At Ourselves In The NUKE Mirror

Any deal is based on T-R-U-S-T and verification, especially when it comes to dangerous nukes. 

Yet the deal with Iran--a member of the "Axis of Evil" and the #1 state sponsor of terrorism worldwide and of the worst abusers of human righs is trustless, especially when verification mechanisms are weak and Iran is non-complaint?

So where's the trust headed now (has anything changed, what are the signs so far)?

T - Turning away - Iran continues to turn away and refuse access to inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) who are tasked with the verification of Iran's non-proliferation of nukes.

R - Restraining people - Iran continues to disrespect us and holds 4 Americans hostage with no sign or promise of release. 

U - Undermining - Iran continues to undermine any relationship with the West by affirming that hostile policies toward "arrogant" America will not change. 

S - Swindling - Iran continues to swindle and deceive the West going so far as to publish a 416-page manifesto by the Ayatollah on destroying Israel, "the ally of the American Great Satan."

T - Threatening - Iran continues to threaten the West most recently warning of a "Third World War" sparked by terorrism, and continuing chants of "Death to America!"

So what's the future of this deal in protecting the world from nukes and terrorism--let's be honest and look in the mirror and ask what's the deal here? ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Looking At Ourselves In The NUKE Mirror

NO to NUKES and TERROR

NO to NUKES and TERROR

Bell-Bottom Style

This is dedicated to my wife who loves bell-bottom pants. 

And truly there is something about bell-bottoms that just yells cool and sexy. 

The hour glass shape of the pants is timeless. 

The flair gives you flair. 

The white stringy bottom gives contrast with the blue jeans. 

Whoever wears these, you're the automatic hit of the party.

Basically, your the Sonny and Cher on the 21st century, and presumably you can dance like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Bell-Bottom Style

Print Me Some Clothing

How cool is this?

You print you own clothes on a home 3-D Printer. 

This is not science fiction, but reality.

Israeli fashion designer, Danit Peleg, is creating some beautiful clothing by printing them!

The printed clothes is intricate, fashionable, and sexy. 

Choose your outfit. 

Pick your design.

Download it. 

And start printing--day or evening wear. 

See how it looks on the runway models.

And just imagine that you can be printing and wearing it too. ;-)

Print Me Some Clothing

Self-Perpetuating Immigration For All The Wrong Reasons

So this is the prevailing misguided logic by some for more immigration. 

We need immigrants to "reduce the ratio of retirees to workers."

Why? 

Because the birth rate has fallen to below replenishment rates (roughly 2.1 births per women). 

And since our "trust funds" for social security, medicare, pensions, and the like have NOT been been kept in trust, BUT INSTEAD have been squandered on other things...

Therefore, according to this warped thinking we now need a wave of immigrants to come save us--have lots of babies and grow our economy--to pay for what we should be able to, but can't--because of gross mismanagement and corruption with the money that was taken out our payroll all our lives supposedly to care for us in our elder years. 

The wrong reasons for immigration are expressed by Charles Kenny in Bloomberg Businessweek.

- According to Kenny, "More immigration is both the cheapest and most effective response to the challenge of a shrinking, aging population," which he frets is "ominous for pension and health-care costs."

- Kenny's approach to immigrants is that they are not vital and talented human beings, but rather basically baby machines with higher birth rates for population replenishment, as he states, "Although immigrants rapidly adopt the fertility patterns of their new countries, they still tend to produce more children to begin with."

- And he says, because most come over as adults, we have the benefits of the workers "without the expense and delay of rearing...[them as] children."

- Oh, and by the way, Kenny says, "Some newly arrived workers help provide cheap child-care options."

Wow, how biased, cold, and condescending is that!

Not once does Kenny mention or advocate for immigration for any of these truly worthy reasons:

- Shelter from persecution 

- Political asylum

- Promote diversity

- Bring in needed skills, investment, and innovation 

- Rejoin families

And what is the result of bringing in immigrants to pay our way?

Well, we'll need to bring in yet another and another, wave after wave of immigration, because we can't balance of budget and spend rationally, responsibly, and with an eye toward the future--it's self-perpetuating immigration for the sake of deadbeatism. 

Sweet land of liberty is being thrown out for a bunch of economic opportunists who feel we need "immigrants to [come to] the rescue" rather than join together with us in being great in terms of compassion, humanitarianism, and mutual respect. 

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Self-Perpetuating Immigration For All The Wrong Reasons

Golden Retriever Swims Like A Fish

Out on the kayak today with Rebecca in Maryland. 

This beautiful golden retriever named Rudder was playing on the bank and in the water. 

He was swimming and chasing a toy that the friendly owners were throwing way out into the pond. 

On this hot sunny day, this dog was having a blast, and the people seemed to enjoy talking with us about him. 

Overall this was a welcome break from the Dog Days of Summer. ;-)

(Source Video: Rebecca Blumenthal)

Golden Retriever Swims Like A Fish

Good Can (And Will) Overcome Evil

Beautiful video showing that good can overcome evil. 

Next video is where the woman (empowered) takes down the would be attackers herself--with a big time, well-deserved smackdown!

Where on the right track. ;-)

Good Can (And Will) Overcome Evil

Nothing Is Something AND Something Is Nothing

So the world financial markets continue to go haywire. 

The Uber glorified taxi service and app (with an almost half billion dollar operating loss) is now valued at--get this--over $50,000,000,000!

And commodities--you know the precious materials that REAL things are made off (gold, silver, copper, aluminum, oil, gas, coal, wheat, cotton, corn, soybeans, cotton, cocoa, coffee, sugar, beef, and more) hit a 13 year low. 

When the nothings of this world like a basic cab service become invaluable and the real things that power our homes, technology, transportation, and manufacturing become valueless--then we know a day of painful financial reckoning is coming. 

The markets can stand on their head for only so long before the blood rushes in and people become dizzy and see spots.

A reversion to the mean is the one something here that is inevitable, along with a pretty decent recession to boot. ;-)

(Source Photos: Andy Blumenthal)

Nothing Is Something AND Something Is Nothing

A Being of Light

So last night, I dreamed about my beloved dad. 

He was in synagogue praying--something he did every day.

I was telling my dad that it was time to go.

But he didn't want to leave--synagogue was his favorite place to be close to G-d and his friends. 

My dad was in the front of the synagogue elevated on the steps before the Holy Ark (where the Torahs are kept).

I looked at my dad and somehow knew/felt that he was near death. 

I ran to him and threw my arms around him in an incredible completely loving hug--clutching on to him to stay with us, longer.

In this embrace, I could feel his total and undying love for me.

Now he no longer looked like my dad but like a being of light--such as I had never seen.

He had died, but was still somehow alive in another way. 

I miss my dad--he was a truly holy man (a Tzadik) and a loving husband, father, and grandfather, who would do anything for us. 

I wish I could sit and speak with him again, hold his hand, hear him sing when we came over, and see him smile. 

(Source Photo: here with attribution to Taltopia.com)

A Being of Light

Hey, Lady On The Shirt

This was just a really cool shirt that I saw.

It's has an image of a lady standing out front with what looks like a volcano in the background. 

The volcano is shooting up its hothead steam, and looks like it's blowing the cloud on the left sideways, off-kilter. 

What's nice about the lady on the shirt is that it's not just drawn on, but has materials sewn in to make it 3-D.

The black and pink fabric for the dress, the green and red beads for the shirt, the pink and silver over the black patches for the sunglasses, and the yellow for the hat. 

Also, like the way she's standing all confident wth her hands on her hips and her elbows out--like "Hey, that volcano is nothing (compared to me)!"

The shirt is so simple, yet very smart. 

That's the way most things should be. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Hey, Lady On The Shirt

Funnier In Yiddish

Yiddish is a language with words derived primarily from German, Hebrew, and Aramaic.

When someone wants to know if you speak Yiddish, sometimes, they just say, "Do you speak Jewish?" 

Many of the Yiddish words are popular and have become commonplace in our communications now-a-day. 

One of my friends used to say, "Jokes are always funnier in Yiddish."

And sure enough, there is something about Yiddish words, pronunciations, and nuances that make getting a point across very potent and at the same time, quite humorous. 

Take the words on this eduational Yiddish poster--it's like the Yiddish words just sound like and makes perfect sense for what it is (see how many you recognize):

- Bagel - Bagel 

- Chazar - Pig

- Chootspah (chutzpah) - Gall 

- Gonif - Thief

- Imglick - Luck

- Klutz - Clumsy

- Kvitch (kvetch)- Complainer

- Macher - Big shot

- Mishugina (mashugana) - Crazy

- Noodnik - Annoying

- Pipik - Belly Button

- Shlep - Lug 

- Shmootz - Dirt

- Shnops (schnapps) - Liquor

- Shvigger - Mother-in-law

- Trafe - Unkosher

- Tsooris - Problems

- Yenta - Talker

- Zoftig - Fat

There is one more word not on the list here that is probably recongizable and that is a "shmuck," which refers to a contemptable person, but literally refers to a man's private parts--ah, maybe that's why it's not on the picture poster. ;-)

(Source photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Funnier In Yiddish

When Your Pants Are Down

Yesterday in the news was how a drone was used to fly over and take pictures at a nude beach. 

So at a nude beach, even those that advertise privacy protections, let's face it your walking around in the buff. But still, the use of the drone with a camera was a violation of people's expectations not to be photographed and by those outside the facility.

And about a week earlier, a five year old finds a camera phone in the lady's bathroom in a Starbucks. 

Yesteday, I had a similar lesson about people's warped sensibilities or perversions (but without the drone or smartphone--this was the low tech version). 

I'm at the pool for a swim after work. 

There are 2 locker rooms for men and women, of course.

But at one point, I see this LADY get out of the pool and head straight for the MEN'S locker room--she actually proceeds to go in one side--through and past the bathrooms, showers, sauna, and lockers--and out the other side to exit the facility. 

So trying to give her the benefit of the doubt, when I get out of the pool, thinking maybe the locker room wasn't clearly marked, I check it--and there is a big sign with a picture (the symbol for men) and you couldn't miss it!

Also, this lady was clearly not new as she gestured a friendly hello to the lifeguard, and she wasn't the slightest bit confused (she had actually made some small talk with me in the pool)   

When she left, as she headed into the men's room, she didn't hesitate, knock on the door or anything, and obviously didn't care whether anyone was in there--dressed or naked.

Perhaps, because the men's locker room is closer to the exit, she was just taking a shortcut--for her, how convenient!

Then again maybe she was a true perv and this was her way of getting some cheap thrills regardless of other people's right to privacy and safety, including those of children. 

In a sense, this is more than just about generalized privacy (such as with information), but even extends to your very privates!

We live in an age when it is a balancing act between sharing and privacy, between openness and modesty, and between doing what's right and pure self-gratification. 

Unfortunately, to put in bluntly, some people just don't seem to give a sh*t about respect for other people's decency or rights, and they will do what they want regardless of the social balancing act or the necessity to use common sense good judgement in public and private.  

The lesson is that when your pants are down, as creepy as it sounds, it's best to assume that someone is always looking or at least may be on the prowl, so be careful out there. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

When Your Pants Are Down

Fish Mish

I took this video in the aquarium store. 

Just found it so relaxing to watch these fish--swimming this way and that with their fish pals in the nice cool water. 

In the background is the sound of a little waterfall running into the makeshift pond.

Ah, the life of a fish--if you can avoid the nets and the bigger fish--it's probably not too shabby. 

I remember when my mom used to make gefilte fish for Shabbos, especially the sweet kind in a sliced up roll, and it was delicious. 

For some reason, I remember calling it fish mish--I think because the fish is ground up--and then boiled or baked. 

A nice appetizer--pass the tartar sauce please. ;-)

(Source Video: Andy Blumenthal)

Fish Mish