Sephardic Concert @ Magen David Synagogue in Rockville, Maryland.
Great job by Rabbi Haim Ovadia and his team of musical mavens!
(Source Videos: Andy Blumenthal)
February 20, 2017
Sephardic Concert
Sephardic Concert @ Magen David Synagogue in Rockville, Maryland.
Great job by Rabbi Haim Ovadia and his team of musical mavens!
(Source Videos: Andy Blumenthal)
G-d Bless Nikki Haley
One nation, the United States, speaking truth about the bias and hate of the UNJust, United Nations against the lone democracy in the Middle East, Israel.
How refreshing to have clarity of foreign policy after 8 years of
- Disastrous and secretive Iranian deals
- Bending over backwards for Radical Islamist terrorism
- Tension and military escalation with Russia, China, and North Korea
- Meltdown in Crimea, Syria, Yemen, Benghazi, and more
- Rise and proliferation of ISIS across the Middle East
- Weakening of the U.S. Military including our nuclear deterrent
- Shameful UN resolution 2334
All of these, which speaks volumes to the Obama years of foreign policy debacles, one on top of another.
While the fake news, New York Times, again published utter nonsense about President Trump needing to clarify his foreign policy when nothing could be further from the truth.
President Trump has made absolutely clear his support for Israel, Japan, UK, and other true friends and allies of America are crystal clear.
The President has also made it clear that he will not tolerate bad behavior towards the United States from rogue terrorist nations like Iran and North Korea.
Further, the President has made clear that he seeks better relations with Russia and at the same time a more robust NATO that can actually contributes to it's defense and has the muscle to show for it.
Finally, we have a doctrine of peace through strength and the implementation that is backing it up.
Anyone wonder why the New York Times isn't following, let alone reporting on the real news?
And how different could this be than the obscurity and chaos of Obama's disappearing red lines all over the globe. ;-)
Settle Down or Trade Up
Should I be happy with what I have or should I seek out something better?
It's the age old question of whether to settle down or trade up.
When it comes to any decision in life...choosing a school, degree, career, place to live, an investment decision, or even your spouse and life partner--how do you know when you are making the right decision?
Maybe you like or love what's in front of your eyes, but you still don't know 100% if there's something better out there for you.
Every choice means you are settling in some way, because let's face it, nothing is perfect in life!
When is good, good enough for you?
There are trade-offs with every decision.
And it's a matter of what YOU can live with!
A guy may say, "I like this girl, but I'm not sure whether she's the one for me or that I really want to settle down with long-term."
Someone else says, "I'm studying to be an accountant, but you know I really always liked psychology."
And yet a third person says, "I like working at company ABC, but maybe I can learn something new or do better financially for myself and family if I go somewhere else."
So when do you settle down and when do you try to trade-up?
The dilemma is fateful because you don't want to lose what you have, but you also don't want to potentially miss out on something even better for you.
Listen, we're not prophets!
No one knows whether your investment in something is going to pay off in spades or land you flat on your butt.
All you can do is try to weight the pros and cons of every decision.
If you treat life like a roulette game in Las Vegas, the one thing that is pretty sure is that at some point, you will lose it all to the house.
So choose wisely and make sure you are passionate about your choice and that can live with it over time.
Know that you made the best decision you could by looking at it from all angles.
And most important of all, be grateful for everything you have--these are blessings from the Almighty Above and you need to have faith that He/She is guiding and helping you all along the way. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
February 19, 2017
Fake Media
While of course, there is a media bent, it's not supposed to be a downright bias--the media's job is to report the news, not take absolute sides.
Yet these days, the alt-left media seems most hell bent on incessantly attacking the President and working to delegitimize him.
And the President is calling the news media, "the enemy of the American people."
Russ Limbaugh commented: "The media did not make Donald Trump and they can't destroy him."
It started with the election when biased media outlets "ordered employees to destroy Trump"and tried to convince Americans that he absolutely couldn't win.
And only 4 weeks into the now Trump presidency, they are calling that "Congress should impeach Donald Trump."
What type of Democracy is this?
For eight years, Obama ruled and the media glowed bright with near endless praise--even when things went very wrong, the media played the Secret Service and took the bullet shielding Obama's every move.
Now with the Trump, the media is no longer the Praetorian Guard, but the the assassin in waiting--plotting and maneuvering for their chance to fire the fatal shot.
Will it be Flynn, the Russians, the Islamic Terrorist immigration ban or something entirely else.
The media has the people's ears...they can spread the news or seed gross and even malicious propaganda.
While Trump wants to put America First, many media outlets are instead looking to put Trump out to his final pasture.
When they are targeting the President in such a merciless and endless barrage of negativity and hate, can even President Trump survive?
While the alt-left media--with funding by billionaire George Soros--kicks and punches away with every article and news segment, it's our democracy that is surely taking the power beating and dying the death of bias and overthrow.
(Source Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)
February 18, 2017
Sleepy Education USA
Education is fundamental to learning, development and preparation for career and life.
We've always believed that if you invest in anything, invest in education!
However, despite initiatives like No Child Left Behind and Every Child Succeeds Act, scores in the fundamentals like reading, math, and science all lag behind other advanced industrialized nations.
As of 2015, the U.S. ranked a stinking 38 out of 71 nations in K-12 education.
Yet, it is seemingly the complete opposite, with college education, the U.S. has about 75% of the top 25 schools.
However, the comparison is flawed because university rankings are based not on student academic performance, but rather on research performance, including things like journal articles published and Noble Prize winners.
When academic proficiency is tested for American adults, the rankings again lag and are at best mediocre.
While there are many dedicated and good teachers, still too many teachers and unions continue to fight testing and reform so that progress of our education system continues to fail our children and our nation.
We need to end education by memorization, and focus instead on hands-on learning (by doing), critical thinking and problem-solving.
Sleeping through a lecture may not mean a student is missing squat in the current failed education system.
(Source Photo: The Blumenthals)
February 17, 2017
The Success Iceberg
Under the tip of the iceberg of success lay all the factors that most people don't see.
The vast mass of persistence, failures, sacrifices, disappointments, good habits, hard work, and dedication.
Success really is an iceberg!
Don't be jealous of the success at the tip of the iceberg of others unless you put in all the ingredients beneath--plus a prayer to the Almighty Above for his blessings.
Have a Shabbat Shalom!
(Source Photo: Michelle Blumenthal)
February 16, 2017
That's One Scary Shot
Imagine coming downstairs and seeing this kids body laying on the floor like that.
Looks like he's dead!
Would you freak out totally?
Call 911.
Get the emergency responders on the scene.
Try to save his life.
Thoughts race through your mind.
Is he sick? Was it an accident? A crime scene? Terrorism? Is there an active shooter?
Is he going to make it?
Where is his family?
OMG, what if they lose him?
Well, it turns out this kids was just acting out and scaring his parents--and everyone else passing by.
Life is so full of surprises.
You never know if it's the real thing or not.
But you have to be prepared for anything, anytime.
This is a crazy world we live in.
Thank G-d when it's just a false alarm and everything is okay.
Unfortunately not every time is it all well that ends well. ;-)
(Source Photo: Michelle Blumenthal)
February 15, 2017
Compromise Preferred
Sometimes we may feel that we are right and that's it.
Our inclination is perhaps to just do what we think and hold the line.
But if we can take a step back and listen to the concerns of others then we can be the bigger for it.
That sweet spot of compromise is where we keep both our integrity intact and still find a middle ground that's acceptable to the many.
Compromise is better than just giving someone the proverbial finger and telling them where to go and how to get there.
Strength is peace...and peace is strength.
When that doesn't work, then there still always the alternative for good to overcome evil in this world. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
February 14, 2017
Not 4 Valentines Day
And this photo is not the message you want to see or expect today--of all days!
Anyway, they were selling this sleep mask at the mall.
One one side, it says "Ready"--yeah, a little forward, but problem welcome by most partners.
On the other side, it reads, "Not 2Nite"--gasps and disappointment for sure.
What type of Valentines Day are you going to have?
Love is in the air, enjoy!
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
February 13, 2017
Off The Charts
Is it that they are abnormal or bad people?
Certainly many, if not most people, want to stand out in some fashion or form.
As the shirt says:
"Being normal is boring."We all want to be a little different or special.
If we're the same as the other 7.5 billion people out there, it's hard to feel that our lives are truly meaningful.
Yet, being different or abnormal can be a good thing or a bad thing.
Usually, you can be distinct in your combination of attributes within 1-3 standard deviations around the mean (average) and still be in the range of normal.
1, 2, and 3 standard deviations equate to 68%, 95%, and 99.7% of the values in a normal bell shaped curve.
So you can be different and still be considered normal.
The problem usually arises when you are off the charts deviant--and then you become "abnormal."
Is abnormal a bad thing?
Not necessarily, but generally extremes of anything can tend to become problems.
For example, you can fall somewhere in between very generous and very thrifty, but when you go to the extremes of giving it all away or being a miser then that's usually considered problematic.
Similarly, you can be curious or indifferent and either of those may be okay, but at the extremes, if you become intrusive or apathetic then that's a problem.
So most of the people we deal with are normal in most senses of the word, although they may have traits that take them to the extreme and which can cause conflict or harm.
Others may have many traits that are extreme and they have severe difficulty functioning at all with other people--they are seriously off the charts.
Perhaps, that's where healthcare professionals come in to assist with things like psychotherapy and behavioral modification (or even medications) to help people.
Being completely average is boring, but being off the charts can be dangerous to others who try to be themselves yet also constructively and humanely go along and get along. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
February 12, 2017
Tznius Police
This means appropriately covering up in dress and acting modestly.
In Hebrew, we call it Tznius!
As kids, I remember the kids used to sing, "Tznius, don't show you knee-ius."
It seems like these days, "everything goes," where extreme sexuality in public and showing off is the rage.
But as I remember the older generation saying, "Maybe some things are better left to the imagination."
That doesn't mean we need to be a bunch of prudes--inhibit or prohibit people from being who they are.
Freedom means everyone is allowed and has a fundamental right to self-expression.
But also, people that want to show more restraint and modesty can do that too.
Perhaps, sometimes things in our society can get a little too superficial, where like and love is only skin deep.
We forget the inner person and the soul in lieu of momentary pleasures of the flesh.
I don't think we need the tznius police to come out and tell us what to do, but rather that we need to be consider people inside and out for what and who they really are. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
February 11, 2017
Media Is Becoming The Biggest Loser
"49% of U.S. voters believe that the Trump administration is truthful, while only 39% feel that way about the news media."
Growing up, I never thought or felt the media was biasing the news.
Frankly, it never would have occurred to me.
Maybe, I was too innocent or naive.
But I always thought the media's job was to "tell it the way it is."
The media's job, I understood was to be a honest broker, investigate, report, and tell all sides of the issues to help inform and educate.
What people then did with that information was up to them.
They would be free in a democracy to form their own opinions and see things that were presented to them through their experiences and sense of identity and justice.
But now, the world is upside down, and bias, bigotry, and prejudice is embedded in the media news itself.
The same story on a deportation case today can be told by CNN as one of racism and cruelty to immigrants for deporting a mother of two who was "a threat to nobody" or by FOX news as one of enforcing the laws and security against an undocumented immigrant with a felony conviction for social security fraud.
It depends what colored glasses your looking through and how you want to influence or control what the masses think and do about it.
No wonder, people don't trust the media!
Not only were the projections based on garbage polling completely wrong in terms of who would win the election, but the reporting out of daily events is done through one-sided reporting, "alternative facts," and "fake news."
The Democrats and Republicans are duking it out, but it's the media that it getting the biggest black eye on honesty and credibility, and losing the fight for influence over the American people. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
February 10, 2017
Overcoming Resistance To Change
20% of the people are open and friendly to change--they are your early adopters.
50% are fence sitters--and they hold a wait and see attitude.
30% are resisters--these are the people that will be the roadblocks to change.
_____
Total 100%
Some will resist openly and loudly. Other will disguise their resistance in a politically correct way. And finally some may work subversively to block change.
The keys to overcoming the resistance is by working through the head, heart, and hands model, helping people to understand the following:
Head (Intellectual) - What is changing.
Heart (Emotional) - Why it's changing (and what's in it for me--WIIFM).
Hands (Behavioral) - How is it changing.
This means changing the mindset, motivating people, and shaping behavior to effect change.
Change and resistance to change are facts of life, but how we approach it can either mean failure or amazing transformation. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
February 9, 2017
Drumbeats Of War
The bend over backwards for our enemies is over.
Terrible and unenforceable deals are shameful history.
Cyberattacks and hacking will not be treated as the cost of doing business in the 21st century.
Buzzing of our ships and planes won't be tolerated anymore.
Letting other nations take what they want in Georgia, Crimea, Syria, and the South China Sea is finished.
Watching helplessly the nuclear proliferation and buildup of the means to deliver weapons of mass destruction by Iran and North Korea won't go unanswered.
Radical Islamic terrorism is not a dirty word anymore and we will bring the fight to the enemy in a bigger and more serious way.
Our defense and that of our allies won't be treated lightly and we will not retreat in the face of evil.
No one wants war, everyone wants peace, but unless we stop the aggression against us once and for all, the drumbeats of war will only get louder and more ominous.
Set the boundaries and enforce them before the all the red lines are crossed and a real and highly dangerous confrontation becomes inevitable.
Peace through strength is far preferable than war because of disengagement, weakness, and leadership from behind.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
February 8, 2017
Wardrobe Malfunction Or Stylish
It's not often in Washington, D.C. that we get to see someone in a bright blue suit jacket with flowers.
Obviously, this is a pretty conservative dress town.
Some might call it rather style boring or even nerdy.
However, this brave guy went out on a limb and stood out like a sore DC thumbnail.
Actually, I believe it's nice to add some color, flair, and style and light up the room and the faces.
Too much gloominess and depression here at times.
I was so excited when someone actually called me "Happy Tie!"
Then everyone took a turn showing off their colorful socks to each other.
It takes so little to turn a room of people joyful and laughing.
Honestly, we need more of this, and why not be a contributor to people's happiness and smiling?
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
February 7, 2017
Emperor Has No Clothes
That's when we get fake news and alternative facts.
These days we don't know what to believe anymore because institutions and media have lost so much credibility with bias, prejudice, and trying to influence based on overtly selfish motives.
The gloves have come off in the fight for supreme earthly might.
Apparently, a lot of other clothes have come off too.
Now the influencers stand naked before us and we must judge for ourselves the truth of the matter.
It funny-sad that in their utter nakedness, they bear no shame.
They scream, and hissy fit, protest, rage, demean, threaten and commit violence.
Ear lobes are dangling as are the other parts and still there is no listening, negotiating, or compromise.
Advancement is limited to obstruction, and progress is dead like a heap of dung.
The nation suffers the marks in the flesh of bitter fighting, while our competitive advantages are eroded.
United we used to stand, and divided for a decade we are falling.
We can dive into the pile of clothes and swim among them, but still we are sinking naked and stinking the lot like selfish bastards, indeed. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
February 6, 2017
Smell The Roses
These purple, yellow, red, and pink flowers were sitting on the counter in Whole Foods, and I had to stop, back up, and take this amazing photo.
They were absolutely gorgeous!
Sometimes, I can't believe the beautiful things and people that G-d has made.
We're part of a most-amazing and perfect world.
Of course, there are also hardships and suffering in this world - illness, disability, hunger, homelessness, violence, loneliness, and loss.
Perhaps, these are the most difficult of things for us as human beings to reconcile with the beautiful world that G-d has set us in.
While surrounded by beauty, people are also beset by life's many challenges.
Maybe all the more reason to stop and smell the roses even for just a moment--to enjoy the spirit of life and of our amazing Creator, and the opportunity to make the most of it all. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
February 5, 2017
Kiss One Another Day
I thought we need a day to celebrate, accept, and love each other.
Let's call it:
National Kiss Day!
Liberals and Democrats - give each other a kiss.
Christians, Jews, and Muslims - give each other a kiss.
Men and women - give each other a kiss.
Straight and LGBTQ - give each other a kiss.
Old, middle age, and young - give each other a kiss.
White, black, yellow, and brown - give each other a kiss.
Races and nationalities of all kinds - give each other a kiss.
Those with and without illnesses and disabilities - give each other a kiss.
We are all G-d's children, so it's time to stop the crazy hate and fighting.
Love each other, work together to advance the world for everyone, and give each other a big, fat, heartfelt kiss - and maybe we can make the day into a lifetime!
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
February 4, 2017
Depends On Who You Ban
So the alt-left and media are all aghast at President Trump placing a temporary travel ban from 7 muslim-majority nations for national security reasons!
That's out of more than 50 majority Muslim nations in the world or less than 14%.
And these were the countries identified by the former President Obama as the "countries of concern" because of terrorism!
See the 7 nations (out of 50+) highlighted below:
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Brunei
Burkina Faso
Chad
Comoros
Djibouti
Egypt
Guinea
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lebanon
Libya
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Mauritania
Mayotte
Morocco
Niger
Nigeria
Oman
Pakistan
Palestine
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Somalia
Sudan
Syria
Tajikistan
The Gambia
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Turkmenistan
United Arab Emirates
Uzbekistan
Western Sahara
Yemen
What is also unbelievably amazing is that 6 of these 7 Muslim nations with a temporary ban from President Trump, plus 10 more countries, for a total of 16 Muslim countries have a permanent ban placed on Israeli Jews!
Where is the alt-left and media outrage about this travel ban on Jews?
Oh, apparently for the alt-left, compassion, dignity, equality, and human rights don't apply to Jews today any more than they did during the Holocaust where 6,000,000 were left to die in a genocide at the brutal hands of the Nazi's.
To them, a permanent ban on Jews is apparently fine and national security of the United States who cares--that's what talking out of both sides of the mouth is all about.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
The Miraculous Mezuzah
Reminiscent of ancient times when Jews were slaves in Egypt and G-d told the Israelites to put the blood of the Paschal lamb on the doorpost.
When they did this and the Angel of Death killed the firstborn in each home of the taskmaster Egyptians--he passed over the doorposts of the Israelites that had the blood on it as commanded by G-d.
So too these days, the Mezuzah has the holy prayer of the Shema Yisrael on it:
"Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is One".And it is believed to be a symbol of G-d's divine protection for the home.
This week in Synagogue, Rabbi Haim Ovadia told some miraculous stories about the Mezuzah from when he was the Rabbi in Bogota, Columbia.
He told of how the cartels would raid the buildings where the people in the community lived. The cops would be told not to respond to the calls for help for at least an hour. But what was a miracle was that apartments with the mezuzahs were not harmed. Later, the people found out that the cartels, thank G-d left them alone, because they didn't know what a mezuzah was and thought it was some sort of fancy alarm system!
Another story, was the boss who put mezuzahs on the offices at work, and what happened? The profitability of the business went up. When they looked at why this happened, they realized that the boss would stop at the mezuzah to recite the Shema, and the workers thought the boss was there paying more attention to them and so productivity went way up.
Finally, the last one was really funny. They couldn't easily get mezuzahs in Bogota, so when they heard someone was coming from a trip to Israel, they asked him to bring 5 mezuzahs for the home. When it arrived, they opened it up, but lo and behold, the parchment with the prayer inside was missing from them. When they asked what happened to it--the person said, I already know how to put up a mezuzah on the doorpost with 2 nails and a hammer, so what do I need the instructions inside it for!
G-d is glorious and the holiness that he bestows on us with his commandments is amazing. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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