Shabbat Shalom says Leo The Lion.
Shabbat Shalom says the Gefilte Fish.
Shabbat Shalom says the Long Beak Pelican.
(Photo Credit: Andy Blumenthal)
November 15, 2019
Pelican Shabbos
Shabbat Shalom says Leo The Lion.
Shabbat Shalom says the Gefilte Fish.
Shabbat Shalom says the Long Beak Pelican.
(Photo Credit: Andy Blumenthal)
November 14, 2019
D.C. Living
November 13, 2019
Weird Face Bag
Not a man and not an animal--it's some sort of beast.
It has a crazy face on it with a gnarly mouth and green bug-eyes.
Is it watching for pickpockets?
Wonder if it bites the hand that tries to go inside the purse.
I can't look at this thing anymore.
Make it go away! ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
November 12, 2019
Spider Man D.C.
Spider Man, Spider Man, Does Whatever A Spider Can.
Veterans Day must be a great day to get your windows washed.
Or to spin a web of intricate proportions in D.C. politics.
Either way aside from the windows, what of significance is actually getting resolved in our partisan capital?
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
November 11, 2019
Artechouse = Art + Tech + House
This place was really cool in Washington, D.C.
Artechouse = Art + Tech + House.
Great immersive technology, art, music, dance, and light show.
Highly recommend it!
This exhibit "Lucid Motion" was by Japanese artist Daito Manabe X Rhizomatiks Research.
They also had a nice augmented reality display.
Had fun with the clan.
Hope you enjoy!
(Credit Video: Andy Blumenthal)
November 10, 2019
Harriet And The Underground Railroad
Obviously, it was about Harriet Tubman and her rescuing the slaves through the Underground Railroad of secret routes and safe houses.
She was an amazing heroine that they even called her "Moses" for her rescuing the black slaves from the southern plantation where they were sorely abused in every way.
Even though she herself was a runaway slave who made it though a100 treacherous miles from Maryland to Pennsylvania to Freedom, she went back over and over again to save others.
The movie said she saved 70 other through the underground railroad and then in the civil war led the black troops to free another 750 slaves!
Her courage and faith through it all was truly inspirational.
I was so glad when she carried a gun and shot at her nemesis who enslaved her and her family before he could kill or capture and torture her.
She didn't kill him, but she told him in no uncertain terms that people were not meant by G-d to own and enslave other people!
We need more people like Harriet Tubman in the world who fight for what's right and clearly know the difference between good and evil. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
November 9, 2019
Making The Impossible, Possible
Even though the Jewish people are a tiny minority in the world, through our faith, determination, and the help of G-d, we are able to survive against all odds, contribute to the world far beyond our mere numbers, and succeed in truly incredible ways. From Einstein, Freud, and Marx to Mark Zuckerberg and Larry Ellison, we are a people that punches way above our weight.
I believe the lessons of faith and determination is one that we can all take away from the tests of our forefathers in the Bible to the flourishing modern State of Israel and to how we live our own lives today. G-d tests all of us, and if we go forward and answer His calling with a full heart and perseverance, G-d will help us to succeed above our wildest of dreams and even beyond the very laws of nature.
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
November 8, 2019
Chocolate Dreaming
"Chocolate Dream"
Chocolate cream, whipped cream, and chocolate cookie.
Now, how could that be bad?
Dreaming chocolate...
It reminds me of the other day when I saw someone daydreaming.
I said to him, "Are you okay?"
He replies, "I am far away!"
It sounded good, so I said, "Can you take me with you?"
Got a good laugh from him. ;-)
(Photo Credit: Andy Blumenthal)
Righting Wrongs To Sephardim
The initial waves of Aliyah beginning in 1882 were driven by the persecution and pogroms, and later the Holocaust, in Europe. Thus, Israeli society initially built up their institutions and power centers around these Ashkenazi pioneers. Immediately after 1948, when Sephardic refugees were expelled from the Arab countries en masse, Israel was overwhelmed with as immigration influx that virtually doubled the Jewish population in Israel in the first three years of its existence. Unfortunately, the newly arrived Sephardim were relegated to a substandard housing and economic situation, which then persisted for many decades.
In Jewish society, however, there is no room for ethnic discrimination and inequality, and the formation of a Sephardic political party in 1984 was a crucial milestone in Jewish social and economic justice. For almost 30 years, Shas was led by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the former Israel Chief Sephardic Rabbi and spiritual leader, and Shas has remained one of Israel's top political parties.
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
November 6, 2019
Beautiful Moroccan Chandelier
Thought this really adds life, color, and culture to any room.
I love the mosaic of glass pieces and their vibrant colors and interesting shapes.
Set into the brass holders this stunning chandelier is a standout and lights up not only the room, but also perhaps even our lives. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
November 5, 2019
Hearts and Stones
There are people with hearts of stone, and there are stones with hearts of people.The people know who they are, and the stones reside where has G-d set them.
In the final redemption, the peoples' hearts will turn back to Hashem and the stones with hearts will rebuild the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
November 4, 2019
Prevent Problems From Becoming Crises
I heard this saying and thought it was good:
Problems that are left unattended have a habit of becoming crises.
I suppose problems exist for us to confront and deal with them, so we can grow ourselves.
- There is no running from problems.
- There is no hiding from problems.
Problems can follow you with better than laser-guided GPS and they will find you out.
The only option is it face the challenge head-on and the earlier and more productively the better. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
November 3, 2019
Key Federal Financial Management Terms
Below are some key Federal Financial Management Terms:
- Authorization: Act of Congress that permits Federal programs or activities to exist and recommends funding levels.
- Appropriation: Act of Congress to provide Federal agencies with budget authority to obligate government to future outlay of cash for a specific purposes and period of time.
- Commitment: An administrative reservation of funds by the financial controller or resource manager triggered by a procurement or purchase request.
- Obligation: A legal reservation of funds that binds government to future expenditure and outlay of cash from the Treasury triggered by the signing of a contract, travel order, credit card transaction, etc.
- Expenditure: Issuance of a payment disbursement by electronic funds transfer, check, etc.
- Outlay: Payment of cash from Treasury to vendor to liquidate a financial obligation.
These should be helpful in understanding the Federal financial management processes.
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
November 2, 2019
Pyramid of Emotional Intelligence
It starts at the bottom with your own personal self-awareness--knowing who you are, including your beliefs, values, priorities, needs, and dreams, and being able to express this.
Next level is your personal self-control--being able to manage your feelings, control your actions, and cope with challenges and adversity.
Moving to the social level is then social awareness--having a consciousness and respect of others, their feelings, thoughts, motivations, needs, desires, and rights.
Finally, at the top is relationship management--the ability to actively listen and empathize, assert and influence, be patience and unconditionally accept differences, develop trust, give and take, collaborate, and manage conflict.
Most people work on developing these areas of the EI their whole life, and it is definitely a pyramid worthy of the climb. ;-)
(Credit Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)
November 1, 2019
Give Me That Fridge Handle
A cause for celebration!
It get's delivered and afterwards, I notice that the door handles are installed unevenly.
I call the store and they agree to send their guys out to us again to fix it.
Well, the handles were on the wrong doors and they switch it so that now they look even, but in the process, they break the handle on one of the doors so that only the top is attached to the door and the bottom is blowing in the wind (and ready to scratch the door).
With this second installation debacle, I call the store again and not a happy camper!
Three calls later, the store agrees for me to come over and literally take the handle of the fridge on the showroom floor to replace my broken one--which I promptly did!
Third times the charm...no more broken door handle.
As for the one in the store, let's just say you can only open the left door for now. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
October 31, 2019
Square Watermelons
A square watermelon.
Why do you need a square watermelon?
It was created to make transportation easier and to fit on the tight shelves of small stores in Japan.
How do you make a round/oval watermelon square?
Why of course, you put a box around it while it's still small and on the vine.
Ah, I think they broke the mold on this innovative idea. LOL
The problem is that that because they are harvested before they are ripe, they are inedible.
So the Japanese use them for decorations, and they can last about a year.
They are so unique, they cost roughly $100 for one.
Why be square, when you can be round? ;-)
(Credit Photo: Defense Acquisition University)
October 30, 2019
Healing The Spine
From the top:
Normal DiscThe spinal disc was described to me as a jelly donut between the vertebrae.
Degenerative Disc
Bulging Disc
Herniated Disc
Thinning Disc
Disc Degeneration with Osteophyte Formation
The jelly can bulge in the disc or actually herniate/rupture and spill out pressing painfully against the nerve--that's the scary red that you see!
The disc degeneration and osteophytes are also a pretty frightening looking deterioration of the disc and cartilage.
No wonder
- "31 million Americans experience low back pain at any given time...[and] back pain is the single leading cause of disability."
- And "80 percent of adults experience lower back pain at some point in their lifetimes...[and] leading contributor to missed workdays"
When we have our health, we don't always realize how incredibly fortunate we are. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
October 29, 2019
Robot Warriors Kick Human A*s
This is one incredible parody video of what robotic warriors of the future will be able to do.
The robot takes an incredible beating and never misses a shot!
They even hit him numerous times with a battering ram for Pete's sake.
Also, amazed that none of the actors in this video ended up taking a bullet or two.
Wow, the future is going to be amazing. ;-)
(Thank you to my wonderful son-in-law for sending this to me)
October 28, 2019
Card Ya
They have a digital calendar with the date from 21 years ago.
It says:
To Purchase Tobacco Products You Must Have Been Born On Or Before This Date.
Thank you for showing you I.D.
Ah, easy to match the DOB on the I.D. presented to the date on the calendar.
Nothing to calculate, no mistakes.
They raised the age for smoking (cigarettes and vaping) in Maryland to 21 on October 1, so it's the same requirement as for drinking alcohol.
Luckily for me (even though I'm over 21), I don't really do either--definitely not the smoking, and the drinking limited primarily to the Kiddush prayer on Shabbat. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
October 27, 2019
You're Driving Me Nuts
Homer is mad as h*ll and has Bart by throat!
Bart is screaming for help.
It so funny how art imitates life.
Where people drive others $%#&^*)* crazy.
And the other person just wants to wring their freakin' neck.
Yeah, this never really happens. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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