Even Dogs Wear Masks

Even Sophie the dog wears a mask against Coronavirus.

- If giver doesn't wear mask and receiver does - 70% chance of transmission

- If giver wears mask and receiver doesn't - 5% chance of transmission

- If giver wears mask and receiver wears mask - 1.5% chance of transmission

That's doggie good statistics to avoid the Coronavirus plague.

People can learn just like dogs.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Even Dogs Wear Masks

My Blue Thumb

Oops! I goofed watering the plants this week. 

I got a new spray bottle from Home Depot and I put the Fantastic cleaner it in. 

Thinking about the new bottle, I accidentally picked it up to water the plants. 

I sprayed the cactus and immediately realized what I had done!

Oh sh*t! I just poisoned my cactus. So quickly, I poured water in to try to dilute it. 

I thought to myself how the plant would react and I imagined how a person would react if they drank Fantastic. 

Sure enough within a couple of days the cactus was reeling. 

But I think a person could probably recover if it wasn't too much, so I'm hoping the cactus will too. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

My Blue Thumb

Wow, Good Enough To Eat

Wow, the chocolate and poppy pastry rolls look pretty awesome. 

Salivating to take a serious bite. 

But don't advise for that before taking a drug test.

I heard the poppy seeds may give a false positive.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Wow, Good Enough To Eat

Bucket List

So this week, I managed to check off 1 item from my bucket list. 

I replaced an almost 16-year old 4Runner with a new car that I had been eyeing for some time. 

I never thought I would actually get the new car, but I am so very grateful to Hashem!

My father used to say:

It's just something to get you from here to there!

And he was right, but it was still nice to replace the old clunker.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Bucket List

Short Man Tall Man, What Do You Say

This was a comical picture.

Almost like from Dr. Seuss.

Short man and tall man.

Actually a whole step taller.

Guy on the left, little stubby legs.

One on the right, long long legs.

When you're on a ladder, I guess it doesn't matter.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Short Man Tall Man, What Do You Say

PTSD Gets Around

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, "PTSD Gets Around."

The Jewish people are a nation recovering from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), where memories of trauma flood our national psyche and can trigger emotional (and even physical) symptoms. Whether fear of the next “evil decree” against the Jews, to another pogrom of crazed rapists and killers rampaging through a Jewish town, or even of genocide itself, the Jewish people have known plenty of deep-seated persecution and have to deal with the accompanying fear and anxiety of being the quintessential “strangers in a strange land,” almost everywhere in the world and over a very long period of history.

PTSD is very real not only for our suffering veterans, and for individual people that have been sexually abused or experienced physical violence, but it can also be a national psychiatric disorder based on collective trauma that affects our mood, anxiety levels, and behavioral reactions to events. Suffering from exile, persecution, and helplessness from thousands of years does not go away in a generation or even a century. It is a long road for our national recovery where we can learn to once again live healthy and productive lives absent from the fear and anxiety of another bad Tisha B’Av.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

PTSD Gets Around

Homemade Self-Defense

With efforts by the radical alt-left progressives to defund and dismantle police...

This is what the future for protection of innocents in this country looks like?

If you take away legitimate police and their efforts to protect citizens then this will force people to buy, build, and use even more weapons in their own self-defense.

Anarchy, chaos, lawlessness, and the wild west will be sure to take over as the new normal. 

We don't need more out of control gunslingers, gangs, and vigilantism battling for our streets. 

Reform the police, protect the innocent people, and put the bad guys away. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Homemade Self-Defense

Missing Florida Vacations

So many months into Covid now, and probably so many more to go unfortunately.

Just missing getting out and down to Florida for a little vacation.

The palm trees.  The sun.  The beach.  A little fun. 

This isn't forever, right?

Hopefully, let's pray, Covid will be over and we can live again in freedom and without fear of contagion every moment of every day, day, day.  ;-)

(Credit Photo of artwork: Andy Blumenthal)

Missing Florida Vacations

Don't Lose Your Head

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, "Don't Lose Your Head."

Woman are notorious in the Bible for taking men’s heads—and I mean taking them!

The great news is that women are awesome fighters, the bad news is that your head is a very valuable thing to lose.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Don't Lose Your Head

Looking at you, Looking at me

Interesting bird sitting on a pole under the shade of the tree.

What are you doing? 

I'm looking at you, looking at me, looking at you!  

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Looking at you, Looking at me

Awesome Elbit!

Love this Israeli defense company, Elbit Systems! 

They are Israel's largest defense company with brilliant defense, homeland security, and national security solutions. 

Proven on the battlefield on land, sea, air, and space. 

From the advanced F-35 Joint Strike Fighter helmet mounted display to the Iron Fist active protection system to drones, lasers, C4ISR, cyber, electronic warfare, electro-optics, countermeasures, combat vehicle systems, and artillery, mortar, munitions and more. 

Elbit offer high-tech solutions that uniquely combine brain with brawn!  

Defending the Holy Land and other countries around the globe. 

In the fight of good over evil, I'm proud that Elbit is one of the good guys! ;-)

Awesome Elbit!

IMHO Warning: Stock Market MAJOR Correction Imminent

I went to the mall today.

This is a few weeks into reopening phase 2!

I expected people would have pent up demand and be swarming the stores even while keeping their social distance.

They weren't at the mall! 

The stores were nearly void of people.

The shelves were virtually empty of goods.

Whatever merchandise there was seemed to marked "sale, sale, sale" even on the already deeply-discounted clearance items.

It was completely frightening--like the economy is dead or on severe life support!

Most stores had 3 or more associates standing around or sitting twiddling their thumbs.

This while the stock market keeps ticking up and the NASDAQ is reaching new highs almost daily.

Coronavirus is surging again across much of the U.S. and there is almost 140,000 dead in the U.S. after just 5 months even though much of the population was in self-quarantine.

The economy looks to me in sh*t shape, despite the U.S. pumping $3 trillion dollars more of debt to artificially prop up the economy and the fed lending out money at super low rates.

It makes NO sense for the market to be hitting all time highs as if everything is all roses when the economy is still a true mess!

The New Yorker magazine wrote back in May of a post coronavirus "decade of depression" with an L shaped recovery, yet we keep seeing a V-shaped one and no one seems to be able to offer any plausible explanation for it.

Two-months ago, even before the recent stock run-up to higher levels, Business Insider reported that "the Stock Market is trading at its highest valuation in 18-years."

Last month, Forbes reported that "the stock market appears to be reaching unsustainable highs."

Yesterday again, Bloomberg reported that the "economic recovery is faltering."

Almost daily, I read that companies are laying off their workers (in Travel, Transportation, Entertainment, Retail, Energy, etc.) or declaring bankruptcy (e.g. Hertz, JC Penny, Neiman Marcus, Chesapeake Energy, and more).

This while we are still, in the best case scenario, maybe half a year away from the possibility of a tested, approved vaccine. And then it will still need to be mass produced and mass distributed to hundreds of millions of people in this country and billions globally.

In the meantime, we certainly could be up for a second wave of Coronavirus on top of the flu in the fall/winter. And then the Coronavirus may mutate and become more virulent requiring annual vaccines like the flu shot--more hit or miss.

All this while U.S.-China trade war is imperiling our economy further, and arch-enemies Iran and North Korea remain national security threats.

To me this all points to that we are nowhere near out of the woods and perhaps that there is a wildfire raging and no one seems to be paying any attention!

The stock market euphoria is a common trap and is the definition of "irrational exuberance" but comes after investors have been robotically indoctrinated to buy the dips!

IMHO, buyer beware, beware, beware. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

IMHO Warning: Stock Market MAJOR Correction Imminent

Super Cufflinks

If you've got to wear cufflinks then they might as well be Superman Cufflinks!

These will definitely make you feel special. 

Maybe like a quasi Superhero. 

Some may think you're a little arrogant and all that. 

But maybe you just are hoping to be super at whatever you do. 

It's good to have an imagination and aspiration, and maybe a little sense of humor and fun. 

As long as you don't let it go to your head or to your pompous a**. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumetnhal)

Super Cufflinks

Yesterday a Dog, Today a Cat!

Shabbat Shalom from Ms. Cat. 

It only takes a day to change from a dog to cat. 

Downs and ups of life. 

Shabbat is the up, thank G-d!  ;-)

(Credit Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)

Yesterday a Dog, Today a Cat!

Man's Best Friend

What a cute little dog. 

Little fur ball. 

Ready to play. 

Love for the family. 

A companion and friend. 

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Man's Best Friend

Controversy, Yet Agreement

In these great times of strife and controversy in this country...

One thing that we can probably all agree on:

Make Falafel Not War

Words to live by.

And to eat by.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Controversy, Yet Agreement

The Purge

Thought this was an interesting sign someone had in their office. 

PURGE the things that no longer bring PURPOSE!

Yikes! I wonder who or what got purged from this person's life recently. 

Yet, perhaps it is a good lesson against hoarding and just accumulating junk (things and certain people) along the way of life. 

When things have a deeply negative impact on your life (or they're just dead weight), perhaps it is time to consider letting go.

I'm not talking about relationships of commitment (e.g. family), which have a stronger and timeless bond in my mind, but of those that earn their right into your life by virtue of being ongoing positive, productive forces. 

There is no blessing in gluttony or hoarding--stay trim and fit, travel light and with what is truly meaningful and necessary. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Purge

We Are Family!

I like this definition of family:

Family means NOBODY gets left behind. 

We take care of each other.

No matter what.

My father used to say:

Blood is thicker than water. 

It's not just from the battlefield that we make sure to bring everyone home.

Home is where the heart is.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

We Are Family!

Targeting Israel: A Distraction From Real Threats

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, "Targeting Israel: A Distraction From Real Threats."

While the world unfortunately focuses again on Israel (a state the size of New Jersey), they continue to unfortunately be asleep at the wheel when Russia invaded Crimea and annexed it from a sovereign country of Ukraine in 2014, and again now in 2020 as China is taking critical steps that restrict freedom and human rights in Hong Kong.

The question is why we are constantly being diverted to blame and attack Israel and to not look at the real threats to world peace? Yet again, it’s another modern-day blood libel! While the superpowers play Risk with the world order, we should not be fooled by others trying to tell Israel what to do. Nothing should stop Israel from annexing the 30% of the West Bank under the Middle East Peace Plan that is vital to their lasting peace and security. Today is July 4th and the U.S. and Israel stand united in their commitment to that future.

(Credit Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)

Targeting Israel: A Distraction From Real Threats

@Calvert Cliff State Park

(Credit Photos: Andy Blumenthal)

@Calvert Cliff State Park

Forgot To Bring Blood

So I go for some blood work today.

Lady pokes my arm, and nothing comes out. 

She moves the point of the needle around and around-- still no blood. 

She says: "Hey, it's your fault!"

I say: 

You're right, no one told me that I was supposed to bring blood with me today. 

She looks up and says, "Okay let's try the other arm!"

Then she spanks the arm...and I blurt out laughing, "hey do that again!"

Then poke, poke, and the blood easily fills a half dozen tubes.

She's said, "You see that worked!"

I said:

I only brought blood in my right arm today!

If I could read her mind: "Ok, get the F*** out of the office."

But she was nice and actually says, "You can get your results in about 3 days."  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Forgot To Bring Blood

When All The World Is Going Crazy

When all the world is going c-r-a-z-y...

The best thing you can do is stay CALM. 

- Calm is where good energy enters and bad doesn't.

- Calm is where rational thinking gets done. 

- Calm is where positive action happens.

- Calm is where our inner faith is sustained. 

- Calm is where we can inspire and lead ourselves and others to do good. 

Calm is where we all yearn to be. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

When All The World Is Going Crazy

Tunnel of Luggage

Tunnel of love?

No, tunnel of luggage. 

Nothing comes out the same on the other side. 

This is called bumps and bruises. 

Still it's a long way to paradise. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Tunnel of Luggage

Too Much Violence

There is too much violence in the world.

Physical violence.

Verbal violence.

Emotional violence.

When there aren't body sores.

There are emotional and mental ones.

So much suffering.

The silent masses.

Their doors close.

But behind them.

And outside.

In the chaos of the streets and on the subways.

You can see it in the eyes.

And hear it in their voices.

Maybe they are black and blue.

The people are troubled.

The world is insane.

The children are especially innocent.

The weak at the hands of the strong.

Anarchy reigns where G-dliness is absent.

Why? Why? Why?

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Too Much Violence

The Only Fixer

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, "The Only Fixer."

I’m reading the famous book, The Fixer by Bernard Malamud. It’s about the horrible pogroms in Russia and the blood libels where the Jews would be ridiculously accused of sorcery and witchcraft, and the killing of Christian children for their blood to put in Passover matzah!

In short, hate and hurt can’t be excused because you can. Wielding power gives you authority, but also the extra responsibility. There is such a thing as acting justly. And then there isn’t. Usually, when someone is acting justly, they can explain themselves in a balanced, calm, and rationale way. It makes sense! When they are doing wrong, it’s usually extreme, abrupt, and ultimately inexplicable and therefore can’t be articulated. Hence, that’s the way it is, Fixer. Who is The Fixer? Again, I don’t care!

(Credit Photo: Minna Blumenthal)

The Only Fixer

Recliner Stuck

So yesterday, there was a huge pouring thunderstorm and lightening.

After a bolt or two that must have hit our power line, ALL the power went out.

That was not fun when sitting in an La-Z-Boy electric recliner chair.

Where the f*** is the safety release on this thing when there is no power?  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Recliner Stuck

Grass Not Always Greener

Sometimes the grass isn't (always) greener. 

Instead the grass grows in beautiful multi-colors. 

The grass art in this garden looks a lot better than the grass itself. 

The only real green is money and envy!

When comparing your lot with others, make sure you're comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges. 

Even then you'll never know the person's real "package" (or basket) in life. 

Be sure that everyone has their share of good and bad, so never be jealous of anyone. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Grass Not Always Greener

Copper Pots, Pans, and Bowls

Really liked this set of matching copper pots, pans, and bowls. 

Lighter than cast iron and conducts heat 5x better.

They look good and if coated with a non-stick substance are very functional. 

Not just as a wall hanging but on the stove. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Copper Pots, Pans, and Bowls

Merry-Go-Round and Round

Merry-go-round and round. 

Bobbing up and down, up and down.

Faster and faster and slower and slower.

Animal figures, colorful props, mirrors that reflect it all up.

Children smiling, children happy, what can be more satisfactory. ;-)

(Credit Video: Andy Blumenthal)

Merry-Go-Round and Round

Never Any Rest In Life

First day in 15 weeks! that we went to a real store yesterday.

Dick's Sporting Goods was open, but still not much else.

It was refreshing to look around again.

Nearly all the bicycles were cleaned out with people forced to do their own exercise routines these days.

People walking around mostly like they were on Mars.

Had some restaurants with just their patios open and people are sitting outside in the good weather.

Also, some eateries open for takeout.

Best part is still nature, and all the closures have brought us back to it.

This turtle was tanning in the warm sun on the rocks and swatting the snake away with its rear foot.

Sort of funny that even a turtle can never get any rest in life. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Never Any Rest In Life

No Matter How Much You Prepare

So we just finished watching Season Six of Alone (and have now started Season Seven).

Highly trained professionals (military and otherwise) with ALL the skills, experience, and confidence setting out to survive in the arctic, alone.

Each one thinks they can make it and outlast the others.

And watching these folks, you think to yourself, wow, these people can fish, hunt, build shelters, survive off of the land, and know how to survive.

Yet, usually well before 100 days, (virtually) all the contestants are out:

No matter how well prepared they are, life happens!

- They get hugely sick, often from the gross food they are eating.

-They fall down and hurt or break something.

- They cut or stab themselves.

- They lose one or more of their essential survival tools.

- They inadvertently burn down their own shelters.

- Animals steal their food or attack them.

- They starve and their bodies start to break down critical fat stores in their heart or other vital organs.

- They start to lose their minds from the lack of nutrition and mind-numbing loneliness.

It seems like no matter how well trained and prepared they are, they can't outrun, outwit, out-survive what life eventually throws at them.

Even the last person "standing" is still usually more dead than alive.

Anything other than self-control is ultimately an illusion.

Remember, life happens, and eventually everyone needs help from someone.

No man is an island even if you are living on one. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

No Matter How Much You Prepare

When We Were Kids

My big sister and I.

Many moons ago.

Television with rabbit ears in the background.

That's when we all we had were 4 stations ABC, CBS, NBC, and PBS.

We called it the "Zombie Box" because you could just stay glued to it for hours and tune the world out mesmerized at the moving pictures.

Everyone knew what was on every station, every hour of the day and still there was a TV Guide published weekly to check.

When the TV went fuzzy, you had to give it a clop on the side and magically the picture cleared up for a few minutes if you were lucky.

Those were the days. ;-)

(Thank you to my sister, Roz, for refreshing a copy of this to me)

When We Were Kids

A Smooth Jazz Shabbat Shalom!

A Smooth Jazz Shabbat Shalom to all!

A little song.

A little dance. 

We're back in the groove. 

Thank G-d for Friday, because then comes Shabbat! ;-)

(Credit Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)

A Smooth Jazz Shabbat Shalom!

Freedom But Disparity

America is a great country.

The freedom, rights, and opportunities we have is exceptional and enviable in the world and history.

But the disparity between rich and poor, majorities and minorities is grotesque.

On one side of the street are the mansions, and on the other are the slums.

One on side of the train station are those going off to work, and on the other side are the homeless lying in the gutter.

On one side of the scale are people fat with money and power, and on the other side are people hungry and decaying.

Wealth is overflowing for those that are the fortunate, but also corruption runs systematically deep.

This isn't an issue of political party, but one of the righteousness of men's hearts.

G-d watches and man disappoints, but the the future is still wide open.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Freedom But Disparity

Frog Ready To Spring

Cool photo of this frog in motion and ready to spring.

You can really see his leg muscles in action.

It's amazing all the different and wonderful creatures that Hashem has created.

Thank you G-d for this amazing world you have created for us.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Frog Ready To Spring

Just One Punch

This figurine is pretty funny to me.

It reminds of a childhood friend who was a fighter type.

Whenever somebody got on his nerves, he would bellow out in his machismo way:

I kill your whole family with one punch!

Honestly, it wasn't all that scary a threat even as it echoed.

But it was comical when everyone else would mimic the saying at the slightest annoyance.

Kids are people too, wakadoo wakadoo!  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Just One Punch

C Stands For Couch

What a cool design for a recreational space.

C stands for Couch.

And a big red one one it is.

Some blue chairs on the periphery.

And a little dot coffee table in the center.

The fake greenery on the wall is kludgy, but we know what they were trying to say.

Overall, a nice welcoming space.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

C Stands For Couch

Never Too Young To Train

This was cute!

The little boy holding his mom's hand and running around the track.

While many kids would cry and resist the exercise, this kid actually ran after his mom to go with her.

It was nice to see!

Never too young to train!

This is how excellence is born. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Never Too Young To Train

Defunding The Police Is STUPID!

So the progressive, alt-left have gone off the rails again with more nutty radical proposals. 

This time to defund or dismantle the police!

While I am completely against corruption, racism, and police brutality, it is a BIG and STUPID mistake to hyper-generalize from some bad actors to the overwhelming number of good people that serve in law enforcement, who put their lives on the line to protect us everyday. 

As with the health workers that protect us from Coronavirus and other horrible illnesses, so too with our police, we should be grateful for their protection and that they ensure some semblance of law and order and security in our society!

Yes the bad apples should be weeded out and punished, absolutely!

Also, after the latest incident with George Floyd, certainly reform is needed in terms of training and additional protections for the public. 

But going alt-left crazy with proposals to defund and disband the police is completely over-the-top, irresponsible and destructive. 

Hopefully, all the "normal" people out there will see the progressive folly for what it is and support the police in doing their critical mission, while also holding them accountable to do it with the integrity that they must.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Defunding The Police Is STUPID!

I'm Still Alive!

600 Holocaust Survivors and their descendants sing "Chai" (Life) by Ofra Haza.

Hope is not yet lost.

I live. I live. I live. 

I cried my eyes out watching this. 

The Jewish people not only survived the Holocaust as most of the world sat by and watched the genocide of six million men, women, and children with a soulless indifference, but G-d has kept his promise and restored the Jewish people and returned them to the Holy Land and made it flourish again!

(Thank you to my sister, Roz, for sharing this with me)

I'm Still Alive!

Her Bike, His Tires

I really like the look of this simple bike. 

The pink frame for her. 

The blue tires for him.

This bike is unisex and a standout!

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Her Bike, His Tires

Girl With Rose

Beautiful art from a few years ago by my daughter, Rebecca. 

Peace, happiness, and life.  ;-)

(Credit Art: Rebecca Ochayon)

Girl With Rose