Everybody's getting into Super Bowl Sunday.
Go Team Go!
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
February 13, 2022
February 12, 2022
Overcoming The Inquisitor
Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Overcoming The Inquisitor."
While anti-Semitism and persecution for being Jews is horrible and should never happen, in a sort of obscene and ironic way, it ends up making us stronger as Jews. In short, testing our faith, ends up solidifying our faith!No one likes adversity, suffering, or persecution, and G-d only knows that we as Jews have known our deeply painful share. Yet whether from Egyptian slavery to the Inquisition, the Holocaust, and more, it’s our test as Jews to survive, and to learn and grow from it our faith in Hashem.
Yes, these things are far easier said than done, but when we face these terrible events, we must try with all our might to overcome them, heroically and faithfully.
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
February 11, 2022
Beautiful Shabbat Flowers
February 10, 2022
Oriental Glass Sculpture
February 9, 2022
Red Fish Blue Fish
February 8, 2022
Don't Be Chicken
February 7, 2022
Farmer Folk
February 5, 2022
Synagogue Politics
Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Synagogue Politics."
Clearly, the mobile sanctuary and later the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and now our synagogues are “Houses of G-d,” where we go to pray, learn Torah, and worship Him, and where He resides among us. Sure, G-d is everywhere, but the synagogue/Temple is a unique, special, and spiritual place where we as community dedicate ourselves to G-d and worship Him. It should go without saying that the synagogue is not a place for petty politics, protests, or other antics.
As Jews, we are supposed to make a “Kiddush Hashem” (sanctification of G-d’s name) and not Chillul Hashem (desecration of G-d), and so my hope and prayer is that people in this synagogue and in every synagogue, can “let go” and instead “let G-d.”
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal, Image for Illustration Only)
February 4, 2022
Stop The Excuses
As they say, "adapt or die."
Of course, you can change when you stop:
- Procrastinating
- Being lazy
- Accepting the status quo
- Making excuses
Take control of your life: change yourself before life bites back at you (and maybe hard).
We've got to slay our own demons not only outside, but inside. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
February 3, 2022
"Whoopee" Goldberg Is Full Of It
Goldberg had the stupidity and audacity to bellow that the Holocaust was "not about race," after Hitler systematically murdered six million Jewish men, woman, and children just because they were Jews, which he believed was an inferior race to the Aryan nation.
"Hitler promoted a racial ideology that identified Whites (he called 'Aryans') as superior and everyone else as inferior. Since Jews in Europe were considered White he classified them as a different race – a race of people that he said was not only inferior but 'dangerous' and needed to be destroyed." - Museum of Tolerance
Instead of Goldberg being completely ashamed of herself for her racist, anti-Semitic remarks desecrating the memories of millions of innocent people genocidally murdered, the narcissistic Goldberg is angry that she got suspended for a measly two weeks.
Whoopi Goldberg is a disgrace and has-been, and should not only be wholly condemned, but fired and put into the trash-bin of Hollywood history! ;-)
(Credit Photo: Adapted by Andy Blumenthal from Sandra Fauconnier via Flickr)
February 2, 2022
Royal Tibetan Teapot
February 1, 2022
Drain The Swamp
January 31, 2022
Nike Polka Dots
January 30, 2022
People of Ukraine
It hit me today — with all the news about Russia preparing to invade Ukraine and devastate its people, unprovoked, there is nobody talking about the people of Ukraine.
Our leaders and news media are so misguided and focused on the geopolitics of the thing, all they talk about is what the U.S. and EU will do in terms of some measly sanctions.
But they have completely forgotten the innocent people there — 44 million of them — who face death and occupation.
Where is our leadership????
Where are the speeches about the innocent people? About freedom? About democracy? About human rights?
Where is the United Nations????
They are supposed to safeguard and maintain peace and security around the globe.
Where are the outspoken liberals who call out occupation, apartheid, and human rights abuses????
Not a word from anyone.
It’s incredible how prejudiced, biased, discriminatory and corrupt all these people can be. They can be brainwashed, bribed, and bought to speak out for those when it will somehow fit their agenda or benefit them!
But when the Russian or Chinese powerful aggressors are at the doorstep of Ukraine or Hong Kong/Taiwan — where is anybody to speak out?
Last night, I imagined the people of Ukraine sitting in fear, in worry about what will happen to them, their families, their homes.
Do the world leaders care anything about the lives of real people — men, women, and children — or only about how any conflict makes them look, and how they are polling, and the next election?
Morality and conscience — is it on life support or dead in this narcissist world of the powerful and elite. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
January 29, 2022
Goading The Bull In Ukraine
We need decisiveness, determination, not whining…no agreement will stop them. If you want to shoot, shoot, don’t talk.
These days, there is a similar situation with Russia and the U.S.’s threats over Ukraine: too much senseless political bantering and ultimatums that is only ratcheting up tension in the world. The result is that Russia’s ominous military machine including 100,000 troops have surrounded Ukraine (the 2nd largest country in Europe) on three sides and are poised to attack, yet there is a ridiculous song and dance being played out on the world stage In the end, the question is whose strategy will prove to be the winning one: Russia’s daunting finger on the trigger or even an actual devastating invasion of resource-rich Ukraine to try and safeguard their flank on Eastern Europe or the U.S. gambling that Russia will get mired in a no-win Afghan-like military foray that will bankrupt them financially and morally. As we await the answer to this, the world is learning to disregard and disrespect those that talk bull and goad the bull rather than decisively confronting the threat. We can’t afford the consequences to world peace and stability.
(Source Photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/trimmers-torero-bullfighters-sales-2314770/)
January 28, 2022
January 27, 2022
Fashion Hot and Cold
January 26, 2022
Mini Noah's Ark
January 25, 2022
iPhone Generation
Friends are all sitting on the boat together.
One is even getting married, a bride-to-be.
Sky is clear and water is blue.
Yet not one person is looking up from their screen.
Apparently the virtual world is so much more intriguing.
Soon everyone will be lost in the Metaverse.
The real world left to become a cesspool that perhaps no one cares much about anymore.
Is this really what we call progress?
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
January 24, 2022
Artist Expression x5
January 23, 2022
Not Terror But Hugs
While standing up for the Torah to be brought back to the ark, a little boy comes up to me and just gives me a big hug. I learned afterwards that the boy “makes the rounds” in shul giving everyone a beautiful Shabbat embrace. This simple symbolic act of caring and loving others, mainly many older people in synagogue, by this innocent child gave people an uncommon sense of happiness and even hope in our future despite the anti-Semitism and hate of too many others outside.The love of G-d is our secret for life and for our perseverance throughout history. G-d loves us as His children, but also punishes us as His children. As children, we are always learning and growing, but as adults we have to act in a way of righteousness and holiness, so that we will merit the former, and not the latter. With G-d's mercy and blessings, hopefully, we will have peace in our synagogues and our lives, wherever we reside in the world, to worship and live as Jewish people free of bigotry, hate, and terror, once and for all.
January 21, 2022
January 20, 2022
Cut Off The Legs And Call Him Shorty
It comes after:
"Shave off my hair and call me baldy."
They don't make them like they used to. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
January 19, 2022
Models on The Shelf
You can pick the cards with the models you are interested in.
Seems a little obsolete in the time of the Internet when it could all be online.
Also, seems more than a little degrading to line them up on a shelf like any commodity in a store.
People are not things for peddling (or Human Trafficking!), and this seems like it sends the wrong message especially about women.
At least if you threw in some male models here too, it wouldn't come across so grossly misogynistic. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
January 18, 2022
Stylish Bowl
January 17, 2022
Fossil Fish
January 16, 2022
A Trust Beyond Faith
When we have faith in G-d, it generally means that we believe that He created us and that He is the Master of the Universe. However, faith does not necessarily imply trust. Trust in G-d means that we believe that He not only created us, but that He sustains us and that there is Divine Providence in this world. When we trust in G-d, we believe that G-d is close to us and has a personal relationship with each and every one of us, and actually to everything in the world.We all need to leave our egos at the door! No matter how strong or smart that we think we are, even the little grass above us (or above our graves) is greater than us. Certainly, G-d Almighty who is our creator and our sustainer, all-knowing and all-powerful, He is over us and watches over us in better times as well as those that are perhaps more challenging, but always we trust, for the good!
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
January 14, 2022
All American Eisenhower EOB
January 13, 2022
Sunflower and Heart Day
January 12, 2022
Lego Peace Love VW Van
January 11, 2022
Happy Place Sweat Jacket
January 10, 2022
Fabric Fabric Everywhere
Red, and pink, and blue, and green, and white, and black, and...
I'm outa breath.
Can you imagine having to make these on a loom like in the olden days?
Ah, not fun for sure.
Maybe that's why some people "go commando."
Better to just kill a bear or something! ;-)
(Credit Photo: Dannielle Blumenthal)
January 8, 2022
Discerning The Truth Amid Iran’s Lies
While people can easily utter falsehoods, like Iran saying that their nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only, the documents and computer drives that Israel captured in 2016 when they courageously raided Iran’s nuclear archive shows that Iran has been pursuing a dangerous nuclear weapons program for decades.The Jewish people learned from 2,000 years in exile and persecution ending in the Holocaust that killed six million Jews that we must take verbal threats of annihilation supported by facts on the ground against us most seriously. As children of the Holocaust survivors, we must be true to our words of “Never again” and act with courage and determination to confront the enemy covertly and if necessary, with overt action to stop their genocidal pursuit from ever getting off the ground.
The world has tried to contain Iran for decades: From monitoring Iran’s nuclear activities through the IAEA, to sanctions and covert actions to deter and set back Iran’s pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, and the JCPOA deal to try to contain Iran’s march to nuclear weapons. Unfortunately, nothing has worked, and Iran is intent on getting the bomb.
Moreover, while the costs of a preemptive attack on Iran could be great, the doctrine from former Prime Minister, Menachem Begin that Israel cannot and will not allow countries that threaten Israel’s existence to get the means to carry it out is as true today as in 1981 when Israel took out Iraq’s nuclear reactor in Osirak.
(Credit Photo: via https://www.flickr.com/photos/aeneastudio/3657735814 by aeneastudio and adapted by Andy Blumenthal)
January 7, 2022
January 6, 2022
Tacky Bird in Window
The shade has an amazing blue bird on it.
Whether the shade is up or down, you maintain a view to the outside world and nature.
This may actually be good in a bunker to ease the minds of those confined and cooped up.
Bird fly, fly away to a place of peace and a time of serenity. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
January 5, 2022
Anyone Missing A Leg?
January 4, 2022
Meat and Potatoes Guy
January 3, 2022
Beautiful Amethyst Crystal
January 2, 2022
U.S. Misses The Boat on Hypersonic Missiles
But the U.S. spends more than the next top 11 countries combined on defense.
Yet, we have failed miserably at the next BIG thing in defense: hypersonic weapons!
Both China and Russia have hypersonic weapons ready to use on us.
China even claims they can use they can use their hypersonic missiles with heat seeking technology to destroy our most advanced fighter aircraft the F-35 and F-22.
Yet as recently as November, the 3rd of the U.S. Air Force's hypersonic missile tests failed!
Now at best, the U.S. Navy is hoping to be able to perhaps deploy hypersonic weapons by 2025-2028.
In the meantime, the U.S. is vulnerable to its adversaries at a time when Russia and China are rearing their militaries for confrontations in Ukraine and Taiwan, respectively.
And that could be only the beginning, if we don't get our military R&D together and fast.
How could this happen with all the money we spend on defense?
Eyes wide shut like Pearl Harbor and 9/11 all over again! ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
January 1, 2022
A 2022 New Year of Eggs
Congratulations!
But I wouldn't call it "eggcellent," because there is a lot of world instability and fear looming on the horizon.
Are we looking at competition, conflict, and even possible areas of collapse or a much rosier outcome in the order of things?
- From Russia to China and Iran to North Korea.
- From Al-Qaeda to ISIS and Hamas to Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad
- From WMD to Cyber 9/11 and EMPs to Hypersonic ICBMs
- From Covid to the Economy and Inflation to National Insolvency
Like a bunch of eggs.
Will it be a year of Broken, Scrambled and Mashed or Sunny Side Up and Eggs Over Easy?
Either way, we had better hope and pray that we don't get fried and burned. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
December 31, 2021
The Power of Giving to Overcome Abuse
We can't outsmart G-d, and we can't take what isn't rightfully ours. In effect, the charity we must give, already belongs to G-d, and we can't keep it or invest it, because at the end of the day, G-d will have what is His. And with this realization, lying back down in bed, I sung the words from Proverbs many times to myself and smiled, thanking G-d for my children who teach their parents and for G-d enabling me to learn new lessons for my soul and how the blessings from G-d are ultimately realized.In short, while sexual molesters (i.e. monsters) steal from the bodies of their victims and inflicts devastating harm to them physically, mentally, and emotionally, in stark contract are those who give charitably to others, giving of themselves in order to make others that are in need whole again in body, mind, and soul.
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
December 30, 2021
Love Mushrooms
December 29, 2021
Oriental Flair
December 28, 2021
Lipstick On A Chair
December 27, 2021
That's Spicy
December 26, 2021
Most Popular Grocery Item
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