Monday, December 29. 2008
 Sent an email to our occasional guest poster Nathan in Jerusalem with the Sultan Knish review of Defiance. His reply:
good review. will see movie. great review of it by adam gopnik in the New Yorker. And Daniel Craig! How cool can that be? We are at the edge of war here; my neighborhood blocked off last eve bec of rock throwing; missiles reaching ashkeolon (one killed - an arab). I will write more, but it's a bit eery, as I continue to go about my work and life.
N Update: Israeli ground troops and tanks enter Gaza.
Sunday, December 28. 2008
ABC Carpet in NYC has a major antique rug sale going on. It's fun to flip through the examples they put on their site. Real antique oriental rugs are made with vegetable dyes and not modern dyes which weaken the wool fibers. Few man-made things are more lovely, and you hate to put them in places where people will step on them with shoes because they can easily last a few more hundred years if treated properly. (Thanks for corrections of my errors of fact, Commenters. I should never say anything about something I only know a little bit about...but if I stuck with that rule, I would never say a thing. The word "dilettante" has two connotations.) On the left is an antique Turkish Konye; on the right is an antique Iranian Bakhtiari.  
 Resist the urge to trash your husbands.
Global warming is caused by computers. Amazon's best year ever Computer ownership, by country. I don't see China on the list. Africa needs God "On the sick" in Britain. It pays to be fat or an addict in the UK. Cool, dude. How would this story be reported if it had been the other way around? Now they can say it: Bush has advanced health care Fashionable scientific illiteracy Hooking up update If not appointed, I won't run Can you give Wikipedia a hand? A wonderful site, but it doesn't make $. Like Maggie's. Teddy Roosevelt, Socialist? The top political scandals of 2008. AVI A Pomo Christmas Story: S,C&A Taliban fighting for freedom Sarah was a member of the wrong party: Palin vs. Caroline. Also, More on Palin Bad, kennedy Good. Also, she doesn't sound too bright or aware. I know plenty of heavyweight folks who need an easy job more than she does. Indeed, all reporting these days is partisan-motivated. See Barak's fancy vacation in Hawaii.  Michelle:
Fit Republican president = Selfish, indulgent, creepy fascist. Fit Democratic president = Disciplined, health-conscious Adonis role model.
J Post: Since the cease-fire went into effect in Gaza in June, Hamas used the lull in action to fortify its military posts in the Gaza Strip and to dig tunnel systems as well as underground bunkers for its forces. IDF estimates put the length of the tunnels at over 50 kilometers.
Related, from VDH: Certain deranged reactions are now anticlimactic—a local water main bursts and so we blame Bush for diverting resources away from infrastructure; an arctic freeze or a summer tornado alike evokes Bush and his wayward attitude toward global warming. In the same vein, Hamas blankets Israel for days with rockets and the Europeans are silent until Israel responds with force—only to be blamed for inordinate aggression—the subtext being both that the militarily capable party is to be condemned for being,well, too militarily capable, and that those who can field and deploy terrorists, or aid those who will, against Western targets are deserving of some sort of exemption.
Related: Hamas got what it wanted. No doubt. Does public spending stimulate? Why banks are a special case. Megan. I agree with that. Samuel Huntington, RIP: Huntington, who graduated from Yale College at age 18 and who was teaching at Harvard by age 23, was best known for his views on the clash of civilizations. He argued that in a post-Cold War world, violent conflict would come not from ideological friction between nation states, but from cultural and religious differences among the world's major civilizations. Huntington, who was the Albert J. Weatherhead III University Professor at Harvard, identified these major civilizations as Western (including the United States and Europe), Latin American, Islamic, African, Orthodox (with Russia as a core state), Hindu, Japanese, and "Sinic" (including China, Korea, and Vietnam). "My argument remains," he said in a 2007 interview with Islamica Magazine, "that cultural identities, antagonisms and affiliations will not only play a role, but play a major role in relations between states."
Saturday, December 27. 2008
Our thanks to Gene Expressions for finding the way cool Strange Maps. Two samples: Jeopardy watchers: 
The 2008 Pres election, by county: 
From Bruce Kesler: In light of the self-righteous pomposity with which some make a bad joke of their religiosity, here’s a clip of a popular Chanukah song that shares the fun of religion:
Sling shot shooter. Like any great shooter, he doesn't know how he does it. Rufus Hussey (h/t, Theo)
 Blow, blow, thou winter wind,
Thou art not so unkind
As man's ingratitude;
Thy tooth is not so keen
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.
Heigh-ho! sing heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then, heigh-ho! the holly!
This life is most jolly.
Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,
Thou dost not bite so nigh
As benefits forgot:
Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp
As friend remember'd not.
Heigh-ho! sing heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then, heigh-ho! the holly!
This life is most jolly.
This song is from As You Like It
A Compendium of Beautiful Libraries. This one is the Biblioteca Geral University of Coimbra, Portugal (h/t, Samiz): 
Friday, December 26. 2008
 Matthew 5:13
Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. This scripture is put into context by Sipp, (with Ginger Ale which, in my opinion, is almost as good as Ginger Beer. And the mere mention of Ginger Beer puts me in the mood for a Dark 'n Stormy.)
From Bruce Kesler: In light of how the language of Jews has entered common usage in America: During the first day of Hanukkah, two elderly Jewish men were sitting in a wonderful deli frequented almost exclusively by Jews in New York City. They were talking amongst themselves in Yiddish - the colorful language of Jews who came over from Eastern Europe
A Chinese waiter, only one year in New York, came up and in fluent impeccable Yiddish asked them if everything was okay and if they were enjoying the holiday.
The Jewish men were dumbfounded. “Where did he ever learn such perfect Yiddish?” they both thought. After they paid the bill they asked the restaurant manager, an old friend of theirs, “Where did our waiter learn such fabulous Yiddish?”
The manager looked around and leaned in so no one else will hear and said... “Shhhh. He thinks we're teaching him English.”  When in Israel, I told a variation of this joke to my host. He, then, invited me to meet him for lunch the next day at the members’ club of the Tel Aviv diamond exchange. The maitre d’ was a 6-foot tall Chinese man, who spoke in Hebrew, he being the husband of a Jewish woman diamond merchant who’d met him at the Hong Kong diamond exchange. Israel, like the US, is a population drawn from around the world, initially speaking a polyglot of languages, but adopting a common language and culture.
My hardworking Yiddish speaking immigrant grandparents owned a tailor store in downtown Brooklyn. Their presser for several decades was a Black man who spoke Yiddish to the customers. When I was a small child, he always had time for me. I learned as much Yiddish from him as from my grandparents. Famous books by Leo Rosten, The Joys of Yiddish and The Joys of Yinglish, are hundreds of pages of words that many non-Jewish Americans use or hear frequently and are chock full of definitions and jokes. A measure of the contribution to America by various ethnic groups is the degree to which its language and culture enters common usage. There are about as many Moslems in the US as Jews, yet sadly the only Islamic word most in the US have come to know is “jihad.”
"I've been known to be calm." Please Mrs. Henry with The Band, from the mostly-playful and never released and never intended for release practice Basement Tapes from the garage at Big Pink outside Woodstock (good photos):
In my view, it is best to consider all knowledge as tentative. The best scholars maintain an open-mindedness and humility about even their own core beliefs. Greg Mankiw
At Englishman. You can read the wiki on the Golden Angle here.
 The Boxing Day meets are a fine old English tradition. Has the hunt outfoxed the law? (h/t, Theo)
Thursday, December 25. 2008
Thanks for all the kind words from our visitors over the past week or so. Your appreciation is our reward - along with our own pleasure and education. 
 From our guest poster Bruce Kesler:
In light of the contributions of Jews to Christian celebrations of Christmas, two songs that never caught on:
- Deck the Halls with Balls of Matzos - Jumpin’ around the Chanukah Bush Some famous Christmas songs written by Jews: White Christmas Christmas Song We Need A Little Christmas Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree A Holly Jolly Christmas The Christmas Waltz Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow Silver Bells I’m Getting Nuttin’ For Christmas Santa Baby Santa Claus Is Coming To Town Sleigh Ride I’ll Be Home For Christmas It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year There’s No Place Like Home For The Holidays Do They Know It’s Christmas (Feed The World) The United States is the shining light on the hill to all who care for freedom and the land that has given generations of Jewish and other immigrants and refugees the sanctuary and liberties from which they’ve been allowed to heavily contribute back for the benefit of all. Photo: Ellis Island Menorah from Levine
This one from our virtual friend Sissy grabbed me:
Luke 2:1-20 1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. Fra Angelico and Fra Filippo Lippi, The Adoration of the Magi, c. 1440-1460 
Wednesday, December 24. 2008
Wanted to squeeze these links in before I begin my Christmas shopping. Maybe I will just pickpocket somebody's wallet and head for the jewelry store with their American Express card so I can finish up before church at 5. Heck, everybody I know would appreciate trinkets like Cartier watches or some diamonds. Somebody needs to remind me to take the day off on Christmas Eve next year. We'll only have pre-posted stuff 'til Friday.  Microwave oven Christmas song.
Why Santa wears red and other Christmas facts. Grinch du jour The Afghanistan slog, and the glorification of the Taliban. Jules What a joke: Objecting to Rick Warren. He's the Billy Graham of our time. What a joke: Merry Christmas from Ahmadinejad. I'm sure it will be da bomb. What a joke. Caroline Kennedy: "I have, you know, quite a lot to learn, but I feel like I bring a lot with me, as well," she said. "This is a time when nobody can afford to sit out. And I hope that I have something to offer."
Ah, the smell of noblesse oblige in the afternoon. I don't want no noblesse oblige from nobody. She wants to do the "job" for me! I'd rather see any one of 30 bloggers I know in the job. And they've all done more with their lives, too. Theo would of course be my first pick for the seat and he would enjoy it the most because Senators are chick magnets in the Georgetown pubs - but he's a Brit. Related, via Insty: JOURNALISM: Times City Room Will Not Mention Caroline Kennedy’s Special Friendship With Pinch Sulzberger.
Maybe that explains where the "Schlossberg" in her name went to. From Eurotrash to Lefty propagandist. Nice evolution. Related: Resistance to Caroline grows. No, I do not dislike the lady. Why would I? I am sure she and Pinch make a charming couple. I just think this political family stuff is ridiculous: how many generations before somebody gets a real job and learns about real life and about how business works? Same for Bush Jr, although he did pay his dues in the private sector.
The fourth in this week's Hannukah series from our regular/occasional guest poster Bruce Kesler: In light of how infectious is the ignorance and coveting with which we make excuses and create hate:
It was two days before Chanukah and Mr. Feldman, quite downcast, was trudging home. "Where will I get money to buy presents for the holiday?" he asked himself sadly, thinking of his wife and children. On the way, he passed a church, in front of which was a sign: Five Hundred Dollars Cash To Anyone Who Joins This Church Today! Here was the solution to Feldman's problem! He went in, joined, and was given the five hundred dollars as the sign promised. That evening, at supper, he told his family how he had come by his sudden wealth. "And here's the money," he announced grandly, waving the money before them. "Darling," said his wife, "you remember that coat you promised me three years ago? Well it's on sale at Macy's." "How much is it?" "Only a two hundred and fifty dollars, and it's worth at least three hundred and fifty." Feldman peeled off five fifties and gave them to her. The son spoke up. "Pop, for a long time I've been saving up to buy one of those cool mountain bikes. I already have most of the money, but I need a little more." "How much more?" "One hundred and fifty dollars." Feldman handed over the money. "Daddy," said his teen age daughter, "next week our school is having the most important dance of the whole year. If I don't have a new dress, I'll simply die." "Don't die Sweetheart. How much is the dress?" "Only a hundred dollars, Daddy dear." Feldman handed over the remaining twenty five dollars, leaned back and grinned. "It never fails," he announced. "The minute we Gentiles have a little money, you Jews take it away from us!" A self-absorbed child takes from others, as do adults who haven’t matured. Instead, all our holy days are common gifts to be shared for their giving of appreciation for the blessings that enrich our lives and society.
 My Chipmunks seem to be doing their sleep thing (they do not hibernate, they just curl up and snooze when it's cold out) because I have not seen them for a while.
Long Vs of Canada Geese have been honking high overhead all week, heading south, fleeing the snow cover in search of open fields for grazing. It's a sight and sound to lift anybody's spirits. All we have at the bird feeders now are White Throated Sparrows, Juncoes, Mourning Doves, Cardinals, Black-capped Chickadees, and Blue Jays. Kinda dull at the bird welfare office here, but we are always glad to help out at Christmastime. I did see one shivering Mockingbird. Where are the Goldfinches and all of the interesting sparrows? Even our semi-tough Carolina Wrens seem to have taken a hike south. I think they are all fleeing global cooling and sitting on lawn chairs in patios in Key West, sipping Rum Punches. If they weren't bird-brains, they would stay there.
Tuesday, December 23. 2008
 The proverbial expression has nothing to do with Advent. Here's Wiki:
The Dog in the Manger is a fable attributed to Aesop, concerning a dog who one afternoon lay down to sleep in the manger. On being awoken, he ferociously kept the cattle in the farm from eating the hay on which he chose to sleep, even though he was unable to eat it himself, leading an ox to mutter the moral of the fable: People often begrudge others what they cannot enjoy themselves.
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