Meira has done it again; a wonderful blog post on the Jewish view of abortion. It is a must read. Go see for yourself.
Skip arouond the blogsphere time!
Mostly I have been having an oh so exciting time entering people's names into a data bank. Just a tad better than dishwashing; my hands don't get all dryed out and I can listen to what I want. But data entry has put me off from serious blogsurfing.
I hope to remedy that now.
Here's five places to visit and see:
Merrimusings has an interesting take on the whole Mohammed cartoon blow up. I just think it irionic that the way to protest against cartoons that linked Muslims with violence was by being violent.
And QandO Blog gives us a funny quote. Funny/truthful/sad quote.
And Rambling Rhodes finds Dick Cheney's journal. Now we all know what really happened.
I'm a cynic as well If You Will It. But I don't have any faith in man; no politician, no government. Just G-d.
And Meira is right; listen to the interview's with Tova Mordechai. You won't be disappointed.
Me; I'm hoping my computer lasts long enough to post this.
Beth, my friend whose son suffered the burns, has writtten about the incident on her site. Please go leave prayers and wishes over there. The information is in the top two posts.
Just because I don't feel like being funny, serious, sentimental or anything, I'll just view and review. (Light and fluffly; and in alphabetical order yet!)
Flying Space Monkey Chronicles complains that nobody links to him anymore. How could I resist?
Putting Perfection on a Curve has a great blog game going. Happy hunting!
Rambling Rhodes gives us A Minnesota Weather Report. Now that report I'd perk up and listen to. Luckily we are in Israel and I don't need my bucket of lava yet.
Random Pensees tells us about a perfect day of parenting in his post HAPPY HOMEMAKER AM I.
It is the small incidents, the everyday day events, which can bestow upon us the most beautiful and lasting memories. Some of my happiest moments involve nothing more than listening to the laughter and conversation of my children from the next room.
The Painted Cave asks a question most dog owners want to know. How do they do that?
Or at least I think I have. Nick, from Alas, a blog writes about her rape story. Actually it was an almost rape story but that is neither here nor there. Please go read the story and then come back here.
Okay, what universe am I on? I agree that Nick would have been raped if the man continued his actions against her will. I still think she behaved stupidly.
In a perfect world a lot of things could be; but this isn't quite a perfect world now, is it? And so people must interject a bit of sense into their everyday lives. This isn't a moral issue, though naturally I have a great deal to say, but I won't, on that aspect of the situation. But really now, I mean... come on people!!!! Is acting like an idiot really the in thing to do?
You have to read the post and the responses to know what I'm talking about.
Do me a favor and go to Esther's (0f Outside the Blogway) and look at the pics of her vacation.
Now wouldn't you like to see some of them on a postcard (or a poster)? I particularly like the one with the ocean and the tree, and the mountain.
Take it away Esther!
Talk about lighting a fire! A very much needed fire at that. You go girl! WOW!!!
Although coming from an Owl I'd expect a whoooot! Although maybe that's what happens when Owl is in a good mood.
I wonder, really wonder, how anyone could sit down and write this article up
via IF YOU WILL IT see his post and the comments. This is just too funny people. Sad, but funny.
Meira links to an Honest Reporting article showing why Gaza isn't the only story worth reporting on in this region.
and Batya of Shilo-Musings cries THIEF!
Hatshepsut takes a quick but serious quiz. Good to know what you don't know!
Esther of Outside the Blogway takes on an NPR reporter.
While SoccerDad takes on the NYT and Washington Post.
When people do a much better job about saying what I wanted to say.
Thank you Lynn B for your eloquence.
Go on over to Esther's blog and read 10 Reasons To Love Palestine by comic Goffaq Yussef.
Okay, I suspect that there is no such character, but the jokes strike home. This is the life of many Palestinians.
What Ted Belman has to say on Israpundit, here and here.
I don't think it will come as a surprise to anyone that I most heartily concur.
If the Right stands for this, then the Right is in the wrong. (via Alas) Forcing a woman to choose between a livlihood and all that entails (food, clothing, shelter) and having a child is abhorrent and should be protested. If the Republicans are supporting the institutions that promote such behaviur they are responsible, indirectly, for the abortions that results. No, they didn't cause the pregnacy, but they are undermining a woman's ability to continue a pregnancy.
I hope this was just lack of knowledge. The laws do need to be changed and those of us who are pro-life need to stand up and demand that those who can change things do.
It is not your fault. At least, not if you are a Palestinian. Why then, its the fault (get ready, you'll never believe this) of ISRAEL! (via an excellent post by Mark of Auterific)
Yes, feminist tried hard to make spousal abuse an excuseless crime; yes, work may stress a guy out, he still can't punch his wife because she burned the beans. Yes, maybe she did embarass him. Knocking out her tooth wasn't the proper response.
However, when it comes to Israel-- well we take the blame for any crime.
The WCLAC-Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counseling (one office located in Jerusalem----how's that for irony?) has recently issues a press statement to wit:
Press Release Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling The Occupation, patriarchy, and violence against women 12 May 2005Within a period of a month, five women, Shadia Jidawi from Tulkarem, Yusra Al ‘Azamy from Gaza, Faten Habash from Ramallah, Rudaina Shukirat (pregnant 8 months), and her sister, Amany Shukirat from Jabal Mukaber, were killed for challenging patriarchal norms.
Challenges to patriarchal norms, within the context of conflict and militarization, are often answered with threats of violence and in worst cases, murder. Women are invariably most vulnerable. In the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), the increase of violent measures against the Palestinians by the Israeli Occupying Forces has not been matched by any increased accountability to international human rights and humanitarian law. This lack of accountability and justice seeps into the consciousness of Palestinian society where some Palestinian men transfer this entitlement to commit violence to their own families in order to reassert their authority and power. These men--no longer able to find or even reach employment because of the restrictions of movement, no longer able to even feed their own families--are forced to swallow their dignity and accept help from foreign development agencies and humanitarian aid agencies. Their use of violence becomes a coping mechanism that addresses their own inabilities to perform their traditional roles as providers for their families, that addresses their loss of dignity and “manhood,” and finally, their loss of control and authority over their women.
Within this context of the systematic breakdown of social institutions and because law is not enforced, women become the tools of the patriarchal elite to reclaim their power. Traditional roles and responsibilities are further entrenched. Girls are pulled out of schools and forced into early marriage. Development of institutions, systems, and legislation that could protect women comes to a standstill. The empowerment of women becomes a threat and a liability and women’s rights organizations are vilified and seen as trivial.
It is between the forces of patriarchy and militarism that the lives of these five women and all Palestinian women are positioned and it is only through addressing and understanding these forces that we, as women’s organizations, and civil society, can hope to change the lives and futures of Palestinian women and Palestinian society as a whole.
It really isn't the fault o the guy who hit his wife, but Israel. It isn't like men in other Arab societies abuse their wives. Heaven forbid we should think like that! It isn't the Islamic/Arab culture (opposed to the religion, which is different).
It is the fault of Israel (or Zionist,or Jews. We are sort of interchangable).
Spousal abuse cuts through all religions, all ethnic groups, all socieites, and abusers will do what they have always done. Find someone, anyone, but themselves to blame. Work, their spouses poor cooking, infidelity, the bills, the guy down the street, and now, Israel. The blame game alllows the abuser off the hook, makes the abuser the victim. If the WCLAC really wants to stop abuse of women in their community they will stop pointing fingers at anyone but the one who throws the punch.
But just in case you haven't, go ahead and read what Mark of Auterificand Joseph Alexander have to say about Bush's promise to Abbas, and ask yourself, are the Palestinans really going to spend the $50 mill on housing and infrastructure? Even if that money isn't used to directly finance suicide bombings and the like, it will certainly release more funds to the death to Israelis fund. I agree with Joseph's comparison of Bush to Chamberlain.
My life is being ruled by laundry and dishes. Well I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!. I have decided to take the only course left open to me. I am hiring Sydney
Wages: three square meals a day, a free trip to Israel and all the diapers she can pee up. Hey, I think that's fair! (and we have a cute, old, slobbery dog. That has got to count for something!)
Greg of Rhymes with Right links to a case of justice gone wrong.
Summary for those who don't want to read.
Carolyn and Llyod are living together. Carolyn and Llyod decide they don't want to live together anymore. Llyod starts clearing out. In the process of clearing his stuff out he feels the need to show his now-ex what he thinks of her. He chokes her. Then leaves again, with more boxes. She does what I would have done; locked the door and armed herself. So Llyod breaks down the door and starts choking her again, at which point Carolyn shoots downward to warn him off. The bullet lodges in Llyod's pelvis and he dies from blood loss.
End of story right? She defended herself, there should have been an investigation, but "self-defense" becomes the outcome (notice broken door and chocke marks etc.) fini.
Nope, for defending herself and not becoming a statistic, the woman gets three years.
Why? According to the D.A. she could have called the police (and in the meantime he breaks in and chokes her to death) or left the apartment (where? Do you mean seeing her flee might not trigger some sort of reaction on his part?)
He BROKE DOWN THE DOOR. He had plenty of choices to. Such as calling the cops and saying; "I can't get my stuff out of her apartment." Or calling her and saying "What gives?" Or asking a mutal friend to intervene. Or getting a court order to get the rest of his stuff. Or calling her and saying "Okay, just put it out the door and I'll come and get it in an hourNo, he BREAKS DOWN THE DOOR AND CHOKES HER!
She didn't chase him about with the gun, she didn't come outside with the gun, she was in her own residence, and she had a right to defend herself. He had the choices, and when he faced a door slammed and locked in his face, he could have left.
But he broke, entered, and tried to kill her. And paid with his life.
The story should have ended there.
via Pax Nortona and Alas a Blog (for the links)
Joel had me hopping over to
Lauren to learn why she isn't blogrolling anymore.
She (partially based on a post by Shelley)
makes some good points, and a blogroll, to have one or not, is a personal decision. I have peoiple on my roll who I enjoy reading, even though they don't have me on their roll and even if I disagree with their writings. Interest, that the person has something to say, is what encourages me to put them on my roll, not "group think".
HOWEVER, I think to toss the blogroll based on Shelley's original argument is flawed. To me this is a case of throwing the "baby out with the bathwater". True, the biggies get tagged a lot, but it is via blogrolls and the ecosystem that I have found some of my favorite blogs. Some are quite popular writers, others are "low men on the totem poll." What I care about, rather egotistically, is if they interest me, not the rest of the world. But I wouldn't have had found many of them simply by reading another's blog or doing a google search.
Ampersand directed me toward things I would rather not have read. I know, head in the sand is not good, but sometimes Amp, I'd like to bury my head.
These are horror stories, real horror stores, the kind that leave me feeling hopeless.
A post about the
abuse of childrensanctified by no god that I would believe in via Echinde of the Snakes.
And abuse of a mother and her children by the courts.
There is a lot more out there to digest, but my stomach is churning. Abuse is horrific, when sanction by those who should be ending it, it is a great evil.
The question is, what can we do? Those in the USA may have some means of protest. Go to the jail where that woman is or was incarcerated, disrupt the court trials of the offending and offensive judge, keep up a letter campaign until the judge is disbarred and the children given to their motehr, write to every paper in the city of the "religious leader" who recommends abusig children as a method of discipline and demand that whatever shelter he is running be turned over to an actual human being. But will that really help?
To all the moms who chose life.
I followed a link on inblognito to here. WOW!!!!! If she wrote my history books I'd know a lot more about the past now.
New mom/expectant moms and dads, read "">this before you pick up any other parenting book. You won't be steered wrong.
Rishon Rishon is reminding us in who the original Palestinians were.
I don't know how many people are familiar with the Terri Schiavo case, but I am making a presumption that most people have the basics down. Drink This has just posted on a new hope to save the woman's life. A San Diego business man is offering Terri's husband 1 million dollars to transfer care to Terri's parents.
I do hope and pray that he takes the man up on his offer.
The idea of allowing someone to starve to death as being a human action, is horrifying to me. If in fact she is "dead" and can't feel anything, her heart beating will have no effect on her quality of life. If in fact she is "alive" (and from various things I have read about visits made to her by others, for example this one she definitely has some degree of awarness), than a painful death by starvation is nothing short of cruel. This is not like "pulling the plug" when the brain is gone and the heart is being kept pumping artificially. The woman's heart is beating, she has brain activity. To withhold food is murder; the state sanctioned murder of an innocent woman.
I really pray Michael takes the businessman up on his offer.
Jim of Snooze Button Dreams has had his story published in an online horror magazine. Go read his scary story; but better not read it before bedtime. Be warned! Beware!!!!
Especially living in the Alanta area of the USA. Jesspea of Flaptrap is seeking a good home for a sweet, lovable pooch. Take a gander at the pics, and read the post about him, and contact Jesspea if you can help.
He looks like he would make a good family dog with a bit of training and lots of love.
What is the meaning of the disasters we have had of late around the world. Some feel we have reached the End of Days. I do not necessarily agree with the opinion expressed by this particular blogger, though I do respect him. My husband and I are in agreement regarding this issue; we need to change ourselves, we need to treat one another morally. That brings the Moshiach. But it is his opinion and worth hearing him out. It is important to read the whole of his post and not skim or stop halfway through; you will have done yourself and him a disservice.
Spiced Sass links to two articles asks a good question; why does the West so cavalierly dismiss the actions of a significant portion of the Muslim population as being an aberration? I don't claim that every Muslim is evil or seeking to kill, crush, destroy, enslave the rest of the world, but too many preach hatred.
Part of the problem is the dismissal of their actions by those of the left. Those who would speak against the evil are not given voice, are intimidated into silence. For them to have the courage to speak they need to know that the world will not remain silent, and those who perpetuate such crimes will be held accountable.
Some better news now, to start Shabbat on a better note.:
via the e-mail from my good friend Renee (we pen-pal. She does not get mad if I'm late in writing She always has something lovely and interesting to say). I wanted to share the story with you all.
Just heard this story from my colleague Rabbi Chaim Mentz of Chabad of Bel Air, CA May we see miracles continuosly in our lives until Moshiach comes. Rabbi Zvi Konikov Chabad of the Space & Treasure Coasts 1190 Highway A1A Satellite Beach, FL 32937 (321) 777 2770 chabadspacecoast@att.net www.jewishbrevard.com
by Rabbi Chaim MentzIn the summer of 2004 Andrew and Sharon finally became engaged and asked me,
their rabbi, from Chabad of Bel Air, CA if I will officiate at their wedding
ceremony on December 5, 2004? I was so happy for them, I answered OF COURSE,
as long as you meet the 4 basic requirements of a Jewish wedding,I would be honored.
1) They are both Jewish.
2) The bride will go to the mikvah prior to the wedding.
3) The food will be kosher at the wedding;
4) Neither are still married to another person.If so they must obtain a Get (Jewish Divorce).
Both smiled, and were delighted, because nothing can stop them now. The
wedding was set as planned. UNTIL........During a private conversation Sharon confided in me, that she was once
married to a Jewish guy, (who she refers to as "the mistake"), but it was
only for six hours, and the courts gave her an annulment immediately ....
due to the terrible actions of the "mistake."I could feel knots forming in my stomach. How do I tell her the last thing
on earth she wants to hear. I began saying, "Please understand that what I
am going to tell you, may surprise you, but you still need a Get. Six hours
or Six years is still considered being married.""BUT THE COURTS ANNULLED MY MARRIAGE!"
"Rabbi .. please understand, IT WAS A MISTAKE."
Sharon who never ever wanted to revisit her past, let alone have contact
with â€oethe mistake", couldn't believe what I said. I continued saying to
her "I want to do your wedding, please understand I can't do it until you
get a Get (Jewish Divorce).""Rabbi what if I can't find "the mistake"? "Am I doomed forever?"
"Please let's not fall into any false hopes. I will be there for you. Let's
contact the Jewish courts in Los Angeles, and they will help us go through
this dilemma."I explained to both Sharon and Andrew, nothing happens without a reason. The
fact you need a GET today shows that something important happened in
Sharon's life, even if it lasted only for six hours.Sharon would not allow her wedding to be stopped due to her "mistake". She
continues to plan her wedding, and honeymoon.After spending a few weeks with the Jewish Courts in Los Angeles, Sharon
finally was free from "the mistake", until the Jewish courts told her, "Now
that you have your GET you can marry, but not before 92 days from today.
WHAT???? Sharon and Andrew immediately called me; "are they crazy? Is this
true? Will you not do our wedding on December 5th?"I, calmly explained to them Jewish law, and tried to reason with them, why
there is a 92 day wait. All they could think about was, their wedding plans,
their honeymoon, their BASHERT! For days, they didn't understand why they
would have to wait for January 2005 to get married.After a few days, both Andrew and Sharon called me and said we want to do
our wedding right in G-d's eyes; so they began re-planning their wedding for
the end of January.But still in the back of their mind, they couldn't understand why G-d was
delaying their wedding. Well, not until December 26th. You see, Andrew and
Sharon were supposed to be on their last days of their three week honeymoon
in the famous Kaafu Atoll Maldives hotels: on Lankanfushi Island.Their hotel room would have been swept up by the tsunami.
Both Sharon and Andrew celebrated 'their miracle' on January 1st, with a
special Kiddush in our shul. As Andrew said ... Best advice the Rabbi ever
gave us, was "Follow the rules of G-d's Torah, it will be a blessing in the
end for the both of you!"On January 23rd, Andrew & Sharon plan on having their wedding.
May G-d bless them with years of happiness and health together.
Here's a quick glimpse at what old friends have been saying.
Rishon Rishon talks about believing the unprovable--linking to a series of articles by other great thinkers on the same topic.
Light and Dark has written a memorial to one of the Canadas heroines; a woman who worked tirelessly to promote literature and the arts.
Lex of Neptune Lex, has a pic and post about all the water being shipped to the Tzunami victims. That picture is amazing! (but why did they suit up to fly before having the water ready? I'm sure there is a reason, I'm just curious.)
Little B of My Innermost Sanctum, has a cartoon that is right on target.
Jim of Snoozebutton Dreams is taking Nigerian scammers to task for falling down on their job. Please guys, Jim's right! Where is your pride?
Feminste has the cutest pic of her son and a snowman.
For more serious matter, there is her post on Andrea Yates, and the overturning of Yates conviction.
Bean, of Alas, a Blog talks about Domestic Violence and the single girl. I am appalled that the status of being single and without children would leave a victim of dometstic violence with so little resources to protect herself. Does a woman have to have a child to be worthy of help? Isn't helping people, btw, a moral good? Something that is upheld in all religions? Why do we need to make such a fuss about caring for the next person?
And one more blog, which I found from Alas's blog; Leah, of Leah's Life. She directs us to a story about a young heroine, who used her learning to save many people from the effects of the Tsunami.
Flaptrap has something important to say about health insurance companies and how they almost cost her the life of her son. It was criminal how she and her son were treated by, frankly, both the doctors office, the hospital and the insurance company. Go read.
I think the hippocratic oath has long ago been discarded in favor of the bottom line.
I happen to be a sucker for conversion stories; I love hearing about people who come to Judaism, and what the pull is towards the religion that has always been part of my family. The journey to Judaiism is almost always fascinating.
I find particularlly beautiful this comment; I can see why it stunned the Rabbi's into silence.
When asked why he wished to become Jewish with all the troubles that it incurrecd he responded:
“... a pasuk,” or passage “from Tehillim: ‘For me, the closeness to Hashem is good.’ ”
The story made me want to move to Safed just so he could be my daughters' teacher.
(just a note. Most converts maintain a loving and ongoing relationship with their family of origin; I know of several converts and they are in frequent contact with their families, visit, and have their families visit them. Two books I love on personal journeys to Orthodox Judaism are: My Sister the Jew---the autobiography of a former minister who converted to Judaism, and Playing With Fire, a missionary who discovered her roots were Jewish and came back to Judaism. Both women maintain warm relationships with their families of origin. )
I belong to a lot of e-mail lists. On poster sent his blog entry, complete with a picture. I'm not reprinting here, and pleased be warned, the image is very disturbing-- because it is a picture of the severed head of a suicide bomber. This picture appeared in an issue of the Hamas CHILDREN'S newspaper.
The picture is captioned, the words below the image, so it is hard to avoid seeing the picture, I'm sorry.
Unfortunately I am having a problem getting a direct link--so I'm linking to the blog itself; the entry is titled Her place is in Paradise
I don't know what to tell you about avoiding the image. I think it is an important read however; I think it is important to see what is being taught to these children...children shouldn't see images like this. I didn't want to see this image.
Go to Random Penses blog and read the latest post latest post. Follow the link and then take a deep breath and answer this question;
Is this how you want your kids educated?
You know how sometimes you have a very interesting discussion online, then you start talking off line, then you and the person you are talking with decide to take i online again? That happened with me and a recent find via blogexplosion; Sister Talk. With my permission she printed an email I had sent her, along with her answers to some of my questions. Come join the discussion. (And read her blog, it is a nice one. I might not agree with everything she says but she writes very well.)
The post that started the conversation in the first place.
Not that I have the skills to do this well, but I'm debating with Soccor Dad on the issue of Bush and his stance on Israel. Here's his first post, and my two comments are below.. I didn't realize the first comment had gone in...and here's his second post on the subject.
I have a feeling most of you will agree with Soccer Dad on this issue; but I would like to hear what everyone has to say. (p.s. I have no idea what I did to cause four trackback pings...I thought I just pinged the two sites...But obviously I did something dumb).
Meryl wants you to vote for the best bunny pic and....well, just go read her post and vote.
I should warn you it isn't exactly g-rated.
From a Scratched Pearl. Well, I have yet to read something of hers I didn't like, but read the entry for August 29th. It is very powerful.
I have finally done w hat I kept meaning to do; I've printed off her material and made my own personal book of her writings. And Dawn, please copywrite this stuff somewhere; please think of handing your writing into some publisher.
Till then, know that I've got one of your "books" at my house. Someday, when you have the books printed, and you are touring the world, I hope you land here. II'll be handing you a bunch of papers, well read by then, sealed into a plastic binder. I'll buy the book you wrote and ask you to please sign both.
My blogroll said LOOK over by A Small Victory's name. So I looked and ended up here. HUH? is right!!! I thought I hit the wrong blog name. But no, ASV is deserting the blogsphere for a few months, maybe forever! WAH!!!!
Luckily Michele is still writing. So go on over to POPPED CULTURE and enjoy a great read.
There is a new blog on the blogsphere, and she happens to be both an excellent writer and a good friend of mine. I hope you enjoy reading her work as much as I do.
Her blog is called House of Joy
She is truly a lovely woman, inside and out, one of the sweetest women you could hope to meet. She always has a smile on her face and a soft, gentle voice.
I only held off promoting her blog because I didn't know if she wanted the advertisement or not; but yesterday I finally got to speak with her about it (at a wedding we were attending) and she gave me the go ahead.
I stole this from Simon world:
I suppose this is do as I say and not as I do? The EU is building a border fence between their new members Poland and Hungary, and their neighbors Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine because they just don't want those people coming in! (Bombs we can let through though.)
And guess who will most likely sign the contract to do the work?
If you said an Israeli company go to the head of the class!
Got to love it!
.