Blog/March 2009/Mar 20th - Revision history

Ron at 12:04, 27 March 2009

2009-03-27T12:04:08Z

Ron at 12:28, 20 March 2009

2009-03-20T12:28:04Z

Ron at 12:20, 20 March 2009

2009-03-20T12:20:42Z

Ron at 12:16, 20 March 2009

2009-03-20T12:16:40Z

Ron at 11:34, 20 March 2009

2009-03-20T11:34:26Z

Ron: Replacing page with ' {{blog}} {{bheader|March 20th|Devar/5769/Vayakhel-Pekudei}} Hi again! Help feed the hungry in Israel! * What if [http://www.oregonlive...'

2009-03-16T05:54:37Z

Replacing page with ' {{blog}} {{bheader|March 20th|Devar/5769/Vayakhel-Pekudei}} Hi again! Help feed the hungry in Israel! * What if [http://www.oregonlive...'

Ron: New page: {{subst: :Blog/Latest}}

2009-03-16T05:52:56Z

New page: {{subst: :Blog/Latest}}

New page

{{blog}}
{{bheader|March 13th|Devar/5769/Ki Tisa}}

Hi again!

Help [[tsedaka|feed the hungry]] in Israel!

This week saw the {{wiki|Fast of Esther}}, {{wiki|Purim}} and Shushan Purim. Here's [http://muqata.blogspot.com/2009/03/live-blogging-purim.html a recent recap of the story] in modern terms, in case you don't know it. Just in time for Purim: [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/130368 Egyptian imams claim the Starbucks icon represents Queen Esther]. No, I didn't make that up. For next Purim you can [http://www.foxnews.com/photoessay/photoessay_6769_images/0311091444_M_francefashion5_450.jpg dress up in new French fashion] -- if you have the stomach.

Speaking of "if you have the stomach", who came up with [http://bhol.co.il/forum/topic.asp?topic_id=2537730&forum_id=771 chili flavored Klik]? In the event you aren't familiar with it, "Klik" is a very popular Israeli candy-bar. The Great Brains in charge of product development must have been desperate for change (or very drunk), when they came up with the idea of putting hot-pepper flavoring in a chocolate bar. Sorry the link above is in Hebrew, but here's an excerpt: ''Chili flavor. Picante. The mix of chocolate and picante doesn't really go together. Why picante? I've heard of sweet, I grew up on bitter, but picante??? Why not salty? Sour? Rotten? Sweet and sour? Barbecue / grill flavor? ... but you should know, this is really nauseating.'' Yes, it is pretty bad. Save yourselves four shekels and don't give in to the search for "something new"!

And speaking of "shekels", I just have to vent a minute: there are a lot of Americans who call the national currency of Israel ''sheks'', as in "that cost me three ''sheks''". WRONG! The word is ''shekel'', not ''shek''. Would you say in America, "that soda cost me three ''dolls''"?!? Hell no, leave our currency alone! Heaven knows our government has barely any dignity left as it is, we don't need your help.

In good news: I got the job I mentioned last week! Just found out this morning, in fact; the official offer will be tendered on Sunday (I don't know yet what the exact terms are, but I'll let you know if they were weird). Besides that, a person I did work for a number of years back asked me to do some more work, so I'm doing that as well. {{hebs|ברוך ה'}}!

In other news: a couple weeks ago I took down the vines which were climbing all over the house (five years of growth, it was a mess). So I've been cutting them into smaller chunks and disposing of them bit by bit. Finally, this week I cleared the path to the back of the house. Now we need to plant something. Esther wants mint around the outside of the house, which should help control the [http://www.thefrugallife.com/ants.html six-legged freaks] who made their reappearance this week. Oy!

I resumed the Mishne Torah translation project this week, only to find that OpenOffice is very slow when handling extremely large files. Not only that, but I could not find a good way to do "page by page" layout (that is, English on the left page, Hebrew on the right page) in such a way that corresponding paragraphs line up properly. So I have reverted to using my old friend {{wiki|TeX}} -- or more correctly, the new and most excellent {{wiki|XeTeX}}, which does complex script layout properly and can handle {{wiki|UTF-8}} -- so I can use [[vim]] to do the editing, and XeLaTeX for the layout. Now a question to you: if you are looking at a two-language text, what layout would you prefer:
* Facing pages, where the source and translation are on opposing pages so you see them at once when laying a book open
* Facing columns, where the source and translation are in two columns in one "row", so you can see them in an online (electronic) version with one page
* Interleaved paragraphs, where the source is in one paragraph and the translation immediately below it?
I am interested in your feedback on this, because there are pros and cons to all three layout options, and I am concerned not only with the accuracy of the text, but in the beauty and utility of the layout as well.

Anti-Semitism and useful-idiots abound this week. The quick reprise: [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1236603390290&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull England], [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1236269377485&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Sweden], [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1236603390897&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Israel, America and beyond], [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1236269377478&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull England again], [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/130358 the USA] and [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/161907 another USA], [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/161965 USA again], [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1236764158737&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Canada].

Would Obama have been elected if [http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YTI0ZDBlOWI2NzNhZTAxYzBjZDg1ODVlYmNiMmZmMzY= he had told the truth] about his plans? Good question...

Until next week,<br>
Shabbat shalom!

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 It's been a wild week.  Started as still unemployed on Sunday, but by Tuesday the New Company wanted me to start; so I started work on Tuesday.  By the end of the week (actually just half an hour before I left on Thursday) I was given a brand-new, shiny [http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_pro?mco=MTE3MDE MacBook Pro].  I'm using it to compose the blog this week, since I need to get used to this funky new machine.
-One thing interesting about using "public transportation" is you get to meet ... the "public".  There are some ''interesting'' people taking the bus, to say the least.  The thing is, some of the "public" don't seem to realize that they are in public, and that more than likely most people are not interested in their personal life.  So they talk on their cel-phones at top volume.  Got to find out a lot about my fellow passengers that way, though I wasn't interested.
+One interesting thing about using "public transportation" is you get to meet ... the "public".  There are some ''interesting'' people taking the bus, to say the least.  The thing is, some of the "public" don't seem to realize that they are in public, and that more than likely most people are not interested in their personal life.  So they talk on their cel-phones at top volume.  Got to find out a lot about my fellow passengers that way, though I wasn't interested.
-The day I accepted the job offer, a headhunter tried to set me up with another job, also in Jerusalem.  I found out yesterday that another former co-worker of mine also got a job.  So the situation is not as bad as you might think, here -- even though the [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1237392663692&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull unemployment rate is 6.8%].  I know that some say we [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1237461629454&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull must give more jobs to Arabs]; but I say, no!  We need to ''avoid'' giving Arabs jobs at all costs; even when a Jew would be more expensive to hire or might even do a worse job, for several reasons.  First, we have an ''Torah obligation'' to help our fellow Jews (which has higher priority than the similar obligation to help anyone).  So we obviously should employ our fellow Jews before we employ anyone else, but especially those who have proven themselves enemies.  Second, when the Arabs cannot find work here, they will go elsewhere.  Just as when they initially immigrated here from Egypt and Syria and other Arab countries, because the Jews who came here made it a place where one could get work.  So by denying them an easy life, they will seek livelihood elsewhere and eliminate a major security problem plaguing us. Third, we have seen numerous incidents in the past few years, where a "trusted" Arab became an instrument of cold-blooded murder.  So by not employing them, we also safeguard Jewish lives, another Torah obligation.
+The day I accepted the job offer, a headhunter tried to set me up with another job, also in Jerusalem.  I found out yesterday that another former co-worker of mine also got a job.  So the situation is not as bad as you might think, here -- even though the [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1237392663692&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull unemployment rate is 6.8%].  I know that some say we [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1237461629454&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull must give more jobs to Arabs]; but I say, no!  We need to ''avoid'' giving Arabs jobs at all costs; even when a Jew would be more expensive to hire or might even do a worse job, for several reasons.  First, we have a ''Torah obligation'' to help our fellow Jews (which has higher priority than the similar obligation to help anyone).  So we obviously should employ our fellow Jews before we employ anyone else, but especially those who have proven themselves enemies.  Second, when the Arabs cannot find work here, they will go elsewhere.  Just as when they initially immigrated here from Egypt and Syria and other Arab countries, because the Jews who came here made it a place where one could get work.  So by denying them an easy life, they will seek livelihood elsewhere and eliminate a major security problem plaguing us. Third, we have seen numerous incidents in the past few years, where a "trusted" Arab became an instrument of cold-blooded murder.  So by not employing them, we also safeguard Jewish lives, another Torah obligation.
 I better get busy getting the house in order for Shabbat -- normally by this time I've started that process, but I'm "feeling slow" this week.  Plus, the Mac is really not easy for me to use, so it's taking me much longer than usual to do my thing.  Sorry, next week should be better; and I hope to have more "interesting" things to say then.

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 One thing interesting about using "public transportation" is you get to meet ... the "public".  There are some ''interesting'' people taking the bus, to say the least.  The thing is, some of the "public" don't seem to realize that they are in public, and that more than likely most people are not interested in their personal life.  So they talk on their cel-phones at top volume.  Got to find out a lot about my fellow passengers that way, though I wasn't interested.
-The day I accepted the job offer, a headhunter tried to set me up with another job, also in Jerusalem.  I found out yesterday that another former co-worker of mine also got a job.  So the situation is not as bad as you might think, here -- even though the [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1237392663692&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull unemployment rate is 6.8%].  I know that some say we [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1237461629454&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull must give more jobs to Arabs]; but I say, no!  We need to ''avoid'' giving Arabs jobs at all costs; even when a Jew would be more expensive to hire or might even do a worse job, for several reasons.  First, we have an ''Torah obligation'' to help our fellow Jews (which has higher priority than the similar obligation to help anyone).  So we obviously should employ our fellow Jews before we employ anyone else, but especially those who have proven themselves enemies.  Second, when the Arabs cannot find work here, they will go elsewhere.  Just as when they initially immigrated here from Egypt and Syria and other Arab countries, because the Jews who came here made it a place where one could get work.  So by denying them an easy life, they will seek livelihood elsewhere and eliminate a major security problem plaguing us. Third, we have seen numerous incidents in the past few years, where a "trusted" Arab became an instrument of cold-blooded murder.  So by not employing them, we also safeguard Jewish lives.
+The day I accepted the job offer, a headhunter tried to set me up with another job, also in Jerusalem.  I found out yesterday that another former co-worker of mine also got a job.  So the situation is not as bad as you might think, here -- even though the [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1237392663692&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull unemployment rate is 6.8%].  I know that some say we [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1237461629454&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull must give more jobs to Arabs]; but I say, no!  We need to ''avoid'' giving Arabs jobs at all costs; even when a Jew would be more expensive to hire or might even do a worse job, for several reasons.  First, we have an ''Torah obligation'' to help our fellow Jews (which has higher priority than the similar obligation to help anyone).  So we obviously should employ our fellow Jews before we employ anyone else, but especially those who have proven themselves enemies.  Second, when the Arabs cannot find work here, they will go elsewhere.  Just as when they initially immigrated here from Egypt and Syria and other Arab countries, because the Jews who came here made it a place where one could get work.  So by denying them an easy life, they will seek livelihood elsewhere and eliminate a major security problem plaguing us. Third, we have seen numerous incidents in the past few years, where a "trusted" Arab became an instrument of cold-blooded murder.  So by not employing them, we also safeguard Jewish lives, another Torah obligation.
 Until next week,<br>

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 Help [[tsedaka|feed the hungry]] in Israel!
-It's been a wild week.  Started as still unemployed on Sunday, but by Tuesday the New Company wanted me to start; so I started work on Tuesday.  By the end of the week (actually just half an hour before I left on Thursday) I was given a brand-new, shiny [http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_pro?mco=MTE3MDE MacBook Pro].  I'm using it to compose the wiki this week, since I need to get used to this funky new machine.
+It's been a wild week.  Started as still unemployed on Sunday, but by Tuesday the New Company wanted me to start; so I started work on Tuesday.  By the end of the week (actually just half an hour before I left on Thursday) I was given a brand-new, shiny [http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_pro?mco=MTE3MDE MacBook Pro].  I'm using it to compose the blog this week, since I need to get used to this funky new machine.
 One thing interesting about using "public transportation" is you get to meet ... the "public".  There are some ''interesting'' people taking the bus, to say the least.  The thing is, some of the "public" don't seem to realize that they are in public, and that more than likely most people are not interested in their personal life.  So they talk on their cel-phones at top volume.  Got to find out a lot about my fellow passengers that way, though I wasn't interested.
+The day I accepted the job offer, a headhunter tried to set me up with another job, also in Jerusalem.  I found out yesterday that another former co-worker of mine also got a job.  So the situation is not as bad as you might think, here -- even though the [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1237392663692&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull unemployment rate is 6.8%].  I know that some say we [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1237461629454&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull must give more jobs to Arabs]; but I say, no!  We need to ''avoid'' giving Arabs jobs at all costs; even when a Jew would be more expensive to hire or might even do a worse job, for several reasons.  First, we have an ''Torah obligation'' to help our fellow Jews (which has higher priority than the similar obligation to help anyone).  So we obviously should employ our fellow Jews before we employ anyone else, but especially those who have proven themselves enemies.  Second, when the Arabs cannot find work here, they will go elsewhere.  Just as when they initially immigrated here from Egypt and Syria and other Arab countries, because the Jews who came here made it a place where one could get work.  So by denying them an easy life, they will seek livelihood elsewhere and eliminate a major security problem plaguing us. Third, we have seen numerous incidents in the past few years, where a "trusted" Arab became an instrument of cold-blooded murder.  So by not employing them, we also safeguard Jewish lives.
 * What if [http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/03/if_there_were_no_israel.html there were no Israel]?

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 <!-- vim: spell tw=0:
 -->
 {{blog}}
-{{bheader|March 20th|Devar/5769/Vayakhel-Pekudei}}
+'''March 20th''' (sorry, no devar torah this week -- my mind is too blank)
 Hi again!
 Help [[tsedaka|feed the hungry]] in Israel!
 * What if [http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/03/if_there_were_no_israel.html there were no Israel]?

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 -->
 {{blog}}
-{{bheader|March 13th|Devar/5769/Ki Tisa}}
+{{bheader|March 20th|Devar/5769/Vayakhel-Pekudei}}
 Hi again!
@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 Help [[tsedaka|feed the hungry]] in Israel!
-This week saw the {{wiki|Fast of Esther}}, {{wiki|Purim}} and Shushan Purim.  Here's [http://muqata.blogspot.com/2009/03/live-blogging-purim.html a recent recap of the story] in modern terms, in case you don't know it.  Just in time for Purim: [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/130368 Egyptian imams claim the Starbucks icon represents Queen Esther].  No, I didn't make that up.  For next Purim you can [http://www.foxnews.com/photoessay/photoessay_6769_images/0311091444_M_francefashion5_450.jpg dress up in new French fashion] -- if you have the stomach.
+* What if [http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/03/if_there_were_no_israel.html there were no Israel]?
 Until next week,<br>
 Shabbat shalom!
-{{nav|Blog|Blog|Blog/March 2009/Mar 6th|Mar 6th||}}
+{{nav|Blog|Blog|Blog/March 2009/Mar 13th|Mar 13th||}}