Difference between revisions of "Blog/February 2009/Feb 27th"

Latest revision as of 14:00, 6 March 2009

February 20th (See this week's devar torah)
Send Ron feedback on this blog

Hi again!

Last shabbat we had guests from one of the seminaries. They were very nice young ladies; six in all, two of whom stayed with us. Shabbat day they were supposed to 'trade off', and two others were supposed to come to our place. However, the weather was nasty and they got lost on their way to our place ... so they turned around and went back to where they had been staying overnight. This shabbat we're supposed to have another strong storm (it's already started, and knocked out our power for two and a half hours).

משנכנס אדר, מחפשים עבודה... In ongoing job-market upheaval: I am now officially unemployed. So if you know of a position for a grumpy forty-something software wizard, please don't hesitate to send them my resume. I'm actually thinking of setting up shop helping people wean themselves off evil Microsoft products and save money at the same time. Speaking of evil MS products, a geek in Poland has managed to get Windows 3.1 running on a Nokia N95 phone -- the only question that comes to mind is "why?"...

This week's anti-semitism roundup: Some Dutch fools threw shoes at an Israeli who was giving a talk. The Dutch media are slammed as anti-Israel. The moderate regime of the United Arab Emirates denied a visa for Shahar Pe'er. Canada's aboriginal leader has something against us. And of course, the religion of peace doesn't like us at all. More surprising is the ongoing American vendetta against Pollard -- 24 years in prison and counting! On the same day that Jonathan Pollard was arrested , a Chinese gentleman was arrested for spying for Red China. That gentleman was released a long time ago. He committed the same kind of crime for an enemy state. Do Chinese have better status than Jews, or are all men created equal? Indeed the Americans want to use Pollard as a bargaining chip for 1967 border final status settlement or something like that. What other reason could it be? Pollard is a second Gil'ad Schalit.

The news here is as usual, "ups and downs". On the plus side of the ledger is some excellent demographic news. On the other hand, the former candidate for mayor of Jerusalem is asking to be repatriated to Russia. Wait, that's also good news. The Kinneret rose about ten centimeters this week (that's good) but it needs to go up another 500 cm (that's bad!). And of course, there are the usual selection of useful idiots with more mouth than brains. And of course, the self-hating Jews.

What else? I've been fighting a cold off and on. Esther and I got Israeli passports this week for 80 NIS cheaper than usual because we paid online (that's a good deal!). I climbed on the roof and detached the (ugly) climbing vines from our house -- now I have to chop up the debris and put it out for the trash men. I had to give my car back (because it was paid for by my company), so my new car is Egged.

In odd news: The same Visto Corporation which sued Sproqit when I worked there, and then sued Good after they brought the Sproqit developers on (including myself), has now managed to purchase Good from Motorola. Which just goes to show that Microsoft-like tactics work even if you aren't Microsoft.

Until next week,
Shabbat shalom!

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 Hi again!
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 Help [[tsedaka|feed the hungry]] in Israel!
-'''NOTE:''' the links in this paragraph will lead to pictures of snakes -- so if you are squeamish, don't click on them!  This week we found [[media:snake.jpeg|this beauty]] in our back yard.  It appeared to be dead, but we weren't sure if it was a venomous variety or not, so we looked [http://www.snakes.co.il/israsnake/israsnake.html here] and asked our local Maale Adummim chat-group for advice.  Sarah and I still haven't decided between ''Spalerosophis diadema'' or ''Coluber nummifer''.  Any of you care to take a guess?  The chat group response was that we should call the city, and they would come and take away the snake (as they are apparently also interested in knowing what kinds of reptiles are slithering about).  But when I called the city, they told me that if the snake was in a "private garden", e.g. not city property, they didn't care and wouldn't send anyone.  Fortunately, the thing was dead and I was able to dispose of it with no fuss... but yikes! I'm going to have to be doubly careful when gardening.
+Last shabbat we had guests from one of the seminaries. They were very nice young ladies; six in all, two of whom stayed with us.  Shabbat day they were supposed to 'trade off', and two others were supposed to come to our place.  However, the weather was ''nasty'' and they got lost on their way to our place ... so they turned around and went back to where they had been staying overnight.  This shabbat we're supposed to have another strong storm (it's already started, and knocked out our power for two and a half hours).
-Despite pesky reptiles, now is the time to [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304788129&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull come back home].  If you need it, here's a recent discussion I put together of [[Devar/Aliyah-Rambam|halachic reasons]] to do so, according to Rambam.  If you prefer, you can simply consider the extreme rise of [http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2009/02/antihamas-protest-set-upon-by-jihad-lovers-.html anti-Israel and anti-Semitic] outrages.  Or look at the example of "freedom lovers" from [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304788139&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Toronto]
+{{hebs|משנכנס אדר, מחפשים עבודה...}} In ongoing job-market upheaval: I am now ''officially'' [[Unemployment|unemployed]]. So if you know of a [http://www.dilbert.com/2009-02-04/ position] for a grumpy forty-something software wizard, please don't hesitate to send them [http://ronware.org/resume.pdf my resume].  I'm actually thinking of setting up shop helping people wean themselves off [http://www.eweek.com/c/a/IT-Management/Microsoft-Bungles-Severance-Asks-Laid-Off-Workers-for-Money-Back/ evil Microsoft] products and save money at the same time.  Speaking of evil MS products, a geek in Poland has managed to get Windows 3.1 [http://i.gizmodo.com/5159221/windows-31-runs-on-a-nokia-n95-creating-dangerous-ripple-in-space+time running on a Nokia N95 phone] -- the only question that comes to mind is "why?"...
-My employment situation is not looking good at the moment -- I was already informed I have to give my car back next week.  That implies we haven't received any fresh investments.  So I'll be taking a bit of a holiday, while I try to get a business running.  In ironic news: the [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304820660&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull unemployment department] went on strike because there were too many applicants and they didn't have enough personnel to handle the load.  As Esther said, why don't they just hire some of the applicants for assistance?  Kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.
+This week's anti-semitism roundup: Some Dutch fools [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1235410694951&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull threw shoes at an Israeli] who was giving a talk.  The [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1235410694957&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Dutch media] are slammed as anti-Israel.  The ''moderate regime of '' the [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/8601 United Arab Emirates] denied a visa for {{wiki|Shahar Pe'er}}.  Canada's [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1235410698976&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull aboriginal leader] has something against us.  And of course, the religion of peace [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/8600 doesn't like us at all].  More surprising is the ongoing [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?apage=2&cid=1233304849317&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull American vendetta against Pollard] -- 24 years in prison and counting!  ''On the same day that Jonathan Pollard was arrested , a Chinese gentleman was arrested for spying for Red China. That gentleman was released a long time ago. He committed the same kind of crime for an enemy state. Do Chinese have better status than Jews, or are all men created equal? Indeed the Americans want to use Pollard as a bargaining chip for 1967 border final status settlement or something like that. What other reason could it be? Pollard is a second Gil'ad Schalit.''
-In local politics -- we're caught between [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304811460&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull whiners] and [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304811807&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull brown-nosers].  In an astonishing turn of events, [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304815871&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Shimon Peres repents]... sort of.  We need an equivalent local guide to this [http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=76&sid=135719#comments humorous look at American politics].
+The news here is as usual, "ups and downs". On the plus side of the ledger is some [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304849323&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull excellent demographic news].  On the other hand, the former candidate for mayor of Jerusalem [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/130162 is asking to be repatriated to Russia].  Wait, that's also good news.  The Kinneret rose about ten centimeters this week (that's good) but it needs to go up another 500 cm (that's bad!).  And of course, there are the usual selection of [http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2009/02/24/2009-02-24_israels_arab_citizens_deserve_better_tha.html useful idiots] with more mouth than brains.  And of course, the [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1235410719855&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull self-hating Jews].
-In the Arab world: unsurprising [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/130001 corruption at the voting booth], caught by one of my actual co-workers.  Hamas' [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304788684&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull lies are exposed] yet again, but that won't stop the useful idiots of the West from finding excuses for them.  Though not strictly part of the Arab world, Chavez is certainly a [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123475026027691469.html fellow traveler].  Scary man, that one.
+What else?  I've been fighting a cold off and on.  Esther and I got Israeli passports this week for 80 NIS cheaper than usual because we paid online (that's a good deal!).  I climbed on the roof and detached the (ugly) climbing vines from our house -- now I have to chop up the debris and put it out for the trash men.  I had to give my car back (because it was paid for by my company), so my new car is [http://www.egged.co.il/Eng/ Egged].
-In case you thought we don't have super-heroes here: [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/160838 Spiderman was arrested] in {{wiki|Rosh HaAyin}} last week.  When secularists talk about co-existence, is [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/129962 this what they mean]?  That's not why I don't "hold by the `eruv", but it's a good additional reason...
+In odd news: The same [http://www.techworld.com/mobility/news/index.cfm?newsid=2342 Visto Corporation which sued Sproqit] when I worked there, and then [http://www.technewsworld.com/story/48594.html sued Good] after they brought the Sproqit developers on (including myself), has now managed to [http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9128559&intsrc=news_ts_head purchase Good] from Motorola.  Which just goes to show that Microsoft-like tactics work even if you aren't Microsoft.
-Odd news department: the executive director of the peanut producers' board in Texas is called [http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h7V0WaQ_baK-FGzF7wBWi3Mm2OrgD96C6L3G0 Shelly Nutt].  Also, a new drug is being marketed to combat [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd4tugPM83c excessive cheerfulness] (with a nod to my daughters).
-This shabbat we'll have guests from one of the seminaries.  We'll report how that went, B"H next week.
 Until next week,<br>
 Shabbat shalom!
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Difference between revisions of "Blog/February 2009/Feb 27th"

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