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{{bheader|December 26th|Devar/5769/Mikets}}  
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{{bheader|January 2nd|Devar/5769/Vayigash}}  
  
 
Hi again!
 
Hi again!
  
Lots of stuff... where do I begin?
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Unless you've been [http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081231021008AAxh6lh hiding in a bunker], you've probably heard about the war heating up.
  
Plumbing -- we have a love/hate relationship with it.  On the one hand, it's convenient and usefulOn the other hand, when it "backs up" -- whoa! -- you don't want to be near itThis week we finally got our sewage system fixed (thank God!).  At first, we called the contractor we had used to redo our internal plumbing. He said he would send out his plumber... which he did, after five days of nagging. The (Arab) plumber showed up without any actual tools, and after poking about ineffectually with a rubber tube told us he would have to order a ''[http://www.tabib.co.il/?CategoryID=171&ArticleID=56 biuvit]'' -- which is a sewage-sucking truck.  My neighbor (who is also a plumber) said, "ma pitom!" (Hebrew for, "what are you, stupid?"), "you only need a blickibobberheim".  I didn't know what that was, but he recommended some other plumber (a Jew) who lives locally.  So we got him to come over the next day and he fixed the problem, without a sewage-sucking truck (it turns out the blickibobberheim [not its actual name] is simply a set of mating rods with a spiral cutting thing on the end, which are fed into the muck and pushed in until they hit an obstructionLow-tech, but effective.
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This past shabbat we heard a lot of airplane traffic overhead -- something we are not used to on any day, and especially not on shabbatI thought it sounded like trucks rumbling along, but Esther said no, they're airplanesAfter shabbat we found out that Israel had finally responded to the more than [http://apps.classifeye.net/bugs/view.php?id=290 10,000 missiles] ({{wiki2|Qassam_rocket|Qassam}}{{wiki2|BM-21|Grad}} and  {{wiki2|Mortar_(weapon)|mortars}}) fired from Gaza over the past seven years, with the [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230111718610&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull beginning salvo] of an attack against Hamasistan.   
  
Speaking of plumbing, I've mentioned before that people seem to feel it is OK to urinate in public here.  It's as though they think they are wearing an [http://bogieworks.blogs.com/treppenwitz/2005/06/embarrassing_te.html invisibility cloak].  Some jokers put up signs in an English city [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Its_legal_to_pee_in_this_citys_streets/articleshow/3887049.cms claiming it was legal] to relieve oneself publicly there.  In [http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/11/12/Man_bashed_to_death_over_public_urination India] it may be fatal.  And in [http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?40824 Pakistan] it's apparently just part of the scenery.
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The [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/12/28/news/UN-UN-Israel-Palestinians.php UN], the [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230111718853&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Vatican], [http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hOPNMFGE7gxk5Q54iw7bjl_v6IugD95BFEJO0 Venezuela] as well as [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230111725442&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Iran] all jumped right in and told us to desist from engaging in any disproportionate action. You know what? They're right.  We should give one missile for every one they've thrown our way over the past seven years.  Can we help it if our aim is better than theirs?  I'm all in favor of [http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MDRiNWU3NDJjZWI4NjQ0Y2MyNDFhOTQxNDRmMTU5Y2U= excessive force].
  
This past shabbat we hosted two very nice seminary girls. My daughters told me "please don't be weird"Wasn't that nice of them? Anyway, we had a very pleasant shabbat and I think we'll join the program they were part of so we can host more often.
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Where was the hand-wringing of the international community for the past seven years, while the residents of Sderot had to contend with incessant missile fire? My message to the UN: go get stuffed and leave us aloneThe vast majority of the missiles from Gaza came ''after'' Israel unilaterally withdrew all its forces and uprooted thousands of its citizens because our lunatic leaders said it would bring peace. Even now, the [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230733118509&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull criminally insane Leftists] are telling us how we could have peace if we just left Hamas alone.  Wait ... we tried that, remember?  It didn't work before, it won't work now.  Screw peace! -- we need to heed the [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/129192 words of King David] and continue pounding our enemies until they are dust beneath our heels.  ''Then'' we will have peace, not before.
  
{{wiki|Hanukkah}} is here! The festival of lights. The celebration of {{wiki2|Mattathias|religious fanatics'}} intolerance for {{wiki2|Hellenistic_Judaism|assimilationists}}The holiday of the ''{{wiki|sufganiyah}}''. I never did like sufganiyot, but once a year I have one or two. And that suffices to confirm to me why I don't like them. On the other hand, it's also the holiday of the ''{{wiki|latke}}'' (''levivot'', or potato pancake) -- and B"H, Esther's ''latkes'' are absolutely the best I've ever had, even if she says so herself! We also have the obligatory meal of ''{{wiki|falafel}}'', and today I'm having ''{{wiki2|malawach|malawaH}}'' for breakfast -- so I think we've fulfilled the custom of eating oily foods during Hanukkah, to the fullest extent possible...
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In the meantime, our Home Front office issued [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/129056 special instructions] for those living in the southern communities currently affectedHamas [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7801881.stm is actively preventing] the injured from receiving treatment in Egypt A [http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=910598 suicide bomber in Mosul] blew himself up in the middle of an anti-Israel rally. Guess his aim was off...
  
Esther decided to get us a "family Hanukkah present".  We were excited, the anticipation building until she unveiled... {{wiki|Boggle}} ... in Hebrew, no less!  Those of you who know my lovely wife, are probably aware that despite her being a non-native English speaker, she consistently beat all of us (by a large margin) in Boggle. So Sarah and I were understandably apprehensive at the arrival of this latest "gift". However, to be honest, Hebrew is a great equalizer. All three of us stink at it, and since we all learned Hebrew in different ways, we come up with completely different lists of words. So it's not so bad after all... but next year, she should look for something more neutral, like dueling pistols or something.
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While there are [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230733118401&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull some] reasonable [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081229.wcogaza30/BNStory/specialComment/home Arab voices], we have to deal with the kinds of animals who would perpetrate the [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Blogs/Message.aspx/3234 atrocities in Mumbai]. And we maintain ridiculous levels of [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230111726432&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull compassion towards our enemies] despite the compassion being only one-way.
  
The run for the national elections [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/129026 is heating up].  Next week we'll know exactly which ''lists'' are running and who is on them.  For now, it seems there are a record number of lists contending for our votes (in February).  After [http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3637394,00.html Netanyahu's dirty tactics] vis-a-vis Feiglin, the more right-leaning public is shying away from LikudWe'll see how it goes after we know who's actually in the running.
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Just as the Torah tells us we would, we are being afflicted by a [http://www.think-israel.org/ronen.hadriancurse.html non-people], a fiction whose purpose is only to destroyMay the Almighty erase them soon from the pages of history!  Or at least relocate them to Jordan or Antarctica or something.
  
Work has calmed down a little; probably more because the year-end holidays mean there is no-one to talk to in India right nowBut I was also able to get my portion of the project under controlNow we have to finish getting things cleaned up, and make the customer happy.
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In other news, the global economy has hit everyone hard; but you should be glad you're not in [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123032660060735767.html Iceland]Just remember to [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHPOzQzk9Qo look on the bright side of life] ..as we say here in the Holy Land, [http://www.whatwarzone.com/2008/10/idiots-guide-to-yiyeh-bseder.html yihyeh beseder]!
  
Just a bit more about the "astronomy club" I mentioned several weeks ago: I haven't heard anything more about itHowever, there is a pre-military high-school here in Maale Adummim, which is geared toward producing Air Force officers. Among other things, they have some really nice telescopes there and one of the people associated with the school (I'm not sure in what capacity) is organizing an "astronomy club".
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The weather has turned quite cold (down to just above freezing at night, this week).  We've had rain even here in the Judean Desert, but we need a ''lot'' more rain.  Yesterday I got a tax refund slip from the ''[http://www.mof.gov.il/ITC/masnew.htm mas hachnasah]'', the Israeli IRSI was so excited, I FAXed the slip to my company's CPA -- who informed me the slip was not in my name!  I looked at it, and indeed -- the amount is correct, the company is correct, but the name and ID number belong to some Arab in Hevron -- oy vay! As it turns out, they put our company's ID number instead of my ID number, and it happens to be a real person's ID number as well.  I guess I get to stand in line next week to fix it.
  
We've got nice cold weather now; about 10C (50F) during the day, which by Israeli standards is freezing.  People are out in their parkas.  It rained nicely yesterday, the {{wiki2|Sea of Galilee|Kinneret}} has risen 4 or 5 cm in the past several days.  Let's hope it continues to rise!
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Until next week,<br>
 
Until next week,<br>
 
Shabbat shalom!
 
Shabbat shalom!
  
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Latest revision as of 13:47, 9 January 2009

January 2nd (See this week's devar torah)
Send Ron feedback on this blog

Hi again!

Unless you've been hiding in a bunker, you've probably heard about the war heating up.

This past shabbat we heard a lot of airplane traffic overhead -- something we are not used to on any day, and especially not on shabbat. I thought it sounded like trucks rumbling along, but Esther said no, they're airplanes. After shabbat we found out that Israel had finally responded to the more than 10,000 missiles (Qassam, Grad and mortars) fired from Gaza over the past seven years, with the beginning salvo of an attack against Hamasistan.

The UN, the Vatican, Venezuela as well as Iran all jumped right in and told us to desist from engaging in any disproportionate action. You know what? They're right. We should give one missile for every one they've thrown our way over the past seven years. Can we help it if our aim is better than theirs? I'm all in favor of excessive force.

Where was the hand-wringing of the international community for the past seven years, while the residents of Sderot had to contend with incessant missile fire? My message to the UN: go get stuffed and leave us alone. The vast majority of the missiles from Gaza came after Israel unilaterally withdrew all its forces and uprooted thousands of its citizens because our lunatic leaders said it would bring peace. Even now, the criminally insane Leftists are telling us how we could have peace if we just left Hamas alone. Wait ... we tried that, remember? It didn't work before, it won't work now. Screw peace! -- we need to heed the words of King David and continue pounding our enemies until they are dust beneath our heels. Then we will have peace, not before.

In the meantime, our Home Front office issued special instructions for those living in the southern communities currently affected. Hamas is actively preventing the injured from receiving treatment in Egypt A suicide bomber in Mosul blew himself up in the middle of an anti-Israel rally. Guess his aim was off...

While there are some reasonable Arab voices, we have to deal with the kinds of animals who would perpetrate the atrocities in Mumbai. And we maintain ridiculous levels of compassion towards our enemies despite the compassion being only one-way.

Just as the Torah tells us we would, we are being afflicted by a non-people, a fiction whose purpose is only to destroy. May the Almighty erase them soon from the pages of history! Or at least relocate them to Jordan or Antarctica or something.

In other news, the global economy has hit everyone hard; but you should be glad you're not in Iceland. Just remember to look on the bright side of life ... as we say here in the Holy Land, yihyeh beseder!

The weather has turned quite cold (down to just above freezing at night, this week). We've had rain even here in the Judean Desert, but we need a lot more rain. Yesterday I got a tax refund slip from the mas hachnasah, the Israeli IRS. I was so excited, I FAXed the slip to my company's CPA -- who informed me the slip was not in my name! I looked at it, and indeed -- the amount is correct, the company is correct, but the name and ID number belong to some Arab in Hevron -- oy vay! As it turns out, they put our company's ID number instead of my ID number, and it happens to be a real person's ID number as well. I guess I get to stand in line next week to fix it.


Until next week,
Shabbat shalom!



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