November 2016/Nov 11th

November 11th

Happy birthday to my nephew Chaim!

We had yet another busy week; a week of surprises. I can’t avoid talking about the USAn election results, so indulge me for a little bit…

Our expectation as we went to sleep Tuesday night was that Clinton would be the next POTUS. I think it’s fair to say that the vast majority of people we know or had heard of thought so too. Wednesday morning we found out that Trump was in fact on-track to be the winner of the race. Though I had posted previously that there were paths for him to win, I didn’t really think it was possible. Boy, was I wrong!

My feelings can be summarized succinctly: I am very happy Clinton lost, yet I am dismayed that Trump won.

I’m happy she lost, because she would continue Obama’s disastrous policies, having been complicit in many of them. She’s provably venal and corrupt and vindictive; though Trump is not free of those same qualities. I’m dismayed that Trump won, because he is a man without principles, a demagogue, a boor, a narcissist, and a scab upon humanity. Nevertheless, he won and will be the next POTUS — all we can do is pray that God give him wisdom and guide him on the right path. Neither of the two candidates represents the best America has to offer, not by any stretch of the imagination, and both represent ever-expanding government.

All that said, the wailing and gnashing of teeth and tearing of garments (and violent protests) emanating from the losing side of this very heated political contest are disgusting. They seem to think that democracy is great, as long as it produces the results one likes. I suppose all that is to be expected from a system of education which indoctrinates rather than educates, and from a Fourth Estate which no longer fulfills its mission. It bodes poorly for the future of the formerly great USA. Indeed, it must be said, so does the fact that the two main parties could find no better candidates to run.

For those of you who bemoan the advent of a Trump presidency, I have these words of consolation: we survived the Romans, we survived the Inquisition and the Holocaust, we survived repeated Arab attacks, and we survived eight years of an inimical Obama administration. We’ll survive Trump as well. And who knows? He may yet turn out to be a capable president — perhaps even a good one, God willing. “Hope springs eternal”, and all that.

It being the week of the Torah portion of “lekh-lekha” — when God commanded Avram to leave his birth-country and move to the Land — perhaps it’s a good time for my Exile-dwelling co-religionists to re-examine moving to the Land? Especially if you cannot abide the notion of a Trump presidency…

Anyway, that very evening we attended the wedding of one of my cousins (mazal tov!). One of the attendees brought a bottle of Trump vodka (it’s kosher! badats!) and I had to have some. Sadly, it’s just as nasty tasting as any other vodka, but it does come in a cheesy bottle. I guess that says something.

Sarah completed her first week as a full-fledged employee. She’s got an ID card now that identifies her as a “Book woman” — don’t quite know why they chose such an odd title (it sounds more peculiar in Hebrew), but there it is. She’s getting used to the workaday world, as we all must do.

Speaking of work, Esther’s was pretty laid-back this week, since it is now after the mad rush of the tax finales. So she’s mostly calm and relaxed. I, on the other hand, have been very busy all week. Working on existing contracts, and working to procure new ones. May they increase!

The weather has been warmer than usual, and we’re not scheduled for a decrease in temperatures until Tuesday. No rain is in the forecast, we’re expecting a quiet and pleasant shabbat.

This shabbat we’re invited out for one of the meals. For the rest, we and our guests will enjoy:
chicken and rice, meatballs, vegetable stir-fry, salatim, and cookies.

Until next time,
shabbat shalom!

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