Power Corrupts; Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

We had a wonderful Pesach Seder with some old (and some new) friends in the Holy City of Jerusalem.  For us, it was a celebration of our liberation.

One person who may well be viewing it from a different perspective is former New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon  Silver (of whom I posted here on 22 January 2015 ) .  He faces sentencing in about 2 weeks for his bribery conviction on bribery charges.

In his heyday, Shelly Silver alone could determine which bills were put up for a vote in the New York State Assembly.  The common street wisdom was that Shelly Silver looked out for the best interests of the religious Jewish community (of which I was a member when I lived in New York State, and of which I remain a member here in Israel), and that if a few pieces of another kind of silver ended up in his pocket, well, that could be overlooked.

I, for one, did not and still do not buy into that line of reasoning.  If anything, Shelly should be held to a higher standard;  it ultimately serves the Jewish community's best interests to have a just and sound-working government.

It therefore is, in a sense, somewhat perplexing that so many letters of support from so many quarters are coming in to beseech Judge Caprioni for leniency when she sentences Shelly.  After all, certain groups in New York and American can thank Shelly for allowing the same-gender marriage bill to pass the New York State Legislature.

Understand that I do not personally concern myself with the living arrangements entered into by consenting adults, but continue to be vehemently opposed to according same-gender arrangements all of the same legal status and benefits on par with one-man-one-woman marriage.  The governmental approval of same-gender marriage has opened the door to the polygamous marriages practiced by many Muslims, and imperils American values.

[And speaking of intimate personal relationships, the U.S. Attorney's office has put forward evidence, for consideration in imposing sentence, of Shelly's alleged extramarital affairs for the purpose of debunking the notion that Shelly Silver is a scrupulous person, bribery conviction notwithstanding (I have not read the evidence, and accordingly, proffer no opinion and place not bets one way or the other as to whether he has or has not been cheating on his wife).

Actually, I sort of do understand why so many have stepped forward to speak up for Shelly Silver.  He has done much for those who have greased his palm, and those who have shmeered him are not ingrates.

THIS Year in Jerusalem

Posting on this Blog from 14 April 2015:  "And while our planned residence is not in direct proximity to the Holy City of Jerusalem, there is a good chance that one or more of our friends there will invite us for the Passover Seder next year.  If so, then the aspiration of Next Year in Jerusalem will become a reality for us."

I am pleased, and most grateful, to report that such seems now to be in the making.  Some old friends of my wife's family, who came to Israel almost 30 years ago, have invited us to stay with them for the first day (which begins at sundown the night before of Pesach (it is celebrated only one day inside the Land of Israel, but that's a whole separate ball of wax).  They live in the Holy City of Jerusalem.

We obviously are looking forward to it.

As mentioned in the posting from last year, "Next Year in Jerusalem" are the concluding words of the Passover Seder meal  ("L'Shana HaBa'a B'Yerushalayim" in Hebrew). 

We will still say "L'Shana HaBa'a B'Yerushalayim" on behalf of those who have yet to physically present themselves in the Holy City of Jerusalem this year, but for us it will be This Year in Jerusalem.

"HaShana HaZot B'Yerushalayim."

Though our seder invite spares me and (mostly) my wife from lots of holiday preparations, there still is much to be done for the entire holiday, inasmuch as the other days we plan to be based out of our apartment, and need to remove all the fermented grain from the premises (including, but not limited to, bread, beer, and whiskey).  Aside from such matters, this week promises to be quite busy, what with some scheduled meetings in Tel Aviv, plus at least one locally in my own town.

In case I don't get around to posting before, we wish everyone a Happy and Kosher Passover, including the obligatory "L'Shana HaBa'a B'Yerushalayim"

לשנה הבאה בירושלים

Still Suited Up to Play, but Warming the Bench

As mentioned earlier, I am very busy putting out various fires, racking up a few points here and there, and taking care of family matters.  My inspiration to blog has been quite low because I have been too burnt out to come up with anything unique and inspired.  I do expect things to ratchet back up in the coming weeks, however.

One thing that is not consuming us (much), for a change, is our preparations for the Passover holiday.  This year, for the first time in a long time, we will be away for much of Pesach, so we do not need to prep for the seders as in years past. 

To be sure, we will miss doing it ourselves, and will need to go along with the particular customs and practices and shtick of our hosts instead of doing it entirely our way.  And, as a guest, I will need to restrain my politically-incorrect comments a bit more than I would if I were the host (or, at least, must wait for someone else to cast the first stone before chiming in with my own comments).  One of the seder guests is known to espouse views that tilt heavily towards the stupid end of the human intelligence continuum.

Nevertheless, our invitations to spend the holiday away from home come at a time when they are very, very much appreciated in light of the respective stresses under which my wife and I each operate.

If I don't get around to posting before then, please accept our wishes for a very happy holiday.

The Contrary Son

 

Our Passover Seder was just me and my wife.  For some very personal and positive reasons, it was even more uplifting than either of us had anticipated.  We missed having company, but then again, having some time alone with one's spouse also has its rewards.

 

The Hagaddah is the book that contains the order of the Pesach Seder (the word "seder" is Hebrew for order).  The Seder begins with discussion of The Four Sons:  The Wise Son is to be instructed in all of the details of the seder.  The Contrary Son (in Hebrew, "rasha" (evil)), who excludes himself from the practices and principles of the Torah is to be told that the Seder is for what G-d did for us (and not him) when He brought us out of Egypt; had the Contrary Son been in Egypt he would not have been redeemed.  The Simple Son, who asks "What is this," is given a simple answer to the effect that it is gratitude to G-d who brought us out of Egypt.  And the Son who Cannot Even Ask a Question must be told the story of the redemption from Egypt.  The remainder of the Seder essentially consists of telling that story for his benefit (and our own).

 

One Contrary Son is former attorney Stanley L. Cohen, who, the day before Pesach (Monday, 14 April 2014), pled guilty to various federal tax crimes, and, upon such plea, ceased to be an attorney in New York.  This Stanley Cohen (I have known throughout my life a handful of other individuals also named Stanley Cohen, and feel bad for them on account of this besmirchment of their good names) is the disciple of another Contrary Son, William Kunstler, and a former law partner of terrorist lawyer Lynne Stewart.  If the name Stanley L. Cohen sounds familiar, it is because he has just come off of defending Bin Laden's son-in-law, Suleiman Abu Ghaith.

 

Understand that the criminal defense attorney is an indispensable component of the justice system because in criminal prosecutions, it is absolutely essential that the government prosecutors be held to the requisites of the United States Constitution, no matter how heinous the criminal, and no matter how obvious his or her guilt.  Anything else would be an unchecked government, the effects of which we see today, before our very eyes, as the Obama administration views itself as being above the law.

 

Nor is there anything inherently wrong with a Jewish lawyer serving as a defense attorney for an enemy of the Jewish people (of which we have plenty); the criminal defendant may be the nominal client, but the truly diligent defense attorney is really defending the U.S. Constitution.

 

Cohen was not defending the U.S. Constitution; his objective has long been to enable the enemies of America and of the Jewish people.  He is a self-hating Jew.  He is truly the Contrary Son.

 

This post shall not link to Cohen's website, where he whines about how the U.S. Government has been on a witch hunt in his prosecution.  Hey, Stanley, you didn't file your taxes for six year, and you concealed big bucks in income.  You and your radical comrades talk about sharing the wealth; how about sharing the more than $3 million in your accounts?

 

When Stanley does his prison time, his fellow felons will, no doubt, have read about the big bucks he handled.  They are likely to presume that he has more stashed away, and take various measures to prevail upon him to share his wealth.

 

Erev Pesach 5774

 

Still in creativity burn-out mode (but have a few ideas that need to get beyond the writer's block stage).  My wife, all the more; she has had some very, very intense professional activity during the past two months.  My son, now in Israel, has been on an emotional roller coaster for various reasons (yes, his interactions with a woman play into the mix), kind of like what I was going through when I was his age and trying to balance the educational, occupational, and social spheres of life.

 

But tonight, my wife and I will be spending some quality time together on a worthwhile venture:  The Passover Seder.  Tonight is the first night of Passover (Pesach in Hebrew).  The sun will set in just a few hours.  It will be just me and my wife tonight; possibility of two guests tomorrow night.  We are looking forward to it.  Even the smallest Pesach seder is a big event!  It makes the Jewish people who we are.  And my wife and I look forward to being reinvigorated by the experience.

 

L'Shana HaBa'a B'Yerushalayim!

 

 

Wishing all of our friends a Chag Sameach Pesach, or a Happy Easter, as the case may be.

 

Our Pesach Seders, 5773

I would say that our Passover Seders this year were uneventful, EXCEPT ...

Except that EVERY Passover seder that is, was or ever will be is a major league, big time event.  This is true of the 30+ guests my mother-in-law used to have each night, back when she still was up to doing it (and of course I was tasked with moving and setting up the furniture, etc.).  And it is true of the little seder, just me and my wife, the first night (we had another couple over the second night).

The story of our redemption from slavery in Egypt is a key event in world history, to be told over and over again each year from the older generation to the younger generation.  G-d commanded us to tell and retell the story, and to remember it all the days or our lives (which, as the Rabbis of the Talmud explained, means night-time and day-time alike).  If there are no children, then we read the Haggadah to one another.  And, if one finds himself or herself alone for the seder night, then one reads it aloud to oneself.

Maybe one of these years we will do a seder with more guests (including a few who have not yet heard all of my seder jokes, clean and otherwise -- after almost 30 years, my wife already knows them so they are not that fun to tell anymore).  But until then, the twosome seder will just have to do.

But whether a twosome, a solo, or a rent some tables and chairs production, EVERY Pesach seder is a big time affair and a noteworthy event.

And, as we say at the very end of each seder:

L'Shana HaBaah B'Yerushalayim!   Next Year in the Holy City of Jerusalem!

Chag Sameach Pesach, 5773

Been extraordinarily occupied, and in a few hours the sun will set and the Festival of Passover will be upon us.

Nothing fancy planned, but my wife and I, individually and collectively, are looking forward to some time away from the demands of our respective professions.  Obviously, I have been quite busy with my usual holiday preparations, including going up into the attic to get the Pesach dishes; my wife has likewise been very preoccupied with the rearrangement of the kitchen, cooking and setting the table.  Even when we keep it simple it is very involved.

But we enjoy it.

And we will have a few guests.

I have nothing profound to post which has not been expressed by others elsewhere.  I have lots of papers to grade, and a few deadlines coming up.  And so, I will wish all a Chag Sameach Pesach, and L'Shanah HaBaah B'Yerushalayim  -- A happy Passover festival, and Next Year in the Holy City of Jerusalem!

LIFO and FIFO for Pesach

Our Passover seder was very inspiring and enjoyable. This year, my wife's Cousin Shira was once again able to join us, as in some prior years. For those of you who have not been reading the postings, Cousin Shira's sociopolitical outlook tends to gravitate towards the leftward end of the spectrum. This year, she didn't seem as gung-ho about Barack Hussein Obama as in times past. I do enjoy Cousin Shira's company, notwithstanding her politics.

I am not an accountant, but, having attained a MBA degree, I do have a very, very basic understanding of some of the accounting profession's concepts and jargon. In such regard, it is noted that a merchant's inventory can be managed and valued in various ways, and the physical management is not always the same as the valuation method. The valuation method used can make a significant difference, especially when differing quantities are purchased at different times for different prices.

Without getting into too much detail, the three main methods of inventory valuation are First In First Out (FIFO), Last In First Out (LIFO), and Weighted Average. Perishable goods are usually physically managed according to the FIFO method (though they may be valued, for accounting purposes, using LIFO or Weighted Average).

Shortly after my marriage 20-something years ago, I found that I do enjoy eating pickled herring (having theretofore eschewed the food). And so, I usually eat it on Shabbat at my Shul (but that is the only time I ever eat it).

My Rabbi, who takes it upon himself to procure most of the provisions for our sit-down Kiddush meal every Shabbat (the main exception being the baked goods, which are picked up Thursday evening or Friday morning by one of our congregation's members whose office is a few blocks from the bakery we use), informed me that he was unable to find any Kosher for Passover pickled herring.

I went to the local supermarket where we usually obtain the herring, and asked the Deli Manager about it.

Turns out that the jars of the Kosher for Passover herring were still in the walk-in refrigerator, because his inventory management for such perishable goods is FIFO. I explained to him that during the eight days of Passover, certain foods, including pickled herring, need special Passover supervision or religious people such as myself will not eat it.

The Deli Manager thought about it, and then told me that he now understands why the sales of pickled herring were down this week. He instructed one of his underlings to put a few cases of the Kosher L'Pesach pickled herring (3 different brands) into the refrigerator case, so that customers holding by the Pesach kashrut laws would be able to buy it. I purchased four jars and took them to shul this evening. The Rabbi was obviously pleased.

But how much business has been lost because of deli managers who use the FIFO inventory management method with their pickled herring and other perishable foods? And how many, out of ignorance, will decide not to carry pickled herring and other such foods next year?

Pesach 5771

Tomorrow evening begins Pesach, and my wife and I are very busy, prepping for the Passover seder we plan to host in our home. Probably will be a small and simple affair, but it is always a special thing. I have a long day tomorrow, still have things to do in preparation, and things that need to be done in my professional life before the holiday (as regular readers of this blog have surmised, I do not do any work during the holiday, including driving, turning electric switches on or off, or going online with the computer).



Here is a Pesach-relevant one now making the e-mail rounds, which I post for everyone's enjoyment, amusement, and introspection:

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If the Passover Story had been Reported by The New York Times:



The cycle of violence between the Jews and the Egyptians continues with no end in sight in Egypt. After eight previous plagues that have destroyed the Egyptian infrastructure and disrupted the lives of ordinary Egyptian citizens, the Jews launched a new offensive this week in the form of the plague of darkness.

Western journalists were particularly enraged by this plague. "It is simply impossible to report when you can't see an inch in front of you," complained a frustrated Andrea Koppel of CNN. "I have heard from my reliable Egyptian contacts that in the midst of the blanket of blackness, the Jews were annihilating thousands of Egyptians. Their word is solid enough evidence for me."

While the Jews contend that the plagues are justified given the harsh slavery imposed upon them by the Egyptians, Pharaoh, the Egyptian leader, rebuts this claim. "If only the plagues would let up, there would be no slavery. We just want to live plague-free. It is the right of every society."

Saeb Erekat, an Egyptian spokesperson, complains that slavery is justifiable given the Jews' superior weaponry supplied to them by the superpower God.

The Europeans are particularly enraged by the latest Jewish offensive. "The Jewish aggression must cease if there is to be peace in the region. The Jews should go back to slavery for the good of the rest of the world," stated an angry French President Nicholas Sarkozy.

Even several Jews agree. Adam Shapiro and Arthur Waskow, who are Jewish, have barricaded themselves within Pharaoh's chambers to protect Pharaoh from what is feared will be the next plague, the death of the firstborn. Mr. Shapiro claims that while slavery is not necessarily a good thing, it is the product of the plagues and when the plagues end, so will the slavery.

"The Jews have gone too far with plagues such as locusts and epidemic which have virtually destroyed the Egyptian economy," Rabbi Waskow laments. "The Egyptians are really a very nice people and Pharaoh is kind of huggable once you get to know him," gushes Waskow.

The United States is demanding that Moses and Aaron, the Jewish leaders, continue to negotiate with Pharaoh. While Moses points out that Pharaoh had made promise after promise to free the Jewish people only to immediately break them and thereafter impose harsher and harsher slavery, Richard Boucher of the State Department assails the latest offensive. "Pharaoh is not in complete control of the taskmasters," Mr. Boucher states. "The Jews must return to the negotiating table and will accomplish nothing through these plagues."

The latest round of violence comes in the face of a bold new Saudi peace overture. If only the Jews will give up their language, change their names to Egyptian names and cease having male children, the Arab nations will incline toward peace with them, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah declared.


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And so, at a time when the whole world seems to be backing the enemies of the Jews, and insisting that the Jews do suicidal things, we will celebrate our freedom, and our faith that G-d will save us from our current enemies, just as he rescued us from Pharoah.

As for the Jewish leftists who back the enemies of the Jews (and of civilization), they are the Wicked Son as noted in the Haggadah. Had they been in Egypt, they would not have been redeemed.

Pesach Greetings, Next Year in Jerusalem

I'm busy with prepping for the Passover holiday (Pesach in Hebrew), and am not in any position to make anything more than this perfunctory posting to convey my Pesach greetings to the world.

The Passover meal, the Seder, ends with the words "L'Shanah HaBa'ah B'Yerushalayim," which means "Next Year in Jerusalem!"

And so, to all, I say "L'Shanah HaBa'ah B'Yerushalayim!" Next Year in the Holy City of Jerusalem!

Because Jerusalem is our Holy City, given to us by G-d. And we have a G-d-given right to settle there, and to build our homes there. And Barack Hussein Obama cannot change that! And we will remain there, whether Obama or Bin Laden or any other enemy of the Jewish people likes it or not!

"L'Shanah HaBa'ah B'Yerushalayim!"

Remember the Passover Story

So now, former President Jimmy Carter is calling Israel's restrictions upon the entry into Gaza of materiels that can be (and in fact are being) used to kill Israeli civilians an atrocity.

No doubt, other real Americans will point out One-Term Jimmy's hypocrisy in his failure to condemn (and indeed, his support of) even greater atrocities, such as thousands of rockets, launched on an almost daily basis, into the civilian town of Sderot. And, no doubt, other real American bloggers will speak out about his other acts of treason.

I only wish to point out two things here:

(1) Everyone seems to have forgotten Jimmy Carter's piss poor record with Muslim terrorists, specifically, the Iranian Hostage crisis. It took a Ronald Reagan to get the American hostages released, after Carter was unsuccessful for well over a year.

(2) As I write this, Carter is now in Cairo, cozying up to the Hamas terrorists. But where is Cairo? It is in Egypt! And what Jewish holiday is coming up in less than 48 hours? Remember that we have been commanded to remember how G-d saved us from our enslavement in Egypt! Hey, Jimmy! Remember what happened to the Pharoah!!!

Updates & Chag Sameach

Once again, a dearth of posts has resulted from me going through a busy period, exacerbated by the Passover preparations for the upcoming Pesach holiday (redundancy intentional; this posting can now be hit by a search of either term). A few updates are in order.


(A) Big Dipper update: During the past month since the Big Dipper Update # 8, the issue has only spread and intensified. NY AG Andrew Cuomo, who is certainly not oblivious to the prospects of making political hay, has issued two press releases during the past week [here and here] announcing various expansions of his probe into the matter. Expect to see some criminal indictments, and maybe, just maybe, some dollars returned to the New York State public treasury.

(B) The Wisniewski case posting from 9 July 2007 (the one where the kid's parents sued the school for expelling him for making death threats to a teacher): The U.S. Supreme Court has denied certiorari, which means that the suspension stands, and the kid (who is now an adult) does not get exonerated for the death threats. Aaron Wisniewski's only hope is for him to accept accountability for his actions. But with facilitative parents who do everything to externalize the blame which rightly rests upon his shoulders, he really doesn't have too much of a chance.


(C) The Passport Snooping post of 23 March 2008: As mentioned, State Department employees get away with doing things that IRS employees can't even daydream about doing. Along such lines, the removal of an IRS employee Shirley C. Albritton for snooping, which was upheld by the Merit System Protection Board, was affirmed by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.



The hour draws late, and the holiday will soon be upon us, thus giving me and my wife approximately 2 days to finish our preparations. As usual, I look forward to it, but, as usual, it will take a lot out of me.

Wishing everyone a happy & kosher Passover!