Here is guest post, by non other than my sister. We were in the Dominican Republic last week, with hundreds of Europeans. And those bastards literally smoke ALLLLL the time. My sister even had her "favorite" cigar guy. Anyway, she was flipping out the entire vacation because she cannot handle the smell of cigarette smoke. So, I told her to write a post. Here it is:
Now-a-days in the year 2008 there is a lot of awareness on the dangers of smoking. In terms of awareness, I am not just talking about the T.V. commercials that would give anyone chills or the huge bold letters on cigarette boxes (especially at the duty free shops at the airport) which read anything from: “Smoking Kills” to “ Smoking harms you and others around you”, but the awareness in public schools which start in 2nd grade, which I have personally been through, which would scare most kids from even touching a cigarette. My question is, why would anyone smoke?
People give various excuses as to why they choose to smoke. These people say “it’s cool” or “I only smoke socially” or “it relaxes me” or “Only Americans think it’s harmful." Obviously these excuses are full of baloney, because:
It’s Cool – Don’t know about you, but slowly killing myself is not on my list of cool.
I only smoke socially- Fine so I only jump off a bridge socially.
It relaxes me – Try drinking chamomile tea or taking Valerian root, because killing yourself is never the answer.
Only Americans think it’s harmful – The guy that said this is from Israel and as far as I know they have the same letters in bold print which reads “Smoking kills” or “Smokers die younger." Maybe the awareness outside the U.S isn’t as strong, but it’s definitely there.
Other than people harm themselves by smoking, they also harm others with 2nd hand smoke. Whenever I smell smoke I start coughing and my stomach churns. So if people don’t care about themselves and want to kill themselves, go ahead, but don’t do it at the expense of others. Don’t smoke around people that don’t, even if it is outside. Don’t smoke in your car, because it still stinks it up. Most importantly when you go to the beach, do not just light up. Smoke travels and people want fresh air from the sea breeze not a smokey death breeze. When you’re at a resort that allows smoking, don’t smoke during the meals, you can wait 45 minutes to pop another death stick.
Bodily problems caused by smoking:
Cancers:Lung, bladder, esophagus, mouth, throat, cervical, kidney, pancreatic and stomach. acute myeloid leukemia.
Gingivitis, yellowing of the teeth and nails, periodontitis, loss of taste, Cataracts, emphysema, asthma, pneumonia, abdominal aortic aneurism, Lung desease, Heart desease, Heart attack, and Gangrene.
Ingredients in cigerettes:
Tar, nicotine, Carbon Monoxide (no point in installing an alarm for it if you inhale it anyway), ammonia (might as well drink windex), formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, arsenic (let’s go poison ourselves), DDT, acetone (mmmm…I love nail polish remover), Carcinogens: Nickel, Benzene, Aniline, Cadmium, etc. Vinyl Chloride, Nitric acid, Hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, ulmic acids (since we can’t touch most acids because it’ll burn our skin, lets inhale them instead so we can slowly burn our insides!).
Just some Facts:
12 million Americans died of smoking since 1964
Smoking kills about 440,000 Americans per year
On average, smoking men lose 13.2 years of life and women lose 14.5.
Lite cigerettes- not any liter than the regular ones on your health.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Sunglasses
While randomly reading blogs my mom sounf one that discussed how many frum girls these days do not dress tzniously. The post had many comments by men. One lady came on and said something like "Men, why don't you just put on your dark glasses and not look at the women."
That line reminded me of my HS teacher who was going on for hours about the importance of tznious. She would say that men are easily tempted and it is our (the girls') job to prevent sin and to altogether help prevent them from looking. The way this is done -dress tzniously-
One girl asked the teacher "But guys look anyway, what are we supposed to do?"
The teacher replied "Well, my husband told me that when he goes out he wears sunglasses specifically NOT to look at women."
Is it only the pair of sunglasses I own or are all sunglasses only tinted yet still transparent? What the hell kinda lucky guys are these to have such stupid wives that would buy :
"No Honey, I wasn't looking at that scantly dressed woman, can't you see I'm wearing sunglasses?"
No Really?! What kinda morons are these wives? I came home that day and told my parents what the teacher said and my father was like "Hahahaha I wear sunglasses so the girls DON'T see ME checking THEM out!"
Here goes another reason why frum men do not want woman educated, they may actually gain some commonsense!
Some girls in my class applauded her for having such a great husband!
That line reminded me of my HS teacher who was going on for hours about the importance of tznious. She would say that men are easily tempted and it is our (the girls') job to prevent sin and to altogether help prevent them from looking. The way this is done -dress tzniously-
One girl asked the teacher "But guys look anyway, what are we supposed to do?"
The teacher replied "Well, my husband told me that when he goes out he wears sunglasses specifically NOT to look at women."
Is it only the pair of sunglasses I own or are all sunglasses only tinted yet still transparent? What the hell kinda lucky guys are these to have such stupid wives that would buy :
"No Honey, I wasn't looking at that scantly dressed woman, can't you see I'm wearing sunglasses?"
No Really?! What kinda morons are these wives? I came home that day and told my parents what the teacher said and my father was like "Hahahaha I wear sunglasses so the girls DON'T see ME checking THEM out!"
Here goes another reason why frum men do not want woman educated, they may actually gain some commonsense!
Some girls in my class applauded her for having such a great husband!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
New Kolel-like program
You know how they say that some people should be learning Torah all day long because that is how Hashem wants it? And you know how the people who "cannot" learn all day are told to give tzedakeh to full-time learners to support them in lieu of their own learning? The idea is is that some people can learn full time and others cannot. The ones who cannot are supposed to give money to support the full-time learners. By doing this they get the zchus of a full-time learner even though they aren't actually full-time learners.
So anyway I decided that a few other types of kolel's need to be implemented. After all, there are many mitzvahs in the Torah which people miss out on because they are busy being useful in the household and earning money and/or doing housework.
My idea is to institute "kollelim" for travelers and food tasters. Hashem afterall created the world for people to see and enjoy it. Hashem wants man to enjoy the beauty the world has to offer, and he wants people to say a bracha. However, a problem arises in that many people just cannot travel (motion sickness, home-sickness, and way too involved in work) and other people cannot try new foods because of their inability to travel or because of allergies or diseases/sicknesses. These people (like non-learners) should set aside a portion of their income to provide money for those willing to sacrifice their comfort to fulfill the mitzvah of seeing the world. After all, these people are so immersed in Torah that they would be willing to quit their jobs and travel and try exotic foods for a living.
So here is my proposal. In order to get this program started I would need to volunteer myself to be the "full-time" traveler and food-taster. In order to do so, I need funding for the travel and food expenses. So I ask of you to please donate some money* to this great cause. I am willing to go to Europe/Israel this very summer. If you sponser my trip, and my ambition to flood the world with many mitzvot, I will make sure to keep you in mind when I say each bracha (starting from tfilla's haDerech to the bracha for seeing mountains) I would even bring back pictures so you get the full-merit of seeing the world-and not just vicariously.
If you're interested in instituting such a program I strongly urge you to e-mail me and I will let you know who to make your check payable to.
* maaser money is accepted
Tizku l'mitzvos
So anyway I decided that a few other types of kolel's need to be implemented. After all, there are many mitzvahs in the Torah which people miss out on because they are busy being useful in the household and earning money and/or doing housework.
My idea is to institute "kollelim" for travelers and food tasters. Hashem afterall created the world for people to see and enjoy it. Hashem wants man to enjoy the beauty the world has to offer, and he wants people to say a bracha. However, a problem arises in that many people just cannot travel (motion sickness, home-sickness, and way too involved in work) and other people cannot try new foods because of their inability to travel or because of allergies or diseases/sicknesses. These people (like non-learners) should set aside a portion of their income to provide money for those willing to sacrifice their comfort to fulfill the mitzvah of seeing the world. After all, these people are so immersed in Torah that they would be willing to quit their jobs and travel and try exotic foods for a living.
So here is my proposal. In order to get this program started I would need to volunteer myself to be the "full-time" traveler and food-taster. In order to do so, I need funding for the travel and food expenses. So I ask of you to please donate some money* to this great cause. I am willing to go to Europe/Israel this very summer. If you sponser my trip, and my ambition to flood the world with many mitzvot, I will make sure to keep you in mind when I say each bracha (starting from tfilla's haDerech to the bracha for seeing mountains) I would even bring back pictures so you get the full-merit of seeing the world-and not just vicariously.
If you're interested in instituting such a program I strongly urge you to e-mail me and I will let you know who to make your check payable to.
* maaser money is accepted
Tizku l'mitzvos
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Pregnancy Pact
Of all the stupid things teenagers do, this is by far the dumbest. A group of 17 teenage girls at Gloucester High School -the oldest being 16- made a pact to get pregnant and raise their children together. If you read the article on msnbc and other articles concerning this issue, it will seem as if these girls became pregnant because they thought it was "cool." One girl even paid a 24-year-old homeless man to get her pregnant.
Some say that the pregnancy of Jamie Lynn Spears is what inspired these girls "This trend was highlighted Thursday when Britney Spears' 17-year-old sister Jamie Lynn, star of Nickelodeon's popular TV show "Zoey 101," gave birth to a baby girl, according to People magazine." They also say that movies like Juno and Knocked Up helped inspire these pregnancies.
Truth of the matter is, is that "Birth rates for teenagers aged 15 to 17 rose by 3 percent in 2006, the first increase since 1991, according to preliminary data released in December by the National Center for Health Statistics." Meaning that this trend started way before any obvious forms of pop-culture could've effected them.
It's just mind boggling how ridiculous these actions are. Why the heck would a bunch of teenage girls get pregnant? It cannot possibly be TV. TV doesn't make it sound easy one bit (and I watched Gilmore Girls where mom & daughter ended up having it really good). I mean, seriously. what the heck is wrong with people these days?
I'm going to be frum and blame moms for not spending enough time with their children. Darn working moms! If they only paid attention to their young instead of sticking them infront of TV's and allowing the schools to be the only forms of education, these retarded teens wouldn't be- as retarded-!
Some say that the pregnancy of Jamie Lynn Spears is what inspired these girls "This trend was highlighted Thursday when Britney Spears' 17-year-old sister Jamie Lynn, star of Nickelodeon's popular TV show "Zoey 101," gave birth to a baby girl, according to People magazine." They also say that movies like Juno and Knocked Up helped inspire these pregnancies.
Truth of the matter is, is that "Birth rates for teenagers aged 15 to 17 rose by 3 percent in 2006, the first increase since 1991, according to preliminary data released in December by the National Center for Health Statistics." Meaning that this trend started way before any obvious forms of pop-culture could've effected them.
It's just mind boggling how ridiculous these actions are. Why the heck would a bunch of teenage girls get pregnant? It cannot possibly be TV. TV doesn't make it sound easy one bit (and I watched Gilmore Girls where mom & daughter ended up having it really good). I mean, seriously. what the heck is wrong with people these days?
I'm going to be frum and blame moms for not spending enough time with their children. Darn working moms! If they only paid attention to their young instead of sticking them infront of TV's and allowing the schools to be the only forms of education, these retarded teens wouldn't be- as retarded-!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Be comfy
I was linked to an article on Cosmpolitan called 40 Girlie Moves That Make Guys Melt. One of the guys said:
"Like most chicks, there's a big difference between how my girlfriend looks when she's out and dressed up, and when she's in dress-down mode, hanging out at home. At first, she was shy about pulling back her hair and putting on her glasses instead of her contacts. But I love how she looks when she's relaxed. Maybe it's because I'm one of the few people who get to see her that way."
I found what he said absolutely fascinating. Why? Because of the mere fact that B'Y and probably kallah classes as well, teach girls that they should care more about how they look inside the house than they do when they are out. I remember the teacher at my HS who used to teach about shalom bayis and such was very into the fact that woman should always look nice. She told a stories (which I heard from many other teachers) about these ladies who would apply make-up more often while at home than while they were out. These women would greet their husbands every day in make-up and nice clothes (the same ones they wore to work, not sweat pants and a huge t-shirt). And supposedly, these husbands were the ones that were happier in their marraiges.
Honestly, I'm no feminist. I understand that guys are attracted to femininity and all sorts of lady-like behavior. The thing is, is that some of those behaviors are SUPER uncomfortable (ie, wearing heels, itchy sweaters, and fitted clothes - especially -around the house). Not only that, but being dressed up inside or all the time is just super impractical. Wearing make-up is really bad for the skin, constantly straightening/curling hair can damage it, and wearing above-decent clothes around the house can damage them (as if guys don't complain enough as it is that women spend to much time and money on shopping).
I do love to dress up on occassion, and I like the attention I get when I do, but I sure like my baggy pants and over-sized sweatshirt ALOT more. While I cannot wear the pants and sweatshirt out (faded, stained, worn-out) I feel really bad wasting such comfy garments on the garbage, so I'm keeping them.
So ladies, next time you're at a speech and the speaker tells you that it is crucial to constantly "look-good" for your husband, remember what the guy said in Cosmopolitan, go home, put on your sweat-pants and your over-sized sweatshirt. Then go and put your hair up in a pony-tail and take your contacts out. If you're single, make this a habit, if you're married, don't worry about it- your husband probably doesn't pay attention to what you're wearing anyway.
"Like most chicks, there's a big difference between how my girlfriend looks when she's out and dressed up, and when she's in dress-down mode, hanging out at home. At first, she was shy about pulling back her hair and putting on her glasses instead of her contacts. But I love how she looks when she's relaxed. Maybe it's because I'm one of the few people who get to see her that way."
I found what he said absolutely fascinating. Why? Because of the mere fact that B'Y and probably kallah classes as well, teach girls that they should care more about how they look inside the house than they do when they are out. I remember the teacher at my HS who used to teach about shalom bayis and such was very into the fact that woman should always look nice. She told a stories (which I heard from many other teachers) about these ladies who would apply make-up more often while at home than while they were out. These women would greet their husbands every day in make-up and nice clothes (the same ones they wore to work, not sweat pants and a huge t-shirt). And supposedly, these husbands were the ones that were happier in their marraiges.
Honestly, I'm no feminist. I understand that guys are attracted to femininity and all sorts of lady-like behavior. The thing is, is that some of those behaviors are SUPER uncomfortable (ie, wearing heels, itchy sweaters, and fitted clothes - especially -around the house). Not only that, but being dressed up inside or all the time is just super impractical. Wearing make-up is really bad for the skin, constantly straightening/curling hair can damage it, and wearing above-decent clothes around the house can damage them (as if guys don't complain enough as it is that women spend to much time and money on shopping).
I do love to dress up on occassion, and I like the attention I get when I do, but I sure like my baggy pants and over-sized sweatshirt ALOT more. While I cannot wear the pants and sweatshirt out (faded, stained, worn-out) I feel really bad wasting such comfy garments on the garbage, so I'm keeping them.
So ladies, next time you're at a speech and the speaker tells you that it is crucial to constantly "look-good" for your husband, remember what the guy said in Cosmopolitan, go home, put on your sweat-pants and your over-sized sweatshirt. Then go and put your hair up in a pony-tail and take your contacts out. If you're single, make this a habit, if you're married, don't worry about it- your husband probably doesn't pay attention to what you're wearing anyway.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Just dumb
The other day I was online chatting with a girl from HS. We haven't spoken in about two years, and thats mostly because we never really liked each other. I never really didn't like her, it was more of the fact that we had nothing in common. Anyway, the other day I found out two things about her, the first being that she's just really dumb (I didn't think she was very sharp, but def not this dumb) and the second that she didn't like me, while I was just indifferent to her. So anyway, what I did was, while chatting, I decided to send her a link to a previous post I had written called If I Rule the World.
The conversation went something like this:
me- Are you busy?
her- no, not really.
me- K, u wanna read something funny i had written?
her- sure
and I sent her the link. A few minutes later this girl is FREAKING out. She was literally "yelling" at me on IM (sounds funny, but come on, you can so tell someone is yelling!). And she says:
You sound exactly like Hitler! HOw can you even write something like this?? No wait! Its you, ofcourse you can write something like this. You don't understand how evil it is. And you're only saying you aren't serious, but i know you, and if it were up to you, you really would rule the world like that. And thats evil. You can't just have dumb people pushing rocks up hills. You can't separate people based on how smart or dumb they are. thats not right. YOu aren't Gd. Only gd can divide people, not man.
So I replied to her something like 'Um. Its my fantasy, I didn't say " you wanna read my political science paper?" I said "want to read something funny?'
So she goes, No, I Know you, you'd really do that.
I was like "are you seriosuly getting upset about a hypothetical situation?!"
She was like But you'd do it. thats the thing! You'd really do it like that!
So I realized that I was speaking to an idiot, and I was like "Ok, you got me, I would do it like that, I made it funny for the readers."
Then the convo ended. And I took her off my buddy list. She's still on my facebook, but thats only because of the gossip :).
The conversation went something like this:
me- Are you busy?
her- no, not really.
me- K, u wanna read something funny i had written?
her- sure
and I sent her the link. A few minutes later this girl is FREAKING out. She was literally "yelling" at me on IM (sounds funny, but come on, you can so tell someone is yelling!). And she says:
You sound exactly like Hitler! HOw can you even write something like this?? No wait! Its you, ofcourse you can write something like this. You don't understand how evil it is. And you're only saying you aren't serious, but i know you, and if it were up to you, you really would rule the world like that. And thats evil. You can't just have dumb people pushing rocks up hills. You can't separate people based on how smart or dumb they are. thats not right. YOu aren't Gd. Only gd can divide people, not man.
So I replied to her something like 'Um. Its my fantasy, I didn't say " you wanna read my political science paper?" I said "want to read something funny?'
So she goes, No, I Know you, you'd really do that.
I was like "are you seriosuly getting upset about a hypothetical situation?!"
She was like But you'd do it. thats the thing! You'd really do it like that!
So I realized that I was speaking to an idiot, and I was like "Ok, you got me, I would do it like that, I made it funny for the readers."
Then the convo ended. And I took her off my buddy list. She's still on my facebook, but thats only because of the gossip :).
Monday, June 16, 2008
Looking for a job
I'm experiencing a sort of writers block (probably because I have no papers to write and no need to procrostinate. :)) So bear with me on these posts 'till I get back to normal. :-)
So, my father keeps telling me to look for a job, and I really don't want to. I just graduated college and am working full time at the job I've had since last summer (as staff support for rent managment). I like my current job. Its perfect for me right now. I can take off basically any day I want (as long as my coworker is in that day) and I have alot of freedom, generally. Now, I know its a bad job, and I know I need to find a better job, it's just that I don't want to right now. I don't care now. Now I just want to rest.
Honestly I don't see what the big deal is. I'm 20 and already a college grad. Most (not all) people my age are still in college, and some with a long way to go (and I'm not talking grad school). I don't understand why I NEED to look for a job so quickly. Why can't I enjoy my youth? I have the rest of my life to work.
Not only that, but I have the type of personality in which I get sick of doing the same old routine nonsense over and over again (and nothing is more routine than my current job), so I begin to flip out, and find myself things to do to either a) get my mind off the fact that the main thing in my life is routine, or b) find a new "main" thing in my life to focus on.
For the past 20 years, I couldn't choose what my main daily focus was, because that was always mom/babysitter, daycare, elementary, HS and college, so I would always find random activities to occupy my thought so I wouldn't go insane (dance class, swim class, gymnastics), then shuirim, shopping excursions with friends, now karate class, and so forth. Now, that I'm done with college, I can officially choose what I want to focus on. And so, what I need, is for me to flip out on the fact that my job is so boring, alot of energy, and many sleepless nights, and I will find myself a job, that will be challenging and have room for growth, so that the "routine" won't be for so long.
All I need is space and a nice break so that the fact that I graduated college settles in. :)
So, my father keeps telling me to look for a job, and I really don't want to. I just graduated college and am working full time at the job I've had since last summer (as staff support for rent managment). I like my current job. Its perfect for me right now. I can take off basically any day I want (as long as my coworker is in that day) and I have alot of freedom, generally. Now, I know its a bad job, and I know I need to find a better job, it's just that I don't want to right now. I don't care now. Now I just want to rest.
Honestly I don't see what the big deal is. I'm 20 and already a college grad. Most (not all) people my age are still in college, and some with a long way to go (and I'm not talking grad school). I don't understand why I NEED to look for a job so quickly. Why can't I enjoy my youth? I have the rest of my life to work.
Not only that, but I have the type of personality in which I get sick of doing the same old routine nonsense over and over again (and nothing is more routine than my current job), so I begin to flip out, and find myself things to do to either a) get my mind off the fact that the main thing in my life is routine, or b) find a new "main" thing in my life to focus on.
For the past 20 years, I couldn't choose what my main daily focus was, because that was always mom/babysitter, daycare, elementary, HS and college, so I would always find random activities to occupy my thought so I wouldn't go insane (dance class, swim class, gymnastics), then shuirim, shopping excursions with friends, now karate class, and so forth. Now, that I'm done with college, I can officially choose what I want to focus on. And so, what I need, is for me to flip out on the fact that my job is so boring, alot of energy, and many sleepless nights, and I will find myself a job, that will be challenging and have room for growth, so that the "routine" won't be for so long.
All I need is space and a nice break so that the fact that I graduated college settles in. :)
Friday, June 13, 2008
The Outside World
A few days ago I finished reading The Outside World by Tova Mirvis. The book was absolutely phenomenal. Mirvis, being frum herself was able to capture the frum lifestyle perfectly,and her message was clearly conveyed.
The book is about Tzippy a 22 year old FFB girl who was going crazy because she was still single and all the guys she was dating seemed the same.
In the meantime Bryan/Baruch comes back from Israel after two-years of learning in Yeshiva. While he was raised Modern Orthodox, he came back from Israel- to his parents dismay- a lot frummer.
Both Tzippy and Baruch end up in Israel and they bump into each other and... (I didn't give anything away, this is all on the back cover).
I strongly recommend reading this book. The author is fabulous. :) Its also a quick and easy read. Nothing too serious for you busy types who cannot commit full attention to their reading.
Here is one quote from the book that I just had to keep:
He had been raised to think that only Harvard, Penn and Columbia were good enough. Law School, Medical School and Business School were his parents' most heartfelt dreams. He had once accepted this as the word of truth. He had worked hard to get into Columbia. He had wanted to be a corporate lawyer like his father. Now he saw that his parents worshipped the false idols of achievement and success. Learning for the sake of learning because it was the will of Gd was of no value to them.
The above is a brief description of what Baruch felt when he returned home from Israel and had to stay in his parents house.
The book is phenomenal! The other book by Mirvis The Ladies Auxiliary is also really good. :)
The book is about Tzippy a 22 year old FFB girl who was going crazy because she was still single and all the guys she was dating seemed the same.
In the meantime Bryan/Baruch comes back from Israel after two-years of learning in Yeshiva. While he was raised Modern Orthodox, he came back from Israel- to his parents dismay- a lot frummer.
Both Tzippy and Baruch end up in Israel and they bump into each other and... (I didn't give anything away, this is all on the back cover).
I strongly recommend reading this book. The author is fabulous. :) Its also a quick and easy read. Nothing too serious for you busy types who cannot commit full attention to their reading.
Here is one quote from the book that I just had to keep:
He had been raised to think that only Harvard, Penn and Columbia were good enough. Law School, Medical School and Business School were his parents' most heartfelt dreams. He had once accepted this as the word of truth. He had worked hard to get into Columbia. He had wanted to be a corporate lawyer like his father. Now he saw that his parents worshipped the false idols of achievement and success. Learning for the sake of learning because it was the will of Gd was of no value to them.
The above is a brief description of what Baruch felt when he returned home from Israel and had to stay in his parents house.
The book is phenomenal! The other book by Mirvis The Ladies Auxiliary is also really good. :)
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
What if they genetically engineered a pig?
Over Yom Tov my family and I were kinda just sitting around laughing at the Yated writers and I said out loud "What happens if they genetically engineer a pig to chew its own cud, will it be considered kosher?"
My family's initial reaction to the question was obviously laughter. After all, why the would scientist's waste time creating a pig that would chew its own cud? This pig wouldn't help fight cancer, or save lives by creating a new and improved version of antibiotic, so what would be the purpose of this new pig- so that Jews could eat it?
After all the laughing stopped, I was like "no really, I wonder how the frum people would react, technically the pig would be kosher. It would be awkward and all, but it would have the split hooves (which it already has) and it would chew its cud, so therefore there wouldn't be any issue to it. So I wonder how the frummies would react. I wonder if any frum groups would eat the pig.
The funny thing is, is that the entire pig situation would undoubtedly lead to another divide within in the frummy world. Two sources I found on the issue prove this, the first is Jewish Perspectives on Genetic Engineering and the second is called Kosher Bacon?.
The divide in the frum community would also lead to further scrutinizing of singles by shadchanim. The shidduch questionnaire would look something like this:
Name:
DOB:
Height:
Parents Name:
Circle one: MO, Litivish, Chassidish,
Parents names: School:
Rav: Stance on eating pig:
While singles are being scrutinized, many yeshivish newspapers and yeshivish speakers will undoubtedly ban the pig. The chassidim (Lubavich not included) will claim they're happy with gefilte fish and chulent, and anything else is goyish. One of the representative Rebbeim will make a speech and will be quoted as saying:
Hashem doesn't believe in science. Just like the world is only 5769 years old, the pig is trief. You are what you eat. Eating a pig that is genetically engineered will make one a scientist. Scientists are the spawn of Satan. Science is an abomination and allowing them [the scientists] to control our diets is strictly prohibitted... If we allow our children to eat this blasphemous animal, what is to stop them from going to college, and reading novels, and learning English? First the pig, then the acceptance of the Internet! We have to have boundaries.
The Jewish Press would report such a speech by asking a top, frum U.S. scientist, who graduated YU to write the article. He would reply:
...the genetically engineered pig is a sign of human progress. Hashem undoubtedly wants us to find a link between Torah and science. Gd would not grant mankind such intellect to allow it to go to waste. The pig is now kosher. It is with this wonderful new creature that we can say a bracha and be reminded of how much Hashem really runs the world, but Hishtadlus by the human, is what allows him to really show his wonder.
While singles are being further annoyed, and the yeshivish newspapers are yet again attacking the Jewish Press and adding the pig issue to the list of why its a "crisis" (yes, there's a Jewish Press crisis), a third group, of unsure/undecided frummies will come out. These frummies will be the type that use alot of quotes that are actually related to the issue. They will be a "mixed" group. They would either be the type who go to kosher restaurants with "questionable" hechshers and eat the genetically engineered pig there, but not in their own homes or the type to completely ban the pig because of these quotes, but never succumb to the "follow in the ways of the goyim" crap used by the yeshivishe types (though they will slightly touch upon it). They wouldn't judge those that do/don't eat pig, but they would start the argument on pig eating, to show how frum they are for not eating it. The main quote they would use would be as follows:
However, these in particular you may not eat of those that chew their cud and that they have cloven hooves: the camel, for he chews his cud but does not have a split hoof it is unclean to you. The Rabbit, for it chews its cud but does not have a cloven hoof it is unclean to you. The hare, for it chews its cud but it does not have a cloven hoof it is unclean to you. The pig, for though it has cloven hooves, and its hooves are [completely] split- it does not chew its cud- it is unclean to you. (Vayikra 11:4-7)
The group that would eat the pig restaurants would chant:
While the pig is completely permissible due to the fact that it is genetically engineered, and now chews its own cud, the pig was specifically mentioned in Vayikro as a treif animal. Any eating of this pig would completely take away the validity of Vayikro as law. The practice of pig-eating should not be an acceptable norm. However, if it were any other animal that was genetically engineered that wasn't exclusively mentioned in the chumash, there would be no problems in eating it. Until that day comes, we shall reject the pig in our everyday lives, and only use it for reasons of peace with distant family members and when we have no other choices on what is available.
Those that would not go to restaurants would be the holier-than-thou type. They would use the same quote and say:
Hashem mentioned the pig as an exclusive animal that has split hooves and does not chew its cud. The pig is a trickster. It is an animal that is out to fool us. We are not here to be fooled. A bunch of scientists will not make us change our ways. We will deny the pigs existence as kosher. The scientists can go back to their apikores ways and leave our community alone. What is this world coming to? How can we eat the pig if Hashem exclusively mentioned the pig? It says in the Gemara (insert reference here) that when moshiach will come, the pig will become kosher! Who are we to act as messiah? If Hashem wanted us out of golus he wouldn't send us mad-scientists who do not learn Torah to engineer pigs for us, he would send us MOSHIACH ben DOVID! For now, we must daven and do chesed for Him to save us! What next? Will we try to create the rabbit, hare and camel with split hooves so that we can eat those, too? Or is it that we want to be like the goyim? The goyim eat bacon and eggs for breakfast, does that mean we should too? The goyim eat rabbit on their Holidays, will we? Will we implement eating a rabbit head on Rosh Hoshanah instead of the fish head? Is this our future? We should read the words in the sefarim, and then we can come to peace with all the glorious foods we already have!
All these people will end up in huge arguments. They will be annoying. All the Goyim in the universe will not care one bit about the fact that Jews may start eating pig. They have better things to do than worry about a guy in a kippa eating bacon, at a restaurant that says "Glatt Kosher" on it. Organizations such as the OU will have to come up with new kosher symbols; ie OUg to represent products that use genetically engineered pig gelatin, and OUf for products that will continue on using the traditional fish gelatin.
Oh...and Moshiach will not come 10 minutes later, and not because the Jews have Israel, or because the Jews are becoming pompous and self-sufficient in creating kosher pigs, but because the Jews don't leave simple stupid things like "genetically engineered pigs" alone and will still argue over them.
My family's initial reaction to the question was obviously laughter. After all, why the would scientist's waste time creating a pig that would chew its own cud? This pig wouldn't help fight cancer, or save lives by creating a new and improved version of antibiotic, so what would be the purpose of this new pig- so that Jews could eat it?
After all the laughing stopped, I was like "no really, I wonder how the frum people would react, technically the pig would be kosher. It would be awkward and all, but it would have the split hooves (which it already has) and it would chew its cud, so therefore there wouldn't be any issue to it. So I wonder how the frummies would react. I wonder if any frum groups would eat the pig.
The funny thing is, is that the entire pig situation would undoubtedly lead to another divide within in the frummy world. Two sources I found on the issue prove this, the first is Jewish Perspectives on Genetic Engineering and the second is called Kosher Bacon?.
The divide in the frum community would also lead to further scrutinizing of singles by shadchanim. The shidduch questionnaire would look something like this:
Name:
DOB:
Height:
Parents Name:
Circle one: MO, Litivish, Chassidish,
Parents names: School:
Rav: Stance on eating pig:
While singles are being scrutinized, many yeshivish newspapers and yeshivish speakers will undoubtedly ban the pig. The chassidim (Lubavich not included) will claim they're happy with gefilte fish and chulent, and anything else is goyish. One of the representative Rebbeim will make a speech and will be quoted as saying:
Hashem doesn't believe in science. Just like the world is only 5769 years old, the pig is trief. You are what you eat. Eating a pig that is genetically engineered will make one a scientist. Scientists are the spawn of Satan. Science is an abomination and allowing them [the scientists] to control our diets is strictly prohibitted... If we allow our children to eat this blasphemous animal, what is to stop them from going to college, and reading novels, and learning English? First the pig, then the acceptance of the Internet! We have to have boundaries.
The Jewish Press would report such a speech by asking a top, frum U.S. scientist, who graduated YU to write the article. He would reply:
...the genetically engineered pig is a sign of human progress. Hashem undoubtedly wants us to find a link between Torah and science. Gd would not grant mankind such intellect to allow it to go to waste. The pig is now kosher. It is with this wonderful new creature that we can say a bracha and be reminded of how much Hashem really runs the world, but Hishtadlus by the human, is what allows him to really show his wonder.
While singles are being further annoyed, and the yeshivish newspapers are yet again attacking the Jewish Press and adding the pig issue to the list of why its a "crisis" (yes, there's a Jewish Press crisis), a third group, of unsure/undecided frummies will come out. These frummies will be the type that use alot of quotes that are actually related to the issue. They will be a "mixed" group. They would either be the type who go to kosher restaurants with "questionable" hechshers and eat the genetically engineered pig there, but not in their own homes or the type to completely ban the pig because of these quotes, but never succumb to the "follow in the ways of the goyim" crap used by the yeshivishe types (though they will slightly touch upon it). They wouldn't judge those that do/don't eat pig, but they would start the argument on pig eating, to show how frum they are for not eating it. The main quote they would use would be as follows:
However, these in particular you may not eat of those that chew their cud and that they have cloven hooves: the camel, for he chews his cud but does not have a split hoof it is unclean to you. The Rabbit, for it chews its cud but does not have a cloven hoof it is unclean to you. The hare, for it chews its cud but it does not have a cloven hoof it is unclean to you. The pig, for though it has cloven hooves, and its hooves are [completely] split- it does not chew its cud- it is unclean to you. (Vayikra 11:4-7)
The group that would eat the pig restaurants would chant:
While the pig is completely permissible due to the fact that it is genetically engineered, and now chews its own cud, the pig was specifically mentioned in Vayikro as a treif animal. Any eating of this pig would completely take away the validity of Vayikro as law. The practice of pig-eating should not be an acceptable norm. However, if it were any other animal that was genetically engineered that wasn't exclusively mentioned in the chumash, there would be no problems in eating it. Until that day comes, we shall reject the pig in our everyday lives, and only use it for reasons of peace with distant family members and when we have no other choices on what is available.
Those that would not go to restaurants would be the holier-than-thou type. They would use the same quote and say:
Hashem mentioned the pig as an exclusive animal that has split hooves and does not chew its cud. The pig is a trickster. It is an animal that is out to fool us. We are not here to be fooled. A bunch of scientists will not make us change our ways. We will deny the pigs existence as kosher. The scientists can go back to their apikores ways and leave our community alone. What is this world coming to? How can we eat the pig if Hashem exclusively mentioned the pig? It says in the Gemara (insert reference here) that when moshiach will come, the pig will become kosher! Who are we to act as messiah? If Hashem wanted us out of golus he wouldn't send us mad-scientists who do not learn Torah to engineer pigs for us, he would send us MOSHIACH ben DOVID! For now, we must daven and do chesed for Him to save us! What next? Will we try to create the rabbit, hare and camel with split hooves so that we can eat those, too? Or is it that we want to be like the goyim? The goyim eat bacon and eggs for breakfast, does that mean we should too? The goyim eat rabbit on their Holidays, will we? Will we implement eating a rabbit head on Rosh Hoshanah instead of the fish head? Is this our future? We should read the words in the sefarim, and then we can come to peace with all the glorious foods we already have!
All these people will end up in huge arguments. They will be annoying. All the Goyim in the universe will not care one bit about the fact that Jews may start eating pig. They have better things to do than worry about a guy in a kippa eating bacon, at a restaurant that says "Glatt Kosher" on it. Organizations such as the OU will have to come up with new kosher symbols; ie OUg to represent products that use genetically engineered pig gelatin, and OUf for products that will continue on using the traditional fish gelatin.
Oh...and Moshiach will not come 10 minutes later, and not because the Jews have Israel, or because the Jews are becoming pompous and self-sufficient in creating kosher pigs, but because the Jews don't leave simple stupid things like "genetically engineered pigs" alone and will still argue over them.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Shidduchim Gone Nuts
The following are crazy shidduch stories:
1) I was at shuir earlier today and a lady mentioned that her daughter is in shidduchim. The daughter just graduated college with a degree in Business Administration. The shadchanim have been asking her for years why she chose such a non-shidduch friendly major. Some went as far as to suggest she go back to college and become a speech or occupational therapist.
I heard the next two from my best friends mom who was AT the shidduch meeting:
2) Friend's mom was at a shidduchim meeting. The meeting was for mothers to present their sons (they alternate son/daughter days). One mother was presenting, she said her son was 6'1 (not sure if that exact height, but he was tall), and he only wanted a girl shorter than 5'. He would MAYBE consider a girl that was exactly 5', but that's only if she's from a good family, pretty, rich etc. Why only a "shorty" (no offense)? Because he doesn't want his kids to be giants. His mom wasn't even embarrassed to present this!!
3) Another lady at this same meeting was presenting her son. She said "My son wants a girl who is short, with blond hair, and green eyes." Another lady screamed out "That's my daughter!"
-What is this world coming to?-
1) I was at shuir earlier today and a lady mentioned that her daughter is in shidduchim. The daughter just graduated college with a degree in Business Administration. The shadchanim have been asking her for years why she chose such a non-shidduch friendly major. Some went as far as to suggest she go back to college and become a speech or occupational therapist.
I heard the next two from my best friends mom who was AT the shidduch meeting:
2) Friend's mom was at a shidduchim meeting. The meeting was for mothers to present their sons (they alternate son/daughter days). One mother was presenting, she said her son was 6'1 (not sure if that exact height, but he was tall), and he only wanted a girl shorter than 5'. He would MAYBE consider a girl that was exactly 5', but that's only if she's from a good family, pretty, rich etc. Why only a "shorty" (no offense)? Because he doesn't want his kids to be giants. His mom wasn't even embarrassed to present this!!
3) Another lady at this same meeting was presenting her son. She said "My son wants a girl who is short, with blond hair, and green eyes." Another lady screamed out "That's my daughter!"
-What is this world coming to?-
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Awesome Skirts!
I ordered a few skirts from Old Navy. My sister and I love them. They are awesome!! AND REAL CHEAP! $10 a skirt! :-)
Here is the link.
They are awesome for the summer (really thin) and great for camp :-)
I had to share. The quality aint that bad either (even though its old navy )
Here is the link.
They are awesome for the summer (really thin) and great for camp :-)
I had to share. The quality aint that bad either (even though its old navy )
Hobbies and interests
I have nice family friends, friends, relatives, rabbi's, and all other weird random people who try and set me up all the time. I don't mind going on these dates. I like the experience of meeting new people, and I like having stories to tell my friends. I don't date a lot, I'm on the picky side, and I do not know too many people, so its not like my phone rings off the hook with "shidduch suggestions" but I've been on enough dates that I can officially complain about it.
Firstly, I will explain what I mean by picky, so that you can understand where I'm coming from. I am not picky about height, eye color, hair color or dress style. I'm super OK with any guy taller than me (I'm 5'2 so that's really not that hard) who has orange hair and wears purple pants to work every morning because he feels like it. I just want him to have a job- with growth potential, and be the ambitious go-getter type. And I want him to have hobbies, and interests and some sort of fun in his life.
Most of my well meaning "shadchanim" (I guess that's what they are, even though they literally do not involve themselves in anything after the exchange of phone calls), wouldn't know a shidduch if it beat them on the head. I got set up only twice with normal guys. What do I mean by normal? Well, for one, they had interests and hobbies outside of work and surfing the web. They read books, newspapers, were interested in politics, and other random things exclusive to them. But that's two guys! Only two. The other guys had literally no interests outside of their jobs. I guess that would be a good thing, that they like their jobs so much... but its not. Because when you're on a date and you ask the guy "do you have any hobbies", and he says "Well, I come home tired, so I just kind of read magazines and watch TV" it gets really annoying. And please do not think that sports is a hobby- unless you actually play.
Seriously...I care just as much about the Mets/Yankees as you probably do about the shoes I'm wearing. I don't mention my shoes (unless the walk is killing my feet) and I'd prefer you not mention Derek Jeter or Mike Piazza. I'm NOT interested. Mention something else... do you collect comic books? play video games? Nope, guys I've dated these days don't do that.
When I ask "so what do you ?"
I almost always get "Well, I work as X, then I come home tired. I watch TV. I sometimes hang out with my friends."
I had one guy tell me his brother takes him to clubs so that they could meet girls. SERIOUSLY? Why are you telling me about your ventures in meeting other girls?
Anyway...I never get "Oh, I like to read sci-fi books" or "I collect comic books" or "I'm interested in art, sometimes I come home and just paint" or "I keep a journal". Nothing. All boring.
There were two guys I went out with not like that. Who had hobbies. And I broke up with them for various reasons. But when I go out with other guys, I begin to wonder if I did the right thing in breaking up with them. Then I drive myself nuts...lately I've been taking it out on blogging.
Firstly, I will explain what I mean by picky, so that you can understand where I'm coming from. I am not picky about height, eye color, hair color or dress style. I'm super OK with any guy taller than me (I'm 5'2 so that's really not that hard) who has orange hair and wears purple pants to work every morning because he feels like it. I just want him to have a job- with growth potential, and be the ambitious go-getter type. And I want him to have hobbies, and interests and some sort of fun in his life.
Most of my well meaning "shadchanim" (I guess that's what they are, even though they literally do not involve themselves in anything after the exchange of phone calls), wouldn't know a shidduch if it beat them on the head. I got set up only twice with normal guys. What do I mean by normal? Well, for one, they had interests and hobbies outside of work and surfing the web. They read books, newspapers, were interested in politics, and other random things exclusive to them. But that's two guys! Only two. The other guys had literally no interests outside of their jobs. I guess that would be a good thing, that they like their jobs so much... but its not. Because when you're on a date and you ask the guy "do you have any hobbies", and he says "Well, I come home tired, so I just kind of read magazines and watch TV" it gets really annoying. And please do not think that sports is a hobby- unless you actually play.
Seriously...I care just as much about the Mets/Yankees as you probably do about the shoes I'm wearing. I don't mention my shoes (unless the walk is killing my feet) and I'd prefer you not mention Derek Jeter or Mike Piazza. I'm NOT interested. Mention something else... do you collect comic books? play video games? Nope, guys I've dated these days don't do that.
When I ask "so what do you ?"
I almost always get "Well, I work as X, then I come home tired. I watch TV. I sometimes hang out with my friends."
I had one guy tell me his brother takes him to clubs so that they could meet girls. SERIOUSLY? Why are you telling me about your ventures in meeting other girls?
Anyway...I never get "Oh, I like to read sci-fi books" or "I collect comic books" or "I'm interested in art, sometimes I come home and just paint" or "I keep a journal". Nothing. All boring.
There were two guys I went out with not like that. Who had hobbies. And I broke up with them for various reasons. But when I go out with other guys, I begin to wonder if I did the right thing in breaking up with them. Then I drive myself nuts...lately I've been taking it out on blogging.
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