I spoke to the principal.
She explained that in a world of marketing where everything is cutting edge and glitzy and glamorous, we cannot expect our kids to connect with or feel an affinity to those things which do not fall into that category.
She said the key is to do it, but to do it as low key as possible. If you give something out that gives a sense of pride and that's how you achieve it then good.
If we are going to try to teach the kids to reject the outside world which has crept into our lives in unprecedented ways that we need to be as "cool" as that world. We can't let the lack of outer trappings, that many of our kids are enthralled with be "nebby." One example given was that our kids would not wear the same Shabbos clothes that we did, they would not be happy with them.
Now, I don't fully agree with what she said, but she's more on the inside,dealing with lots of kids, not just mine. She wants to "win the war not the battle."
It makes me sad that we've lost the battle and our kids need the bells and whistles to be excited about things.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
What Are They Learning?
A better question might be, what are we teaching them?
My girls' school like many girls' high schools does a weekend trip with the whole school. They leave on Thursday, and are back early Sunday morning, tired but uplifted. The camaraderie, the workshops, speeches, choirs and skits all meld into a beautiful weekend in less then stellar accommodations, an overnight summer camp.
My eldest came home the other day, and told me that her friend is one of the "heads" for the weekend, and she would like my daughter to call an orthodontist, who is a close family friend (who sends his girls to a different high school),and ask him to donate toothbrushes for this weekend.
My first thought was to tell her that they should ask people who have a connection with the school. But then I really thought about it. And then I got upset.
Two main points:
First, I have an issue with asking people to donate things to schools that are even less then non-essential to the functioning of a school. Let the kids bring their own toothbrushes. This culture of just asking people to give it to you when you can't afford it on your own is sickening. There is no reason that these kids need to be given an amenities bag when they get up to the weekend.
Which brings me to the second point. This weekend is not free, and with three girls in school is on the pricey side . Why do they need MORE? Why isn't almost four days away in a camp with friends and activities, a bonfire, meals, and lots of fun enough? Why do we have to keep upping the ante? Of course kids are spoiled today, we don't give them a chance to just enjoy things! If you say that's today's society, and that's what kids want? Well, who created that, and how will we know what kids will think if we never give them a chance to have a good time without ALL the extras!?!
How is this whole weekend NOT AN EXTRA?
My girls' school like many girls' high schools does a weekend trip with the whole school. They leave on Thursday, and are back early Sunday morning, tired but uplifted. The camaraderie, the workshops, speeches, choirs and skits all meld into a beautiful weekend in less then stellar accommodations, an overnight summer camp.
My eldest came home the other day, and told me that her friend is one of the "heads" for the weekend, and she would like my daughter to call an orthodontist, who is a close family friend (who sends his girls to a different high school),and ask him to donate toothbrushes for this weekend.
My first thought was to tell her that they should ask people who have a connection with the school. But then I really thought about it. And then I got upset.
Two main points:
First, I have an issue with asking people to donate things to schools that are even less then non-essential to the functioning of a school. Let the kids bring their own toothbrushes. This culture of just asking people to give it to you when you can't afford it on your own is sickening. There is no reason that these kids need to be given an amenities bag when they get up to the weekend.
Which brings me to the second point. This weekend is not free, and with three girls in school is on the pricey side . Why do they need MORE? Why isn't almost four days away in a camp with friends and activities, a bonfire, meals, and lots of fun enough? Why do we have to keep upping the ante? Of course kids are spoiled today, we don't give them a chance to just enjoy things! If you say that's today's society, and that's what kids want? Well, who created that, and how will we know what kids will think if we never give them a chance to have a good time without ALL the extras!?!
How is this whole weekend NOT AN EXTRA?
Monday, April 16, 2012
It's EVERYWHERE!!!
We spent the last days of Yom Tov at a Pesach program in a hotel with the (my) in-law family. That is a post that will likely not ever be published. Suffice it to say we had a nice time. The program that they attend is one that is chock full of speeches and sessions designed to help elevate your spirituality. So that was great.
After one such session, on the second night of Yom Tov was a dessert buffet (11:30 PM) called "Chocolate Madness." Well, the night before I was well able to avoid the dessert spread (it being Pesach, it's not that hard), but "Chocolate Madness?" I had to check it out. As I walked along the line of the tables, passing the fruit (without chocolate, harumph!), the small chocolate confections filled with Pesach cream, all sorts of brownies and other dark looking pastries, sorbets and ice creams, I came upon the true madness. Bowls and bowls of pieces of chocolate. Filled chocolate. Not gooey filled, but raspberry cream (horrid), mint, coconut, jelly rings, marshmallow, marshmallow logs, Viennese crunch , and then the most Marzipan I have EVER seen in one place.
Editor's Note: All references to Marzipan should be read as Mah-Tze-Pahn. NOT, I repeat, NOT Mar-Zi-Pan
Normally, when looking through a dessert spread I glance hopefully at the round little chocolate wheels, hoping to see the identifying crimping that will send me to a place of Marzipanic happiness. Alas, I am usually taunted by the smooth roundness of the chocolate jelly rings.
But not here. No. Here, Marzipan is king. I struck up a conversation with a woman next to me, and I marveled at the plethora of the almondy goodness. She looked at me and said "well, Marzipan is a Pesach thing."
WHAT???
So I explained to her how I grew up with Marzipan as a treat from my grandmother. I still think of those foil wrapped bars! It was our favorite thing, and most people I knew of German descent felt the same way. "Marzipan, certainly not just for Pesach!" She thought it was a pesach thing because of the almonds, and you can't have peanuts or peanut butter. Marzipan, as a substituite? A fill in? A second best???
Pesach? what about Purim? We always waited excitedly for Purim day, because we knew a few of our "landsmen" would certainly send us Marzipan fruit. ( aside: My aunt lives across the street from me. When her girls were young and living at home they would bring me the Marzipan fruit from their Mishloach Manos because "no one there liked it," and my feelings on it were well known. As they started getting married and moving out, the Mishloach Manos were dismantled a little more slowly. When there was but one single girl left in the house, the process was attended to by her and her mother. Shocked, my Aunt exclaimed: "Hey,YUM! We got Marzipan fruit-we haven't gotten that in YEARS!")
Anyway, it was late at night, and I could not really indulge the way I would have liked (I had a dress I needed to fit into the next day!), but not only did I enjoy the few pieces I had, but the fact that there was so much available.
The next afternoon, they put out the extra chocolate in the snack area. Bowls and bowls of Marzipan.
If I would have had pockets I would have filled them up.
After one such session, on the second night of Yom Tov was a dessert buffet (11:30 PM) called "Chocolate Madness." Well, the night before I was well able to avoid the dessert spread (it being Pesach, it's not that hard), but "Chocolate Madness?" I had to check it out. As I walked along the line of the tables, passing the fruit (without chocolate, harumph!), the small chocolate confections filled with Pesach cream, all sorts of brownies and other dark looking pastries, sorbets and ice creams, I came upon the true madness. Bowls and bowls of pieces of chocolate. Filled chocolate. Not gooey filled, but raspberry cream (horrid), mint, coconut, jelly rings, marshmallow, marshmallow logs, Viennese crunch , and then the most Marzipan I have EVER seen in one place.
Editor's Note: All references to Marzipan should be read as Mah-Tze-Pahn. NOT, I repeat, NOT Mar-Zi-Pan
Normally, when looking through a dessert spread I glance hopefully at the round little chocolate wheels, hoping to see the identifying crimping that will send me to a place of Marzipanic happiness. Alas, I am usually taunted by the smooth roundness of the chocolate jelly rings.
But not here. No. Here, Marzipan is king. I struck up a conversation with a woman next to me, and I marveled at the plethora of the almondy goodness. She looked at me and said "well, Marzipan is a Pesach thing."
WHAT???
So I explained to her how I grew up with Marzipan as a treat from my grandmother. I still think of those foil wrapped bars! It was our favorite thing, and most people I knew of German descent felt the same way. "Marzipan, certainly not just for Pesach!" She thought it was a pesach thing because of the almonds, and you can't have peanuts or peanut butter. Marzipan, as a substituite? A fill in? A second best???
Pesach? what about Purim? We always waited excitedly for Purim day, because we knew a few of our "landsmen" would certainly send us Marzipan fruit. ( aside: My aunt lives across the street from me. When her girls were young and living at home they would bring me the Marzipan fruit from their Mishloach Manos because "no one there liked it," and my feelings on it were well known. As they started getting married and moving out, the Mishloach Manos were dismantled a little more slowly. When there was but one single girl left in the house, the process was attended to by her and her mother. Shocked, my Aunt exclaimed: "Hey,YUM! We got Marzipan fruit-we haven't gotten that in YEARS!")
Anyway, it was late at night, and I could not really indulge the way I would have liked (I had a dress I needed to fit into the next day!), but not only did I enjoy the few pieces I had, but the fact that there was so much available.
The next afternoon, they put out the extra chocolate in the snack area. Bowls and bowls of Marzipan.
If I would have had pockets I would have filled them up.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The Apes of Wrath
To FBB and the Management of IcebergCarwash, from The League of Monkeys:
We were greatly dismayed to read your recent post (March 30, 2012), which was adorned with the regrettable title “Dance, Monkey Dance.”
We do not take issue with the content of the post itself. We, too, are avid fans of MBB’s work. We support any efforts, however juvenile on their surface, directed at prodding him to more frequently generate a larger number of “entertaining” posts.
Your title, on the other hand, was patently offensive. For years, we have been battling the ravages of speciesism, with an emphasis on the inexplicable relegation of all primates, and monkeys in particular, to second-class citizen status.
It is downright frightening to us that here in the 21st century, in such an otherwise enlightened medium as the Internet, you think nothing of displaying a title which beseeches monkeys to gyrate for your amusement.
Admittedly, monkeys possess far superior dancing skills than those possessed by most humans. However, we cringe every time we hear the phrase “Even a monkey knows…” The notion that we are of lesser intelligence is not only insensitive, it is breathtakingly inaccurate.
Let us use a few examples to prove our point. (We could use many examples, but we realize the need to tailor our message to humans, and your pathetically short attention spans).
• Monkeys preceded human beings in the scientifically important area of space travel.
• Unlike certain humans, monkeys did not think it was a good idea to roll out a massive, flawed universal health care mandate while unemployment was above 9%.
• Monkeys, even those employing the so-called “dartboard method,” have a much better track record at picking stocks and other investments than do the highly-compensated, so-called “expert” humans.
• You have never seen monkeys camping out overnight on the street and lining up to buy an overhyped, overpriced, soon-to-be-obsolete electronic device. (We prefer bananas to apples).
Unfortunately, humans have chosen to base their opinions of monkeys on those of our brethren who are in captivity in zoos and theme park safaris. On the surface, these monkeys do not appear to be very intelligent at all. After all, they spend their time swinging from vines, scratching themselves, making rude noises and flinging fecal matter at each other. However, in their defense, let us state the following:
• In Hollywood, this behavior is referred to as “content.” Watch any reality show for a few minutes if you doubt that.
• While the monkeys’ behavior might seem puzzling, the really inexplicable part is that humans are spending $30 per head to watch it. Which species is really unintelligent?
We cannot be certain whether or not our arguments will be able to sway all humans to our point of view. Either way, we demand that you offer a public apology, on your blog, to all monkeys, and that you cease and desist using such offensive titles in the future. We would hate to get our lawyers involved in this matter; their stunning greed is matched only by their litigious nature. In other words, IcebergCarwash would really hate it.
In the meantime, we join you in fervently wishing for more frequent posts from the hyper-talented MBB. He is truly a national treasure.
Even a human could figure that out.
We were greatly dismayed to read your recent post (March 30, 2012), which was adorned with the regrettable title “Dance, Monkey Dance.”
We do not take issue with the content of the post itself. We, too, are avid fans of MBB’s work. We support any efforts, however juvenile on their surface, directed at prodding him to more frequently generate a larger number of “entertaining” posts.
Your title, on the other hand, was patently offensive. For years, we have been battling the ravages of speciesism, with an emphasis on the inexplicable relegation of all primates, and monkeys in particular, to second-class citizen status.
It is downright frightening to us that here in the 21st century, in such an otherwise enlightened medium as the Internet, you think nothing of displaying a title which beseeches monkeys to gyrate for your amusement.
Admittedly, monkeys possess far superior dancing skills than those possessed by most humans. However, we cringe every time we hear the phrase “Even a monkey knows…” The notion that we are of lesser intelligence is not only insensitive, it is breathtakingly inaccurate.
Let us use a few examples to prove our point. (We could use many examples, but we realize the need to tailor our message to humans, and your pathetically short attention spans).
• Monkeys preceded human beings in the scientifically important area of space travel.
• Unlike certain humans, monkeys did not think it was a good idea to roll out a massive, flawed universal health care mandate while unemployment was above 9%.
• Monkeys, even those employing the so-called “dartboard method,” have a much better track record at picking stocks and other investments than do the highly-compensated, so-called “expert” humans.
• You have never seen monkeys camping out overnight on the street and lining up to buy an overhyped, overpriced, soon-to-be-obsolete electronic device. (We prefer bananas to apples).
Unfortunately, humans have chosen to base their opinions of monkeys on those of our brethren who are in captivity in zoos and theme park safaris. On the surface, these monkeys do not appear to be very intelligent at all. After all, they spend their time swinging from vines, scratching themselves, making rude noises and flinging fecal matter at each other. However, in their defense, let us state the following:
• In Hollywood, this behavior is referred to as “content.” Watch any reality show for a few minutes if you doubt that.
• While the monkeys’ behavior might seem puzzling, the really inexplicable part is that humans are spending $30 per head to watch it. Which species is really unintelligent?
We cannot be certain whether or not our arguments will be able to sway all humans to our point of view. Either way, we demand that you offer a public apology, on your blog, to all monkeys, and that you cease and desist using such offensive titles in the future. We would hate to get our lawyers involved in this matter; their stunning greed is matched only by their litigious nature. In other words, IcebergCarwash would really hate it.
In the meantime, we join you in fervently wishing for more frequent posts from the hyper-talented MBB. He is truly a national treasure.
Even a human could figure that out.
The Bounty Hunters
The Wall Street Journal reported today that the U.S. has placed a bounty on Hafiz Saeed, a Pakistani terrorist. The government offered as much as $10 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Saeed for his involvement in terrorist attacks.
Reaction to news of the bounty was varied:
• Pakistan did nothing, but prepared a statement for use in the event that Saeed is ultimately captured, saying that they were deeply offended by something or the other.
• Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the National Football League, suspended President Obama indefinitely for offering a bounty.
• Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis of the New Orleans Saints denied the existence of the bounty.
• Bobby McRay hit Saeed on his ankle, while one of his colleagues hit Saeed in the shoulder area. Amazingly, a U.S. official, standing within a few feet of the assault, had no reaction whatsoever.
• Former Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress immediately dispatched 12 men to capture Saeed.
• Saeed himself, perhaps unnerved by news of the bounty, sprinted to his right, to avoid his many pursuers. Then, just when it seemed like he would be able to run to safety, he inexplicably sent a message back toward the direction from which he came. Predictably, the message was intercepted.
Blogger’s Note: We assume that for most of our readers, nearly all of the points above are complete gibberish. We apologize for using the blog as a forum for inside jokes, and look forward to a return to our regular programming in the near term.
Reaction to news of the bounty was varied:
• Pakistan did nothing, but prepared a statement for use in the event that Saeed is ultimately captured, saying that they were deeply offended by something or the other.
• Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the National Football League, suspended President Obama indefinitely for offering a bounty.
• Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis of the New Orleans Saints denied the existence of the bounty.
• Bobby McRay hit Saeed on his ankle, while one of his colleagues hit Saeed in the shoulder area. Amazingly, a U.S. official, standing within a few feet of the assault, had no reaction whatsoever.
• Former Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress immediately dispatched 12 men to capture Saeed.
• Saeed himself, perhaps unnerved by news of the bounty, sprinted to his right, to avoid his many pursuers. Then, just when it seemed like he would be able to run to safety, he inexplicably sent a message back toward the direction from which he came. Predictably, the message was intercepted.
Blogger’s Note: We assume that for most of our readers, nearly all of the points above are complete gibberish. We apologize for using the blog as a forum for inside jokes, and look forward to a return to our regular programming in the near term.
Sprinting out of the Gate
The S&P 500 closed at 1408.47 last Friday, March 30th, the last trading day of 2012’s first quarter. For the first quarter, the Index rose by 12.0%, representing the best first quarter performance for the market since 1998.
There are still several factors weighing on the market, such as the European debt crisis, the stubborn weakness in the U.S. housing and labor markets, and the uncertainty surrounding the future of personal income and corporate tax rates in this country, with a presidential election looming just seven months away.
Then there’s the matter of the stock market’s performance itself. For “gravity” investors, i.e. those who subscribe to the theory of “what goes up must come down,” the S&P 500’s 28% advance since the beginning of last October is surely unsettling, to say the least. It would seem that a solid argument could be made to take profits at this level, and return to equities at some future point.
I disagree with this approach. While a pullback, or perhaps even a correction (defined for our purposes as a decline of 10% from a recent high point), is a distinct possibility for later in 2012, stocks still do not seem to be very overvalued, whether on the basis of price/earnings, or looking at their dividend yields relative to the yields on Treasuries.
In addition, recent history indicates that the stronger-than-expected performance in the first quarter does not necessarily bode ill for further gains over the balance of the year.
This year marked the ninth time in the past 60 years that stocks posted a double-digit gain in the first three months of the year. In seven of the eight prior such occurrences, stock rose further from that point over the remaining nine months of the year. In other words, the market closed higher on December 31st of that year than it did on March 31st. The only time that the market declined over the final nine months of the year after increasing by more than 10% in the first quarter was in 1987 (when stocks advanced by 20.5% in the first quarter). Losing 25% of its value on a single day (October 19th) certainly didn’t help the market’s cause. It is worth noting that even in that year, the market eked out a full-year gain of 2.0%.
So, while past performance is no indication of the future, and there’s still plenty of big things to worry about, it would not be unreasonable to expect some more gains from the stock market in 2012, although they’re likely to be more moderate than what we saw in the first quarter.
There are still several factors weighing on the market, such as the European debt crisis, the stubborn weakness in the U.S. housing and labor markets, and the uncertainty surrounding the future of personal income and corporate tax rates in this country, with a presidential election looming just seven months away.
Then there’s the matter of the stock market’s performance itself. For “gravity” investors, i.e. those who subscribe to the theory of “what goes up must come down,” the S&P 500’s 28% advance since the beginning of last October is surely unsettling, to say the least. It would seem that a solid argument could be made to take profits at this level, and return to equities at some future point.
I disagree with this approach. While a pullback, or perhaps even a correction (defined for our purposes as a decline of 10% from a recent high point), is a distinct possibility for later in 2012, stocks still do not seem to be very overvalued, whether on the basis of price/earnings, or looking at their dividend yields relative to the yields on Treasuries.
In addition, recent history indicates that the stronger-than-expected performance in the first quarter does not necessarily bode ill for further gains over the balance of the year.
This year marked the ninth time in the past 60 years that stocks posted a double-digit gain in the first three months of the year. In seven of the eight prior such occurrences, stock rose further from that point over the remaining nine months of the year. In other words, the market closed higher on December 31st of that year than it did on March 31st. The only time that the market declined over the final nine months of the year after increasing by more than 10% in the first quarter was in 1987 (when stocks advanced by 20.5% in the first quarter). Losing 25% of its value on a single day (October 19th) certainly didn’t help the market’s cause. It is worth noting that even in that year, the market eked out a full-year gain of 2.0%.
So, while past performance is no indication of the future, and there’s still plenty of big things to worry about, it would not be unreasonable to expect some more gains from the stock market in 2012, although they’re likely to be more moderate than what we saw in the first quarter.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
It Made Me Melt
Our friends at Guess Who's Coming to Dinner recently put up a post about Pesach finds.
Although the bracelet I have been missing for three years has still not made an appearance, and though I still have little kids in the house,what I found took me back in time.
We have a den off the kitchen, a room that needs to be well cleaned for Pesach, as the kids do eat in there. Various decorating changes and furniture additions has moved the place in the den where the kids color. But many moons ago, when we first moved in (14 years ago today), they colored in a specific spot in the den, on a small table right next to the wall. I took the front off the baseboard heat to be able to vacuum it really well, and I hit the jackpot.
I found old memories, and thoughts of a simpler time, when the biggest thing the two big ones wanted was a Slurpee. Just a Slurpee, not a Slurpee, and permission to take the car to go shopping and out with their friends.
I found a piece of the history of our house, a piece of their past, and a small area, inside the heat, that warmed my heart and made me smile:
Although the bracelet I have been missing for three years has still not made an appearance, and though I still have little kids in the house,what I found took me back in time.
We have a den off the kitchen, a room that needs to be well cleaned for Pesach, as the kids do eat in there. Various decorating changes and furniture additions has moved the place in the den where the kids color. But many moons ago, when we first moved in (14 years ago today), they colored in a specific spot in the den, on a small table right next to the wall. I took the front off the baseboard heat to be able to vacuum it really well, and I hit the jackpot.
I found old memories, and thoughts of a simpler time, when the biggest thing the two big ones wanted was a Slurpee. Just a Slurpee, not a Slurpee, and permission to take the car to go shopping and out with their friends.
I found a piece of the history of our house, a piece of their past, and a small area, inside the heat, that warmed my heart and made me smile:
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