31 Hours...

...and we're the lucky ones.  There are those who have no idea when the power will go back on, and who are being told it could take at least until mid week .The power came back at 2:40 this morning, the house was at a frosty 53. We kept warm with layers and  hot drinks.

October snow. Trees still lush after a fairly mild start to the fall results in the following after nine inches of snow fall:

The lack of light was not a problem, as per my DNA we have many many flashlights. It just got really cold. At one point we went outside, and suddenly inside provided some warmth at 56 degrees. The food was a non-issue, milk was packed outside in the snow, and the freezer in the garage kept things frozen solid. The gas stove was ignited with matches, and all sorts of comfort foods served up. With no computers and no Wii and no Casio  "we're bored" was a common refrain, one quickly countered by the mothers everywhere line "I'll give you something to do." Which  I did. So we got somethings organized, we kept things neat (I used the clever trick of telling the kids we didn't want to trip when the sun went down), had hot soup, coffee, cocoa, tea, played some games, had a kumzits, and eventually they couldn't take it anymore and  pulled out the lap top that had two hours of battery life left to watch an old high school concert video. How is it they can get through a three day yom tov three times in a row, but a power outtage makes them crazy?

 At about 8 last night, while it was still dark and frigid, we threw together an impromptu get together of the blacked- out, cold family members in the neighborhood.

The kitchen never seemed warmer.

Occupy Iceberg

Well, my acquaintances, I’m back.

Don’t get too excited, though.

I’m not here to post anything.

Rather, I’ve come to protest a glaring and lingering injustice.

You see, despite the fact that I comprise a full 50% of the management of this blog, I have contributed only about 1% of the posts within the past several months.

On college campuses all over this great nation, where opium is the religion of the masses, there’s a word for that.

INEQUALITY

I am the “other 1%,” or the “other 50%,” depending upon how you look at it, and I’m not pleased.

Now, rather than allow some ultra-conservative media outlet like Fox News to portray me as some kind of rabble-rouser with no real agenda, I will lay out my beliefs in a clear fashion:

• I believe in fairness.
• I believe in equality.
• I believe that things should be fair.
• I believe that things should be equal.
• I believe that things must change.
• I believe that things cannot stay the same.
• I will not tolerate the status quo.
• These conditions have persisted for too long.
• The only way we can bring about change is to state, unequivocally, our opposition to the current conditions.
• For the record, let me state that I am unequivocally opposed to the current conditions.
• Hey, are you going to finish that beer?
• I know that you want me to be silent, but I will not be silent.
• Only by voicing our opinions can we give voice to our opinions.
• In the absence of hope, there is no hope.
• The oppression must end.
• In order for the oppression to end, it must be exposed for the entire world to see.
• We will take to our iPhones and iPads to tell the world of our oppression and deprivation.
• Just as soon as I finish my $7 soy milk latte.
• Seriously, it’s terrible once it gets cold.
• No, lattes are not meant to be reheated. I’m a progressive, not a savage.
• I will not sleep until the blogosphere has become just.
• Or until sometime later this evening, whichever comes earlier.

You know what? I’ve changed my mind. I’m no longer interested in this cause. It bores me.

Furthermore, it has recently come to my attention that there are far more egregious examples of inequality out there than what I’ve witnessed on this blog.

While most of you like to think globally and act locally, I demand a larger stage.

I prefer to think galactically.

(Blogger’s Note: The bourgeois pigs and their repressive spell check tool do not seem to recognize the term “galactically.” That’s hardly surprising for those narrow-minded, gun-toting, right wing nut-jobs. Either way, their efforts at suppressing my progressive words and ideas have failed, once again. I simply clicked “ignore,” reflecting my attitude towards most of the rules of society and good hygiene).

The following table lists the eight planets in our solar system, arranged by their distance from the sun (closest-to-farthest away), showing their mass in both absolute and relative terms (with the Earth’s mass as the benchmark).

PlanetRelative Mass (Earth = 1.0)Mass (in yottagrams)% of Total Mass
Mercury 0.0553 330 0.0124%
Venus 0.8150 4,869 0.1825%
Earth 1.0000 5,974 0.2239%
Mars 0.1070 642 0.0241%
Jupiter 317.8300 1,898,600 71.1583%
Saturn 95.1590 568,460 21.3055%
Uranus 14.5360 86,832 3.2544%
Neptune 17.1470 102,430 3.8390%

Total 446.6493 2,668,136 100.0000%


As you can see, one planet, Jupiter, representing a mere 12.5% of the planets, has more than 70% of the aggregate mass.

This is inequality in its most breathtakingly obvious form.

We cannot remain silent about this situation any longer.

We must mobilize and motivate others to act.

Our objective is clear.


We must Occupy Jupiter.

What Are We Doing Today???

The question resounding in many Jewish homes this morning, as the children ignore the effects of the yom tov schedule, and fight their exhaustion to move on to the next stage of Succos. The Chol Hamoed trip.

We got a really late start today (company leaving, kids sleeping late, big breakfast...yes we served MORE). As I am unable to bring myself to actually venture out on a major trip after ten in the morning we did a more local, scenic trip where some of us had been before. The others missed it when they were in camp a few years ago (and one was not born yet). We just enjoyed the scenery, each other's company, and watching the boy give his mother a heart attack as he ran really close to the water really quickly.

I just love the first for the shadows and light and the second for the quaintness:

 

Best Wishes....

....To all our readers and followers, both the commenters and the lurkers, we appreciate you! We wish you all health, happiness, prosperity and peace in the coming year!

Back to School

I went to two "back to school nights" so far this week (the third is on Thursday). For those  uninformed, "back to school night" is the night you come to your kids classroom, squeeze into their teensy little desk, and meet the teacher  as s/he gives a short presentation of  the expectations and curriculum for the year.

School is a wonderous place.  A wellspring of growth and learning, if you open your mind you will most assuredly learn new things.

I have learned a lot in the past two nights.

I have learned that some kids (3rd grade)take cookies for lunch. Some kids never clean out their knapsacks, and some kids never have supplies, go to sleep on time,or bathe regularly.

But mostly I have learned that teachers have been trained to keep the parents as uninvolved as possible.   "DON'T WORRY! We do all research in school, you don't have to go to the library! If you can't sign the homework (all of ten seconds) don't worry, just sign it the next night, or let an older child do it! FEAR NOT! We won't give any assignments or work or responsibilties that will have you busy with YOUR children! We know that they and their schooling are nothing but a burden, and we will do our utmost to keep you out of it!" (I'm paraphrasing, but barely)

The most ridiculous element of this is there are those parents to whom this hands off policy  is a wonderful development!  (It seems so odd contrasted with the parents who need to hear "please do not do your daughters report/project/poster/cover/diorama for her."  likely the same parents who are still doing homework with their sixth graders. I know everyone is on a different level, but at that point in the schooling career, you just ask if they did, or check that it's done. I don't think it's appropriate to helicopter at that age, and SIT and do homework/reports with them.)

Do the parents who show up need to hear that "we won't ask you for much!"? There were  two women who left a wedding to come, and two women who were running a tzedaka party who came anyway. These seem like fairly involved parents, as are most of the parents who show up. Unfortunately, I think many of these policies are a direct result of years of complaints from parents who felt they and/or their children were overburdened by what is essentially the training round for life. My policy is always  to challenge children in a controlled environment because life can be challenging, so why not give them the skills and ability to cope in a fairly innocuous and safe environment.

I just rankle at this idea that they proudly tell us how little we need to do for our children.

It's Only Fair to Share

You know who you are.

We also know who you are.

Soon, the entire nation will know who you are.

You are the evil, manipulative, oppressor of the masses, he/she who dares to earn more than $250,000 per annum.

For too long, you have exploited your innocent brethren, taking advantage of rules that were slanted heavily in your favor.

You reveled in your privileged upbringing, as you trod upon those less fortunate.

You stopped at nothing in your pursuit of money, and did not exhibit the appropriate level of concern for our Planet.

You caused the Global Recession.

You destroyed the housing market.

You brought the international banking system to the brink of ruin.

In your company, the Greeks were compelled to act frivolously. As were the Italians. And the Irish. And the Spanish. (Perhaps even the French. Check back with us in a couple of months).

You convinced your colleagues to buy things they could not afford, and to accept upon themselves the burden of more debt than they could handle.

You threw millions of your peers out of work.

Worst of all, until this point, you have brazenly refused to pay your fair share.

Laugh not, wealthy wanton sinner.

Your day of reckoning has arrived.

As a non-threatening, non-denominational deity or otherwise impartial being possessing above-average levels of spirituality is our witness, your fair share will, in fact, be paid.

We will seek you out, and bring you to justice.

Do not attempt to resist us, for we cannot be resisted.

Our mandate is clear and our cause is righteous, as it has been established by the Great Post-racial and Post-economic One. The wisest and most eloquent of all men. He Who Has Invented Hope.

You shall be branded as pariahs, and heaped with scorn.

You shall be branded as "millionaires and billionaires," even if your income is a fraction of those lofty levels.

You will be branded as "system riggers" and "playing field de-levelers."

You shall be made to pay your fair share.

Unworthy beings, do not waste your time attempting to repent for your unforgivable sin.

There will be no repentance. Only justice. Only the payment of the Fair Share.

For it is only when the Fair Share is paid, that we can truly bask in the benevolent light of Hope, and taste the sweet nectar of equality.

You know who you are.

And soon, you will pay your fair share.


Blogger's Note: If you currently earn more than $250,000 per year, but belong to the management of a labor union, or are numbered among the ranks of left-leaning academia or media, please disregard the above message. IcebergCarwash sincerely apologizes for any distress the above message might have caused you or any of your non-human companions.

I've Had It

I'm pretty sure I've talked about this before, but I'm getting more and more upset by what I see as the fakery parading as frumkeit.

Every week when I read Mishpacha Magazine I am reminded of this again as they will not print pictures of women, and if they do, they blur the faces.

My niece recently looked at a picture of a Rebbe dancing at his daughter's wedding surrounded by at least 2,000 Chasidim on bleachers. The picture was taken at the Mitzvah Tantz, and you can see the Rebbe is holding a gartel. Logically, his daughter is at the end of that gartel, but out of the picture. My niece asked a brilliant question which I will add my own little addition to: This woman can stand in the center of a room full of THOUSANDS of men, THE ONLY FEMALE, and we need to blur the face of an 89 year old Asian woman being saved from the flooding from Hurricane Irene?????

It's Ludicrous. It's ludicrous and once again it focuses on the wrong things. If we are so afraid that our "heimishe" magazines will cause problems for men who will be sent into a spiritual downfall from seeing a picture of a ten year old girl standing at the rail of a ship  in 1922, then I think are problems are so vast we should give up now.  How can there be any hope of anyone being close to G-d if the most innocuous pictures and viewing will send one hurtling to the depths of impurity. I think those who cannot see the faces of these women should never leave their houses, and if they do they should wear a hood and dark glasses to easily avert their eyes. Those that truly subscribe to this, actually do it, so all those who feel that Mishpacha could be treif need to stop reading it. Who knows what other nefarious things printed in the magazine will get in their way.

That really is the solution. Family First already bills itself as a woman's magazine. Tell men not to read it, and if they do, it's their choice and their spiritual calculation. I hate that my daughters are growing up in this world of the disappearing woman. Unless she goes out to work. Then she can be anywhere and everywhere, and travel for hours...but that's a different rant