This is a wonderful example of horribly bad planning.
The College of Architecture and Planning apparently didn’t plan enough space for the “C” of college and so it’s plastered to the brick wall at a corner angle.
Talk about irony!
Would you want them teaching your architect and planners?
Oy this is just too classic. 😉
(Source Photo: Facebook)
It’s amazing how we can magically find $2 trillion for a Coronavirus “Rescue Plan.”
This after we already wasted over $6.4 trillion (and thousands of our dead and wounded) through 2017 in unexplainable and endless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with no known or lasting benefits to this country (while archenemy, Iran continues their pursuit of nukes unabated).
And for decades, we haven’t been able to find money for:
– Decent healthcare for all Americans.
– Ensuring our national security, including adequate planning and disaster preparedness for things like Coronavirus, cybersecurity, WMDs, EMPs, and for critical infrastructure protection.
– Repairing our aging roads, bridges, and infrastructure.
– Fixing our broken public education system.
– Helping our countless of homeless and needy lying the streets of our nation.
– Restoring our space program to get a man on the moon again or put another shuttle into space.
When politics are in play, there is plenty of money to go around.
But when the nation needs proper care and feeding, there are no adults in the room. 😉
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, “Being Jewish and Proud.”
With roughly 15 million Jews in a world of 7.7 billion people, we make up less than .2% of the world population. However, despite our small size, we’ve been recognized with over 20% of the Nobel Prizes for contributions to the sciences, medicine, literature, economics, and peace. Most Jews tend to believe not only in a strong core religious education, but in higher education and lifelong learning, and others excel even when starting out and innovating from their garages. From Abraham and Moses to Einstein and Freud, and even to today’s Jews leading the Technology revolution–such as Steve Ballmer, Sergey Brin, Michael Dell, Larry Ellison, Larry Page, and Mark Zuckerberg–the Jewish contribution is truly unparalleled.
Until Mashiach, there will always be some people that hate on us and want to destroy us–perhaps and unfortunately, that’s just who they are. But we choose not be anyone else but Jews, because that’s who we are–and there is every reason to be ourselves, maintain our faith of thousands of years, continue to make awesome contributions that benefit mankind, and be forever proud to be a Jew.
(Photo Credit: Andy Blumenthal)
Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, “Why Only Two Daddy?”
The father goes on to explain that these are the commandments that G-d gave to the Jews (when they were redeemed from slavery in Egypt). He enumerates just two examples: keeping the Shabbat and honoring your mother and father. The son asks, ‘What are the other commandments?’ The father hesitates either not knowing any of the other commandments or simply unable to remember any more of them on the spot. And all of a sudden, the little boy starts wailing to his father: ‘Daddy, why do you know only two, why?’
Knowing the Torah and commandments is not only for ourselves to do what’s rights, but also to pass on the torch to the next generation. It’s not always easy to be good examples, but it’s the challenge we all face. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
(Source Photos: Andy Blumenthal)
Yesterday, dozens of wealthy parents were charged in a pay-to-play scheme.
To get their kids into choice colleges, prominent lawyers, business people, and Hollywood stars paid millions of dollars for bribes, bogus exam scores, and fake athletic achievements.
Uh, let’s give Bobby just a little extra advantage and he’ll do just fine…
But while some people pretend to be so shocked that this is going on, the truth is that we all know that it’s definitely not a level playing field.
All I have to do is drive by the local Mansions in Potomac, Bethesda or Chevy Chase, Maryland or in Northern Virginia and see the extravagant homes, schools, shopping, and neighborhoods, and you know there are the forever haves and the have nots.
As the old adage goes, “Money makes money!”
If you are born with a silver spoon in your mouth in the U.S., the chances are you will stay that way.
Having the assets, information, connections, and opportunities seems to bode quite well for those who leverage it.
The worst part is that those who have these things often really believe that they are better or more deserving than others.
Can you see the nose elevated and those snooty eyes staring down on you?
Wealthy parents cheating the system and paying off others to get their kids into the best schools–a surprise?
Not a chance.
What the real surprise here is…that this time, they got caught. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So the plight of the homeless in Washington, DC and other large cities like NY and LA is despicable.
This photo is taken not far from the Capitol building in DC.
The homeless are not living in tents in the dead of Winter.
As the people pass by, under this particular overpass were no less than 4 tents.
While millionaires and billionaires splurge on themselves, so many people continue to go without adequate food, shelter, clothing, plumbing, healthcare, education, and jobs in America.
When G-d looks down and see the unsympathetic wealthy next to the downtrodden poor–and many of the wealthy act like insatiable pigs, while the poor go hungry and cold–shall the L-rd that judges all the earth not do justly?
Yes, there should be incentives for people to work hard and contribute, but when the wealth is skewed so that more than 50% of all the wealth is owned by just the top 1% of people and the top 1% own more than the bottom 90% of the population–we have a system that is not just broken, but grossly unjust and inhumane.
Corruption is alive and well, and who is there among our leaders to stand up and say and do what is right by G-d children?
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So the same things don’t seem to drive happiness for everyone.
Some like big jobs and lots of power.
Others are happier with more work-life balance.
Some like to pursue lots of degrees and certifications.
Others like to learn on their own and through life experience.
Some like to travel the world.
Others like a day in nature or at the museum.
Some like big families and lots of people around them.
Others like smaller families, close friends, intimacy, or even being more on their own.
Some like lots of money.
Other are happy with having what they need.
Some like to be tremendous athletes.
Other like to just stay fit or maybe are more comfy as “couch potatoes.”
Some like to be very religious and follow all the laws.
Others prefer mindfulness, a sense of spirituality and being a “good person.”
Some like lots of activities and to always do different things.
Others are more comfortable with routine and incremental change.
We all have basic needs, but we also have different values, priorities and comfort zones.
Happiness isn’t a yes or no answer, but what makes us feel on track and doing good. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So I saw this in the supermarket.
This kid was pushing the shopping cart with groceries in it.
And a little sign at the top that says:
Customer in Training
His mom is nearby with the big shopping cart full of even more groceries.
It’s interesting how we teach our kids to be just like us and at the same time to be not like us.
They emulate some things and they reject others.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
But no two apples are the same either.
Teaching is an important component of parenting and schooling.
We need to impart important lessons from the past, so children don’t have to recreate the wheel in the present and future.
But spitting out little clones is not helpful to innovation and the engine of “what’s next.”
Sometimes, I envision that there is a really big war–maybe World War III–nukes are used and all our bits and bytes are wiped out, and we are thrown back to the Stone Age.
All the teaching is evaporated in the vapor of the blasts.
All that’s left in what’s in the soul of the remaining. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Please see my new article in The Times of Israel, called “The Jews Control It.”
Unfortunately, the anti-Semites continue their refrain of “The Jews control the world” from Wall Street to Main Street to K Street.
But what they are completely missing are the true secrets of Jewish creativity and thought.
I hope you will read the article to learn about Jewish values and our faith. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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