Hi littleapple. I hear your point of view and many hold to that. But the facts remain that Steward Brand and his Whole Earth Catalog, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs in technology, Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin as American patriots regarding ending the Viet Nam war, as well as many many other innovators in holistic health, animal rights, civil rights, etc., are all are very positive things that came out of the counter-culture in my opinion.

There were negatives, sure, as their are in everything. I dont know where the Jews involved were holding (and the majority in the forefront, if not all, were Jews), and cant say if they went off the derech. But, again, I hear your point of view, and a good argument can be made on either side. Many of the greatest minds were attracted to the counter-culture back then in juxtaposition to mainstream white America, and unfortunately did experiment and indulge in things that are not good.

And as Jews, are we not the ultimate rebels of the status quo in many ways?

I would vote for a cardboard box over Obama, too. But you can add Gingrich to that list. I clearly remember when Newt came up with his Contract with America to dramatically cut govt’ spending, Clinton, another champ of the political arena, pointed his finger, squinted his eye as he tilted his head, and warned that Newt’s contract would leave America’s security agencies dangerously understaffed. But Newt continued and went for the fame and did it “his way”.

Well, after 911, the 911 Report cited the chief problem leading up to 911 catastrophe was that not only were our security agencies dangerously understaffed, but the understaffing situation to monitor “chatter” from suspected and known terrorists, was said to be “at a crisis level”. Newt has no foresight or vision either and is just another talking head. L’havdil, no one but Moshiach can fix this.

“Laugh about it. Shout about it. When you’ve got to choose, Anyway you look at it you lose. Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio, Our nation turns it’s lonely eyes to you…..” ~ Pinchus Simon

hi real-brisker. It is a great screen name and maybe others want it too, so they make a variation of the spelling, just like in emails. As you know some may even take the same spelling and just add a number to the name.

Can a young child “own” their own possessions? Try taking it away from them. lol

This is very confusing to me. I have been told cholov stam is not cholov treif. And I have read frum articles stating it is possible the origins of cholov yisrael were controversial, if not motivated for a share in the marketplace. I find it curious that someone may be halachically bound to CY once they prefer to buy CY either for convenience of they feel it is on a higher level.

Based on what I am reading here, can’t one argue that if one buys any food of a highly credible hechsher three times that they can not halachically go back to a hechsher less reputable?

And let me ask this: Should I continue mixing CS with CY because once I go all CY, I cannot go back without problems??

Also, let me throw this out there: I was told the longer ones tzit tzis are, the better. So if someone wants to go to a shorter length, closer to a 16, so it is not so bulky under certain shirts, is that the same kind of problem?

Oatmeal (sometimes), egg whites, chicken breast, brown rice, steamed vegetables. I wouldnt exactly say I enjoy it.

Hi Syag. You are right. Evidently I am not on the level to be involved in such topics and keep myself clean. That was one of my complaints about those posts in that they drag us into dangerous territory, when usually all the other posting threads are informative, entertaining, and friendly.

I am going to try harder to stay away from this topic so I dont stumble into loshon hora. I am not going to play the “its ok because I am warning people” card. I will put that in Hashems hands. I am looking forward to taking an extra dip in the mikva Erev Shabbos, iy”H, for this reason.

Thank you for being concerned about me and calling me on this. I am committed to improving.

Hi moi aussi.

I dont think Jothar is a sociopath, but he is certainly posting with that trait. His obsessing may be that he works the day shift on this site and can’t help posting and starting threads about his narrow concerns, which may be based on what he does for the website. He wants to interact with us.

I may be wrong, but my belief is he is a moderator, or has some computer guy role in this website. I just think it is going to his head and it is obvious he posts and talks to moderators in his post as though he has a privileged role in this site, and does not post like one of us.

I also think not all moderators are on the same page with him, but since they are colleagues, they dont step on each others toes.

Thank you for complimenting the post. I was just saying what I feel when I am enjoying what people here have to say, and then, “boom”, I run into one of his internet security themed posts.

A thread topic could be about how grow vegetables indoors during the winter. People would make interesting suggestions about what grows better, and I can read with interest. Then I will see the Jothar post and it has nothing to do with vegetables. You know what the subject would be. lol

Jothar: Are you serious??? You said the following:

“I just took a look at AYC’s profile. I noticed that it listed location as “olam hazeh” and occupation as “eved Hashem”. Where did I see that? Oh yeah, my own account…… Even stalkers and manipulators should have a line where they refuse to cross. Everybody has a conscience. We are dealing with a person who needs to be removed from society.

SERIOUSLY??? The premise being someone mocked your account and your conclusion being they have to be “removed from society”????

Fascism is a terrible thing! And fascists always believe it is for our own good! It seems to me like you can justify doing a little stalking yourself. I hope you have not made trouble for some good people around here, but I believe it is very very possible that is what you may have done.

How and why should we know such and such a person is blocked unless they make another name and come on here and tell us? Any other method would be wrong. And I dont want to hear it is protecting the public so you can mention names. If we are being protected, great. We dont have to bat names around of people, even facsimile names.

Even if this site is concerned about someone, how is it that we are not all being brought into a shmiras haloshon issue and smearing our neshamas with wondering if someone is guilty of not. As someone once said to me, every time you want to talk about someone or take their chesbon based on what you heard, even, and not even saw or know of firsthand, decide if you are prepared to “take the heat for it” literally!

All kinds of websites from Yahoo! to small hobbiest, gaming, and fan websites, etc., all have posting boards and chat along with people who abuse them. Banks have problems with breaches in online security. Yet in all these cases, I have yet to see someone’s name given out for everyone else to talk about. What happens is that you just dont see the person anymore and assume they no longer visit the site, and that is how it should be.

Hi mik5. Mazel Tov and Hatzlacha!! What a wonderful thing to hear! So many wonderful and meaningful moments lay ahead for you, iy”H!!

If I may, I would like to recommend a book that I find invaluable in my efforts to grow in davening.

The book is Pathway to Prayer, by Rabbi Meir Birnbaum. It comes in Ashkenaz and Sephardi versions. One of the many invaluable parts of the book covers the questions you asked here. Another part covers the Shemona Esrai line by line explaining the meaning of each line, which is invaluable in helping to daven with more and more intensity, which according to Rabbi Birnbaum, is the way to ensure our arrows of prayer fly far and high.

Thank you for your post. It made me happy on this rainy day to read what you have to say. Hatzlacha!!

Hi BrainwasheD. I agree. The mods are just moderating and all that is within the normal context whether we like being “moderated” or not.

Hi Jothar. Seriously. You are like a “one note Johnny”. You are obsessed. I wonder if you are using this issue for OUR benefit or for your own benefit. You have a lot going for you, but sociopaths who overtake chat rooms and blog sites and stuff like that do so because they have a trait in they dont know where a healthy boundary line is where they end and the other person begins. In other words, you remind me of that by giving yourself the privilege of being in everyone’s grille and putting your fingerprint of justice on every thread you are on, and tell us it’s ok because it is in the name of justice. It’s just selfish and rude. Even a Chief of Police would not make a community feel so harassed in the name of providing safety. Are you providing safety even? Or are you bending and stretching the definition because you are obsessed and cant stop? I say this because you have to know many of us find this theme a drag to have put into our faces several times a day, and your reaction is to plug full speed ahead.

Emunas Itecha, and everyone else is certainly correct.

This thread could take a turn in any direction from naming parents to physicians to firemen and policemen, teachers, community leaders, as well as athletes who, for some reason do inspire many people to be better in their personal lives or enjoy themselves in playing sports.

But based on the previous post, I want to add that when I think I have hurdles to overcome, I have been thinking of the news headline regarding Rabbi Sholom Rubashkin, who has been treated terribly by the jail and court system, is not able to see his family or spend a normal Shabbos, and on and on to where I cannot imagine how horrible it is for him to be in a cell, and he publicly stated his situation is “Gam zu laTova”. I believe he passed an unbelievable test, and then some.

Hi Gumball! Chulentface??? That has to be the name of the century. Oy, can you imagine?? lol

How did you get our passwords??

Hi calorie. Hatzlacha!! We are very excited for you!!

Hi, YW Moderator-42. In a previous post you suggested someone is manipulating (by using another name), a common practice of stalkers.

Is it fair to say that manipulation does not always equal stalking?

Basically, someone can come here under any host of names or just one name. The information they glean under one name or 100 names does not, in and of itself, make them dangerous, or the information more revealing. In fact, every single one of us can read that information and a really good stalker could be the one who just reads us and never posts or even signs up for a screen name.

We are crossing the lines of a witch hunt here..

It is really not like us to hold kangaroo courts and vigilante justice. Remember, when any of us are suspicious about anything in life, we add A LOT to the mix of determining someone’s guilt. Once all the facts are determined, the story is never what everyone thought.

So can we assume the webmaster here or owners, etc., will hire someone to do a check from time to time. That would be a good idea.

modche1. I agree with Dr. Pepper’s post, and want to add that those families you are working with are in good hands, BH.

Atco (New Jersey)

Hi Jothar: I dont think they would be moderators as they are busy federal and county employees who also are not Jewish. I think you would be good. LE seems to be a strong inclination for you, an thank heave there are people who want to do that. I guess the issue here is at what point should the population be alerted to a highly suspected or known threat, as opposed general vigilance and how often they need to be reminded to be vigilant.

I think they should moderate machloikus. The consequences are much greater than online security. I know it’s not easy to state what you think and have someone take an opposing view, but this is the lifestyle we have chosen.

I cant promise, but the organization Nefesh B’Nefesh may be able to help. You can google/yahoo/bing it. Hatzlacha!

literally…lol Very funny PBA!!

Ok…Many times there can also be a scientific explanation. Even if there is, how should we think those gears were set in motion for the ball to roll that way? Of course, Hashem manipluates the world of creation to do His bidding. Scientific explanations dont, by definition, negate the hand of Hashem, even if some people wish to see it that way, c”vs.

While the OWSers are exploiting some good points, they are not victims of the economy at all. Yes, some genuine working people having difficulty have joined their ranks, but I suspect they are paid protesters here to create a classic scapegoat (Jews in the financial world), in order to deflect from Obama’s miserable failure as a president. Job creation was the constant promise of Obama.

Wall Street certainly can be criticized, which is why this conspiracy is a very clever tactic to help re-elect Obama and keep him looking like a man of the people.

Americans are way too fickle and politicians know fake perception can easily become reality.

The plutocracy changed the world since Bush was in office. Bush and Obama are the same two-headed monster. The rest of us are coasting by on the fumes of America’s past greatness.

The only good thing about all this out-of-control world situation is that it must mean Moshiach is soon on his way.

Is a pot missing?

I hate when that happens. Socks do that too.