ChanieE

Mods – any thoughts about adding a search within the Coffee Room, not just news? Thanks!

CH: Do you support bank bailouts?

CE: Define “bailout.” Do you mean lending money, to be repaid with interest? Sounds fairly reasonable, if it could be distributed equitably.

CH: Do you think America’s infrastructure is not in need of substantial improvements?

CE: Too bad we couldn’t find enough “shovel ready” projects that would really make a difference, but I’m sure the good citizens of Hartselle, AL (all 14,000 of them) are enjoying the WI-FI we gave them.

CH: Do you think that millions of Americans should be denied health insurance because of pre-existing conditions?

CE: I think the tax code should be rewritten to (among other things) level the playing field between individuals and businesses who buy health insurance. This would spur competition in the individual market. Also keep in mind that the only way to force insurance companies to cover all comers while still allowing them to make enough money to stay in business and continue paying claims is to force all Americans to buy health insurance. I believe this is unconstitutional.

CH: Do you think that employees’ rights to form unions should be eliminated?

CE: Unions have become as big bullies as the companies they claim to protect workers from. (Sorry, that was almost English.)

CH: Do you think that America’s educational system does not need improvement?

CE: There is no lack of money being spent on education; the real problem is that we’re not getting our money’s worth. Give parents vouchers and see how fast our national test scores improve, without spending a dime more than we already do.

CH: Do you think that Americans’ Social Security money should be invested in the casino known as Wall Street?

CE: It may seem safer in the mattress but historically, Wall Street is a good place to put your money. Assuming we (or rather, the Chinese who own us) don’t gut our capitalist economy …

CH: Do you think that the US government should not enforce laws against racial and religious discrimination?

CE: I’m not sure where you’re going with this. I think “hate crimes” are one of the worst things to come out of recent legislative sessions. If our criminal laws are insufficient to address the underlying actions, criminalizing intent is not going to help.

CH: Do you think that the government should ban all abortions, including those that are halachically mandated?

CE: I think it’s none of the government’s business. Yeah, I know, they’re trying to protect us.

CH: Do you think that the government should sit by and let people be denied their right to vote, as is happening to Jews in some upstate communities?

CE: Oooh, voter disenfranchisement – one of my favorite topics! First of all, the Electoral College institutionalizes disenfranchisement and it should be abolished. (I believe in the Constitution when it suits me, but at least I’m honest about it.)

Let’s talk specifics, though, like Florida Republicans running the clock after the 2000 presidential election, so, ooops, they couldn’t count all the votes.

There’s also the whole question of why felons are prohibited from voting for some period of time, possibly the rest of their lives, and related issues about the tendency to criminalize “black” behavior more strictly than we criminalize “white” behavior.

The “block vote” claim is fascinating because around here, “block” voters don’t outnumber registered non-block voters but they make it their business to show up at the polls. The non-block is jealous of our turnout so they try to knock us down rather than lift themselves up.

And by the way, the new NY voting machines are a huge step backwards!

CH: Do you think that the concentration of mass media ownership in a few hands is a good thing?

CE: I believe in a vigorous public discourse. Of course I think people should care enough to tune in but you can’t make them do anything … And yes, I put my money where my mouth is – I still pay for newspapers and I vote for the library budget every year because I believe in supporting an informed populace.

CH: Do you think we should continue the war in Iraq indefinitely?

CE: The only reason we’re there is because Bush II had to avenge Daddy’s failure to “finish the job” in the original Gulf War. Saddam Hussein was (assuming he really was hung) a very bad man but so are lots of other dictators. We should have supported the Iraqis (including the Kurds) who wanted to overthrow him, rather than making promises and leaving them to twist in the wind then coming in with a show of American force. And while we’re on the topic, it is an absolute disgrace that we have plenty of money for contractors (aka mercenaries) while our troops are lacking equipment. I don’t think we should be in Iraq or Afghanistan but as long as we are, we have an obligation to give our soldiers whatever it takes to get the job done (as if we could define it!) and get home safely.

CH: Do you really think climate change requires no action at all?

CE: I think we should all take action to minimize our impact on the planet, but I do not think we should give the government the authority to, for example, deploy mirrors in outer space. The arrogance you see in some of these scientific proposals is astounding. I would expect scientists of all people to recognize just how little we really know. It wasn’t that long ago that the experts claimed we were all going to freeze to death.

CH: Do you disagree with Ronald Reagan regarding nuclear proliferation?

CE: I’m very ambivalent about nukes. I don’t like them but I think we need them as a deterrent.

I’m not sure if you are looking for a rational or emotional response …

Rationally, flying is a very safe method of transportation.

Emotionally, it’s an incredible experience. Every time I take off I’m filled with awe that Hashem has deemed us worthy of learning this trick. (Landing is also good!)Lean back in your seat and think about the wonders of the laws of nature, and how they couldn’t have “just happened.” Appreciate the convenience of being able to (relatively) quickly get wherever you are going. It takes longer to get to the airport and wait in line for security than it takes to fly halfway across the country. Ah mechaya!

I guess it depends what you’re looking for in a car. I don’t drive for sport, although I love zipping around town with the top down and the sun on my face. I’m happy with smooth acceleration and tight cornering and I’m glad Hashem has given us engineering insights that allow us to innovate. If you want authentic transportation, ride a camel.

My husband just walked in with Ami so I haven’t read it thoroughly yet, but from a quick glance, yes, it looks like all the others but what’s wrong with that? Have you ever seen a “real” newsstand? How many fashion magazines does the world need?

It sounds like there are two different issues here – cleaning and food. I don’t know how many kids you have or how old they are, where you live or what the shopping is like, or what your financial situation is, so these may not all work for you, but hopefully you can get some ideas.

About the cleaning and toys … Maybe you can lock up some of the messier toys? Invest in some bins to corral the clutter? Buy the kids special Shabbos toys to encourage them not to use the messy ones? Teach the kids to clean up after themselves? Maybe others in the family can help with some of the housekeeping throughout the week?

About the food … Can you buy some of the food, like maybe cakes and salads? Can you cook and freeze? For example, I’ll make a big pot of soup once a month then freeze it in smaller containers. The weeks I defrost, I cook some vegetables in salted water then add them to the soup. Do you have access to cheap paper goods? Can anyone in your family help with the cooking or serving?

You aren’t doing anyone any favors by being a shmatta! If all else fails, lower your standards. Tell yourself that you will not get upset about the toys or whatever because there’s nothing you can do about it right now so stressing will not help. When you and your family are at a different stage, you can change things.

Hatzlacha rabba in finding your oneg Shabbos!

‘Cuz no-one can tell I’m fat unless I walk into the plus-size store?

Depends how expen$ive the “boutique” is … There are plenty of plus-size frum women so there is definitely a market and it’s nice to be able to try clothes on rather than buying from a picture so a bricks-and-mortar has an advantage over a catalog. Additionally, I for one would rather support a local shop than a nameless corporation. On the other hand, price is clearly a factor in people’s decisions about where to shop.

The government was broke and they figured you still had a couple of dollars left so they redistributed …

http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/regfee.htm

Vehicle Use Taxes and Supplemental Fees for Passenger Vehicles

Residents of New York City and several counties in NYS must pay a vehicle use tax when they register a passenger vehicle or renew a passenger vehicle registration. The DMV collects the taxes for the city and the counties. Read the table below to determine if you must pay a vehicle use tax. If you have questions about these taxes, ask the city or county where you reside or have a business.

If you reside outside New York City and you are exempt from the vehicle use tax in the county where you reside or have a business, complete form UT-11C. If you reside in New York City and you are exempt from the NYC vehicle use tax, get form UT-11 from a local DMV office or a DMV Call Center.

As noted in the chart, residents of the 12 counties in the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (MCTD) also pay a supplemental fee for each year the registration is in effect.

If you’re really driven and you have $$$ to spare, go ahead …

Most of the lawyers I know (myself included) are working in other fields, although I guess if I was still in law I would know more practicing lawyers. “Successful” practicing lawyers put in a LOT of time; government work is 9-5 but the pay is low.

1. As stated by other posters, it depends on the kid.

2. Children are born year round so whenever a child’s b-day is (and school deadlines keep moving so making or missing the cutoff is meaningless), there’s likely to be someone else in the class who is pretty close in age.

3. That said, I actually think it’s better to be one of the younger kids in the class than one of the older ones because the kid can graduate HS earlier and have some breathing room to spend more time in yeshiva or seminary (or even, gasp! college). They can stay for shana bet or make progress toward a degree without worrying about being an old maid/alte bochur.

You win more flies with honey than vinegar.

Do you really think picketing in front of someone’s house will make them more likely to adhere to what is tzniusdik or do you think you’ll turn people off yiddishkeit that way?

I think the tznius gemachs (classifieds offering to sew slits, fix necklines, etc.) are more likely to have a positive impact than those who think they have an obligation to shame someone in public.

I can guarantee you that I will not have any sons who are Kohen Gadol, what with my husband being a Yisroel and all that …

I don’t chas v’shalom mean this in any way as a negative on anything in the Gemara, but there are lots of things in the Gemara that we don’t do. Saying that Kimchis was extraordinarily tzniusdik does not mean everyone should follow her lead.

Do you think we should take our marital cues from Moshe and Tzipporah? The lessons we learn from Torah aren’t always that we should copy every behavior that is lauded when performed by a specific person or group of people.

Do you disagree that a married woman’s hair is for her husband?

Kasha – here’s an idea: Ask your rav if he knows why some authorities permit women to not cover their lower legs, even if he personally does not hold by that opinion. I’m sure your rav is a talmid chacham who is familiar with many seforim, even those with which he disagrees.

Is “chareidi” the only halachic opinion? As I’ve mentioned previously, my OU rabbi says that the lower leg does not have to be covered.

Thanks for the detailed report!

I can only see 4 comments on the PETA article, although it says there are 54 comments. Clicking “older comments” does nothing. Is it just me or are others having the same problem?

Any particular suggestions in Newport, RI? Attractions, hotels, minyan, food (in addition to the ones listed earlier in this thread)?

Thanks!

Re neighbor eating a cheeseburger at McDonalds: Maybe you’re misinterpreting what you think you are seeing. People are so quick to be mekayeim tochachah that they forget about a lot of other miztvos. Work on yourself first.

I think the real problem is the high cost of living in a frum community, especially the cost of housing. Nobody I know in chinuch is raking it in. (Maybe I just don’t know the right people!) We’re talking about $60,000 as if it’s a lot of money. If that’s what the main breadwinner is bringing in, it’s really not enough.

An earlier post assumed a monthly mortgage payment of $2500, which is low for a family-sized home in many (NOT fancy) NY/NJ neighborhoods but working with that, we get housing at $30,000 a year, or half of the rebbi’s PRETAX salary. Keep in mind that $60,000 doesn’t go very far around here but it’s higher than the national average(which is probably somewhere around $40,000, depending on which data source you use) so that rebbi is relatively well-off as far as the IRS is concerned.

Now add in all the other costs of life, such as food, medical, which isn’t free even with fully covered health insurance, transportation, etc. Don’t forget tuition – many families have boys and girls, in elementary and high school, so even if tuition at our hypothetical rebbi’s school is covered completely (big if!) chances are he’s paying for some of his kids.

Ironically, it’s easier to live on the minimum wage around here than it is to try to make ends meet at $60K. Section 8 pays your rent, SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) covers some of the groceries and Medicaid takes care of healthcare.

We’re called “middle class” because we get squeezed from both ends. Too rich for the “safety net,” too poor to afford the “necessities” of life.

Thanks for the update, Yoshi. May Aliza Chaya bas Malka Chana and all other cholei Yisrael have a refuah shelaima!

What legumes can your husband eat?

BTW, the steamed spinach/super cheesy lasagna problem is an easy one to solve. Cook the lasagna noodles (or not, if you use the no-cook kind); mix up the cheese, eggs, etc, using less cheese than DH (dear husband) would like; prepare two pans or just assemble as two parts in the same pan: for you, layer noodles, sauce, less cheesy mix and spinach (squeezed as dry as possible); for him, layer noodles, sauce, less cheesy mix plus the rest of the cheese.

In general, it’s easy to bulk up pasta dishes with veggies.

The demographic discrepancy is actually greater than has been described because while boys outnumber girls at birth, males are more likely than females to die of natural and accidental causes at all stages of life. However, if this was purely a mathematical problem we would have many single women and no single men.

Sorry, I don’t do mushrooms. Are you looking for a marinated salad? Cooked? Stuffed?