Thank goodness, living in a part of Manhattan that was not directly affected by Sandy, I have no personal disaster stories to tell. But in recognizing the limitations of humanity, my thoughts turned to how we humans have always thought we knew better. The Olympic games began in Greece around the time that Assyrians destroyed the Northern Kingdom of Samaria…
General Topics
Presidents, Debates, and Guns
I have not and do not want to watch presidents or prime ministers debate on television. Politicians are salesmen who will tell you what is good about their products but will cover up any faults. Watching them try to curry favor reminds me why I once made the decision not to enter politics. Money plays such an important part in…
Towers of Babel
Mayor Bloomberg of New York has recently decided that New York is falling behind other cities in not erecting enough super skyscrapers. I recall a time in London when St. Paul’s Cathedral was the tallest building. Now of course it is dwarfed by cucumbers, shards, and herons. And upstart oil-drunk Middle Eastern tribes vie with Far Easterners for the glory…
Genesis
Everyone is conditioned culturally to think in specific ways and to adopt specific timelines. Christians think in terms of Before Christ and After Christ. Never mind how accurate that is or if there ever was such a point in time. The fact is that most of us live in a world where this Gregorian calendar is the common one. We…
The Shtomp, Or The Case Against Religious Dancing
Simchat Torah, the festival of Rejoicing Over The Law, is upon us and once again I find myself completely out of sync with most of my coreligionists. It is not that I don’t love Simchat Torah. Who wouldn’t? It is the way we are expected to celebrate I have a problem with. The Torah demands that we enjoy life in…
Water
Most of us in the West take water for granted. When I was growing up, I don’t recall ever hearing about droughts, hosepipe bans, or rationing. Neither do I remember seeing bottled water, except in spas or highly overpriced restaurants. Britain was the country of rain, and Manchester (where I was born) was the rainiest place in the UK. So…