As this is a holiday weekend and visitors are, quite rightly, sparse I am taking advantage of the downtime to post, hopefully for the amusement of others, from my favorite "Old Country" collection of Jewish folklore.
As with my previous posting this repository of thousands of years of, mostly Russian Jews bittersweet, ironic and joyous humor and wisdom, has humor mixed with didacticism and vice versa ! I Trust you enjoy this wisdom from the Agada in the Talmud
Why Only One Adam ?
Why did God create only one Adam and not many at a time?
He did this to demonstrate that one man in himself is an entire universe. Also he wished to teach mankind that he who kills one human being is as guilty as if he destroyed the entire world. Similarly, he who saves the life of one single human being is as worthy as if he had saved all of humanity
God created only one man so that people should not try to feel superior to one another and boast of their lineage in this wise: "I am descended from a more distinguished Adam than you". He also did this so that the heathen should not be able to say that, since many men had been created at the same time, it was conclusive proof that there was more than one God.
Lastly, He did this in order to establish His own power and glory.When a maker of coins does his work he uses only one mould and all the coins emerge alike. But the King of Kings, blessed be his name, has created all mankind in the mould of Adam, and even so no man is identical to another. For this reason each person must respect himself and say with dignity: "God created the world on my account.Therefore let me not lose eternal life because of some vain passion!"
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Andy Ostroy At Huffpost,Worst Example Of A Media/Blogosphere Which Has Gone Palin Insane-Unprecedented Obsessional Behaviour
This week has seen an outpouring of the most vicious bilious attacks on Palin surpassing even the lib's mass attacks directly following Palin's electrifying speech at the 2008 Republican convention.
In such a mass of yellow (or better-brown sewage) "journalism" Andy Ostroy described as a "NYC Political Analyst" (naturally-a perfect example of East Coast elitism) took the booby prize for the worst ad hominem attack. Ostroy's "column" was a hatchet job from start to finish with this being his crowning glory;
"But the bigger question is with Palin herself, and whether this little-educated, inexperienced, bad-tempered rabble-rousing quitter who lacks cultural, literary and intellectual curiosity and passion truly expects to be taken seriously as a presidential candidate in 2012 or if she's just plain delusional and drunk on her own hype."
His screed doesn't even have the pretence of being objective journalism it is just a rant. The editors at Huffington Post should be shamed for allowing his rubbish to see the light of day if they even pretend to be running a serious journal.
Obsessional-is probably too simple a description. In my lifetime of political activity going back to watching the results of the second Eisenhower/Stevenson election (what courtly genteel days they were!) I have never seen the media-of all stripes- in such a bizarre, obsessional condition. Even the Vietnam war and Watergate days pale in comparison
The New York Times,Washington Post, CBS, MSNBC,Vanity Fair, Huffington Post and all the left wing bloggers, from the staid and civilized to the idiotic, cruel and possessed like Wonkette, have exploded in a frenzy of Palin Delusional Syndrome (PDS).
The madness has reached such a boiling point that in their frenzy, like rabid dogs, they are even starting to turn on each other. The Vanity Fair hatchet job on Palin was so over the top (and now admitted by the writer Gross to have fact in error for which he apologized) that some on the left, to keep a shred of credibility, have also taken to pointing out glaring errors.
Some who provided "information" both anonymous and stated, now are crying that they were lied to and misrepresented. Even rabidly leftist feminists have taken to supporting her as they can't ignore the obvious misogyny of many of these attacks.
Under "normal" circumstances, the PDS level just ticks along. Sometimes up a bit and sometimes, when Palin isn't tweeting, sometimes down a bit-but what has caused this incredible explosion of insanity?
I believe it has happened, to a large degree, because of Palin's incredible victory in backing a total rank outsider in the Alaskan Republican Senate primary, Joe Miller against, even though a Republican, one of "theirs" in the establishment-Murkowski.
The media who were crowing about Palin's "kiss of death' support of various candidates (which was not true as she had a plus 500 average) and who said Murkowski would trounce Miller, basically ending any power Palin had, were made to look utter fools.
They have not responded well. On top of that Palin followed through with a non-controversial speech saluting the troops at the Glen Beck organized DC rally. The media were again disappointed in their hopes for controversy, racism and violence. All they got was a massive crowd, who behaved in an exemplary manner, and who showcased the power of the non-Beltway Tea Party.
The media have a real dichotomy and don't know how to deal with it. They love the clicks/hits/viewers/readers that anything they present about Palin brings but whilst doing so they are building her up. The attacks on her have become so ridiculous that they have lost all their sting (and are mostly rehashed items from 2008) and their prognostications about her, subsequently falling flat, make them look like fools.
Palin meanwhile gives as good as she gets, which infuriates the Lame Stream Media, as she describes the press, (and blogosphere) to a point where they are in danger of becoming incoherent with rage and totally debunked..
In such a mass of yellow (or better-brown sewage) "journalism" Andy Ostroy described as a "NYC Political Analyst" (naturally-a perfect example of East Coast elitism) took the booby prize for the worst ad hominem attack. Ostroy's "column" was a hatchet job from start to finish with this being his crowning glory;
"But the bigger question is with Palin herself, and whether this little-educated, inexperienced, bad-tempered rabble-rousing quitter who lacks cultural, literary and intellectual curiosity and passion truly expects to be taken seriously as a presidential candidate in 2012 or if she's just plain delusional and drunk on her own hype."
His screed doesn't even have the pretence of being objective journalism it is just a rant. The editors at Huffington Post should be shamed for allowing his rubbish to see the light of day if they even pretend to be running a serious journal.
Obsessional-is probably too simple a description. In my lifetime of political activity going back to watching the results of the second Eisenhower/Stevenson election (what courtly genteel days they were!) I have never seen the media-of all stripes- in such a bizarre, obsessional condition. Even the Vietnam war and Watergate days pale in comparison
The New York Times,Washington Post, CBS, MSNBC,Vanity Fair, Huffington Post and all the left wing bloggers, from the staid and civilized to the idiotic, cruel and possessed like Wonkette, have exploded in a frenzy of Palin Delusional Syndrome (PDS).
The madness has reached such a boiling point that in their frenzy, like rabid dogs, they are even starting to turn on each other. The Vanity Fair hatchet job on Palin was so over the top (and now admitted by the writer Gross to have fact in error for which he apologized) that some on the left, to keep a shred of credibility, have also taken to pointing out glaring errors.
Some who provided "information" both anonymous and stated, now are crying that they were lied to and misrepresented. Even rabidly leftist feminists have taken to supporting her as they can't ignore the obvious misogyny of many of these attacks.
Under "normal" circumstances, the PDS level just ticks along. Sometimes up a bit and sometimes, when Palin isn't tweeting, sometimes down a bit-but what has caused this incredible explosion of insanity?
I believe it has happened, to a large degree, because of Palin's incredible victory in backing a total rank outsider in the Alaskan Republican Senate primary, Joe Miller against, even though a Republican, one of "theirs" in the establishment-Murkowski.
The media who were crowing about Palin's "kiss of death' support of various candidates (which was not true as she had a plus 500 average) and who said Murkowski would trounce Miller, basically ending any power Palin had, were made to look utter fools.
They have not responded well. On top of that Palin followed through with a non-controversial speech saluting the troops at the Glen Beck organized DC rally. The media were again disappointed in their hopes for controversy, racism and violence. All they got was a massive crowd, who behaved in an exemplary manner, and who showcased the power of the non-Beltway Tea Party.
The media have a real dichotomy and don't know how to deal with it. They love the clicks/hits/viewers/readers that anything they present about Palin brings but whilst doing so they are building her up. The attacks on her have become so ridiculous that they have lost all their sting (and are mostly rehashed items from 2008) and their prognostications about her, subsequently falling flat, make them look like fools.
Palin meanwhile gives as good as she gets, which infuriates the Lame Stream Media, as she describes the press, (and blogosphere) to a point where they are in danger of becoming incoherent with rage and totally debunked..
The Intellectual Elite And Palin-A Comparison With Andrew Jackson
A study of the attitude of historians*, especially of the patrician sort, to the "crass democracy' which had produced, in combination with the new Jacksonian style politics, the Presidency of Andrew Jackson (and had ousted their upper middle class strata from that leadership role in society) has a firm resonance with the attitude to Sarah Palin by the historians and pundits from the right and left who inhabit that same strata today.
Those from this class on the right express the same ambivalence to popular democracy as exemplified by James Parton the Jacksonian historian whose 1860 "The Life of Andrew Jackson" is considered one of the finest biographies of our 7th President.
If we take the overview of Parton's work included in Charles G. Seller's Jr. "Andrew Jackson versus the Historians" Mississippi Valley Historical Review, XLIV (March 1958) and where we have "Parton" substitute "Brooks" and for Jackson substitute "Palin" we can see there is nothing new under the sun.
The elite will always show their true colors-with their nose in the air in the case of the liberal left-and with utter confusion in the case of the right-in fact the more conservative the pundit the more this confusion is expressed, as it is a battle against their inner nature, whereas with the liberals it is an excuse to vent their inner anger.
Or as Sellers stated it " For Parton's view of democracy is essentially ambivalent. Like many intellectuals, Parton will, at one moment, excoriate the masses for their ignorance and for vulgarizing American life; but at the next moment he will turn around and extol democracy as the mark of an enlightened society.
Periodically in the Jackson (biography), Parton will rail against the vicious mob who could " feel, but not think; listen to stump orations but not read...who could be wheedled, and flattered, and drilled by any man who was quite devoid of public spirit, principle and shame, but could be influenced by no man of honor unless he were a man of genius."
Then, a little while later he will announce that the "instinctive preferences of the people must be right" and that the "truly helpful men and women of this Republic have oftenest sprung from the cabin.... and worked their way up to their rightful places as leaders of the people, by the strength of their own arm, brain, and resolution".
That Jackson overcame this instinctive class based hatred and ridicule to become recognized as one of the greatest of presidents should be succour to the Palin supporters who, from time to time, wilt under the ongoing onslaught-especially when it comes from the right.
It is my "instinctive preference" to consider that in due course Palin will prove to these "lettered betters" that she can claim the mantle of Jackson . In doing so there is no doubt that some future historian of our present period will make the same comparison to the commentators of our day as set out here regarding the, mistaken then as ours are now, historians of 150 years ago.
*James Parton "The Presidency of Andrew Jackson" from Volume 111 of the "Life of Andrew Jackson" Edited by Robert V. Remini. Harper 1965
Those from this class on the right express the same ambivalence to popular democracy as exemplified by James Parton the Jacksonian historian whose 1860 "The Life of Andrew Jackson" is considered one of the finest biographies of our 7th President.
If we take the overview of Parton's work included in Charles G. Seller's Jr. "Andrew Jackson versus the Historians" Mississippi Valley Historical Review, XLIV (March 1958) and where we have "Parton" substitute "Brooks" and for Jackson substitute "Palin" we can see there is nothing new under the sun.
The elite will always show their true colors-with their nose in the air in the case of the liberal left-and with utter confusion in the case of the right-in fact the more conservative the pundit the more this confusion is expressed, as it is a battle against their inner nature, whereas with the liberals it is an excuse to vent their inner anger.
Or as Sellers stated it " For Parton's view of democracy is essentially ambivalent. Like many intellectuals, Parton will, at one moment, excoriate the masses for their ignorance and for vulgarizing American life; but at the next moment he will turn around and extol democracy as the mark of an enlightened society.
Periodically in the Jackson (biography), Parton will rail against the vicious mob who could " feel, but not think; listen to stump orations but not read...who could be wheedled, and flattered, and drilled by any man who was quite devoid of public spirit, principle and shame, but could be influenced by no man of honor unless he were a man of genius."
Then, a little while later he will announce that the "instinctive preferences of the people must be right" and that the "truly helpful men and women of this Republic have oftenest sprung from the cabin.... and worked their way up to their rightful places as leaders of the people, by the strength of their own arm, brain, and resolution".
That Jackson overcame this instinctive class based hatred and ridicule to become recognized as one of the greatest of presidents should be succour to the Palin supporters who, from time to time, wilt under the ongoing onslaught-especially when it comes from the right.
It is my "instinctive preference" to consider that in due course Palin will prove to these "lettered betters" that she can claim the mantle of Jackson . In doing so there is no doubt that some future historian of our present period will make the same comparison to the commentators of our day as set out here regarding the, mistaken then as ours are now, historians of 150 years ago.
*James Parton "The Presidency of Andrew Jackson" from Volume 111 of the "Life of Andrew Jackson" Edited by Robert V. Remini. Harper 1965
Friday, September 3, 2010
Miller's Lead Over Murkowski Exceeds 2000 In Latest Count-Emphatic Victory For Palin Over MSM
The official website of the Alaska Secretary of State shows the latest count of absentee votes increasing Joe Miller's lead (1.84%) over Lisa Murkowski substantially to 2020 (50.92% to 49.08%).
Rather than absentee votes cutting into Millers 1600 election night lead as pundits advised-continuing their incredible run of totally wrong polling and forecasting as regards Miller's "hopeless" campaign to win the GOP senate nomination-this is a substantial increase which may well go higher as more military votes come in.
This result categorically confirms the influence that Sarah Palin had on the campaign-which Miller has strongly stated.
For all the MSM's attempt to write of Palin, hilariously so in the case of the sad spectacle of Alexandra Gutierrez at Slate , this result shows, once again, that those who take Palin for granted as the Murkowski campaign obviously did, do so at their peril.
Rather than absentee votes cutting into Millers 1600 election night lead as pundits advised-continuing their incredible run of totally wrong polling and forecasting as regards Miller's "hopeless" campaign to win the GOP senate nomination-this is a substantial increase which may well go higher as more military votes come in.
This result categorically confirms the influence that Sarah Palin had on the campaign-which Miller has strongly stated.
For all the MSM's attempt to write of Palin, hilariously so in the case of the sad spectacle of Alexandra Gutierrez at Slate , this result shows, once again, that those who take Palin for granted as the Murkowski campaign obviously did, do so at their peril.
UPDATE:STACY GETS RARE INTERVIEW WITH TODD PALIN. Stacy McCain's Alaska Miller/Palin Reporting-The Other McCain Is The Real McCoy
The amazing Stacy McCain continues to go where others can't-real old fashioned go to it reporting.
http://theothermccain.com/2010/09/03/hey-whos-the-man/
Not that the premier shoe leather blogger needs any kudos or recognition from me but all credit where it is due.
Like many others on the rights, tens of thousands I am sure, I turned to The Other McCain's site for up to the minute reporting ( my heart can't stand too many of these BTW!) on Joe Miller's ballot countdown. Certainly there were other sites which were reporting, but who else but the redoubtable Stacy McCain would jump on an airplane to go right to the various sources-Miller's campaign headquarters and the official count room.
This is old fashioned ward heeler sort of stuff which adds tremendous color to reporting-to have faces put to names, and buildings shown, and all the bits and pieces which go towards making sense of a situation is invaluable.
It is to be hoped for, but unlikely, given the liberal bias,,that a Pulitzer would come his way one day but if not there is certainly a conservative award in the hearts and minds of all who appreciate such determination and doggedness.
Certainly the spirit and energy shown by McCain reflects a renewed and revitalized right, and will ensure that the next presidential election sees a candidate who will not only espouse our values but ensure they are acted on.
Thanks and congratulations to Stacy, Smitty and their team
http://theothermccain.com/2010/09/03/hey-whos-the-man/
Not that the premier shoe leather blogger needs any kudos or recognition from me but all credit where it is due.
Like many others on the rights, tens of thousands I am sure, I turned to The Other McCain's site for up to the minute reporting ( my heart can't stand too many of these BTW!) on Joe Miller's ballot countdown. Certainly there were other sites which were reporting, but who else but the redoubtable Stacy McCain would jump on an airplane to go right to the various sources-Miller's campaign headquarters and the official count room.
This is old fashioned ward heeler sort of stuff which adds tremendous color to reporting-to have faces put to names, and buildings shown, and all the bits and pieces which go towards making sense of a situation is invaluable.
It is to be hoped for, but unlikely, given the liberal bias,,that a Pulitzer would come his way one day but if not there is certainly a conservative award in the hearts and minds of all who appreciate such determination and doggedness.
Certainly the spirit and energy shown by McCain reflects a renewed and revitalized right, and will ensure that the next presidential election sees a candidate who will not only espouse our values but ensure they are acted on.
Thanks and congratulations to Stacy, Smitty and their team
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