I have been using Twitter for around a month and am slowly learning my way around it. For a long time I was reluctant to get involved with anything else that could serve as a time suck. As it is I feel like I am constantly searching for ways to turn a 24 hour day into 36 hours. So the idea of adding another responsibility bothered me.
But at the same time I find social media to be incredibly interesting so I wanted to dip my toes into the water and see what happened.
Thus far I have been pleased with it. It is fast and easy so I haven't found it to be particularly taxing...yet. Yet is the operational word because I can see a time and place when it becomes too time consuming so I have been relatively cautious about who I follow.
I have also been trying to determine if it is an asset or a detriment to my blog. At the moment it appears that is serving as a good tool for sending traffic here while not requiring so much time that the content suffers.
And lately content on the blog has been on my mind because it hasn't been quite as tight as I'd like it to be. But that is not a Twitter issue. Rather it is due to my trying to function on three hours sleep. In the very near future I am going to have to take steps to get a bit more shut eye because this is just ridiculous.
So dear reader I am curious to find out if you have any opinions about Twitter. I know that some of you use it on a regular basis, but I am curious about the rest. What do you think?
People Plan and G-d Laughs
In a different time and place a boy named Jack planned on becoming a professional baseball player. He was a fine athlete and for a brief time he was among the best of the 12 year old baseball players in the Little League.
Jack led the league in homeruns, although truth be known he actually was tied with two other boys, but this is his story so we'll leave those guys out. Jack usually played in left or center field.
He was fast enough to run down fly balls and had a great arm for a kid his age. It made Jack very happy to see that his father's promise that extra practice would pay off was accurate. And so it seemed to him that there was no reason why he couldn't one day grace Dodger Stadium.
But people plan and G-d laughs and life took Jack in a different direction. And so it came to pass that by the time he hit high school he didn't even try out for the team, instead he played other sports. He was good at most of them and perhaps he could have been great, but we'll never know for certain.
When high school ended Jack intended to spend his freshman year of college in Israel. It was a dream that he had been desiring to fulfill for years. He found and applied to a program and was accepted into it people plan and G-d laughs. Things happened and at the last minute he was forced to withdraw. And so it came to pass that another dream crumbled into dust.
A few years later Jack made plans to go to Israel for his junior year abroad. He was very excited about the prospect and spent much time thinking about what it would be like. He worked diligently to try and make it happen but people plan and G-d laughs.
Jack fell in love with a girl and decided that he didn't want to give up the opportunity to see where romance would lead him and opted not to go to Israel. And in doing so he made a big mistake that he swore he would learn from.
Instead of having an incredible experience ten thousand miles from home he was introduced to the pain of a broken heart. The relationship ended and he spent a lot of time trying to figure out how it was that people could be so happy when he felt so miserable.
The now 20 year old Jack had a baby blue Camaro that he loved. It was his chariot and his sanctuary. In it he forgot about the things that troubled him and he spent many happy hours driving around the state in it.
Unfortunately others decided that they wanted to possess his Camaro and so they did their best to try and "obtain" it for themselves. They never did manage to take the car but they did run off with two car stereos. And so it came to pass that Jack tried to foil their plans by purchasing a
Pull Out Car Stereo.
Some of you may remember those days. It was a time when you literally pulled car stereo out and carried it with you. And so it came to pass that one day someone decided that they wanted to take Jack's pull out car stereo. It is certain that they were convinced that they would be able to wrest it from his grasp, but people plan and G-d laughs.
Just when they thought that they would be able to secure it for themselves Jack introduced it to the side of their head and so it came to pass that they decided that their interaction with Jack was complete and they made a point to leave.
Many other stories could be told along these lines. You could read about Jack's intent to become an attorney, his plan to move to Israel at 24 and a dozen other things that Jack planned on doing but didn't.
Jack learned that there was a lot of truth to saying people plan and G-d laughs. That is not to say that all of his plans were foiled. Many were not. Jack has a big checklist of things that went his way, but there were moments when he found himself looking skyward and asking why.
And so it has come to past that Jack tries to remind himself that part of the joy of living is the journey. But he also wonders if it would be so hard to occasionally grant him some of the things that he asks for. Would there really be that much harm.
Stay tuned and perhaps you'll find out.
Jack led the league in homeruns, although truth be known he actually was tied with two other boys, but this is his story so we'll leave those guys out. Jack usually played in left or center field.
He was fast enough to run down fly balls and had a great arm for a kid his age. It made Jack very happy to see that his father's promise that extra practice would pay off was accurate. And so it seemed to him that there was no reason why he couldn't one day grace Dodger Stadium.
But people plan and G-d laughs and life took Jack in a different direction. And so it came to pass that by the time he hit high school he didn't even try out for the team, instead he played other sports. He was good at most of them and perhaps he could have been great, but we'll never know for certain.
When high school ended Jack intended to spend his freshman year of college in Israel. It was a dream that he had been desiring to fulfill for years. He found and applied to a program and was accepted into it people plan and G-d laughs. Things happened and at the last minute he was forced to withdraw. And so it came to pass that another dream crumbled into dust.
A few years later Jack made plans to go to Israel for his junior year abroad. He was very excited about the prospect and spent much time thinking about what it would be like. He worked diligently to try and make it happen but people plan and G-d laughs.
Jack fell in love with a girl and decided that he didn't want to give up the opportunity to see where romance would lead him and opted not to go to Israel. And in doing so he made a big mistake that he swore he would learn from.
Instead of having an incredible experience ten thousand miles from home he was introduced to the pain of a broken heart. The relationship ended and he spent a lot of time trying to figure out how it was that people could be so happy when he felt so miserable.
The now 20 year old Jack had a baby blue Camaro that he loved. It was his chariot and his sanctuary. In it he forgot about the things that troubled him and he spent many happy hours driving around the state in it.
Unfortunately others decided that they wanted to possess his Camaro and so they did their best to try and "obtain" it for themselves. They never did manage to take the car but they did run off with two car stereos. And so it came to pass that Jack tried to foil their plans by purchasing a
Pull Out Car Stereo.
Some of you may remember those days. It was a time when you literally pulled car stereo out and carried it with you. And so it came to pass that one day someone decided that they wanted to take Jack's pull out car stereo. It is certain that they were convinced that they would be able to wrest it from his grasp, but people plan and G-d laughs.
Just when they thought that they would be able to secure it for themselves Jack introduced it to the side of their head and so it came to pass that they decided that their interaction with Jack was complete and they made a point to leave.
Many other stories could be told along these lines. You could read about Jack's intent to become an attorney, his plan to move to Israel at 24 and a dozen other things that Jack planned on doing but didn't.
Jack learned that there was a lot of truth to saying people plan and G-d laughs. That is not to say that all of his plans were foiled. Many were not. Jack has a big checklist of things that went his way, but there were moments when he found himself looking skyward and asking why.
And so it has come to past that Jack tries to remind himself that part of the joy of living is the journey. But he also wonders if it would be so hard to occasionally grant him some of the things that he asks for. Would there really be that much harm.
Stay tuned and perhaps you'll find out.
The Kosher Hotdog & Costco
I read in my Costco Connection magazine that they have stopped providing Kosher Hot Dogs in the food court. To be clear, the Kosher Hot Dog that they prepared in the non-Kosher kitchen lost it's Kashrut during their prep, but that is not the point of this post.
What I thought was kind of interesting was that in 2008 Costco sold more than 82 million hotdogs worldwide in the food court. That is a lot of dogs.
They anticipate that in 2009 that number is going to increase to around 90 million. Apparently that is too much for the Kosher dog biz to handle so they had to develop the Kirkland dog, and now you know the rest of the story.
What I thought was kind of interesting was that in 2008 Costco sold more than 82 million hotdogs worldwide in the food court. That is a lot of dogs.
They anticipate that in 2009 that number is going to increase to around 90 million. Apparently that is too much for the Kosher dog biz to handle so they had to develop the Kirkland dog, and now you know the rest of the story.
What Are Your Favorite Posts?- Reader Feedback Time
Alright readers, I have some questions for you.
1) Do you have a favorite post here, or is there a particular genre of posts that you like. For example, posts about the kids or random thoughts.
2) Is there anything you'd like to see more of?
Let me know, I am curious to hear what you have to say.
1) Do you have a favorite post here, or is there a particular genre of posts that you like. For example, posts about the kids or random thoughts.
2) Is there anything you'd like to see more of?
Let me know, I am curious to hear what you have to say.
Olmert Reacts to Rockets
It makes me ever so happy to know that the U.S. is going to send $900 million in aid to terrorists who continue to fire rockets at Israel. Prime Minister Olmert made it clear that Israel will not allow the attacks to continue and that it will not hesitate to respond.
Funny thing about this CNN report is that it is another example of how the terrorists manipulate the media. Hamas does not wear uniforms. They intentionally dress in civilian garb and operate in highly populated areas.
While it is certain that civilians were killed during the war, it is also certain that a large portion of the 1,300 reported killed in the report were not actually civilians.
Funny thing about this CNN report is that it is another example of how the terrorists manipulate the media. Hamas does not wear uniforms. They intentionally dress in civilian garb and operate in highly populated areas.
While it is certain that civilians were killed during the war, it is also certain that a large portion of the 1,300 reported killed in the report were not actually civilians.
"JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israel will retaliate against Palestinian-controlled Gaza with a "painful, sharp, strong and uncompromising response" if rocket attacks do not stop, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday.
He warned "terrorists" that they would not be able to anticipate Israel's moves.
"The Israeli response will -- in no way -- be what the terrorist organizations expect. The state of Israel has a wide range of options that will be utilized in order to bring complete quiet to the south," he said Sunday at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting.
Rocket fire from Gaza, which is run by the militant Hamas movement, was the main reason cited for Israel's three-week assault on the territory in December and January. The air and land campaign left about 1,300 Palestinians dead. Thirteen Israelis died.
But rocket attacks into Israel continue.
Over the weekend Palestinians fired nine rockets into southern Israel. One of them slammed into an empty school in the city of Ashkelon, causing extensive damage. Since the end of the military operation in Gaza, over 110 rockets have been fired into Israel, a spokeswoman for Israel's military said."
Top Vacations for the Newly Unemployed
Travel and Leisure has a slideshow here that you can use to find their list of the Top Vacations for the Newly Unemployed.
I am partial to the sailing and chef jobs.
CNN has a similar story in which they discuss whether post layoff is the right time to take a vacation.
I am partial to the sailing and chef jobs.
CNN has a similar story in which they discuss whether post layoff is the right time to take a vacation.
"For those who buy a plane ticket before they get the ax, JetBlue is offering to refund fares. The JetBlue Promise promotion is good for customers laid off on or after February 17 and applies to ticket purchases made between February 1 and June 1.
The program is designed to appeal to people who haven't been downsized but worry they might be, said Alison Croyle, a spokeswoman for the airline.
"It's something that we felt would provide an advantage to customers who otherwise might be too stressed to book future travel plans," she said.
Then there's the already-laid-off demographic.
On some packages, Intrepid Travel is giving a 15 percent discount to people who've recently been let go.
The deal, with the tongue-in-cheek title, "Laid off? How about taking off?" has gotten a few dozen takers in the two months it's been offered, said Leslie Cohen, spokeswoman for the travel company.
Cohen said the discount is designed to give people a chance to clear their heads during a tough transition. Some of the deals start at less than $1,000, she said.
The company is "not suggesting you use your life savings," she said. "It's really just a chance to catch your breath and see something else and come back in a little bit of a different frame of mind."
For those looking to hit the skies on the job hunt rather than escape it, SkyRoll, maker of a $149.99 garment bag, says it's giving a discount.
"If you recently lost your job and need to travel for an interview, we will take 50 percent off the price of a SkyRoll to help you arrive looking your best," the company says on its Web site. To get the discount, SkyRoll requires customers to e-mail the company a layoff notice.
Travel discounts like the one from Intrepid may be great for unemployed people who have hefty savings accounts or large severance packages, but the program also could prey on the unemployed, said Madeline Hughes, who runs a consulting and outplacement group in Denver, Colorado.
The cost of a big trip "could be lunch money for somebody for the next six months," she said. "
Haveil Havalim 206 – The I Love Adar Edition
Are you looking for some good morning reading? Head on over to The Israel Situation and take a look at: Haveil Havalim 206 – The I Love Adar Edition.
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