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Oct

5

Reason #31 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Filed Under 57ReasonsObamaBiden, Barack Obama, Campaigning, Elections, John McCain, leadership, Politics, Sarah Palin, Voting, WH2008 | 4 Comments

Because no matter how amped up the smear machines become, Barack Obama continues to focus on what matters most: the economy, leadership and exhibiting all the characteristics of someone who will take on challenges without looking to divert anyone’s attention from those challenges, even when he doesn’t have the answers.

At least the McCain/Palin campaign has been transparent in declaring that they will employ, for the duration of their campaign, a plan of character assasination and leave issues in the dust, or the books, or the dusty books in their case, perhaps.

But, as I was telling someone after religious services yesterday, my litmus test for how to argue that you deserve someone’s vote is how, as a parent, I would feel if that candidate were my child – adult or otherwise.  If my kids told me that they were going to intensify their name-calling nastiness and make suggestions about people that can’t be substantiated but have a good chance of succeeding in scaring people into voting for my kids just because, I would scold them as severely as I scold them for anything else.

When you fight to win, you fight to win, not to force the other person to be the loser. My children will learn to win and to fight to win by demonstrating to people why they are worthy and they will not rely on the prayer that they can scare people away from their opponents.

Frankly, as a parent, that is the most despicable, angering thing I’ve ever heard, let alone have to witness grown people employ – including the mother of a 6 month old, a 7 year old, a 13 year old, an almost 18 year old (Bristol’s birthday is October 18) and a son in the military.  Talk about being a role model. Not.

On November 4, vote for Obama/Biden.

Here are the previous reasons:

Reason #57 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #56 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #55 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #54 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #53 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #52 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #51 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #50 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #49 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #48 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #47 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #46 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #45 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #44 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #43 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #42 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #41 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #40 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #39 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #38, 37, 36 and 35 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #34 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #33 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Reason #32 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:56 pm October 5th, 2008 in 57ReasonsObamaBiden, Barack Obama, Campaigning, Elections, John McCain, leadership, Politics, Sarah Palin, Voting, WH2008 | 4 Comments 

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Oct

5

Tough day for Biden family

Filed Under Jill Biden, Joe Biden, Politics, RIP, Vice President, WH2008 | Comments Off

From CNN:

Joe Biden’s spokesman said the Delaware senator would be canceling campaign events Monday and Tuesday in the wake of his mother-in-law’s death Sunday.

…

Bonnie Jacobs, Jill Biden’s mother, had been sick for a long time and was living in a hospice.

Wade announced Saturday that Sunday and Monday’s events were canceled after doctors told the family to stay close by. He said the family is now together at home in Wilmington.

The death comes the same day Biden’s son Beau deploys with his National Guard unit to a mobilization station in Texas before a tour in Iraq.

May she be of blessed memory.  Strength to the Biden family right now.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:10 pm October 5th, 2008 in Jill Biden, Joe Biden, Politics, RIP, Vice President, WH2008 | Comments Off 

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Oct

5

Update: Albright corrects Palin’s coffee cup misquote

Filed Under Civil Rights, Hillary Clinton, Politics, Sexisn, Sports, WH2008, Wide Open, Women, Youth | Comments Off

I wrote about Alaska Governor and GOP VP nominee Sarah Palin’s attempt to use former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s words to flip the gender card earlier today.

Now, the Huffington Post includes input from Albright herself:

Albright responded to Palin’s remarks in a statement to the Huffington Post on Sunday. “Though I am flattered that Governor Palin has chosen to cite me as a source of wisdom, what I said had nothing to do with politics. This is yet another example of McCain and Palin distorting the truth, and all the more reason to remember that this campaign is not about gender, it is about which candidate has an agenda that will improve the lives of all Americans, including women. The truth is, if you care about the status of women in our society and in our troubled economy, the best choice by far is Obama-Biden.” [my emphasis]

Thank you, Madam Secretary.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:23 pm October 5th, 2008 in Civil Rights, Hillary Clinton, Politics, Sexisn, Sports, WH2008, Wide Open, Women, Youth | Comments Off 

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Oct

5

Haveil Havalim #185 (Carnival of Jewish Blogging) posted

Filed Under Blogging, Culture, Holidays, Israel, Jewish, Judaism, Politics, Religion, Writing | 19 Comments

Welcome to the October 5, 2008 Who Me? Guilty? Edition of Haveil Havalim, aka Haveil Havalim #185.  I appreciate eager readers’ patience as I outdid myself last night and upgraded my two-year old version of WordPress with a little help from a friend.  I’m still obsessing over a number of things I can’t quite figure out but have left all of them until after the necessary deeds are done to present this edition to you in a presentable way.

One announcement to repeat from last week: If you haven’t yet checked out the new Facebook group, Haveil Havalim- The Best Of The Jewish/Israeli Blogosphere, please do. As Jack wrote last week,

It is a place that we are going to use to help promote the Jblogosphere as a whole. We are currently discussing whether we are going to include the Jblogosphere carnivals there.

In addition it is going to serve as a central location that you can use to discuss thoughts and ideas for projects that are of interest to us all.

On with the show:

Culture

Lady-Light presents Left-over Chicken or better yet, Chicken Soup…for Pandas (Jewish ones, of course) posted at Tikkun Olam.  Although she notes that, in HH, “There is no “Jewish Food” category,” I like her suggestion:  “Or maybe, chicken soup should be in a category all by itself. How about, “Jewish Penicillin?”"  Love it.

Carolyn rejoices and requests thoughts – and votes! – of encouragement in Leah (of YALDAH) is a finalist!!!, posted at Juggling Frogs.  Leah is a 17 year old whose work in starting and publishing a magazine has brought her to the brink of very wonderful recognition.

I love the primary source blogging represented in this post by Ahuva Goldstand which offers A conversation with Moshe Levi, barman at the Jerusalemite blog.  Her description: “This week we posted an interesting conversation with Moshe Levi, owner and proprietor of Slow Moshe, a Nachalot landmark.”  Again, living in the States, I can’t overstate just how much I enjoy and appreciate the time taken by bloggers to provide these glimpses.

Ben-Yehudah provides a great euphimism for us to consider using in A Not So New Siman Food at Esser Agaroth. I would caution, however, that we wait at least until we’re finished atoning before we start to tell people to fly away from us when we’re feeling bothered.

Humor

Here in the Heart of it All, Ohio, humor is in short supply. I appreciate each of these entries this week:

SnoopyTheGoon writes about something I knew nothing about in Itil, the lost capital of the Khazars, found, an entry at SimplyJews. On the other hand, I used to teach archery – maybe I’m a descendant? Okay, maybe not.

I’ve never really thought about a prayer book rocking my world, but Heshy makes some great points in Why Birnbaum Machzors Rock!!! at Frum Satire. Maybe that’s something I need to look more for in the new year.

New fruit! New fruit! Get you shiny new fruit from Toby Curwin in the entry, A Sign of the New Year, posted at A Time of the Signs.  What a fun image.

Many thanks to Benji Lovitt for his stream of consciousness in State of the Rosh Hashana Address posted at What War Zone???.  It is fascinating to read about how someone looking back, who has lived in the States and now is outside, but comes back – and forth, now views the “old country” – I can say that, right?

Israel

I’m a huge fan of news and information round-ups and Soccer Dad presents his in Israel/Middle East News Round Up, posted at Rubicon3. Soccer Dad also submitted his post, Israel to buy American planes which you can read at his namesake blog Soccer Dad.

Ahuva Goldstand presents Fit to serve? Socially conscious kashrut sweeps Jerusalem posted at Jerusalemite blog, saying, “Hi, This blog gives an insightful look into Bema’agaley Tzedek, a small Jerusalem outfit, which is making waves in the city and beyond with their social seal or ‘Tav Chevrati”, certifying restaurants, catering halls, and other food service establishments, which verifies their commitment to workers’ rights and handicapped access. Chag Sameach and shabbat shalom, Ahuva”

Three entries this week from Yisrael Medad:  Worse Than I Thought posted at My Right Word, discusses how “Israel police were part of a frame-up of the “settlers” accused of murder” and then a deep thinking examination of the same event in A Philological & Semantic Analysis of the “Terror Flyer”, also posted at My Right Word, in which “YMedad does a text analysis on the flyer left behind at the scene of the Sternhell bombing and is left wondering who composed it.” Finally, in Israel Running out of Territories for Peace Yisrael explores the quesiton of whether Israel will be running out of territories to trade for peace.

At me-ander, Batya presents Silent Rain, Early Rain and says, “It’s more like Israel-Nature, a category not on the list.”  But oddly, the matter of rain is always something I think of when the High Holidays arrive, and in large part because it was in Israel where I first came to understand the significance of the convergence of weather and the new year.

Jewish music

Shira wins the award for a most creative post with the video at Hatikvah Played on the Shofar, posted at Rubicon3. Seriously.  This is something you must hear before you continue reading here.

Batya describes what sounds like a beautiful tradition in I Sang in Our Synagogue Choir On Rosh Hashannah at Shiloh Musings.  Size really is not everything.

Judaism

Some lessons we learn show us just how broad the concept of Judaism can be.  The thoughts in Elad The Great‘s post, Terrorfied at The Eternal Emergence of Elad the Great is one such piece of writing.

Schvach Yid sends in three posts this week, all found at the blog, Schvach – פני דל: Shana Tova, a recommendation for another blog, and a “who knew?” post about Jews in Japan.

Mordechai Torczyner presents Gambling on Rosh HaShanah (Rosh haShanah, Day 1) posted at Rechovot: A Place to Expand, saying, “I don’t usually submit my speeches to HH, but readers have told me they really liked this one, so I figured I would make an exception.”

Ari Kinsberg offers a more formal education-themed post: Where Have All the School (Yeshivah) Days Gone? And Why Sunday School? at his self-named site, Ari’s Blog.

Our ringleader, JackB presents the alliterated Seraphic Secret’s Secret Sofer entry, not so secretly secreted away at Seraphic Secret.

Mordechai Torczyner gave the editor discretion on where to place Dealing with Depression – in others (Rosh HaShanah 5769 Day 2) which he posted at Rechovot: A Place to Expand.  Mordechai describes the post as, “Sorta personal, sorta Jewish, sorta universal..” But at this time of our year, I write as I smile, doesn’t an awful lot of life feel that way?  Thanks, Mordechai for the submission.

Mottel presents an incredibly unique narrative and photographic review of his Rosh Hashanah at 10,800 Feet – in Peru – at Letters of Thought.  Again, the sharing – I love the sharing. Thank you.

Batya offers us The Best Things In Life Are Free vs You Get What You Pay For, also at me-ander, and states, cryptically, that “Yes, they’re both true.”  You’ll have to go read to understand, but of course.

Personal

Soccer Dad illuminates the ideas behind Blinding Flashes Of Intellect …Just When We Needed It! at A Simple Jew. When you think about it, imagine how blind some of us might get if we had too much intellect, yes? While others I can think of could stand to be a bit more illuminated.

Hadassah presents I’ve been working on the railroad posted at In the Pink, saying, “I hope working parents will weigh in with their tips….”

This post from our HH ringleader, JackB, is almost one I didn’t want to read – who needs more disasters? But then again, when it’s happening to someone else (is Schadenfreude a sin?)… go check out A Digital Photo Disaster, posted at Random thoughts- Do they have meaning?.

Politics

Another three-fer, this time from Cosmic X at the blog ****** Cosmic X in Jerusalem ******:  The Porush Campaign, The Barkat Campaign and The Deri Campaign.

Daled Amos continues to cover the Obama/Biden campaign, first in Obama’s Ongoing Threats Against Free Speech (Updated) and also in his post, Biden–36 Years In The Senate Can Only Do So Much (Updated) both found at Daled Amos.

Lady-Light writes “more on our forthcoming election” in this review of The Biden/Palen Debate – My Take posted at Tikkun Olam.

Also on the topic of the United States’ upcoming presidential election, JackB details Scenes From The Dallas Palin Protest at Random thoughts- Do they have meaning?.  It’s wonderful to read the variety of views of the same exact political figures.  Talk about multi-faceted.

Yaacov ben Moshe presents In the Celestial Mirror- Obama Messes With the Vertical posted at Breath of the Beast, saying, “Why he is THE ONE. …This vision is the one that, since the beginning of time had people praying for a “good king” to supplant their cruel one, following conquering emperors or throwing their lives into the bottomless pit of totalitarian regimes that promised utopia…”

Admittedly, Daled Amos‘ post that addresses how a New York Judge Instructs PLO On Difference Between Terrorism And War, posted at Daled Amos, could be in other categories. But taking a bit of editorial liberty, in this time of elections in the United States, the question and the answer carry enormous political significance, don’t you think?

Oy, I’m going to be a good non-editorializing editor and offer this link without comment (I’m sorry, but I really wish it was November 5): Ben-Yehudah presents Still Like Her Now? posted at Esser Agaroth, in regard to the U. S. elections.

Torah

Ari Kinsberg presents Leining: Yitzhak-li vs. Yitzehak-li (יצחק-לי) posted at Ari’s Blog.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of haveil havalim using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:17 pm October 5th, 2008 in Blogging, Culture, Holidays, Israel, Jewish, Judaism, Politics, Religion, Writing | 19 Comments 

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Oct

5

[updated] Palin misquotes coffee cup, Madeleine Albright; jabs gender card at voters

Filed Under Barack Obama, Campaigning, Elections, Gender, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Politics, Race, Sarah Palin, Sexism, Social Issues, Vice President, Voting, WH2008, Women | 6 Comments

What’s the difference between a quote that uses the word “support” versus the same quote but with the word “help”?

Watch first (from this entry at Huffington Post):

In the above context, it’s the difference between Sarah Palin suggesting that women must vote for her because she’s a woman or else they will go to hell, and Madeleine Albright, via the quote attributed to her by Palin, but misstated, that suggests that women should provide assistance to other women whenever they can or else they should feel eternally miserable.

One little word? One big change in import.

But why? Why the word change up?

Palin used Albright’s quote as she spoke to a large crowd of women. She predicates her address with references to breaking the glass ceiling.  There’s little doubt she used the altered Albright quote to reinforce the idea that women who don’t vote for women are not women who support – or help – other women break that ceiling.  And that that’s a bad thing for which you should feel guilty – existentially or otherwise.

More bluntly: Palin is pushing the “women should vote for a ticket with a woman on it because they are women too” gender card. With a little bit of religious fear thrown in for the women who might think that it’s okay to not vote for a woman just because she’s a woman.

For the record, I cannot find a single instance when Barack Obama has urged blatantly, or otherwise, that people of color should vote for him because they are people of color, also considered playing “the race card.”

As the polls have shown repeatedly – with Hillary Clinton first, and now with McCain’s surprise VP choice – voters can distinguish between identifying with a candidate and translating that identification into a vote for the same candidate.

So, knowing that, the real question becomes: did Palin misread the quote in the first place, and think it really did say “support,” did she forget what it said exactly and on the fly changed the word to fit what she was trying to emphasize, or did she purposely change the quote to say “support” rather than “help” because that’s how she interpreted the quote and decided to take the liberty of changing Albright’s words – and intention? Read more

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:37 am October 5th, 2008 in Barack Obama, Campaigning, Elections, Gender, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Politics, Race, Sarah Palin, Sexism, Social Issues, Vice President, Voting, WH2008, Women | 6 Comments 

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Oct

5

Palin no show on shows, but OH’s Sherrod Brown hits This Week

Filed Under Ohio, Politics, Sarah Palin, Sherrod Brown, WH2008 | Comments Off

I started the When Will Sarah Palin, Vice Presidential Nominee, Make The Rounds of the Sunday Talk Shows Like All Other Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates Watch here.  AmercaBlog notes that we will go Palin-less again this Sunday morning and is sounding rather discouraged:

Sarah Palin is not on any of the Sunday shows — again. Sarah Palin will never appear on any of the Sunday shows. She can’t bring her note cards and she’ll get follow up questions. Enough said.

On the bright side, one of my two U.S. senators, Sherrod Brown, continues to make the rounds.  He’ll be on This Week with George Stephanopoulos (who, by the way, graduated from my kids’ school district):

Our EXCLUSIVE headliners this Sunday: Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D), Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R), Florida Sen. Mel Martinez (R) and Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown (D). Four key players from critical battleground states join me to discuss the latest in the presidential race and economic crisis.

Brown has been very visible lately.  In addition to this clip at CSPAN Junkie of Brown’s Senate floor speech about the bailout, Brown was questioned one-on-one later this week also on C-SPAN, and although the program note isn’t yet posted, Cleveland’s public radio station, WCPN, hinted earlier this week that Brown would be on this coming Tuesday, October 6.  I’ll update with a link to the show as soon as it’s posted.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:27 am October 5th, 2008 in Ohio, Politics, Sarah Palin, Sherrod Brown, WH2008 | Comments Off 

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