JawsBlog

Since I took a shot at Tom Friedman yesterday, I should be “fair and balanced” and take a shot at another Brandeis alum, from the other side of the aisle.

Today’s unlucky winner, with a Brandeis education is none other than Jack Abramoff:
Tribal Money Linked to GOP Fundraising

Clean, chase around brother, cook, lunch, clean, chase brother more, wrap gifts, bake cake, set table, still chase brother around…then who knows what!

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!

I came across this article from another blog, and I’m really not sure what to make of it. Part of it just sounds to conspiracy theory-esque for me.

Coming Up For Air
Kerry Preparing Grounds to Unconcede
Election Challenge likely on Jan 6th

I wouldn’t hold my breath wating…

Is the real reason for vacation from school for kids to come home and teach their parents how to use the computer/internet (or to fix the computer)?

Today in his column, Thomas Friedman (c/o ’76) demonstrates one example of a stereotypical Brandeis education at work: Power Line: Misinformation at the Times

I went out to run a set of errands this evening, got the sister a birthday card and gift, then went to the grocery store to pick up some fresh tofu and vegtables–cause tonight I broke out the wok and stir fried! (Pictures forthcoming by request).

It was a lot of fun to do and it came out really well, because the whole family went straight through it.

It’s a good thing we decided to stay in this evening, as when I was driving home from the grocery, the snow began to fall yet again! We’d gotten about 1-2 inches more this afternoon but now we were getting even more. Does it ever stop?

Oh and for the record–traction control is a godsend

Okay, a tangental question, that I hope one of my readers who may be more familiar with journalism than I am may be able to help with.

How exactly do news wire services (e.g. AP, AFP, Reuters) work? Do they contract with certain reporters who are stationed in a specific area, who then write stories that appear on the wire?

Or do they solicit stories from freelancers for the wires, and pay per story? (Same goes for photos)

Can anyone either explain to me how it works, or refer me to a site that explains it. Thanks!

The Sister turns 20 tomorrow, and I need to get her a gift.
I’m having difficulties deciding what to get her. Right now, possibilities include: The Moulin Rouge DVD (she’s wanted it for a while now), an SD card for her digital camera, A 7-11 gift card (it’s a family thing), or perhaps a gift card to Chipotle

Any other ideas? Recommendations?

I’ve been meaning to blog about my first long distance road trip–as the driver. It was a trek from Long Island to Cleveland.
(more…)

From the Jerusalem Post Magazine, a must read piece (if you’ve not been following the story) about the pro-Israel students at Columbia going against their anti-Zionist professors.
Non-academic debate

Also see this post at Israelpundit

Regarding the AP photographer story that has been the buzz about the blogsphere.

I’d like to make a more complete post on this topic (pending on the amount of time I have)–but I’m not sure what all the buzz is about. Are that many people suprised to see AP photographers being at the scene of terror attacks before/when they occur? This is really nothing new–which is what I plan on showing in my post. Having watched how the media reports on Israel, the Haifa Street incident is nothing new.

Went to synagogue this morning with the family, and there was a rather small crowd to e honest. Perhaps it’s an after effect of the weather we’ve had here, or vacations.

Then we went over to a family friend’s house for lunch, which was a lot of fun. I had to bring the brother home early since he was being a nudnik. I was able to speak to a friend of mine who is also a 1st year grad student in a non-science discipline, and we were able to share our grad school horror stories.

Right now, I’m just here, supervising the brother, and the Zionist Infidel Guniea pig is here as well, doing his shtick.

And to all those celebrating: merry christmas….

I didn’t get a lump of coal this year.

So this morning I blogged very briefly. Then the brother wanted lunch prepared…hence, as older brother, I was called into action. The sister was still asleep (she didn’t get back home till late last night–and there’s a story to go with it too). Then we had a spontaneous “family trip” to the JCC…After that, brought the Brother home, and played a game of Scrabble. Then the mother came home and I rolled up my sleeves and got busy in the Kitchen. Oh, how I missed cooking.

Mom had already prepared Chicken Soup (+ noodles) and turkey breast, so I made some green beans, spanish rice, and matzo balls (I even managed to make hard kenedelach!)

The the five of us in the family sat down at the dinner table for the first time since well…wow…um….June! Egads! I knew it had been a while, but never imagined it was that long. Then being the good child that I am, I cleaned the table, did some dishes, and also baked some brownies.

Then, of course, the one, the only, Zionist Infidel (Guniea) Pig started eeping, so I fed him too. And now, well, I’m just letting the browniies cool.

How soon till Santa comes by to give me my block of coal?

The latest proposal for a constitutional ammendment seems to be coming from California Dems. Sen Feinstein and Rep Lofgren.–to abolish the electoral college

In a nutshell, my opinion: Bad Idea

I like the idea of the electoral college, and while it’s ashame that the big cities have basically turned into one party strong holds, I think the institution has merit.

Here’s more from Capt. Ed

Now for fun: which ammendment do you think would have a better chance of ratification: The EC abolishment or the FMA?

Have a Merry and peaceful christmas

And to all the Jews out there: Happy Chinese food + movie night!

Blogging will proceed as normal here…perhaps slightly reduced b/c of the fact I’m at home

I saw this in Today’s Cleveland Plain Dealer when I was flipping through it this evening:

Kerry backer questions Cuyahoga recount

John Kerry’s presidential campaign criticized the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections Wednesday night for its handling of the presidential recount and said some parts of that recount should be conducted again.

I think that there are people on both sides of the election who’d just like to take a ClueBat and whack some sense into people like this/

As I was saying, I just got back to Cleveland this evening, after a ~10 hr-ish* drive from Suffolk County
(*I had to pick up the sister in NYC–so that was a detour–hence the longer time)

I was informed that a package had arrived for me here at home. So I go open it, and it’s my copy of The Archon (the Brandeis Yearbook)

Now I’ve got something to page through to pass time when I’m bored here at home. But less I digress…I was wondering

What’s the point of a college having a yearbook? It’s not like a high school, is it?

I’m home, in Cleveland, amidst about 2 feet of snow on the ground outside. The drive was rather uneventful, but I’ll blog about it in a bit–I’ve got a lot of catching up to do!

I’m driving home to Cleveland today, so there’ll be no blogging.

I’m picking up the sister from her school after she’s done taking her last final, and then we’ll be heading through four states in the course of the day (three blue-one red).

Blogging will most likely resume from Ohio!

As Republican officials stonewall subpoenas and subvert the recount process, Rev. Jesse Jackson has pronounced Ohio’s vote fraud fiasco “the biggest deal since Selma” –The Free Press