Kosher Phones for America III ( or do we get results around here?)

As the run up to the introduction of the kosher phone for America, Hamodia (the kosher newspaper that the Internet must be protected from) is running a kol kora from leading American Roshei Yeshiva mandating the Kosher Phone.

If you need proof that the water is better here in America (see previous posts), the kk recognizes that businessmen may need additional services (i.e., e-mail) which are not available on the kosher phone, and are allowing use of these non-kosher phone modalities on regular phones for business purposes only. This means that, effectively, the kosher phones will be used by children, women, melamdim and kolel yunger leit.

There is, in truth, only minimal benefit to children and kolel yunger leit becoming proficient in 'phonology', (unlike the benefits of computer and internet literacy and self control) at this point in the development of technology.

Therefore, kol hakovod to the responsible and realistic Rabbonim and/or askonim behind the kosher phone.

PS: I have been told that Skver refused to sign the Kol Korah because it was not sufficiently prohibitive. If this is true, after the last several years of Skverer history, is it conceivable that they would speak out against honest people needing to communicate to make an honest living ???

File: jews internet
kosher phone

Ban Central Park !

You just can't go to the park anymore.
Free wi-fi is being introduced in (among other places) Central Park and Flushing Meadows Park.

Will we have to take our kids to Times Square on Chol Hamoed to escape the deadly scourge?

Ban Philadelphia!

Philadelphia OKs Wireless Internet Project

Associated Press
All Associated Press News

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - City Council on Thursday unanimously approved a plan to blanket the city's 135 square miles with a high-speed wireless Internet connection, a measure that mayor is expected to sign soon.

. . . About 300 communities across the country are developing or have deployed Wi-Fi plans. Chicago and San Francisco also are planning big public Wi-Fi projects.

Quote of the Day

Jeff Jacoby of the Boston Globe says what I feel today and felt in the 1970's:

On "Meet the Press" recently, Senator Ted Kennedy pooh-poohed the suggestion that a unilateral withdrawal from Iraq might lead to even more chaos and terrorism:


"First of all, I heard the same kinds of suggestions at the time of the end of the Vietnam War. The 'Great Bloodbath' — we're going to have over 100,000 people that were going to be murdered and killed . . . Those of us that were strongly opposed to the war heard those same kinds of arguments at the time." Even for Kennedy, such revisionism is shockingly dishonest. For in fact, the American abandonment of Vietnam led not to 100,000 murders, but to an even ghastlier toll.


"A gruesome holocaust took place in Cambodia, the likes of which had not been seen since World War II," James Webb, a scholar, combat Marine, and former Navy secretary, has written. "Two million Vietnamese fled their country — mostly by boat. Thousands lost their lives in the process . . . Inside Vietnam, a million of the south's best young leaders were sent to re-education camps; more than 50,000 perished while imprisoned, and others remained captives for as long as 18 years."

Ban New Rochelle!

New Rochelle , NY will be providing free wireless internet to all by the end of the summer.

Ocean County, NJ, anyone?

File: jews internet

Monsey Internet Asifa - Might Possessed by Fright

The Monsey Internet Asifa took place last night. Missisipi Fred covers it here. While I'm still waiting to hear Avi's report on it, Rav Wachsman reportedly gave a hyperbole filled speech about the dangers of the medium you are now on, comparing it to Pharoah's army pursuing the Jews at 'lightening speed' out of Mitzrayim. (Perhaps I should note at this point that Rabbi Wachsman was fortunate enough to become the son-in-law of a very wealthy man, perhaps affecting his perspective on all things necessary for us and our children.)
I'm not a fan of hyperbole in general, except for speakers for the distaff side.

Rav Solomon then emphasized we must be 'frightened, very frightened' of the internet.

There are certain individuals, perhaps many, to whom fright is the main motivator of life. I believe this is a psychological state distinguishable and separate from yiras shomayim. For example, I recently received an e-mail from a relative who almost never e-mails me, about the danger of the stalkers now threatening our daughters. Now this is a real and serious danger. But is interesting how the phenomenon of fear (a statistically insignificant fear) can bring the scaredy cats out of the woodwork.

I would think that Lakewood has much more serious fears at this time than the internet.

We must guard ourselves on the internet and on the streets.

Nothing's changed.

File: jews internet
Monsey internet

Ban Suffolk County!

Suffolk County, NY is planning to install a county wide wireless internet system.

And instead of doing, we are banning. (yawn)

Nassau County on deck!

Kosher Phones for America II

The slick advertisements campaign themes are in final stages of seflection. The contracts are complete. The Kosher Phone® for America is almost here.

There are two models. One is old , the other older. No provision for business messaging, and of course no internet.

The powers that be feel that it will be good for (non working) housewives and for children.

But it will probably be advertised (mandated?) as the solution for all of us.

File: jews internet
kosher phone

Back to the Future Act II

Not to be outdone in the denial river, Monsey is now gearing up for its' very own Internet ban.

File: jews internet
File: internet ban
File: monsey

Ban Rhode Island!

Rhode Island is becoming the first state to build a border-to-border wireless internet capability, in order to lure new business.

It will be capable of sending emergency medical data from an ambulance en route to the hospital, as well as everyday internet use.

File: jews internet
Rhode Island

A Ride With the Rosh Hakollel or Secular Education V

On a recent post, pro-ban (the commenter, not the deodorant) wound up a comment with:
"Trust the gedolim. They have more experience than us" (last post).

It happens that at a recent family simcha, I was privileged by the Baal Simcha to give a ride home to the Rosh HaKollel who spoke at the event.

Trying to make conversation, I asked the distinguished Rav how his kollel is doing.

The dam broke.

Rav X said that he has 90 avreichim in kollel, an unprecedented number, and that many should be out. He asked me if it is not odd for a yinger man to be learning with his married son or son-in-law all day in kollel. He then continued (paraphrasing from yiddish) 'when I learned in yeshiva in Eretz Yisroel (Chinuch Atzmai) we learned English and math. Now, I know that I don't speak English well. Nevertheless, I can make myself understood, and I had no problem passing the reading and writing portions of my citizenship exam. I'm better at reading and writing than at verbal skills.
My yinger leit,however, have no language or math skills whatsoever. So where should they go? And when they ask the Rebbe, they are frequently told to stay in Kolel! (Shrug)'

Beats me, pro.
Care to take a shot?

File: secular education
jews internet
yeshiva