Shevach Meats Redux

My local kosher fish store, under the hashgocha of a Gur Chassidishe Ruv has a website !!!!

Now . . . if the Ruv becomes aware of the website and supervises what is sold through the website, the Hashgocha is good, but the Ruv is kein yiras shomayim nisht (not G-d fearing).

On the other hand, if the Ruv is unaware of the web site, then he is a G-d fearer, but his hashgocha is worthless because Mr. Fish Monger can sell trayfe fish by outsourcing his web sales to a goy (and maybe he will).

Hmmm.

Two Brief Articles About The Politics And Blogging

Candidates Face New Test:Winning Netroots Primary


By AMY SCHATZJanuary 22, 2007; Page A4
WASHINGTON -- Soon after Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton announced her bid for the presidency on the Internet, her campaign was boasting of its success in one of the most important new presidential battlefields: the Netroots Primary.
Within hours of launching her bid Saturday, her campaign Web site had attracted 10,000 messages of support, 2,200 submissions for its blog contest and had signed up people to its email list at the rate of 100 a minute, the campaign said.
1 ROAD TO 2008

Who will throw their hats into the ring? A look at who's in the race2, who's out and who's somewhere in the middle for the 2008 presidential election.
Mrs. Clinton's decision to enter the presidential race online and conduct a "national conversation" in live video Internet chats before heading to campaign isn't the conventional route taken by presidential hopefuls. This year, however, candidates are making extra efforts to win the favor -- and money -- of keepers of Web logs, or bloggers, and other Internet activists.
Mrs. Clinton's embrace of the Internet shows how seriously candidates are taking the power of the online activist community. Bloggers and other Netroots activists didn't get Howard Dean elected in 2004 or Joseph Lieberman unelected in 2006, but they certainly played a big, vocal role in both races. Unlike other early primary contests, there is no set date to decide which candidate wins or loses the Netroots primary, but early support by the Internet community this year, at least for Democratic candidates, could help decide which candidate wins the party's nomination.
"It's a fact that in Democratic politics, [the Internet has] grown increasingly important and it's par for the course for candidates to pay attention and to communicate to this community," said Peter Daou, the Clinton campaign's Internet director and former head of blog outreach for the Kerry-Edwards 2004 presidential campaign.


Inhofe, IMHO

Pundits do it. Scientists do it. Even Donald Trump does it. So why shouldn't Congress blog too?
As the former Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Republican Jim Inhofe was a coruscating critic of climate change alarmism. Now in the minority, he plans to make sure his voice is heard over the din of the media-savvy environmental groups through a new blog. His team even intends to make a bit of Congressional history by conducting the first-ever live Senate blog during the president's State of the Union Address tonight. Watch out, National Review Online.
This is the latest in Senator Inhofe's strategy of trying to shout louder than his many opponents in the environmental community. His media team is somewhat notorious in Washington for their "facts of the day" and "weekly closer" emails that attempt to get out another side of the story. And their new blog is already making waves, not to mention causing some congressional tech malfunctioning.
Last week the minority blog issued a scathing indictment of Heidi Cullen, host of the Weather Channel's weekly global warming program "The Climate Code." Ms. Cullen had called for the American Meteorological Society to decertify any TV weatherperson who exhibits undue skepticism about climate warming. The widely-read Drudge Report linked to the Inhofe site's critique of Ms. Cullen, generating so much traffic that the Senate's web servers shut down. A subsequent email update from the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms said the link had been bringing "30-50,000 queries per hour to senate.gov."
No word yet as to when Senator Inhofe himself might roll up his sleeves and post a few items. Let's hope the Senate can get its still-sluggish servers up to speed by then. The blog can be found at http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?

I Guess She Just Lost Our Vote

Hillary Clinton today chose to be the first to announce her candidacy for President on the internet. (Here)

This automatically stakes out her position against "Shabbos, Kashrus and Taharas HaMishpocha" (see here).

She is also going to initiate an on-line 'conversation' with the American people this week, from which we chareidim should be ineluctably excluded.

Therefore, all chareidim will vote Republican if she is nominated. (Right, mosdos?)

Not a bad strategy, Karl!

Page Views On A Small Blog

I am sometimes asked who reads 'small' blogs.

Well, this is one.

30,300 page views to date, averaging 112 per day.

Ban Alert

Jewish Press:

The Internet And The Observant Community

More than 120 rabbis, dayanim, heads of yeshivos and principals of girls schools in Boro Park and Flatbush, met on Sunday, Asarah B’Teves, December 31, to implement a takanah to counteract the sakanah (danger) of the Internet. The meeting was called for by Rabbi Yosef Rosenbloom, Rosh Yeshiva, Shaarei Yosher; Rabbi Yechezkel Roth, Karlsburger Rav; Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, Novominsker Rebbe; and Rabbi Moshe Wolfson, Mashgiach, Yeshiva Torah Vodaath.

The attendees were advised of the steps the observant communities of Lakewood, Monsey, and Skver (Spring Valley) have successfully taken to stem the influence of the Internet. Rabbi Moshe Greenfeld, chairman of the Monsey effort, described the unity of Monsey’s Torah institutions in their campaign.

Rabbi Yitzchok Mermelstein, menahel of Yeshiva Imrei Chaim Vishnitz, shared that the parents of the more than 2,000 pupils in the yeshiva have committed themselves to be part of the shield of protection guarding the community against the Internet.

The Karlsburger Rav reviewed the 60-page directives that were distributed to the meeting’s participants. The Rav elaborated on several of the key steps that are being taken and must be strengthened.

The Novominsker Rebbe recalled that American Jewish history was replete with battles to protect Shabbos, kashrus, Taharas HaMishpachah, all of which are proudly adhered to in observant Jewish America today. However, the Rebbe stressed, the threat of the Internet is greater than all the previous perils combined.

Rabbi Moshe Green, Rosh Yeshiva in Monsey, described the Internet as destroying the religious character of those who trespass there. Rabbi Nochum Gotlieb, menahel, Yeshiva Bais HaTorah in Lakewood, described the necessity of always being on guard. Any child, he reported, can purchase an Internet access device for a mere few dollars and connect any computer to the Internet within seconds. Lakewood, as a yeshivish community, has achieved the greatest success to date, in the battle against the Internet.

Internet Usage Within The Community

Several meetings of rabbis have been called throughout the years to review the threat of the Internet and its inroads into the observant community. At an Agudah meeting of rabbis in September 2003, a report of Internet usage within observant communities was given. Surprisingly, in Boro Park, Flatbush, and Williamsburg, more than 90 percent of the homes in each community had Internet access.

Rabbi Yoel Steinberg of Boro Park notes that usage trends can be tracked. For instance, Google automatically compiles request usages and their origins. For example, should one wish to see how many people are searching for information regarding Satmar, a popular chassidic topic, Google will have that information instantly available at http://www.google.com/trends?q=satmar.

Presumably in response to general news coverage, spikes of interest regarding Satmar are found in 2005 and 2006. Not surprisingly, a large number of those inquiries were registered in New York City. However, most startlingly, the greatest spike was found to have come from Monroe, home of Kiryas Yoel.

The third largest spike came from the Petach Tikva area in Israel, where Bnei Brak is located. These are just small indicators of the widespread use (but not necessarily abuse) of the Internet within observant communities worldwide.

Hat Tip: Hirhurim

Two notes:

1. "Lakewood, as a yeshivish community, has achieved the greatest success to date, in the battle against the Internet". I submit success should be measured by Noshrim (at risk) statistics. Lakewood has the worst.

2. Hyperbole Alert?

• 60 pages
• "the threat of the Internet is greater than all the previous perils (Shabbos, kashrus, Taharas HaMishpachah) combined"

Let's Fight Fire With Fire

Note to Hamodia, Yated, Mishpacha, Agudath Israel et al:

(Dow Jones News Service)

The number of visitors to the blog pages of the top 10 online newspapers grew 210% in the past year, far outpacing growth to the parent sites. Nielsen/NetRatings (NTRT) found that while the unique audience to online newspapers grew 9% from December 2005 to December 2006, the number of visitors to blog pages at the top newspapers skyrocketed and accounted for 13% of the parent sites' total traffic.
Here are the most popular online newspaper blogs and their estimated December audiences:
USATODAY.com blogs, 1.239 million
The New York Times' blogs, 1.173 million
SFGate blogs, 515,000
Washingtonpost.com blogs, 433,000
Boston.com blogs, 388,000

Yes, there is much garbage on blogs. What is our answer?

Double Standard

Gedalia Litke, esq., notes the difference in treatment in our own circles of Moshe Finkel and Yisroel Dovid Weiss here.

Ouch.

Speaking of Secular Education . . . Gilui Daas

When you're worried about the World to Come, I guess you don't have to worry about tomorrow!

Folks - let's go with the flow!

Who Ate Our Lunch?

I was speaking with a friend recently, an erstwhile successful diamond dealer/broker, and he told me that his declining family business will probably suffice to marry off his children, but unfortunately it will no longer be a business his kids can actually go into. He said one thing he hopes his kids come to realize is that in business you have to be alert and change with the times.

Another friend from the same industry, also quite successful in diamonds in the past, is already 'out' of 47th Street, but he's not yet 'in' to another business.
He whiles away the time getting on his wife's nerves at home.

I met yet a third friend, from the jewelry business, in kosher gym in the middle of a business day. He was recently laid off, and cannot find anything else after spending his entire career in jewelry.

For generations, jewelry and precious stones have been uniquely Jewish businesses. Historians speculate that Jews always needed to be able to leave their venue fast, and take their fortune with them. Moreover, in medieval times, Jew were prohibited from crafts and landowning.

Twenty five years ago the predecessor to a B & H job was "schleifing", and the first thing a typical kolel alumnus learned was diamond cutting. It was a good career, and also a good preparation for related businesses.

So why is a Stanford MBA with no diamond or jewelry background running a company (Blue Nile - see NYT article here or here) that ranks only behind Tiffany and Company in diamond sales . . . a company that has largely bypassed 47th Street and is based in Seattle . . . a company that sold a dozen $50,000 diamond pieces and thousands of smaller ones last month alone . . . a company that has all but bankrupted the 'Main Street jewelers' who were the mainstay of 47th Street and its former army of traveling dealers, brokers, and salesman?

Mark Vadon, chairman of Blue Nile, did something that many on 47th Street could have done, as Martin Rappaport ( a shomer shabbos) did three decades back when he rationalized the diamond trade and market prices in the 1970's.

So why did Mark Vadon, MBA bring diamonds into the 21st century rather than Itche Sender Hasenczenik?

Simple.

The internet is osur.

(And parenthetically, why don't Hamodia and their ilk cover important and useful business news for our community such as this and leave it to the NYT?

Covering the internet is osur.)

Leapa Gets Into the Old Media!

Well, orthomom gets all the credit, but the "Why I Am Anonymous" post has made into a front page article in the Five Towns Jewish Times, a real live print newspaper, here.

Quote of the Day

Over 20 years ago, during the politics of then, Rav Pam spoke out about the issues. At the time, shots across the bow of what was and what was not Daas Torah were being freely exchanged between various groups.
In addition, there was hot debate on who was, and who was not, Daas Torah.

Rav Pam prefaced his statements with (paraphrased):

"These are the opinions of Avrohom Pam. Who among us is big enough to speak for the Torah?"

Contrast

An article covering Lubavitch and Satmar on the internet here.

Gedolim and Experience

Anyone writing a blog like this struggles with the problem of supposed pronouncements of Gedolim versus our own experience and the vision before our eyes.

Now, we don't disrespect gedolim around here. I respect and I long to respect gedolim.

But for some reason, some aren't seeing what I'm seeing.

There are some chareidi Jews whose philosophy of life vis-a-vis is the Groucho Marx approach of "who are you going to believe - me or your lying eyes?" .

That approach is not really tailored for all yiden and for all times (krias yam suf excepted). And it is problematic to suppose that ignoring reality is what the Torah demands. (Yes, I know about Nachshon and the various chazals which can be interpreted to take the 'Groucho approach'. But all of us adults know that most of the time, emuna is to be combined with sechel. If not, spending time and effort for Hatzolos nefoshos or attempting to safeguard toddlers would be oxymoronic.)

Now, Rabbi Without A Cause struggles with the same problem and says of this of his dissonance between what we see and what we get vis-a-vis claimed public pronouncements of Daas Torah, at least regarding the internet:

"Black and White don’t necessarily make Gray".

Our interpretation: One must strive to respect gedolim, their self sacrifice, lifestyle and accomplishments and yet at the same time not be Groucho Marx. Otherwise one's avoda and Torah run the risk of dilution.

And yes, it may be a challenge.

Black and white don't necessarily make gray.

Perhaps not a permanent solution, but an interim attitude.

Our dissonant sentiments, exactly.

Progress

Two Quotes (2 Days) for Thought

The subway hero Wesley Autry, who rescued a total stranger who fell onto the track with a siezure by pushing him into the trough under the tracks and laying on top of him as the train bore down:
“I don’t feel like I did something spectacular; I just saw someone who needed help,” Mr. Autrey said. “I did what I felt was right.”
Hmmm. Hashkafically interesting.


NYT Columnist Thomas Friedman, on the uncivilized tenor of the Saddam execution:
"As Saddam’s hanging underscored, Iraqis are doing things their way. So maybe it’s time to get out of their way."

Why I Am Anonymous

In the various speeches at the blogosium, as well as comments here and elsewhere, the subject of blogger anonymity was attacked, essentially condemning a 'lack of courage' on the part of the anonymous by those who draw a paycheck, and kudos, for being onymous.

OK.

I'm a chicken.

Now that we've cleared that up, here's why:

1. In a society which all too clearly punishes children for the sins of fathers, I want my children to have the best chance I can give them. I certainly don't want them to zip through that all-to-small window of time without doing a shidduch because thir father is so imprudent as to have a respectful, though differing, opinion.
2. In a society where conformity is so prized that we entirely forget that the father of our religion and of us all earned his stripes alone, and by being different, I refuse to subject my wife to social ostracism and/or pity by conformists by me being publicly more different than I already am.
3. In a society where we are expected to jettison chazal and even Torah Shebeksav in favor of following the pronouncement du jour from the dais du jour I refuse to abandon my minyon, my chevrusas, and my chevra by publicizing nonconformist views. Indeed, these are the only means to exposing the error of my ways if indeed my ways are in error.
4. I can take the heat if necessary, and perhaps do so (even now) more than necessary. But I always try to reckon the collateral damage before speaking out what I view as the truth in person. If any of the 'courageous and conforming' will take the responsibility for preventing damage to my significant others, I'll come out.
5. There are those who know who I am, including at least one 'dais sitter'. If they advise me to come out, I'll take it under serious consideration.

Now - if any readers think I'm wrong to be anonymous and say what I think, rather than being onymous and considered part of a silent majority, let's hear exactly what my contribution would be in the latter circumstance.

Soldier

I know, I've been AWOL for a while.

More work may make a more responsible father, but a worse blogger.
I have some posts in draft that I just can't seem to crank out.
(I also need a stair machine I can post from!)

Meantime, for all of us who consider ourselves intellectually or morally superior to those in uniform, I commend the following article from the NY Times.