Best of the Month

yated:
In the following pages, we will quote from the words of YCT’s faculty members and we will determine whether these words represent Orthodoxy; whether these ideas are in consonance with halachic Judaism as dictated by the Shulchan Aruch and the great poskim throughout the generations; including those that follow the halachic and hashkafic opinion of the preeminent Modern Orthodox Torah authority, Rav Yosef Dov (Joseph B.) Soloveitchik, Rosh Yeshiva of RIETS. Is this Orthodoxy or a pseudo-Conservative approach? Do YCT’s claims of fidelity to halacha have any truth? How does YCT define the term halacha?

yated: "Another of Rabbi Linzer’s written statements warrant mention here. In the Jerusalem Report Magazine November 2004 edition, Rabbi Linzer in a signed article wrote, “As an Orthodox Jew, I have to struggle not just with G-d ’s presence in the world, but with His commandments as well. Some of these do not seem to square with a good, just G-d. The command to destroy Amalek and the Canaanite nations, the death penalty for one who… [engages in toeiva]"
eliyahu:brackets in original !

yated: "This writer is completely heartbroken that he is forced to cite these horrible quotes, quotes that should fill any Jew–who even remotely cares about kvod shomayim and chillul Hashem, and most of all who is outraged at the blatant Ziuf Hatorah–with horror and a deep sense of sadness."

eliyahu: ditto, ditto.

yated: "Yes, you have seen right. YCT’s teacher of the History of Halacha is a professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary, the flagship school of the Conservative movement. His specialty is “lower and higher criticism” of the Babylonian Talmud. We will not venture what “criticism” of the Babylonian Talmud means for fear that finding out might require rending our garments."

eliyahu: I think by now it is clear that the yated has been infiltrated by an open orthodox saboteur who has cleverly written this article as an attempt to gain sympathy for the open orthodox cause.

Bottom News Day 2007

Today's Top Stories seem to be a classic Bottom Stories of the Day entry:

Price: Dear diary - A day I'd like to forget The Australian - all 1814 related »
Italy's Prodi to Resign, Minister Says FOX News - all 103 related »
Iran vows not to 'retreat one iota' in nuclear pursuit CNN International - all 1146 related »
Clinton, Obama Trade Barbs Over Donor Washington Post - all 76 related »
Jury deliberations begin in CIA leak trial Boston Herald - all 844 related »
Pak Minister praises Safdarjung Hospital

To adapt an adage of the antiwar movement, it is time for the administration to recognize that there can be no freedom if you are freezing. For too long, the government has done nothing to address the conditions which lead to freezing cold. While we respect
the American Spectator's support for a carbon emissions surge, we feel that it is too little and too late. And although many have written about the harm of global warming alarmism (Thomas Sowell is particularly wise) few have come out in support of the phenomenon.
Now, to adapt an adage of an antiwar movement enemy:
Faster, please.

Glories of Global Warming II

"N.Y. village may set all-time state snowfall record
Redfield in upstate New York is used to snow, but last week's total - more than 11 feet, unofficially - might be an all-time record. Before it began to wind down Sunday, persistent squalls dumped lake-effect snow in this western New York region.
By William Kates, Associated Press
REDFIELD, N.Y. -- This village in upstate New York's snowbelt gets a lot of snowfall during the winter, but last week's total - more than 11 feet, unofficially - might be an all-time record. "

Now, can you just imagine global cooling?

You Heard it Here First

In a Washington Times piece, American Spectator Editor R. Emmet Tyrell Jr. predicts that Giuliani as a candidate will prevail over the various factions of the conservative movement:

"Rudy Giuliani's announcement he will seek the Republican presidential nomination brings to my mind a book I wrote in the early 1990s, "The Conservative Crack-Up." When I wrote the book, Ronald Reagan's successor, President George H. W. Bush, was ignoring many of the constituent ingredients of the Reagan Revolution, for instance, tax cuts. The various factions of the conservative coalition were disgruntled and threatening to take a walk. Once again liberal pundits were diagnosing the conservative movement as moribund. Ever since the conservative movement's ascendancy within the Republican Party in 1964, these grim diagnoses have been handed down episodically. Every time there is dissatisfaction among conservatives or they suffer some electoral setback, the liberal pundits step forward and pronounce the modern conservative movement at death's door. In my book, I ventured the witticism that "conservatism is America's longest dying political movement."

immanent eschaton's scrupulously non-partisan position notwithstanding, we nonetheless prognosticate that a Giuliani candidacy will probably prompt a third party run by a candidate of the "religious right".

NEWS FLASH

there has been a new posting at nebach.blogspot.com

immanent celebs

Larry King: “O.K. I get it Britney, you’re not interested. So welcome to Larry King Live. I hear you have a nice Jewish boy in your life now.”
Britney Spears: “Yes Larry he’s a Jewish model named Isaac Cohen. Madonna turned me on to the Kabbalah two years ago and now Isaac Cohen and I are going for Torah lessons with Rabbi Fishbloom at the Temple Moshe Synagogue in Las Vegas when I’m not working on my new album. Did you know that I’ve sold 69 million albums so far? Unfortunately my ex Kevin is taking me to the cleaners and now I have to work for a living to support my two two sons. But you know Larry fame and fortune aren’t all they’re cracked up to be as I’m sure you know you Satanic mishegenah. I now find true fulfillment in the Lord God. Judaism is my insurance policy. Jesus was a Jewish Rabbi and he’s coming back soon and I figure what if he’s Jewish again this time I’m covered. The Prophet Isaiah did say that the name of the Messiah would be Emanuel so I’m hedging my bets.”
Larry King: “I was born Jewish Britney but in 1997 I married Shawn in a Jewish Mormon ceremony. Johnny Miller and Corey Pavin officiated. So tell me about your Torah studies Britney.”
Britney Spears: “Well Rabbi Fishbloom was born Ultra Orthodox in Bnai Brack Israel. His father made a fortune in the Kosher Tefillin business. He made them for $10 then prayed over them for 5 minutes then exported them to New York where they sold for $800. It’s kind of like crystals. Then Rabbi Fishbloom switched to Conservative Judaism and his family disowned him. Now he has a Job complex. He says that God is testing him.”

I can't put my finger on it but there's definitely something wrong here.

Romney Watch

Rich Lowry at The Corner on the Romney Speech to the National Review Conservative Summit:

"Here’s my take: Put aside how rambling and unfocused it was. Maybe that can be chalked up to a bad night or fatigue. But to speak for 50 minutes or so and not to talk about the Iraq war before a conservative audience at a crucial moment in that war is bizarre and just wrong and almost offensive in my view. This doesn't seem like an oversight. He went out of his way to check off every conservative box—except the one that is politically risky at the moment. The rest of his foreign policy stuff—when he talked about Iran and the broader war—felt very shaky and about an inch deep. His account of how he came to change his view on abortion—through the issue of stem-cell research—isn't very compelling and he would probably be better off not talking about it at all. Fairly or not, people aren't going to believe it. It was his misfortune to boast about signing Grover Norquist's no-tax pledge, after Jeb Bush gave a very mature and persuasive explanation earlier in the day for why he hadn't ever signed the pledge, but still cut taxes each year he was in office. I'm a fan of the pledge myself and I'm glad Romney signed it, but his boast on this night after following Jeb played into what will be the chief vulnerability to his candidacy—the sense that he is simply pandering to the right. Believe me, I prefer politicians pandering to the right than to something or someone else. But it won't be enough to sustain a serious presidential campaign, which has to have a deeper rationale than occupying a niche in the marketplace. It was just one night, and Romney is impressive in many ways, but Saturday night was a missed opportunity."

Giuliani has just started sounding better

Fighting with our Hands Tied

Syria Admits: At War with U.S.
Does it really help us win this war pretending it isn't also against Syria and Iran; pretending they are not actively attacking/aiding attacks against American troups?

(next topic: metzitza bepeh!)

For those nostalgic for "the Media and Politics angle":

"Does President Bush have it in for the press corps? Touring a Caterpillar factory in Peoria, Ill., the Commander in Chief got behind the wheel of a giant tractor and played chicken with a few wayward reporters. . . .
"I would suggest moving back," Bush said as he climbed into the cab of a massive D-10 tractor. "I'm about to crank this sucker up." As the engine roared to life, White House staffers tried to steer the press corps to safety, but when the tractor lurched forward, they too were forced to scramble for safety.
"Get out of the way!" a news photographer yelled. "I think he might run us over!" said another. White House aides tried to herd the reporters the right way without getting run over themselves. Even the Secret Service got involved, as one agent began yelling at reporters to get clear of the tractor. Watching the chaos below, Bush looked out the tractor's window and laughed, steering the massive machine into the spot where most of the press corps had been positioned.
The episode lasted about a minute, and Bush was still laughing when he pulled to a stop. He gave reporters a thumbs-up. "If you've never driven a D-10, it's the coolest experience," Bush said afterward. Yeah, almost as much fun as seeing your life flash before your eyes."

(Since we occasionally have had readers who have had difficulty discerning the "media and politics" angle even in the most obvious instances, we will explain: this is an article from a mainstream media organization (the comments in the original post are also illuminating) about a political figure trying to kill many members of the mainstream media.)
This may be the most direct assault by this administration on media freedom since the time Bush tried to appoint a Republican to the Public Broadcasting Board!

Immanent eschaton has been unable to post much of late as a result of our involvement in an unnamed pursuit which hopefully will result in the creation of capital for our understocked coffers. We appreciate our readers' kind words of encouragement, and we ask that as a precautionary measure they do continue clicking.
Meanwhile, an interesting point from the Weekly Standard:

THE SCRAPBOOK couldn't help but notice that, in the course of his State of the Union address last week, President Bush congratulated the new "Democrat majority" in Congress, which sat politely if not clamorously in front of him. THE SCRAPBOOK wasn't seated in the great chamber of the House of Representatives, to be sure; but when we heard that phrase, we wondered if a ripple of discontent could be felt on the, um, Democratic side.For this particular mode of description--"Democrat" for "Democratic" party--has the effect of sending certain Democrats into a frenzy. Which, of course, is precisely the point: When Barry Goldwater chose Rep. William E. Miller of New York as his vice-presidential running mate in 1964, he explained his decision to reporters by saying that Miller "drives Lyndon Johnson nuts." Sending Democrats into orbit is an old and honored tradition in Republican politics. Frankly, THE SCRAPBOOK doubts that President Bush meant to do that; but whatever his intention, that is what he succeeded in doing. The next morning, on NPR's "Diane Rehm Show," both the venerable hostess and her two guests--onetime Clinton White House chief of staff John Podesta and former Republican congressman Vin Weber--struggled to explain both the meaning and origin of the rhetorical practice of referring to the Democratic party as the "Democrat" party."It's like fingernails on a chalkboard," complained Podesta. Neither he nor Weber nor Diane Rehm herself knew how it started. The Washington Post devoted a whole story to the subject--albeit in the Style section--which shed no light on the question. And on CNN, Democratic vulgarian Paul Begala was close to tears of frustration: "It tells you what's in [Bush's] heart," he exclaimed. "It tells you that he has no damn desire to compromise."