Monday, October 29, 2012
Gasoline Prices
It just doesn't seem we give much credit to these things.
What I mean is – I see the difficulties I face each day, but I may not notice with clarity what difficulties other people are facing.
Its a common enough problem. It's almost a form of myopia. I can only clearly see what is right in front of me. I can only truly focus on the events of my life.
Gasoline Prices
$7.55 per gallon in Israel – we pay 7.75 Shekel for a Liter of 95 octane gas. Since the exchange rate now has the Shekel worth a little more than a Quarter ($0.257307), that means the Liter of gas costs $1.99 (+ another half penny in decimals). Since a Liter is a little bigger than a Quart (exactly 0.26417205236 Gallon), the US equivalent of what we pay for gasoline is $7.55 per gallon. We have been paying nearly $8 a gallon since we came here 4.5 years ago. We're pretty jealous of the price you pay.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Israel's Peculiar Position by Eric Hoffer
NOT Republican or Democrat
Astonishing!
THIS WAS WRITTEN IN 1968 - 42 years ago
You probably don't remember the name Eric Hoffer.
He was a longshoreman who became a philosopher, wrote columns for newspapers, and authored several books. He was a non-Jewish American social philosopher. He was born in 1902 and died in 1983, after writing nine books and winning the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
His first book, The True Believer, published in 1951, was widely recognized as a classic.
Here is one of his columns from 1968 — 42 years ago! Some things never change!
Please forgive me if you have seen this article before. I received it by email, and found its formatting dismal. I have chosen to make the paragraphs according to my preferences. The article otherwise is exactly as it came to me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
ISRAEL'S PECULIAR POSITION
by Eric Hoffer
Los Angeles Times
May 26, 1968
The Jews are a peculiar people: things permitted to other nations are forbidden to the Jews.
Other nations drive out thousands, even millions of people and there is no refugee problem. Russia did it, Poland and Czechoslovakia did it.
Turkey threw out a million Greeks and Algeria a million Frenchman. Indonesia threw out heaven knows how many Chinese and no one says a word about refugees. But in the case of Israel, the displaced Arabs have become eternal refugees.
Everyone insists that Israel must take back every single one. Arnold Toynbee calls the displacement of the Arabs an atrocity greater than any committed by the Nazis.
Other nations when victorious on the battlefield dictate peace terms. But when Israel is victorious, it must sue for peace. Everyone expects the Jews to be the only real Christians in this world.
Other nations, when they are defeated, survive and recover but should Israel be defeated it would be destroyed. Had Nasser triumphed last June [1967], he would have wiped Israel off the map, and no one would have lifted a finger to save the Jews. No commitment to the Jews by any government, including our own, is worth the paper it is written on.
There is a cry of outrage all over the world when people die in Vietnam or when two Blacks are executed in Rhodesia. But, when Hitler slaughtered Jews no one demonstrated against him. The Swedes, who were ready to break off diplomatic relations with America because of what we did in Vietnam , did not let out a peep when Hitler was slaughtering Jews. They sent Hitler choice iron ore, and ball bearings, and serviced his troops in Norway.
The Jews are alone in the world.
If Israel survives, it will be solely because of Jewish efforts. And Jewish resources.
Yet at this moment, Israel is our only reliable and unconditional ally. We can rely more on Israel than Israel can rely on us. And one has only to imagine what would have happened last summer [1967] had the Arabs and their Russian backers won the war, to realize how vital the survival of Israel is to America and the West in general.
I have a premonition that will not leave me; as it goes with Israel so will it go with all of us.
Should Israel perish, the Holocaust will be upon us all.
Astonishing!
THIS WAS WRITTEN IN 1968 - 42 years ago
You probably don't remember the name Eric Hoffer.
He was a longshoreman who became a philosopher, wrote columns for newspapers, and authored several books. He was a non-Jewish American social philosopher. He was born in 1902 and died in 1983, after writing nine books and winning the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
His first book, The True Believer, published in 1951, was widely recognized as a classic.
| Eric Hoffer was one of the most influential American philosophers and free thinkers of the 20th Century. His books are still widely read and quoted today. Acclaimed for his thoughts on mass movements and fanaticism, Hoffer was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1983.
Hopewell Publications awards the best in independent publishing across a wide range of categories, singling out the most thought-provoking titles in books and short prose, on a yearly basis – in honor of Eric Hoffer. |
Here is one of his columns from 1968 — 42 years ago! Some things never change!
Please forgive me if you have seen this article before. I received it by email, and found its formatting dismal. I have chosen to make the paragraphs according to my preferences. The article otherwise is exactly as it came to me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
ISRAEL'S PECULIAR POSITION
by Eric Hoffer
Los Angeles Times
May 26, 1968
The Jews are a peculiar people: things permitted to other nations are forbidden to the Jews.
Other nations drive out thousands, even millions of people and there is no refugee problem. Russia did it, Poland and Czechoslovakia did it.
Turkey threw out a million Greeks and Algeria a million Frenchman. Indonesia threw out heaven knows how many Chinese and no one says a word about refugees. But in the case of Israel, the displaced Arabs have become eternal refugees.
Everyone insists that Israel must take back every single one. Arnold Toynbee calls the displacement of the Arabs an atrocity greater than any committed by the Nazis.
Other nations when victorious on the battlefield dictate peace terms. But when Israel is victorious, it must sue for peace. Everyone expects the Jews to be the only real Christians in this world.
Other nations, when they are defeated, survive and recover but should Israel be defeated it would be destroyed. Had Nasser triumphed last June [1967], he would have wiped Israel off the map, and no one would have lifted a finger to save the Jews. No commitment to the Jews by any government, including our own, is worth the paper it is written on.
There is a cry of outrage all over the world when people die in Vietnam or when two Blacks are executed in Rhodesia. But, when Hitler slaughtered Jews no one demonstrated against him. The Swedes, who were ready to break off diplomatic relations with America because of what we did in Vietnam , did not let out a peep when Hitler was slaughtering Jews. They sent Hitler choice iron ore, and ball bearings, and serviced his troops in Norway.
The Jews are alone in the world.
If Israel survives, it will be solely because of Jewish efforts. And Jewish resources.
Yet at this moment, Israel is our only reliable and unconditional ally. We can rely more on Israel than Israel can rely on us. And one has only to imagine what would have happened last summer [1967] had the Arabs and their Russian backers won the war, to realize how vital the survival of Israel is to America and the West in general.
I have a premonition that will not leave me; as it goes with Israel so will it go with all of us.
Should Israel perish, the Holocaust will be upon us all.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Isn't Something Missing Here?
A guy makes a movie, some people watch it, and get so mad that they kill people and wreck property.
Maybe this is an understatement. Maybe it is a clear representation of the circumstances we have witnessed September 11, 2012 and the days following. The events occurring at United States Embassies throughout the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Southern Asia raise questions about what is reasonable behavior.
The rhetoric is that these events are the result of a movie.
Sometimes some of the most stupid ideas are made into movies. Other times movies represent actual happenings. Still other times, writers mix fact with fancy. That doesn't mean we should kill each other because somebody made a movie. Does it?
It is understandable that one person can offend another. Yet, we have laws to govern how these situations are to be handled. If people are not willing to be curtailed by the laws of their communities, should they just be allowed to act "outside the box" or "off the grid"? Is anarchy the reasonable alternative to governance?
Who is being blamed for the movie that has offended to the point of creating killers? The United States? Why? What did the United States do to cause the movie to be written, directed, recorded, or shown to audiences? Who is the person or persons that should shoulder some responsibility for the creation of the movie itself? After a little bit of searching (it really didn't take any effort at all), these pieces of information seem to be the accepted current "facts".
Feds Question Nakoula Basseley Nakoula – AKA Sam Bacile
The article indicates that the person has used several aliases and has been a "white-collar" criminal.
The movie actors seem to have not known how the finished product would appear to audiences.
This Wikipedia site may not be neutral in its content, but it is informative.
ADL's Abraham Foxman said, "We are greatly concerned that this false notion that an Israeli Jew and 100 Jewish backers were behind the film now has legs and is gathering speed around the world. [...] In an age where conspiracy theories, especially ones of an anti-Semitic nature, explode on the Internet in a matter of minutes, it is crucial for those news organizations who initially reported on his identity to correct the record." Foxman specifically criticized "news organizations across the Arab world and anti-Semites and anti-Israel activists" for continuing to describe the filmmaker and backers as Jewish despite the fact that no Jews were involved in the making of the film.
Correction is Crucial. However, if they appear at all, they will probably be on page 12, at the bottom, between ads for groceries and used cars.
The man who made the movie is a self-proclaimed Coptic Christian. Coptic means Egyptian. That does not mean that every Coptic Christian is Egyptian, but indicates that the Church has existed since the first century in Alexandria, Egypt. it is older than the Roman Catholic Church.
This is a Coptic Network link.
Most Coptic Christians are probably scandalized by one of their own making such a movie. If they took it upon themselves to publicly censure this movie-maker, it might be understandable. However, the real damage has been done.
All that aside, here are a couple of the real problems.
This article is not meant to offend. These are just some Shavings of Sanity.
Maybe this is an understatement. Maybe it is a clear representation of the circumstances we have witnessed September 11, 2012 and the days following. The events occurring at United States Embassies throughout the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Southern Asia raise questions about what is reasonable behavior.
The rhetoric is that these events are the result of a movie.
Sometimes some of the most stupid ideas are made into movies. Other times movies represent actual happenings. Still other times, writers mix fact with fancy. That doesn't mean we should kill each other because somebody made a movie. Does it?
It is understandable that one person can offend another. Yet, we have laws to govern how these situations are to be handled. If people are not willing to be curtailed by the laws of their communities, should they just be allowed to act "outside the box" or "off the grid"? Is anarchy the reasonable alternative to governance?
Who is being blamed for the movie that has offended to the point of creating killers? The United States? Why? What did the United States do to cause the movie to be written, directed, recorded, or shown to audiences? Who is the person or persons that should shoulder some responsibility for the creation of the movie itself? After a little bit of searching (it really didn't take any effort at all), these pieces of information seem to be the accepted current "facts".
Feds Question Nakoula Basseley Nakoula – AKA Sam Bacile
The article indicates that the person has used several aliases and has been a "white-collar" criminal.
The movie actors seem to have not known how the finished product would appear to audiences.
This Wikipedia site may not be neutral in its content, but it is informative.
ADL's Abraham Foxman said, "We are greatly concerned that this false notion that an Israeli Jew and 100 Jewish backers were behind the film now has legs and is gathering speed around the world. [...] In an age where conspiracy theories, especially ones of an anti-Semitic nature, explode on the Internet in a matter of minutes, it is crucial for those news organizations who initially reported on his identity to correct the record." Foxman specifically criticized "news organizations across the Arab world and anti-Semites and anti-Israel activists" for continuing to describe the filmmaker and backers as Jewish despite the fact that no Jews were involved in the making of the film.
Correction is Crucial. However, if they appear at all, they will probably be on page 12, at the bottom, between ads for groceries and used cars.
The man who made the movie is a self-proclaimed Coptic Christian. Coptic means Egyptian. That does not mean that every Coptic Christian is Egyptian, but indicates that the Church has existed since the first century in Alexandria, Egypt. it is older than the Roman Catholic Church.
This is a Coptic Network link.
Most Coptic Christians are probably scandalized by one of their own making such a movie. If they took it upon themselves to publicly censure this movie-maker, it might be understandable. However, the real damage has been done.
All that aside, here are a couple of the real problems.
- People have died.
- Property has been destroyed.
- Israel has been demonized by use of a nom-de-plume
- United States has been victimized because the movie was recorded within its borders
- A lot of people seem to be apologizing to Islam for something they did not do
- Anarchists seem to be winning the Public Relations War
- Reasonable people appear powerless to effect the outcome of this situation
- We are all being held hostage
This article is not meant to offend. These are just some Shavings of Sanity.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Housing without paying a Builder
The really sad truth is that if you want a home, you generally need to pay an architect, general contractor, many sub-contractors, teams of people who accomplish foundation, framing, roofing, electric, water & plumbing, refrigeration, interior finishing & drywall (or plaster), finished carpenters for cabinetry, flooring, and maybe even interior design. This was just a short list, but every one of the categories of work have paychecks that increase the cost of your domicile.
Of course, this is usual. This is common. This is just the way it is. You can't do anything about these expenses. Everybody has to pay them. This is just the cost of building a home.
I suppose you can take some depreciation on these costs by purchasing a used home. I guess this is a second-hand house. Please don't read "second-hand" as a pejorative label. Used doesn't need to imply abused, although that can also be true. Most people, however, care for their homes because these homes are viewed as investments. We care for our investments. Therefore, a previously-owned home can be a good purchase if you buy at the right time.
The way real estate fluctuates, you may find yourself waiting for years for a down-turn that will allow you to buy your home at a price you can handle, and then you may wait more years for it to appreciate enough for you to realize and increase on your investment. Then, if you subtract the interest on your mortgage from the appreciated value of the property, you may find you still have your head under water.
"Nutz! What could I have done?" you may be asking yourself.
I just stumbled across pictures of shipping container homes. Shipping container homes? Yep - forty foot shipping containers modified into homes.
My first thought was that if I wanted to move to another country, I could pack up my home, and it will ship as a standard container (for all intents and purposes). Second thought, I could buy a freezer container and make a temporary freezer room for my bakery. Third, these containers can stack, so it is a simple process to have a two-story home on a limited land space.
Ok, it's not so simple. How many of us have a huge crane around to stack or even just install a shipping container on our property? There are some costs, but they may not add up to the costs of all the labor detailed in the first paragraph of this article. The cost encountered will, however, be significant. I haven't looked into those costs at this time.
I have considered the difference between the container home (or room) and a traditional prefab home. You will be limited by specific size of container. If security is an issue, there may be no prefab home that can offer the protection of a shipping container. As an American-Israeli living in Israel, I prefer the security of an entire home built to withstand the rigors of shipping. A steel house is like living in a house built like our security rooms. When my family is at stake, I say "Security first!" - especially if bombs are falling (like in Sderot or Ashkelon).
The concept of living in a metal box is a little intimidating, though, so I decided to look through the internet for some examples of people making houses of shipping containers. I include a few of those sites here.
This house is in Jerusalem, and it is covered with wood slat treatment.
Jerusalem Pine Trees House
This treatment of a container makes me think of living in the openness of a tent type environment.
Open Source Housing?
Shipping container homes may be the ultimate in recycling. Here are two links to recycling & reuse sites showing examples of the use of shipping containers.
10 completely different treatments of the shipping container as a structure
10 pretty visions for shipping containers from around the world
Some of the images above are stark, and some are soft, while still others are advanced architecturally. One of the homes pictured is the first in America to conform to all building codes.
Writing this article created several questions for me. How much does it cost to buy a container? How much does it cost to have one converted? How much does it cost to have it delivered & installed? How does it handle weather? How much does it cost to pack up & move. Can I have windows and close the box to be a secure environment at the same time? Can I have sliding security walls? Will the walls withstand a series of shots from a 50 caliber machine gun? Can it withstand an RPG? Will it withstand a SCUD missile?
Ok, maybe I am getting a little bit carried away. How about this for a fairly serious question that I didn't see treated on any site so far. Can I use a shipping container as a prefab basement providing a strong foundation for a house above? It seems to me that a steel box would not have "foundation shift" in a limited area, and therefore would create less cracks in a traditional house built above the shipping container basement.
There may be many uses for these containers that have yet to be explored. If you have some ideas, and want to do some research, here is a link to a company that both sells and modifies shipping containers for private and business applications.
many suppliers of shipping container homes & offices
Most of these suppliers are in China. Is it possible that this kind of modification can be done in other countries that have major ports and excessive numbers of containers, or containers that have exceeded their "life-span"? Maybe this is a new industry for our country or even our family. Israel is filled with building cranes, has major ports and thousands of shipping containers.
Of course, this is usual. This is common. This is just the way it is. You can't do anything about these expenses. Everybody has to pay them. This is just the cost of building a home.
I suppose you can take some depreciation on these costs by purchasing a used home. I guess this is a second-hand house. Please don't read "second-hand" as a pejorative label. Used doesn't need to imply abused, although that can also be true. Most people, however, care for their homes because these homes are viewed as investments. We care for our investments. Therefore, a previously-owned home can be a good purchase if you buy at the right time.
The way real estate fluctuates, you may find yourself waiting for years for a down-turn that will allow you to buy your home at a price you can handle, and then you may wait more years for it to appreciate enough for you to realize and increase on your investment. Then, if you subtract the interest on your mortgage from the appreciated value of the property, you may find you still have your head under water.
"Nutz! What could I have done?" you may be asking yourself.
I just stumbled across pictures of shipping container homes. Shipping container homes? Yep - forty foot shipping containers modified into homes.
My first thought was that if I wanted to move to another country, I could pack up my home, and it will ship as a standard container (for all intents and purposes). Second thought, I could buy a freezer container and make a temporary freezer room for my bakery. Third, these containers can stack, so it is a simple process to have a two-story home on a limited land space.
Ok, it's not so simple. How many of us have a huge crane around to stack or even just install a shipping container on our property? There are some costs, but they may not add up to the costs of all the labor detailed in the first paragraph of this article. The cost encountered will, however, be significant. I haven't looked into those costs at this time.
I have considered the difference between the container home (or room) and a traditional prefab home. You will be limited by specific size of container. If security is an issue, there may be no prefab home that can offer the protection of a shipping container. As an American-Israeli living in Israel, I prefer the security of an entire home built to withstand the rigors of shipping. A steel house is like living in a house built like our security rooms. When my family is at stake, I say "Security first!" - especially if bombs are falling (like in Sderot or Ashkelon).
The concept of living in a metal box is a little intimidating, though, so I decided to look through the internet for some examples of people making houses of shipping containers. I include a few of those sites here.
This house is in Jerusalem, and it is covered with wood slat treatment.
Jerusalem Pine Trees House
This treatment of a container makes me think of living in the openness of a tent type environment.
Open Source Housing?
Shipping container homes may be the ultimate in recycling. Here are two links to recycling & reuse sites showing examples of the use of shipping containers.
10 completely different treatments of the shipping container as a structure
10 pretty visions for shipping containers from around the world
Some of the images above are stark, and some are soft, while still others are advanced architecturally. One of the homes pictured is the first in America to conform to all building codes.
Writing this article created several questions for me. How much does it cost to buy a container? How much does it cost to have one converted? How much does it cost to have it delivered & installed? How does it handle weather? How much does it cost to pack up & move. Can I have windows and close the box to be a secure environment at the same time? Can I have sliding security walls? Will the walls withstand a series of shots from a 50 caliber machine gun? Can it withstand an RPG? Will it withstand a SCUD missile?
Ok, maybe I am getting a little bit carried away. How about this for a fairly serious question that I didn't see treated on any site so far. Can I use a shipping container as a prefab basement providing a strong foundation for a house above? It seems to me that a steel box would not have "foundation shift" in a limited area, and therefore would create less cracks in a traditional house built above the shipping container basement.
There may be many uses for these containers that have yet to be explored. If you have some ideas, and want to do some research, here is a link to a company that both sells and modifies shipping containers for private and business applications.
many suppliers of shipping container homes & offices
Most of these suppliers are in China. Is it possible that this kind of modification can be done in other countries that have major ports and excessive numbers of containers, or containers that have exceeded their "life-span"? Maybe this is a new industry for our country or even our family. Israel is filled with building cranes, has major ports and thousands of shipping containers.
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