Shabbat (J)Blog Roundup - 2006-09-16
* Let's play a game of why are we skeptical:
The Big Jewish Quiz Thing
Wednesday, September 13 at 8PM
The Big Quiz Thing, NYC's live-trivia spectacular, presents a special-edition game-show smackdown, pitting New York’s savviest Jewish bigwigs against each other in a trivia contest of all things Hebraic. Joanna Angel (Burningangel.com), Adam Feldman (Time Out New York, New York Drama Critics’ Circle), Jesse Oxfeld (New York Magazine), Bex Schwartz (VH1), Michael Showalter (Stella, Comedy Central) and Tammy Faye Starlight (Evangelical Country Singer) test their Talmudic talent for a chance to win prizes and glory. Hosted by Ashkenazic quizmaster Noah Tarnow, Sephardic sidekick EDP, and gentile DJ GB.
"The best lox in New York can be bought on..."
"The best bagels in New York can be bought on..."
"The Temple in New York that is hardest to get into on the High Holidays is..."
"The most popular Chinese food store on Yom Kippur is..."
Now there's an excellent chance that we're being totally unfair, that these people can explain to us that thing about walled cities and Purim, and that Jesse Oxfeld can basically kick our ass (at least one of those is definitely true). And we always have to do the hypocrisy backstop here: we're not saying that we can explain that thing about walled cities and Purim (although through the wonder of Google we can, but work with the metaphor) - but we don't identify with Judaism by doing things that aren't really Jewish and calling them Jewish (for instance - posting on Shabbat - not a mitzva - we get it).
On the other hand, a bunch of Jews getting together to one-up each other with trivia actually does sound about as close to a Jewish experience as many New York Jews have outside of Jews for Jesus who stop them on the street to read some of the prophesies in Pslams to them. And lox, which obviously also count.
* No seriously, there's going to be no snark - historically justified or otherwise about Muslims complaining that a 14th century Pope thought they were violent because they had tried to invade Europe or sack Rome many, many times during the Church's at that time 1,000-ish year reign.
* Sol points out something about today's release of thousands of AQ men by Pakistan - Daniel Pearl's murderers were part of the release.
* A luxury apartment complex in Jerusalem needed a recognizable image to promote their new apartments. They choose NY Mayor Bloomberg. They neglected to tell NY Mayor Bloomberg that, but he doesn't seem to mind:
While on a trip to Israel for a wedding earlier this year, Mr. Loeser spotted the article on a cabdriver's dashboard. He said he hailed the cab and paid the driver a "couple of shekels" for the paper. When asked how he felt about the Jerusalem of Gold Web site linking to the article, Mr. Loeser joked that Mr. Bloomberg, a billionaire, was thinking about calling the developers and "asking for a cut of the profits... New York is associated with low crime, security, high quality of life, and excellent municipal services. So if you're trying to sell a product along those lines, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that somebody is appropriating the mayor's name and image," Mr. Loeser joked.
Obviously, this had nothing to do with getting Israelis to associate the apartment complex with "security" and everything to do with getting Israelis to associate the apartment complex with "America". If they were selling "security", they'd change the logo to something like "live in Jerusalem, the Israeli city least likely to get nuked by Iran - we think" (and don't you dare get offended at that joke - last time we were in Haifa there was a commercial on the radio for a grocery store that included the argument that since you can't do anything about the Iranian missile threat you should at least get fresh produce - plus, the offensive thing is that it's true and that the UN and EU don't seem to care). Or, alternatively, "buy property in Jerusalem - the future capital of the Islamic caliphate.
* We post a fisking of the New York Times Benedict article, Clarice Feldman posts a fisking of the New York Times Benedict article. Which proves that she's obsessively following our every move. Obviously.
* How trite is this: Palestinians are protesting the Pope's characterization of them as violent by burning Churches.
* By all means, mock for embracing genius when we see it:
For the desperate nerds who begged for it, Peter Jackson looks ready to deliver to you another fantasy epic, likely in several editions of varying lengths, some with collectable bookends. The director has optioned Naomi Novik's novel, Temeraire, a reimagining of the Napoleonic Wars that adds the one element I think we all realized they were missing: a dragon airforce.
Peter Jackson has no problem with you coming into his office to laugh at him for being a nerd, but he'd appreciate it if you'd speak up a little. It's tough for him to hear or see you from behind all those Oscars on his desk.
The Big Jewish Quiz Thing
Wednesday, September 13 at 8PM
The Big Quiz Thing, NYC's live-trivia spectacular, presents a special-edition game-show smackdown, pitting New York’s savviest Jewish bigwigs against each other in a trivia contest of all things Hebraic. Joanna Angel (Burningangel.com), Adam Feldman (Time Out New York, New York Drama Critics’ Circle), Jesse Oxfeld (New York Magazine), Bex Schwartz (VH1), Michael Showalter (Stella, Comedy Central) and Tammy Faye Starlight (Evangelical Country Singer) test their Talmudic talent for a chance to win prizes and glory. Hosted by Ashkenazic quizmaster Noah Tarnow, Sephardic sidekick EDP, and gentile DJ GB.
"The best lox in New York can be bought on..."
"The best bagels in New York can be bought on..."
"The Temple in New York that is hardest to get into on the High Holidays is..."
"The most popular Chinese food store on Yom Kippur is..."
Now there's an excellent chance that we're being totally unfair, that these people can explain to us that thing about walled cities and Purim, and that Jesse Oxfeld can basically kick our ass (at least one of those is definitely true). And we always have to do the hypocrisy backstop here: we're not saying that we can explain that thing about walled cities and Purim (although through the wonder of Google we can, but work with the metaphor) - but we don't identify with Judaism by doing things that aren't really Jewish and calling them Jewish (for instance - posting on Shabbat - not a mitzva - we get it).
On the other hand, a bunch of Jews getting together to one-up each other with trivia actually does sound about as close to a Jewish experience as many New York Jews have outside of Jews for Jesus who stop them on the street to read some of the prophesies in Pslams to them. And lox, which obviously also count.
* No seriously, there's going to be no snark - historically justified or otherwise about Muslims complaining that a 14th century Pope thought they were violent because they had tried to invade Europe or sack Rome many, many times during the Church's at that time 1,000-ish year reign.
* Sol points out something about today's release of thousands of AQ men by Pakistan - Daniel Pearl's murderers were part of the release.
* A luxury apartment complex in Jerusalem needed a recognizable image to promote their new apartments. They choose NY Mayor Bloomberg. They neglected to tell NY Mayor Bloomberg that, but he doesn't seem to mind:
While on a trip to Israel for a wedding earlier this year, Mr. Loeser spotted the article on a cabdriver's dashboard. He said he hailed the cab and paid the driver a "couple of shekels" for the paper. When asked how he felt about the Jerusalem of Gold Web site linking to the article, Mr. Loeser joked that Mr. Bloomberg, a billionaire, was thinking about calling the developers and "asking for a cut of the profits... New York is associated with low crime, security, high quality of life, and excellent municipal services. So if you're trying to sell a product along those lines, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that somebody is appropriating the mayor's name and image," Mr. Loeser joked.
Obviously, this had nothing to do with getting Israelis to associate the apartment complex with "security" and everything to do with getting Israelis to associate the apartment complex with "America". If they were selling "security", they'd change the logo to something like "live in Jerusalem, the Israeli city least likely to get nuked by Iran - we think" (and don't you dare get offended at that joke - last time we were in Haifa there was a commercial on the radio for a grocery store that included the argument that since you can't do anything about the Iranian missile threat you should at least get fresh produce - plus, the offensive thing is that it's true and that the UN and EU don't seem to care). Or, alternatively, "buy property in Jerusalem - the future capital of the Islamic caliphate.
* We post a fisking of the New York Times Benedict article, Clarice Feldman posts a fisking of the New York Times Benedict article. Which proves that she's obsessively following our every move. Obviously.
* How trite is this: Palestinians are protesting the Pope's characterization of them as violent by burning Churches.
* By all means, mock for embracing genius when we see it:
For the desperate nerds who begged for it, Peter Jackson looks ready to deliver to you another fantasy epic, likely in several editions of varying lengths, some with collectable bookends. The director has optioned Naomi Novik's novel, Temeraire, a reimagining of the Napoleonic Wars that adds the one element I think we all realized they were missing: a dragon airforce.
Peter Jackson has no problem with you coming into his office to laugh at him for being a nerd, but he'd appreciate it if you'd speak up a little. It's tough for him to hear or see you from behind all those Oscars on his desk.
