Torrey View

Delayed on the Ice

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:46:00 +0000

While at the King David Lounge in JFK, we learned that the flight would be delayed about an hour. We were told that there was an ill passenger on the inbound flight and the delay was due to dealing with that. Not too bad, we thought, an extra hour in the lounge was no big deal. We were even assured that the jet, an El Al Boeing 747, would likely make up most of the time.

While most premium class lounges have alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, coffee, tea, and snacks, it takes El Al to serve classic parve kiddush food in the lounge. Tuna salad, hummus, salad, breads, spreads, and some soup were the highlights. Coffee came out of a fancy machine with lots of button choices for espresso, latte, cappuccino, etc. My biggest complaint was that all the good coffee choices were caffeinated. For decaf you got instant. I'm no fan of instant coffee, but if you are going to board a jet for an overnight flight I'm not going to start off caffeinated! Combining 2 packets of decaf coffee mixed into the premium hot chocolate from the machine was the best I could do. We avoided most of the snacks in the lounge thinking that a good premium class dinner was only a few hours away. That turned out to be a mistake.

We did board about an hour late. It was the usual zoo at the gate; El Al special security, no special business class boarding line, lots of babies and children, lots of strollers, "black hats" with big hat boxes, pushing, shoving, too much carry-on luggage, etc. I was comfortable and unsurprised, but there were a group of clearly mid-western Christian tourists who were more than a bit put off by the zealousness of the Jews hurrying to their seats to Israel. Religious fervor, no doubt :) .

There was a long delay in the Jetway for some reason or another but we had the good fortune of spending our time adjacent to a security officer with a sniffer dog. The dog was exceedingly well behaved and quite tolerant of the little kids who were captured by this. I don't know if the dog was looking for drugs, bombs, or treif, but it didn't do anything exciting during the 15 minutes we stood in its vicinity. Naturally, there was no explanation for the delay in the Jetway.

We took our seats in the lower level business class section a few rows behind the first class bulkhead. We had a good view of the kitchen on our right and two nice windows on our left. Clearly, this El Al 747 was in need of a face lift. It looked worn, there was duck tape on the legs of the seat in front of us, the surfaces were a bit grimy.

As we settled in, played with our seat buttons, and got generally comfortable we noted a large cardboard box being loaded into the belly of the plane. It was a coffin; another Jew was returning to the homeland, if only for burial. Presumably, the shomer and family was somewhere aboard as well, though there were plenty of regular passengers prepared to recite psalms throughout the flight.

The El Al flight attendants took good care of us. Plenty of water, offers of refills, and even some pleasant, chatty conversation. We were soon buckled in, buttoned up, gate retracted, and some bumpy maneuvering as the tractor began to push us back from the gate.

All this long while, at least since our landing in NY, it was snowing steadily and presumably, some of the snow was mixed with sleet. It was well below freezing outside and evidently, the tarmac was slipperier than it looked. We spent the next 90 minutes trying to be pushed back far enough to start the engines and proceed. It didn't work. A snowplow was called in, and finally another tractor. Evidently we were in a slight depression and we would be pushed for a few feet and the plane would slide back. We were assured this was not "dangerous" but the flight attendant how checked on us repeatedly owned up to the fact that he had never been on a plane with this particular situation and had never heard it being discussed. Eventually we were able to turn, start the engines, and then spend about an hour deicing and taxiing to the runway. It took so long that I thought we were on the grand tour of Jamaica Bay!

We took off, finally, four hours late and, according to the in-flight map, we headed northeast along the Atlantic Coast, crossed Cape Cod, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Labrador, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, along the Turkish coast and into Israel.

The seats were roomy and comfortable. They flattened out to almost a bed and I slept a while. The in-flight entertainment was deficient; I didn't care for any of the movie choices, but then again, I don't like most movies.

Food and beverage service was professional. Glenn Morangie was my single-malt Scots Whiskey of choice. The first course salad, fish, appetizer was tasty. The main entree was mediocre. It certainly didn't benefit from the 4 hour delay but I'm not sure it would have been more edible even if it was right on time. El Al has good fresh bread and rolls. Dessert included lots of fresh fruit. With enough of the Glenn Morangie, I was feeling no pain and drifted off to sleep.
I awoke once during the night and peered out the window and thought I saw Paris. I awoke again later and had mostly clear views of the Adriatic coast.

Breakfast was served with good fish, good coffee, and a lousy omelet. Finally, we were asked to prepare for landing and saw the Israeli coast, crossed Tel Aviv and landed at Ben Gurion airport.
Once you deplane at Ben Gurion your trip has only started. It is a VERY long walk through the modern terminal to the baggage claim area. El Al was cognizant of our delay and put out a spread of juice, water, and cookies at the baggage carousel. That was unusual and a nice apology.
Baggage was not long in coming and we began the rest of our trek through

Immigration/Passport Control and a cursory glance in our direction at Customs. We finally emerged in the Arrivals area where we were met by a joyous Zachary who was clearly delighted to see his Mother, and perhaps me as well. After all, we were only 3 hours late!
Zachary said he was not aware the flight was going to be late, so he arrived early to on time and had a lot of time to kill at the airport. He had taken the bus from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion, but didn't know there was a shuttle bus for the 2-3 kilometer walk from the bus stop to the terminal.
We took a sherut (shared taxi van) from the Airport to Jerusalem. There was a lengthy traffic delay on the highway near Bet Shemesh but this was not unexpected. The driver decided it was too much trouble to go down Agron Street because there was no place to turn before Jaffa Road so he let us out across the street on King George street. Zachary had shekels and paid the fare, I don't know if he tipped for this special service. With Zachary's help we shlepped all the luggage, checked in at the hostel.

We took some time to unpack, give Zachary all the things we brought for him, visited his room, met his madrich (staff) and then went out for a walk. It was dark and chilly so we bundled up. We walked down to Ben Yehuda Street by cutting through Independence Park, stopped at the bank to get Shekels from the cash machine, and found a Schwarma shop for dinner. It was mediocre Schwarma; but it was a place we could sit down which was important as we were stiff from all the sitting and hadn't gotten used to the walking.

We then walked up Ben Yehuda street to King George Street and back to Agron to the hostel. We tried to go to sleep to get our bodies onto Israel time but it was challenging and we didn't sleep well until quite close to morning. But that, as they say, will have to wait for the next post.

Visiting Zachary in Israel

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:00:00 +0000

This series of blog posts will review our recent visit to Israel to see Zachary and have an interesting vacation. Zachary, as my regular readers will know, is participating in the United Synagogue NATIV program during his college freshman year. This program spends the first semester studying at Hebrew University or the United Synagogue Yeshiva (Zachary chose Hebrew University) and the second semester doing volunteer work on a kibbutz, in a development town, or in Jerusalem (Zachary chose to do his volunteer work in Yeruham, a development town in the Negev desert, southeast of Beer Sheva.

We planned our visit to coincide with Zachary's winter break between his Hebrew University semester and his time in Yeruham.

We departed San Diego on Sunday, January 19, 2009 on an American Airlines flight to JFK in New York followed by an El Al flight from JFK to Ben Gurion airport in Israel. Through careful planning and management (and a little luck) we accumulated enough air-miles to acquire 2 business class tickets from San Diego to Israel and back. This allowed us to fly First Class from San Diego to New York and Business Class from NY to Tel Aviv and then back home to Los Angeles. There was only "economy" class on the flight from Los Angeles to San Diego.

Without question, it is a fabulous treat to fly "premium" on long flights. Our American First Class seats were the most comfortable of the entire trip; superior to El Al's Business Class on both the 747 and new 777. The "neatest" feature was the motorized slide forward and back which was very accommodating to those of us with "girth."

We began our trip by driving to a friend's house who then drove us to the airport and looked after our car for the duration. (Not surprisingly, a High School guy will do almost anything to have a car at his disposal for a few weeks.) He was even awake for our early morning drive!

We had a very substantial amount of luggage with us on our way to Israel. Zachary had made numerous requests of "stuff to bring for me" including a carton of sci-fi books, push-up enhancement devices, electronic goodies, towels, tee shirts, etc. I packed in a very large duffel bag and a capacious carry-on. I was worried a bit about oversize and overweight luggage. In addition I was shlepping another suitcase (donated unknowingly by my Mother) filled with toys and letters and photos from our synagogue and community to donate to the kids in the Shaar Hanegev region of Israel to occupy them in their extensive missile shelter time. Monica packed sensibly, of course, in our large suitcase and a comfy carry-on.

We were challenged to fit all the luggage into our sedan, and uncharacteristicly, I used a red-cap to help bring the luggage to the check-in counter. (Thinking back, the $5.00 I gave him was probably insufficient).

First Class check in on American was smooth and professional and our luggage passed muster. Because of the operating agreement between American and El Al, our luggage was checked through to Tel Aviv. We had been cautioned that this wouldn't actually work (due to El Al security concerns) but it did work. I was carrying a letter (in Hebrew) from our Federation Israel Shaliach about the toys to give to El Al security, it either worked or was unnecessary!

We had time to hang out in the American Airlines Flagship Lounge in San Diego before our flight. It was comfortable, had good coffee, and was well equipped with magazines. We loaded up for the flight. First Class boarding was a breeze; I wish I could fly like this all the time!

The flight to New York was great. Plenty of room in our comfortable chairs, decent in-flight entertainment, not bad breakfast, and attentive service. We arrived at JFK on time and made our way through the maze of the renovated American terminal to the tram to the International terminal. Happily, our luggage took another route and we never saw it in New York!

El Al Business Class check-in was polite but thorough. I turned over the letter from the shaliach and answered all sorts of questions about our trip, purposes, packing, luggage, etc. More thorough than US airline security but one certainly understands El Al's concern for security even though it is a bit intrusive. After checking in we found the King David Lounge and started enjoying the first of what turned out to be over 13 hours of El Al hospitality. But that is the subject of my next post!

140 hours, and counting

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:44:00 +0000

The big countdown and mad rush has started, and in about 140 hours I'll be aboard an American Airlines jet enroute to JFK and then El Al #2 to Israel. And the rockets and bombs and mortars and bullets are still flying in and around Gaza.

I'd be lying if I claimed not to feel the pressure to cancel or reschedule our my trip. I did give it serious consideration but, barring worsening developments, I'm eager to go.

We have several reasons to go and go now.

Most importantly, Zachary is there. We aren't pulling him out (there is no need to) and he is loving his experiences there. We and he decided months ago that we would join him in Israel for his winter break rather than having him come home to San Diego. In hindsight, he might prefer the change of scenery, the absence of responsibility, and spending time at home. However, we decided this months ago and he didn't ask and we didn't offer to change our plans.

We want to visit Israel. I've gone a few times in the last 15 years, but Monica's last visit was 35 years ago. Americans should visit Israel. Jews should visit Israel. Tourists and vacationers should visit Israel. It is a top-notch destination. The physical beauty, the history, the cultural variety and the religious heritage all count.

I want to express my solidarity with Israel. I want to be supportive always, but even moreso during these difficult times. I want to spend my discretionary vacation dollars there and know that in my small way I'll be helping to employ lots of Israelis, especially service workers, be they Jewish, Christian or Muslim.

I want to see some cousins and friends. Regrettably, it is very unlikely that we will see my friend Avi Kadosh at Kibbutz Nir Am as it is a front-line community on the Gaza border. Hopefully, we can connect and visit someplace and sometime he feels is convenient and safe.

I'm doing an errand for my synagogue and my community. Our shul has collected small toys and gifts for children who are spending far to much time in bomb shelters. It is a small gift but we hope it will help. I'm honored to be the "shaliach" the emmisary and agent on this tzedakah mission.

I want to continue to explore the idea that spending more time in Israel is part of my future. Could I make aliyah? Would I enjoy living in Israel, working in Israel, or retiring in Israel? Full time or part time? Could I learn enough Hebrew? Would I live in an "Anglo" community like Netanya, a Tel Aviv suburb, make a home in Jerusalem? Find a small town or rural community? Am I too old to become a Kibbutznik? Would a kibbutz want us? Do we identify as Masorti, "religious (code for Modern Zionist Orthodox," or secular? Could we make new friends there? Would our Israeli cousins welcome us or come to resent our frequency and dependency? Would Zachary like his aging parents in Israel or in the US? Does Israel want American retirees (who may be modestly well off by Israeli standards but are far from the stereotypical rich Americans). Where is the better place to become old, aged, frail, and ultimately die? Does my wife share my interests in making Aliyah? Will we ever be grandparents and if so, where will the little darlings live?

"But aren't you taking on risk?"

Yes, there is a certain risk. Not much risk, after all, far more people are killed by random traffic accidents than are injured in terrorist attacks or missile explosions or even military collateral damage. Nevertheless, if the Israelis are living with this day in and day out, I can certainly live with it for a couple of weeks.

Well, blogging takes longer than you might think. I'm down to 139 hours. I'd better think about packing...

Nervous Parent?

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 03:52:00 +0000

After a week of aerial bombardment, the Israeli army has entered Gaza in the hope of terminating the ability of Gazans to launch missiles into Israel. A secondary objective, I presume, is to destabilize the Hamas government in the hope that a more moderate Palestinian group will take over; perhaps rapprochement with the Palestinian Authority on the West Bank.

This, of course, is news you can read in almost any media, I mention it because my son is in Jerusalem preparing for his final exams at Hebrew University. Monica and I are also preparing to fly to Israel in mid-January to visit him during his vacation.

While Jerusalem is out of range of the Gaza missiles, and I can control my touring to stay well out of range, the nervousness comes from the ongoing fear of an isolated terrorist incident which could occur anywhere in Israel. Too often, the targets are in Jerusalem.

My son's program has applied sensible security rules, restricted travel to riskier areas, and, for a while, even restricted riding on the public bus. However, anything can happen anywhere and even if it is unlikely, it is certainly possible.

Both my Mother and my Mother-in-Law have expressed concern and asked me to bring him home and not go myself. I'm determined to ignore this well-intentioned advice. It is important to me that our behavior is an expression of solidarity with Israel. Most Israeli's can't and won't run away. Other Jews shouldn't either.

If things get out of hand, Israel will send my son home and tell us not to visit at this time. I don't expect that to happen. We will go forward as planned and we pray that the Gazans do the two things required for a cease-fire; end the missile launching and release the captive Israeli soldier. Until that happens, Israel has every duty to protect its citizens and visitors.

I must believe that peace is possible and the current Israeli military activity is a necessary part of the process. I pray it will be both successful and brief. Express your support of Israel. Inform yourself of the real issues, don't fall for the propaganda, and plan to do what you can to be a partner with Israel in the pursuit of peace.

None of this means I'll be less nervous about my son, my wife, or myself in Israel. However, I think the physical risk to us is quite modest, but the symbolism of our solidarity is profound.

Exercising the Franchise

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:13:00 +0000

While it is an unusual turn of phrase, exercising the franchise is exactly what I did today as I spent some time with my California Official Voters Ballot. I have gotten into the habit of voting early by mail as to avoid the polling place on election day. I prefer to sit with the ballot and my resource materials and the Internet at hand to work my way through the ballot.

As a Californian, I'm blessed(or cursed) with a large number of propositions in addition to the regular candidates. Choosing elected officials is relatively easy compared to evaluating propositions. You can't always tell whom is the best candidate, but it is always clear whom should be voted against. The propositions are deceptive. Sometimes the yes means no, other times the no means yes. Purposes are hidden behind confusing names. Bad stuff sounds good.

Today I supported high speed train transportation, against mandatory free-range poultry raising, for improving Children Hospitals infrastructure, against mandatory parental notification of abortions for minors, for sentencing reform for non-violent drug offenders, against shifting funds to law enforcement agencies, for renewable energy generation, against a ban on same-sex weddings, against further consideration of victims in sentencing, for alternative fuel vehicle bonds, against the redistricting initiative, and against the Veteran's housing bond proposal.

I feel it is too easy for interest groups to put proposals on the public ballot in California. While I support broad democracy, much legislation is too detailed and too complicated for the broad public to decide. Many such items should be left to the legislative process. Because of this idea, I opposed some voter initiatives even though I tend to support the idea. I don't think the general citizen can properly evaluate the details of the initiative so I only support those items that are both clear and meaningful to me.

I also voted for a President and Veep, congressperson, state legislators, city council, city attorney, school board officials, etc. I don't think there was a county dogcatcher on this year's ballot or I would have voted for that office as well!

I don't know that I made all the "right" choices, but I gave the matters considerable thought, due diligence, and used my best judgment. I had my say and I retain the right to complain about my government since I chose it. That may be the most important "right" an American citizen has.

Get out there and vote. As my old boss, Lou Powsner used to say, quoting Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, VOTE EARLY (and often!)

Catching Up on the News

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:47:00 +0000

Autumn is the best time of year to visit New York. I returned recently from a 10 day trip and had a wonderful time. My purpose for this travel was two family B'nai Mitzvah. The first, on the Shabbat following Yom Kippur, was Jacob Lurie, son of my first cousin Michael. This simha was in Bellmore, Long Island and I had a nice time. The second simha was of my niece, Eliana Dresher, my sister's daughter, in White Plains. This was also a splendid event.

Visiting NY for me is a time to reconnect with family. I stayed with both my Mother and my Brother. With my mother and uncle I visited the family cemetery to check on all the relatives there. While it wasn't easy to find everyone, we managed after a long hunt. Interestingly, my Mother's maternal grandparents are buried in a section of the cemetery where men and women are buried in date of death order but separated by gender. I guess that is the ultimate mechitza.

At the first Bar Mitzvah, and the day following, I spent time with my cousins Donna and Michael and their families. Donna and Michael are in the enviable position of having settled only a few blocks from each other in Bellmore and essentially raised their children more or less together. Zachary has spent his entier life (and Monica and I have spent most of our adult lives) living far away from extended family. While living in Kansas City, Dallas, and San Diego have been interesting, I am internalizing the angst of living apart from relatives. It definately has its drawbacks.

I spent some quality time with another niece, Fanya Hoffman, my brother's 7 year-old daughter. We spent two wonderful days together in New Jersey and she was just a charmer. Fanya tends to be clingy and shy when her parents are around to cling to, but with just me she was wonderfully outgoing, cooperative, and cute. On our first expedition Fanya took me to her riding stable and we met the dozens of horses she befriends. We went through a few pounds of carrots and she was scrupulously fair about their distribution. Unfortunately it wasn't a riding-lesson day for Fanya but it was a nice visit anyway. Once done with the horses, we took a meandering drive on local streets south to Metuchen so Fanya and I could see the house where Zachary first lived. It was a lovely day with spectacular weather and New Jersey looked about as beautiful as it could. Trees, lakes, changing leaves, etc. The only problem we had was finding a place for lunch as Fanya decided she wanted "only salad." By the time we got around to it, it was quicker to get home than to stop for salad late in the afternoon, so we finished the carrots the horses didn't get.

The next day Fanya took me to the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City. We walked up all the stairs, visited every single exhibit and even had time for Mad Scientist Fanya to do a lab experiment including lab coat, test tubes, goggles, etc. Perhaps we have a future Dr. Hoffman in the family. We lunched at the Science Center and Fanya finally got her salad. Mustard is her favorite condiment so we experimented with what is edible after you dip it in mustard. The list inlcuded cucumber, asparagus, lettuce, and couscous. The important part was the "soda mix" from the dispenser.

Monica flew in to NY a few days after me so we had one day in Manhattan to play tourist. We took the subway and visited the South Street Seaport to pick up Broadway Show tickets from TKTS, dim sum lunch in Chinatown with her old KU chum Judy, shopping at Macy's and cocktail hour at the Marriot Marquis lounge overlooking Times Square. We saw Avenue Q on Broadway and took the subway back to Coney Island. It was an exhausting but fun day.

Overall, my trip included three synagogues (two Shabbatot for the B'nai Mitzvah and Sukkot with my Brother), a visit to the venerable Fountain Pen Hospital, 2 meals at Diners, one meal in Chinatown, about 22 cousins, 2 pizzas, 3 bagels, 2 sukkot, 1 cholent, 1 beer and several mini banannas.

Our air travel was uneventful except for the ususal hassles. Flights were crowded, we had a long layover in Dallas, and we got home late. As much fun as it was to visit NY, it was good to get home.

Is there such a thing as a "small" terrorism incident?

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 22:07:00 +0000

Well, I guess I now feel even closer to Israel.

I was at work and Zachary sends me a text message on the computer "I'm OK."

Naturally, I'm alarmed and I type "What?" and he told me about the car and the gunshots and the ambulances and getting the cell phone calls from his madrichim and being locked down in Bet NATIV, etc.

Someone ran a car into a crowd of pedestrians in a busy part of Jerusalem near the Old City.

I asked him where he was getting his news and he told me he could hear it outside. I went to the HaAretz website and kept checking updates. A "small" incident as far as these things go. (what a horrid thought) ONLY 19 hurt! Soldiers, no less. Someone shot the perp.

Well, as you could imagine, I called Monica right away, then my mother. Thankfully, neither had heard about it on the news yet. The NATIV program shortly sent an email that all the students were OK and accounted for.

What a feeling! And Israelis live with this all the time?

I suppose I can't say I was scared since I knew Zachary was OK even before I knew something had happened. But I did feel, in a different way than I have felt before. I always knew I "had skin in the game." Now, my skin was very personal.

And I've got 34 more weeks of this? And I'd love to live in Israel? Am I crazy or what?

Zachary was a champ and just kept working on an essay for class. It is about some aspect of the challenges of peace between Jews and Arabs in Israel.

Go figure.

A bit more about adults on Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:32:00 +0000

Andy is personally active on Facebook and Twitter. See the links in the column on the left.

Move over Generations X and Y - Grandma’s on MySpace | Feeds | ZDNet.com: "Don’t be surprised if Grandma sends you a Facebook gift for Christmas this year instead of a package of socks.

The NPD Group, a market research firm, reported yesterday that its “Entertainment Trends in America” report shows that in the U.S., 41 percent of baby boomer Internet users (age 44 to 61) surveyed are spending time on social networks such as LinkedIn, MySpace and Facebook.

Move over Generations X and Y - Grandma’s on MySpaceThe survey data, which was based on a sample of more than 11,000 consumers, also showed that 61 percent of these baby boomers are using streaming or downloadable video sites, as well.

“There’s an ongoing misperception that certain Web activities are the exclusive domain of young people,” said Russ Crupnick, entertainment industry analyst for The NPD Group, in the research firm’s report. “That misperception could cost the entertainment industry, in terms of lost opportunities to target valuable consumers.”

As social networks continue to grow and get more mainstream airtime — my 58-year-old mother was just talking about CNN’s Twitter feed — it makes sense that more and more baby boomers would get on board.

The NPD Group also makes the case that advertisers, which often market to those 40 and below on social networking sites, should consider that much of the online buying power remains with the baby boomer generation."

Jennifer Leggio

On the road to the White House | Up to Speed | Los Angeles Times

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:33:00 +0000

On the road to the White House | Up to Speed | Los Angeles Times

Now that the presidential fight card is set, we at Up to Speed decided to check out the candidates' transportation choices.

Barack Obama (D): Drove a Chrysler 300 with a V-8 engine (18 mpg) until last summer, when he switched to a Ford Escape hybrid (30 mpg) after getting bad press about driving a gas guzzler.

John McCain (R): Cadillac CTS sedan (19 mpg). Reportedly, his first car was a 1958 Corvette (no mpg rating — it predated the rating system — but probably not too great).

Joe Biden (D): Although his main vehicle of choice is the Amtrak Acela from D.C. to Delaware, he is known to drive a 1967 Corvette (again, no mpg rating).

Sarah Palin (R): As governor, she drives a Chevrolet Suburban (16 mpg) owned by the state of Alaska. In July, she was involved in a multi-vehicle accident on the way to work. The SUV sustained several thousand dollars in damage. She also has been known to drive her husband's snowmobiles.

These are going to be a hard-fought couple of months. But there's clearly one thing both tickets can agree upon: If you want to run for high elected office in the U.S. of A., you'd better drive an American car. Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) drives a Toyota Prius, so we know why McCain passed him over.

Then again, with Secret Service escorts, none of the candidates will be doing any driving anytime soon.

—Ken Bensinger

Getting Back to Normal

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:07:00 +0000

Things are returning to what passes for normal in the Hoffman household. Zachary has landed in Israel and is beginning this new phase of his education. Monica and Andrew are back to being empty-nesters. Public school resumed so the neighborhood is a bit quieter. Work is...

I'm continuing to enjoy staying in touch via Facebook and Twitter. They are still big time-wasters, but wasting a bit of time in order to increase "relationship" seems to be a worthy exchange.

I've started studying with an on-line group that is doing daf yomi (page a day) of Sefer Ha-Aggadah, "The Book of Legends" a compilation of midrash aggadah by Bialik. Not as much fun as studying and discussing with a group, but interesting in its own right. There is a link to the study blog in the right column should you be curious.

Emotionally and spiritually I suppose I'm beginning to think about the Yamim Noraim, the High Holiday season. Each passing year feels a bit different and as I age, the question of the day "who will live and who will die" feels more and more like an important question.

I'm beginning to think that my focus for this year will be to reconnect with folks I've known and enjoyed. The computer and Internet thing allows for meaningful contact across vast distances. Hopefully, with a little effort, this year will be a meaningful resumption of important relationships.
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Now playing: The Turtles - Happy Together
via FoxyTunes

The Last Night Zachary is Home

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:59:00 +0000

Zachary leaves home early tomorrow morning. He is flying to Newark and then on Labor Day he is flying to Tel Aviv and will spend the next nine months in Israel. As a parent, I've got very mixed emotions about this. I'm proud of him, I'm excited for him, I'm optimistic for his success, I'm worried about how he will handle his challenges, I've a nagging concern for his physical safety, but most of all, I'll miss him. In some ways, I miss him already.

He returned home from a summer job in Georgia as a camp counselor. He is quite tall, mostly adult-like in look and manner, and has a self-assurance I've not noticed before. No doubt the goofy kid will make an appearance every now and then, but Zachary is quite grown up. He has a lot to learn about the world and wonderful experiences, but he is already a well-knit personality able to meet most of his own needs and make his own decisions. I still tell him what to do (out of habit, I suppose) but mentally I've cut the apron strings and he will be able to succeed or fail based on his own choices.

I'll miss him. I know I wrote that in a prior paragraph, but it is really hitting home and it hurts. Viscerally. Life as I know it is changing. Empty nesting. Spousal focus. Wondering what to do with myself. Trying not to live my life through my son.

I suppose it wouldn't have been quite so traumatic if Zachary was going off to college somewhere he could visit home from time to time or we could visit from time to time. But going to Israel is a big and expensive trip. We plan to do it in January.

We will remain in touch, of course. Skype, text messages, ICQ, AIM, GoogleTalk/Chat, and email. But I know I'll be looking forward to each contact, and when it comes I won't know what to say.

It isn't that adult children don't need their parents. They just need their parents differently. Parents, on the other hand, need their children. 30 years of jokes about sons not calling their parents come to mind. Frankly, it is terrifying.

Monica will deal with it in her own way. From the outside, it will be easier for her. Internally, I'm not so sure.

Yet, I wouldn't have it any other way. Children grow up, leave home, acheive independence, and establish their own families. I knew it was coming. I ought to be more ready.

I'll be blogging about Zachary's experiences from a Dad's perspective throughout the year. Far more interesting will be Zachary's experiences from his own perspective, as shared on his blog. You will find the link to his blog in the left column and by clicking on the title of this article. Give it a look. Follow it. Comment on it. Encourage him to keep at it.

A few days ago Zachary and I watched a movie together. It was American Graffiti which is about some teenagers on their last night before their "group" breaks up and goes off to college. I think it is a fine move, a classic. Zachary enjoyed it (but couldn't see the point of driving around in circles around town with all the other teens in town doing the same thing.) I suppose it isn't all that exciting compared video games. :) But an important point about the movie is that the parents have insignificant roles that night. For sure, they raised those kids, bought the cars, and provided the gas money and college money. But in all the action of that last night at home, the parents are immaterial. They appear to say goodbye at the airport but they aren't a part of the action.

I'm the parent trying to let go. The most fun, exciting, interesting, and important experiences in Zachary's year abroad won't involve me. He begins the journey to be on his own, build his own life, search for his life's companion, make his own way in the world. I'll be a part of his life for as long as I live, but I know I'll have a secondary or tertiary role.

I guess I'll just have to get used to it.

A
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via FoxyTunes

Carrot Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 22:20:00 +0000

Last Friday night we had two of Zachary's friends and their families over for Shabbat dinner. The boys have been busy saying goodbye for several days as this gang of good buddies splits up to go off to college. We were a group of 10 for dinner and I made carrot soup based on a recipe from Epicurious. It was a hit and the subtle flavors of ginger, curry, mustard, and coriander were quite special balanced against the sweet carrots.

You will want to try this, especially as it is so inexpensive, nutritious and very low calorie.

I didn't follow the recipe exactly; I used double the amounts of the seasonings; curry powder, ground coriander, dry yellow mustard powder and olive oil. I used water with some soup powder instead of stock. The original recipe also calls for a dollop of yogurt as a garnish but as we were having a meat dinner, no yogurt! I garnished with a sprig of fresh picked oregano from the yard.

1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon curry powder (preferably Madras)
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled, thinly sliced into rounds (about 4 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel
5 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
Grind coriander and mustard seeds in spice mill to fine powder.

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add ground seeds and curry powder; stir 1 minute. Add ginger; stir 1 minute. Add next 3 ingredients. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; sauté until onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add 5 cups broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered until carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Add more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if too thick. Stir in lime juice; season with salt and pepper.
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Dark Meat

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:19:00 +0000

Another view of the Kosher Kontreversy, this time from an Orthodox perspective. Yasher Koah to Rabbi Herzfeld for taking this stand in the face of a general Orthodox hesitancy to demand ethical kashrut. Andy

August 6, 2008
Op-Ed Contributor
Dark Meat
By SHMUEL HERZFELD

Washington

ACCORDING to the Jewish calendar we are now in the month of Av, a period of increasingly intense mourning that culminates with a total fast on the Ninth of Av, which this year coincides with Sunday, Aug. 10.

One of the customary practices in these nine days is the avoidance of meat: it’s the way we commemorate the destruction of the Temple, where daily animal sacrifices were once brought.

Refraining from food is symbolic, of course. The idea is not just to avoid meat but to limit ourselves so that we can better focus on the spiritual.

Unfortunately, this year kosher meat has become a different type of symbol, one not of mourning and spiritual devotion but of ridicule, embarrassment and hypocrisy. In May in Postville, Iowa, immigration officials raided Agriprocessors Inc., the largest kosher meatpacking plant in the country.

What began as an immigration sting, however, quickly took on larger dimensions. News reports and government documents have described abusive practices at Agriprocessors against workers, including minors. Children as young as 13 were said to be wielding knives on the killing floor; some teenagers were working 17-hour shifts, six days a week.

This poses a grave problem and calls into question whether the food processed in the plant qualifies as kosher.

You see, there is precedent for declaring something nonkosher on the basis of how employees are treated. Yisroel Salanter, the great 19th-century rabbi, is famously believed to have refused to certify a matzo factory as kosher on the grounds that the workers were being treated unfairly. In addition to the hypocrisy of calling something kosher when it is being sold and produced in an unethical manner, we have to take into account disturbing information about the plant that has come to light.

The affidavit filed in the United States District Court of Northern Iowa, for instance, alleges that an employee was physically abused by a rabbi on the floor of the plant. If true, this calls into question the reliability and judgment of the rabbi in charge of making sure the food was kosher.

What’s more, two workers who oversaw the poultry and beef division were recently arrested for helping illegal immigrants falsify documents. If they were willing to break national immigration laws, one could reasonably ask whether they would be likely to show the same lack of concern for Jewish dietary laws.

Unfortunately, the responses of the leading Orthodox organizations, the Rabbinical Council of America and the Orthodox Union, have, in my opinion, fallen far short of what is needed to be done and have done little to diminish the extent of the desecration of God’s name. I am a member of both groups, but I am dissatisfied with their stance, which asks us to sit back patiently and wait for the results of a federal investigation. On some level, this might be prudent, but on another it is unacceptable.

What is needed is for the Orthodox Union to appoint an independent commission whose members have not in the past been paid by either the Orthodox Union or Agriprocessors. Such a commission would select a team of rabbinic experts to spend an extended period of time at the plant and then make suggestions and recommendations. This independent team would make sure the plant upholds basic standards of kashrut and worker and animal treatment — and that it is in full compliance with the laws of the United States.

Hebrew National used to run a commercial that said: “We answer to a Higher Authority.” Well, we do. We need to express shame and embarrassment about the reports coming out of Iowa, and we need to actively work to change these matters. Then we should ask ourselves if our behavior and our values need improvement. Only if we truly think about these issues will we truly be keeping kosher.

Shmuel Herzfeld, rabbi of Ohev Sholom-The National Synagogue, is a member of the Rabbinical Council of America.

Three Jews, Four Opinions: Rubashkin's, Ethical Kashrut, etc.

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:24:00 +0000

Three Jews, Four Opinions: Rubashkin's, Ethical Kashrut, etc.

(I've thought about this issue for a couple of weeks. This article, from a very interesting Blog, covers right about where I am. Andy)

How should we think about the appropriate Jewish response to the allegations about Rubashkin's?

In addressing this question, I write as a lawyer, a (mostly) vegetarian, a Jew, and a person who cares about human rights and the rights of workers. I'd like to think those perspectives don't contradict each other, but they certainly are not the same.
As best I can glean from news reports, the "scheme" taking place at Rubashkin's involved falsified employment papers for mostly Guatemalan workers. Because the falsification involved using identity documents or numbers of actual people, the government is treating the offense as "aggravated identity theft" -- even though there appears to be good reason to believe the workers in question had no real idea of what was going on. The prosecution of these workers is itself problematic in all sorts of ways -- so much so, that the translator hired by the government, in a possible breach of his own professional ethics, has acted as a "whistle-blower" to talk about what has gone on. The long and short of it, for our purposes here, appears to be that these workers were inveigled into an illegal employment scheme by Rubashkin's, got "caught" and are going to be punished for it (by deportation, at least).

For me, if there is reason to believe (and there is) that anyone in management was behind this scheme -- knew about it, planned it, and of course, benefited from it -- I don't want to do business with these folks. Period.

Now, as a (mostly) vegetarian, perhaps such talk is cheap. I hardly eat meat from one end of the month to the other, and went more than a decade without eating it at all. So let me try to imagine that they were, for example, my favorite ice-cream manufacturer....

Again, I think the solution is just as easy. BUY ANOTHER ICE CREAM. The idea that indulging my mere preference, when there is reason to believe it is coming at the cost of significant wrong-doing, is somehow OK, seems to me indefensible. Rubashkin's is not the only game in town, for goodness' sake. (The biggest, the cheapest, the easiest, maybe. But not the only.)

But none of what I've said so far has much to do with Judaism or kashrut. So let's turn to those topics. It is possible -- I'm no mashgiach -- that absolutely nothing Rubashkin's is accused of, would implicate the kashrut of its products. I'm willing to grant that may be true. If so, that demonstrates, at best, the incompleteness of kashrut for exhausting the moral dimension of eating. For those chafing under the yoke of kashrut, it might seem that being asked to impose still additional requirements (but is it organic? but is it fair trade? but are their workers unionized?) is just too much to ask. For those serious about halakhah, they would then appear to be choosing certain laws about food, over other, equally serious, laws about treatment of workers and more general morality. I think that's a bad choice -- and I could say a good deal about why -- but that is the choice. But for those to whom the purpose of kashrut is supposed to have something to do with "You shall be holy," it's just ridiculous to suggest that the demands of that do not encompass everything that bears on how a particular food ends up on one's table. "Halakhic man" (or woman), who will inquire into the holiness dimension of every activity in which it is possible for a person to engage, cannot be indifferent to whether the chain of events that bring a food product from earth to table includes unfair labor practices or the abuse of the earth. Putting blinders on by asking "but is it kosher?" and nothing more, is just ridiculous.

Which brings me to the last point -- one I tend not to make in very many contexts. And that is shanda. This entire episode is a classic "shanda for the goyim" (pardon my broken Yiddish) -- that is, a scandal that makes Jews look bad before the non-Jewish world. I don't think Rubashkin's is the worst meat-packing plant in the world. Probably not the worst in the U.S. But I don't care. They are Jews, and they are holding all of us up to ridicule and derision. They are making Jews appear to be people who care about ridiculous, archaic, hyper-technical rules (is the animal standing up or lying down?), while tolerating the most egregious, abusive, illegal labor practices. They make me ashamed to be a Jew. They make a travesty of our deep moral traditions, which have put Jews on the front lines of every battle for fair labor practices, for ecologically-sensitive agriculture, and so on. And they do so under the mantle of "Orthodoxy." They play into the hands of every anti-Semite and Jew-hater anywhere. And for that -- unless they are completely exonerated in a way that seems quite impossible at this point -- they should be roundly condemned and put out of business by the Jewish community acting as one.

Adults on Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:57:00 +0000

It's just for kids, isn't it? I don't think so. In this age of "Bowling Alone" the internet provides a way for adults to maintain connections over distance and time. Sure, Facebook has lots of kids (including mine who thinks it is embarrassing that Dad is on Facebook), but kids have lots of close connections through school and activities. Adults may connect through work, civic groups, religious institutions, etc., but most modern Americans are disconnected.

Most adults won't admit to the impact this disconnect has on their lives. We are socialized (men even more so than women) to tough it out, go it alone, etc. I admit it. I miss my friends who are far away, I miss my former colleagues and classmates, I miss the connections.

I'm playing with Facebook to see if it reduces the pain of psycho-social loneliness. So far I feel pretty good about it. I'm also playing with Twitter to see if the same idea, sped up to real time, helps as well.

One twist is that I've proposed "Facebook befriending" some of my young cousins (My cousins kids). I'm curious to see if they are weirded out or if they even "friend" me. While I'm not terribly curious about the details of their social lives, I don't think this social technology needs to separate the generations. Hopefully, their parents will reassure them that I'm not a predator.

What do you think?

Can't forget about Alzheimer's

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:04:00 +0000

Alzheimer's runs in my family. It is the health risk I worry about most. My most personal experience is with my grandfather. I watched him deteriorate and I watched how my grandmother went above and beyond to care for him personally for as long as she could and to be intimately involved in his care at a nursing home after she could no longer manage to care for him herself.

I remember the nights I would get a call from my grandmother that my grandfather had fallen, or was giving her a difficult time, or some other illness, combined with the Alzheimer's was of concern. I remember the night we loaded my grandfather, took him to his doctor, drove him to the hospital, argued with the admissions and ER staff, spent the night, etc.

My grandfather's Alzheimer's was studied, he was part of a NYU research project. Unfortunately, there is no cure, the disease is progressive, and in addition to the toll it takes on the patient, the impact on the family and caregivers is extreme.

I'm horrified that I might develop Alzheimer's and my family would have to deal with me with it.

In addition to my grandfather, his sister, my great aunt had it, as well as my grandmother's brother and sister-in-law. While they didn't know it at that time, they just called it "senility", apparently my grandfather's father had it as well.

I support and encourage support of Alzheimer's research, and the ribbon below is in honor and memory of my grandfather, Louis Lurie, the other members of my extended family who suffered from it and provided care. Thankfully, my mother doesn't seem to have it, nor her brother, so who knows? Odds are that it will catch me, unless we can find a cure or treatment.

Death stinks, but Alzheimer's appears to be a particularly horrid way to go. Join me in supporting Alzheimer's research. Click on the ribbon for an easy way to do that.

In honor of My grandfather, Louis Lurie

Is it Alzheimer's?

Get a Web Ribbon

Earthquake Today

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:42:00 +0000

I certainly felt this one in San Diego

Magnitude	5.4 - moment magnitude (Mw)
Time	Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 11:42:15 AM (PDT) Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 18:42:15 (UTC)
Distance from	Chino Hills, CA - 4 km (3 miles) WSW (240 degrees) Diamond Bar, CA - 7 km (5 miles) SE (135 degrees) Yorba Linda, CA - 8 km (5 miles) NNE (16 degrees) Pomona, CA - 12 km (7 miles) S (184 degrees) Los Angeles Civic Center, CA - 46 km (28 miles) ESE (104 degrees)
Coordinates	33 deg. 57.3 min. N (33.955N), 117 deg. 45.9 min. W (117.765W)
Depth	13.6 km (8.5 miles)

Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 06:23:00 +0000

I've been playing around with Twitter for a couple of days and will keep it up for a while longer. I'm intrigued to learn more about the mundane details of the Twitter denizens I follow. I presume the Twitter denizens who follow me are similarly amused.

I've played on Facebook and MySpace (mainly to irritate Zachary) but this bit of technology is a marvel. I'm even contemplating adding SMS messaging to my cell phone just so I can Twitter and be Twittered at when away from my PC.

Frankly, it makes no sense. It isn't useful. It wastes time. It is distracting. But it does provide a sense of connection, a different sort of linkage. I'm short of close friends right now so I'm happy to leverage technology to increase my sense of connectedness. Is it the same as going out for a beer with a buddy? No way. But it is something. My closest emotional connections (besides family) are still thousands of miles away. I've haven't made those sort of connections in California. So I'll Twitter away for a while.

If you want to experiment yourself, or if you are a Twitterer and you want to follow me and be followed by me, just click on the link in the left column and tell me what you are doing in 140 characters or less.

Till next time....

Regulatory Research Analyst, Liquid Environmental Solutions

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:18:00 +0000

I've gotten several questions about what I do in my job. In some ways, it is easier to list what I don't do and what I'm not.

I'm not a plumber
I don't clean sewers
I don't work in a wastewater treatment plant
I don't drive a truck
I don't sell
I don't "do deals"

I do research. In an office. Mostly on the computer. I have a cubicle, a magnetic white-board, and a telephone. Plus my fountain pens.

Primarily, I research the city, county, and state regulations for grease interceptor pumping, manifesting, record-keeping, and competitor research. Most folks have no idea what a grease interceptor is, so the brief explanation is that it is a large delay in the waste discharge line between a kitchen and a sewer that allows the wastewater to separate into its major components, FOG (fats, oils, and grease) food debris, and water. The FOG floats to the top, the food debris sinks to the bottom, and the water passes through into the municipal sewer. Periodically, based on the regulations I've researched, the grease interceptor needs to be pumped clean to remove the accumulated FOG, debris, and water. The interceptor is scraped and flushed and the stuff pumped from the interceptor to our trucks is delivered to a facility equipped to safely process it.

There has been a lot of interest of late in using the grease waste to make biodiesel, boost production of industrial methane in anearobic digestors, or even process it into animal feed, cosmetics (yuck), and chemicals. While my firm has some treatment and processing facilities itself, mostly we deliver the effluent to other processors. Some we pay to take it, others pay us for it!

While this sort of work is a very new career experience for me, I do appreciate that it is a "green" industry and our basic function is to keep the fats, oils, and grease out of sewer lines where it causes clogs, sewer spills, overflows, and pollution. Keeping beaches clean has always been important to this Coney Island boy!

I've got some great photos of grease interceptors, sewer clogs, spills, etc., but I'll have to figure out how to provide adequate warning before posting them!

Back on the Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:13:00 +0000

It has been about 8 months since my last blog-post in the throes of the San Diego wildfires. I thought I'd post a brief update and try to post more frequently going forward. So, what of significance has happened in the last 8 months?

In no particular order:

Zachary graduated from High School at the San Diego Jewish Academy
Monica installed hearing aids
Zachary "organized" and executed an effective fund raising campaign that yielded significant scholarship assistance for his year of study in Israel next year with NATIV
I started a new job
Zachary has left home to work a summer camp job at Camp Ramah Darom in Georgia
I researched and fell in love with the idea of acquiring a dog. I thought we should adopt 2 retired racing greyhounds (it makes more sense for us than you might think). We were approved by the adoption "agency" but Monica has put the idea on hold for now. My stealth campaign proceeds apace.
Zachary was admitted to Cal State University, San Marcos and San Diego State University. SDSU was his first choice school!
Monica and I went to the Del Mar Fair and Monica won a ribbon for her Salsa. I also entered the same contest (condiment, not dancing) but didn't win anything.

What is coming up?
Monica is making an extended visit to Kansas City this summer
Zachary arrives in Israel on September 2, 2008 and returns on May 25, 2009
Monica and I will visit NY between October 10 and 19 for two family simchas, the Jacob Lurie Bar Mitzvah and the Eliana Drescher Bat Mitzvah.
Monica and I intend to visit Zachary in Israel during his gap year there.

I'll post more about my job soon. Meanwhile, enjoy your summer!

All Clear,, we hope!

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:28:00 +0000

It seems all clear now. What remains of the active fire is pretty far away in the back country. We have lots of cleaning up to do. Lots of soot on all flat surfaces in the house. Fabrics smell like campfires. School reopens on 10/29.

Our thanks to the firefighters who worked extremely hard under difficult circumstances to keep us safe and save as much property as possible.

Southern Edge of evacuation area is 1/2 mile from us

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:38:00 +0000

Huge swath of evacuations west to I-5

6:24 a.m.
Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for a huge swath totaling 100 square miles and ranging from Interstate 5 on the west across Interstate 15 to the east, and north from state Route 56 to Lake Hodges, said San Diego fire department spokesman Maurice Luque.

Flames penetrated Rancho Bernardo from the northeast beginning around 3:30 a.m., and have jumped Interstate 15 at Carmel Valley Road, Luque said.

An undetermined number of homes are burning and there are reports of people trapped in their homes and cars, Luque said.

The flames are threatening to burn into Rancho Santa Fe, Luque said.

Residents can seek shelter at any of the designated high schools or Qualcomm Stadium, Luque said.

A force of 240 firefighters with 60 engines are trying to stop the blaze from advancing farther through the area. Ambulances are in the area to help the elderly and ill who cannot evacuate themselves, he said.

Flat Stanley Visits Dallas

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 22:58:00 +0000

Fanya's Flat Stanley

Waterman needs repair

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 22:48:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hoffman) — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 00:20:00 +0000

Andy's Fountain Pens