Joe's Journal

01/04/2014 11:14 #58537

Healthy again
Category: health

We're almost 100% again! (e:paul) came out with me to see Emily, Lindsay and Tim at Cantina last night. Afterwards we headed out to Brick Bar while (e:paul) and (e:xandra) went to Hardware. Brick Bar was kind of lame especially with the country music. I went to Hardware after, where (e:Robert) was also. Hardware was kind of dead also but decently fun especially after (e:terry) came. I'm kind of tired of going out to bars bars, good thing we're going to some crazy dance thing tonight. Seeing the sun this morning makes it feel like winter is over. It is, right?

01/04/2014 11:06 #58536

The gun show
Category: working out

Check em out.

01/01/2014 21:27 #58527

The last Jew in Kabul
Category: religion

After the botanical gardens and dinner at Papaya, (e:paul), (e:terry) and I were talking about all these crazy things. This included scallops anatomy, St. James, Yiddish, and Ashkenazi (a group ofJews in Europe).
Paul sent me this amazing article about the last Jew in Afghanistan named Zablon Simintov. Apparently every Jewish person in Kabul, even his wife and kids, left for Israel during the Taliban and US invasion. There was even another Jewish guy in Kabul but he ended up passing away.

Despite a lot of people wanting him to leave, and the fact that his catering business is closing, he refuses to leave the country. he wants to maintain the synagogue and his heritage. In a way I can understand - he's already somewhat old at 55, his father and grandfather were rabbis in Afghanistan - why would he leave at that point? He's made it through well this far. It'd be giving up a lot if you asked me. I admire that kind of tenacity, even if I don't understand his religion.

paul - 01/02/14 10:10
Its an interesting story. Sounds like a real stubburn guy. I could see myself doing it. I still think the strange part is his wife and daughters are in Israel.

From the wiki article on Jews in Afghanistan :::link:::

By the end of 2004, only two Jews were left in Afghanistan, Zablon Simintov and Isaac Levy. Levy relied on charity, while Simentov ran a store selling carpets and jewelry until 2001. They lived at separate ends of the dilapidated Kabul synagogue. Both claimed to be in charge of the synagogue, and the owner of its Torah, accusing the other of theft and imposture. They kept denouncing each other to the authorities, and both spent time in Taliban jails, and the Taliban also confiscated the Torah. Recently, one of Simentov's acquaintances stated that if you had brought (him) a bottle of whiskey, he (Simentov) would be in "heaven."[2]

The contentious relationship between Simentov and Levy was dramatized in a play inspired by news reports of the two that appeared in international news media following the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan overthrowing the Taliban regime. The play, entitled "The Last Two Jews of Kabul," was written by playwright Josh Greenfeld and was staged in New York City in 2002.

01/01/2014 19:21 #58524

The Botan
Category: garden

Hoping to warm up and not waste away in bed, (e:paul), (e:terry) and I headed out to the Botanical Gardens today. It was so humid, warm, and nice. It made me feel better for a bit.
I busted out the Canon for fun for the first time in a long time. I can't say I've used it regularly since getting my first smart phone over a year ago. The best camera is the one you have with you, right?

The vanilla cabbage patch plant.

Cute

Roar

What does Terry want for Christmas?

Little Shea's

This tree looks like it has a face.

Lots of babies.

Mirror shot!

Not sure what this is, but it smelled weird.
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sina - 01/10/14 03:03
<3 <3 <3

tinypliny - 01/07/14 02:56
That Little Shea's thing is creepy.

Wonderful pics :)

12/30/2013 18:15 #58518

the Burning of the British
Category: buffalo

On my way home from work, I stopped at this huge bonfire I saw at Silo City. Today is the 200th anniversary of Buffalo being burned by the British. Today we're burning british stuff including a book of British royals. Sorry (e:mike).

I looked it up later and it's pretty crazy. When the British attacked, everyone in Buffalo and Black Rock tried to flee to Williamsville. Anone who stuck around got shot, including a Mrs. Lovejoy who insisted on staying to protect her dresses. They even came back on January 1st to shoot anyone who came back.

The story of the burning

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mike - 01/03/14 18:05
I guess that now makes us mortal enemies Robert!

Robert - 01/03/14 01:27
I was totally there! and i totally burned some princes di pics!

paul - 12/31/13 11:03
I can't even imagine the city being burned in the winter and then having to still survive.

mike - 12/30/13 23:45
Why would you ever burn a book of British Royals! there could be tons of useful stuff in there! I have a Princess Diana etiquette book on my desk at work and when anyone has a problem at work we check WWDD (what would diana do) and oddly enough there is an answer to everything in there...."my access query won't work and this report is due in fifteen minutes"....Princess diana says simple pearls are classic and timeless.... it seems like one wouldn't relate to the other but it somehow always helps