Chit Chat

By Ted Belman

From now on comments on every post must relate to the content of the post.

Comments that don’t relate to the post must go here.

Any person who contravenes this demand will be put on moderation. Also their offending comment will be trashed.

The reason for this demand is so that people who want to read comments which pertain to the post, don’t have to wade through the chatter.

Everyone will be happier.

April 16, 2020 | 7,781 Comments »

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50 Comments / 7781 Comments

  4. Thanks for the condolences, Edgar.

    Of course, death and misfortune strike us all. They certainly disrupt our schedules. My oldest brother-in-law (bother of my sister who just passed on) died in 2019, just a couple of months after his surviving brother suddenly died. A couple of months after his funeral, we held a family reunion at his house. While there, we visited old friends in the area, including one who had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer (He passed away a couple of months later). While there, the husband of my brother-in-law’s deceased sister died and was buried. Then we retuned home to the West Coast, and soon afterwards my sister’s oldest son died suddenly. A month later, one of her grandchildren died. I could go on and on, but there’s no point in it. During the past four years, the whole world’s been turned upside-down — even Canada, a place which most people knew only for hockey teams. Things change, and we adapt. Life goes on. Thank Hashem for life!

  5. TED-

    I just today came across an essay by H.G. Wells, which must have been written just before WW2. It was Headed “The future of the Jews.”

    It s a mixture of ignorance, anti-Zionism, pro Arab, and the same genteel anti-Semitism that has always pervaded Englsnd.
    It was quite long, but mentioned Germany and “Nazis” one time only.

    Generally very critical of the Jews, harping on “The Chosen Race”, that Jews felt they were better than anyone else. and brought their troubles on themselves by deliberate exclusivity. That the Arabs were far more Semitic than the Jews….and MORE.

    Disgusting for such a faresighted man.

    Reminded me in an obscure way of the Israeli Supreme Court and the Legal fraternity.

  6. MICHAEL-

    I am so sorry to hear of the passing of your loved and close family. I can understand to a certain extent about your sister, but a nephew, must have been young..In these days of medical miracles…??? Nothing worse than parents having to bury their children, nothing worse, I KNOW.

    My beloved parents buried my talented eldest brother age 16 1/2 , suddenly ill one day, gone the very next. Cerebral meningitis they called it, a cure became available 16 months later.. Then my baby brother 2 months later -age 6 months.
    Nothing worse, believe me. My sister told me they were walking around like zombies for 2 whole years, she even left school for those 2 years; then aged just 15 and in Secondary school.. How my wonderful parents managed I just don’t know. Because I had 2 other brothers and a sister. We all survived, but it was hard.

  7. Hello,
    I would like to recommend this article by Mr. Jerold Levoritz, from the American Thinker.
    https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2023/02/iran_israel_and_the_united_states_government.html

    No one offers a reasonable explanation for Biden begging Iran to rejoin the debunked, tawdry, ineffective, and cynical agreement to keep nuclear weapons out of Iranian hands, if just for a while. Israel keeps providing updates on how close the Iranians are to completing their weapons of mass destruction. The U.S. government “cooperates” with Israel, holding joint exercises, but keeps weapons out of Israel’s hands that could bring the Iranian project to a screeching halt — namely, bunker-busters and the means to deliver them.

    Speculation is rife, and facts are hard to come by. I have a theory about what’s going on, though.

  8. Thanks, Edgar. Many deaths lately, among close family and friends. My sister died on New Years Eve, and the funeral was just over a week later. My wife and I crossed the country on the train to attend. The night before returning home, we got together with my surviving nieces, and their husbands and children. Just a day after returning home, my niece called me to say that one of those in that group, my nephew, had died suddenly.

    This sort of thing has been going on for a few years now. I made a comment a few years ago, that there seemed to be a traffic jam on Jacob’s ladder, with so many loved ones coming and going on it. I’m reminded of the prophesy on the good king Hezekiah:

    2 Kings 20 (KJV):
    [16] And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.
    [17] Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house,and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.
    [18] And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
    [19] Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?

    I’m glad that those who have passed on, got to end their days among loved ones, in a time of peace.

    Tanna,, I’m glad the link I sent about the “civil war” in the Vatican was meaningful to you. I was surprized, at how much the Catholic Church mirrored what was going on in the world, right down to the detail of having its own “Deep State”.

  10. Michael S. Your Vatican post has truth to it. X priest told me of the sex corruption, within the last few months. the higher up you go the worse it gets. the pressure on him to engage in all the evil force him out after 20 years. If he had given in, he would have a blank check to money, women, boys, little girls and anything his heart desired.

  11. Thank you TED.

    I had not noticed them before, likely scrolled past because of the very plain format,

    An excellent idea; and the comments often add considerably to the articles themselves. Some very spirited discussions.

  13. @Edgar
    We are referring to the new feature on Israpundit which I have called “memorable”. I raised the question of whether “memorable was the right word. We were discussing other alternatives to that word.

    This new feature is to be found at the top of the middle column.

  14. PELONI-
    Thank you indeed, sincerely.
    I was not au fait with any details of your conversation. But I’m assuming the the “posts” referred to, are those of readers who sent in their comments. So please excuse my ignorance, if I’m on the wrong track.

    If that is so, then the headline already suggested by TED is most suitable.
    “Seminal”, has a distinct and also a general meaning, “Ground-breaking”, denotes a totally new and innovative potentially successful path.

    Using either of these headings, assuming again that the posts referred to are readers’ comments, it would be most explanatory to show, attached to each post the RESULT(S) which had earned such an encomium.
    If the post refer to Articles ther same thing applies, that important comments should be attacked as results of the articles. They would then include our readers who deserve it.

    From my uninformed position, they may be merely posts which impressed Ted particularly

    Just my opinion.

  15. @Edgar
    You know too well that there are no private conversations here and that your input is always of interest.

  18. @Ted
    Actually, I like ‘original’ too.

    I think the rotating list is great idea. You have plenty of very important articles to rotate thru and provide readers with a greater exposure of these essays.

  19. MICHAEL=

    Thank you kindly. You are of course, part of my Israpundit family and much appreciated, even for stirring up my combative spirit. We disagree only on one subject.

    I’m sorry to hear about the funerals, Inevitable, I hope friends and acquaintances rather than family members.

  20. @Peloni
    “Seminal” is interesting. What about “ground breaking” or “original”?
    These posts will remain for about a week and then I will replace with others. I have about 30 such posts t highlight.

  22. @Ted
    I think the word ‘seminal’ would be a better terminology. These writings are indeed memorable, but I believe that the word seminal would be more appropriate. Just my own thoughts, of course.

  27. SEBASTIEN-

    I’m sure you recall those “concerts” with Menuhin and Jack Benny. They were hilarious, to me anyhow, since Yehudi flowed effortlessly, with an exquisite tone, and poor old Jack was sawing away frantically, with a not surprisingly thin tone and the odd screech.,.

    Even a “tin ear” could tell the difference with ear plugs and eyes closed.

  28. TED, PELONI and not least READER, especially appreciated.

    I thank you all most sincerely. It reinforces a feeling of one family, united in Israpundit. Yes Ted, also die Yiddishe Shprache is haemish. Peloni, your connection of “wisdom to age” refreshes me. I sometimes feel I’m flagging, when it’s just laziness, and a dislike for research, combined with a reluctance to run ’round in circles -however wide. Or “reading between the lines”….
    And AgaIn, Honeybee and Sebastien.

    Now all I have to do is wait for the arrival of the presents. !!.

  33. @Edgar
    A very belated happy birthday to you! To boast another year older and wiser, as my dear grandmother always said, though many do prove that age and wisdom are not necessarily associated, but I would suggest that your example would prove my dear Nanni’s adage correct. Your wealth of knowledge and ready ability to draw so many distant straws together does provide an inspiration for others as to what can be done when applying a bit of learning, logic and critical thinking. I am very pleased to know you, and look forward to continuing to read your many delightful remembrances and reports for many years to come. L’chaim!

  34. Honeybee and Sebastien- (ladies first)

    I thank you both most sincerely for your Birthday Wishes for me.

    Sebastien, I recall a very dim, distorted video with much movement, was difficult to see. Perhaps that was what you refer to.

    1

  36. @Edgar Did you watch the three virtuoso violinists playing Paganini Caprice #24, the ultimate crazy difficult show piece, while keeping hula hoops spinning around their waists live on stage in front of a cheering audience?

    Didn’t know it was your birthday. How should I know? Happy Birthday.

    Yes, I grew up on Victor Borge and there’s lots of videos on Youtube. One of the greats.

    Also Sid Caesar

    https://youtu.be/U-1SBZJIrgg

    https://youtu.be/5OW7GoIl0T8

  37. @Edgar Did you watch the three virtuoso violinists playing Paganini Caprice #24, the ultimate crazy difficult show piece, while keeping hula hoops spinning around their waists live on stage in front of a cheering audience?

    Didn’t know it was your birthday. How should I know? Happy Birthday.

    Yes, I grew up on Victor Borge and there’s lots of videos on Youtube. One of the greats.

    Also Sid Caesar

    https://youtu.be/U-1SBZJIrgg

    https://youtu.be/5OW7GoIl0T8

  38. TED-

    It seems your “Cancel” does not work. You can see at the top that my post is duplicated.

    By the way, you didn’t send me birthday Greetings.

  39. SEBASTIEN-

    Well…..I’m glad I got SOMETHING right……..For musical comedy I vote for Victor Borge.

    Did you listen to McCormack’s “I Hear You Calling Me” yet. Just think …it was made in 1910 when recording was so primitive. They were still also using wax cylinders -I think..Just transitioning to the recording head on a tight piece of string.

    I’d like your opinion.

  40. SEBASTIEN-

    Well…..I’m glad I got SOMETHING right……..For musical comedy I vote for Victor Borge.

    Did you listen to McCormack’s “I Hear You Calling Me” yet. Just think …it was made in 1910 when recording was so primitive. They were still also using wax cylinders -I think..Just transitioning to the recording head on a tight piece of string.

    I’d really like your opinion.

  42. SEBASTIEN-

    This surprises me, because he does look rather like Heifitz in his 50s.. In fact I looked Heifitz up when you mentioned him, to confirm my thought that he was familiar. .

  44. @Edgar The whole thing was deliberately horrible and his students and accompanist were convulsed with laughter.

    There are many videos of him at his brilliant best. Here’s a famous one and Jewish.
    from the Movie, “They Shall Have Music” (1939)
    https://youtu.be/Mag2mc5Vva0

  45. SEBASTIEN-

    I thought he looked as if I should have known him. He certainly could play despite that faked first note. I mentioned both of these in my original post but figured it was too long so scrapped it. I’ve heard many of his records when young, from that collector friend already mentioned.

    He was actually a Mr. Breen , the caretaker of the Greenville Hall Shool . He used to let my friends (one was the chazan’s son, who of course knew him well) and I in to practice table tennis on our first teams’s good table, a Jacques.. We’d play sometimes well into the a.m, whilst he’d be listening to his records. When in a very good mood he’s invite us in to listen to them, so I heard very many of the top artists in history. My favourite tenor is John McCormack. His bell-like voice and complete control were unequalled. And of course , his “head voice”.

    Listen to his “I hear you calling me”.

    What I really wanted to post now was that I just heard Helen Traubel singing “Bill Bailey Won’t You Please Come Home”. Unbelievable -she made a poor job of it. I was looking for “Clayton, Jackson and Durante” who did by far the best version. (that’a Jimmy Durante, “Schnozzola”)

  47. Sputnik cigarettes I smoked imported cigarettes and tobaccos from all over the world in the East Village in 1978-9 including Soviet papirosis that came in a boc with a painting of the Sputnik rocket on the inside cover.

    “Belomorkanal (Russian: is a Russian brand of cigarettes, originally made by the Uritsky tobacco factory in Leningrad, Soviet Union.

    Belomorkanal

    Belmorkanal was introduced in 1932 to commemorate the construction of the White Sea–Baltic Canal, also known as the Belomorkanal.[1][2] Process engineer Vasily Iohanidi [ru] was the creator of its tobacco blend, and the pack drawing was made by Andrey Tarakanov.[3]

    Belomorkanal is a cigarette of specific design called in Russian papirosa different from usual cigarettes. Generally, the cigarette is without a filter. Belomorkanal is an example of one of the stages in the evolution of cigarettes: it is composed of a hollow cardboard tube extended by a thin cigarette paper tube with tobacco. The cardboard tube plays the role of a disposable cigarette holder. This method was abandoned by Western brands shortly after World War II. While smoking, the hollow part of the tube is usually compressed to make two separate perpendicular flat surfaces, for the sake of convenience. Belomorkanal are still produced in various post-Soviet republics, most notably in Russia, in Kamianets-Podilskyi (Ukraine), and in Hrodna (Belarus)”…

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belomorkanal

    1

  49. Hilarious. !! was waiting for all the dogs in the area to begin howling. Of course, all spoofed (except perhaps the first one).
    Not surprisingly, I didn’t recognise any of it. Are they “real” pieces??

    A collector friend had a record of Gigli in which he was singing a half tone lower than the accompaniment. It was issued before it was noticed.

    Also there was a period where Crosby in later life, was singing off key, (mostly flat) as if his “ear” had gone, and it was not withdrawn. Then he seemed to regain proper pitch control, or there was massive electronics juggling.