Thursday, June 30, 2011

Illusions!!! WOW!!! and all Beginnings are difficult

All Beginnings Are Difficult

If you wish to become a bible scholar and find it difficult to study, do not become discouraged and feel ready to quit. All beginnings are difficult, but there is nothing that stands in the way when you have a strong will to accomplish. The essential thing is to be sincerely resolved to be successful.


I am sure the illusionist in the video below didn't learn to do this overnight..Warning for some of you, his assistants have the standard small female costumes if this offends you.
Love Yehuda


 
 








  

  

               Ten Illusions in Five Minutes.  
  

I have never watched anything like this before.

You will not be disappointed, and you may watch it more than once.   

Truly amazing illusionist.

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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

The new Andrew Klavan''s Middle East Video: and an impartial Muslim visits Israel


On a trip to Israel, a Muslim journalist sees firsthand a litany of lies.

As I boarded EL AL flight LY 0008 for Tel Aviv on November 14, 2005 with my wife, Kiran, my mind was busy arranging and re-arranging the list of things I intended to accomplish. I wanted to use my first visit to Israel to feel the strength of the Jewish spirit that refuses to give in to evil forces despite thousand of years of anti-Semitism. It was not Israel's suicidal sacrifices that I wanted to investigate but the foundations of Israeli determination to live in peace.

There are many things that I wanted to talk about with Israelis, the foremost among them being their reluctance to do something about the bad press that continues to paint them as villains. Although I understand why the media, which reasonably covers most events accurately, chooses to ignore all rules of ethical journalism when it comes to Israel, I could not fathom Israel's reluctance to challenge the negative press effectively. Media bias against Israel reminded me of the Nazi era German press that was recruited by Hitler's Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels who picked up every hate-laden word against the Jews. Just like the German press who refused to print the truth about the gruesome atrocities in Europe's death camps - or claimed that it was all an exaggeration, the media today also ignores the Arab terrorism. I wanted to see if there was any truth in the media allegations that Israel was an apartheid state, undemocratic and discriminatory.

I knew that a true Jewish State could not be undemocratic since democratic concepts were always a part of Jewish thinking and derived directly from the Torah. For instance when in the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson wrote that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, he was basically referring to Torah that said that all men are created in the image of God. I was confident that Israel cannot be racist or discriminatory since it is based on the idea of the covenant between God and the Israelites, in which both parties accepted upon themselves duties and obligations underlining the fact that power is established through the consent of both sides rather than through tyranny by the more powerful party.

My understanding of the Jewish State was confirmed when the entry form that I needed to fill before landing in Tel Aviv did not ask for my religion as is the law in Pakistan. Also, unlike Saudi Arabia, no one in Israeli immigration demanded from me any certificate of religion.

As the El Al approached the Promised Land, I continued to shuffle the list of charges made routinely against Israel by its enemies.

Israelis live in a perpetual state of fear.
Israel is undemocratic.
Muslim Arab citizens of Israel do not have equal rights

Israelis live in a perpetual state of fear:

From Tel Aviv to Tiberias, Jerusalem to Jezreel, and from Golan heights to the Gaza border, I could not find any evidence of fear. In fact the people felt so secure that none of the stores, gas stations, market places, or residences we went to, and where it was known that we were Muslims, deemed it necessary to either search or interrogate us. Especially when Kiran and I went to the Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem one evening, we found it bursting at its seams with people of all ages. The ground was shaking with music and young boys and girls were so busy having fun that they did not bother to even look around. Tourists were busy making deals and the whole crowd seemed to throb with the beat of the music.

I could not help but compare Israel's sense of security with the environment of insecurity that exists in Muslim countries. From Indonesia to Iran and from Afghanistan to Saudi Arabia, people are not sure of anything. In Pakistan's capital Islamabad, and the port city of Karachi, I was constantly advised not to make big purchases publicly for it encourages robbers to come after you. I did not hear news of any rape, honor killing or hold-up in Israel.

Israel is undemocratic:

As a Muslim I am much more sensitive to the absence of democratic freedoms in any society. And I do not believe that anyone but a committed anti-Semite will deny that Israel is not a democracy. Democracy in Israel is proportional and representative, but democratic coalitions, necessary in order to effect any decision making also have its problems.

The very first day in Caesarea introduced us to the Israeli democracy. The air was full of political debate and discussion. Ariel Sharon's decision to leave the Likud and form a new political party dominated the hotel halls and underlined the problems caused by the necessity of having democratic coalitions. "The object of a free and democratic Israeli society is to reach satisfactory compromise but often the conclusions are less than satisfactory -- especially for the majority. It involves coalitions and unity which are also checks and balances on any potential abuse of minority rights. It is a better system than the American representative Republican system -- which is really a representation of power and special interests. In the U.S. you get a democracy for the few. In Israel you have a democracy for everyone."

I tried very hard to find any Muslim state that has true democracy and where religious minorities are accorded equal democratic rights, but failed. The map of the Muslim world is too crowded with kings, despots, dictators, sham democrats and theocratic autocrats and the persecution of minorities is an essential part of Islamist social behavior. But here, protected by Israel's democratic principles, the Muslim Arab citizens of Israel are afforded all the rights and privileges of Israeli citizenship. When the first elections to the Knesset were held in February 1949, Israeli Arabs were given the right to vote and to be elected along with Israeli Jews. Today, Israel's Arab citizens are accorded full civil and political rights entitled to complete participation in Israeli society. They are active in Israeli social, political and civic life and enjoy representation in Israel's Parliament, Foreign Service and judicial system.

The Israeli faith in democracy also explains their refusal to respond to Islamist terrorism in violent ways. Despite my being aware of the human weaknesses which allow anger to subjugate the best of intentions, I could not find Israelis acting in vengeance against their Arab compatriots. My experience as a Muslim was also instrumental in expecting the worst in human behavior; Muslims under the influence of radical Islam have been unleashing their terror against non-Muslims even when the charges of anti-Muslim offenses were determined to be false.

I thought that it requires a superhuman effort to ignore the atrocities meted out to you and remain free of vengeful emotions. In my experience of Muslim societies, minorities have never been allowed the benefit of the doubt. Hatred of non-Muslims and outbursts of violence against minority faiths among radical Islamists have remained a norm rather than an exception. As a non-Wahhabi Muslim I have personally faced their barbarism and have watched Christians, Hindus and other minorities being persecuted on false pretenses. I thought that if Wahhabis in Saudi Arabia can sentence a teacher to 40 months in jail and 750 lashes just for praising Jews, it will not be unreasonable on the part of Israelis to punish Palestinians for throwing stones at worshippers at the Western Wall and burning down the tomb of Joseph.

But even in this section, Israelis have proved the world wrong. Despite daily provocations, they have managed successfully not to descend to the same level of depravity as their Arab enemies. The world is used to daily violence that is unleashed against religious minorities in the Muslim world. Only a couple of days ago the Muslim faithful in Pakistan had broken through the walls of a Church, torching and tearing open its doors. They were reacting to a rumor that a Christian had desecrated their holy book, the Quran. They smashed the marble altar of the Holy Spirit Church and shattered its stained glass windows. They torched a Christian residence and the neighboring St. Anthony's Girls School. Within moments flames were licking the walls and black smoke filled the sky. For days the Wahhabi clerics kept on calling their Muslim followers to come out from their houses and defend their faith by unleashing a reign of terror against Christians.

I wondered if an Israeli may someday find it justified to copy what Wahhabis have been doing in Iraq and other places -- abducting, murdering and beheading "infidels". Most recently, the body of a Hindu driver, Maniappan Raman Kutty, was found with his throat slashed in southern Afghanistan for no evident reason but his faith.

But there was nothing in history that could have substantiated my fears; Jews, despite being subjected to the most barbaric acts of terrorism have yet to react in vengeance against their perpetrators. And I concluded that my first visit to Israel will help me in untangling the knot of Israel's insistence on continuing to remain a target of Islamist terror.

Muslim Arab citizen of Israel do not have equal rights:

As our air-conditioned bus negotiated the mountainous curves of the road to the heart of Galilee, I could not miss the rising minarets identifying a number of Palestinian Arab towns dotting the hillsides. The imposing domes of mosques underlined the freedoms that are enjoyed by the Muslims in the Jewish State. Large Arab residences, wide spread construction activity and big cars underlined the prosperity and affluence of Palestinians living under the Star of David.

On my way from the city of David to the Royal Prima hotel in Jerusalem, I asked my Palestinian taxi driver how he feels about moving to the territories under Palestinian Authority. He said that he could never think of living outside Israel. His answer blasted the myth spread by anti-Semites that Israel's Arab citizens are not happy there.

Another Israeli Arab informed me that Arabs in Israel have equal voting rights. In fact, Israel is one of the few countries in the Middle East where Arab women can vote. In contrast to the non-Israeli Arab world, Arab women in Israel enjoy the same status as men. Muslim women have the right to vote and to be elected to public office. Muslim women, in fact are more liberated in Israel than in any Muslim country. Israeli law prohibits polygamy, child marriage, and the barbarity of female sexual mutilation.

Moreover, I found out that there are no incidences of honor killings in Israel. The status of Muslim women in Israel is far above that of any country in the region. Israeli health standards are by far the highest in the Middle East and Israeli health institutions are freely open to all Arabs, on the same basis as they are to Jews.

Arabic, like Hebrew, is an official language in Israel and underlines the tolerant nature of the Jewish State. All the street signs call out their names in Arabic alongside Hebrew. It is official policy of the Israeli government to foster the language, culture, and traditions of the Arab minority, in the educational system and in daily life. Israel's Arabic press is the most vibrant and independent of any country in the region. There are more than 20 Arabic periodicals. They publish what they please, subject only to the same military censorship as Jewish publications. There are daily TV and radio programs in Arabic.

Arabic is taught in Jewish secondary schools. More than 350,000 Arab children attend Israeli schools. At the time of Israel's founding, there was one Arab high school in the country. Today, there are hundreds of Arab schools. Israeli universities are renowned centers of learning in the history and literature of the Arab Middle East.

Aware of the constraints that a non-Wahhabi is faced with while performing religious rituals in Saudi Arabia, Kiran (my wife) could not hide her surprise at the freedoms and ease with which peoples of all religions and faiths were carrying out their religious obligations at the Church of the holy Sepulcher, Garden Tomb, Sea of Galilee, newly discovered Western Wall Tunnels, Western Wall, tomb of King David and all the other holy places we visited.

All religious communities in Israel enjoy the full protection of the State. Israeli Arabs --Muslims, as well as many Christian denominations -- are free to exercise their faiths, to observe their own weekly day of rest and holidays and to administer their own internal affairs. Some 80,000 Druze live in 22 villages in northern Israel. Their religion is not accessible to outsiders and Druze constitute a separate cultural, social and religious Arabic-speaking community. The Druze concept of taqiyya calls for complete loyalty by its adherents to the government of the country in which they reside. As such, among other things, the Druze serve in the Israel Defense Forces. Each religious community in Israel has its own religious councils and courts, and has full jurisdiction over religious affairs, including matters of personal status, such as marriage and divorce. The holy sites of all religions are administered by their own authorities and protected by the government.

A Hindu journalist who came to visit me talked about the openness that Jewish society represents. He told me that more than 20% of the Israeli population is non-Jewish of which approximately 1.2 million are Muslims, 140,000 are Christians and 100, 000 are Druze. Another non-Jewish Israeli told me that Christians and Druze are free to join even the defense forces of the Jewish State. Bedouins have served in paratroops units and other Arabs have volunteered for military duty.

The big houses owned by Arab Israelis and the amount of construction that was going on in the Arab towns exposed the falsity of propaganda that Israel discriminates against Israeli Arabs from buying lands. I found out that in the early part of the century, the Jewish National Fund was established by the World Zionist Congress to purchase land in Palestine for Jewish settlement. Of the total area of Israel, 92 percent belongs to the State and is managed by the Land Management Authority. It is not for sale to anyone, Jew or Arab.

The Arab Waqf owns land that is for the express use and benefit of Muslim Arabs. Government land can be leased by anyone, regardless of race, religion or sex. All Arab citizens of Israel are eligible to lease government land.

I asked three Israeli Arabs if they face discrimination in employment. They all said the same thing; normally there is no discrimination but whenever homicide bombers explode and murder Israelis, some Israelis feel uncomfortable dealing with them. But that uncomfortable feeling is also very temporary and does not stay for long.

My first visit to Israel has not only consolidated my belief that Israel is vital for the stability of the region but has also convinced me that the existence of Israel will one day convince the Muslims of the necessity of reformation in their theology as well as sociology.

A journey through the Israeli desert brought another important aspect of life to light; Prophets are not the only ones who can perform miracles -- people who believe in themselves can also perform unbelievable acts. Acres and acres of sand dunes have been transformed into the best possible fertile land; Wheat, Cotton, Sunflowers, Chickpeas, Groundnuts (Peanuts), Mangoes, Avocados, Citrus, Papayas, bananas and any other fruit and vegetable that Israelis want to consume is grown within Israel. In fact, Israelis have proved beyond any doubt why God promised them this land - only they could keep it green.

The land is described repeatedly in the Torah as a good land and "a land flowing with milk and honey". This description may not seem to fit well with the desert images we see on the nightly news, but let's keep in mind that the land was repeatedly abused by conquerors that were determined to make the land uninhabitable for the Jews. In the few decades since the Jewish people regained control of the land, tremendous improvement in its agriculture has been witnessed. Israeli agriculture today has a very high yield. Agriculture in Israel is very effective, and is able to cover about 75% of domestic needs, despite the limited land available.

Looking at the development and transformation that the land has gone through because of the Jewish innovative spirit, hard labor and commitment to freedoms for all times to come, I am convinced that it is true that God created this earth but it is also a fact that only an Israel can keep this earth from dying.

Courtesy of Muslim World Today

Love Yehuda


See video below--what if the whole middle east was run by Israel







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Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Shingles and follow Health Instructions

Follow Health Instructions


A famous physician used to relate that in his entire career of treating thousands of patients, he had only one patient who followed his instructions exactly without deviation. The patient was the great sage, Rabbi Yisroel Salanter -- because he regarded doctor's orders as the fulfillment of the Torah obligation to guard one's health.

Someone once came to Rabbi Salanter's room and found him perusing a medical guide to exercise. He had the book open and did every exercise exactly as described -- since the doctor had advised him to do so.

The gentlemen below also followed instructions!!

Love Yehuda











 

WHY OUR HEALTH CARE COSTS ARE SO HIGH!!!



Bubba had shingles.
Those of us who spend much time in a doctor's office should appreciate this! Doesn't it seem more and more that physicians are running their practices like an assembly line?

Here's what happened to Bubba:


Bubba walked into a doctor's office and the receptionist asked him what he had. Bubba said: 'Shingles.' So she wrote down his name, address, medical insurance number and told him to have a seat.


Fifteen minutes later a nurse's aide came out and asked Bubba what he had....
Bubba said, 'Shingles.' So she wrote down his height, weight, a complete medical history and told Bubba to wait in the examining room.


A half hour later a nurse came in and asked Bubba what he had. Bubba said, 'Shingles..' So the nurse gave Bubba a blood test, a blood pressure test, an electrocardiogram, and told Bubba to take off all his clothes and wait for the doctor.




An hour later the doctor came in and found Bubba sitting patiently in the nude and asked Bubba what he had.



Bubba said, 'Shingles.' The doctor asked, 'Where?'
Bubba said, 'Outside on the truck. Where do you want me to unload'em??'



 

 

 






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Monday, June 27, 2011

Layman's 10 Commandments and do good, despite mixed motives

Do Good, Despite Mixed Motives

At times a person might feel guilty about his lack of elevated motivations when doing good deeds. But the Sages state that we should engage in bible study and the fulfillment of good deeds even if we lack pure motivation -- since it will ultimately lead to our doing good deeds with more pure motivation.

Moreover, Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin wrote: It is impossible for a person to reach the level of doing good with entirely pure intentions without starting with mixed motives. This is analogous to a king who ordered his servant to go to the attic. The king will not be angry with his servant for not jumping from the ground to the attic in one leap. He knows it is impossible to go up without taking the ladder step by step.

Similarly, in bible study and the performing of good deeds, it is necessary to start with various motivations until one reaches pure motivations.


Love Yehuda




 

Layman's 10 Commandments :

1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs you on the right path throughout every day.

2] Why is a Car's WINDSHIELD so large & the Rear view Mirror so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. So, Look Ahead and Move on.

3] Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.

4] All things in life are temporary. If going well, enjoy it; it won't last forever. If going wrong, don't worry; it can't last long either.

5] Old Friends are Gold! New Friends are Diamond! If you get a Diamond, don't forget the Gold! To hold a Diamond, you always need a Base of Gold!

6] Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, G-D smiles from above and says, "Relax, sweetheart, it's just a bend, not the end!"

7] When G-D solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when G-D doesn't solve your problems HE has faith in your abilities.

8] A blind person asked a Sage: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"

9] When you pray for others, G-d listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.

10] WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES, it takes away today's PEACE.

 




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Sunday, June 26, 2011

Wooden ball plays Bach and Anger is only for show


Anger Is Only For Show



Maimonides (one of great sages also called the Rambam lived around 1150) wrote that the correct path is "moderation in all character traits."

As regards to anger, he writes: "Do not be hot-tempered and easy to anger, nor like a corpse without feelings. Rather show anger only over important matters in order to prevent others from behaving wrongly on future occasions... Even when you have a practical, constructive reason for getting angry, only appear as if you are angry, but inwardly remain calm."

Love Yehuda

Try this for a big smile:


A tiny rolling wooden ball plays Bach:




Friday, June 24, 2011

What is this made of? And Viewing Misfortune as Good

Viewing Misfortune As Good


The Sages (in the Talmud Brachos 54a) says that a person is obligated to bless the Almighty for misfortune with the same joy as when one blesses for good fortune. How is it possible to fulfill this obligation?"

This question was put  to Rabbi Zushe who was extremely poor and lacked even basic necessities. Though he had many difficulties in his life, he was always happy. They went to the study hall where they found Rabbi Zushe, and asked him if  he would explain how it is possible to bless the Almighty with joy over misfortune.

"I'm surprised that our Rabbi sent you to me about this," replied Rabbi Zushe. "You should rather ask someone who suffered some misfortune in his life. I have never experienced anything bad in my life. Only good things have happened to me."


Love Yehuda

Attached is an example of garbage turned into art, showing that good is in the eye of the beholder!!




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Thursday, June 23, 2011

Jerusalem Light festival on June 15th with some pictures of lunar eclipse and respond to aruguments with honest humility








Respond To Arguments With Honest Humility



Respond to the outbursts of others with humility. Agree with any truth you see in their statement. By agreeing with part of the person's comments, you are likely to calm him down. ("Yes, I was inconsiderate." "I agree with you that I can improve." "That was a stupid thing I did.")

Conversely, when you try to defend yourself, an angry person will usually keep up his attack. Arguing with him adds fuel to the fire. When you agree with him, however, he will see that he has no reason to keep arguing since you already agree with him. Some people find this difficult to do, but try this a few times, and you will see that it works wonders.


Love Yehuda

This video is from a friend of a friend who went to a light festival in Jerusalem on June 15, 2011 that also was the night of a lunar eclipse also on the video


http://www.jr.co.il/videos/jerusalem-light-festival.htm

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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Bureaucracy short video--the way it really is and the True goals of communication

Goals Of Communication


An important rule in communicating with others is anticipating how the other person will react. Keep asking yourself, "What is my present goal in what I'm saying?"

Be flexible. If your first approach does not get desired results, try another approach. For example, if you are trying to calm someone and what you say increases his anger, try saying something else or speaking in a different tone of voice.

When one strategy doesn't work, try another. This sounds obvious, but it's amazing how often this simple rule is violated. People tend to continue the familiar even when it does not bring them their desired results.

In communicating with another person always keep your goal in mind and ask yourself, "Am I getting closer or further away from my goal?"

The young lady in the attached video knew her goals!!






Subject: Bureaucracy short video




This is a Spanish short film about    Bureaucracy........ Subtitles included
Same all around the world.....


















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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

The Fur Coat-----must see and enter People's realty and our Hike on Father's Day

A Father's day hike up Cowels Mountain on Father's Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3kaEnzSZN4


Enter People's Reality


Enter the reality of other people. Put yourself in their shoes. See life through their lenses. This leads to a sense of identification and oneness, and is literally the fulfillment of the mitzvah to "love others as yourself."

Of course, if someone's reality is counterproductive, don't stay there for too long! And the same applies to your own. You can't always change your external reality, but you do have the power to upgrade your internal reality.

Think of someone you have a difficult time understanding or being empathic with. The next time you talk to that person, try to enter his reality and see the difference.

Love Yehuda



Subject: Fwd: The Fur Coat-----must see

 

 
You won't believe this one...and I bet you watch it more than once!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




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Monday, June 20, 2011

China ( talent and discipline ) and all for one and one for all







All For One or One For All


Some people need your help only once in a while. Others will need your help over and over again.

Each act of kindness is a separate entity of immense value. If you do 100 acts of kindness, these produce 100 sources of light -- whether they were done to help 100 different people or the same person

Love Yehuda


Kindergarten class... Simply awesome..

 

 

 



 




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Sunday, June 19, 2011

Happy Fathers' Day -- The 12 Best Movies About Fatherhood and one of great great thinkers Rabbi Steinsaltz view on the current anti-Semitic controversy

On this Father's Day, I bring two thoughts that might seem disconnected, but the obligation of circumcising your son is on the Father, so on this Father's Day I bring one of our threat thinkers  (Rabbi Steinsaltz) thoughts on the current anti-Semitic controversy on Circumcision and a secular summary of 12 movies about Fatherhood.

Propaganda against circumcision is neither new nor altruistic. Its periodic manifestations seem to stem from the psychological issues of its disseminators.
The ancient Greeks and Romans considered circumcision to be un-aesthetic. In the Roman Empire, circumcision (except for Jews) was a capital crime. Whatever their reasons, they at least did not purport to disapprove on bogus medical or moral grounds.

In particular, the idea that circumcision can be compared on any level to the genital mutilation of women is simply delusional. Meanwhile, circumcision's benefits include reducing the risk of HIV infection by about 60%.

Likewise, the notion that parents do not have any right over "someone else's body" is obviously not correct. Parental authority is well established, from piercing toddlers' ears, to deciding whether children will be born at all.

On the other hand, the religious importance of circumcision for Muslims and Jews is very great. Jews consider circumcision to be "the covenant of the flesh," a very important religious and mystical tie of the people with the Lord.

In the United States Approximately 55% to 65% of all newborn boys are circumcised regardless of religion. Yet of course in the current controversy the JEWS are drawn as the blood suckers....Purely the usual anti-Semitic drivel.


img fail


Love Yehuda



12 Best Movies About Fatherhood



A man's relationship with his father is one of the most important relationships in his life. Dad is supposed to teach us the manly arts, to always be there as lifelong mentors who lovingly guide us into manhood. At least that's what every boy hopes for. Of course in real life the relationship between father and son is rarely so simple. A son yearns for the love and respect of his dad and doesn't always get it. Or he worships his father, only to find out later he wasn't such a good guy. Or his dad is indeed the real deal, but he exits his son's life too soon.

It's no wonder that a relationship so fraught with hope and yearning, drama and resentment, joy and regret has often translated into cinematic gold. Men don't typically cry at movies, but when we do, nine times out of ten the scene involves a father and his kids. Father-themed flicks are guaranteed to make us laugh, get misty-eyed, and feel a little introspective about our own dads, and if we have kids ourselves, how we measure up as fathers.

Father's Day is this Sunday, so we thought it would be appropriate to highlight some of the very best movies about fatherhood that the world of cinema has to offer.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Atticus Finch is the man. Pillar of integrity, fighter of racial injustice, humble sharpshooter, and, of course, world's greatest dad. As a widower he could have shipped his kids off to a relative, but he was absolutely devoted to them. He was kind, protective, and incredibly patient with his two kids, Jem and Scout. And most importantly, he taught his children by example. I find the relationship between Atticus and his daughter to be particularly endearing. If I ever have a daughter, I hope my relationship with her can be like the one Atticus had with his little girl. No wonder the American Film Institute called Atticus the "greatest movie hero of the 20th century."

Of course you can't top the book itself, but the film version measures up pretty well. Gregory Peck was given some very large shoes to fill, and he did so admirably.

Big Fish

Big Fish is a weird movie. Weird in a good way, though. It was directed by Tim Burton, hence the weirdness. Big Fish focuses on the strained relationship between a father and son–Ed and Will Bloom. Ed is a man who loves to tell (possibly fictitious) stories about his past. Ed's son, Will, thinks his dad is full of it and can't stand his tall tales. Will feels he cannot trust his father and eventually stops talking to him for several years. But when Will finds out his dad is dying, he returns home to begin a journey that will lead him to learn who is father really is, a process that allows him to come to peace with his dad.

The end of Big Fish is awesome. I won't spoil it for you. Watch it.

The Godfather

At its core, The Godfather is about one man's struggle to accept and eventually live up to the legacy his father has left him (even if that legacy isn't the most noble and honorable one). You can gleam a lot of great insights about fatherhood from watching the entire trilogy. My favorite comes from Don Corleone: "A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man."

Be a man. Spend some time with those kiddos. And don't forget the cannoli.

Field of Dreams

To what lengths would a man go for a chance at reconciliation? If it's for your (dead) father, most of us would do anything. As a young man, Ray Kinsella had a strained relationship with his dad and had once refused to play catch with him, a decision he has regretted ever since. Now grown up, with his father passed away, Ray has become an Iowa farmer. A voice tells him, "If you build it, he will come," and Ray obeys by building a baseball diamond in his cornfield. The voice continues to guide Ray, and after a series of mysterious and supernatural events, he is able to make amends by playing a simple game of catch with his dead father. Man. That catch scene gets me every time.

Father of the Bride

It's the moment any man with a daughter looks forward to with both happiness and sadness: his little girl's wedding. You've probably seen the 1991 re-make of Father of the Bride with Steve Martin. Sure, it's funny, but it's nowhere near as good as the 1950 original starring Spencer Tracy and a young and beautiful Elizabeth Taylor. At least, I don't think so. There's nothing profound or deep about this film. It's just a fun, family comedy about the relationship between a man and his daughter. Spencer Tracy rocks it in this movie. One of his best performances.

Road to Perdition

As we mentioned in the introduction, sometimes the relationship between father and son can be pretty complicated. That complexity is at the root of the dark, Depression-era gangster film, Road to Perdition. Every boy wants to grow up to be like his dad, but what if your dad isn't such a good guy? Tom Hanks plays mob bodyguard and hitman, Michael Sullivan, who must protect his son from his former boss (with whom he had his own almost father/son relationship) and his boss' son, who has killed the rest of Sullivan's family. On a mission of revenge, Sullivan draws his son into a life of crime, but hopes he will take a different path in life. It's a bloody, complicated, and father/son relationship-packed movie; as Hanks puts it, "If you're a man, and you've got offspring…emotionally, it's devastating."

The Pursuit of Happyness

An uplifting film based on the true story of now multi-millionaire Chris Gardner's one-year struggle with homelessness while raising his son by himself and working to land a full-time job. The Pursuit of Happyness shows the lengths a father will go for his children. What makes this movie even more emotionally captivating is that Chris Gardner and his son, little Chris, are played by real-life father and son, Will and Jaden Smith.

Parenthood

If you're a fan of the ABC television comedy, Parenthood, then watch the movie that inspired the show. Like the show, Parenthood the movie focuses on different branch-offs of the same family. And like the show, the movie does a good job showcasing the (often humorous) struggles of being a parent in our crazy modern world. While it's an ensemble film, Steve Martin's character Gil Buckman takes center stage. Gil's a father who's driven to be the best dad he can be because of his dissatisfaction with his own childhood. Gil's earnestness to be a good dad often crosses the line into neuroticism, but during the course of the film he learns to mellow out.

I really like this film (and the show). Unlike a lot of comedies built on outrageous setups and low-brow gags, Parenthood tries to stay as true to real life as possible. When you watch it, you laugh because you can relate with the characters and their problems.

Boyz 'N the Hood

Laurence Fishburne plays Furious Styles (what an awesome name), a hard-nosed father trying to raise his rebellious son, Tre, on the mean streets of Los Angeles. Furious gives his son plenty of tough love but also provides him a good example of what it means to be a father, and more importantly, a good man. Boyz 'N the Hood teaches us that there's nothing like the influence of a father to mold a boy into a man who does the right thing.

Finding Nemo

A movie about fatherhood that you can watch with your kids. Marlin's a widower father who loses his wife and 400 of his children (he's a fish) in a vicious barracuda attack. His only child to survive is Nemo, a headstrong little clown fish who's frustrated by his father's neurotic over-protectiveness. Despite Marlin's best efforts to look out for Nemo, he gets lost and the rest of the movie is dedicated to, well, finding Nemo. Marlin's love for his son transcends species. Even us human dads can relate to this computer-animated fish.

Note: Esquire recently published a great article about John Lasseter, the head of Pixar, that illuminates why Pixar's movies tend to focus on the relationship between father and son (Lasseter has five boys himself). Check it out.

Paper Moon

Starring real-life dad and daughter, Ryan and Tatum O'Neil, Paper Moon follows Moses and Addie Pray, a father-daughter duo who grift in Depression-Era Kansas. Moses isn't really an ideal father-figure. He scams old widows out of money by pretending to be a Bible salesman who recently sold their deceased husband an expensive, personalized Bible. But the daddy-daughter relationship between Moses and Addie is awfully charming. Paper Moon is a fun, comedy-filled movie that you can watch with your own little partner-in-crime.

My Life

When I do these "Best of" posts, I usually don't put the films or books in any particular order, but in this case I saved the best for last.  My Life is perhaps the best and most underrated movie about fatherhood ever made. Michael Keaton plays Bob Ivanovich, a man who discovers that he has terminal cancer soon after his wife gets pregnant. Knowing he won't be around to raise his little boy, Bob makes home movies of himself that his son can watch as he grows up. In some of the videos, Bob reads bedtime stories and in others, which will be shown when his son is older, Bob teaches important man skills like how to shave and how to shake hands. As Bob approaches his death, he also begins to reconcile with his own father, with whom he has had a strained relationship.

Be warned, this movie is a tear-jerker. It's Beaches for men. It's the first movie I ever saw make my dad cry, and he wasn't an emotional guy when I was growing up. I honestly get all teary-eyed just thinking about Bob's little boy watching his dead father read him a bedtime story.

Ever since Gus came into my life, I keep thinking about this movie. What lessons would I impart to my boy from beyond the grave? And then I start thinking about how sad I'd be knowing that I'd miss out on big events in his life: his first day at school, his first shave, his first date, etc. Makes me want to treasure my moments with him even more. Man, I'm getting all misty eyed… Excuse me…




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Friday, June 17, 2011

A City made of Toothpicks and show some compassion








Show Some Compassion



When you are compassionate, you are emulating the Almighty.

Today, think of someone who would benefit from your compassion and express it as soon as possible.


Love Yehuda


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilingsmilers/join

































 



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Thursday, June 16, 2011

Korea's Got Talent-Great Story and Courage is a state

Courage is a State


Courage is a state. You don't have to be a person who feels courageous all the time in order to speak and act with courage. You can be in a joyous state for a few minutes, even if you aren't always joyous. You can be in a serene state for a while, even if you aren't always serene. You can be in a centered and balanced state, even if you aren't always this way. The same applies to courage.

We all have the ability to access a state of courage. At times we might find this easy, and at times it could be difficult. The more times you practice accessing courage, the easier it will become -- even in situations where you previously weren't able to do so.

Love Yehuda

speaking of courage, the audience certainty feels this boy has courage



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Wednesday, June 15, 2011

A Butterfly lesson and Experience is an Antidote to Fear

Experience is an Antidote to Fear


Experience is a great antidote to fear. If you are afraid to do something and you actually do it a number of times, it gets easier.
When you do something by acting "as if" you had the courage to do it, the actual experiences automatically build up your knowledge
that you can do that thing you previously feared to do.




Love Yehuda


 

 

 





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Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Solar Flare Up caught on video.and You control your reaction





You Control Your Reaction



You do not have complete control over anyone else. But you do have a strong degree of control over your reaction to any given situation.

Knowing this will improve your skill of thinking instead of reacting emotionally. The more confident you are that you can control a situation using wisdom, the less chance you will lose your temper.




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Monday, June 13, 2011

The Okinawa Churami Auarium and Listing what you have and the re dedication of House of Israel in San Diego 06/12/11

On Sunday I was there for the re-dedication ceremony in balboa park in San Diego of the local display of culture from around the world. Many countries have a small display with tourism displays. The display from Israel was redone with a mezussah (biblical required verses for blessings) ceremony.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC6A5kvH6KU

Listing What You Have


Internalize the attitude that regardless of how many things you do not have, you can still be happy if you keep your focus on what you do have. Make a list of possessions, talents, and good qualities you have and whenever you catch yourself becoming obsessed with something you lack, review your list.


Focus on what you have, not on what you don't!!


Love Yehuda


Enjoy this film of the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, located within the Ocean Expo Commemorative National Government Park in Okinawa, Japan. It welcomed its 20 millionth visitor on 30 March 2010 and is a member of the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA)

The aquarium is a part of the Ocean Expo Commemorative National Government Park located in Motobu, Okinawa. The aquarium is made up of four floors, with tanks containing deep sea creatures, sharks, coral and tropical fish. The aquarium is set on 19,000 m² of land, with a total of 77 tanks containing 10,000 m³ of water. Water for the saltwater exhibits is pumped into the aquarium from a source 350m offshore, 24 hours a day.

The main tank, called the Kuroshio Sea, holds 7,500 cubic metres (1,981,000 USgal) of water and features an acrylic glass panel measuring 8.2 by 22.5 metres (27 by 74 ft) with a thickness of 60 centimetres (24 in), the largest such panel in the world when the aquarium was opened. Whale sharks and manta rays are kept alongside many other fish species in the main tank.[1] The first manta ray birth at the aquarium was in 2007. As of July 2010, there have been a total of four manta rays born in the aquarium.

The aquarium holds 80 species of coral. It is one of only a few aquariums that keeps whale sharks in captivity, and is currently trying to breed them.




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Sunday, June 12, 2011

Historic PHOTOS BY A RUSSIAN PHOTOGRAPHER ....and the right comparison and Nuremberg, the Documentary movie

Last night I saw the documentary called NUREMBERG, its Lesson for Today. It is a restoration of the official 1948 Us Department of War movie that was widely shown in Germany but banned in the United States. It is billed as the Greatest courtroom drama in history and shown in  the 2010  New York, Berlin, and Jerusalem film Festivals. It has limited engagement, but see in your city if you can.  It will be in San Diego until Thursday and there is website WWW.Nurembergfilm.org.  Very powerful.  It is being shown at the Ken theater. Don't miss it if you can


The Right Comparison


A person can potentially use comparisons to mess up his life. For example, a person can go to the most elegant restaurant which employs the greatest chef. He can order the most expensive food. Then for the rest of his life he can say about any other meal, "This isn't as good as the meal I once had in that five-star restaurant."

I recently related this example to a group of tourists. They laughed. And then one spoke up and said, "I just realized that I do this all the time. Just last night at the fancy hotel we were staying at, my first comment after the meal was, 'This wasn't as good as the food I ate at another restaurant five years ago.' I didn't realize how foolish this response is."

Our patterns of comparisons will either be a way we prevent ourselves from enjoying what we have, or a way by which we gain a greater sense of appreciation. A sage once said, "In spiritual matters look up and raise your sights. But when it comes to material and physical matters look down." That is, in spiritual matters keep looking for role models to motivate yourself to reach higher and higher levels. But when it comes to appreciating your possessions and your financial situation, look at those who have less than you and gain a greater sense of appreciation for what you have.


Love Yehuda

 

        These are amazing!!

These are wonderfully interesting photos taken by Russian photographer in late 1800's and early 1900's. They were shot in several countries - in color.


He used a three plate camera with black and white film, each film exposed through either a red, green or blue filter, then he printed each film on a single piece of special color paper through the complementary filters of cyan, magenta and yellow, creating a color image on the paper.  A VERY tedious process that produces a color image that will last centuries and the B&W negatives also will last that long for reprinting.
 
 
In this day of instant gratification, it boggles the mind to consider the great lengths, and time, this photographer took to capture these images. Awesome, really. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.
 

 

 





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Friday, June 10, 2011

web addresses for Israel Truth sites and Complain Effectively

For those who search for the truth on Israel see the attached list for truthful web sites

Complain Effectively


Before you complain, think carefully to determine if your complaint is valid.

When interacting with the people you see frequently, even if your complaint is valid, be certain to praise more frequently than you complain

Love Yehuda


I like to think of sales as the ability to gracefully persuade, not manipulate, a person or persons into a win-win situation.


Bo Bennett

Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman - not the attitude of the prospect.
W. Clement Stone

Vesta Kelly


Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together.

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning

.
Bill Gates

The easiest customer to sell is the customer who is happy with what he just bought from you

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Larry Winget

 

The amateur salesman sells products; the professional sells solutions to needs and problems.

Stephen Covey

 

Marketing is not something you do to people, it's something you do for people. Marketing is the service of helping people make the best possible decision.

George Silverman

 

A salesman minus enthusiasm is just a clerk.


Harry F. Banks


The best of merchandise will go back to the shelf unless handled by a conscientious, tactful salesman.
James Cash Penney


The salesman knows nothing of what he is selling save that he is charging a great deal too much for it.


Oscar Wilde

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