Time for reflection on many fronts

Happy Friday and I hope everyone had a fine week. Those who did were those who were smart enough not to look at the stock market. 

The "experts", that is those who sat by while the "real experts" got us into this mess, say it'll all be fine as long as we don't sell any stocks. It's all paper loss.

They're right, but what happens to the retired folks who are counting on this money to pay the bills or, heaven forbid, have a little fun after doing all the right things? You know the right things: contributing to the 401 (k), working, buying a house they could afford with a mortgage they could understand and whose payments they can make. 

If this sounds a little personal, it is. I guess we're pretty lucky compared to some, but I'm a little sick of playing by the rules and then getting screwed because of those who either thought they could beat the system, or just thought they could slide in and ride the housing boom to solvency.  

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Enough of this. I hope those in the Tribe had a meaningful Yom Kippur. For those not in the know, it's a day of reflection and begging for forgiveness for sins. You don't eat, drink; some walk to synagogue in the weakened state; and many stay in synagogue for 10 hours or so.

It's meaningful, a little scary and a challenge. 

Speaking of people in the Tribe, and good ones, did you hear what happened to Moti Sandman? He's a New Haven alderman, a great guy and, by the way, a regular reader of this post

Sandman apparently went to the aid of Chief Administrative Officer Rob Smuts during an attack by three guys who apparently wanted to stand outside a watering hole and hear what was going on inside, and got angry because Smuts kept closing the door because he was cold. Moti came to his aid, and got hurt for his trouble. 

Anyway, I hope Moti the hero is doing well and doesn't suffer because of his actions coming to the aid of a friend.

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The presidential campaign is getting really ridiculous, especially on the Republican side. 

The Cindy McCain show is really getting nasty. You know Cindy McCain, the second wife of John McCain, Mr. Clean, or so he'd have you think. A few years after John came back from captivity in Vietnam, his marriage to Carol, the starter wife, started to get back, in no small measure, it seems, because she had been badly hurt in a car crash when he was in captivity and was permanently crippled. He met Cindy, a beer heiress, in a bar and they got married after he and Carol divorced.

Anyway, I think the most ridiculous moment of the week was when Cindy, with crocodile tears, yelled at Barack Obama for voting against money for the troops (never mind that John also voted against the bill, also in a preliminary count) while her son was in Iraq. I guess you need to have a son in Iraq to get elected vice president these days. 

She cried (almost) that Obama should walk a day in her shoes.

Honey, Obama could not afford your shoes. Just shut up, and take that half-baked Alaska with you. 

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Have a great weekend. The weather looks great. And for those in the Tribe, a great Shabbos with a clean soul and good weather for Sukkah-building on Sunday.

Until next time...