Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Not too sunburnt

On Sunday there was a whole lot of boat-going in the RS household. Chief among these was a visit aboard the USS James E. Williams (DDG-95), courtesy of Fleet Week. The USS James E. Williams is a member of Destroyer Squadron 26, which also included the destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81). As a courtesy to her namesake country, a member of the Royal Navy is assigned to the ship's crew at all times. Isn't that awesome? And it's not like they've got a limey manning the stoves either- for two years the navigator was Lieutenant Angus Essenhigh, RN, of Portsmouth, England. I'm not going to even mention the awesomeness of having someone on your boat with the name of "Angus."

I seem to be getting off topic, eh? The Williams' official page is rather sparse. While it looks about the same as most other ship's pages, that is to say amateurish, there's really very little info available on it. Contrast that to the Churchill, which has all sorts of goodies, including a link to the ship's official newsletter. Not that I'm saying anything, but they could use a few tips from Gan Izzy in the humor department. Still, a boring newsletter is better than no newsletter, right?

The apparent reason for the Williams' lack of information is that there was recently a bit of an issue on the ship. I hope they sort it out quickly, because, well, why not? It's our tax (China's, really) dollars at work here, and we expect every man to do his duty. We do not expect the following:



Though I suppose it's fair to say that shtuff happens.

69 comments:

e said...

delightful.

Anonymous said...

What about all the frum Jews protesting? You don't think that's newsworthy? A boat interests you more?

Just like a guy said...

e: Yes.

Anon: Protesting what?

Anonymous said...

You didn't hear that Satmar protested? Who cares what!

Just like a guy said...

The Satmar people on the ships didn't seem to be protesting anything.

Yitzchak said...

I think he means the pagan graves in Ashkelon.

Yossi said...

what happened to baking challa? I didn't get a chance to watch it before you changed

Just like a guy said...

Modeh: I figured.

Yossi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB_u5LZRoEE

bonne said...

I'm sure that particular navy exercise is a wonderful stress-reliever.

bonne said...

Shame there's no sound.

Just like a guy said...

True.

Yes.

Anonymous said...

I think he means the pagan graves in Ashkelon.

To Chabad, even if it was Jewish graves, they wouldn't care, because the Rebbe did nothing about the desecration of Jewish graves; an issue that bothered many Jewish leaders. While the Brisker Rov was crying his pillow at night, the Rebbe was strolling by himself around CH, stopping Snag buchorim to shmueze with him

Just like a guy said...

Dude, I thought I asked you to stop posting stupidity- you can start your own blog for that if you really want to.

Anonymous said...

I thought the Rebbe preached love

Just like a guy said...

Tough love.

Anonymous said...

I know there was a difference between you and the Mormans.

Just like a guy said...

Hmm?

Yitzchak said...

The Mormons also send bochurim on mivtzoim only instead of sending them out unprepared and leaving them to fall back on their education, the Mormons are presented with a script that allows them to give people tracts and talk for half an hour without actually saying anything.

Anonymous said...

What do the Mormon's do to protect their youth from being affected by their environment? Do they encourage them to go to Starbucks and Smoke shops (the equivalant of Jewish teenagers being sent to Manhatten)?

Just like a guy said...

Caffeine & tobacco does not equal Manhattan.

Anonymous said...

True. One doesn't crave it unless one is already addicted. Looking at coffee beans doesn't have a negative affect; unlike Manhatten where the young lads might be exposed to pictures of Daver Achers.

Just like a guy said...

For a Mormon, there is no benefit to going inside a Starbucks- for a Jew, there are many benefits to visiting Manhattan.

Anonymous said...

Starbucks is a very convenient place where people are more relaxed, generally have more time and more approachable. Much easier to strike up a friednly relationship over there than in an office building.

Of course, there is a benefit of going to Manhatten. They should leave that for the yungehleit.

Just like a guy said...

You really think like a snag, don't you? When I said that there's a benefit to going to Manhattan, I didn't mean that there's a benefit for the Bochurim (though this is undoubtedly true too). I meant that there's a benefit for Manhattan.

Go learn Basi Legani and then we can talk.

e said...

This is awesome! Your objections are a textbook example of the objections snags are supposed to have against mivtzoim. Anybody remember the textbook response?

Yitzchak said...

THere are textbooks? Then how come the mivtzoimers are so ill prepared?

e said...

The Rebbe addresses these issues in sichos. If I would say, "The Rebbe addresses people like you in his sichos, but I can't remember what he says!" I would sound like a stupid brainwashee. Hence I referred to the sichos as the "textbook."

Yossi said...

The Rebbe says that he carries the blame on his shoulders, so to speak, of any nisyonois a bochur may have on mivtzoim. They are the Rebbe's burden, and because of that, we have much more koach to not even notice the ill parts of olam hazeh, for example

Anonymous said...

TRS:

I chapt what you meant. Thank you for reinforcing my understanding of what they told you Snags think. It's always refreshing speaking to an expert.

The Rebbe said that they are protected, etc. (predictable).

So even though the Rebbe could have sent yungehleit in their stead, it is OK since the Rebbe protects them? (The whole Darkah Achrina gemara doesn't apply if one is being sent by a Rebbe who ignores the other derech)?

Just like a guy said...

Modeh: Who said that Bochurim on Mivtzoyim are ill-prepared?

Anon: Nu, what do snags really think?

It's predictable? Huh?

The Rebbe does send Yungerleit out. Ever heard of "Shluchim"?

Anonymous said...

the city is a terrible place for a young impressionable buchor. Chabad should ensure that they go to more benign places while the married ones should take the rougher terrains.

Anonymous said...

It's time to put up a new post!

Just like a guy said...

I'll tell you what- let Lubavitch take care of Lubavitch.

If I didn't have to waste so much time answering so many asinine comments...

Yitzchak said...

TRS: I say so.
anon: now he has one. Happy?
e:well they do, and they do.

Just like a guy said...

Well then, considering the source of the assertion...

Anons are never happy.

OT bochur said...

A guy doesn't find out about the not-so-holy parts of Manhattan when he's wearing a hat and jacket and carrying a mivtzoim bags.

Fact is, on mivtzoim you interact with people as rabbi to student, and you just aren't presented with opportunities to get involved in bad stuff, even though you're physically in the city.

Y'know the gemara about not eating chametz while you're seraching for it in order to destroy it? Same thing here.

unless of course the sins induced by Manhattan-going are of the type the bochur committs in bed. In which case guys should wear blinders when they're in the heights and take them off only when htey're in manhattan.

bonne said...

Haha, I was just telling my moshpia what a great market there'd be for bochur-blinders!

Just like a guy said...

OT: And all the bochurim who spend their time on Mivtzoyim going shopping are...?

Sara: Who'd wear them?

OT bochur said...

Stopping at Macy's after mivtzoim is evil? Do snag bochurim not go to Manhattan to buy clothes?

amatai said...

btw, anon: you are a despicable animal, you snag. where's your ahavas yisroel and respect for people who disagree with you?

bonne said...

TRS: Bochurim, der.
Amatai: That was a little hypocritical, no?

Just like a guy said...

OT: Shopping at Macys before, during, and after Mivtzoyim is despicable.

Sara: Uh huh.

re: "amatai": I think he was being sarcastic.

OT bochur said...

point is, it's not the friday afternoon macy's trips that make bochurim fry out. i have long believed the people do waht they want to do and little things like knowing how to ride the subway aren't what make or break ppl's commitment to toraseinu hakedosha. kinda like what yossi said. lubavs have backbone. if they're gonna be frum, they're gonna be frum. and if they're gonna fry out, they're gonna fry out. we're not such wimps that if we don't go to manhattan on fridays we'll never find out that there's a world outsdie of brooklyn

OT bochur said...

and on the other hand, if you do go to manhattan on fridays, we're not such whimps that we'll take the train to the clubs friday night instead of going to CH for shabbat

Just like a guy said...

Correct. I misunderstood your first comment.

Anonymous said...

what does OT stand for?

Just like a guy said...

Oholei Torah Educational Institute.

Anonymous said...

Where is it?

OTB: did you chant your Rambam's yet? It's almost time for bedtime, you ought to get around to it.

Just like a guy said...

http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&cid=0,0,12368077436472145998&fb=1&hq=oholei+torah&gl=us&daddr=667+Eastern+Parkway,+Brooklyn,+NY+11213-3310&geocode=4977044234605219639,40.669652,-73.946316&ei=LX4ITNzGKoGB8gbA1eyUDA&ved=0CBgQngIwAA&z=16

Yes, I learned Rambam already.

otb said...

OTB: did you chant your Rambam's yet? It's almost time for bedtime, you ought to get around to it.

Now you're being just plain nasty. And in case you're wondering, I actually learn Rambam every day, thank you very much.

Anonymous said...

I apologize for the snarkism. On a serious note, I don't know what the Rebbe accomplished by people speed reading (and pacing) Rambam that is mostly imcomprehenisble to them. Breslov holds that RSB"P doesn't need havunuh, but so does the Rebbe?

Just like a guy said...

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/900030/jewish/Daily-Study-of-Maimonides-Works.htm

Modeh B'Miktsas said...

You do the cause a disservice by pointing a learned person towards chabad.org

Anonymous said...

Modeh. That wasn't nice.

ot b said...

anon: apparently these people aren't doing what the Rebbe wants. OMG! You have exposed our dirty secret that some Lubavitchers don't live up to the Rebbe's expecations!!

Anonymous said...

Some Lubavitchers actualy exceed the Rebbe's expectations and some of them are even greater than the Rebbe in certain aspects.

ot b said...

in which respects? In thoroughly quelling all rumors that they are the messiah?

Anonymous said...

In lomdus.

(Personaly, I respect those who actualy go out on shlichus, more than someone who just tells others to do so; regardless if it was impractical for him to do so. They have more mesiras nefesh - for their ideal)

ot bochur said...

I can't believe your serious. I think your jsut trying to get our goats.

Well, I guess I'll now let my goat be gotten. Which lubav do you think exceeded the Rebbe in lomdus?

Yitzchak said...

I'd answer for him, but you should remember: This is coming from someone who has heard Rav Ploni speak but has never read the chiddushim ubiurim.

Anonymous said...

I can't point to any specific member of the group that practices hiskashrus; but I give them the benefit of the doubt. There are several respected lamdunim over there (who had a good Chinuch in lumdos also) who work on svaros and haruver. I assume that many of them surpassed the Rebbe in havunuh.

Just like a guy said...

And you assume this because...?

Anonymous said...

Sorry for giving Chabad the benefit of the doubt. I will learn my lesson.

e said...

He assumes this because he's trying to be incendiary, but can't be bothered to do any homework to find out who the Lubavticher Lamdonim are.

Just like a guy said...

Why must he be incendiary on my blog? What did I ever do to him?

Just like a guy said...

Takeh.

Anonymous said...

maybe the fellow from New Haven, maybe R. Shochet, maybe Heller, etc.

On a positive note. Reb Bunim says that that it is common that davkah the maylah a tzadik is niztayen in, people suspect him of lacking (Korach accused Moshe Rabeinu of hisnasus). So I guess my comments are really indicative of...

Yitzchak said...

Could very well be. I do know that there's a bochur at a local lubavitcher yeshiva in flatbush who is a better lamdan than most of those his age in the mainstream yeshivos. I don't know about the rest of the yeshiva because I don't know the bochurim so well.

Just like a guy said...

What could very well be?