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	<title>illuminea web presence agency &#187; Personal Rants</title>
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		<title>Faxes are so 1995. Move to email and social networks for communication please.</title>
		<link>http://illuminea.com/personal-rants/faxes-are-so-1995-move-to-email-and-social-networks-for-communication-please/</link>
		<comments>http://illuminea.com/personal-rants/faxes-are-so-1995-move-to-email-and-social-networks-for-communication-please/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 13 Dec 2009 08:12:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Miriam Schwab</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Rants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[facebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fax machines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[twitter]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Why oh why do people still use fax machines? We don&#8217;t have a fax machine in our office. From the beginning I decided that we would withstand the pressure and insist that people email documents to us so that we can be a mostly paperless office. Yes, I know that there are fax services that [...]
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</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Why oh why do people still use fax machines?</p>
<p>We don&#8217;t have a fax machine in our office. From the beginning I decided that we would withstand the pressure and insist that people email documents to us so that we can be a mostly paperless office. Yes, I know that there are fax services that will deliver faxes to your inbox, but in that case why not just use email? And for those that think that there&#8217;s no way to get a piece of paper to someone remotely without a fax machine, I&#8217;d like to introduce you to a handy device called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_scanner" rel="nofollow" title="Image Scanner on Wikipedia" >the scanner</a>.</p>
<p>We have so many ways to communicate online today: email, facebook, twitter&#8230;there are even people talking about how <a href="http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&amp;art_aid=103689" rel="nofollow" title="Social Media Vs. Email: The Debate Continues" >communication via social networks will push out email communication</a>. I think that&#8217;s an extreme point of view, and email&#8217;s not going anywhere, but the point is: get rid of your fax. It deserves to be in the same place as your record player, dot matrix printer, and fluorescent slouch socks (I shudder when I think of how we wore those).</p>
<p>And since Dilbert agrees with me, we know that what I say is Truth:</p>
<p><a href="http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2009-12-10/" rel="nofollow" title="Dilbert.com" ><img style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://dilbert.com/dyn/str_strip/000000000/00000000/0000000/000000/70000/5000/900/75991/75991.strip.gif" border="0" alt="75991.strip Faxes are so 1995. Move to email and social networks for communication please." width="512" height="159" title="Faxes are so 1995. Move to email and social networks for communication please." /></a></p>
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</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The business of asking for directions in Israel</title>
		<link>http://illuminea.com/personal-rants/the-business-of-asking-for-directions-in-israel/</link>
		<comments>http://illuminea.com/personal-rants/the-business-of-asking-for-directions-in-israel/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jul 2007 12:53:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Miriam Schwab</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Rants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Israel]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Have you ever asked someone for directions in Israel, or given directions yourself? Giving directions in Israel is an art and almost a religion. While there are those who will misguide you, many will take five minutes to tell you exactly where to go, and if you ask someone who is in their car, they [...]
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</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Have you ever asked someone for directions in Israel, or given directions yourself?</p>
<p>Giving directions in Israel is an art and almost a religion. While there are those who will misguide you, many will take five minutes to tell you exactly where to go, and if you ask someone who is in their car, they will often tell you just to follow them.</p>
<p>And streets in Israel aren&#8217;t like in Toronto (where I grew up) &#8211; there, everything is north, south, east and west. Giving directions there is easy since it&#8217;s all about the number of blocks until you turn right or left. In Israel, parallel roads are never exactly parallel, and they can end up meeting each other at some point. All the one-way streets, dead ends, and horses (ok, that special feature isn&#8217;t common in most parts of Israel) can make for some tricky driving.</p>
<p>Here is an excellent video of a woman who takes her direction-giving very seriously. For those of you who don&#8217;t understand Hebrew, the guy asks her for directions and she jogs the whole way with him, telling him where to go and how to drive. I think it&#8217;s hilarious!</p>
<p>[googlevideo]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4626169444630979892[/googlevideo]</p>
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		<title>International Herald Tribune Advertises Tender for Nuclear Reactors</title>
		<link>http://illuminea.com/israel/international-herald-tribune-advertises-tender-for-nuclear-reactors/</link>
		<comments>http://illuminea.com/israel/international-herald-tribune-advertises-tender-for-nuclear-reactors/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 29 Apr 2007 10:41:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Miriam Schwab</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Israel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Rants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Responsibility]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[[Go to the end of this post to see the original ad] If any of us thought that the West was going to work to stop Iran from developing nuclear capabilities, at least economically if not militarily, then think again. The following pretty much indicates that profit, even the smallish profit derived from newspaper advertising, [...]
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>[Go to the end of this post to see the original ad]</p>
<p>If any of us thought that the West was going to work to stop Iran from developing nuclear capabilities, at least economically if not militarily, then think again. The following pretty much indicates that profit, even the smallish profit derived from newspaper advertising, is way more important then the lives of little ol&#8217; you and me.</p>
<h2>Ad: Looking for ethically-challenged people to build Iran&#8217;s nuclear reactor</h2>
<p>Let&#8217;s say you&#8217;re a despot trying to build up your nuclear powers. You&#8217;ve got one nuclear reactor in the making that will hopefully soon be able to blow whole cities into oblivion. So far so good. But let&#8217;s say you want to be able to blow whole <strong>countries</strong> into oblivion. You&#8217;ve maxed out on your own country&#8217;s nuclear-development capabilities (your citizens are too busy to get an education, since you&#8217;re spending all your money on weapons of mass destruction and they are all poverty-stricken) and need to turn elsewhere. Hmmm, who can such a despot turn to in this time of need?</p>
<p>Of course &#8211; the West via <a href="http://www.iht.com/" rel="nofollow" >The International Herald Tribune</a>!</p>
<p>Yes, it&#8217;s true &#8211; Iran has published tenders for the construction of two spanking new nuclear reactors in last Wednesday&#8217;s edition of the International Herald Tribune. Now, it is understandable that Iran wants to recruit the best nuclear-reactor-builders for this endeavor (only the finest for Uncle Ahmadinejad&#8217;s genocidal projects), but it is harder to swallow IHT&#8217;s compliance with the advertisement of such a project, especially since this paper is sold in local newsstands across Israel &#8211; Iran&#8217;s prime target!</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t think that I have to elaborate on the absurdity, immorality, and farcicality of this whole thing. So without further ado, here are some of the details of the tender as published in IHT. Feel free to do with this information as you please (some suggestions: giving Mr. Esmaeili a piece of your mind; pointing out to <a href="http://www.ba-ca.com/de/index.html" rel="nofollow" title="Bank Austria Creditanstalt" >Austria Bank Creditanstalt</a> that their involvement in plans for another Holocaust seems to indicate that they haven&#8217;t really learned anything):</p>
<blockquote><p>Tender No. IRI-NPP-07-1001</p>
<p>The nuclear power production and development company of Iran (NPPD), an affiliate company of the atomic energy corporation of Iran (the owner) invites field bids from contractors, companies for the design, supply of equipment, construction and commissioning, of two large scale units 1000-1600 MWe each with 3rd generation nuclear power pressurized light water reactor in the Bushehr province of Iran. Qualified bidders who have sufficient experiences in the construction and commissioning of such plants are requested to obtain the respective bid inquiry specification (BIS) documents upon payment of a non-refundable fee of 15,000 euros transferred to the following account.</p>
<p>Account number: 01754283800<br />
Name of Bank: Austria Bank Creditanstalt<br />
Code of Bank: 12000<br />
IBAN: AT881100001754283800<br />
SWIFT or BIC: BKAUATWW</p>
<p>Within 15 days from 25 April 2007 through AEOI&#8217;s representative office presents at the permanent mission of the IR of Iran of the IAEA at Heinestr. 19/1/1, A-1020 Vienna, Austria or company&#8217;s headquarters office at #7 Tandis Street., Africa Avenue, Tehran, IR of Iran.</p></blockquote>
<p>They go on to note that any bids must be accompanied by a bid bond of 20 million Euro. So mark your calendars: bidding begins on May 8, 2007 at 10 am.</p>
<p>If you have any questions, they may be contacted as follows:</p>
<p>Telephone: +431-2140971 or +431-2140972<br />
Fax: +431-2140973<br />
Mr. Esmaeili at esmaeili@teleweb.at</p>
<p>Thanks to Karin Kloosterman for the scoop!</p>
<p>Postscript: Karin scanned the original ad, so here it is. It appeared in the International Herald Tribune on April 25, 2007 on page 14.</p>
<p><img id="image115" alt="nucleariht International Herald Tribune Advertises Tender for Nuclear Reactors" src="http://www.illuminea.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/nucleariht.jpg" title="International Herald Tribune Advertises Tender for Nuclear Reactors" /></p>
<p><em>Moreover, I advise that the genocide in Darfur must be stopped.</em></p>
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		<title>Video for Yom Haatzmaut about barbecuing</title>
		<link>http://illuminea.com/israel/video-for-yom-haatzmaut-about-barbecuing/</link>
		<comments>http://illuminea.com/israel/video-for-yom-haatzmaut-about-barbecuing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Apr 2007 09:15:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Miriam Schwab</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Israel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Rants]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Last year my dad took a classic photo of a guy on his way to his Yom Haatzmaut barbecue. I made a short video all about Yom Haatzmaut and barbecueing in honor of this guy who is the most serious mangaler/barbecuer I have ever seen. [googlevideo]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1616233732685486555[/googlevideo] Related posts: The business of asking for directions in [...]
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Last year my dad took a classic photo of a guy on his way to his Yom Haatzmaut barbecue. I made a short video all about Yom Haatzmaut and barbecueing in honor of this guy who is the most serious mangaler/barbecuer I have ever seen.</p>
<p>[googlevideo]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1616233732685486555[/googlevideo]</p>
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		<title>Moreover, I advise that the genocide in Darfur must be stopped</title>
		<link>http://illuminea.com/blogging/moreover-i-advise-that-the-genocide-in-darfur-must-be-stopped/</link>
		<comments>http://illuminea.com/blogging/moreover-i-advise-that-the-genocide-in-darfur-must-be-stopped/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Apr 2007 20:25:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Miriam Schwab</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blogging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Rants]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Aner Ravon at De Gardener writes about an initiative of his friend Shahar to sign off every post with the sentence &#8220;Moreover, I advise that the genocide in Darfur must be stopped.&#8221; Shahar explains this sentence in Hebrew, and Aner explains it in English: &#8220;This is a paraphrase on Cato the Elder, who used to [...]
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center"><img alt="darfur idps children sittin Moreover, I advise that the genocide in Darfur must be stopped" id="image109" src="http://www.illuminea.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/darfur_idps_children_sittin.jpg" title="Moreover, I advise that the genocide in Darfur must be stopped" /></div>
<p><a href="http://www.degardener.com/2007/04/22/moreover-the-genocide-in-darfur-must-be-stopped/" rel="nofollow" title="De Gardener" >Aner Ravon at De Gardener writes about an initiative</a> of <a href="http://false.blogli.co.il/archives/69" rel="nofollow" >his friend Shaha</a>r to sign off every post with the sentence &#8220;Moreover, I advise that the genocide in Darfur must be stopped.&#8221; Shahar explains this sentence in Hebrew, and Aner explains it in English: &#8220;This is a paraphrase on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cato_the_Younger" rel="nofollow" >Cato the Elder</a>, who used to sign off every speech with a pledge to destroy Carthage (â€Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esseâ€).&#8221;</p>
<p>I admit that I don&#8217;t know much about what is going on in Darfur except that hundreds of thousands have been killed. One of the outrages of the Holocaust was that the world stood by while millions of Jews were slaughtered. When we learned about this in school, we wondered how that could be; how could people go on with everyday life while others huddled in attics and sewers, knowing that their families had been turned to ashes?</p>
<p>If I was a better person, I&#8217;d be out on the streets protesting the inaction of the world while a genocide (and NOT the Newspeak &#8220;acts of genocide&#8221; term used to shirk responsibility) takes place. But I&#8217;m not, so instead I&#8217;ll use this blogging platform to try to remind all of us that while we eat, shop, and listen to music, a genocide is yet again taking place. This may make us squirm and disrupt our fun, but I guess that&#8217;s just too bad.<br />
The more things change, the more they stay the same. The brave new post-Holocaust world of United Nations, peace, prosperity and Never Again is reverting back to the same indifferent, prejudiced and jaundiced world that always was.</p>
<p><em>Moreover, I advise that the genocide in Darfur must be stopped.</em></p>
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		<title>The Key to A-List Blogging: Use Yiddish!</title>
		<link>http://illuminea.com/blogging/a-list-bloggers-use-yiddish/</link>
		<comments>http://illuminea.com/blogging/a-list-bloggers-use-yiddish/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 18 Mar 2007 22:23:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Miriam Schwab</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blogging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Rants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hebrew]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yiddish]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Today I came across three surprisingly prominent uses of Hebrew and Yiddish words on the web: WordPress.org â€“ the official WordPress site allows you to complain about their popular blogging platform on their &#8220;KVETCH!&#8221; page. Where you can enter your Kvetch, the word &#8220;kvetch&#8221; links to its definition on Answers.com. The fact that they felt [...]
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center"><a href="http://www.vidlit.com/yidlit/" rel="nofollow" title="Yiddish with Dick and Jane" ><img id="image94" alt="oygevalt The Key to A List Blogging: Use Yiddish!" src="http://www.illuminea.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/oygevalt.jpg" title="The Key to A List Blogging: Use Yiddish!" /></a></div>
<p>Today I came across three surprisingly prominent uses of Hebrew and Yiddish words on the web:</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://www.wordpress.org/" rel="nofollow" >WordPress.org</a> â€“ the official       WordPress site allows you to complain about their popular blogging       platform on their &#8220;<a href="http://wordpress.org/extend/kvetch/" rel="nofollow" >KVETCH!</a>&#8221;       page. Where you can enter your Kvetch, the word &#8220;kvetch&#8221; links       to <a href="http://www.answers.com/kvetch" rel="nofollow" >its definition on Answers.com</a>.       The fact that they felt the need to link to a definition means that the       word is still not mainstream. But what I want to know is who the <a href="http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?s=yid&#038;gwp=13" rel="nofollow" >yid</a> is on       the WordPress team, and how did he/she manage to convince everyone to call       a page a Kvetch?</li>
<li>Lorelle       on WordPress â€“ <a href="http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2007/03/17/honoring-the-hard-working-blue-collar-bloggers/" rel="nofollow" >Lorelle       quoted</a> <a href="http://www.deepjiveinterests.com/2007/02/02/a-list-types-refuse-to-acknowledge-bloggings-blue-collar-class/" rel="nofollow" >Tony       Hung of Deep Jive Interests</a> who talks about what he calls the blue       collar bloggers. Now you might think that&#8217;s an interesting topic, but       being a nationocentric (can I say that?) person, I loved Tony&#8217;s reference       to these bloggers as people trying &#8220;to make a few sheckels for       themselves and their families.&#8221; Shekels? I can&#8217;t believe that people       even know what a shekel is! I figured that to the rest of the world, the       shekel is as well-known as the Peseta (that&#8217;s the Andorran currency, for       all you ignoramuses out there.) Anyways, <a href="http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2007/03/17/honoring-the-hard-working-blue-collar-bloggers/#comment-189435" rel="nofollow" >I       commented</a> on Lorelle&#8217;s post, and <a href="http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2007/03/17/honoring-the-hard-working-blue-collar-bloggers/#comment-189543" rel="nofollow" >she       responded</a>. Guess what â€“ she just moved from Israel recently! One of the       tribe?</li>
<li>Problogger       â€“ <a href="http://www.problogger.net/archives/2007/03/14/lessons-from-the-heart-for-would-be-bloggers/" rel="nofollow" >Darren       Rowse refers to a post</a> from Joshua Porter from Bokardo on &#8220;<a href="http://bokardo.com/archives/9-lessons-for-would-be-bloggers/" rel="nofollow" >9       Lessons for Would-be Bloggers.</a>&#8221; It&#8217;s actually a useful post for       anyone considering becoming a blogger, but what caught my eye was tip       number 6: &#8220;Have a schtick.&#8221; Apparently, schtick now refers to       &#8220;the thing that defines what your blog is about.&#8221;       Blogging=schtick, schtick=blogging â€“ it&#8217;s a freilichen velt!</li>
</ol>
<p>So there you have it. Our words and concepts are  popping up everywhere. The obvious conclusion: if Hebrew and Yiddish terminology are being used by A-list bloggers, it is clear that if you want to become an A-list blogger yourself you should outdo them and use as much Yiddish as possible on your blog. Let me know how it goes. If you find your readership is dropping, it&#8217;s only because they don&#8217;t appreciate your cleverness &#8211; it&#8217;s them not you. Nisht kefairlach. Zei gezunt. Lehitraot.</p>
<p>Still there? Hello?<br />
P.S. Click on the image at the top of this post to start appreciating the beauty of the Yiddish language!</p>
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</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Don&#8217;t type on the baby</title>
		<link>http://illuminea.com/personal-rants/dont-type-on-the-baby/</link>
		<comments>http://illuminea.com/personal-rants/dont-type-on-the-baby/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 11 Feb 2007 21:03:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Miriam Schwab</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Rants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[maternity leave]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[motherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[self employment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[task management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Time Management]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[In Part 1 of my series on Self Employment and Maternity Leave, I discussed the technical aspects of getting compensation from social security for maternity leave. In Part 2, I discussed whether it is realistic for a business owner to disappear for three months and hope that the business will still be there when she [...]
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center"><img id="image75" alt="tyepwriter2 Dont type on the baby" src="http://www.illuminea.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/tyepwriter2.jpg" title="Dont type on the baby" /></div>
<p>In <a href="http://www.illuminea.com/blog/small-business/self-employment-and-maternity-leave-part-1/" rel="nofollow" >Part  1</a> of my series on Self Employment and Maternity Leave, I discussed the  technical aspects of getting compensation from social security for maternity  leave. In <a href="http://www.illuminea.com/blog/small-business/self-employment-and-maternity-leave-part-2/" rel="nofollow" >Part  2</a>, I discussed whether it is realistic for a business owner to disappear  for three months and hope that the business will still be there when she gets  back from her maternity leave. My conclusion is that it is not.</p>
<p>Having said that, I promised that I would explain  how it is possible to get any work done while on maternity leave. There are two  main &#8220;environmental&#8221; supports that I found play a significant role in  my ability to get work done with baby in tow:</p>
<ol type="1" start="1">
<li><strong>Home       office</strong>: make sure that you have a complete a home office, since you       will need to work whenever you find time available. Also, getting to an       outside office is pretty difficult during maternity leave. Computer,       Internet, phone, email, fax, and software should all be available to you       in your home.</li>
<li><strong>Baby       sling</strong>: babies like to be held. A lot. If you are holding them with       your hands, you can&#8217;t get much else done. But we women are all about       multi-tasking, and that&#8217;s where the sling comes into play. Place baby in       sling and voila! &#8211; two hands available for typing, juggling, knitting, and       even archery.</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>Severe time constraints</strong><br />
Aside from the above support systems, it is  important to realize that the time available to you for work with a baby at  home is severely limited. In order to handle the diminished amount of time,  there are two things you can do:</p>
<ol type="1" start="1">
<li>Improve       your efficiency, and adopt a better system for completing tasks. Many       people are avid followers of <a href="http://www.davidco.com/" rel="nofollow" >David       Allen&#8217;s</a> &#8220;<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done-Stress-Free-Productivity/dp/0142000280" rel="nofollow" >Getting       Things Done</a>&#8221; time management system. Not only is there a book on       the subject, there are <a href="http://www.marktaw.com/blog/GettingThingsDone.html" rel="nofollow" >blogs</a>, <a href="http://wiki.jeffsandquist.com/default.aspx/GTD/HomePage.html" rel="nofollow" >wikis</a>,       and <a href="http://www.nozbe.com/" rel="nofollow" >free online software</a> dedicated to       helping people become more productive. I personally am still trying to       figure out what this whole movement is about, but it seems worth checking       into.</li>
<li>Make       a conscious effort to shrink your workload. Understand that the current reality       of a new baby means that you can&#8217;t work 24 hours a day, even if you wanted       to. Baby cries, needs to eat, wants to be held, etc., and this can eat up       significant parts of your day. Some ways to lower your workload is to       avoid actively seeking out new work, to stop any marketing programs you       may be running, and take a lower profile.</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>Don&#8217;t feed the computer</strong><br />
Here&#8217;s an amusing anecdote (at least I think it&#8217;s  amusing). A colleague called to see how I was progressing on a project. I told  him I was working on it, and that it wasn&#8217;t easy since I had the baby on one  side, and the computer on the other.</p>
<p>He said &#8220;Just make sure you don&#8217;t start typing  on the baby and feeding the computer.&#8221;</p>
<p>P.S. It is very hard to find information on how to  plan your business for the arrival of a new baby. Well, there&#8217;s actually  someone out there who helps businesswomen prepare their businesses for their  maternity leave. See <a href="http://www.illuminea.com/blog/small-business/self-employment-and-maternity-leave-part-2/#comments" rel="nofollow" >the  comment on this blog</a> by <a href="http://www.findyourcoach.com/0o-business-coach.htm" rel="nofollow" >Bill Dueease</a>, who  describes some things that women can do in advance to reduce the conflict of  choices that faces mothers, including putting together what he calls a  &#8220;baby plan.&#8221; Take a look at his informative comment, and then visit <a href="http://www.findyourcoach.com/0o-business-coach.htm" rel="nofollow" >his site</a>!</p>
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</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Thank you for buying our harmful product</title>
		<link>http://illuminea.com/personal-rants/thank-you-for-buying-our-harmful-product/</link>
		<comments>http://illuminea.com/personal-rants/thank-you-for-buying-our-harmful-product/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Feb 2007 00:23:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Miriam Schwab</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Rants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Responsibility]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.illuminea.com/blog/personal-rants/thank-you-for-buying-our-harmful-product/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Thank You for Smoking is the first good movie I&#8217;ve seen in a long time. The characters are great, the script is brilliant, and it addresses interesting issues like moral relativism, political correctness, and our responsibility to our children. All of this takes place around a man who defends the tobacco industry to the world. [...]
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center"><img alt="thank you for smoking Thank you for buying our harmful product" id="image72" src="http://www.illuminea.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/thank_you_for_smoking.jpg" title="Thank you for buying our harmful product" /></div>
<p><a href="http://www.foxsearchlight.com/thankyouforsmoking/" rel="nofollow" >Thank You for Smoking</a> is the first good movie I&#8217;ve seen in a long time. The characters are great, the  script is brilliant, and it addresses interesting issues like moral relativism,  political correctness, and our responsibility to our children. All of this  takes place around a man who defends the tobacco industry to the world.</p>
<p>We all know that cigarettes are bad for us. They  have been linked to diseases, diminished quality of life, and death. The  general consensus is that smoking is bad, and therefore someone who spends  their life defending cigarette producers is obviously morally questionable.</p>
<p>But cigarettes are a clear cut case. How about other  products that aren&#8217;t directly related to death, but harm those who use them or  are part of a lifestyle that leads to death? For example, studies have shown  that foods high in fat and sugar are addictive, and are the leading causes of  obesity. Being overweight has been linked to higher risks for heart disease,  diabetes, strokes and cancer. Obesity has been <a href="http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/obesity/en/index.html" rel="nofollow" >identified as  an epidemic</a> by the World Health Organization. So are the manufacturers of  potato chips and ice cream as morally questionable as the tobacco people?</p>
<p>The other cause of obesity identified by the WHO is  reduced physical activity. One of the causes of this is television. <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&#038;_udi=B6T1B-4CW4FM5-13&#038;_user=10&#038;_coverDate=07%2F23%2F2004&#038;_rdoc=1&#038;_fmt=&#038;_orig=search&#038;_sort=d&#038;view=c&#038;_acct=C000050221&#038;_version=1&#038;_urlVersion=0&#038;_userid=10&#038;md5=87f361dbdb26d416909e7e4ed0842a55" rel="nofollow" >A  long term study</a> of children between the ages of 5 and 15 found that 41% of  those who watched a lot of TV were overweight or obese, and their body mass  indices were closely related to the amount of television they had watched as  children. <em>The Journal of Pediatrics </em><a href="http://www.jpeds.com/article/PIIS0022347605006402/fulltext?kwhquery=television&#038;restrictdesc_ympd=Journal+of+Pediatrics&#038;restrictname_ympd=ympd&#038;restrictterm_ympd=ympd&#038;restricttype_ympd=journal&#038;search_area=journal&#038;search_articletype=all&#038;search_currenturi=http" rel="nofollow" >reported  similar findings</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Now your baby can watch TV too!</strong><br />
But instead of striving to limit television viewing  among children, providers of television programming are doing the opposite:  they are increasing their potential audience by generating programming for  toddlers and even babies; and this despite other studies that show a link  between <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5933775/" rel="nofollow" >toddler television  viewing and increased risk of ADHD</a>.</p>
<p>When I was in the hospital after giving birth about a  month ago, the freebie woman came around distributing her package of goodies to  the new mothers. The package included the usual diapers, wipes, and other baby  and mother care products. But this time the package contained something new â€“  and very disturbing. A DVD introducing a new series of shows created just for  your baby!</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.yes.co.il/" rel="nofollow" >Yes</a> satellite company has launched a station for new parents and their babies. Part  of the station provides advice to nervous new moms and dads, and the second  part gives these newbies the opportunity to turn their babies into zombies from  an earlier age. The package states that the shows are for six month old babies  and will help mothers relax, i.e. get the kid to stop moving around so darn  much!</p>
<p><strong>At what price profit?</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.yes.co.il/" rel="nofollow" >Yes </a>obviously wanted  to expand their subscriber base by offering shows geared towards a never-before  targeted demographic â€“ babies. Based on the above quoted studies, and many  others, <a href="http://www.yes.co.il/" rel="nofollow" >Yes</a> is leading these kids down a  slippery slope to weight problems and its related health issues, and even  attention disorders. But isn&#8217;t Yes only doing what so many other companies do  today â€“ try to sell more of their unhealthy and even dangerous products?</p>
<p>One of the tobacco chiefs in Thank You for Smoking aptly describes the cigarette business:  &#8220;They&#8217;re cool, they&#8217;re available, they&#8217;re addictive. The job is  practically done for us!&#8221;</p>
<p>It is easy to sell people harmful things that make  their lives more convenient or enjoyable, since many of these products tend to  create addictions or dependencies. But just because we can technically and  legally sell these products or services, it doesn&#8217;t mean that we should. Business  isn&#8217;t just about profit â€“ it&#8217;s also about responsibility. The responsibility  doesn&#8217;t just lie on the shoulders of the consumers, but businesses need to start  to share the responsibility for the welfare of their customers.</p>
<p>Or else this may be what&#8217;s in storeâ€¦</p>
<p><img alt="smoking baby Thank you for buying our harmful product" id="image73" src="http://www.illuminea.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/smoking-baby.jpg" title="Thank you for buying our harmful product" /></p>
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		<title>Mazal Tov! The Schwabs Welcome Tifferet, Born Dec. 31, 2006</title>
		<link>http://illuminea.com/blogging/mazal-tov-the-schwabs-welcome-tifferet-born-dec-31-2006/</link>
		<comments>http://illuminea.com/blogging/mazal-tov-the-schwabs-welcome-tifferet-born-dec-31-2006/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 06 Jan 2007 21:29:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Miriam Schwab</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blogging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Rants]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[This past Sunday I gave birth to Tifferet at 11:11 pm. She weighed 3.4 kg at birth, and got perfect results on her Apgar test. Tifferet (which means beauty, glory, or splendor in Hebrew) was born with a heart condition called pulmonary stenosis. This condition affects the flow of blood from the heart to the [...]
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This past Sunday I gave birth to Tifferet at 11:11  pm. She weighed 3.4 kg at birth, and got perfect results on her Apgar test.</p>
<p>Tifferet (which means beauty, glory, or splendor in  Hebrew) was born with a heart condition called pulmonary stenosis. This  condition affects the flow of blood from the heart to the lungs. Pulmonary  stenosis can appear at different levels of severity. Tifferet&#8217;s condition was  defined as &#8220;severe/critical&#8221; and when not treated immediately results  in death.</p>
<p>My doctor noticed a problem during a routine  pregnancy ultrasound, and referred me to a fetal eco-cardiogram, where the  problem was diagnosed. Thanks to this diagnosis, we could prepare as needed for  the birth, and immediately after she was born, the doctors whisked her away to  put her on a hormonal drip to keep her heart working as it did in the womb, and  the next afternoon she underwent an angioplasty.</p>
<p>After a tense week of monitoring her oxygen levels  in her blood and heart rate, Tifferet began to nurse and by Thursday we were  told that everything was functioning as it should be, and she was released on  Friday.</p>
<p>This journey has not yet ended; Tifferet needs to be  monitored closely with more ECGs and perhaps even another angioplasty. But we  are so thankful that we have her with us, and therefore I want to take this  opportunity to thank the many wonderful people who helped us get through this  difficult time:</p>
<ol>
<li>The medical professionals: <a href="http://www.hadassah.org.il/English/Eng_MainNavBar/About/Medical+Center+Campuses/" rel="nofollow" >Hadassah  Ein Karem Hospital</a> is an impressive and professional hospital. The care  there is excellent, and the Israeli medical system really should be a source of  pride to us all.<br />
Everyone we were in  contact with was professional, sympathetic and kind. Prof. Azaryah Rein, a  leading pediatric cardiologist, sat with us and patiently explained what  pulmonary stenosis is, how it&#8217;s treated, the risks involved, how it can affect  the child&#8217;s life, and where to give birth. Once we had more information, we  felt better informed and prepared to face the birth and operation.<br />
Prof. Zev Perles expertly  performed the angioplasty. It took two hours, and thanks to him Tifferet  quickly recovered and was released.<br />
Dr. Ofrah Peleg manages  the premature baby ward and briefed us on Tifferet&#8217;s progress, was there to  answer any questions we had, and even went above the call of duty by  intervening when the hospital started acting too much like a bureaucratic  institution and wanted to send me running around a few days after birth filling  in papers.<br />
Before and after the  operation Tifferet was cared for in the premature baby ward. The nurses there  are professional, dedicated and sympathetic. From the minute they walk in the  door until the minute they leave, they are constantly checking, changing,  testing, monitoring, and feeding the babies in their care. They are amazing and  I want to thank them too.</li>
<li>My family: my parents cancelled a trip  overseas so that they could be here to help us during this time, and have been  helping non-stop since Tifferet was born. My sisters also jumped in the fray:  Devora moved in the night we went to the hospital (with her own baby!), and  cleaned and laundered for half a day so that we could return to an orderly  home. My other sister Tsipora came in from Tel Aviv and babysat the kids and  fed them (while watching her own baby and little kid as well!). My  father-in-law jumped on a plane from Australia as soon as he heard the  news, and has been a life saver as an extra pair of hands at home with my  husband and the kids.</li>
<li>We are very fortunate to live in a  close-knit and warm community. As soon as my neighbors heard the news, we have  not stopped receiving calls offering support and help with anything we need.  One neighbor organized a cleaner for us, others offered to watch the kids, and  the food â€“ home-cooked, delicious meals have been delivered to our door every  day by so many neighbors, we could feed an army!</li>
</ol>
<p>We have been very blessed in so many ways, and I  want to thank God for giving us the strength to get through this, and for  answering our prayers and helping Tifferet recover so quickly.</p>
<p>As you can imagine, this new situation will affect  my blogging frequency. I aim to start blogging again as soon as I can,  especially since, for me, writing is also a therapeutic activity. But in the  meantime, I hope you have patience and hang in there until we get back into  things. Thanks for your understanding.</p>
<p>May God bless Tifferet, and all of us, with long and  healthy lives.</p>
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</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Israel&#8217;s Bank Salaries Higher than Salaries in Similar Economies</title>
		<link>http://illuminea.com/blogging/israels-bank-salaries-higher-than-salaries-in-similar-economies/</link>
		<comments>http://illuminea.com/blogging/israels-bank-salaries-higher-than-salaries-in-similar-economies/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 Dec 2006 21:56:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Miriam Schwab</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blogging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Israel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Rants]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.illuminea.com/blog/blogging/israels-bank-salaries-higher-than-salaries-in-similar-economies/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don&#8217;t need it. Bob Hope I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. Thomas Jefferson You know the scene in Mary Poppins where Jane and Michael cause a run on the bank because [...]
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</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center"><img id="image53" alt="sheep2 Israels Bank Salaries Higher than Salaries in Similar Economies" src="http://www.illuminea.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/sheep2.jpg" title="Israels Bank Salaries Higher than Salaries in Similar Economies" /></div>
<p><em>A bank is a place that will lend you money if you  can prove that you don&#8217;t need it.</em><br />
<strong>Bob Hope</strong></p>
<p><em>I believe that banking institutions are more  dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. </em><br />
<strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></p>
<p>You  know the scene in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058331/" rel="nofollow" title="Mary Poppins" >Mary Poppins</a> where Jane and Michael cause a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_run" rel="nofollow" title="Bank Run" >run on the bank</a>  because Michael refuses to deposit his tuppence there? (If you don&#8217;t, please  hang your head in shame for a few seconds and run to your nearest video store  to rent the movie.) Well, sometimes I wish that we could have some kind of symbolic run  on the banks here that would force them to get their act together.</p>
<p>We  are all at the mercy of the banks. There may be a whole bunch of them to choose  from, but they&#8217;re all the same. Their charges are exorbitant, seemingly because  they don&#8217;t know how to make money by investing our money like banks outside of Israel. So they  charge us for the privilege of leaving our hard-earned cash there. But we  shouldn&#8217;t be too hard on them â€“ their excellent customer service is worth every  penny. You look skeptical. Ok, but the executives who run the banks deserve to  get a decent salary that is a zillion times the average Israeli salary for all  their hard work, and who else will pay them if not us average Israelis?</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t get me wrong &#8211; I am not against people earning high salaries; it  just irks me when <em>I&#8217;m</em> paying someone&#8217;s exorbitant salary and haven&#8217;t  gotten much value in return. If a CEO leads his/her company to profits and  success, the company is right to invest in compensating them for their efforts,  and hopefully as a result motivate them to earn them more profits. Do our bank  executives lead their companies to greater profits, thus justifying their  bloated salaries? According to <a href="http://www.themarker.com/tmc/article.jhtml?ElementId=/ibo/repositories/stories/m1_2000/skira20061228_806698.xml" rel="nofollow" >a  new report published by the Bank Supervisor</a>, the answer isâ€¦no.</p>
<p>This report shows that the salary level in Israel&#8217;s banks  is higher than those in banks operating in markets that are similar to  Israel&#8217;s, such as Belgium, Ireland and Poland. According to the  report, the salary component as a percentage of the banks&#8217; revenues is about 50%  higher in Israel. Other salary inconsistencies:</p>
<ul type="disc">
<li>While       Israeli salaries grew by 3% in 2005, bank salaries grew by almost 11%</li>
<li>Bank       expenses grew by 12%, but revenues only grew by 9.6%.</li>
</ul>
<p>If these were real businesses with real shareholders  and competition, someone would probably be protesting.</p>
<p>And now, an amazing but true story from a customer  of one of our hallowed banks.</p>
<p><strong>Dear Customer: You need a Foreign Currency  Account for Every Country You Plan to Visit</strong></p>
<p>An acquaintance received a letter from her bank, <a href="http://www.bankhapoalim.co.il/" rel="nofollow" >Bank Hapoalim</a>, informing her that  should she plan on taking any trips overseas, she must open an account for  every currency of every country in which she plans to be.</p>
<p>She made a special trip to the bank to find out what  exactly they were talking about, but when she got there the usual clerk who  takes care of her account was not there. She went to speak to someone else, and  was told that she had to talk to her clerk. She informed them that he wasn&#8217;t  there. The clerk looked at the letter, looked at the woman&#8217;s account, and said  yes, she needs to open foreign currency accounts for every currency she plans  to use overseas.</p>
<p>This woman came back to the bank on a day when her  usual clerk was present, and he told her that this letter was mistakenly sent  to her. He said it was meant for clients with high levels of debt, but her bank  account is fine and therefore it doesn&#8217;t apply. Understandably distraught, this woman informed her clerk that as a stable and long-time  client, she believed she didn&#8217;t deserve this type of treatment. The clerk had  no response, probably because no one at the bank ever told him anything about  customer service.</p>
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		<title>Happy Holiday of Fire!</title>
		<link>http://illuminea.com/israel/happy-holiday-of-fire/</link>
		<comments>http://illuminea.com/israel/happy-holiday-of-fire/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 17 Dec 2006 11:02:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Miriam Schwab</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Israel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Rants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chanuka]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hanukkah]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.illuminea.com/blog/small-business/happy-holiday-of-fire/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Like every year, the question arises as to what holiday greetings should be used so that people who do not observe Christmas will not be offended. While many people see the generic &#8220;Happy Holidays&#8221; as a solution, one blogger pointed out that this really just means &#8220;Merry Christmas to those of you who do not [...]
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</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center"><img id="image45" alt="chanuka2 Happy Holiday of Fire!" src="http://www.illuminea.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/chanuka2.jpg" title="Happy Holiday of Fire!" /></div>
<p>Like every year, the question arises as to what holiday greetings  should be used so that people who do not observe Christmas will not be offended.  While many people see the generic &#8220;Happy Holidays&#8221; as a solution, <a href="http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/12/14/christmas-at-the-office-is-bad-for-diversity-2/" rel="nofollow" >one  blogger</a> pointed out that this really just means &#8220;Merry Christmas to  those of you who do not celebrate it.&#8221;</p>
<p>Even in Israel, we have our own generic  version of Happy Chanuka â€“ &#8220;Happy Festival of Lights.&#8221; I guess  Israeli businesses and municipalities want to avoid identifying the holiday by  its name so that the many non-Jews in this country will also not be offended. But  could it be that this is simply the Israeli version of the American &#8220;Happy  Holidays&#8221;, i.e. it means &#8220;Happy Chanuka to those of you who do not  celebrate it&#8221;?</p>
<p>In honor of this holiday of lights, fire and oil,  here are some fiery links related to business, and some related to the business of  being entertained â€“ after all, this is a holiday, and shouldn&#8217;t you be taking  time off work to enjoy this time with your family and friends? (Who&#8217;s that woman  working on Chanukaâ€¦oh right, that&#8217;s me.)</p>
<p><strong>Fire in your business:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Have       you ever thought about firing your boss and going freelance or starting       your own business? &#8220;<a href="http://www.sitepoint.com/article/fire-your-boss-home-freelance" rel="nofollow" >Fire       your boss! The Successful Freelancer&#8217;s Guide</a>&#8221; from SitePoint is a       great article that discusses the pros, cons and issues you need to       consider before you take the plunge.</li>
<li>Making       presentations is hard enough, but what if your audience is a bunch of       hecklers? Instead of wiping the dripping sweat from your eyes, read       &#8220;<a href="http://presentationzen.blogs.com/presentationzen/2006/02/presenting_unde.html" rel="nofollow" >Presenting       under fire: links to tips on keeping your cool</a>&#8220;.</li>
<li>This       year Apple came under fire for <a href="http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml06/06245.html" rel="nofollow" >batteries       used in iBooks and PowerBooks that were causing fire</a>. That&#8217;s something       I would guess you want to try to avoid if you are an electronics       manufacturer.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Fire for Chanuka</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>So       you&#8217;re standing by your chanukia (menorah for those of you outside of Israel)       and suddenly realize that you have run out of matches. All the stores are       closed and time is running out. Thank goodness your Internet is working,       and you can discover all the creative ways to start fires with unusual       supplies:</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.fieldandstream.com/fieldstream/outdoorskills/photogallery/article/0,13355,1546757_0,00.html" rel="nofollow" >Seven  Ways to Light a Fire Without a Match</a> shows you how to start a fire with  only the tools supplied by nature, like flint, sticks and bark.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Not the nature type? You&#8217;re more  likely to have a coke can and chocolate bar in the house than some bark? You&#8217;re  in luck, because you can actually create a fire from none other than a <a href="http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/fire/cokeandchocolatebar/" rel="nofollow" >can  of coke and chocolate bar</a>, and even from a <a href="http://www.primitiveways.com/fire_from_balloon.html" rel="nofollow" >balloon</a>!</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Did       you know that &#8220;Chanuka&#8221; in Swahili means lighten up? Chanuka is a Kenyan woman who writes a blog calledâ€¦<a href="http://pampazuka.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" >Chanuka</a>!</li>
<li>And       finally, here are some videos in honor of Chanuka:</li>
<ul>
<li>&#8220;<a href="http://home.uchicago.edu/~yli5/Flash/Fire.html" rel="nofollow" >We didn&#8217;t start the        fire</a>&#8221; by Billy Joel. Begin, Reagan, Palestine. The more things change, the more they stay the same, and        it&#8217;s still a great song!</li>
<li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGXtHdxN4Iw" rel="nofollow" >Bon Jovi and his guest,        David Bryan</a>, wish the Jewish contingent in the audience a Happy        Chanuka with Adam Sandler&#8217;s famous Chanuka song. You can see Sandler        himself sing the song with the &#8220;Dreidelles&#8221; <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1kVheDCUeo" rel="nofollow" >over here</a>, and        enjoy lyrics like:</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<p align="center"><em>You don&#8217;t need to deck the halls or jingle bell  rock,<br />
Cause you can spin the dreidle with Captain Kirk and  Mr. Spock â€“ both Jewish!</em></p>
<p align="center">Happy Chanuka!</p>
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