Mad Spammer? ...... Mois?

I've been kicked out of a fair few places in my time.... out of class for mucking around, out of Bnei Akiva (melbourne of course - I'm from Sydney) camp for much the same, clubs for not wearing a tie.

All of these incidents had some form of reason for cause and effect, with the ousters being pretty vocal in why the ousting was being carried out.

This week, I joined a facebook goup called "Tales from the hood", a Mitzpe Nevo, so called action group. Thought it might be a bit of a laugh to see what people posted. As it turns out, the group, moderated by a guy who likes to blow his own "horn" (now there's a play on words that I won't apologise for), encourages people to report on the weather in different parts of Mitzpe Nevo on the same day, launches an "investigative report" on who leaves old books outside the pizza shop, some pretty silly comments about Jacob Richman's "MA-Chat group (which provides a valuable source of information and networking) and comments on who drinks what at the carlebach minyan kiddush. There was one potentially interesting report on kids throwing stones, but didnt see any follow up.

But I digress, a few days after joining, I check out the group and lo and behold, I'm booted out. No message saying "mate we don't want your type here" or some more polite version. Just a comment by the horn blower about a "mad spammer".

OK, so I join again, and lo and behold, kicked off again, with another comment by the horn blower apologising for not pressing the "permanently excluded" button and yet more comments about the "mad spammer".

This was interesting. I know that I take individualism to a high plane and make my own mold (yeah I know... I'm in my fat stage yet again and need my own mold anyway) and probably am a bit mad/eccentric....but I have never spammed anyone (at least not by any definition of spam that I have seen).

Anyway, I thought that it was pretty cowardly of the horn blower to use his exclude option without at least having the courtesy of sending me a message, and I told him so via his facebook page, and even left him my mobile, in case he was man enough to give me a call.

Well, he didnt give me a call......ergo, the second part of the above sentence

"Don't assume" she said

Traci was right.....I went a bit over the top on the last post and apologies are definitely in order for making a point at Miriam's expense. as Miriam said after I sent an apology.

"Everybody has a right to his or her opinions and I would never want or expect an apology for your opinions. However, it would have been nice if your email included an apology for completely twisting my words around and making gross assumptions- NONE of which were true. You should be careful with the assumptions that you make in the future and the slander that you seem to enjoy spreading"

It wasn't meant to be slanderous, but yes, I did twist things around to suit my own assumptions and opinions.

But for the issues I raise, I dont apologise. I've lived enough years in this city as to be identified with its supporters.

I consistently vote for Benny Cashriel as mayor because I believe that his track record is way above anything any of the opposition so far could offer (this is not a personal attack).

I cannot abide religious coercion. I dont believe that HaRav Deutch is good for the city and the politics that brought him here was unfortunate to say the least.

I saw an Ohr Tora Stone school torpedoed a few years ago, Maale HaTorah took its place. Different Hashkafat olam, but the potential for another takeover is there

I think that people who divide their houses into apartments for business (as opposed to an internally accessed apartment that has planning approval (one only) for parents or kids) should be be prosecuted.

I think that the city planning department is a bit too rigid in certain issues, but given the last point, maybe thats understandable.

I think that the city rates are still too low and could be raised a bit more.

I am no saint and have made more mistakes than most.

All of the I,I,I stuff above is to stress that these are my own opinions. They are written in this blog and I welcome comments of any sort. Try not to be "bachyanim" or "yefe nefesh"

The blog is not professional (no way will I ever make any advertising money out of this) and is meant to be provocative so I guess I'll keep on getting into trouble. Its written badly as well...... tough (mostly for me) though

And Miriam (Shear) and Leora....there is tons of stuff I like about Maale Adumim and its inhabitants

My friend Jacob once told me off, saying that as far as he was concerned, I could write anything I wanted in a blog, but that superfluous discussions shouldnt be posted to MA-Chat, so in that spirit, I every so often post a link and usually say that comments should be in the blog and not on MA-Chat. Forgot this time
If people decide that they have to respond within MA-Chat, thats unfortunate and gets on Jacob's wick.

Shavua Tov to all
I'm off to eat some more humble pie

Mrs Teitelbaum and Mr Yoel in the same week. Maale Adumim heading for Satmar?

Pretty cryptic title to this blog right?
Well, this weeks dose of small mindedness on MA chat and in the local "Maale Adumim" paper got me motivated enough to write my bit.

Firstly, there was a heck of a lot of discussion around the sign at the entry to the city. Legitimate discussion that went a bit over the top, but ok, every body has an opinion. The issue being fairly well resolved by the mayor deciding that only municipal announcements would be put up and not commercial advertising (cigarettes and alchohol)....not perfect, but ok.

BUT, along comes a Mrs Teitelbaum (the Satmar Rebbes family name) and opines that Maale Adumim should stop spending moneyon making the city clean, tidy and pretty, and instead give the money to Torah institutions.

Now dont get me wrong. I am clearly in favour of promoting a an education system that gives all students (in state schools) a basic religious background, so that maybe kids will know enough about their heritage so as not to campaign against mezuzot as religious coercion.
The state religious and Torani schools dont have that problem, but a lot of monitoring needs to be done so that what happened in Emanuel doesnt become an epidemic.

But this is what Mrs Teitelbaum wants. Let the city look like a slum and funnel money to Torah institutions. She doesnt say for example, that more money should be spent on activities for the youth of Maale Adumim. Or that money should be spent on furthering education in general, or even aiding some of Maale Adumim's more disadvantaged population. No, she wants Maale Adumim to go the way of Bnei Brak and Geula.

The second thing that got me a bit aggravated, was the article in the "Maale Adumim" paper about the owners of the Mitzpe Nevo markolet who want to add a second storey to the existing building for extended commercial purposes.

Here's the link to the title. The person who is leading the objections to this move is called Yoel....coincidence....Yoel Teitebaum was the previous Satmar Rebbe, who's ilk are closer to the Taliban.

What are the objections? Some say (according to the rag) that the markolet is not that busy and extending it is not justified - Is this based on a study that they have done? Have they heard the owner's reasoning for the expansion? Maybe the expansion would benefit the neighborhood?

Some say that instead of extending the markolet, another markolet should be built further down the road. - Again, is this based on wishful thinking, so that people wouldnt have to walk an extra hundred meters? Has anyone thought about the number of clients needed to make a business like this viable? And if there is a surplus of people living in and around HaGilgal, maybe its because so many property owners have turned their houses into illegal apartments??

The best for last. Some say that expanding the commercial centre would bring undesireable people into the neighborhood. Women without head covering and immodestly dressed. Because, as was written, "Mitzpe Nevo is known for it's conservative way of life, where most of the women wear head coverings and traditional dress. Where the rabbinical judgement is carried out with a "high hand" and the appearance of undesireable visitors, especially in the summer, with provocative dress.......would cause tension and for educational and modesty considerations, it would be better for these people not to set foot in the neighborhood"

Maybe it would have been more honest for this Yoel guy, who lives apparently next to the markolet, to say that an expansion would bother him for say, blocking views, causing shade, more noise.....that's legitimate. Bringing in a taliban lifestyle would be sad.

So there we go....Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach

FOR REAL??? Next we'll have a mehadrin bus system