Terrorist Killed by His Own Rock

A friend of mine sent me this email, and I found it fascinating! If anyone doubts Hashem's absolute justice, let them check out this story:

(INN, 18 Jan 09) A Palestinian Authority Arab who stoned cars in Samaria was killed by one of his own rocks, police have concluded. A Jewish man held in connection with the death has been released.

The Arab teenager hurled heavy stones at Israeli-owned vehicles along a Samaria highway last Tuesday evening. He managed to hit one car, which was driven by a resident of the nearby town of Emmanuel.

Fearing further attacks, the driver fired a single shot in the air to frighten away the stone-thrower. He then contacted local security officers to report both the attack and his own response.

A short time later, Israeli paramedics received a report of an Arab teen found unconscious and badly wounded next to a highway. The teen suffered a serious head injury that appeared to be a bullet wound. Medical personnel rushed to the scene but were unable to save the young Arab, who died a short time later.

Police originally believed that the resident of Emmanuel who reported firing in the air had in fact fired at his attacker, killing him. The man was arrested and questioned. However, an initial forensic report showed that the attacker had not been killed by a bullet, and the detainee was released.

A final forensic report, released over the weekend, showed that the attacker was killed when a stone he threw hit the car driven by the man from Emmanuel. The stone hit the car's tire and bounced back at high speed, hitting the attacker and leaving him with a fatal head injury.

Down home they say, "What comes around, goes around." A person has to remember that if he the trap he sets for others will end up ensnaring him.

Here's the link for the source of the story: www.lazerbrody.typepad.com/

Professor Obama

Like many yesterday, I took the time to watch inauguration ceremonies.

The location: From the seat of my Magazine Journalism class. For me, it seemed different not sitting @ home watching something like this, rather @ school. But I don't think it's that unusual nowadays that technology has allowed us access to pretty much whatever we want, wherever we are.

Nonetheless, our entire class was fixated towards the overhead screen at the front of the class and with several others were right outside our class watching off an even bigger screen in the main atrium of the HP Campus @ Centennial College. Having President Obama in a sense "give us lecture" with his inauguration speech was fun to watch.

Things that stood out from yesterday's proceedings:

1) Rick Warren reciting the Shema: Talk about catching me off guard... I was sitting @ my desk working on an in-class assignment meanwhile the CNN feed is being shown on the overhead because our Prof wanted to watch it. I wasn't constantly watching, but I heard everything loud and clear. All of sudden I hear the words "Hear O Israel..." and I'm thinking What? I turn to look and yes indeed, Rick Warren was reciting the Shema. For those who don't know, the Shema is the most important verse in Judaism. Written in the Torah, it's recitation represents a fulfilment of the paramount commandment of acceptance of G-d's absolute sovereignty (Artscroll Siddur). Good for Warren, who's also a pastor, for reciting the holy words. Jews all around the world watching must have felt special @ that moment...

2) Wow did Chief Justice John Roberts screw up reciting the words for Obama during the swearing in. He said way too much for him to repeat afterwards and spoke way to fast. To be honest, Obama did look a little nervous. And @ one point I actually thought he said one of the words wrong... And every time I watched a replay on the news, you didn't hear the mistakes, rather a quick snippet of Obama reciting a line or two. Wonder if anyone else noticed it?

3) My mom asked this one: "What if Obama has to go to the washroom?"
It's not like he can't go during the speeches, parades, balls, or whatever event that requires him to be on television. They probably snuck him out in between proceedings.

4) How much bloody coverage Michelle Obama's dresses get: Okay, I maybe conservative in this case but honestly, is it really that important to know every single detail about the clothes worn by the First Lady? Maybe it's because I'm a guy too... At one point when discussing the dress, I actually learned something interesting about the dress - it had to do with the tradition of these balls and the likeness of Michelle Obama towards Jackie Kennedy and what they both symbolize to the American public. Fine. But they still went overboard with the coverage...

5) The balls: 10 Balls? He had to go to 10? And dance @ them all? The same dance? Talk about patience... It's actually quite admirable to see someone who genuinely seems to enjoy and care about all the places and things he saw and heard. Must be gratitude. Michelle Obama on the other hand... you could tell her attention span was dwindling @ times...

6) CNN's Live Feed + Facebook Statuses: How cool was that? In addition to watching the inauguration, you could also check your friend's Facebook statuses too. In fact, most of them were probably watching the inauguration the same way you were too. I was very impressed.

So January 20th, will be a day history will never forget.
They better not forget it. I had my Bar Mitzvah on January 20th (2001).

Israel Videos on Facebook Database

Since Operation Cast Lead began a few weeks ago, Jewish communities all over the world have been showing their support for Israel and its cause. Of those communities, one in particular that has done a tremendous job in utilizing it's capabilities to do so. It's a community that knows no geographical boundaries, differentiations on levels of observance, or even political affiliation. It's a community that I'm very familiar with, and if you've ever read a post of mine, you're most likely a member of it too. (Even if you think you don't... yet spend too much time in it anyways...)

I'm talking about the Internet community, particularly the Facebook community.

When the operation began, many of my fellow Jews were quick to publicly express their support for Israel on Facebook. Such a tool enables a person so many opportunities to express themselves and in the case of these people, they've made wise decisions upon how they choose to do so.

Occasionally Facebook gets a bad rap because it can sometimes act as a source for time-wasters, laziness, procrastinators, and other unnecessary activities of which you could be better spending your time doing something better. Like exercise. Or playing a musical instrument. You know, normal stuff.

However, in Judaism there's an important concept of how everything created in this world so it could serve a purpose in doing the will of G-d. Of course we could use our body or any other physical object like a computer anyway we want, but what true benefit does it serve when there's no purpose behind it's use?

What I'm getting @ is that anyone can doodle around on Facebook, but you can also do something productive with it as well. The important thing is that you have a choice, and these people have made conscious decisions to use Facebook as a tool for supporting Israel. Such a noteworthy act is certainly considered that of doing the will of G-d. And even if you're not Jewish, the concept also rings true. We have resources and we can utilize them anyway we want. Or we can maximize potential - both ours and the object's.

This brings me to the videos. They get posted by the masses, people see them, they enjoy, get inspired and if they want, they can send the link to a friend. Too often do we get these moments of inspiration and sources of it, yet they become forgotten. When I say forgotten in terms of Facebook, I mean they become old posts as new posts arise everyday on your homepage...

What I propose is we preserve those videos (and other sources of information and inspiration), with its own place. A database where you can find them quick and easy.

So that rather than having to scramble around Youtube, or your other friend's Facebook page, or go back through multiple pages of Facebook Posted Item pages, there's an easy source for all these videos that have arose over the past few weeks.

Take it from a wannabe journalist, it makes life a lot easier to not have become a temporary detective when having to look for these things. With easy access, we can prove to those who disagree us and portray Israel as the aggressor and disturbers of peace.

Please join me in this endeavor if you desire. You too can use Facebook for more than a place just to waste time...

This the link to my Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=28125113&ref=name
I've made a list in the "Notes" section on the left side of the page where you can post videos and a forum where you can help contribute. You can also post links and messages on my blog in the comments section. Or you send me an email @ tevypilc@gmail.com

Thanks for taking the time to read this message.