September 13, 2012

The Audacity of Hope quote (page 261)

This is the relevant quote from page 261:

"Of course, not all my conversations in immigrant communities follow this easy pattern. In the wake of 9/11, my meetings with Arab and Pakistani Americans, for example, have a more urgent quality, for the stories of detentions and FBI questioning and hard stares from neighbors have shaken their sense of security and belonging. They have been reminded that the history of immigration in this country has a dark underbelly; they need specific reassurances that their citizenship really means something, that America has learned the right lessons from the Japanese internments during World War II, and that I will stand with them should the political winds shift in an ugly direction."

April 20, 2012

Auschwitz survivors reunite after 61 years (2006)

Coming full circle: On Tuesday, 61 years after they parted ways for the last time, Ladislav-Yehuda Reich and Robert-Yehoshua Bichler met their good friend Fritz Steiner.

The three men, who were born in Slovakia and survived one of the last selections conducted at the children's shed in Birkenau-Auschwitz, have three consecutive numbers tattooed on their arms: B14564, B14565, B14566.

On Tuesday they were reunited once again, looked at the numbers on their arms, held each other's hands and said to one another in tears: Who would believe we would survive the horror, stay alive and meet here in Israel?

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3243866,00.html

April 6, 2012

Chag Pesach Sameach!

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March 17, 2012

Chris Town Mall retrospective

Remember the sand castles every x-mas by the main entrance?



I especially miss Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor and the Janitor's Closet (it was next to Orange Julius, but underground)

http://www.chris-town.com/

March 17, 2012

Peach-Faced Lovebirds in Phoenix

These birds are everywhere in north central Phoenix now. There was a large stand of Mexican fan palms near my house where about 15-20 of them lived. When the house was getting ready for sale they trimmed all the palms so most of them had relocate. I put up a bird feeder recently to see if I could attract any and so far a couple pairs have shown up. Below is the best pic I have gotten yet, they are looking right at me because I just walked outside (slowly) to take the pic.




Wild Flocks of Peach-Faced Lovebirds Thrive in Arizona

http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-magazines/bird-talk/2009-february/peach-faced-lovebirds.aspx