We Should Do Parties More Often

Last night's party was a lot of fun, I'll say! Some ate chulent...

Some didn't know they were being photographed...
(In case you don't realize how funny that picture is, here's the same one again. It's also here because I accidentally uploaded it twice and it is just too funny for me to cut. And because Steve looks pretty good.)
Some played Shesh Besh...
And some were proposed to over the chulent they made! (Actually, that was just me. :))

I do also want to remind anyone who was there and others who plan on attending future parties that guys with clubbing music on their iPods are not invited unless they promise to leave their iPods at home. Suffering is not allowed at the next party.

The NYTimes Has a...Typo?

Holy shenanigans!

How many editors are there on staff at the New York Times? How much money goes into every letter?

I am laughing all too hard at this. :)

I Know How to Eat!

There was a Hillel event this afternoon, so hero sandwiches were provided. Luckily (because I don't eat meat), I had a pita and tomato left over from my lunch yesterday.

2:00pm: Whole wheat pita stuffed with pickles and cole slaw (and mustard)
2:45pm: Half of a huge tomato with sea salt

Then, Doni and Ben and I went for ice cream (just for me--they were fleishig).

3:15pm: Chocolate ice cream
5:00pm: My stomach starts grumbling
5:30pm: Hunger pains set in
6:00pm: String cheese (by this point, I was home)
6:27pm: Hunger pains return

I used to have a normal appetite. Now, it's more like the appetite of a pregnant woman. I am going to go contemplate this over a hot cocoa and package of wafers or a hot cocoa and bowl of Life cereal or something along those lines...

Todays Scrabble Score 9/27

In one of the worst beatings on record (well the only beating on record) Dina Pirutinsky beat Ben Faulding 332-225 in scrabble. With fake words like "Oy" and "Jadeday" Pirutinksy broke a two game drought to win her first game against Faulding who was already losing when a substitute word placer person sunk him with "Sod" when he went to get lunch. Ben still leads the series 2-1

Hunter Hillel: Hangout for 80 Year-Old 20 Year-Olds

My score in Scrabble today was ridiculous. I can't recall the exact score, but it was something like 332. For the first time in a series of three, I beat Ben. And I beat him with style. :)

They Had a Weapons Parade

The headline of an article in the NYTimes by Greg Myre reads, "10 Palestinians Dead in Blast at Hamas Weapons Parade." Um...I'm not really sure what to say. My initial reaction, obviously, was, "oh no! Ten people dead in a blast!" My reaction that followed (the moment I had completed reading the headline) was, "who in the world would make a parade for weapons? Is that what this article is about? The stupidity of some people?"

It took no time before my nerves were assuaged. All I had to do was read the first sentence:

A Palestinian pickup truck carrying rockets exploded today at a large Hamas rally as the group paraded its weapons through a densely packed refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.

Key phrases: "paraded weapons" "densely packed refugee camp"

Body parts were scattered on the ground as ambulances rushed to the scene, and people in the crowd wailed in grief. The casualties included a number of children.

Key phrases: "casualties included" "number of children"

However, upon further reading, it becomes apparent that Hamas wasn't parading real weapons, "Hamas said the rockets were dummies and did not contain explosives." So, "how did this happen," you ask? Good question, I thought of it too. But don't worry, it's no mystery:

The group [Hamas] alleged that an Israeli airstrike was responsible and said it would hit at Israel.
"We cannot remain silent when the blood of our martyrs is spilled," a Hamas leader, Nizar Rayan, said. "Our response will be in action, not words."

Key phrases: "Israel did it" "It's Israel's fault, of course" "Blame Israel! Blame Israel! Blame Israel!" Just kidding...but that's the point, anyway.

Now let's hear what Israel has to say about the matter:

The Israeli military, which routinely acknowledges strikes carried out by its aircraft, insisted it was not involved.
"Any attempt to use this incident as a pretext for attacks against Israeli civilians will be viewed with gravity," the military said.

Key phrases: "Israeli military" "routinely acknowledges strikes(?)" "was not involved"

Bet you were wondering who came up with the idea of a "weapons parade." Well, let me tell you that it isn't something uncommon:

After the recent withdrawal of Israeli soldiers and settlers from the territory, Hamas and other Palestinian factions in Gaza have staged a series of celebratory rallies, with their weapons prominently displayed.

Well now, every year there are loads of parade in New York City. I can tell you with certainty that whether it's the St. Patrick's Day Parade, Gay Pride Parade, Israel Day Parade, or Puerto Rican Day Parade (to name a few), there is NO weapon parading. Perhaps that is due to our having what is called "a government." I could be wrong, but it is just possible that that is the reason. What is the Palestinian non-existant but in name government doing about this?

The Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, met the factions on Wednesday and called on them to stop brandishing their weapons in public. Hamas and the others promised to stop doing so after Saturday.

Wow! I'm really happy for them. I'm really glad that they're FINALLY doing something about it. Although now it seems like the problem was that people were killed and not that there was a parade of weapons...(don't read that wrong.)
The article goes on to cite a shootout between the few IDF soldiers and Palestinian gunmen.

The shootout marked one of the most serious confrontations between Israeli troops and Palestinian gunmen in recent weeks.
Mr. Abbas called the Israeli raid "a very dangerous step."
"We are trying to keep the calm, but unfortunately the Israelis resort to this totally unjustified behavior," he said.

Key phrases: "We are trying to keep the calm" "totally unjustified behavior" blah blah blah.
Abbas must be "trying to keep the calm" by not stressing violence and glorifying weapons. Got it...

The article goes on with a lot of random information that I don't care to break apart for you. Have a shabbat shalom!

We're a Bunch of Nerds!

Randy and Nedenah played an intense game of Scrabble today that we all watched. This, obviously, made me wonder--could it be that we have surpassed the level of nerdiness we obtained last semester?

I Am a Member of the Road Crew!

Once upon a time, I signed up to be an official member of the Allman Brothers fan club. Since then, I've spoken to Gregg Allman on the phone, met him in person (warning: this is a terribly frightening picture), and seen the band in concert a number of times (including the GREATEST performance of all time). But today I have freakishly amazing news.

I have become a three-star Peach Corps Road Crew member!!! If I refer another 100 persons, I can make it to Peach Corps Crew Chief. And were I to refer 1,000 persons to the site, I can make it to Peach Corps Road Manager status! Imagine that! Okay, I think I will go fantasize about this before falling asleep to guarantee happy dreams. :)

Hunter is Taking Over

It's official that Hunter is taking over my life.

I left school today and turned onto 3rd to head uptown. At about 70-something, the woman I had on the phone from 311 (coolest ever--they say "Thank you for calling New York City!" :)) didn't know if they were doing construction on the 3rd Avenue Bridge, so I decided to go the safe way and cross over to the West Side. Driving down 79th, I was bored and glanced to my right. There was a big building with a sign that read "Hunter College School of Social" "-ism," my mind filled in. It was "Work." But still.

As if that's nothing, Hunter decided to stick itself in my face yet again. I was driving up Park this time when the thought, "perhaps instead of turning down 96th today, I should turn down 95th." I moved into that awkward area of Park and waited for the light to change. And again, right before me was Hunter College (High School).

Coincidence? I think not.

Concert in New York

I just got an email about a concert this Sunday to raise money for the UJA Federation's Hurricane Katrina Fund, so...here's the info!

Living in Sin

Well, the punks store has a new tee...so if you haven't checked it out yet, you definitely should!

Queen of the Kosher Kitchen!

Like the start of every semester, I have packages waiting for me at home everyday with new books. Today I had two packages. The first was for my Multi-Cultural American Lit. class. The other was the tee-shirt Randy got me for winning the bake-off (ages ago).

There was even a little note...

"Congrats, Dina! Your distinction as the foremost Hillelian baketress is well merited and we have confidence that your epicurean prowess will take you far some day. All hail the undisputed Queen of the Kosher Kitchen!"

Oh, thank you, thank you!

And with Beards!

I wasn't going to write anything about the fun searchs people do that take them to Punks, but today I have met the exception: This search. That's right folks, we're number one for hot guys with beards on MSN's search page. How super-cool?