Miscellany

Greetings.

Jewish date:  21 Shevaṭ 5770 (Parashath Yithro).

Today’s holiday:  Feast of Agatha (Roman Catholicism).

Worthy causes of the day:  “Coal Ash is Hazardous Waste and Must Be Regulated Now - The Petition Site”, “CARE : Defending Dignity - Fighting Poverty :  Ask Congress to Help Haiti”, “Tell China: Free Tibetan Filmmaker - The Petition Site”, and “Save BioGems: Take Action: Save Wolves Under Siege”.

Topic 1:  Reviews I have written relevant to this week’s Torah portion:  “There can be miracles when you disbelieve: a review of The Prince of Egypt” and “You cut up the Bible, you bloody baboon!:  A review of The Ten Commandments and The Ten Commandments: The Musical”.  Note that the later in particular deals with my recurring complaint about mistranslation.

Topic 2:  In some commentary I made a while back on Jesus Christ Superstar, I claimed the interview I discussed was with Andrew Lloyd Webber.  This was incorrect.  It was with his master lyricist Tim Rice.  (Yes, I make mistakes.)

Topic 3:  “TV Coverage (1995)”.  I am not the only one who has thought of the Arab-Israeli War as a “PR jihad”.

Topic 4:  For today’s religious humor:  “That’s”:

Reportedly cats do seem to think like this.  This may or may not be related to the ancient Egyptian cat-headed goddess Bast.

Peace and Shabbath shalom.

Aaron