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THE WEISS CHRONICLES
Chronological Account of the Weiss family with contextual remarks, some weather, sports and other news.
You can write to me at: mhw20854@yahoo.com
The people in the Weiss family are: Martin, Ann, Beth and George. I also sometimes write about other people or our pet.
Sunday, November 25, 2018
A Sushi Hanukah Miracle - sort of
Last week, the kashrut organization sent out a kosher recall for specific box numbers of sushi wrap (the wrap is in the second image, the finished sushi in the first).
A local caterer had already unboxed their most recent sushi wrap. The wrap came in vacuum sealed bags which had a lot number. The bags are easier to store as they can fit between other items.
The regular mashgiach had tried to get a lot number to box number dictionary to see whether the sushi they had was in the recalled boxes but was unsuccessful. A few minutes before Sabbath, the day before a bat mitzvah party, the kashrut organization sent a text saying the sushi wrap in question shouldn't be used for a kosher event. I got a forward of the text on Saturday night as I left my house to be the initial mashgiach at the party. Naturally the catering company owner was pretty ticked off (this is an understatement). I told him that I thought a local grocery had the item but he told me he had no time to go and no one else did either. I told him to call the kashrut organization. As he was speaking to them, one of the workers said that they still had a box they bought a month earlier in one of the refrigerators. We found it and it was OK for use (not on the recall list). To be a real Hanukah miracle it would have been only a small amount but lasted for the whole event.
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Some limits on inappropriate use of the word 'awesome'
I had on a few occasions been critical of people using the word 'awesome' too casually. For example, when the character Michelangelo of the Teenage Mutant Turtles frequently classified pizza he was eating as 'awesome' (I told my kids that God is awesome, pizza may however taste good). I am not the only person with this criticism (see comic below).
A few years ago, I was doing mashgiach work at a restaurant and a customer asked if she could have some ketchup. I brought her a packet like the one on the left and she said, "Awesome." That is what has been, so far, the least appropriate use of the word that I have ever heard.
Today, I took our thanksgiving guest back to the Grosvenor Metrorail stop after supper. There was a woman there with a suitcase and overhead suitable travel bag.
It was really cold, about 25F and there were no taxis around. I noticed my guest was talking to her. I got out of the car to see what was happening. It became obvious she was hearing impaired and also speech impaired. I asked her, speaking slowly and loudly, where she needed to go and she said "near Montrose and Seven Locks". I agreed to give her a ride home. It turned out she lived on Enid Court (off Enid Drive on the map). told her I lived on Postoak RD only a few blocks from her. When I got to her destination and got her stuff for her she said, "it was awesome that you were at metrorail". This was, although casual, a not too terrible use of the word.
A birthday reminder I didn't ask for
I received the message on below today in my email.
It is nice in a way but also somewhat creepy.
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| Dear Martin weiss, |
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This is an automatic notification from Weiss Web Site on MyHeritage
Here are the upcoming events in your family: |
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| November 23 2018 |
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| 100th birthday of Peter Weiss |
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| Father |
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| In a way it is my fault as I entered the data about my father's birthday. |
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Why is this thanksgiving different from all other thanksgivings
Yesterday was throw away all Romaine lettuce day. So no Romaine lettuce for thanksgiving.
I was at two different places yesterday (a restaurant and a caterer) and their trash was filled with discarded lettuce.
This was per a warning by the Centers for Disease Control (the CDC).
A tweet by the CDC is here.
For almost a decade, the Food and Drug Administration has allowed irradiation of iceberg lettuce and spinach but not romaine (article from Scientific American here)
First image is some Romaine lettuce.
Second image are some e coli bacteria in some vegetable matter (from the article noted above)
Thursday, November 15, 2018
First Snow - On the last Flowers
We have had a few hours of snow this morning.
It really hasn't been enough to interfere much with traffic but a lot of school systems (including Montgomery County where we live) closed for the day. I did insist Ann stay home since she is still recovering from an ankle issue.
However the snow was enough to cover the ground a bit and even a bit is covering the road surfaces.
The first image is one of the few roses I still have left, covered by snow. I really like the pre winter and early spring snow storms as they almost never do much damage and you get nice pictures out of them.
The second image is one of the Montauk daisies surrounded by snow.
The third image is of some purple chrysanthemums.
The fourth image is of some red chrysanthemums.
The fifth image is of a still red butterfly bush in the snow.
The final totals of snow were about 1.5" at National and BWI and about 3" at Dulles. Some parts of the area had as much as 6".
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Unclear on the Concept
This manufacturer spent actual money getting kashrut certification for their product (I saw it delivered today while on mashgiach duty - it will be returned). As it says on the the label it is certified by the Orthodox Union as kosher and containing dairy substance(s).
But the product is Buffalo Wing Sauce.
Why would you want to make a kosher dairy Buffalo Wing Sauce?
OK there are some reasons. Say the manufacturer has Christian customers who want a kosher sauce or say it is for vegetarian imitation wings or say the manufacturer doesn't understand the rules of kashrut (although in that case shouldn't the Orthodox Union have clued them in on it)?
PS looking at the manufacturer's website I saw that the recipe for smoked pork butt used kosher salt and a kosher certified barbeque sauce (not dairy).
Monday, November 12, 2018
A Very Positive Start to the Day
I was taking out the last of the trash this morning just a little bit before the garbage truck came by (I had assumed they would be late because it was Veteran's Day)..
I stood around for a few moments as the truck got to my house. The worker emptied the trash can into the truck. Then this happened:
Me: Thank you very much.
Worker: It's my pleasure.
Incidentally, the image is from an article which explores why being happy at work is actually bad for your career. The science journal article on which the journalist article is based, is here.
Wednesday, November 07, 2018
A Job for which I Will Not apply
Apparently Madonna is looking for a kosher chef.
Someone told me she was looking for a mashgiach also but this article doesn't say that.
I had thought that Madonna was a vegetarian but since she has 6 kids now, perhaps the situation has changed.
Anyway, the position is based in England and I'm pretty sure she would require travel on the sabbath so the food would only be 'kosher' in substance rather than in substance and procedure.
I got the image from a blog post (not mine) from 2008 in which A-Rod's wife is reported to have accused Madonna of using Kabbalah to brainwash A-Rod.
Tuesday, November 06, 2018
Link to the Israel Trip blog
I've more or less finished the blog for our late October 2018 Israel trip.
However, there are some photos I'm still waiting to receive and I'll add them later when I receive them.
In the meantime, to the left is my favorite photo from the trip. It was taken at the safari/zoo in Ramat Gan and looks like Beth is negotiating a contract with a baboon.
The link to the full blog is here.
Monday, November 05, 2018
Stupid Detective -- a dream
Last night I dreamt there had been a murder in our house. I suppose it must have been a guest or someone who entered to try to sell us something or get a donation.
Anyway, a police detective came over and was examining the body. The detective said, "we will do an autopsy and then go through your house looking for any poison."
Pointing at the dead body, I said, "Don't you think it is more likely that this man was shot considering the bullet holes in his chest?"
Sunday, November 04, 2018
Two "fall back" days in one year
Because we were in Israel on October 28 we were able to enjoy a 25 hour day then.
Since we are in the US eastern time zone today, we were able to enjoy a second 25 hour day.
Of course, among the biggest supporters of an extra hour of sleep are cats.
The first image is of Pegger. This is Beth's cat.
The second image is of Katrina. This is our cat.
ps: in my new car which has smart tires that alert me when the pressure is low and even report the actual pounds per sq inch, the clock doesn't reset automatically for the change from EDT to EST
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A local caterer had already unboxed their most recent sushi wrap. The wrap came in vacuum sealed bags which had a lot number. The bags are easier to store as they can fit between other items.
