I just watched a very moving documentary called Smile Pinki. The movie is short, only 45 minutes, and is about children with cleft palates from extremely poor places in India. The movie follows a few of them from their villages to a hospital, where thanks to the charity, Smile Train, they can have surgery for […]
READ MOREA Man of Principal
This is a great video showing what a difference one man can make, especially if he is an outsider. This is very inspiring: Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
READ MOREThe Health Care “Cost Conundrum”
I recommend this article on why health care costs are so much higher in some places of the country and yet health care outcomes aren’t any better. Here is a snippet: “Yet in 2006 Medicare expenditures (our best approximation of over-all spending patterns) in El Paso were $7,504 per enrollee—half as much as in McAllen. […]
READ MOREWilliam Wilberforce
“Everyone should know Wilberforce,” Abraham Lincoln once said. Wilberforce who? William Wilberforce. I just put down an excellent biography by William Hague called William Wilberforce: The Life of the Great Anti-Slave Trade Campaigner. First off, I had no idea who William Wilberforce was before I read this book, nor did I realize how great a […]
READ MOREPondering Madoff
David Kotok is the chief investment adviser and writes a market commentary for Cumberland Advisors. I love anything that quotes the Mishnah: “For this reason, man [i.e. the first human being] was created alone to teach that whoever destroys a single life is as though he had destroyed an entire universe, and whoever saves a […]
READ MORESeparation
I am reading a wonderful new biography about William Wilberforce, the great British anti-slave trade campaigner. As part of the book, the author, William Hague, describes the slave trade, how slaves were kidnapped and transported in the most brutal conditions with no regard to health or humanity. One of the more disgusting stories describes how […]
READ MORECharities Need Your Help
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I think everyone should consider that as much as the economy and the stock market may be hurting you, its hurting other people and institutions even more, especially charities and non-profits. Judging just from my ability to give money this year, non-profits are in for a world of hurt. This […]
READ MORESo proud
I’m a Georgia Bulldog. On Saturdays I bleed red and black. I cannot tell you how proud I am that Mark Richt is our head coach. I actually have had the opportunity to meet with him when I threw a charity flag football event for the Athens, GA Boys and Girls Club. And I can […]
READ MOREDisrespecting
Ten year old Elvis pleaded with me once he got in my car. “Please, can we go over two blocks to see if my brother is ok? Two East Siders were threatening him.” “Is your brother in a gang?” I asked. “Yeah, he’s West Side, but he’s on probation.” “Elvis, I don’t want to get […]
READ MORELet There Be Light
I am currently in Jerusalem studying at a place called Pardes (Pardes link). I thought I would write an update as to why I’m here and what I’m studying. Here is one teaching I learned this week that I thought quite profound. The Torah and Judaism is filled with contradictions and one of the best […]
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