Pacific Jewish Center | Rabbi » parents

Father of Adolph Hitler Campbell Loses Custody

rabbifink — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:08:48 +0000

Way back in the embryonic stages of this blog I wrote about a father who was denied a birthday cake by a local Shoprite for his son’s birthday.

The reason? The store refused to write the child’s name on the cake.

That child’s name? Adolph Hitler Campbell. (Adolf Hitler Campbell can’t get a birthday cake)

A little while later, I reported that the child, along with his siblings were taken into protective services. (Breaking News! Ad@lf Hitl&r Campbell Update)

Following an appeal, Heath Campbell (the father) has lost custody of his children.

The ruling is not based upon the names of the children: Adolf Hitler Campbell, 4, JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell, 3, and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell, 2. Rather, it seems Mr. Campbell has a bit of a mean streak. In a shocking development it was discovered that Heath Campbell used excessive violence and threats of violence against his children and his wife.

It is sad that these kids will grow up with the most offensive names in the world and now, without a father. But I suppose it is for their best…

And as a lesson to all of us, always treat your kids right, and that starts with naming them with a proper name.

(And a lesson to others, if you are too violent, depraved or moronic to procreate – DON’T! Thanks.)

Green Gone Wild

rabbifink — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 07:24:09 +0000

I am really appreciative to MSNBC.com for the great publicity they gave our Shul with the Escape Into America photo-film as I mentioned here: Pacific Jewish Center Featured on MSNBC.com. In addition, I now need to thank MSNBC for informing me of one of the craziest ideas I have ever heard.

Today is Earth Day and I have gone on record supporting conservation and many green initiatives. I believe conservation is an important part of a Torah lifestyle. (See Earth Day and Torah, Green Post and The Story of Bottled Water Review: Important Video, Way Over the Top.)

While I love the idea of being environmentally conscious, to me it is just a factor in making choices. We all weigh our priorities when we make choices and Going Green is something to consider among other factors.

To illustrate, if one was confronted with the theoretical choice of saving a life or making a more Green choice, it would be obscene to suggest that the Green choice would be more important than saving the life.

There is a woman who was on MSNBC who suggested that people consider the environmental effects of having children.

Yes, having children.

She has all sorts of lovely data about the carbon footprint each child makes on the environment and therefore she urges people to consider those factors while decided if they should become parents.

All with a straight face.

If one is uninterested in procreating that is their own personal choice. But to evangelize in favor of not bearing children because of a reason like “carbon footprint” is, in my opinion, obscene. Thinking “green” does not mean that one should cease to think about anything other green. It means that we should consider the environment when making choices.

It barely even makes sense. I thought one of the main reasons people are concerned with the environment is so our children will have a safe and clean planet to enjoy. Who are we saving the planet for, if not for the next generation? Yes, I know, OTHERS will have children, but the point remains.

The right to bear and beget children is considered a Fundamental Right implicit in the Constitution. It’s a big deal. You don’t whiff on parenthood because of environmental concerns!

I recommend reading her article on grist.org to see if it makes any sense to you.

The best part is when she says “I have lots of friends with children”. That is just like the “I have lots of [insert minority] friends to “prove” you’re not a racist. It means nothing with regard to racism and it means nothing in this context as well.

Then she has the whole “parents lose out on so much” argument. What do parents miss out on? and I quote:

Time and emotional energy to invest in friendships and a romantic partnership. Space to focus on a career or education or avocation. Uninterrupted “grown-up” conversations. Travel that’s truly impulsive or leisurely or adventurous (and never involves zoos). Unpremeditated Saturday nights on the town and Sunday brunches out. Opportunities for political or community engagement. Stretches of quiet for reading or writing or relaxing. A non-child-proofed, non-toy-strewn, non-goldfish-cracker-crumb-riddled home. Eight peaceful, uninterrupted hours of sleep a night. All without any guilt that one should be spending more quality time with the kid.

First of all, parents do not “miss out” on all of that stuff. I know parents who enjoy many of those activities. Second, are these really compelling reasons? Those are the top things parents are missing? Sounds like trying to live a permanently immature lifestyle. Enjoy that.

Of course, Ms. Hymas would never want someone who was going to have children, not have children. This article is just for all the people who are on the fence or need something to use an excuse for why they are comfortable not having children. I just don’t get it.

Even that silly logo up top (taken from her article) is inane.

Also, it seems Ms. Hymas has a very immature view of the benefits of having children. And I quote:

Yes, as a childfree person, I’ll miss out on a lot: The miracle of childbirth (though, truth be told, I don’t feel so bad about skipping that one). The hilariously perceptive things that only kids say. A respectable excuse for rereading the Harry Potter series. The hope that my kid will be smarter and cooler and better looking than I ever was. More boisterous holiday celebrations. Someone to carry on the family name (assuming I won the arm-wrestling match with my partner over whose name the kid would actually get). Maybe even the satisfaction of helping a child grow into a well-educated, well-adjusted adult, and the peace of mind of knowing there’s someone to take care of me in my old age.

Is she serious? These are the reasons people have children? To read Harry Potter? Hilarious things kids say? Seriously?

In my view, being a parent is great opportunity to grow as a human being. Learning how to give and love unconditionally and with no expectation of reciprocation is an opportunity. Not a burden. It is a chance to grow up and become a more complete person. Parenthood is about places another’s need ahead of your own sometimes. Being a parent means working on yourself to be a better person so your child will have a more complete role model. Sure, there are fun things about parenting too, but it is so much more than that.

The only thing I can think of to make sense out of all this, is that when one has no core values one can imagine up any value to the primary value. I find this pretty offensive myself, but I think that is what happened to Ms. Hymas. In her worldview “going green” trumps procreation. I can’t imagine that is a very popular opinion but I guess it is possible.

Either that, or she’s just looking for attention and publicity. In that case, she got what she wanted.

Here she is on the Dylan Ratigan Show:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

If the video is not showing up in your browser, I blame MSNBC.com for terrible embed support. Just click the link above to see it there. Sorry.

200th Post: Something To Bring a Smile To Your Face

rabbifink — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:23:49 +0000

This is post #200 on finkorswim.com. Congratulations to me. As promised, I will do a best of the first 200 posts in the next few days. In the meantime, here is this…

It has been a short 10 and a half months since this blog opened it’s doors to the public. I have had a blast writing my thoughts, sharing links and Jewish content with you, the readers.

The blog gives you a glimpse into a slice of my life. But that is all it is, a slice.

My life goes way beyond this blog. The most important thing in my life is my family. And for the 200th post on this blog I present a video of my wonderful boys as a tribute to my family.

It’s a recent video of the boys playing ball together. They are so cute and Ozzie (the baby) loves to play (and say!) ball. They, along with my incredible wife, are the greatest blessing I have.

Enjoy.

Women's Happiness and Being a Parent

rabbifink — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:00:47 +0000

I just can’t kick this parenting thing. Every post I feel like writing is connected with parenting.

The last time this happened I was hooked on clothes. Those posts are all linked here, here, here, here, here and here. I recommend checking those out.

One of the most popular articles on NYTimes.com this week is an Op-Ed about women’s happiness.

Cleverly titled “Blue is the New Black“, the article’s basic premise is that women having more opportunities and doing more does not contribute to their happiness.

Some of the money quotes:

“Women around the world are in a funk”

“Though women begin their lives more fulfilled than men, as they age, they gradually become less happy”

“Choice is inherently stressful”

I have a bit of an issue with “Happiness Surveys” in general, especially across time and space. We all have different definitions of happiness and I find it hard to believe that there is a universal definition that can be compared across 40 years of women.

What disturbed me even more was this quote:

Across the happiness data, the one thing in life that will make you less happy is having children. It’s true whether you’re wealthy or poor, if you have kids late or kids early. Yet I know very few people who would tell me they wish they hadn’t had kids or who would tell me they feel their kids were the destroyer of their happiness.

Children are a lot of work. Children take up a lot of time, a lot of effort and a lot of money. But I cannot fathom how people can have such a negative outlook on the effect of children on their lives.

Everyone knows that when one has no children they have more free time. Is free time the key ingredient to happiness in the minds of these people? What is it about children that can guarantee these people will be less happy?

Love is a great feeling. Loving one’s children must add good feelings to one’s life. More good feelings should help one feel more happiness. I find it shocking that these parents claim not to find more happiness in their lives.

Further, is happiness something that depends on external factors at all?

To me, happiness is a state of mind that exists irrespective of outside stimuli.

Even if someone is oppressed they can be happy. Even during trying times like tragedy or even Holocaust one can be happy.

Did women’s roles change in response to happiness? I think they changed in deference to fairness. In which case the entire article is meaningless. The happiness of women or anyone else was never the issue.

Ms. Dowd makes the issue “happiness” and then says “it didn’t work”. Color me confused. Blue or black…

Parenting: Unconditional Love

rabbifink — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:28:14 +0000

Parenting has been on my mind lately.

Earlier today I posted about Kim Clijsters and the sacrifices of working mothers.

It must be the impending Rosh Hashana that is influencing these thoughts of parents and children.

Parenting is tough job. There are no vacations. There is no financial remuneration. It is oftentimes thankless.

Also we are so clueless as to how to parent. Babies don’t come with a handy manual or set of instructions. The questions all parents have are endless.

To punish or not? When to compliment? To be honest with our children about their shortcomings? I always think about Simon Cowell asking some terrible “singer” if anyone ever told them that they are just not talented. And then they cut to that parents telling their kid how great they are. No one wants to be that parent.

There was a very popular article in the NY Times about parenting this week. The article explains, based on a study by 2 Israeli researchers, that conditional love can be just as harmful to children as punishment. Meaning, when a parent only doles out love for their child when the child performs as the parent expects the affect on the child is the same as punishing the child when the parent disapproves of the child’s behavior. The child may accomplish more, but will ultimately feel resentment, anxiety and feel unhappy.

The proper way to love one’s children is unconditionally.

Love is not a tool that we wield to bend the child into submission. Every child needs the love of its parents. Always.

This is a message we can take into Rosh Hashana. It is true that it is a day of judgment and that can give us reason to pause and be fearful of our verdict. There is a Judge and there is judgment.

We have one saving grace. The Judge is our Father.

The relationship that we have with God is the same as the relationship that a parent has with a child. Unconditional love.

When it comes to our moment of judgment in the heavenly court we know that we are unconditionally loved by our Father in Heaven no matter how far we may strayed from His path. Just remember that our Father is waiting for us with a warm embrace.

Children that feel unconditionally loved have less problems feeling accepted later in life. Unconditional love is the greatest gift a parent can provide for their children. Sometimes it may seem hard when children frustrate us.

A great video has been circling the internet the last couple of days.

The video really illustrates what I have been saying in this post. Even when our children frustrate us, we must love them unconditionally. Even if we “frustrate” God, He has a warm embrace for us. He is our father.

The father in this video looks like he is about to get frustrated with his daughter. Then he embraces her.

Perfect imagery for this post. Enjoy.

Two side points:

1 – Great catch by the day. Just wow. I am impressed. As they say in Baltimore – “Give that fan a contract!”.

2 – She threw the ball back on the field because the Phillies fans throw the ball back whenever a non-Phillies player hits a home run. She saw this and copied. Kids see all. And they copy what their parents do. Keep that in mind.

Kim Clijsters: Tennis Champion and Mother

rabbifink — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:47:54 +0000

Something has been on mind the last few days. The last three blog posts I have attempted to write have been all on the same topic. I have decided to turn them into two blog posts and this is the first of a two part series.

The topic is parenting. The relationship between parents and their children.

It is a timely subject as the Jewish Calendar turns the page into a new year. A major element of the Rosh Hashana liturgy is the relationship between us and God. That relationship takes a few forms. One form is that of a parent to a child.

On Sunday, Kim Clijsters won the US Open. The US Open is a Tennis Tournament featuring the greatest players in the world. Clijsters was a dominant tennis player a few years ago and then she took a break to have a baby. She had the baby and two and a half years later came back to competitive tennis. Her first major tournament in her comeback was the US Open. And she won.

What struck me is the media’s attention to the fact that she was a mother and yet somehow was able beat the odds and win the US Open. I think that is noteworthy because parents have different priorities than non-parents. Parents put their kids first and their lives second. That Clijsters could be a mother whose primary concern was her child and still had enough in the tank to train and compete and win is very impressive.

Clijsters demonstrated the true strength of being a woman. She demonstrated the ability to have her cake and eat it too. Clijsters is at the top of her professional world and is also a relatively new mother. Congratulations.

On the other hand, I just can’t help but wonder how all this affects her child.

Is there a cost? Does her child miss her mother when she spends long hours training? Should a mother of a young child be spending more time with her child?

I think it is great that women have opportunities for success. I really do.

But what about the child? What if the father is also working a tough, time consuming job?

Who raises the children?

I know that this question is broader than Kim Clijsters winning the US Open. But the media attention surroounding her success and motherhood got me thinking.

What is the feminist approach to this issue? How are parenting duties divided when both parents work? Does it even matter? Or are children just as well off being raised by paid surrogates?

Family Outing to Huntington Gardens

rabbifink — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:11:03 +0000

We took the family on a Sunday trip to Pasadena to see the famous Huntington Gardens.

Esteemed Pacific Jewish Center, Board Member, Alan Lipman first told me about this landmark a few months back. He described Huntington Gardens as a place of natural beauty, educational value and cultural significance. I had been looking forward to seeing the gardens in person ever since then.

Yesterday, I discovered for myself that Huntington Gardens is a “must see” attraction in the Los Angeles area.

Henry E. Huntington was a very wealthy man living at the turn of the (previous) century. He amassed great wealth and spent much of his time and money cultivating a large library of rare book and manuscripts as well as valuable artwork from around the world. On his property, Huntington built botanical gardens of various locales and cultures.

The entire property was donated to the public as a place of education and natural beauty.

We began our day in the library. There is a Guttenberg Bible prominently displayed just as you enter the library. I am always amazed by old books. My grandfather, Sidney Greenwald, had a huge collection of antique Jewish books that I just loved to peruse and listen to him tell the tales of each volume. To a slightly lesser degree I enjoy old secular books and books from other religions, but in any case, I am always drawn in by old books. The Huntington Library is incredible. I saw a first edition copy of The Federalist, I saw a facsimile of the original copy of the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery that Huntington owned and I saw Aesop’s Fables hand written from the 14th century. Of course there were many others as well. I was also pleasantly surprised by my 6 year old’s budding interest in the antique books; “a chip off the old block”.

We moved on from the library to the Children’s Gardens. There we found a wonderful exhibit on all types of flora from various climates and conditions. The exhibit is extremely kid friendly and any grade school child will love experimenting and learning as much as our son.

Just outside the doors of the exhibit is the actual Childrens Gardens. With fountains, tunnels and quaint play areas there was plenty to see and to do. We already had enough fun to make the trip worthwhile.

Then we went to see the Chinese Gardens and take the beautiful walk from the Chinese Gardens to the Japanese Gardens. The gardens are magnificent. The landscapes, use of water and bridges as well as plant life made us feel as if we were walking in a royal garden in a castle somewhere. The views were breathtaking and inspired a lit of photography. I found some similar photos to ours online so you can get an idea for what we were enjoying.

Pretty incredible. One thing that I really loved was the rock garden in the Japanese Garden (see top photo). It was so Zen and peaceful it made we wishfully consider having a Zen rock garden in my back yard.

After the Chinese and Japanese Gardens we quickly walked through the art gallery. Our children were getting tired and we only spent a few moments in the gallery. Needless to say, the art gallery is home to some absolutely stunning pieces of artwork. I loved the landscapes. The attention to detail, while giving the eye a chance to appreciate the entire canvas is truly an art form within an art form.

We ended our outing with a walk through the Rose Gardens.

It was time for us to leave and yet we already knew that we would return sometime soon to see the Jungle Gardens, the Palm Gardens and to spend more time in the art gallery.

In a city of superficiality and make-believe, The Huntington Gardens stand out as a wholesome, educational, beautiful place to visit.

I strongly recommend making it part of your itinerary. Whether you live in Los Angeles and are looking for a Sunday day trip or are planning a Los Angeles Vacation, the Huntington Gardens must be on your list.

A Post Stained With Tears | Moish Gluck Of Blessed Memory

rabbifink — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:03:21 +0000

I have not been to a lot of funerals in my life. I have been blessed.

Yesterday evening my family celebrated Sheva Brachos for a cousin in my parents home. It was a joyous occasion.

Immediately following its conclusion, I walked the 200 feet from my parent’s home to the neighborhood shul. At about 11:00 PM a very moving funeral began.

The juxtaposition of these two events and the nature of the deceased brought tremendous emotion. What follows is an attempt to do those feelings justice in writing.

When I was 12 my family moved to a fledgling Monsey community, our sole neighbors up the block were the Glucks.

Blessed with wonderful children, the Glucks were proud and humble people. Performing anonymous kindnesses was a hallmark of their lives.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck a few short years ago when Mrs. Gluck was taken from this world. The tragedy shook up the neighborhood. It was one the my parent’s first contemporaries death and it was painful for everyone.

The Glucks were resilient. They bounced back. The children were successful in achieving their goals and Mr. Gluck, Moish (George) Gluck remarries.

Yesterday, tragedy struck again. Driving home from work, Moish Gluck suffered a fatal heart attack, literally yards away from his home.

The pain is indescribable. Four surviving children under 30. The oldest was my classmate. The youngest my sister’s age. A recently married widow. A community still reeling from the untimely departure of Mrs. Gluck, now struck again is left to help repair their torn hearts and help the family pick up the pieces.

Listening to the youngest Gluck eulogize his father last night was one of the most emotionally difficult moments of my life. The cracking in his voice, coupled with his eloquent words were too much for me to bear. I cried. Tears were streaming down my face. It was the first time I have cried freely at a funeral in my life.

I, as countless others, my father included, owe Moish Gluck tremendous gratitude for a variety of things. In my case, the gratitude I have for Moish Gluck directly correlates to my profession as a Rabbi and a teacher. The mere fact that you are reading this post, is somewhat due to Moish Gluck.

Moish Gluck was my first employer. As a 12 year old neighborhood kid, Moish Gluck gave me my first opportunity to teach. Their eldest son needed someone to study Mishna with him. I was asked, and given a fair remuneration for my time.

I will never forget preparing for those sessions. Teaching Torah to the boy who was just 3 years my junior, was my first taste of the joys of teaching, and I will never forget that. I will never forget the smile on the boy’s parents faces when they gave me my monthly stipend. I will never forget the encouragement that Moish Gluck gave me, in the face of my first challenge to teach.

It must have been a good experience as since then I have been teaching in many capacities. As a Campus Rabbi, as a High School adviser for Yeshiva Students and Public School Students, and now as the Rabbi of the Pacific Jewish Center I draw upon my first moments as a teacher. All directly caused by a man whose friends and neighbors will all miss, Moish Gluck.

If this post were on paper and the words written in ink, my tears would stain the paper instead of falling onto the desk from where I type.

Let us remember to cherish the ones we love. Let us enjoy each second we spend with the people we care for most. Let us not waste the opportunities we have for love and friendship.

It was too difficult for my ears to hear a loving son pine for one more moment with his precious father. If we have those moments let us treasure them.

May the Lord comfort us amongst the mourners of Zion.

Ron Artest Is Going To The Lakers | What Do I Think?

rabbifink — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:48:42 +0000

Yes, the red-headed step child of the NBA is going to the Lakers.

There are folks who will be up in arms over a known “thug” joining their beloved Lakers.

The same Ron Artest who was suspended for one full year from participating in NBA games for his egregious actions when he was a young up and coming star with the Pacers.

As a Parent and as Rabbi you may want to know: What do I think?

If you read my blog you should know what I think.

To me, an athlete is judged on one thing and one thing only, their athletic ability.

I don’t care how many illegitimate children they have. I don’t care if they are nice people. I don’t care if they have good sportsmanship.

Those are the values that are my responsibility to teach my children. In fact, my son of 6 already knows that Artest is a thug. He also knows that kind of behavior is unacceptable. He also knows Artest is a great ball player and that has no impact on his character.

Now, if Artest’s behavior affects the performance of my team, then I start to care. But if he is a great teammate and contributes to the team, he is a good Laker.

Parents, DON’T LET YOUR CHILDREN IDOLIZE ATHLETES, THEY WILL BE DISAPPOINTED!

Take A Smile Break | Another Cute Baby Post

rabbifink — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:26:50 +0000

After yesterdays disturbing news and my sobering blog post about mid-eastern Jewry I thought something lighter would be appropriate for today.

Our son Ozzie, will be 7 months old in a couple of weeks.

There is nothing quite like the experience of observing a baby grow. They are completely helpless when they are born and they gain mobility, instinct and personality before your very eyes.

A few weeks ago, Ozzie learned how to play a game with us.

That was quite a milestone. Playful interaction is something all parents look forward too. After months of staring your baby in the eye and the baby staring back it is quite the moment when the baby responds in kind.

Over the past few weeks Ozzie has been learning how to crawl and play by himself. This is another exciting milestone as a baby gains the skill of mobility and independence.

It is a joy to watch and I want to share his cuteness with you.

<a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=bo5mT7p140A&feature">http://youtube.com/watch?v=bo5mT7p140A&feature</a>

In light of recent tragedy, I hope this can bring a smile to your face.

Honor Thy Father & Mother | Connections 6/8/09

rabbifink — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:31:50 +0000

Another beautiful evening in Venice CA was highlighted by a wonderful Connections.

Everyone was all smiles and we had a great time socializing and learning.

Our Torah topic was the philosophy and moral implications of honoring one’s parents.

We discussed various theories and we ended with the Torah approach.

I recommend listening to this class as the questions and discussion were very interesting and thought provoking.

Click through to listen.

You can listen to the entire class below (35 minutes)

Athletes as Role Models?

rabbifink — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 23:55:35 +0000

A few months back I hinted at a future post about athletes and their role in our society as role models.

This past weekend I was reminded about my feelings on the subject. What I feel is what I believe to be the Torah approach but is of consequence and significance to anyone and everyone.

Over the weekend the NBA Conference Finals were settled. Something that happened after one team was eliminated has caused a media frenzy.

First, the Los Angeles Lakers advanced to the NBA finals for the 30th time in 61 years. (yay!) That is serious excellence right there. For the non-fans this means that during the games you will be able to drive the speed limit on the 405 because everyone else will be inside watching the game.

Then on Saturday night the impossible happened. LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated by the Orlando Magic. Why is this the impossible? LeBron is a “godlike” figure and was expected to “redeem” his team and city by bringing them to the “promised land”. I am not kidding. Sportscenter on ESPN had a segment where a Minister from Cleveland said that Clevelanders were beginning to worship “The King”. LeBron is the most celebrated human being on the planet and is idolized around the world.

Anyway, the poor guy loses in 6 games to the Magic.

Ironically, this gives ABC Broadcasting which is owned by Disney a Walt Disney World (Orlando) vs. Disneyland (LA) Championship. Talk about jackpot!

The custom in all sports is for the losing team to shake the hands of the winning team and congratulate them upon winning. In fact according to Websters, this is the very definition of “Sportsmanship”:

conduct (as fairness, respect for one’s opponent, and graciousness in winning or losing) becoming to one participating in a sport.

The word has been around since 1745 and is preached universally to all athletes and competitors.

LeBron was so upset about losing to the Magic that he left the court in a hurry and did not congratulate the winning team. This is a big no-no.

In fact, he was so upset by the loss he also skipped out on the mandatory press conference.

That is bad sportsmanship. No question about it.

Do I care?

Absolutely not.

I don’t expect better from an athlete. His excellence in Basketball has no bearing on his excellence in social skills, personal growth, intelligence, happiness or even sportsmanship. The only thing that he does that commands respect is his ball playing prowess. That is the only thing I look up to in this person.

Is he sending a bad message?

Yes.

But I don’t turn to LeBron for messages on Sportsmanship. Nor do I turn to any athlete or celebrity for anything other than waht makes them unique or special.

As a parent it is my job to provide good role models for my children. I may need to be that role model at times. At other times it will teachers, Rabbis, family members or other people who command respect for their area of specialty. Athletes are not role models. Allowing an athlete to be the role model for your child is a failure in your parenting.

Athletes may by chance turn out to be wonderful people whom we may respect for their abilities beyond sports, and that is great but it is not the norm. I myself have commented on some athletes ability to prepare for their games and we can learn about preparation from them. However, expecting athletes to be role models is a terrible idea.

I think parents get lazy and expect their children to learn good values without taking the time or effort to teach those values. When the child gets nothing from his parents, athletes may fill that void. Ultimately they will all disappoint us.

Be a role model and don’t rely on superhuman athletes to do it for you.

I Could Not Help Myself

rabbifink — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:06:51 +0000

I just had to post this video.

While I was at school today, my 5 month old son, Ozzie, learned a new trick.

It is so incredible seeing our baby grow more and more each day. It seems like just a short while ago he was unable to interact with us and now he is playing games with his mommy.

Reminds me that we too should be growing each day…

My ever resourceful wife captured it on video. I am so grateful to her (and to whoever thought it would be a good idea to add video recording to my Canon point and shoot digicam). You have got to see this video!

<a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=VEvUhHnEuYA">http://youtube.com/watch?v=VEvUhHnEuYA</a>

Plus, my wife even called me when the Ozman was performing so I could hear it over the phone!

That was the highlight of my day.

A Nation's Challenge and "Seabiscuits"

rabbifink — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:07:21 +0000

Today was closing day at Santa Anita Park. That means the season of horse racing has come to a close at Santa Anita Park and I was there.

Today, we took the boys to see the ponies run.

Previously, we lived in Baltimore MD, home of The Preakness at Pimlico Race Track. The Preakness is one leg in the Triple Crown. In fact we lived right around the corner from Pimlico and we always thought about going to the track for a day at the races. For some reason, we never actually made the 2 minute trip to Pimlico and never saw a race in person.

Today we drove 35 minutes to Santa Anita Park and we experienced our first day at the races. It was amazing. I learned a lot about a lot of things.

First of all, I saw a dad with his 3 sons, ranging from the ages of 9-14. Incredibly, he was teaching them how to bet on the races.Is this considered normal? Are pre-teens supposed to be betting on horse races? Needless to say, this was disturbing to me.

Second, I have known about Santa Anita for some time now. One of the most poignant films that I have ever seen is Seabiscuit. The story is simply about a horse, its owner, trainer and jockey. The spirits of these characters has been broken. The horse wins race after unlikely race lifting the spirits of its team and the ultimately the entire nation. As the United States tries to extricate itself from the Great Depression the horse represents their struggle. The story is powerful, the cinematography is beautiful and the point is made subtly.

A key part of the film occurs at Santa Anita Park. Santa Anita has a statue of Seabiscuit as well as a small Seabiscuit museum. So, ever since seeing the film I have wanted to visit Santa Anita. Today I saw Santa Anita.

It is beautiful in Pasadena and Santa Anita did not disappoint in that regard. The races were not terribly exciting, especially because I did not place any bets. What I loved was the pageantry. The trumpets, men in suits, shiny jockey uniforms and play-by-play in the “Queens’s English” all made the atmosphere unique.

Due to the Seabiscuit connection, I remembered the film and its message. The Nation was recovering in 1937 and a National sports hero sparked the hearts of the people. It happened again in history in 1980. The “Miracle in Ice” captured the imagination of the country as a ragged group of young men defeated the seasoned, clinical, (evil) USSR Soviet National Hockey Team in the 1980 Winter Olympics Medal Round. The surprising victory launched (you must watch that clip) Al Michaels‘s career and inspired a nation to rebound from a tough decade (the 70′s).

Then I read about the Hungarian Seabiscuit in the NY Times. In Hungary, the country is recovering from economic turmoil and they’ve given their hearts to a horse. An undefeated horse that is inspiring their nation.

We need a mascot. America is ready to recover, to rebuild, to rethink its priorities (as I have mentioned previously), I think we just need something inspiring to get the juices flowing.

Will we need to wait for the 2010 Winter Games? Will America’s National Pastime provide a true hero?

All of this, from a short outing at Santa Anita Park…

Breaking News! Ad@lf Hitl&r Campbell Update

rabbifink — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:54:33 +0000

A few weeks ago I commented on the idiots who named their children Adolf Hitler Campbell and Aryan Nation Campbell. They had a problem getting a birthday cake. Awwww, too bad.

Now they have a new problem on their hands. They will need to be invited by the authorities for the next birthday party. It seems that they are in a bit of hot water with the child protections agency. The children have been removed from the custody of the parents. The newspaper has conflicting reports on what their reasons were for removing the children from their home.

Apparently, the children were removed but NOT because of their names. So that just means that the parents were idiots when they named their kids and they continue to be idiots enough to warrant taking their children away!

I can’t say I am happy when a child is taken away from its parents but this might actually be a good thing…

Adolf Hitler Campbell can't get a birthday cake

rabbifink — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:55:41 +0000

Here’s a good one…

We just named our baby and honestly a lot of thought goes into it!

This family decided a good name for their bundle of sweetness and joy is ADOLF HITLER Campbell! Imagine this kid going through life with a name like that!

Sometimes you wonder if these people even think about what they are doing!?

Well it seems that they certainly know what they are doing – another one their other children is named “Aryan Nation” and this photo gallery indicates their feelings towards Nazism…

UPDATE