All Aboard the ChaCha Train!

Filed under Tidbits

You know, I knew that my blog had been getting more and more visits lately. Especially since I was pretty much the first person to post the long awaited name of Tinok ben Aviva Feiner (Avraham Yeshayahu, after the Chazon Ish) on the web, being that I did it just moments after the name was given in Jerusalem's Great Synagogue this morning. But you know what really made me feel like I'm finally "on the map"? Getting noticed by ChaCha.

First, a quick little introduction for those of you who have just arrived from some distant planet and do not yet know what ChaCha is: ChaCha is a text-messaging-based mobile search service. Simply put, that means that you can send a text message with any question you want to "CHACHA" (that's 242242 on your phone's keypad), and you will generally get an answer within a short time. For example, you can ask "what is the current exchange rate from US dollars to Israeli Shekels?" or even "what time is candle lighting this Friday evening?" and they will tell you.

See, the way it works is, your question goes to one of ChaCha's many "guides" (people who ChaCha pays to answer questions). The guide performs a quick Google search for the answer, and sends it to your phone via text message. At the end of the answer is a web address that when accessed, shows your question, the answer, some info about the guide who gave the answer, and - here's the important part - a link to the site where the guide got the answer from.

So why am I mentioning all this? Because, like I said before, I am honored that ChaCha has begun to take notice of me. What I mean by that is that believe it or not, on more than one occasion, ChaCha guides have used MY humble blog as the source website for their answers! My blog has provided useful information (if that's even possible) for answering questions about everything from the major snowstorm in Jerusalem this past winter, to details of the aforementioned bris of Avraham Yeshayahu Feiner. So if that's not justification enough for wasting my time writing this thing, well, then I don't know what is.

So in closing, I would like to point out that I have suddenly become a much bigger fan of ChaCha than I already was, now that I see they're becoming bigger fans of me. I highly endorse (assuming I have the power to do that) ChaCha for all your mobile search needs.

But of course, one must weigh that against the fact that when asked recently what the Feiner baby's name is, a ChaCha guide replied: "The baby boy is named Tinok ben Aviva." So I guess maybe they aren't perfect, after all...

NOTE: Unfortunately, ChaCha only works in the USA, not in Israel or anywhere else.

I Have Good News and... Well, More Good News

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Tonight's update is about two very special simchas (well, to me, at least), Baruch Hashem.

First of all, it is with great joy and gratitude to Hashem that I report that my sister had a baby girl. (Thereby making me an aunt?) Now, I have plenty of nieces and nephews, b'li ayin hara. But what is special about little Blimi B. is that she is a major milestone for me (well, for our family): this is the thirtieth time I became an uncle. That's right - Uncle Moishe's "fan club" now has 30 members, b'li ayin hara!

Second of all, remember Tinok ben Aviva - the son of Rabbi Eitan Feiner Shlita, who was in the NNICU for several months after he was born? The one whom our "Super Bowl Seder" was to be a z'chus for (covered here)? Well, I am pleased to report that he is doing much better, Baruch Hashem - and is finally having his bris tomorrow morning!

May Klal Yisroel continue to share only simchas from now on!

UPDATE: Tinok ben Aviva finally has a name: Avraham Yeshayahu, after the Chazon Ish. Mazel tov!

We're Back in Business

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My apologies for the lack of new posts here on the blog recently. I have been having some severe problems recently with my Blogspot account, which prevented me from posting. Long story made short, I had several Blogspot employees burned at the stake, and the rest of them, seeing I meant business, got things working again.

And now, back to my deranged ranting informative journalism...

Water, Water Everywhere...

Filed under Tidbits

Try to picture this: I'm walking down Rechov Sonnenfeld this past Friday afternoon, carrying a case of 2-liter Ein Gedi water bottles in my right hand, and two bags of shirts from the cleaners in my left. (Don't ask why they're in bags. For some reason, in this country, someone decided that "boxed" actually means "bagged", and I'm smart enough not to try to ask any dumb questions as to why. I just wonder what you get if you ask for "bagged".)

Anyway, as I approach the intersection of Sonnenfeld and Lendner, almost without warning there is a huge RIIIIIIIP!!! (Kinda like the sound you might end up hearing if you wear pants that are way too small for you.) The case of Ein Gedi water, in a dramatic display of balance, splits in half RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE, ejecting 3 bottles out of each side and sending all six 2-liter bottles rolling down the hill, each one racing off in its own direction, some down Sonnenfeld and some down Lendner.

As I toss the shirts aside and go racing after my precious water, I think to myself: someone is gonna get it over the head for this one. I'm not sure who, but someone is gonna get it. I mean, this is ridiculous. What has this world come to?! Exploding water bottle cases?! Whatever shall we do if the terrorists get hold of these things?!