That’s Odd

eral government will do everything, everything you can possibly do to help.

“And so, I’m working with the governor of Kentucky and others who may want me to be there, I made sure that we’re a value-added at the time, and we’re not going to get in the way of the rescue and recovery, but I do plan on going.

“My heart aches for those people right now, including the rescuers, including the burden on them and what they worry about. I just think that we just have to keep at it. We have to keep focused. And this is going to be the focus of my attention until we get this finished.”

Paper Power

Elon Musk has been named Time’s Person of the Year, and he truly makes the grade. Recently, a college paper graded by Musk two decades ago nabbed thousands at auction.

RR Auctions saidthe papers, which were written in 1995 by then-student Brian Thomas, were graded by the Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder when he was a teacher’s assistant for Professor Myles Bass at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.

The papers are marked, graded, and initialed by Musk, who etched only one comment on the documents – the word “graphic” in response to a profanity used by the student.

The college papers fetched $7,753 from an unknown buyer.

Thomas didn’t even realize he was holding onto such a treasure. He doesn’t remember Musk being in the class, but he had held onto the papers over the years because of his fond memories of Bass. His son noticed the papers had been graded by the now-famous businessman.

Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that one out.

Botox at Camel Competition

If Sally the camel was scared of the competition at Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, she may have felt the pressure to have her face done. But she should stay far away from the Botox if she knows what’s good for her.

This year, Saudi authorities conducted their biggest-ever crackdown on camel beauty contestants that received Botox injections and other artificial touch-ups. Over 40 camels were disqualified from the annual pageant because of work that was done on the animals.

The festival, which kicked off earlier this month, invites the breeders of the most beautiful camels to compete for some $66 million in prize money. Botox injections, face lifts, and other cosmetic alterations to make the camels more attractive are strictly prohibited. Jurors decide the winner based on the shape of the camels’ heads, necks, humps, dress, and postures.

This year, authorities discovered dozens of breeders had stretched out the lips and noses of camels, used hormones to boost the beasts’ muscles, injected camels’ heads and lips with Botox to make them bigger, inflated body parts with rubber bands, and used fillers to relax their faces.

The camel beauty contest is at the heart of the massive carnival, which also features camel races, sales and other festivities typically showcasing thousands of dromedaries. The extravaganza seeks to preserve the camel’s role in the kingdom’s Bedouin tradition and heritage, even as the oil-rich country plows ahead with modernizing mega-projects.

Camel breeding is a multimillion-dollar industry and similar events take place across the region.

We can totally understand the need to compete.

Tiny Car; Huge Trip

If Alex Orchin’s car looks like it could fit into your kid’s lunchbox, your eyes aren’t deceiving you that much.

Orchin’s car is a Peel P50, the world’s smallest production car. The classic car fanatic made waves with it when he drove it the entire length of Great Britain.

The three-wheeler was originally built in the 1960s but was rebooted in the past decade in 40 cc single-cylinder gasoline and electric motor versions. Orchin’s is a 2017 gasoline edition that he just barely fits in at 5 feet, 11 inches tall. Its top speed is 23 mph on flat ground.

The 874-mile trip from John O’Groats in the north to Land’s End in the south took Orchin three weeks as he putt-putted in his tiny car. Given that the commuter-focused car barely has room for Orchin, let alone his luggage, a friend followed him in a camper van used as a support vehicle.

“As far as I know I am the first person to attempt the journey in a P50,” Orchin said.

The car performed wonderfully along the road. One mishap? When the door fell off with just 50 miles to go.

“Wherever I park it,” Orchin related, “it draws a crowd. People are amazed by this car – and not just car-people. It has a universal appeal with everyone, even kids,” he said.

That’s because kids think it’s really a toy.

Uber Eats Heads to Space

Wondering what you’re going to eat on your next space mission? Have no fear – Uber Eats will deliver to infinity and beyond.

Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa teamed up with the company to make the first Uber Eats delivery to astronauts on the International Space Station. The delivery was made as part of Maezawa’s 12-day orbit.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said, “One small handoff for Yusaku Maezawa, one giant delivery for Uber Eats! We’re over the moon to have helped make our first successful delivery to space. Our goal is to help people go anywhere and get anything, so we’re proud to serve the astronauts at the International Space Station.”

Dara added, “Yusaku Maezawa gets a thumbs up on this delivery, even though it took a bit longer than the usual 30 minutes to arrive.”

The delivery was made on December 11 around 9:40 a.m. (eastern time), about eight-and-a-half hours after Maezawa’s trip began.

What delicacies survived the trip to outer space?

The package included boiled mackerel in miso, beef bowl cooked in sweet sauce, simmered chicken with bamboo shoots, and braised pork.

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to handle Uber Eats’ first food delivery to space,” said Yusaku Maezawa. “Uber Eats’ initiative and sense of adventure is inspiring. I will never stop challenging myself, and I hope that everyone continues to do the same. Let’s make the world a better place!”

One food delivery at a time.

TA’s Lamdeinu: You May Know a Child Like Chaim

You may know a child like Chaim. Chaim is a 10-year-old who is bright and sensitive. He loves chumash and science experiments. But Chaim is struggling in the classroom.

He can’t read quickly, and he’s starting to believe that he’s not as smart as his classmates. He is frustrated and beginning to misbehave. He wants to succeed but he doesn’t know how.

Sometimes, he just needs the Rebbi or teacher to explain a new concept one more time. And sometimes, that extra explanation doesn’t happen. The bell rings. Another student asks a question first. Or Chaim gets too embarrassed to raise his hand.

For students like Chaim, school is hard. And now, he’s expected to keep up in Gemara shiur. It’s only going to get harder. Chaim is calling out for help. How do we answer his cries?

LAMDEINU @ TA.

Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim - Talmudical Academy is an established and thriving Yeshiva focused on cultivating talmidim into genuine Bnei Torah who live life with a simchas Hatorah and simchas Hachaim, and have a keen understanding of the greatness they can reach. At 104 years old, TA is blessed with many talmidim, ke”h, and takes great pride in continuing to serve the Baltimore community with a commitment to a chinuch model that challenges all talmidim to become great, while addressing the individual needs of every student.

TA is dedicated to providing tools for students like Chaim to grow and thrive in their learning and Yiddishkeit. TA recognizes that students like Chaim need a little extra attention from their Rebbeim and teachers. They need to spend a little extra time practicing their kriah and reading skills. They need a little extra concentration with a patient, knowledgeable educator.

It is for this reason that at TA a very strong emphasis is placed on ensuring that every talmid is set up for success, and the Yeshiva provides as many services as it can for as many students as possible. These services equip students like Chaim to unleash the potential they have locked inside.

All of these support services are provided under the name LAMDEINU. LAMDEINU provides special education services to students in our Learning Centers and self-contained classrooms, reading and Kriah support with specialists and tutors, and collaboration with outside educational support services, including Shemesh, to ensure the success of every talmid. Almost 30 employees are servicing hundreds of students with Lamdeinu services.

LAMDEINU’s impact on TA’s students’ success is extraordinary. But the waiting list for LAMDEINU continues to grow each year. Demand has outgrown supply. More students need services, and more services are needed. The expansion and sustainability of TA’s LAMDEINU is critically important.

To address this and continue to grow TA’s Lamdeinu services, TA will be having a special community-wide matching campaign for LAMDEINU on December 29th and 30th .

For some students, this campaign will translate into time with a Reading Specialist. Because of donors to the campaign, a struggling student will improve his language comprehension skills and fall in love with reading.

For some, this campaign will translate into early-intervention services. Because of donors to the campaign, a teacher will catch a student’s dyslexia and immediately begin closing the achievement gap.

For some, this campaign will translate into a Gemara Skills Support group. Because of donors to the campaign, a student will work with a rebbe to increase his fluency in Gemara and build his confidence in learning.

Lamdeinu services help TA to reach all students, even those who learn differently. Talmidim don’t need to go elsewhere to access quality interventions when they can get the same services in their very own Yeshiva.

This campaign puts into action the belief that every talmid deserves individualized attention. No matter the obstacle, all of TA’s students receive a catered learning plan to their unique strengths and challenges.

Chaim, and students like him, need your help. Please join TA for the special LAMDEINU campaign, December 29th and 30th .

TODAY I 'M SET FOR SUCCESS!

THANK YOU LAMDEINU!

36 HOUR

CAMPAIGN WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY

12.29.21 - 12.30.21

ALL DONATIONS MATCHED!

CMATCH.ME/LAMDEINU

Lamdeinu provides a variety of educational support services, through individualized instruction and innovative educational tools, enabling every student to succeed.

Lamdeinu is proud to have Shemesh as a partner in facilitating special education needs in TA. BALTIMOREJEWISHHOME.COM