Six Flags Great Adventure - No Dogs or Jews Allowed

Sunday we went with a group of friends to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey.  Because we went as a group, the price was only $25 plus tax which is an awesome deal.

From the start, we decided to split from the group as neither of us were interested on going on roller coasters, with the exception of the log ride.  We also went to the tiger show and got tickets for the safari tour bus.  At the arcades, I realized too late that the easiest way to get tickets was the incredibly easy, at least for me, shooting gallery.

Since we were there all day, we got hungry.  The event organizer called Great Adventure beforehand and asked if they have kosher vending machines, he was told that yes, they are present.  There is no information about kosher locations on Six Flags' website and no brochures in the park.  We went to Information to inquire where we can find some kosher food.  We were told there are no kosher vending machines and were sent to a section of the park which only had kosher ice cream.  Though not food, Information had no idea there was a store next door full of kosher candy, a fact we discovered as we were leaving the park.  Half of the park employees had no idea where exactly in the park there was kosher food, while the other half had no idea what kosher is.

Why am I complaining?  Because Six Flags has a strict no outside food or drink policy which is enforced by having all bags inspected and food confiscated.  Six Flags has made zero effort to provide kosher food for Jewish Orthodox patrons.  If you keep kosher, you will have to eat outside of the park as the Six Flags gestapo will not allow you to bring any food with you.  There is no separate brochure and nothing on the main map telling people which food establishments have kosher items and park staff is just as useless.  Movie theaters and zoos in New York now have kosher vending machines where you can get hot food.  Six Flags has nothing.

After we came home, I filed a complaint on Six Flags' site and BBB.  I invite everyone to do the same.
I wouldn't be surprised if  Six Flags' insensitivity includes even those people whose dietary needs are medical in nature.

Fish with pasta

Being very lazy and too lazy to cut potatoes, I created a variation on my shawarma fish. The name is due to the color and taste from the Israeli fish spices. Besides involving less work, this version can feed more people and is very much enjoyed by kids.

Cook half a box of elbow macaroni and set aside.
Take 2 bags of frozen tilapia or flounder and cut each piece into 4 parts.
In a large wok, fry the fish in toasted sesame oil.
When the fish doesn't look raw anymore, mix in the pasta and let it stand on a low flame for 2~3minutes.

Turn off the flame and add pasta sauce, preferably thick and preferably with mushrooms.
Let stand to allow the pasta to absorb flavor from the fish and pasta sauce.

Why is California broke?

From an email from frum skeptic.


California vs. Arizona             

California: The Governor of California is jogging with his dog
along a nature trail. A coyote jumps out, bites the Governor
and attacks his dog.

1. The Governor starts to intervene but reflects upon the
movie "Bambi" and then realizes he should stop; the coyote is
only doing what is natural.

2. He calls animal control. Animal Control captures coyote and
bills the State $200 testing it for diseases and $500 for
relocating it.

3. He calls a veterinarian. The vet collects the dead dog and
bills the State $200 testing it for diseases.

4. The Governor goes to hospital and spends $3,500 getting
checked for diseases from the coyote and on getting his bite
wound bandaged.

5. The running trail gets shut down for 6 months while Fish &
Game conducts a $100,000 survey to make sure the area is free of
dangerous animals.

6. The Governor spends  $50,000 in state funds implementing a
"coyote awareness" program for residents of the area.

7. The State Legislature spends $2 million to study how to
better treat rabies and how to permanently eradicate the disease
throughout the world.

8. The Governor's security agent is fired for not stopping the
attack somehow and for letting the Governor attempt to intervene.

9. Additional cost to State of California: $75,000 to hire and
train a new security agent with additional special training
re: the nature of coyotes.

10. PETA protests the coyote's relocation and files suit against
the State.

Arizona: The Governor of Arizona is jogging with her dog along a
nature trail. A Coyote jumps out and attacks her dog.

1.  The Governor shoots the coyote with her State-issued pistol
and keeps jogging. The Governor has spent $0.50 on a .45 ACP
hollow point cartridge.

2. The Buzzards eat the dead coyote.

And that’s why California is broke.

Eminent Domain

"The mine falls to us by default?" said Vetinary.
"Apparently, sir. I believe the term is 'eminent domain.'"
"Ah, yes. That means 'theft by the government,'" said Vetinari.

- Thud (376)

Sears - Time, Well Wasted

Went to Sears with a friend to get a bigger AC as my old one from the previous apartment is not strong enough for my living room.

Picked out the AC, paid for it, was told to go to the back to pick it up even though there were at least 10 boxes by the display.

In the pick up section, there was a sign stating that if your purchase is not give to you within 5 minutes, you get $5 coupon. The sign also proclaimed that 100% of yesterday's customers got their item in less than 5 minutes.

There was a display in the pick up section which showed orders sent for pick up and average waiting time. Average waiting time was a minute and a half. My order was not entered into the computer and did not show up on the display. We waited for 25 minutes for my AC to be brought out.

My friend pointed out to the department manager that we were waiting for more than 5 minutes. He was told that you only get your coupon if you wait for 20 minutes. When informed that we waited for 25 minutes, he said he didn't have any coupons left. While we were waiting for my order to be brought out, my friend told me that when he went to buy a car seat in Sears, he waited for an hour because they forgot he was there.

Check out Modern Tribe for cool and hip Judaica.

Whole Wheat Raisin Nut Bread - Zojirushi BBCCX20

After going to a friend's party and seeing his Zojirushi BBCC-X20 Home Bakery Supreme Bread Machine, monkey see, monkey do, I bought one also.

The bread maker comes with a recipe book, except the recipes are not very Jewish Orthodox friendly. All of the recipes contain milk. I asked my friend what substitutes he uses and then modified the recipe some more.

1. 1^7/8 cups of room temperature, not cold, water.
2. 2 tbsp olive oil.
3. 3 tbsp uncooked black buckwheat honey.
4. 3 cups whole wheat flower.
5. 2 cups high gluten regular flower.
6. 1/2 tbsp salt.
7. 3/4 cup mix of sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts or almond slivers, and caraway seeds.
8. 1 envelope of active dry yeast (3/4 oz).
9. 1/2 cup of raisins.

First add water, olive oil and honey. Then flower. Then salt and nuts and seeds. Make a depression in the middle and add yeast. Select whole wheat course and press start.

To insure that the majority of the raisins end up inside, I like to add them not when the machine beeps, but rather when it's still doing the initial mixing. Add the raisins when the display says 2:55.