Interesting Posts and Articles #89

1. Bob Krumm on the ups and downs of the McCain-Obama gap in polling, based on weekend surveys.
   
   
2. In Indonesia, a cow ritually drowned after being impregnated by a man. The drowning of the cow served to erase any bad influences which were upon the village elder who was caught in the act of impregnating the cow.
   
   Poor cow.
   
   We might compare to the Biblical directive of death penalty for bestiality. There are a number of distinctions. Primary among them is that we no longer do it. But still, if that was the Biblical and Divine directive, it would be problematic. But other distinctions are that there is no belief that a man can impregnate a cow, with the penalty hinging upon it; the that the death of the cow does not pardon the man, but he himself gets the death penalty; and also, that midrashically, the cow is killed not for a violation but so that people do not point to the cow as this man's mate, which would embarrass the man.
   
   
3. The oldest Hebrew writing found, on clay pottery. This may demonstrate ancient literacy, something previously questioned by some.
   
   
4. Guy Ritchie cancels Madonna's order to fill a swimming pool with Kabbalah water. Makes sense.
   
   
5. Hirhurim notes that HebrewBooks.Org now has Rav Yehuda Henkin's Bnei Banim online:
   

   שו"ת בני בנים - חלק א	הנקין, יהודה הרצל		תשמ"א
   שו"ת בני בנים - חלק ב	הנקין, יהודה הרצל		תשנ"ב
   שו"ת בני בנים - חלק ד	הנקין, יהודה הרצל		תשס"ה
   שו"ת בני בנים - חלק שלישי	הנקין, יהודה הרצל		תשנ"ח

   
   
6. The end of journalism, about the media ignoring various generally important stories because of a pro-Obama bias.
   
   
7. User Friendly, trying to put the US election into perspective.
   
   
8. John McCain on SNL
   
   
9. Live election results, via Google: