Odds 'n Ends
The legendary 50,000 watt Chicago blowtorch!
Photos
Giant painted fiberglass corn forms!
The mansion of Judge David Davis is in Bloomington IL. He was behind Abraham Lincoln's rise to national power.
Frederick MD Community Bridge Mural
These photos were taken at the "Community Bridge" mural in downtown Frederick, MD (which was founded in 1743!)
"The Queen City of the Cornbelt"
as declared in the old Fairbury Blade newspaper.
Replacing a 200,000 gallon fire prevention system reservoir.
Nature center on the Vermilion River near Pontiac, Illinois
Located along the Illinois River between Ottawa and Utica.
More Stuff
Homeshield History
If you are or were an employee of Homeshield, aka Nichols-Homeshield, aka American Screen Company, in Chatsworth, IL, or a current or former resident of Chatsworth, you will enjoy browsing through these old Homeshield newsletters from the early '60s.
WLS Radio 890 History!
If you live in or are from the Midwest, try some radio nostalgia! This link is a history of WLS, with lots of content. You can also get CD's of Vol. 1 - 4 of Animal Stories, (with Uncle Larr and Little Tommy), here! Some of the funniest stuff ever heard on radio!
Are you a non-profit organization or small business in need of a Web site or a re-design? I can help.
The Shofar
"Sound the Shofar in Zion and
sound the alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the Land tremble: for the
day of the Lord cometh, it is nigh at hand" (Joel 2:1)
by Levi Rothman
The ram's horn, known as the Shofar, is one of the oldest Jewish symbols. The Torah states that the giving of the Ten Commandments was preceded by loud Shofar blasts on Mount Sinai. Joshua brought down the walls of Jericho with Shofar blasts. The Torah calls Rosh Hashanah, "Yom Teruah" -- "a day of blowing" due to the centrality of the Shofar on this holiday.
Rosh Hashanah
continues to center around the sounding of this ancient instrument. Although the horns
from many animals are permissible, it is strongly recommended that a ram's horns be used
because of the ram's association with the story of Akeidat Yitzchak -- the binding of
Isaac. When the angel held Avraham's knife before he could kill Yitzchak, God commanded
him to sacrifice a ram instead of his son. In remembrance of Avraham and Yitzchak's
willingness to do God's will and of God's mercy, the rabbis favored the ram over all other
animals. They forbade the use of cow's horns because of the reference to the sin of the
Golden Calf.
The Shofar is also blown every morning -- except on Shabbat -- during the
month of Elul as a reminder for Jews to repent. A single long blast signals the end of Yom
Kippur. According to the Baal Shem Tov, the Shofar teaches us that repentance must come
from the depths of the soul: "There are many halls of the king's palace, and
intricate keys to all those doors, but the ax is stronger than all of these. The master
key to [God's house] is the broken heart, the open heart."
From the biblical times,
the shofar has been associated with messianic redemption. The Midrash says that the left
horn of the ram sacrificed by Avraham was sounded on Mount Sinai and the right will be
blown at the coming of the Meshiach -- Messiah. Isaiah prophesied that when that horn
sounds all who have been dispersed will return to Jerusalem. In the Middle Ages, the
legend arose that Elijah would signal the coming of the Meshiach by blowing the Shofar
three days before his arrival. The Shofar is also supposed to announce the resurrection of
the dead. After the biblical period the Shofar lost its function except for special
events, where a special black Shofar was used. In Israel, the Shofar has been used to
inaugurate new presidents, to mark solemn occasions, and to celebrate military victories,
such as the liberation of the Western Wall in 1967.