Circumcision Circumscribed

Circumcision Circumscribed

This dastardly, narcissistic and self--serving attempt to rationalize the banning of circumcision by siting Mishnaic/Talmudic sources that the sages themselves weren't certain as to what truly constitutes circumcision, milah (circumcision) with or without periah (removing the prepuce) is disingenuous. It reminds me of the old Yiddish expression "chazir fissel kosher," the pig presents himself as kosher because he has split hoofs! The bottom line is, just as the pig doesn't chew its cud and therefore not kosher, milah without periah isn't milah. The interpretive guidelines of the sages are precisely what makes and defines normative Judaism. To negate that is to negate the basic, core fundamental structure of normative Judaism. It is those interpretive guidelines that have formed the Jewish laws and customs to which we subscribe to collectively, as a people, even though individuals may opt to not observe them. Thus, a kosher household isn't one that follows the dietary laws of the Pentateuch, for that kind of household would be deemed non kosher by normative Judaism. A household that follows the dietary laws as defined by the sages and rabbis over thousands of years has become the gold standard, with perhaps variation as a result of technology and cultural modifications.

Boxing For Women - How to Pursue This Sport As a Woman

Boxing For Women - How to Pursue This Sport As a Woman

The sport of boxing for women has been around for much longer than most realize. Boxing for women and how to pursue this sport as a woman is very much the same as for a man. Womens boxing was first introduced on the world stage as a demonstration event in the Summer Olympic Games in 1904. Unfortunately for women who were interested in this sport it never really gained any footing and was even banned by most nations for several decades.
Then in 1988 the Swedish Amateur Boxing Association gave its first womens match. However, in the 1970's here in the U.S. a female boxer by the name of Cathy "Cat" Davis had started her career. She was able to have several of her matches televised and even made the cover of Ring Magazine.However a scandal broke out with the accusation of her matches being fixed and this alone was almost enough to kill the sport.

Veteran Sports

Veteran Sports

The whistle blew on that first game and I burst onto the field with a fervour I hadn't felt in oh so long and haven't felt since. What I have felt is every year of absence and age, groaning about the stupidity of running around a field chasing a ball with a stick in my hands at the grand old age of 41. It hasn't stopped me though. I think to myself, "I'm too old for this..." as the ball whizzes past, and [like one of Pavlov's dogs] I automatically react. "That's my ball!" the hockey player inside my head says and orders my legs to start running. It would all be quite pathetic if it wasn't such good fun.
The camaraderie of the team is something I'd nearly forgotten about. The slaps on the back as we'd chased, tackled, jostled, and occasionally scored goals is a wonderful boost to moral. As is the concern when once again I've forgotten to stop running, barrelled into another player and somersaulted through the air to land with a thud on the ground. Or the shouts of "Don't worry, you'll get 'em next time!" when one of us has completely stuffed up a tackle or shot. The emphasis has been, and continues to be, less on winning [though that always remains our goal] and more on being a team, supporting each other and having fun. It's much more fun now than when I was a teenager and winning was everything. If I can get through a whole game without gasping for the need to rest before quarter time, I'm happy. If I can manage the game without injuries I'm even happier. To score a goal is the ultimate high!

Pain in the Butt: Piriformis Syndrome

Pain in the Butt: Piriformis Syndrome

If it hurts to touch a point that's in the middle of one side of your buttocks, you probably have piriformis syndrome. This chronic condition is very difficult to diagnose, because other injuries may produce exactly the same symptoms. Similar pain may be the result of an injury to bones, muscles, tendons, bursae (pads between the tendons and bones), the hip joint, or the sciatic nerve, but there are ways to determine from which condition you might be suffering.
If you feel most pain when you land after hopping on one leg, you might have an injured hip joint or a stress fracture in your pelvis or upper leg bones. An x-ray will usually reveal a joint injury, but only a bone scan will reveal a stress fracture.
If you feel pain in your buttocks, particularly when you touch your toes while keeping your knees straight, you might have a tear in the large muscles or tendons that run down the back of your hips.