Wednesday April 30, 2008 Comment I made in this discussion: http://james-nicoll.livejournal.com/1243654.html

Perhaps SFWA should narrow its membership criteria rather than broadening it. Go back to requiring yearly renewal of credentials. Only credit work which meets a strict definition of "hard science" for science fiction or "hard magic" for fantasy. Take points off if a story contains scientific or magical errors.

Make it really rigorous, and there will be no one to cause trouble in SFWA.

***Two of the questions which keep coming up on soc.genealogy.jewish: What Jewish name corresponds to this English language name? What English-language name corresponds to this Jewish name?

An illustration of why these questions are unanswerable:
The Newest Member of the VC [Volokh Conspiracy] Community

is Eden Daisy Bernstein, born Monday at 4 am, 7 lbs, 4.5 oz, 20.5 inches long, and cute as a button. Her Hebrew name is Shulamit Fayga, after three of her great-grandmothers. I'm very proud of Mrs. Bernstein who endured--yes, that's the right word--her second natural delivery.
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2008_04_27-2008_05_03.shtml#1209511029

English for Shulamit: Shulamith. Fayga is Yiddish for "bird."

***Rainbow had good sale prices on yogurt (their private brand) and oranges. I went to the Rainbow near Lake and Hiawatha for them.

Saw a notice that the store would have a Cinquo De Mayo celebration. Considering how many Hispanic customers the local supermarkets have, this seemed reasonable. Except that the notice was only in English. And the celebration would be on the third, rather than the fifth.

There was also a sale on Rainbow's pasta sauce. Unfortunately, it contained 26 percent of the daily sodium requirement. My blood pressure is no longer too high, but if I were to start regularly eating such salty foods....