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Jan. 9, 2009

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Why there's hope amidst the destruction

Martin Peretz: At War, Not at War

Charles Krauthammer: Will Olmert screw it up yet again?

Jan. 8, 2009

Stratfor Geopolitical Intelligence Report: Arab regimes secretly rooting for Israel?

Larry Elder: Israelis and Palestinians: Who's David, Who's Goliath?

Jeff Jacoby: Yes, it's anti-Semitism

Jan. 7, 2009

Jonah Goldberg: Who are the real Nazis?

Anne Applebaum: Pointless Peace Proposals

Jan. 6, 2009

Caroline B. Glick: Iran's Gazan diversion?

Dennis Prager: Dissecting Dershowitz

Jan. 5, 2009

Mark Steyn: Gaza has its version of rocket scientists

Mona Charen: The So-called International Community

Jan. 2, 2009

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: Having a holy tongue

Caroline B. Glick : Hamas' march to victory

Dec. 31, 2008

Dore Gold: Is Israel Using 'Disproportionate Force'?

Renee Enna:: Succulent 'stewp' is quick, easy fix

Dec. 30, 2008

Jonathan Mark: Israel's Response Is Disproportionate

Wesley Pruden: It's time once more to blame the Jews

Dec. 29, 2008

Rabbi Hillel Goldberg: Chanukah: 'Give me Judaism or give me death'

Michael B. Oren: A crisis and an opportunity

Dec. 26, 2008

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: When the past meets the future

Caroline B. Glick: Iran and Hamas do Christmas

Dec. 24, 2008

Rabbi Dovid Zauderer: Judaism's Santa problem

The Kosher Gourmet by Ethel G. Hofman CHANUKAH FORK-FINGER FOOD FEAST

Dec. 23, 2008

Caroline B. Glick: Repeating failure in Gaza

Dec. 22, 2008

Rabbi Boruch Leff: Too many Jews today are missing the intended purpose of one of Judaism's most beloved holidays

Barry Rubin: Liar, liar, pants on cease-fire

Dec. 19, 2008

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: The Final Battlefield

Caroline B. Glick: Betting on a dead horse

Dec. 18, 2008

The Kosher Gourmet by Steve Petusevsky: Juicy Chef's hella top, hella bottom, hallelujah in the middle

Craig Crossman : More gifts for geeks --- and those who love them

Dec. 17, 2008

Dion Nissenbaum: Israel kicks out outrageously biased UN official

Craig Crossman : Gifts for geeks --- and those who love them

Dec. 16, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: The Gift of Joy

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Uncle Shariah

Dec. 15, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir : Expert witnesses who put themselves first

Barry Rubin: What they say isn't what you hear

Dec. 12, 2008

Rabbi Hillel Goldberg: Can the Bible be a secular language?

Caroline B. Glick: What a PM Netanyahu faces from Washington

Dec. 11, 2008

Rabbi Leiby Burnham: Our role in the Divine's global corporation, World Inc.

The Kosher Gourmet by Steve Petusevsky: A retro-tasting pareve pot pie made with a light hand

Dec. 10, 2008

Rabbi Paysach J. Krohn: Groom admits he was caught "red handed"

Kara McGuire: No money for gifts? No problem

Dec. 9, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir : Can I make my boss treat me fairly?

Stratfor Geopolitical Intelligence Report: Next Steps in the Indo-Pakistani Crisis

Dec. 8, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: 'Chanukah Bush' flap and graciousness

Mark Steyn: Jews get killed, but Muslims feel vulnerable

Dec. 5, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: Truth --- The Key to Gratitude

Jeff Jacoby: UN's obsession is grotesque and Orwellian

Oct. 29, 2003
Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)

Jewish World Review Oct. 19, 2007 / 7 Mar-Cheshvan 5768

Wasp Smackdown

By Lori Borgman

Lori Borgman
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | I have always gotten along well with insects due to a mutual understanding: They stay outside the house and I let them live. They come inside the house and, well, it's not pretty.


A swarm of wasps tested this understanding by building a nest in a gray zone in the casing between an interior window and a storm window.


Technically, they were not actually in the house, but they were close enough I had reason to believe they soon would be painting the master bedroom and rearranging towels in the linen closet.


I alert the husband to the situation and his first response is that we try to lower the storm window and shoo the wasps out. The husband is a great humanitarian, or insectarian, I'm not sure what the term would be.


Some insects you can work with, but wasps, never. Bees, for example, buzz about pollinating while you pull weeds and everyone gets along peacefully. Unfortunately, as I explain to the husband, wasps are not like bees. Wasps are the thugs of the insect world, the ones that curse, spit, roll their own cigarettes and sharpen their stingers with razor straps while scouting unsuspecting prey.


Fortunately, I have googled the situation and know exactly what we will need to proceed. "My sources say that I will need to work with a helper who will remain calm. Which one of us should stay calm?" I ask.


He looks at me and shakes his head. Even a great insectarian can be difficult at times.


"It also says the calm one should wear protective clothing, including gloves. They recommend elbow length. Who knew you had to dress for wasps? Apparently they are a lot snootier than we knew.


"It also says to wait until dark, as that is when wasps gather in their nest. What do you think they do in the nest?" I ask the husband.


"My guess is they watch reality television shows about humans who come unglued at the presence of wasps."


"You better hope they're glued to a television, because my source also says the key is to sneak up on them."


As if we were going to blow a bugle or phone ahead for reservations. "Oh, and one small problem," I tell the husband. "We can't use wasp spray, because it could seep into the house. There are alternative methods, though. Here's one that suggests a three-step process using kerosene. Step one is to approach the nest quietly. Step two is to pour kerosene into the entrance of the nest and. step three says, "RUN!"


"I don't think the insurance company would be wild about us dousing the house with kerosene," my insectarian says.


"You don't have to light it," I say. "It says the fumes alone will kill them instantly."


My insectarian is still not persuaded, so I offer other alternatives, including making a trap from a funnel and a two-liter bottle, and a method using super-hold hair spray.


In light of any wasp-protection groups out there, I'd rather not say which method we finally agreed to use. I will say that when we swept up the mess in the morning, there wasn't a single wasp with a hair out of place.

Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.

JWR contributor Lori Borgman is the author of , most recently, "Pass the Faith, Please" (Click HERE to purchase. Sales help fund JWR.) and I Was a Better Mother Before I Had Kids To comment, please click here. To visit her website click here.

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© 2007, Lori Borgman

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