Monday, October 2, 2017
This morning, we learned of the mass killing in Las Vegas. Motive remains uncertain as I write. One thing is certain, however, the offering of thoughts and prayers for the victims, the knee-jerk response of those in a position to make a difference in lieu of actually making a difference. Rather than lament this all-too-familiar response to maniacal gun violence, I thought that, in the best American tradition, I would exploit it.
Therefore, I am establishing the Thoughts and Prayers Club, membership exclusive to elected officials and those required to pay the Alternative Minimum Tax. Upon the reporting of any significant tragedy involving American citizens, the Thoughts and Prayers Club would offer thoughts and prayers on behalf of our members, who are typically preoccupied doing very important things. Dispensing empathy in this fashion keeps the names of our members in the public eye, demonstrates their humanity, and avoids them being caught disengaged or uncaring at a moment of public grief.
Dues are reasonable, considering the station in life that our members have achieved, and additional funding is made available by the National Rifle Association.
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I loved the opening sentence of a column in the Sunday paper: "I have been summoned to jury duty or, as New Yorkers think of it, lunch in Chinatown." You may wish to read the entire selection.
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The weekend saw Columbia University's football team continue its run toward a national championship. The local standings are now
Columbia University 3-0
New York Jets 2-2
New York Giants 0-4
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A critical part of Yom Kippur services, which we had 48 hours ago, is the Al Het prayer, repeated many times throughout. As part of our atonement, we ask to be pardoned and forgiven for a litany of sins -- actions, thoughts, inactions, postures, "of which we are aware and those of which we are not aware."
A comprehensive Orthodox version is provided by Chabad.
Before Yom Kippur, I heard from several of the sweetest people I know, asking forgiveness in the spirit of the holy day. On my part, recognizing that there are only so many hours in the day, I limited my appeals to two people, who had to endure some of my worst behavior during the year.
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Regarding gun control in light of the mass slaughter in Las Vegas, the White House asks us to wait "when that time comes for those conversations to take place." https://www.washingtonpost.com
A couple of weeks ago, Scott Pruitt, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, told us that "to use time and effort to address it [climate change] at this point is very, very insensitive to this people in Florida."
I approve this logic. As a Mets fan, after a 70-92 season, I think that this is not the time to talk about baseball.
The New York Times, however, is unwilling to heed the wise counsel from Washington and offers a graphic illustration of gun violence. https://www.nytimes.com/inte
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Speaking of sweet people, Michael Ratner invited me to join him at the New-York Historical Society (they retain the dash for historical accuracy) tonight. David Nasaw, author of The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P.Kennedy, moderated a discussion with Larry Tye, author of Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon. Tye, admittedly a fan of Kennedy's, was direct in his criticisms of Kennedy's low points, his service as an acolyte of Senator Joseph McCarthy, and his manic pursuit of Fidel Castro in Operation Mongoose a/k/a the Cuban Project, "a program of covert action, including sabotage, psychological warfare, intelligence collection, and the creation of an internal revolution against the communist government." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki
According to Tye, Kennedy never privately accepted the Warren Commission's version of his brother's death and thought that any one of three forces were the underlying cause -- Fidel Castro, Jimmy Hoffa or organized crime -- all of which Bobby Kennedy had intensely pursued.
Tye believes that Kennedy would have made an excellent president, effecting an alliance of disprivileged white and black Americans, fighting poverty and inequality, and ending the Vietnam war. I am particularly skeptical about the latter claim. As Ken Burns's 18-hour documentary film series is just in the process of reminding us, the societal divisions surrounding the Vietnam War were harsh and deep. And, in 1968, the presidential election year, there were at least 536,100 American troops in Vietnam, whose withdrawal without the cloak of Nixonian rhetoric of "peace with honor" might have further torn at the fragile bonds of tolerance and civility required by a democratic society.
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Michael and I continued the discussion at Flame, 100 West 82nd Street, a large, sprawling Pan Asian restaurant, which features three large hibachi tables, with chefs chopping and flipping and mixing ingredients in a fashion that used to draw criticism from our parents as playing with our food. Fortunately, we were seated far away from the boisterous crowds surrounding these displays and we concentrated on the Chinese-Malaysian portions of the large menu. We ordered Charsiu Duck Buns ($8 for three small sticky buns filled with duck in a barbecue sauce), Curry Chicken Samosa ($7 for chopped chicken in four star-shaped fried shells with curried mustard sauce on the side), Indian Roti ($6 for a thin crêpe with buttery curry sauce on the side), Peach Marinate Ribs ($9 for four ribs with the meat falling off the bone), and Crispy Duck Buns ($8 for two 2-inch square, 1/2 inch thick slices of duck breast, Peking style), the best of the lot. I can also recommend the flavor enhancer of the 10% discount for paying cash.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
The Onion printed the same headline for the fifth time in 3 1/2 years in reporting the Las Vegas gun violence: “‘No Way to Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens.” http://www.theonion.com/artic
On the other hand, you have to be a bit surprised that the sober Tom Friedman, temporarily diverted from cheerleading for globalism, fails to respect the calls for silence about gun violence coming from on high in a piece entitled "If Only Stephen Paddock Were a Muslim." https://www.nytimes.com/201
Thursday, October 5, 2017
I guess that ten years after his graduation from college, I should drop calling Max K. the Wonder Boy, a label that seemed to fit during those years that we frequently went to Mets games at Shea Stadium. Now, in addition to some miscellaneous ventures, he operates a residence in Tribeca with four bedrooms offered on Airbnb. That subject was the focus of our conversation today at lunch at Lilli & Loo, 792 Lexington Avenue, a Pan Asian restaurant with white tablecloths befitting its location one block from Bloomingdale's. Prices on the menu tended to be in same upscale zone, although the decor remained modest beyond the tablecloths.
We shared small plates and appetizers as much as a matter of taste as economics. We had cold sesame noodles ($8.25), Kung Pao chicken dumplings ($9.95 for six), scallion pancake ($8.25), and satay chicken ($9.50). The noodles and dumplings were very good; the pancake was good, deep fried, crispy outside, chewy inside. The four chicken skewers were dry, probably grilled long in advance; the accompanying peanut sauce looked more genuine than it tasted.
Friday, October 6, 2017
I think that the arrival of 5778 is sufficient cause to see the departure of all those slit at the shoulder tops that women have been wearing for too long. I have secured a large collection of fabrics, solids of many hues (but a lot of black) and a wide assortment of patterns that can easily be used to cover what is, for most people, an uninteresting body part. As for utility, exposing the shoulder might save time on vaccinations, but do little more.
Donna Karan started the cold shoulder fashion trend years ago with a little black number that appeared on many red carpets. I concur that the look has been adopted by way too many women but the idea behind it, that the juxtaposition of bare shoulders against contrasting fabric at the top draws the eye up and makes one’s tuchus look smaller, may explain it. Unfortunately, if the width below is double that above no amount of optical illusion can improve things.
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