Not A Product-Forward Blog

Monday, May 13, 2019

You wouldn't believe that we only reached a high temperature of 48˚ today, would you?

. . .

I practiced law for almost 14 years, entirely within the New York State court system, never in the employ of a private party.  Thus, I avoided any ethical/moral dilemma associated with representing an unpopular or unpleasant client.  Lawyers are expected to zealously represent their clients; it's what you would expect from your own attorney.  In civil matters, lawyers may try to stick to one side of disputes -- tenants in rent cases, employers in wrongful dismissal cases, husbands in matrimonial cases.  In criminal law, one side is always the People prosecuting an accused lawbreaker, so criminal lawyers are aligned with the "bad guys."  Sometimes, this association has implications outside the courtroom.  
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/11/us/ronald-sullivan-harvard.html

Ronald S. Sullivan Jr. has been the faculty dean of one of Harvard’s undergraduate residential houses since 2009, in conjunction with his wife, also a member of the law school faculty.  When Sullivan joined the team defending Harvey Weinstein against sexual assault charges in New York County, students objected by various means, graffiti, a sit-in and a law suit.  The students believe that, as the New York Times put it, "his decision to represent a person accused of abusing women disqualified Mr. Sullivan from serving in a role of support and mentorship to students." 

Harvard responded by terminating Sullivan's and his wife's position in the residential unit at the end of this semester.  Their faculty status remains unchanged.  Before I step back to allow rancorous debate to begin, note that Sullivan and his wife are African-Americans, the first ever appointed by Harvard as faculty deans.

. . .

Here is another dispute, far less prickly.  "A diner who spent more than six hours eating in a restaurant and then refused to pay the bill has been jailed for 34 weeks."  This took place in Cambridge, England late last year.  The bill amounted to $68.29, at the present rate of exchange. 
https://www.itv.com/news/2019-05-13/restaurant-diner-who-refused-to-pay-for-six-hour-meal-is-jailed/

I find two things remarkable about this event; 1) the perp sat in a restaurant for over six hours while only spending $68.29; 2) the restaurant's name is Frankie & Benny's, New York Italian Restaurant & Bar.  Somehow, I believe that if, in fact, this had occurred in an actual New York Italian restaurant and bar, somebody would have been hospitalized. 
. . .

I came across something called Gear Patrol, which I had never heard of, self-described as a publication for “young affluent men seeking inspiration for a life well lived . . . [containing] immersive stories, deals, buying advice, product-forward editorial, and reports from far-flung places."  Of those words, only "deals" spoke to me.  Skimlinks, a publishing industry web site that I also had never heard of, said that Gear Patrol's "mission was to focus on telling captivating stories while still writing about products and earning, whenever possible, commissions from the sales they drive."  How much do you get for inspiration?

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Thanks to notorious thespian Paul Hecht for this contribution.  https://www.zumper.com/blog/2019/04/mapping-nyc-neighborhood-rents-spring-2019/

This article graphically presents the apartment rental picture in the Holy Land, showing that DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) is the second most expensive neighborhood to Tribeca (Triangle Below Canal), measured by the median rent of a one-bedroom apartment.  It also illustrates how much faith realtors place in snappy acronyms. 

. . .

Opinionated About Dining publishes surveys about restaurants around the world, gathered from "people who demonstrate knowledge and expertise on the subject of fine dining."  Obviously, I qualify.  Here is the latest list of cheap eats in North America.  

http://www.opinionatedaboutdining.com/2019/nacheapeats.html

. . .

Far removed from cheap eats is the latest list of the richest people in the United Kingdom.  

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sunday-times-rich-list-top-20-hl0k6kvzx?utm_source=Silverpop&utm_campaign=RA_Engagement_Global&utm_medium=email&utm_content=RL_Top_20

What's most interesting about this group is how un-British they seem to be.  The last names of only 8 of them are likely to be found in the first British telephone directory, published in 1896.  Names such as Hinduja, Blavatnik, Agarwal and Usmanov evoke exotic locations far from Britain's "green and pleasant land" and people more likely to have studied English as a second language than Shakespeare at Oxford.

If Brexit results in walling off the United Kingdom from the rest of the world, who actually will be ruling Britannia?

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Today is National Chocolate Chip Day, so pronounced by the National Day Calendar, "the authoritative source for fun, unusual and unique National Days." 

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/

It could easily be one of my favorite holidays, without the undertone of sadness in so many Jewish holidays and the constant standing up and sitting down that characterize our services. 

I am concerned, however, with the presence of National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, observed annually on August 4th.  It's like someone at my birthday party in February reminding me that he has a birthday in September. 

Thursday, May 16, 2019

When I learned that one of my periodontist's children planned on taking a post-doc at the Sorbonne, I hastened to make an appointment with the good doctor to help out.  Conveniently, this brought me to Midtown at lunchtime, where I ventured into Urban Space Vanderbilt, 230 Park Avenue, the food court with more than 20 food vendors representing almost as many cuisines and countless customers 1/3 my age crowded at picnic tables.  I stopped at the booth combining two merchants, The Kati Roll Company and C.C. Saha & Granddaughter. 

There are 3 other Kati Rolls around Midtown, featuring paratha (Indian bread) or roti (Indian pancake) wrapped around some combination of meat, vegetables and spices.  I previously ate at one on East 53rd Street (November 28, 2018).  Today, I had a Kosha Mangsho Roll ($7.85), nothing to do with the name.  The roti cylinder contained "Hand-pulled tender goat meat, marinated and slow braised."  Quite delicious. 

Neither C.C. nor his granddaughter were personally serving the "Indo-Burmese Fine Foods" advertised, including the Momos at the center of the menu, described as "Tibetan Nepali Dumplings," thereby encompassing four countries and much of a very large continent, all at 6 for $5.99.  My tasty pan fried Momos were filled with ground chicken with soy sesame dipping sauce. 

On the way out, I stopped at one of the bakery stands, admired their Brooklyn Blackout Cake and informed the patient young woman at the counter about its origins at Ebinger's on Flatbush Avenue. 
https://www.6sqft.com/the-history-of-brooklyn-blackout-cake-german-bakeries-and-wwii-drills/

 

Friday, May 17, 2019

Here is a piece of good news for just about every resident of Manhattan Island and neighbors nearby.  Local commercial real estate rents are dropping sharply.  https://wolfstreet.com/2019/05/16/brick-mortar-meltdown-manhattan-style-asking-rents-plunge/

I imagine that they are still far from a bargain, but the movement is in the right direction.  Maybe someday we will see the return of independent clothing and shoe stores, tailors and seamstresses, owner-operated cafés, bars and bistros, toy and book stores that gave our streets such color and life.  

The only ones unhappy with this news are commercial landlords, not the most lovable characters, such as you-know-who.  They are people who, apparently, never saw a bank branch or a chain drugstore that they didn't like.