Born to Run, Slowly

Monday, November 9, 2020 

OK boomer, here's your question: Bruce Springsteen is on the cover of what publication this month? 

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To sum up the president's principled position on the election returns: What's mine is mine, what's yours is mine.

Also, there is some symmetry in learning that he is not only a sore winner, but a sore loser as well.

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Now, we know what it takes to revive a ghost town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Columbus Circle @ 3:35 P.M. Saturday

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The top digital editor of the New York Post, Rupert Murdoch's most insistently pernicious print publication in the United States is Michelle Gotthelf.  What can I say?  It has to be nurture, not nature.

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While he has not been willing to acknowledge his defeat, the president should begin to consider his future.  I think that a natural role for him would be the new host of "Jeopardy," succeeding the late Alex Trebek.  After all, with his wealth of knowledge in so many fields, he will bring the right authoritative note to the proceedings. 

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

I understand Trump's reluctance, nay inability, to accept defeat.  It comes as no surprise.  However, this headline is very disturbing, "As Biden Plans Transition, Republicans Decline to Recognize His Election."  If congressional leadership maintains the mores of the sandbox, it could make us ungovernable, immobilized as the coronavirus death count continues to climb, as businesses fail, as families become impoverished and as our adversaries seek every advantage.  It's a formula for America Last.

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"What Went Wrong With Polling? Some Early Theories."  That's another provocative headline today for an article by Nate Cohn, normally a statistical wunderkind.  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/10/upshot/polls-what-went-wrong.html

Nate avoids certainty.  "[W]hatever steps pollsters took to improve after 2016 were canceled out by a new set of problems," not entirely defined.  Based on the results, however, it seems that both candidates must have relied on some quantitative input to tailor their campaigns as effectively as they did.  Each did better than expected, really.  They must have heard stuff that the public didn't.

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Allow me to take a small step back to normalcy, for a moment turning away from politics.  Here is an interesting list of "The 25 best cheap eats in NYC." 

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/restaurants/best-cheap-eats-in-nyc?cid=email--NEWSLETTER--NA_US_NYC_EN_NEWSLETTER_20201110--272479--11/10/2020&subsid=35809--481--73811817

Among my friends, this is a subject of real controversy.

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Can we immediately bury the phrase "Defund the Police"?  It's a loser or worse.  Serious efforts are needed to improve the recruitment, training, supervision and disciplining of police forces throughout the country.  It may not fit on a bumper sticker, but that's the path to meaningful reform.  Don't give the forces of darkness words that are easily weaponized.

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Need some encouragement?  There are more public libraries than Starbucks or McDonald’s in the USA.  

https://news.usc.edu/116937/would-you-believe-there-are-more-libraries-than-starbucks-or-mcdonalds/

Thursday, November 12, 2020

I think that we will be trying to unpuzzle how political polling went awry in 2020 for a long time to come.  Here's another look.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/12/us/politics/election-polls-trump-biden.html

Friday, November 13, 2020

This book review of "A Promised Land," by Barack Obama is so informative that you can just read it and save 20 or 30 bucks.   https://nyti.ms/2Ir2Rlw 

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Here's a sectarian heads up.  Late next month, at the time of the joyous Hanukkah season, there will be an extensive five-day Yiddish festival promising: "Films – Lectures – Theater – Yiddish Song – Folk Dance – Yiddish Language – Yiddish Culture and History – Visual Arts – Master Classes – Ensembles – Foods – Klezmer Music – Local Community – Art Exhibition – Special Programs for Kids & Teens and More!"  It costs money, because apparently George Soros depleted his funds buying the election, but you can purchase bits and pieces as you choose.
http://www.yiddishnewyork.com

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Do you need something new to arouse your indignation?  "New ‘party bagels’ are an affront to bagels everywhere. We will not stand for it."  https://www.nj.com/food/2020/10/new-party-bagels-are-an-affront-to-bagels-everywhere-we-will-not-stand-for-it.html

 

From an ethnocentric viewpoint, should we pleased that a beloved Jewish symbol is being so thoroughly Americanized or appalled at its desecration?

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Answer = AARP - The Magazine