Which Way to the Reichstag?

Monday, January 4, 2021 

[Saturday X-word] 59 Across - Become incapable of parting?

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"Here’s what you need to earn in a year to get a mortgage for a median-priced home in the largest U.S. cities."   https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/31/realestate/can-you-afford-to-buy-a-home.html

California takes the top 4 slots, while half of the bottom 10 are in the Rust Belt.  The spread is extremely dramatic.  The prototypical home buyer in San Jose, California should earn $243,303 annually, making monthly payments of $5,677, compared to $38,266 and $893 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, approximately a 6 to 1 ratio in income and carrying costs. 

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Every so often, I remove my ideological lenses and put on my somewhat old, rusty political scientist glasses.  The issue that intrigues me is the large vote count for the losing 2020 presidential candidate in light of the pandemic and his rather spotty personal conduct.  I think that it comes down to the immortal words of James Carville, Bill Clinton's strategist, "It's the economy, stupid."  Many voters put aside consideration of conditions in November 2020, high unemployment, business failures, soaring Covid-19 infection rates, to reflect on the several preceding years -- unmatched or near-unmatched employment statistics and stock market performance and generally healthy economic growth. (https://apps.bea.gov/scb/2019/11-november/1119-gdp-economy.htm).

While not all economic sectors or populations were better off at the start of 2020 than they were in 2016, I believe that many voters in November maintained the optimistic, feel-good perspective of January as they cast their votes.  And, the pandemic was regarded as a onetime bolt from the blue, originating beyond the control of any politician, putting aside the quality of the response to it.

Tuesday,  January 5, 2021

Here is another view of the pandemic from https://www.apmresearchlab.org/covid/deaths-by-race:

• 1 in 750 Indigenous Americans has died (or 133.0 deaths per 100,000)
• 1 in 800 Black Americans has died (or 123.7 deaths per 100,000)
• 1 in 1,100 Pacific Islander Americans has died (or 90.4 deaths per 100,000)
• 1 in 1,150 Latino Americans has died (or 86.7 deaths per 100,000)
• 1 in 1,325 White Americans has died (or 75.7 deaths per 100,000)
• 1 in 1,925 Asian Americans has died (or 51.6 deaths per 100,000) 

. . .

Tonight, I served as interlocutor with Henry Saltzman discussing his book "Oy! Oy! Oy! The Teacher is a Goy," a slightly fictionalized memoir of teaching in an ultra-Orthodox elementary school (available on Amazon physically or electronically).  As an "ordinary" Brooklyn Jew, an identity I shared, Henry was challenged by the narrow worldview that his students brought into the classroom.  "How old is the world?"

Regardless of the special circumstances that Henry faced, his book illustrates a universal characteristic of standing in front of a classroom -- the teacher learns a lot, too.

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

It's not conclusive yet, but there is every indication this morning that Georgia has rejoined the Union.

Meanwhile, a large contingent of Trump supporters rallied in Washington today in support of law and order.  His address to the crowd included extensive quotes from Rod McKuen, Maya Angelou and Kahlil Gibran which produced the desired effect.

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I visited my eye doctor today, which necessitated passing directly in front of the front door of Pastrami Queen, 1125 Lexington Avenue.  I bought a half pound of chopped liver ($16.50) and a roast beef sandwich ($22), after confirming that the beef was as rare as Kosher cooked meat might be.  Both items would do well on a bus ride crosstown in wintry weather, unlike hot pastrami, for instance.  This expensive combination actually justified itself, producing meals for my young bride and myself, with the one sandwich big enough for two.  And, a good time was had by all, at least while not watching the news.

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Speaking of TV, I watched the third session of the discussion of Israeli television tonight.  I've learned that the government in power was intimately involved with the development of the industry at every crucial step.  Television broadcasting was not allowed until 1966; only black-and-white programming until 1983; one channel alone run by a government ministry until 1993; no commercials until 1994.  There is a lot of fodder here for political and sociological speculation.  For instance, Bibi Netanyahu's rise to power in Israel parallels the development of a competitive broadcasting environment.  You have 30 minutes, write on one side of the paper only.

Thursday, January 7, 2021

May we expect by the same logic that supports the erection and preservation of tributes to Confederate traitors that, in the future, statues of Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley will arise in town squares?

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Ready for "a feel-awful yarn for a feel-awful era"?  Check out this tale from London "of a mother testifying against her son, and vice versa, as she sues him for nearly $100 million in cash and assets."  
https://nyti.ms/3rXJoeA

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In case the cops need any help cleaning up yesterday's mess, the good news is that "Facial Recognition Is Accurate, if You’re a White Guy."  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/09/technology/facial-recognition-race-artificial-intelligence.html

Of course, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, "[b]etween May 1 and November 28, 2020, authorities were more than twice as likely to attempt to break up and disperse a left-wing protest than a right-wing one. And in those situations when law enforcement chose to intervene, they were more likely to use force — 34 percent of the time with right-wing protests compared with 51 percent of the time for the left."  https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-polices-tepid-response-to-the-capitol-breach-wasnt-an-aberration/

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Responding to my appeal, cousins Michael and Geri stopped by with bagels from Absolute Bagels this afternoon.  An example of superior breeding.

Friday, January 8, 2021

Wednesday's chaotic scenes were distressing for most Americans and our friends abroad.  However, we should regard them as a singular occurrence.  Normally, the seat of our government is well protected from hostile intruders intent upon threatening our institutions.  Here is a comforting example of the diligence normally exercised by the forces of law and order.  https://t.co/vyK0ZJhoFx 

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