Sunday, October 23, 2022
Jews
are smart, at least according to many Jews. I think that many non-Jews
would agree, resentfully. It may be disappointing when individual
Jews act dumb (we are tribal after all), but dumb mistakes by the
Israeli government are painful.
In May, the Israeli Supreme Court approved
the expulsion of some 1,200 Palestinians in West Bank villages where
they lived for decades so the Israeli Army could use the land for a
live-fire military training ground.
Not to build schools, not to build hospitals, not to build water treatment plants, not to build solar panel farms. Some
of the Palestinians even have deeds predating the founding of Israel.
It’s unnecessary to examine the Court’s reasoning; the issue should not
have risen in the first place. It’s a provocation at a time and place
that doesn't need any more stress. Be smart, it’s expected of
us.
. . .
In the immortal words of Roseanne Roseannadanna, “It’s always something.”
Monday, October 24, 2022
Few
horror movies have engaged me since the passing of Maria Ouspenskaya.
There is more than ample horror around us now, eliminating the need to
escape into fiction. Horror does not have to be accompanied by blood
and gore. There is real horror, I believe, in the current results of
the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a function of the
United States Department of Education. A
nationwide test of fourth graders and eighth graders show massive (my
word) deficiencies in math and reading. For instance, only 26% of
eighth graders were proficient in math. On average, Massachusetts
students fared best at 34% while those in New Mexico sank to 13%. That
should scare you.
. . .
Cindy
Wilkinson McMullen, my favorite Steel Magnolia, suggested that her
North Carolina friends Kristy and Greg meet me for a dinner in Chinatown
on their first trip to the Holy Land. I happily agreed and, inevitably,
I chose Wo Hop, 17 Mott Street, as the archetypal representative of
Chinatown Chinese food.
Menu planning was simple, aiming for Wo Hop’s sweet spots:
Wonton soup with crispy fried noodles
Singapore chow fun
Shrimp in lobster sauce over shrimp fried rice
Moo shu chicken with extra pancakes
Needless to say, a good time was had by all.
Tuesday, October 25, 2022
Oh, no! Samuel Alito lied?
. . .
America’s Favorite Epidemiologist was indisposed, so I went alone to
Carnegie Hall’s Patrons’ reception and dinner, followed by a concert by
the Los Angeles Philharmonic. To be clear, my brother is the Patron,
but he has not renewed his passport that would allow him to cross the
Hudson River. So, at the reception desk, I mumbled Blahblah Gotthelf
and picked up his table assignment and tickets.
The
hors d’oeuvres were excellent, notably the caviar, the deviled quail’s
eggs and the tuna crudo. Because the Scotch whiskey was a blend, not
single malt, I reverted to rum and Coke (Pepsi actually) as homage to
the 1940s. Dinner was very good. The salmon was cooked to a
perfectly-civilized level of doneness and the chocolate cake superb.
The concert was also memorable. Two works were performed, Gustav Mahler’s “Symphony No. 1 in D Major” and Gabriela Ortiz’s “Altar di cuerda for
Violin and Orchestra.” Unlike Mahler, Ortiz took many curtain calls,
much deserved for the New York premiere of her 2021 work. Soloist Maria
Dueñas, born in Granada, Spain, in 2002, was spectacular. May I repeat — born in 2002.
Wednesday, October 26, 2022
Linda Greenhouse covered the United States Supreme Court for over 30 years for the New York Times
and now is based at Yale Law School. She spoke this evening at the
New-York Historical Society about the jurisprudential posture of the
current Court. She ain't happy.
Thursday, October 27, 2022
The sports section reported on an upcoming historic event. "Kim
Wyant is the head coach of New York University, which will host
powerhouse University of Chicago, coached by Julianne Sitch. It is
believed to be the first N.C.A.A. men’s soccer game in which both
coaches are women."
Of
course, this reminded me of Robert M. Hutchins, the outspoken
educational philosopher, who served as president and chancellor of the
University of Chicago. Hutchins famously said, "When I feel like exercising I just lie down until the feeling goes away."
. . .
Gentleman Jerry, Ken and I went to Rosetta - The Italian Bakery, 1928 Broadway, opposite Lincoln Center, for lunch. It's open only one month and, even though Épicerie Boulud, 1900 Broadway, is right across the street and Breads Bakery, 1890 Broadway, is down the block and Le Pain Quotidien, 60 West 65th Street, just round the corner, Rosetta has seemed to find an audience. It provides ample seating, indoors and out, few spaces were available to us. The predominantly white interior has a high ceiling and an open and airy feeling.
Rectangular pieces of pizza, about 4" by 6" with various toppings, run around nine dollars. That's expensive, although my mushroom, prosciutto slice tasted very good. Smallish sandwiches cost $5-18. Rosetta has a big, attractive array of pastries, which I did not sample on this occasion in a rare exercise of self control. A domani.
