Saturday, May 4, 2024

Reading Comprehension

Saturday, April 27, 2024 
This sermon on college antisemitism is as close to my point of view as I have yet heard. https://youtu.be/FfW8nCKQu7M?feature=shared
.  .  .
 
Once you have finished listening, read this lengthy article, critical to an understanding of today's politics. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/04/24/trump-tyranny-christian-nationalist-democracy/
 
When these two things are finished, you deserve a nap.

Sunday, April 28, 2024
“You Don’t Have to Be Alone With Anxiety” is a headline in today’s newspaper. Just get close to somebody else and drive them crazy.
.  .  .

Intellectually dishonest, morally corrupt, simply insane? Bill Barr’s your man.

Monday, April 29, 2024
Last week, we took a look at appreciation in the real estate market. This week, consider this inflation spiral. On April 1, I attended my last Rangers hockey game at Madison Square Garden, seated in section 224, row 4. Jeff G., one of my benefactors, sold me the tickets for $135. Today, the Rangers having swept the first round of the playoffs, a seat in section 224, row 5 for the first game of the second playoff round is on sale for $1,053.

Of course, we all know that the NBA playoffs are going on along with the Stanley Cup playoffs and the New York Knickerbockers are competing therein. So, one night you can be seated in Madison Square Garden watching championship hockey and the next night championship basketball. If the Knicks go on to the second round, the best you can do for the first game in section 224 is row 8 at $1,142.

However, if you want to save money on playoff tickets, join one of several law firms suing Madison Square Garden or a related entity and be barred from entry. 
.  .  .

My brother, who earned an M.A. and Ph.D. from Columbia University, asks where did all those tents come from?

Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Newspaper article:
The fact that there are Jews protesting against Israel at Columbia should be no surprise: It reflects the ideological diversity of American Jews on this issue.”

Alternate reading:
The fact that there are no Muslims protesting against Hamas anywhere should/shouldn’t be a surprise. 

Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Emerging from the Sinai Desert after 40 years, the Lotos Club, 5 East 66th Street, is a good place to start. I was the guest of Steve N., fellow graduate of Stuyvesant High School and CCNY, now one of the leading medical malpractice lawyers around. I tried to avoid talking about my aches and pains and I definitely did not show him my surgical scar.

The club’s home is a beautiful mansion built for a Vanderbilt in 1900. The interior is exactly what you would expect from a private club, comfortable chairs, dark colors, endless bookshelves, very British. The lunch menu was decidedly American, omelets, salads, crab cakes, hamburgers. I ordered corned beef hash on English muffins topped with fried eggs. The only disappointment was the mixed vegetables on the side where I was expecting French fries. This was no time to be healthy. I made up for it somewhat by having a chocolate soufflé for dessert. 
.  .  .

I dashed off this letter to The New Yorker in response to wording in the current issue. “You have facilely solved a contentious chicken-and-egg problem when you cite ‘the fallout from Israel’s assault on Gaza.’ Is this akin to lamenting the violence attending the Allied invasion of Europe after June 6, 1944?”

Thursday, May 2, 2024
Michael Ratner and I made our 2024 debut at Citi Field to see the Mets play the Cubs. The weather was lovely, clear, bright, dry, 70s. We got to the stadium early, but the Mets arrived only in the fourth inning already trailing 4-0. Fortunately, they stayed around long enough to win 7-6 in the 11th inning. Joy abounded.
.  .  .

It’s the truth, it’s actual,
Everything is satisfactual.
“Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, said the legislation [cracking down on antisemitic speech on college campuses] could make it illegal to assert that Jews killed Jesus, punishing Christians for ‘believing the Gospel.’”

Friday, May 3, 2024
CCNY Student Government President for Life Irwin Pronin lunched with me today at 
La Sirène, 416 Amsterdam Avenue, a very traditional French bistro, absent only red-checked tablecloths. The friendly premises are small, but there is a lot of seating outdoors waiting for warmer weather.

I had steak tartare with both French fries and a green salad, an error by the waiter ($29). They were very good, but a tad pricey. Irwin and I sat for an extra hour catching up which then justified the cost of the meal. We then went next door to Amorino Gelato, 414 Amsterdam Avenue, the international gelato chain, for closure. I had a small cup with two delicious scoops, coconut gelato and chocolate sorbet (here's to you Barbara F.) for $5.85.



1 comment:

  1. THANK YOU FOR PASSING ON THE YOU TUBE IT WAS WONDERFUL BRILLIANT

    ReplyDelete