Saturday, August 31, 2024
"The [Florida] law at the center of the case, House Bill 1069, requires schools to promptly remove a book if a single parent or county resident makes a complaint that it depicts sexual conduct."
Psalms Chapter 3 has been summarized as “one man with God is always in the majority” and here we have a potent example.
. . .
This a fascinating study of what home size you can buy in Europe for the median price of a Manhattan condo, $750,000 for a large studio/small one-bedroom of 500 sq. feet.
I don’t know whether to laugh or to cry, reading that you can get 4,013 sq. feet in the Loire Valley or 3,165 sq. feet in Tuscany, never mind 5,859 in Thessaly, Greece, for the same money.
Sunday, September 1, 2024
Gentleman Jerry makes the brilliant observation that the 30-page main section of today’s New York Times has seven stories with “Trump” in the headline and one in the sub-head, but none containing “Harris.”
“Say anything you like about me, but spell my name right.” This has been reliably traced to another successful huckster. P.T. Barnum.
. . .
Last week, I commended Donald Trump for returning decades to me by attacking his opponent as a Communist, harkening back to the 1950s. Today, the New York Times is trying to truncate this century, robbing us all of valuable decades, publishing “The Best Books of the 21st Century.”
It’s only 2024, man. Give it some time.
Monday, September 2, 2024
Somehow, I missed it, but Bill Clinton made this observation in 2002, which remains critical today. ''When people are feeling insecure, they'd rather have someone who is strong and wrong rather than somebody who is weak and right.''
Tuesday, September 3, 2024
MOHS seems to be a snappy acronym. Something like Medically Originated Happy Surgery. But, really, Dr. Mohs invented this dermatological procedure, removing cancerous skin layer by layer until reaching a benign level. I had it done years ago on my forehead and today they aimed at my nose.
Dr. Jesse Lewin, a real mensch, had to carve twice to get to a clear spot. I was left with a big bandage, an ugly black eye and pain expected to last for another day or two. Maybe next time I’ll wear sun block.
Wednesday, September 4, 2024
It’s no secret that I’m not a Christian. However, there are few enclaves in the Western world that are free from Christian influence. Christmas and Easter have a major impact on our calendar. I remember going into a pharmacy in Germany minutes before it closed at 2 P.M. on Good Friday, not to reopen until Tuesday. So, I couldn’t ignore the news from Venezuela that Christmas will begin in October this year.
Traditionally, Advent immediately precedes Christmas with special prayers and practices. It generally is observed from about November 30th to Christmas Eve, but its exact duration differs by denomination. After all, why have different denominations if everyone agrees?
Another measure of the Christmas season is the twelve days of Christmas, with leaping lords and maids a’milking and partridges you know where. We normally accuse left-wing dictators of atheism, but Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro seems to be headed in the opposite direction. I wonder if this will cause a wrapping paper shortage in Venezuela?
Thursday, September 5, 2024
Since my appearance right now might cause little children to lose sleep and dogs to bark incessantly, I am remaining in the confines of Palazzo di Gotthelf until my pleasant countenance returns.
Friday, September 6, 2024
Stony Brook Steve took my battered nose for a walk, the first time that it experienced fresh air in days. Only a little bit of blood had oozed through the dressing, barely enough to scare innocent people.
We went to lunch at 74th Street Cafe at Fairway Market, 2131 Broadway. I had a generously portioned bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a roll ($9), very well made as is usually the case. The only consistent flaw is their thimble size servings of Diet Coke at $2 a shot.
Just a note about "on a roll." If you are from around here, you know what that means, what others call a hard roll or a Kaiser roll. Once upon a time, when I was wandering the highways and byways of mid-America, trying either to find myself or lose myself, it's too distant to remember which, I stopped in a diner for breakfast and asked for scrambled egg on a roll. My reflexes were good enough to stop the waitress (in 1965, still a waitress) from putting the egg on a prune Danish.
. . .
Gentleman Jerry continues to keep tally of New York Times headlines. Everyday this week, Trump’s name leads. Are people actually reading the stories or merely getting the impression that he's really a busy guy?
Heal quickly so we can look on you again.:)
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