Saturday, January 11, 2025
Congestion pricing is a hot local topic, charging motor vehicles traveling in midtown and lower Manhattan, the first time it is being tried in the United States. The public transportation system is the intended beneficiary, collecting the fees or increasing ridership. I own a car and live a short distance outside the target zone. Rarely do I drive anywhere on a weekday and almost never into the target zone.
The New York Times today offers some local voices on the subject. https://www.nytimes.com/live/
One young woman lives in central Brooklyn and drives to her job in midtown Manhattan. The trip takes her nearly 90 minutes and she pulls into a parking lot upon arrival. She complains about the $9 congestion pricing charge. What’s wrong with this picture?
Much of Brooklyn is covered with subway lines and few rides to midtown take even 40 minutes. A round trip fare is $5.80, while quoted rates to park a car in the destination area range from $34 to $45 for two hours. https://en.parkopedia.
Her rationale? “[S]he does not want to give up the autonomy that a car grants her.”
. . .
We have looked at popular baby names in the past. Now, for members of the household that attract abundant love and affection beyond my understanding, we have most popular names of dogs. https://www.akc.org/
I never owned a dog and only lived under the same roof with one during my starter marriage. Therefore, I have little to offer on this subject, but I observe the startling absence of Spot, Queenie and Lucky.
Sunday, January 12, 2025
Regarding your underemployed brother-in-law living in your basement: Empty bedrooms are widely available throughout the country and the number has grown substantially over time.
With any luck, he will land at a distance.
. . .
I listened to a talk on “Free Speech and Campus Antisemitism” by Erwin Chermerinsky, dean of the UC Berkeley law school. He pointed out that there is no unqualified protection of free speech under the First Amendment. The courts allow punishment for harassment, incitement and a “true threat”, "a threat that a reasonable person would interpret as a real and serious communication of an intent to inflict harm” (https://www.merriam-webster.
Much of the rhetoric heard on college campuses today surrounding the Israeli/Palestinian conflict may be constitutionally protected, according to Chermerinsky. I have said that hated speech is not necessarily hate speech. However, colleges are responsible for dealing with hostile environments under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, an area that he feels needs improvement. https://m.
Finally, we agree. “Elon Musk Is an ‘Evil Person,’ Steve Bannon Says” https://www.nytimes.com/
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
So, the Green Bay Packers are playing the Philadelphia Eagles in a professional football playoff game in Philadelphia and a couple of Packer fans, a man and a woman, are in the stands and a male Eagles fan is behind them and, in spite of or because of the Eagles’ dominance on the field, the Eagles fan is saying some pretty ugly things to the woman and he happens to work for a management consulting firm focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion issues and he don’t work there no more.
Fan Szechuan, 103 Essex Street, is a new restaurant, with a non-specific decor running to gray and black. It was quiet at lunchtime, but the cold weather could have kept people away. Temperatures today never went above freezing.
Five of us had a hearty amount of food; portions were large. Where the dishes could be spicy, they were. Our menu — scallion pancake ($5.95), cold sesame noodles ($8.95), Dandan noodles ($9.95), crispy shredded beef ($19.95), orange chicken ($16.95), Laokan spicy flounder fish in hot chili oil ($22.95). Out of Diet Coke, but well worth a return visit.
Thursday, January 16, 2025
Stony Brook Steve missed lunch yesterday, so the two of us went out today to Parm Famous Italian, 235 Columbus Avenue. It wasn’t busy and we had time to schmooze with the waiter, a local kid who seemed to really enjoy his job.
I had the house roast beef sandwich, a generous amount of thinly-sliced, rare roast beef, a slab of fresh mozzarella, pepperoncini (pickled chili peppers) and olive oil on a perfectly toasted sesame hero roll ($17). Steve had the eggplant Parmesan hero, also on that wonderful roll ($16).
Friday, January 17, 2025
We hosted the Supper Club tonight, that is, my young bride did all the work while I remained on the sofa. I did offer words of encouragement periodically, however. The bill of fare was butternut squash soup, roasted cod Mediterranean-style (cherry tomatoes, onions, black and green olives, olive oil) and couscous. Other superior dishes were supplied by Eva and Susan. Connie contributed wine from the Goldfarb cellars. A fine evening.
. . .
By the way, if you need me on Monday, I'll be with Michelle Obama and Nancy Pelosi.
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