I Like Ike

Monday, June 25, 2018

Looking at my notes, there is so much to cover that I might be able to take the rest of the week off after I deal with the weekend.

First, there is the food; there is always the food.  Actually, there is the ice cream, the very top of the food pyramid.  Saturday night, after dining out with friends on the Lower East Side, we went to il laboratorio del gelato, 188 Ludlow Street, seemingly founded by a descendant of e.e. cummings.  It occupies a large corner spot, just across from the world famous Katz's Delicatessen, on what was a parking lot for decades before the developers turned their attention to the neighborhood that earlier generations couldn't wait to flee.

Its retail counter fronts a large work space where the gelato is made during working hours.  And, unlike some others, the smoothness and creaminess of their product distinguishes it as gelato from regular ice cream.  About 2 dozen flavors were on sale from a mind-boggling list of about 170 gelati and 65 sorbets.  I'm not sure whether it's the same as résumé inflation, but some of the flavors listed seem to have more of a pedantic than a practical distinction, for instance, cinnamon, cinnamon mexican, and cinnamon vietnamese (still with the lower case letters). 

http://www.laboratoriodelgelato.com/flavors.php

In any case, I enjoyed two scoops in a cup ($4.25), orange and chocolate bourbon pecan.  Note that il laboratorio del gelato has very few seats, although there is a lot of floor space to stand around in.  Service was efficient; I recall 4 scoopers kept busy.

Sunday, after lunch with other good friends, we went to the really small ice cream counter attached to Bubby's High Line, 73 Gansevoort Street, across the street from the dramatic new building of the Whitney Museum.  It wasn't just convenience that led us there.  This little space, ironically with about the same seating capacity as the ten times larger il laboratorio del gelato, serves Ample Hills Creamery ice cream, which may be the finest around. 

The counter serves about a dozen flavors at a time, but I don't think that Ample Hills ever stopped to make a list.  I had the wonderful combination of Chocolate Trip, a medium chocolate ice cream with "Baked by Melissa" cookie dough, chocolate cookies and chocolate cupcakes, and Ooey Gooey, vanilla ice cream with hunks of St. Louis-style "Ooey Gooey Butter Cake" (with far more hits on Google than you would ever imagine), two scoops for $5.35.  

. . .

Vital information about immigration was presented this weekend in this article.  https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/20/business/economy/immigration-economic-impact.html

It teaches us that worldwide "overestimates [about immigration] are largest among particular groups: the least educated, workers in low-skill occupations with lots of immigrants, and those on the political right.  They overstate the share of immigrants who are Muslim and understate the share of Christians.  They underestimate immigrants’ education and overestimate both their poverty rate and their dependence on welfare."  How do we get the overestimators to recognize the facts?

. . .

The New York Times has a bit of a puff piece about Slice, an app that allows pizza ordering from mom-and-pop joints, in competition with the national chains.  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/23/business/slice-app-local-pizzerias.html

What interested me was Slice's owner statement that "many of his employees, including those working on data entry, sales and customer service, are based in Macedonia."  I have been to Macedonia, which is 6 hours ahead of New York time.  That might not interfere with data entry, but I am very skeptical about relying on sleep-deprived Macedonians for my sales or customer service. 

. . .

Feeling good?  Headline for you: "Obama-Era Investor Protection Rule Is Dead"

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/your-money/fiduciary-rule-dies.html

. . .

If you need some comfort food after that, consider:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/business/fast-food-menu-ideas.html

However, are they "fast-food Frankensteins"?  Is that what you would call "a fried egg and bacon held together by a glazed doughnut sliced in half"?

. . .

Maybe you just want to go home and lie down.  Regard the minimum annual income needed to buy a median-priced home in each of the country's 50 largest metropolitan areas.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/21/realestate/where-can-you-afford-a-home.html

The Golden State takes on another meaning, with 4 of the 5 most expensive locations in California, topped by an income of $262,116 needed in San Jose to purchase a median-priced house.  The Holy Land comes in a mere seventh at $97,565.  At the other end, Pittsburgh is the bargain site, putting a roof over your head with an income as little as $34,555.

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

For the last two years working in the New York court system, I spent one day a week working with Ilana Marcus, a young, bright, diligent attorney assigned to a particular judge.  We also shared an affinity for Peking duck and tried to systematically compare them in Chinatown.  It's not worth revisiting the results, because Chinatown and its ducks seem to experience constant change.  Now, Ilana is running for Civil Court judge in Manhattan and she has my unqualified endorsement.  Better than that, she might be running unopposed.  That's the end of the judicial good news for the next decade.

. . .

There was an interesting Democratic primary race yesterday for a congressional seat covering parts of Bronx and Queens Counties, an area that banished white Protestants decades ago.  The incumbent was an Irish Catholic, who held the seat for 10 terms and was considered a likely successor to Nancy Pelosi to lead the Democrats in the House of Representatives.  The challenger was a 28-year old Latina, a former bartender and left-wing activist, who won with more than 57% of the vote. 

Put aside for now the lackadaisical approach the incumbent took to the race, although there is a big lesson to be learned (Hello, Hillary).  This contest raises basic questions about representative government to me.  While the challenger professed more "radical" policies than the incumbent, I don't believe that their votes on the House floor would differ once bills were actually up for a vote.  

Will the people in New York's 14th Congressional District benefit from this change in representatation? Arguably, keeping the wily old fox around, with his knowledge of the ins and outs of the legislative process and its participants, might produce better results for his constituents than inserting a very young and very green (although smart and energentic) outsider.  Or, is this outweighed by having a representative more representative in age, attitude, and ethnicity?  I led discussions along these lines more than half a century ago in classes on American government and I still find the topic intriguing.

Thursday, June 28, 2018

The Boyz Club gathered for lunch at the Golden Unicorn, 18 East Broadway, one of Chinatown's major dim sum purveyors.  As its wagons spin around the floor, they offer the helpful feature of a sign identifying their contents, saving a challenge to your Mandarin language skills.  As always, I failed to keep up with the number and variety of the dishes that the six of us consumed.  I am guessing that we had 16 dishes, 10 items repeated 6 times.  Did we enjoy?  What kind of question is that?

Friday, June 29, 2018

Here is another question.  Why did the president, in a speech in Wisconsin yesterday, say that he was the first Republican to win Wisconsin's presidential vote since Dwight Eisenhower in 1952, when Eisenhower repeated in 1956 and Nixon and Reagan won both times as well?  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/us/politics/fast-check-trump-wisconsin-republican-election-.html

Doesn't the prospect of being considered the worst president in American history sufficiently appeal to his sense of uniqueness? 

Good Eats

Monday, June 18, 2108
Based on existing research, Professor Ryan Murphy of Southern Methodist University writes that "occupations that were [found to be] most disproportionately psychopathic were CEO, lawyer, media, salesperson, surgeon, journalist, police officer, clergyperson, chef, and civil servant.  Those that were least psychopathic were care aide, nurse, therapist, craftsperson, beautician/stylist, charity worker, teacher, creative artist, doctor, and accountant."  

https://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=869093085017081090005006030030024124105043091018012063007122122085024116088020082119042030001020040120035092021070066115087004043061013052034031127076016006124121111009082063126101122085097094022105122092003111004010121109093112127096097095075097081087&EXT=pdf

The geography of psychopathology is also quite interesting.  "The top five observations in psychopathy are the District of Columbia, Connecticut, California, New Jersey, and a tie of New York and Wyoming for fifth.  The states that are least psychopathic are West Virginia, Vermont, Tennessee, North Carolina, and New Mexico."  The pattern is pretty consistent, psychopathology accompanies population density.  However, the question remains, does someone get wacky living in a crowded space or does someone get wacky living in the middle of nowhere and then goes looking for company?

. . .

As most of you know, yesterday was America's Favorite Epidemiologist's birthday, but it was also Father's Day.  So, we decided to celebrate seriatim, first having brunch with some lovely people, fathers and mothers, on Sunday.  Then, tonight, we went high hat, having dinner at Jean-Georges Restaurant, 1 Central Park West, resulting in a near perfect experience.  This was not Chinatown or Curry Hill, no hand held food, eating standing up or coupons.  It is one of five restaurants given 4 stars by the New York Times, one of 11 local restaurants with 2 Michelin stars, having lost that rare, precious third star this year.

The room is bright, open with an understated decor, using white and gray as the basic color scheme.  The 20 tables were amply sized, decently spaced.  We came early at 6 P.M., but soon all the tables were occupied.  Service was excellent; careful attention was paid to your water glass and bread plate.  

Jean-Georges offers only three menus at dinner.  The Jean-Georges Menu ($238) has 7 set courses, featuring signature dishes.  The Spring Menu ($248) also has 7 set courses, featuring seasonal produce.  We went for the Prix Fixe Menu (a mere $148), allowing a couple of dozen choices for 4 courses.  Some dishes came at a supplement, as did several caviar dishes.  

I had Yellowfin Tuna Ribbons, Avocado, Radish and Ginger Emulsion, a brilliant creation, the strands of fish lightly coated in a slightly sweet sauce.  I followed that with Caramelized Foie Gras, Black Olive Seasoning*, Lychee and Brioche.  Then I had lamb two different ways, Roasted Lamb Loin and Crackling Riblettes, Smoked Chili Glaze*, and Broccoli di Cicco ("an heirloom, old-fashioned kind of broccoli" according to the Internet).  

The starred items dropped my appraisal to near perfect.  Neither was necessary to the well-conceived, flawlessly-executed dish it accompanied.  And, contrary to what I imagine the way that you appeal to old, rich folks, each had a sharp, pungent taste.  Maybe if I were not a charter member of the clean plate club, I would have taken a pinch of each seasoning and left it aside.  Instead, I made all gone with slightly disappointing results.  

Jean-Georges recovered almost entirely with dessert, a choice centered on a flavor.  Naturally, I chose chocolate and got it five different ways, one better than the other, a  Möbius strip of deliciousness.  

Demonstrating the domestic harmony in our household, my young bride ordered a completely different meal.  She had Mushroom Salad with Wild Greens and Herbal Pine Dressing, White Asparagus with Lemon Crumbs and Herb Vinaigrette, and Black Sea Bass Crusted with Nuts and Seeds, Sweet and Sour Jus.  The theme for her dessert was cherry.

Befitting such an elegant joint, four different amuse-bouches came during dinner and handmade chocolates, nougats, champagne-flavored gummy bears and hand cut marshmallows came with the check.  A final touch was the chocolate confection presented to madame for her birthday as we left, avoiding any giddiness in the dining room. 


Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Just 36 hour ago, I was deep in sybaritic pleasure.  Now, I am about to have my kishkes examined from the top down by doctor/lawyer/rabbi Morris Traube, a man for all seasons.  To afford him the best view, I have had nothing to eat or drink for more than 12 hours.  That, in itself, could make a person sick.
. . .

In an address at Yale's recent graduation, Hillary Clinton urged the audience "[t]o try to see the world through the eyes of people very different from ourselves and to return to rational debate, to find a way to disagree without being disagreeable, to try to recapture a sense of community and common humanity.”  Sorry, but my sense of community and common humanity does not extend to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, quoting scripture to justify kidnapping refugee children; Fox News host Laura Ingraham, describing holding facilities for refugee children as "summer camps"; commentator Ann Coulter, identifying refugee children as "child actors"; and former Trump campaign chairman Corey Lewandowski, mocking a girl refugee with Down syndrome being taken from her mother.  

Thursday, June 21, 2018
Yesterday's medical procedure went swimmingly.  All my pieces seem to be working right.

Friday, June 22, 2018
As announced last week, we made our pilgrimage today to Ben's Best Kosher Delicatessen, 96-40 Queens Boulevard, to mark its close of business on June 30th, after 73 years in operation.  It seemed like we had more people than attended the inauguration on January 20, 2017.  One cause of Ben's Best's challenge to remaining in business was evident as soon as we got off the Long Island Expressway.  Countless parking spaces on the Queens Boulevard service road have been lost to a bike lane, parking spaces closest to Ben's Best.  While the Rego Park-63rd Drive stop on the M & R trains is just a few feet away, it is on a somewhat isolated spur.  Even if Queens Boulevard was flooded with bike riders (I saw none), I doubt that many would want to test the elasticity of their Spandex by filling up with cold cuts and knishes

Pastrami sandwiches predominated among us, but I combined mine with corned beef.  Dr. Brown's flowed freely.  Appropriately, expressions of satisfaction in Yiddish emerged frequently.  
. . .

Finally, try this on for size.
https://www.newyorker.com/cartoons/daily-cartoon/friday-june-22nd-melania-jacket

Confucian Confusion

Monday, June 11, 2018

I finished reading Operation Chaos by Matthew Sweet, a study of how an informal band of Vietnam War GI deserters morphed into the Lyndon LaRouche movement.  I expect that many of you don't know who LaRouche is and I am conflicted about filling that information gap.  If your taste runs to paranoia, he's the man.  At one time, he maintained that Nelson Rockefeller intended to subject this country to a totalitarian regime.  After Rockefeller's death, LaRouche turned to Queen Elizabeth II, sometimes abetted by Henry Kissinger, as the head of a worldwide heroin ring.  Enough said.

What interested me, in my idiosyncratic fashion, was the use of an apartment at 65 Morton Street by the LaRouche claque in 1965.  It was the same building where 20 years earlier Julius Rosenberg and co-conspirators met to exchange information and purloined documents.  John Belushi lived at 64 Morton Street, when he died of a drug overdose in 1982.  Elliott Gould moved into 58 Morton Street after he separated from Barbra Streisand in 1969.  Henry Roth wrote much of Call It Sleep at 61 Morton Street in the early 1930s.  Wally Cox, the actor who starred on television as "Mr. Peepers", lived at 55 Morton Street early in his career in the 1950s.  Rumor has it that he cohabited there with Marlon Brando, a boyhood friend. 

https://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/2679676.html

So, what's the big deal, Grandpa?  I also lived at 55 Morton Street from November 1968 until June 1971, in a tiny, roach-ridden apartment and look how far I've come.
. . .

There was sad news this weekend.  Ben's Best Delicatessen, 96-40 Queens Boulevard, announced that it is closing on June 30th, after 73 years of operation.  http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/ny-metro-bens-best-deli-closing-20180608-story.html

In my pursuit of tikkun olam, "an aspiration to behave and act constructively and beneficially," according to Wikipedia, I have often taken pains to distinguish Ben's Best Delicatessen, at its sole location, from Ben's Kosher Delicatessen, a small chain of restaurants in the metropolitan area and Florida.  I have maintained that Ben's Best was, indeed, the best Kosher delicatessen in the Holy Land, that is until recently when I went to Pastrami Queen, 1125 Lexington Avenue.  However, after June 30th, the issue will be moot.

To mark the passing of this venerable institution, we are conducting a pilgrimage to Ben's Best on Friday, June 22nd at 12:30 PM, Jewish time (12:40, ten to one, whatever).  The 63rd Drive-Rego Park station of the M & R trains is a few feet away; key transfer points are 42nd Street--Times Square and Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue/74th Street.  Jay Parker, owner, will meet with us and attempt to defend his decision.  Additionally, I will underwrite the cost of the first 8 cans of Dr. Brown's sodas, any flavor.  Be there or be square.

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

There is simply no good news today.  I read the New York Times carefully without finding a note of encouragement or pleasure.  The fact that two dictators spent time in each other's company does not comfort me.  The science section warns against an expanded waist size.  Net neutrality ended yesterday.  The slim reed that might sustain me until bedtime is the hole in the Mets' schedule Monday, a day going by without a loss or an injury to a key player. 

. . .

In a recent interview, New York City's school chancellor discussed the admissions process for Stuyvesant and other "specialized" high schools.  He said: "We can't treat everybody equally.  We have to have equity."  An attempt to explain his comment probably would torture most sincere people.  Further, equality evokes measurement, science, mathematics; equity evokes fairness or the perception of fairness.  Equity emerged in British law as a response to the rigidity of common law, which relied on principles honed by precedent.  Fairness ultimately lies in the eyes of the beholder and is immediately challengeable by the guy standing next to the beholder.  

While the parents of Eric Holder, former US Attorney General, Stuyvesant '69, may have been comfortable with the Stuyvesant admissions test, I understand why many other African-American parents may not be, with their children gaining so few seats in the school.  But, what of the Chinese-American parents, whose children, collectively in the last several decades, have demonstrated mastery in this area of competition?  Here is an anecdotal example:  https://www.stuyalumni.org/news/meet-jason-mei-18-winner-of-the-wexler-scholarship/

For a blessed interval, white privilege is on the sidelines.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

I bought lunch at Yaso Tangbao, Shanghai Street Foods, 220 East 42nd Street, a semi-fast food dumpling joint, on the way to a gathering of the Feingold Faction, which remains active even after Stanley Feingold's death.  In fact, we have been spurred on to collect his writings and sponsor a speech/forum at CCNY in his memory.  For some appreciation of the man and his legacy, read these two articles by Joe Berger.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/20/education/20EDUCATION.html

https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/22/decades-away-but-still-drawn-to-c-c-n-y-s-embrace/

I was fueled for our discussion by "Chicken Soup Dumplings w/ Activated Charcoal" (4 pieces for $3.95) and "Shanghai [sesame] Cold Noodles ($7.45).  The dumplings in a charcoal grey wrapper were very good, although the risk of scalding when taking the initial bite was mitigated by the two block walk to Sid Davidoff's office. The large portion of noodles, fettuccine flat rather than spaghetti round, topped with slivers of onion, cucumber and bean sprouts was a disappointment.  Although the dish contained lots of sauce, splattering with every mouthful, it was bland.  That rich taste of liquid peanut butter was missing.  

Thursday, June 14, 2018

"In school districts that are mostly rich, white and suburban, boys are much more likely to outperform girls in math."  

"On English tests, girls test better than boys regardless of their parents’ socioeconomic status."

 

With improved education and better research into human behavior, you might think that stereotypes are on the decline.  A new study seems to establish a few new ones.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/13/upshot/boys-girls-math-reading-tests.html

Of course, a stereotype is often unflattering, but usually factual.

. . .

Speaking of the lack of Jewish athleticism, Michael Ratner sent me the following article: "5 Jewish baseball players hit home runs on the same day."  https://www.timesofisrael.com/5-jewish-baseball-players-hit-home-runs-on-the-same-day/

Both the 5 Jewish ball players and their 6 home runs were a record in a sport that slices and dices numbers more than any other.  And, starting with the Ten Commandments, through the Four Questions of Passover, the Seven Blessings of Marriage and the Eight Nights of Hanukkah, we are a people who love to enumerate.

Friday, June 15, 2018 

Harvard's search for equity in admitting students has led to a difficult law suit.  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/15/us/harvard-asian-enrollment-applicants.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

In apparently a tacit attempt to limit Asian-Americans, Harvard applies a "whole-person admissions process," regarding "traits like 'positive personality,' likability, courage, kindness and being 'widely respected'" in which Asian-Americans consistently scored below other groups.  For decades, Jewish applicants to the Ivy League faced similar obstacles, according to The Chosen by Jerome Karabel.  Observing Jewish students at Columbia University, a writer noted that "[a]bsent is the grace, the swagger, the tall sleekness."  P. 87.  Indeed, the president of Harvard in 1919 found that Jews have "feebled, stunted, undeveloped bodies, and morbid nervous systems."  P. 91.  Yale's scholarship program in 1928 placed "Manhood, force of character, and moral leadership," ahead of "Literary and scholastic ability."  P. 216.  Harvard adjusted its scholarship program in 1948 "to aid men whose greatest strength lies not so much in the scholarly line of endeavor as it does in the direction of useful citizenship."  P. 193. 

Reading those comments, it's hard not to endorse a meritocratic approach for Harvard and Stuyvesant, one that seems to be based on equality of opportunity, that is the opportunity to get to the front door.  However, getting through the front door may be inhibited by the inequities of the past, a history of violence, deprivation, segregation, exploitation and oppression, far from eliminated even yet.  As one famous Asian said, "It's a puzzlement." 

Goodnight, Irene

1 Down - Fifth place?

Monday, June 4, 2018

Yesterday, I had a conversation with Dan T., a very smart Millennial, about music good for a campfire, easy and familiar songs.  I suggested The Weavers as a source, with hits such as Wimoweh, Kisses Sweeter Than Wine,  Tzena, Tzena, and On Top of Old Smoky.  I got a quizzical look.  "The Weavers?", he asked.  I wonder how long before The Beatles fall into obscurity?

. . .

I harp.  Certain topics preoccupy me and I am sometimes too lazy to abandon them.  Stuyvesant High School, where I spent 3 years taking up space, is one of those topics.  New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, whom I support, but don't like, has proposed replacing the admission-by-test-only policy for Stuyvesant and other "specialized" secondary schools. 
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/03/nyregion/de-blasio-segregation-schools.html

As I have pointed out several times, specialized for Stuyvesant has meant few African-American students for most of the 85 years of its selective admissions policy.  Yet, I am unwilling to drop the present meritocratic approach, in spite of the evident inequitable results.  The problem is not with Stuyvesant or the other high achieving secondary schools in the New York City educational system.  They are easy targets, involving a few thousand students, at best.  How about the hundreds of thousands of students confined to segregated, low achieving elementary schools?  I don't suggest that there are easy fixes, but dabbling at the top of the pyramid seems to divert energy and resources from confronting the rotten base.  Parents, teachers, principals, politicians, you, me are all needed to rescue the most critical element in our continuing local experiment in democracy. 
. . .

In what appears to be a successful public-private partnership, Turnstyle Underground Market at the Columbus Circle subway station, continues to thrive.  There has been some turnover, but an interesting variety of food merchants, led by the wonderful Bolivian Llama Party, are doing quite well.  Today, I tried one of the newest shops, Zai Lai Homestyle Taiwanese.  

As is the case with most of its underground neighbors, Zai Lai has a limited menu, 4 rice bowls, a noodle soup and a noodle plate, one bun and two miscellaneous items.  It was these latter two items that I ordered,  Caleb's Braised Beef Roll ($7) and Ex-Girlfriend's Oyster Omelet ($7).  The slivers of beef with Hoisin sauce are wrapped in a scallion pancake, a tasty package.  The omelet, on the other hand, can only be called interesting, not an enthusiastic endorsement, possibly what I might get from an ex-girlfriend.  There were few oysters sitting on a 6" round omelet, sort of. 

Do you know what a feinkuchen is?  Yiddish dictionaries define it as scrambled eggs, but in practice, eggs that have been scrambled before being put in a frying pan, not scrambled as they cook in the frying pan.  This yields a round, flat, somewhat even-surfaced dish.  Here, though, that was only half the story.  The yellow bottom was clearly a feinkuchen, but above it sat a layer of warm, gooey, near transparent aspic covered with "Taiwanese ketchup."  Yes, yucky.  
. . .

Let them eat cake, except if they're gay.

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

I went back underground today, to Turnstyle Underground Market at the south end of the very large Columbus Circle subway station.  While Zai Lai gave me little reason to return, other joints beckoned.  I chose Chick'nCone, directly opposite Bolivian Llama Party.  This is apparently a startup venture and it's perfect for tight spaces with walk up customers.  The menu consists of Chick'nCone ($8), Cajun fries ($4) and drinks ($2), that's all.  A combo of all three is $12 and a very good deal, as I will explain momentarily.

But first, what is a Chick'nCone?  A large waffle cone, just as you might have at an ice cream parlor, is made when you order.  It is filled with crispy cubes of deep fried white meat chicken, then dressed with a choice of six sauces, Kick'nRanch, "Slightly spicy, creamy ranch sauce"; Yello BBQ, "Mustard based tangy BBQ"; Traditional BBQ, "Sweet BBQ sauce"; Cinna-Maple, "Classic chicken & waffle maple syrup"; Buffalo Blue, "Wing sauce with a hint of blue cheese"; Peri Peri, "Spicy South American chili sauce".  I chose Yello BBQ, similar to what you would get in eastern North Carolina, where tomatoes are eschewed in barbecue sauce.  The combination was delicious. 

Unsure of the portion size when I ordered, I asked for the fries, too.  Since I was already at $12, I went for the combo, although I had carried my own can of Diet Coke down from the newsstand at the corner of Eighth Avenue and West 57th Street, at the head of the stairs to Turnstyle.  You see, that guy sells soda cans for $1 each, while Turnstyle vendors charge $2 or $3.  However, the drink that Chick'nCone includes is no watered down fountain Coke, but real stuff, including San Pellegrino Arianciata Rossa (sparkling blood orange beverage), my choice, which I carried home after finishing my Diet Coke.
. . .

As of yet, the "Top 100+ North American Cheap Eats Restaurants" does not include Chick'nCone, but give it time.  http://www.opinionatedaboutdining.com/2018/nacheapeats.html

Holy Land entries include Katz's Delicatessen, Ess-A-Bagel, Patsy's Pizzeria, and Xi'an Famous Foods, all reasonable choices.  The list, though, is notoriously weak on Chinese food.  Not only is Wo Hop ignored, there is only one other Chinese restaurant joining Xi'an in the top 100 throughout North America.  It's like we are back in the days of the Chinese Exclusion Act. 

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Happy Anniversary to D & I.
. . .

And now, the Case of the Mysterious Keynote Speech.  Yesterday, America's Favorite Epidemiologist received an e-mail message from a professional associate, apologizing for missing her keynote speech at the upcoming conference "Autoimmunity in 2018; Where Have We Gotten To?"  Who? What? Where? was the response on this end.  America's Favorite Epidemiologist has no such appearance scheduled and isn't even aware of the event. 

She followed the trail to the conference organizer, who was delighted to hear from the author of "Post-September 11, 2001, Incidence of Systemic Autoimmune Diseases in World Trade Center-Exposed Firefighters and Emergency Medical Service Workers," and, from its abstract, thought it would be the ideal keynote.  However, while the article appeared in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, January 2016, my young bride never forwarded it or its abstract to the conference organizer or its sponsor, and was completely surprised to see her name and work included on the program. 

Three possibilities come to mind: 1) Someone wanted the work to gain wider exposure; 2) Someone thought that the conference needs padding; 3) Someone planned to kidnap my wife.
. . .

I found some surprising information in this article on college costs.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/05/opinion/columnists/what-college-really-costs.html

Some of the country's most selective colleges do not pose a financial challenge to a broad range of American families.  There may be significant cultural and psychological factors associated with the have-nots entering the academic domains of the haves, but money, or the lack thereof, will not stop them.

Thursday, June 7, 2018

I had gone underground for lunch on Monday and Tuesday, but yesterday I reached a new low.  I went to see the Mets play the Orioles, the team with the worst record in baseball.  Sure enough, the Mets lost the game 1-0, obviously forgetting that the game is played with bats as well as balls.
. . .

I had lunch at Bento Sushi, 685 3rd Avenue, a bright, deep space, where a long counter on your left takes up about a third of the floor space.  First comes an array of packaged sushi items.  Then, an area to order hot food, noodle bowls, ramen bowls, rice bowls and bento boxes ranging from $7.99 to $9.99, to be picked up at the end of the counter.  I had a bento box with two pieces of salmon sushi (fresh tasting although made in advance), one gyoza dumpling, salad, and sukiyaki beef over rice ($8.99), a reasonable amount of food for the money.  However, unlike some of its competitors with lines outside their door, Bento was unbusy, which allowed me to look at my phone and read a few pages of The New Yorker before proceeding to help my periodontist refurnish his summer hideaway.

. . .

Bottle

Fight For Every Cent

32 Across - Life preservers?

Monday, May 28, 2018

Memorial Day is intended to honor those who fought for this country throughout its history.  I remember, as a Boy Scout in Brooklyn, going to the national cemetery in Cypress Hills to place flags on the graves of soldiers.  This came to mind as I read a group of stories about executive compensation:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/25/business/top-ceo-pay-packages.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/25/business/highest-paid-ceos-2017.html

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/05/25/business/ceo-pay-2017.html

One quote sums up these articles: "A Walmart employee earning the company’s median salary of $19,177 would have to work for more than a thousand years to earn the $22.2 million that Doug McMillon, the company’s chief executive, was awarded in 2017."

During WWII, our War Department, before being gentrified as the Department of Defense, commissioned a series of documentary films, collectively titled Why We Fight.  Individual titles included The Battle of Britain, The Battle of Russia and The Battle of China.  Obviously, they missed The Battle for Eight Figure Executive Compensation.  Is this a great country, or what?

. . .

We live in a binary world, either/or.  The haves/have nots, lefties/righties, Mets fans/Yankee fans.  I was slow to realize that there is another significant divide separating people, wash it or wear it.  I refer, of course, to handling new apparel, especially T-shirts.  Upon returning from Africa recently, we dispensed souvenir T-shirts to some beloved family members.  Were I on the receiving end, the new T-shirt would have been pulled on as soon as possible.  Instead, the shirts headed to the washing machine to be laundered before being worn.  I will not disparage this instinct to protect loved ones from the perils of an unwashed T-shirt.  But, my own impatience would override any such personal concern.  Wash it or wear it.  Take a stand!

Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Today, the New York Times reviews Don Angie, 103 Greenwich Avenue, a new Italian restaurant which shows "the chefs’ skill for cross-pollinating with other cuisines, especially Asian ones."  It sounds attractive, in all, but the review warns that getting in isn't easy, because of the established reputation of the chef-owners.  What caught my eye though was mention of "a house Chianti, and it comes in a straw-covered bottle."  When was the last time that you saw a straw-covered Chianti bottle, once the common denominator of every post-adolescent living away from home for the first time?  How sexy the accumulation of red candle wax around the bottle, reaching onto the tablecloth. Maybe there is now an app for that.

Thursday, May 31, 2018
Those religious skeptics among you should take comfort that the crosses being hung in the entrance of every state building in Bavaria, Germany are merely cultural symbols, without any religious significance.  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/30/world/europe/bavaria-germany-crucifix-migrants.html

Horst Seehofer, a former Bavarian premier, taking a break from being treated for amnesia, just "described Bavaria alternately as 'the promised land' and 'paradise.'"  The cross is important, he said, because "Germany’s value system was 'shaped by Christianity.'"  Actually, if we review Germany's historic twisted value system, a twisted cross is a reasonable symbol. 

Friday, June 1, 2018
I spent one year living in Alexandria, Virginia, the prototypical Northern Virginia suburb, working for Greg Jennings, a really good guy.  Last might's final episode of "The Americans" brought that to mind.  The Soviet spies Philip and Elizabeth Jennings lived in  Northern Virginia, according to the Internet, but that appeared obvious.  Their travel agency was in Dupont Circle, a hip DC neighborhood, that is to the degree that any DC neighborhood could be considered hip.  After work or assassination or sex with people who had access to government secrets, the attractive couple returned to a clean-looking suburban subdivision. 

Given that some Americans seem susceptible to the most hysterical conspiracy theories (Pizzagate) and outlandish accusations (birtherism), I wonder if Greg has had to sweep his front lawn clear of patriots confusing him with his fictional kin. 
. . .

 

Spurred by the 25th anniversary of Tony Kushner's "Angels in America," the New York Times published a special section today identifying, in its eyes, the best best 25 American plays of the intervening period.   https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/05/31/theater/best-25-plays.html  

While Kushner is a neighbor and I saw his masterwork originally and in revival, my credentials as a culture vulture are weakened by this compilation.  I have seen only 5 of the 25 works, which appeared in a variety of venues, mostly well-removed from Broadway.  I am sure that many of you far exceeded that number, but, in my defense, I would like to add in attendance at New York Rangers hockey games and New York Mets baseball games, even if they were often less artful than the theatrical productions.
. . .

Cereal boxes

Perfect Tense

Monday, May 21, 2018

Normally, a daily headline or two gets me going into a fit of impotent blathering.  Today, I look back thousands of years for words to gnaw at.  Deuteronomy 15:21 says: "If an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the Lord your God."  This statement is part of today's Torah reading.  (Jews in synagogues read through the entire Torah each year, several paragraphs at a time.  You would think by now that they would understand it.)  

This injunction is also found at Leviticus 22:22: "Anything blind, or injured or maimed . . . you shall not offer to the Lord."  People are also subject to the same high bar.  Priesthood is denied those suffering, among other things, blindness, lameness, disproportionate or crippled limbs, or "hath his stones crushed"(!).  Leviticus 21:17-23.  By the way, Leviticus is notorious for its finger wagging.

The search for perfection extends to the fruit stand.  An etrog, a yellow  citron, is used by Jews during Sukkot, the autumn harvest festival.  Waving it in the air in a ritualized pattern is considered a good thing (a mitzvah).  However, if the etrog is damaged or blemished, it is barred from use.  https://forward.com/news/207016/hunting-for-the-perfect-etrog-in-brooklyns-back-st/

Without bogging us down discussing the existence of a deity, I wish to observe that a well-qualified deity should be able to tolerate living things without regard to size, shape, condition, wear and tear.  After all, the animals, the people, the fruits ultimately spring from the deity and should be expected to be viewed lovingly without fear or favor.

Further, who among us is qualified in drawing the line between the acceptable pure and the unacceptable impure?  Isn't that a futile attempt to know the unknowable?  And, why are the distinctions based only on external characteristics?  Is that any way to run a universe?

. . .

Wikipedia has a list of the 27 most deadly mass shootings in the US, starting in 1949, when 13 people were killed by a man walking through his neighborhood in Camden, New Jersey.  The list is up to date, through the shootings in Santa Fe, Texas on May 18, 2018.  15 of the 27 occurred this century, including the 5 most deadly.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_shootings_in_the_United_States

The Washington Post has another detailed compilation starting in 1966, with very good graphics.   https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/national/mass-shootings-in-america/?utm_term=.064faf9d47e5

What is evident is how the good old USA leads the planet in the senseless shooting of civilians, not yet an Olympic competition.  What is mostly the case in these tragic events is the identity of the perps, white, Christian men.  Just saying.

. . .

While white, Christian men can't seem to break the habit of killing lots of people at one time, there is one trend that is being at least temporarily halted, if not reversed.  In March 2016, a grocery store named Albertina's opened at 2020 Broadway, between West 69th Street and West 70th Street, replacing a shoe store that had been a long term tenant.  I was pessimistic from the very start  about its chances of succeeding among very picky Upper West Siders,  already serviced by a broad array of high quality grocers (led by Fairway, Trader Joe's and Zabar's), sidewalk fruit and vegetable stands, 24 hour drugstores (CVS, Rite-Aid, Duane Reade) selling milk, eggs, ice cream, cereal, and potato chips (my normal diet) alongside prescription and over-the-counter drugs, and a scattering of bodegas with and without cobwebs on their shelves.  Indeed, by June 2016, Albertina's was closed and the space stands empty.  However, this weekend, I saw a sign in the window announcing the future occupancy of Shakespeare & Co., a bookstore and café.  It's a bold move, considering the number of bookstores that have abandoned Manhattan over time.  Maybe the lattes and scones will keep the literary ship afloat.  I pledge to buy one overpriced coffee there each week.

Tuesday, May 22, 2108
San Francisco at $3,440 and Detroit at $590 are the opposite ends of the bell curve for median rents of a one-bedroom apartment.  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/17/realestate/cost-of-renting-one-bedroom.html

What I found more interesting were those cities that experienced unusual rates of change for those apartments.  Houston, Texas, described in August 2017, as "the already submerged city" due to Hurricane Harvey, had the highest increase in median rents for a one-bedroom apartment.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2017/08/27/catastrophic-flooding-underway-in-houston-as-harvey-lingers-over-texas/?utm_term=.3236953a263e

Of course, Houston won the 2017 World Series and maybe many people wanted to belatedly jump on the bandwagon.  On the other hand, Miami, Florida, which narrowly escaped major damage last year from Hurricane Irma, had one of the steepest declines.  Go figure.

Thursday, May 24, 2018
Hurricanes Harvey and Irma play a role in "The Places in the U.S. Where Disaster Strikes Again and Again," an interesting feature article that identifies those areas of the country that seem to attract natural disasters at an unnatural rate.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/05/24/us/disasters-hurricanes-wildfires-storms.html

Data from the Small Business Administration on disaster-related losses from 2002 to 2017 show that 11% of all losses emerged from 10 zip codes in the vicinity of New Orleans, while Puerto Rico itself accounted for almost 5% of all losses in the period.  History may not be repeating itself, but lightening seems to have struck twice literally on occasion and figuratively more often.   
. . .

The National Football League has announced a new policy regarding the national anthem, requiring players on the field to stand, alternatively allowing them to remain in the locker room.  As a certified pinko, you know that I think that it is a phony sop to patriotism, ignoring the substantial issues of social justice that motivated the players to protest in the first place.  I am impressed, though, by the waiver given to players who have bone spurs, excluding them from being forced to stand during the national anthem.
. . .

Dean Alfange, American civilization at its best, is in town and we had the pleasure of dining with him at Joanne's Trattoria, 70 West 68th Street, owned and operated by Lady Gaga's parents.  In spite of that dubious provenance, we found it to be entirely satisfactory, though not exceptional, presenting familiar Italian food in a comfortable setting at fairly reasonable prices.  To its credit, our Caesar salad was adorned with a dozen anchovies, as requested. 

Friday, May 25, 2018

Yes, it's been 15 years.  

. . .

While Albertina's failed in spite of sitting in a prominent position on Broadway, Stile's Farmers Market, 352 West 52nd Street, has prospered although almost unrecognizable from the street, a side street that doesn't particularly come from or go to anywhere.  

It looks like nothing more than a storage shed for the adjacent parking lot.  It stocks miscellaneous grocery items, but concentrates on fruits and vegetables, and, as can be seen in the photograph, large volumes of produce come in and out.  The merchandise is fresh and prices are low.  

Tom Terrific tipped me to it and now you know about it, too.  I bought peaches as an anniversary gift.

Maximum Wage

Monday, May 14, 2018

Read this very fast, read the newspaper very fast, read your favorite magazines very fast.  You need the practice in case you ever become a client of Kirkland & Ellis in a bankruptcy proceeding.  The firm charges "as much as $1,745 an hour" for its representation.  So, you cannot afford to have them sit around while you are reading any legal papers or documents to sign.  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/14/business/economy/richmond-bankrupty-court.html

How long did it take you to read the paragraph above at 48.47¢ per second (assuming Kirkland & Ellis generously rounded down)?
. . .

It's a little late, because a new survey tells us that generally, "if you list your home around the beginning of May you can expect to get a higher price (by about $2,400 on average) and have a quicker sale (about two weeks faster) than you would if you put your home on the market at any other time of year."  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/10/realestate/when-should-you-list-your-home.html

The analysis goes so far as to recommend which day of the week to list your home, by location.  Supposedly, you get a deal 18 1/2 days faster in Chicago if you list on a Friday between April 16 and 30, while Boston's sweet spot is a Wednesday between May 1 and 15, good for a 9-day advantage.
. . .

Clear your calendars.  Theater for a New Audience (tfana.org) has announced that it is presenting a new play by Calvin Trillin, the greatest writer that the English language has ever known, January 8-February 3, 2019 at its Brooklyn home.  "About Alice" deals with Trillin's late wife Alice, previously immortalized in "Alice Let's Eat," "Travels With Alice" and the memoir "About Alice" wherein he relates that she had "a weird predilection for limiting our family to three meals a day."  Adding to the potential delight is the casting of Jessica Hecht, Broadway star and West End Synagogue member, as Alice.  

 

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Someone should know better is how I react to the news from Israel.  Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., might only be historical footnotes if they called for the destruction of their oppressors, as too many Palestinians do, rather than elimination of the oppression. 

The Netanyahu regime, on the other hand, seems satisfied to increase the Arab death toll, without seeking means to improve conditions in Gaza, partially of Israel's creation.  (I'm uncertain that Palestinian leadership actually desires an improvement in conditions, because that might heighten expectations in the population, which might be difficult to satisfy.)  Both populations seem to be captive of religious zealotry wrapped in their flag, animated by a history of bloodshed.  Or, is it the seductions of power and ego that are the motive forces on each side, cynically cloaked in pious rhetoric?

Admittedly, there is no easy path to peace and justice.  Can both values even coexist?  I'll tell you one thing that I know better, having those phony Christian evangelicals speaking at the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem was an insult to Jews around the world, only meant to buoy the political fortunes of the current Israeli and American regimes. 
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/14/world/middleeast/robert-jeffress-embassy-jerusalem-us.html

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Another seemingly intractable problem, but without the physical violence, is the de facto segregation that has characterized Stuyvesant High School for decades.  A new article offers the views of some black graduates and some interesting statistics. 
https://www.wnyc.org/story/black-alumni-stuyvesant-reflect/

I didn't know that the number of black students reached a high of 303 in 1975, approximately 10% of the student body.  The city's economic crisis of the 1970s had further stimulated white flight, offering opportunity to black students, but only temporarily as liberalized immigration laws soon brought tens of thousands of Chinese to New York, eager for their children to live better than their parents ever could.  Now, less than 1% of Stuyvesant kids are black and the majority are Chinese. 

. . .

Speaking of the Chinese, I completed my return to the Holy Land after my trip to Africa by having lunch today at Wo Hop, 17 Mott Street.  In spite of the calendar saying mid-May, the special deal on soup was welcome on this rainy, chilly day.  Bowls of hot and sour, won ton, egg drop or any mixture of these were $1 small and $2 large.  Add crispy noodles at 80¢, dipping into the very hot mustard and sweet duck sauce, and the ordinary human being might be sated.  Fortunately, my companion, though slim, was ready, willing and able to soldier on through the large portions of shrimps with lobster sauce, brown rice and Singapore chow fun, that delightful melange of wide noodles, chicken, pork, egg, scallions, bean sprouts, onions and love seasoned with curry, which has been a successful antidote to aging for me, so far.

Thursday, May 17, 2018

I have been known to have Chinese food three times a day, without visiting China.  More typically, if I am not at home eating my shredded wheat, I like to start the day with an egg sandwich, egg and cheese, at least, bacon, egg and cheese often.  The variations on this theme described in this article sound awfully good, although I have not had any yet.  My hands get sticky just looking at the pictures.  https://www.eventbrite.com/rally/new-york-city/5-best-breakfast-sandwiches-nyc/?ref=ebemnseattnewseditorial&utm_source=strongmail&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_term=position1&utm_content=nycA&aff=ebemnseattnewseditorial
. . .

Alan Ayckbourn has written over 80 plays, most famously The Norman Conquests, Absurd Person Singular and How the Other Half Loves.  I've seen a dozen or more of his works here and in London, and have enjoyed each and every one.  His latest play A Brief History of Women (an obtuse title) is part of the annual Brits Off Broadway program at 59E59, a neat cluster of theaters nearer Bloomingdale's than Broadway.  As have many of his more recent works, it swirls elements of tragedy through the comedic affairs of quirky residents of the UK.  

A completely unexpected delight in the theater was the presence immediately behind us of retired Justice Marjory D. Fields and Mary Elizebeth (sic) Batholemew, the two women who endured my earliest struggles with judicial restraint, when we worked together in Supreme Court at 71 Thomas Street.

Friday, May 18, 2018  

I will be out of town, but you might not want to miss the Scooper Bowl, an ice cream festival in Bryant Park June 1-3. 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.eventbrite.com/e/scooper-bowl-new-york-2018-tickets-45202320357/amp

 

There is a separate $25 entry charge for each day, but that allows you to spend an entire afternoon eating ice cream while supporting the Jimmy Fund's pediatric and adult cancer care and research.  What's not to like?