California and Back

Thursday, July 10, 2025

The Upper West Side’s Power Couple took to the air this morning. We flew to the Bay Area for a weekend with the second generation in lieu of time together in Israel, leaving from JFK Terminal 4. Given my low expectations for traversing airline terminals, I was almost a bit disappointed that gate B33 was only about 2/3 of the way to Staten Island.

Our flight was incident-free and allowed me to see several episodes of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” that I missed originally. The couple to the left of my aisle seat never got up while I was seated, leaving me undisturbed. All the paperwork for our rental car was done in advance, so we were out of the airport fairly quickly. If you know the geography, however, getting across the Bay to the Oakland-Berkeley area requires going through downtown San Francisco for an elapsed time of about an hour. Still, we were comfortably settled in our hotel with ample time to get ready for dinner with our brood.

Allison and Will, the locals, made reservations at Acre Kitchen & Bar, 5655 College Avenue, Oakland. I was wrong to guess that it was named for the Israeli seaport on the Mediterranean a/k/a Akko. Israeli-born Irit thought the same. Instead, Acre calls itself California Rustic for which there is no independent definition. The food deserved a better label, in fact, superlatives might apply.

I had some of the two shared Summer Watermelon Salads on the table, with cucumber, feta, mint oil, Marcona almonds ($17), very refreshing. Then, I had one of the eight 12” pizzas on the menu, lamb merguez (sausage), Fresno chile, walnuts, pistachio  muhammara (nut and red pepper dip), feta ($27). I asked for it spicy and I got it spicy. It was excellent, but far more than even one glutton could handle. Bring a friend who’ll eat treyf.

I managed to squeeze in affogato for dessert ($11). They used soft serve ice cream instead of gelato and it went very well with the espresso poured over it.

Friday, July 11, 2025

Madam and I strolled around and went to lunch at the Public Market, 5959 Shellmound* Street, Emeryville, a food court with a dozen active vendors and about a half dozen empty stalls in a formerly industrial space. I got my food at Nabi Q, Korean BBQ Grilled Chicken, a bento box of chicken with short rib, including rice, chapchae (glass noodles), broccoli, carrots, kimchi and three pot stickers ($25.50), a lot to eat. 

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Someone identified as “social media influencer and former gymnast Olivia Dunne” made news of a sort by being rejected by a co-op board from purchasing a New York apartment once owned by Babe Ruth. “I was gonna pay with cash, like I wanted this apartment bad. Like it got to the point where the realtor was so confident,” she said. I cannot confirm that several board members were adults.

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The six of us were back together for dinner in a very interesting venue. The Saap Avenue (sic), 4395 Piedmont Avenue, Oaland, is a Laotian restaurant, probably the first that I have ever visited. Generally, I found it a combination of Vietnamese and Thai cuisines with a little extra spice. A large bar is at the center of the room and tables are arrayed in a U-shape against three walls, decorated with bright murals.

The table shared two orders of crispy roti (South Asian pancakes) with yellow curry ($12). The Oakland Heartthrob and I split an order of six Spicy Basil Wings in a spicy, sweet basil sauce ($14). I then had Panang Crispy Duck Curry, strips of crispy duck breast in panang curry sauce (curry paste, peanuts and coconut milk) with red bell peppers, carrots, broccoli and fried Thai "Holy Basil" (a plant from the mint family alleged to have medicinal properties) ($30). 

Other folks had Vegetarian Crispy Egg Rolls ($12 for four pieces); yellow curry with chicken ($26); yellow curry with vegetables ($22); Kamoo, slow-braised pork leg with broccoli, mustard greens, spiced garlic lime sauce ($24). While the National Geographic says that Laos is one of the poorest countries on Earth, you wouldn't know it from these prices.

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* The Oakland Heartthrob informed me that the Emeryville Shellmound was once a massive archeological site, a sacred burial ground of the Ohlone people (Native Americans dwelling along the Northern California coast), combining human remains and food waste, including shellfish. 

Saturday, July 12, 2025

In downtown Berkeley this afternoon, I stopped in the Gadani Waffle Cafe, 139 Berkeley Square, noted for its ice cream. It's a very small place, hard to linger inside with five stools, three high, two low and a small bench. Additionally, there were a couple of tables outside. I had two very large scoops for $7.95, cookies and cream and cardamom pistachio, loaded with whole pistachios. This served for lunch. 

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The fabulous mother-daughter team that I have attached myself to both had major birthdays in June, the basis for our elaborately planned and historically thwarted trip to Israel. Tonight, America's Loveliest Nephrologist held her own party, attended by her local friends and her visiting relatives. The food and drink were first-rate. My only complaint was that in spite of the abundant presence of physicians, there were no neurologists or orthopedists.

Sunday, July 13, 2025

The natural order has reasserted itself. Our departing flight from San Francisco was delayed one hour and the boarding gate was the next to last one terminal over. We were back home just after midnight.

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Memo to Left Coasters: This was a very short trip. Prepare yourselves for a two-week stay early next year.

Monday, July 14, 2025

Last week, I expressed my opposition to the phrase Globalize the Intifada, at base a slogan for violence and mayhem. There is an alternative: Localize the Intifada. Direct energy and passion to improving first what’s accessible and then have your successes fuel your expansion. Broad based revolutions have classically eaten their children, rarely leaving most people better off. Clean up your block, your neighborhood, your city before throwing yourself at the nation-state. In spite of the punishing restrictions Israel often placed on Gaza, there was ample time and resources to elevate the population rather than dig tunnels for their militants.

On the other hand, Trump has been eager to unleash our military against destructive forces, real or imaginary while a campaign of terror and violence is being conducted in plain sight by crazed Jewish settlers on the West Bank. Arab fields, homes and lives are attacked even as the forces of law and order stand back. If the IDF cannot stop the anarchy, send in the Marines.

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We know that rents locally always go up and we usually think at the neighborhood level, Flatbush, Upper West Side, Astoria. A new study, however, adds another reference point -- subway stop. https://share.google/tgTnHx02URooYeP9G

Even among car owners, mass transit is the wisest option for getting around and about much of the city. Going to work most often means a subway ride. Situating yourself near a subway station is good strategy, but usually at a price. As gentrification marches on, subway lines replace Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett in pointing new directions.

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

A group of German computer scientists, thankfully writing in English, studied vocabulary changes in more than 15 million biomedical abstracts published from 2010 to 2024, a period when large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT emerged. 

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adt3813

Based on the increasing prevalence of certain words, they concluded that “at least 13.5% of 2024 abstracts were processed with LLMs,” an effect “on scientific writing [that] is truly unprecedented.” Among the hundreds of telltale words were delves, crucial, potential, necessity, pinpoints, versatility and harness. LLMs supposedly use them more frequently than “human” writers. Not found on the list were Ivanka, huge, Melania and bigly.

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Stony Brook Steve and I went out to lunch at Shanghai Dumplings Fusion, 158 West 72nd Street, the new joint which still has a sign in front announcing a Soft Opening. That seems to be keeping most people away. We soldiered on, however. I had thin, cigar-shaped Tiger Prawn Rolls ($8.95 for 3), a paltry serving, and popcorn chicken ($8.95), an ample portion, lacking crispness. On the other hand, it was 87° and humid outside.

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We have a new theme song.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uSiHqxgE2d0

The Upper West Side’s Power Couple takes off tomorrow for another long weekend, this time to Toronto. You’ll hear about it next time.

B.C. [Before California]

Saturday, July 5, 2025

This is an erudite article on the origins of pizza.  

https://www.gethistories.com/p/a-history-of-pizza?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

This advertisement from May 9, 1903 provides evidence that the pioneer of New York pizza was Filippo Milone, forgotten by history. 

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Bad news, good news. Shakespeare & Company, a small local chain of bookstores, named after the iconic enterprise on Paris’s Left Bank, closed its last location, 2020 Broadway, barely one  block from Palazzo di Gotthelf. It was a neat operation with a too comfortable cafe. People never left. On the other hand, it has quickly been replaced by a branch of Strand Bookstore, the Everest of bookstores. 

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I don’t support Zohran Mamdani, but how he identified himself on a college application is the worst reason to oppose his candidacy for New York mayor. I would not want some assertions that I made as a 17-year old to emerge now. “Of course, I’ll respect you in the morning.” 

By the way, he is the son of a Columbia University professor and a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science (one of the best in the country), yet he couldn’t get into Columbia in spite of possibly exaggerating his minority status. Unaffirmative action?

I think that Mamdani’s inexperience impresses/depresses me more than his foreign policy views. However, I am appalled by his refusal to distance himself from the evil slogan “Globalize the Intifada”. It’s not merely a call to struggle for justice. It has been wrapped around such incidents as:

• On March 11, 2004, 193 people are killed and nearly 2,000 are injured when 10 bombs explode on four trains in three Madrid-area train stations during a busy morning rush hour.
• A series of coordinated suicide bombings in London that targeted public transport during the morning rush hour, on July 7, 2005, resulting in 52 deaths and over 770 injuries. 
• Attacks by ten gunmen from November 26 to 29, 2008, across multiple locations in Mumbai, including hotels, a train station, and a Jewish center, resulting in at least 174 deaths and over 300 injuries. 
• Attacks in Paris on November 13, 2015 by gunmen and suicide bombers against a concert hall, a major stadium, restaurants and bars, almost simultaneously, leaving 130 people dead and hundreds wounded.

Chanting it on the green lawns of college campuses does not sanitize it.

Sunday, July 6, 2025

“As Floods Hit, Key Roles Were Vacant at Weather Service Offices in Texas.” New York Times headline. But look how much money we saved.

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While New York City home prices appreciated 49% in the period 2014-2024, the median sale prices of 24 neighborhoods recorded gains as high as 288%.

https://www.propertyshark.com/Real-Estate-Reports/2025/06/03/double-in-a-decade-nyc-neighborhood-price-growth/

Leading the pack was Two Bridges, a new name for a carved out section of the Lower East Side. One Manhattan Square, an 800-foot luxury condominium tower, drove this dramatic increase. It sits across from the East River, at the bottom end of Pike Slip, an extension of First Avenue. A Pathmark supermarket perched there until Hurricane Sandy in 2012 flooded the entire premises, destroying its usefulness. 

When I was single, I lived on East 46th Street between First and Second Avenues, an area weak on grocery stores. Periodically, I would take the M15 bus downtown to the Pathmark carrying two empty shopping bags. When they were full, I checked out and took the bus back uptown. On weekends, I would often go to Zabar’s on my bicycle, filling only one medium-sized bag. 

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I was faced with a bit of a dilemma at dinner tonight. We were joined by the lovely couple David and Julie, who, among other outstanding character traits, read this blog thoroughly. David, one of about a dozen Davids of my acquaintanceship, lamented the lack of a distinguishing nickname, such as Gentleman Jerry or Stony Brook Steve. I therefore anoint the accordion-playing, Hebrew-chanting, technology master David as Delightful David. 

Dinner at Dagon, 2454 Broadway, was easily labeled a success. We did our usual at Dagon, concentrate on mezze and bread. We shared everything: Japanese eggplant confit, roasted garlic, tomato jam, buttermilk, shabazi (blend of cilantro leaves, green chili, garlic, and lemon) breadcrumbs; spicy feta; tzatziki; marinated beets; tomato & pepper matbucha (North African condiment) dip; green tahina; flatbread ($51 for the platter). Plus Kubaneh, Yemeni pull-apart bread with za'atar and feta ($16); Israeli salad, cucumber, tomato, red onion, parsley, mint, tahini, green schug (spicy  herb garlic pepper sauce) ($18) and chicken liver mousse with date syrup ($12). Special mention of a delicious dessert: Silan -- shredded halva, caramel rice crisps, pistachio, almonds, tahini mousse, vanilla sponge, date syrup, vanilla ice cream ($14). 

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Even while the increasingly futile hunt for victims of the Texas floods continues, interest has shifted to identifying the few existing Democratic politicians in Texas who might be blamed for the tragedy.

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You may or may not be a reader of the New York Times. In either case, you can measure your own taste in movies against the general readership.  

Readers Choose Their Top Movies of the 21st Century - The New York Times

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Somebody somewhere is apparently using artificial intelligence to create a Marco Rubio clone.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/08/politics/marco-rubio-artificial-intelligence-impersonation 

This construct has communicated with public officials domestic and foreign. I don't understand why the person behind this caper took the trouble to duplicate Marco Rubio when the original is so inconsequential as to be mistaken for wallpaper at public gatherings.

ALERT

Normally, I would ramble on through the rest of the week, but we flew to California Thursday morning and I decided to break here and continue later. 

Words of Wisdom

Saturday, June 28, 2025

Iza ana amir wa-inta amir — min rah yisuq el-hamir?

If I’m a prince and you’re a prince, who’ll drive the donkeys?

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I’ve made an important discovery, an excellent store-bought babka.

 

 

The pretzel element is in the twisting; it is not brittle and salty. It is more chocolatey than Breads Bakery’s, the best that I have had before. I bought it at Morton Williams Fresh Marketplace, 2015 Broadway, where at $16.99 it is $4 more expensive than at ShopRite.

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I was stymied as to the right wedding gift for Jeff and Lauren. There seemed to be no obvious gap in their possessions. Fortunately, Kim suggested that we go in together and get something special. I’m letting her do the shopping.

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In Trump v. CASA, Inc., the United States Supreme Court just held that federal courts may not give universal injunctions, in this instance to maintain birthright citizenship. The majority took a seemingly technical approach, ignoring the policy implications. 

 

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson saw through this. “Perhaps the degradation of our rule-of-law regime would happen anyway. But this court’s complicity in the creation of a culture of disdain for lower courts, their rulings and the law (as they interpret it) will surely hasten the downfall of our governing institutions, enabling our collective demise.”

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We met intrepid fellow travelers Jill & Steve for dinner at Moonstone Modern Asian Cuisine & Bar, 14 Northern Boulevard, Great Neck. It is a large, bright space, comfortably furnished with no ethnic touches except for the menu and the waiters. The large menu combines Chinese and Japanese elements, although we stuck to the former.

We all shared scallion pancakes ($16) and sesame cold noodles ($19). They were good, the noodles very good and obviously expensive as were all the other dishes. Steve and I, the carnivores, shared Mango Chicken with Honey Walnuts ($31) and Crispy Beef ($34), a generous portion of thick strands of beef. Service was slow, a virtue in this case since we don’t see these friends often enough. There was also ample parking.

Sunday, June 29, 2025

זה הזמן לבצע צ'ק אין לטיסתך

The message from El Al Israel Airines came in early this morning and far exceeded the bounds of my Hebrew school education at the Sutter Avenue Synagogue far back in the 20th Century. However, I deduced that we were being welcomed aboard a useless flight, locked in by Booking.com, supposedly returning the Upper West Side’s Power Couple from Tel Aviv although we had gotten no further than Great Neck last night. I will not repeat my rant at this time.

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An obituary appears today for John Robbins, “Author of Groundbreaking Diet Book.” It wasn’t my obvious need for such guidance that connected me to him, however attenuated. It was a family matter. He was the son of a co-founder of Baskin-Robbins. 

Sometime in early 1964, when I was a graduate student at Cornell University, my dear friend Andy asked me to join him at the ΑΕΦ sorority house, an eminent collection of young Jewish women. Among the attractions was Marsha Robbins, he said, something to do with ice cream. While the original stores began in the mid-1940s, Baskin-Robbins was formed in 1953. In 1964, however, it was still concentrated in the West and unknown to my gluttonous palate. “Who’s this Robbins?” I said dismissively; the Baskin was silent. I never met Marsha Robbins, who 

subsequently transferred to Stanford University after her freshman year. The 31 flavors never included me.

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This evening I attended a memorial service on Zoom for my friend Larry Storrs. I learned that he served as a bishop in his stake (congregation) of the Latter Day Saints a/k/a the Mormons, a disfavored term. A bishop has a fixed term, combining the functions of the rabbi and the president of the shul. We never addressed spiritual matters, an area that I religiously avoid. We focussed on politics instead, where Larry sounded more like a New York Jew than a Utah Mormon.

Monday, June 30, 2025

My problems with Booking.com drew me to the National Customer Rage Survey.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/historic-national-customer-rage-survey-record-level-of-product-and-service-problems-incite-surly-customers-to-yell-more-and-seek-revenge-for-their-hassles-301765053.html

I think all of us qualify at one time or another.

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

David Goldfarb passed away 15 months ago. Stony Brook Steve still calls him the Chairman. A group of six met for lunch at Pastrami Queen, 138 West 72nd Street, to celebrate David’s 96th birthday. He was an authoritative source on wine, apples, cheese, tomatoes, fish, herbs, orchids and several historical periods. Our learned group in aggregate could only approximate the breadth of his knowledge. Recognizing our limits, we concentrated on the food.

Since it was Tuesday, I ordered the Tuesday special, pastrami and corned beef each on a dinner roll with French fries, coleslaw and a pickle ($22.50). A fitting tribute to a great friend.

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

It was by the narrowest margin, but the United States Senate really showed those poor slobs who’s in charge. Now, it’s the turn of the House of Representatives.

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Among the many ugly things happening in Washington these days, the attack on science forebodes long lasting consequences. In the absence of inquiry and investigation, we may know less about accomplishing good things and avoiding bad things. Fortunately, one valuable study has just been completed — What’s cool. https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/xge-xge0001799.pdf

“From San Francisco to Santiago, Sydney to Seoul, people want to be cool.” We are talking Miles Davis cool. The study doesn’t provide a path as much as identifying a goal. “Cool people are largely perceived to be extroverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open and autonomous.” A good lesson was provided by Oscar Brown, Jr. in 1961.  https://youtu.be/z4yEyDjclo4?feature=shared

Thursday, July 3, 2025

In its campaign to Make America Grovel Again, the administration is pushing a bill that, among other things, would cut healthcare spending by a trillion dollars or more, disregarding the fact that healthcare is the leading employer in 38 states, employing about 13% of the national workforce.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/07/03/business/economy/healthcare-jobs.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

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My brother’s daughter and grandchildren, normally far afield, are in the vicinity. Therefore, we all gathered for lunch at LouCás, 9 Lincoln Highway, Edison, New Jersey, a very nice Italian restaurant that resembles, in my mind, a country club dining room, although I have rarely if ever been in one. The long lunch menu was augmented by many specials which the waiter recited without a hitch. Everything that followed was very good.

We ordered two plates of Fried Shoe String Zucchini, sprinkled with fresh grated Romano cheese ($12). The portion was so large that one plate would have been enough for the eight of us, although I made sure that none remained. I also had some shared fried calamari in a chunky mango sauce, a daily special not on the menu. 

 

My main course was "Maryland Lump Crabmeat Broiled and Glazed with a Chardonny [sic] Buerre Blanc Sauce" ($19). The issue was quantity not quality. The portion should have been larger or the price lower. On the other hand, the chocolate-covered Peanut Butter Bomb, the size of a baseball, was well worth the $9. With so many people at the table, I couldn't keep up with all food. I did observe eggplant rollatini filled with a blend of ricotta and parmesan cheese served with pasta ($15) a couple of times, broiled shrimp stuffed with Crabmeat Imperial Stuffing ($19) a couple of times, grouper special ($?), and a crab cake special ($?). LouCás, to its credit, has a BYOB policy, which keeps a hearty meal within economic boundaries.

Friday, July 4, 2025

Wise Rabbi Jonah Rank writes: "Because the Hebrew language originated several millennia ago and arose in a land far from where many Jews had settled in their Diasporic homes—Jews regularly read sacred books filled with words that even those who speak Hebrew fluently struggle to understand." With that in mind, consider the Second Amendment to the Constitution. "A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Unlike the ancient Hebrews, we are removed from the Founding Fathers by only 236 years and 94 miles via the New Jersey Turnpike. Yet, we struggle to make sense of their words. In fact, for 217 years the Second Amendment was considered as only addressing a collective right to bear arms, that is to field a militia. In 2008, however, in a 5-4 decision written by Antonin Scalia the United States Supreme Court held that it protected an individual's right to bear arms from most forms of government regulation. Sanity in gun control is now as unachievable as fairness in our tax code.

Make America America Again

Saturday, June 21, 2025

I report in real time more or less. If it happens on Tuesday, I usually write it on Tuesday. Last night was an exception, too much to write about when we got home late.

The Supper Club went to the Film Forum, 206 Houston Street, to see the premiere of “Familiar Touch,” a film written and directed by Sarah Friedland, first cousin once removed of Administrative Jerry, a Supper Club member. It wasn’t just the familial relationship that brought us downtown, however. When Sarah was making the film, she recorded the Supper Club chattering to serve as background for some scenes and we got a screen credit.

Kathleen Chalfant does a great job as an 86-year old woman, suffering dementia, who is placed in an assisted living facility by her son. The place, a real institution, appears comfortable and well-run. Yet, the woman has trouble adjusting. For instance, she marches into the kitchen and tries to take over meal preparation. 

If you know what Spring Chicken means, the Supper Club ranges from Fall Chickens to Winter Chickens. So, for us watching “Familiar Touch” brought to mind the Leonard Cohen lyric, “I’ve seen the future, brother, it is murder.”

After the film, we joined Eva and Jerry at dinner and I must apologize to Danny Macaroons. Last week, I chastised him for only opening his new pizzeria for dinner. “Hey, Danny, I want pizza for lunch.” And tonight I had a great pizza for dinner at Briciola Pizza Bar, 14 Bedford Street. After a good Caesar salad (needing more anchovies) that I shared with Jerry, I had the Salsiccia Pepperoni Coppola pizza, crumbled Italian sausage, pepperoni, Spanish onion and Fior di Latte (mozzarella made exclusively with cow’s milk), one of the 15 12” personal pizzas costing only $12. At that price, it was a ridiculous bargain. I was so euphoric that I drank an IPA instead of Diet Coke.

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Nothing to be proud of. “The Brooklyn 2025 Pride festivities will not include an interfaith service this year after at least one group allegedly pulled out due to the hosting synagogue’s ‘public alignment with pro-Israel political positions.’”

https://www.jta.org/2025/06/10/united-states/brooklyn-pride-interfaith-service-cancelled-allegedly-over-synagogues-public-alignment-with-pro-israel-positions 

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My country ‘tis of thee. “The measure passed by the House last month and on track to be considered in the Senate next week would cover part of the cost of extending and expanding large tax cuts by cutting social safety net programs including Medicaid and nutrition programs, including SNAP, formerly known as food stamps.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/21/us/politics/senate-snap-food-stamps.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Sunday, June 22, 2025

Speaks for itself. “Trump Judge Gave Jew-Hating Neo-Nazi Coveted Academic Prize”
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-judge-gave-jew-hating-neo-nazi-coveted-academic-prize/

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In addressing the nation last night, Our Leader said that he and Bibi “worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before.” Abbott and Costello, Beavis and Butt-head, Joseph McCarthy and Roy Cohn?

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Kebab Aur Sharab, 247 West 72nd Street, is a very good Indian restaurant very close by, only open for dinner. It was busy and noisy and expensive. The space may be described as having colonial era decor with filigreed wood and peacocks. The menu has 10 sections, but, except for beverages and breads, the distinctions are not obvious. Some dishes are familiar, such as Kashmiri Tandoori Chicken ($32), others not, Mushroom Galouti, “Smoky Mushroom Paté, blend of aromatic spices, Sheermal" (saffron-flavored traditional flatbread) ($24).

I had Nawabi Lamb Seekh, minced lamb, ginger, garlic, coriander roots and aromatic spices, shaped into two 7” kebabs ($29). They tasted very good, but needed a third piece to justify the price. I didn’t go hungry, however because my regular beautiful dinner companion ordered Lasooni Sabzi Palak, “Spinach Pureé, Confit Garlic, Aromatic Blend of Chili Rogan” (fortunately not related to Joe Rogan) ($28). It was delicious and the large portion allowed me to dig in.

I couldn’t help but do some calculations in my head. If Kebab Aur Sharab weren’t almost around the corner and we took a taxi, the evening would have cost pretty much the same.

Monday, June 23, 2025

Happy Birthday, Lord K.

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I have no objection to regime change in Tehran if only we can have regime change in Washington. 

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The obituary for the founder of FedEx observes that “thanks to the corporate tax cuts that Mr. Trump signed into law in 2017 — cuts that FedEx had lobbied for — the company's tax bills plunged to zero, from $1.5 billion.” 

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/22/obituaries/fred-smith-billionaire-founder-of-fedex-is-dead-at-80.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Anybody see $1.5 billion lying around?

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

The B-2 is the most expensive airplane ever made, $2.2 billion each. 

https://finbold.com/heres-how-much-a-b-2-stealth-bomber-costs/

It was an amazing accomplishment for two of them to fly for 37 hours from Missouri to drop 30,000 pound bombs in Iran. Sunday night, we heard the President proudly announce that "Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated." Even people outside the MAGA orbit were taking a victory lap and breathing a sigh of relief for removal of an existential threat to Israel and other neighboring countries. 

Whoa, Nellie! It seems like Trump’s first word is never the last word. CNN.com says, “Early US intel assessment suggests strikes on Iran did not destroy  nuclear sites, sources say.” 

https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/24/politics/intel-assessment-us-strikes-iran-nuclear-sites 

The New York Times says, “Strike Set Back Iran’s Nuclear Program by Only a Few Months, U.S. Report Says.”  

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/24/us/politics/iran-nuclear-sites.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Where is Kellyanne Conway now that we need her? But, maybe we don’t need her with Pete Hegseth on the job. Earlier today, he said “Based on everything we have seen — and I’ve seen it all — our bombing campaign obliterated Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons.” Calls to his ophthalmologist went unanswered.

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Male bovine excrement! I yelled into the telephone this morning when a strange voice from a strange number told me that my (non-existent) loan application file had just landed on his desk. I await the development of an app that allows me to reach through my smartyphone and throttle the caller.

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The result of yesterday’s New York City Democratic Mayoral Primary was as big a surprise as the 2016 Presidential election. While there are obvious differences between the two winning candidates, I perceive significant similarities — inexperience and questionable ideas wrapped in glitz. Regarding the current crop of "progressive" Democrats generally: When are they going to start beating Republicans?

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Speaking of New York mayors, you can't keep a good man down. Rudy Giuliani is returning to public service as a member of the Department of Homeland Security's Advisory Council.   

https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/24/politics/trump-appoints-members-dhs-advisory-council?cid=ios_app

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The Secretary of Education expressed her concern for “the indignity of unfair and unsafe competitions” when trans athletes are involved and who would know more about unfair and unsafe competitions than Linda McMahon, co-founder, president and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna215022

Thursday, June 26, 2025

I am a person of inconsistent morality. I do not advocate a total ban on capital punishment, although I prefer that the state rarely if ever execute a criminal. Yesterday, Mississippi executed Richard Gerald Jordan, a 79-year-old man who was sentenced to death in 1976 for killing and kidnapping a bank loan officer’s wife in what was described as a violent ransom scheme.

A 49-year interval between conviction and execution seems crazy to me. Whose interest is served at that point in executing a 79-year old man for the acts of a 28-year old man? Shakespeare had it right in “Macbeth.” 

 

“If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well

It were done quickly.”

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The Washington Post presents fascinating data which is worth navigating around its paywall to see — the changing demography of every county in the United States. The pluses and minuses of Hispanics, Non-Hispanic Whites, Asians and Blacks since 2020. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/06/26/baby-boom-aging-population-immigration/

While U.S. children outnumber older adults, older adults’ share of the population is growing. It concludes that “[i]mmigration is driving U.S. population growth and helping offset a broader demographic shift as the baby boom generation ages, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.” America For Fewer Americans may be the new chant heard in Washington.

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Time Out New York offers a valuable service in trying to identify the “11 Best Ice Cream Shops in NYC.” https://www.timeout.com/newyork/restaurants/best-ice-cream-shops-in-nyc

I’m neutral on the subject, because of my uncritical acceptance of all ice cream, although I adored the original Ample Hills Creamery (and have not tried the resurrected version). The problem with this list is mechanical not gustatorial. A lot of stuff intervenes on my screen as I go down the list, frustrating my search for truth.

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Gentleman Jerry and I bought lunch from a food truck today, but not an ordinary food truck. Chef Kwame Onwuachi, who presides over the highly rated, highly expensive restaurant Tatiana, has stationed a food truck on the plaza at Lincoln Center selling delicious curry chicken patty sandwiches on coco bread (Jamaican bread made with coconut water and yeast) with green aioli, jerk barbecue sauce and ginger cabbage slaw ($19.50). They are sloppy, spicy and taste great.

With the heatwave over (Monday  96°, Tuesday 100°, Wednesday 96°), at least temporarily, we ate outdoors on the triangle in the middle of Broadway opposite Lincoln Center. Caveat -- The food truck, called Patty Palace, only offers flavored seltzer at $5 a can. We sought street vendors for Diet Coke instead.

 

Friday, June 27, 2025

I'm going to offer a poor excuse for not commenting on today's and other recent terrible U.S. Supreme Court decisions. I've run out of space.