Saturday, March 8, 2025
The new breed of warriors at the Pentagon have vanquished their first enemy, removing 26,000 photographs from its history files of anything or anyone not resembling the archetypal all-American image. /pentagon-images-flagged-removal-dei-purge-trump
It is unknown whether this program emerged from one of Pete Hegseth’s alcoholic hazes, but it reaches absurd lengths. The B-29 Superfortress that delivered the atomic bomb to Hiroshima was named after the pilot’s mother, Enola Gay. Uh-uh. No picture.
Winston Smith, George Orwell’s protagonist in “1984”, worked in the Ministry of Truth, consigning materials to memory holes, where documents, photographs and records are incinerated and erased from history, allowing the regime to control the past and manipulate people’s perceptions of reality.
Stalin did it about 90 years ago; we are just catching up.
. . .
Second to Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, reputedly named after Gene Hackman’s character in “The French Connection” Popeye Doyle, not Popeye the Sailor Man, but lacking an apostrophe in any case (https://973thedawg.com/the-reason-why-popeyes-doesnt-use-an-apostrophe/ ), I prefer Wendy’s to all the other national fast food chains. Partially, it’s by default and partially because their hamburger meat is never frozen.
I had lunch today at the Wendy’s at 938 Eighth Avenue, one block from the T.J. Maxx where I bought a new suitcase with all those wheels. Transatlantic trivia: In Europe, T.J. Maxx is T.K. Maxx to avoid a trademark conflict with T.J. Hughes, a long established British retailer.
I got a mushroom bacon double cheeseburger in combination with French fries and a very large Coke Zero ($15.61 including tax). The fries were dull, although freshly cooked, they lacked crispness. The mushroom bacon double cheeseburger, however, was predictably messy and quite satisfying.
. . .
Since man shall not live by bread alone (Deuteronomy 8:3), even in the form of a hamburger bun, I got some culture tonight. We went to Lincoln Center Theater’s revival of “Ghosts” by Henrik Ibsen, described as “a devastating moral thriller in which ideas of love, duty and family are mercilessly put to the test,” which sounds like an ordinary day around here.
Another hundred people just got off of the train
And came up through the ground,
While another hundred people just got off of the bus
And are looking around
At another hundred people who got off of the plane
And are looking at us
Who got off of the train
And the plane and the bus
Maybe yesterday.
And came up through the ground,
While another hundred people just got off of the bus
And are looking around
At another hundred people who got off of the plane
And are looking at us
Who got off of the train
And the plane and the bus
Maybe yesterday.
This is a lyric from Stephen Sondheim’s “Company” set in New York City. A new survey looks at those people in motion, as well as those moving in the other direction.
There seems to be a high degree of symmetry between the comings and goings. People from Philadelphia and Miami move to New York and New Yorkers move to Philadelphia and Miami.
. . .
How not to win friends and influence people. "Israeli Energy Minister Cuts Off Electricity to Gaza"
. . .
Caring Ken Klein and I came across a brand new Chinese restaurant, Shanghai Dumpling Fusion, 158 West 72nd Street, on the site of a longtime Turkish restaurant. It’s open less than a week after a complete renovation, with booths and tables of light wood, yielding a very attractive setting.
The menu leans towards dim sum. We shared chicken soup dumplings ($11.95, 5 pieces, should be at least 6 at that price), cold sesame noodles ($13.95, sauce a bit gluey), scallion pancake with beef ($9.95, presented as a sandwich) and popcorn chicken ($8.95, best value). Don’t go out of your way to eat here yet, but I am hopeful that it will prove a valuable addition to the neighborhood.
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
I would not want to be stuck in an elevator with Mahmoud Khalil, the Palestinian protest leader at Columbia University who was detained by ICE and threatened with deportation. Then, again, I would be repelled by proximity to Elon Musk, who has the capacity for far greater harm, not just to Jews, but all of us. This tactic of deporting people because of their ideas evokes memories of Emma Goldman, deported in 1919 for supporting the Russian Revolution. Kahlil's seriously bad judgment does not warrant ignoring his otherwise legal presence in the land of the free and the home of the brave. This is another example of the current regime governed by spite and fear.
. . .
I mentioned "1984" above and later found this factoid: "Two out of three Britons have lied about reading books they have not, and George Orwell's '1984' tops the literary fib list, according to a [2009] survey.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-books-lies-odd-idUSTRE5244MG20090305/
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Last year, Elon
Musk spent at least $250 million to elect Donald Trump.
In Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1 (1976), the Supreme Court held that money equals speech and, as such, campaign finance reform runs up against the First Amendment. The opinion was written by Associate Justice William Brennan, one of the most liberal justices ever, yet it has produced highly illiberal results.
Discussions of free speech often include the phrase “marketplace of ideas.” In that context, one voice may well be louder than others, but never as disproportionately as Musk’s wealth to mine or yours. Last year, in the heated electoral season, I donated about $4,000 to various candidates, mostly pinkos. That’s a ratio of 4,000:250,000,000 (1:62,500 simplified). Whether measured in voices or decibel or trombones, the image of a marketplace is ludicrous.
In Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. 186 (1962), the United States Supreme Court ruled that one man, one vote was the constitutional standard for elections. Now, we need one man, one dollar.
. . .
Purim starts tonight, one of those Jewish holidays where we celebrate beating the odds. In this case, we came from so far behind that we are encouraged to engage in near riotous behavior in synagogue. Traditionally, a goofy version of the historic events (Purimspiel) is presented, as well.
Tonight is our first Purimspiel since the death of David Prager, producer, director, author and lead performer so often in the past. Caring Ken Klein picked up much of the burden, aided splendidly by nine other talented, energetic, shameless individuals. They did a great job honoring our long history and our recent memories.
Friday, March 14, 2025
The Upper West Side’s Power Couple’s plan for today is to get on Great Silver Bird and fly to Albuquerque, New M****** for a one-week visit. We are going on American Airlines via Dallas. Waking up this morning, this appeared on my smartyphone regarding another American Airlines flight to Dallas.
If we make it, you’ll hear the details next week.
It must be amazing to be able to buy a government
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, we now have the government which will only benefit the wealthy and powerful, thanks to the Supreme Court.
DeleteIn addition to shredding history, I heard talk that the new administration is now considering stopping all Transatlantic flights.
ReplyDelete