Saturday, August 22, 2026
Everywhere you turn, Donald Trump has made America worse. Our health, our economy, our military, our influence, our security have all been weakened by his decisions. Only his bank account and that of a few (maybe more than a few) friends and relatives have improved under his reign. If I were conspiracy minded, I would suggest that he is under the influence of a hostile power. I can't go that far, but I wonder how that would differ from the world that he has created?
A lot of attention is being paid to the forthcoming return to Great Britain of the
Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The New York Times reports that their failure to make a big splash in show business influenced their decision to leave their “sprawling estate” on America’s West Coast.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/0
As we commoners read the article, sounds of skepticism and disbelief emerge at the amount of money and the nature of the deals they were involved with. $20 million from Spotify? An interview with Paris Hilton? $28 Orange blossom honey?
It’s easy to fault the couple for their avariciousness, as we often do for an athlete signing a seemingly inflated contract. Find a baseball fan and ask him about Bobby Bonilla. But, do we forget that it takes two to tango? We more often direct our scorn to the hired rather than the hirer, the player not the team, the star not the studio. Why? Because on one side is a person, a recognized individual, even if supported by a retinue of lackeys, versus a typically faceless corporate entity of some sort.
After making an appointment for early tomorrow morning with the nearby Doc-in-a-box and canceling a brunch date with some of our dearest friends, we risked spreading germs at dinner with Barbara & Bernie, cousins of cousins, at Bustan, 487 Amsterdam Avenue, a Mediterranean restaurant with a distinct Israeli flavor. While it is not Kosher, it serves Kosher beef and chicken and offers several Kosher wines. Because of or in spite of that, the food was generally excellent. Bustan means garden in Arabic and there is a garden room at the back of the long, narrow space.
Everywhere you turn, Donald Trump has made America worse. Our health, our economy, our military, our influence, our security have all been weakened by his decisions. Only his bank account and that of a few (maybe more than a few) friends and relatives have improved under his reign. If I were conspiracy minded, I would suggest that he is under the influence of a hostile power. I can't go that far, but I wonder how that would differ from the world that he has created?
. . .
A lot of attention is being paid to the forthcoming return to Great Britain of the
Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The New York Times reports that their failure to make a big splash in show business influenced their decision to leave their “sprawling estate” on America’s West Coast.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/0
As we commoners read the article, sounds of skepticism and disbelief emerge at the amount of money and the nature of the deals they were involved with. $20 million from Spotify? An interview with Paris Hilton? $28 Orange blossom honey?
It’s easy to fault the couple for their avariciousness, as we often do for an athlete signing a seemingly inflated contract. Find a baseball fan and ask him about Bobby Bonilla. But, do we forget that it takes two to tango? We more often direct our scorn to the hired rather than the hirer, the player not the team, the star not the studio. Why? Because on one side is a person, a recognized individual, even if supported by a retinue of lackeys, versus a typically faceless corporate entity of some sort.
. . .
After making an appointment for early tomorrow morning with the nearby Doc-in-a-box and canceling a brunch date with some of our dearest friends, we risked spreading germs at dinner with Barbara & Bernie, cousins of cousins, at Bustan, 487 Amsterdam Avenue, a Mediterranean restaurant with a distinct Israeli flavor. While it is not Kosher, it serves Kosher beef and chicken and offers several Kosher wines. Because of or in spite of that, the food was generally excellent. Bustan means garden in Arabic and there is a garden room at the back of the long, narrow space.
We shared everything, starting with two loaves of puffy, hot Taboon bread, dusted with za'atar, the Lebanese spice ($4 each). We dipped this into tahini, ground sesame seeds ($9) and tzatziki, yogurt mixed with dill ($9); and, continued with a large Israeli salad ($19). Batata followed, a heavenly roasted sweet potato ($12); then, smoked trout served over mashed potatoes ($25) and Kebab Halabi, three ground lamb balls cooked with tomatoes and onions, served in a bowl covered with Taboon bread, a sort of Moroccan pot pie ($37). Politics aside, if ever, this was an excellent meal.
. . .
Just across the street is Gelateria Gentile, 498 Amsterdam Avenue, has been open two years. It is the offshoot of an establishment in Bari, Italy, founded in 1880, with three other Holy Land locations, and an excellent product. I had a small cup with two flavors, tiramisu and stracciatella (Italian chocolate chip) (~$8, Bernie paid).
Sunday, August 23, 2026
In case you’re looking for something to read, Dan Patrick, Republican, Texas Lieutenant Governor, is promoting a list of 2,200 dirty books to be removed from schools. It’s probably a good place to start.
https://www.khou.com/article/n
I just came across a bad idea that has nothing to do with Republicans. In fact, we Americans have been spared this entirely, so far at least. Coin operated elevators.
https://www.gadgetreview.com/c
How many quarters do you have in your pocket right now?
If you happen to believe that we should eat the rich, here’s your menu.
https://www.decoist.com/view/t
We are at war. Not with Iran, they’ve won that one. We are in a trade war with Canada. https://www.nytimes.co
And this is serious business. Every puck used in a National Hockey League game is manufactured in Canada by one company. https://en.wikipedia.
Additionally, the sticks used by professional hockey players are made by several different companies, none in America (real America). https://bladetechhoc
Bauer and CCM manufacture 90% of the skates worn in the National Hockey League. https://cncruixi.com/t
They are both Canadian companies. The remaining 10% are made by companies in California, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Illinois and Michigan.
Monday, August 24, 2026
This is an interesting look at the law school origins of law school faculties. “Yale graduates have roughly three times the rate of success as graduates of Harvard, Stanford, and Chicago; while graduates of those latter three schools have at least three times the rate of success of graduates of Berkeley, Columbia, Michigan et al.”
https://leiterreports.com/2026
Cardozo, my law school, while not included as a producer of faculty, appears frequently as a faculty destination.
In case you’re looking for something to read, Dan Patrick, Republican, Texas Lieutenant Governor, is promoting a list of 2,200 dirty books to be removed from schools. It’s probably a good place to start.
https://www.khou.com/article/n
. . .
I just came across a bad idea that has nothing to do with Republicans. In fact, we Americans have been spared this entirely, so far at least. Coin operated elevators.
https://www.gadgetreview.com/c
How many quarters do you have in your pocket right now?
. . .
If you happen to believe that we should eat the rich, here’s your menu.
https://www.decoist.com/view/t
. . .
We are at war. Not with Iran, they’ve won that one. We are in a trade war with Canada. https://www.nytimes.co
And this is serious business. Every puck used in a National Hockey League game is manufactured in Canada by one company. https://en.wikipedia.
Additionally, the sticks used by professional hockey players are made by several different companies, none in America (real America). https://bladetechhoc
Bauer and CCM manufacture 90% of the skates worn in the National Hockey League. https://cncruixi.com/t
They are both Canadian companies. The remaining 10% are made by companies in California, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Illinois and Michigan.
Monday, August 24, 2026
This is an interesting look at the law school origins of law school faculties. “Yale graduates have roughly three times the rate of success as graduates of Harvard, Stanford, and Chicago; while graduates of those latter three schools have at least three times the rate of success of graduates of Berkeley, Columbia, Michigan et al.”
https://leiterreports.com/2026
Cardozo, my law school, while not included as a producer of faculty, appears frequently as a faculty destination.
Tuesday, August 25, 2026
A few weeks ago, I heard Zalman Newfield, Associate Professor at Hunter College, discuss his book Brooklyn Odyssey: My Journey Out of Hasidism. Newfield is not bitter about his focused background, believing that it was the basis for his intellectual curiosity. He is speaking again on Tuesday, September 15 at 6 PM at Fordham Law School, McMahon 109, 155 West 60th Street. The event is free. Register by e-mail to JewishStudies@fordham.edu.
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Some people see the end of summer as the end of ice cream eating season. I share little DNA with such people. On the other hand, we Americans may be second in military prowess in the Middle East and Indochina, but we fall further behind in per capita ice cream consumption.
Not only does New Zealand out pace us, it seems to have innovated into territory where Ben & Jerry's hasn't. Hokey pokey anyone?
Friday, August 28, 2026
The Trinity
Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People
Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law
Tony Kushner, author of Angels in America
. . .
Bulletin: Canada Geese now called Donald Ducks
ca4
I READ THE PRIME MINISTER OF cANADA WANTS TO RENAME THE UNITED STATES THE SOUTH PROVINCE OF CANADA.......GOOD IDEA.
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