Well, yesterday was the annual Salute to Israel Parade, and it couldn't have been nicer. The weather was perfect, the crowd of spectators huge (and full up earlier than usual), and the marchers endless and enthusiastic. As I've done for the past eight years or so, I volunteered for the parade staff, and while things can always look hectic "backstage" (and boy, did they this year). I've gotten good reports from disinterested observers, and that's what counts. Even I, in the midst of directing groups and assisting announcers, enjoyed it immensely.
It was especially nice seeing my various "alma maters" on show. The New York Region of NCSY is now headed by an old talmid-chaver of mine who, draped in an Israeli flag, was enthusiastically leaping about with his kids, leading them in the old classic songs, and took a breather to inform me he had 250 kids from the region with him (in addition to everyone else from NCSY, Yachad, and the OU). Go (R') Zak!
YU had quite the impressive showing as well, heading up the last section of the parade. (It was well represented among the parade staff too.) Here it was especially nice to see Roshei Yeshiva marching with the students. After the parade was over, Richard Joel literally offered me the shirt off his back- and I do mean literally, actually pulling off his t-shirt and holding it out to me when I casually mentioned I'd been hoping for one. I couldn't accept it, of course, but he's a wonderful person. (This was also in evidence at the YU graduation two weeks back, at which my father celebrated his fiftieth anniversary. I'll have to post some photos of that.)
Ah, and much, much more- lots of big names, celebrities, new and colorful groups, familiar faces...I'll have to review my photos to see what else merits mentioning and, hopefully, post some here. And I see that the UK is planning its own parades for later this month- Kol HaKavod!
Anyway, if its not too much out of place, I have two more significant (a bit half-baked, but this is a blog, after all) thoughts about the parade:
On the way home, I got on the bus to Kew Gardens Hills with a bunch of people who'd been to the parade as well. One man said to another, "Why this type of unity only once a year?" Indeed, the display of achdut is extremely impressive. (As I like to joke, even the Neturei Karta come out, in their own way, much as they'd deny it.) You've got a huge spectrum, even the occasional black hat and chassid (and not just as spectators). Later last night, a friend asked me, "Did the gays march?" I thought for a moment before answering- I guess they may march as part of the "Downtown Alliance"- but told him that shortly after the original brouhaha over their inclusion (or exclusion), I recall that there was some serious problem in Israel- the outbreak of the second intifada or something- and people quickly wised up to what's important, at least in this context. There've been no issues since then. Everyone comes, everyone supports Israel, another generation feels for it and supports it (and in today's age, that's a big deal, considering the growing popularity of the alternative among young Jews, but a brief conversation today has given me hope there as well), and not-insignificant numbers even move there.
So that's one lovely aspect of the parade. I've long said that after seeing it in action, it becomes very hard to maintain the old "Forbidden to cooperate with non-Orthodox Jews!" trope one hears from the right. Well, maybe that's just the softie in me speaking, but we all need that feeling at least once a year.
The second thought is, I'm afraid, somewhat more parochial than the previous grander one, but it has to be said: All of the fears and griping about Orthodoxy's "turn to the right" or the growing dominance of the Haredi world is at least somewhat dissipated after observing this parade. From the New York area alone, there are quite a few day schools and high schools that I've never even heard of whose students turn out for the parade in the hundreds. And there are many more I know of whose sheer size is overwhelming. I can't play numbers games or anything like that, but one thing I see here (as a subset of the parade as a whole, of course) is a vibrant, growing Modern Orthodoxy. Ken Yirbu.
Anyway, this Jew is, in fact, off to Israel later this week. I should have a great time- lots of things coming up in only a short period- and will report as possible. Till then!
Monday, June 02, 2008
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Psalm 104
Today is the first day of the Hebrew month of Iyyar (Happy Birthday, Nechama!), and thus the second day of Rosh Chodesh, the New Moon. Every Rosh Chodesh, Psalm 104 (verse 19a: "He made the moon for the appointed times") is recited at the end of morning services, and whenever it is, I remember this story:
November 30, 2000 was the one-hundredth yahrtzeit of Oscar Wilde, an event marked as the day approached by a number of events around New York. I recall attending an exhibit at the (then unrenovated) Morgan Library, and I also attended the culminating event, a series of readings on the day itself at the Jefferson Market Library. (I seem to recall it being mentioned at the event that the building had some connection to Wilde's famous visit to America.) Presenting were such luminaries as the renowned playwrights Peter Shaffer and Edward Albee, the actresses Cherry Jones and the late Kim Hunter, and others, including the not-yet-Speaker Christine Quinn.
Shaffer preceded his readings with a personal story: When he first came to America, he worked at the New York Public Library on 42nd Street in a low-level position. (I was just there yesterday to see their exhibits, thus further provoking the memory.) Then, he heard of an opening in the Library at the Arents Tobacco Collection. "One of those rooms off to the side of the main reading room, open only to those with special permission, soft chairs, quiet surroundings- you've passed those rooms, you know what I mean," as he put it. The audience, mostly literary types, nodded in agreement. The job was easier, more prestigious, and paid better than his current position, so he applied for it, and was told to be there at 1:00 of an afternoon to be interviewed by George Arents himself.
Arents, who had made his money in tobacco, had then turned his attention to collecting every single work he could find that mentioned the plant- certainly including books, pictures and the like about tobacco, but even works notable for other reasons that mentioned it only in passing. Shaffer figured that he might never have a chance to enter the room again, and so took his lunch break at twelve and came to the appointment an hour early.
The librarian let him in, and allowed him to look over the collection. Shaffer began flipping through the card catalog and came to one entry: "The Importance of Being Earnest, a Play in Four Acts". Wanting to impress the librarian with his knowledge, he said, "But The Importance of Being Earnest has three acts!"
"Ah, no," said the librarian, and he opened a special drawer and removed four plain-looking school-type notebooks. It was the original manuscript of the play, in Wilde's handwriting, one act per notebook. Wilde had been asked to shorten it to three acts by the play's producer before it was first put on. The play had earned its place in the Arents Collection because of the following lines:
Just as he was finishing the play and putting it back in its drawer, the door opened, and George Arents himself was there, a somewhat...crotchety elderly man in a wheelchair. "Wheel me," he said simply. And so Shaffer began wheeling him down the long corridor leading to the main reading room. (Another knowing nod from the audience.)
The trip was quiet, and Shaffer could tell that things weren't going well. Trying to make a good impression, he leaned over and asked, "Mr. Arents, would you happen to have a copy of the Guttenberg Bible in your collection?" (The Library does, indeed, have a copy, which I saw yesterday, exhibited next to the original Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends, of all things.)
Arents favored Shaffer with a sidelong glance and then replied curtly, "The tobacco weed is not mentioned in the Holy Writ."
Shaffer then sheepishly told us, "I knew I shouldn't have said anything, but I...just...couldn't...help it. And so I leaned over again and said, 'But surely it is written in the Book of Psalms [104:32b- today's Psalm- NL], "He toucheth the mountains, and maketh them smoke"?'"
Arents turned and gave him a good, hard look, then simply said, "Wheel me back."
Ruefully, Shaffer finished, before starting his readings for us, "I didn't get the job."
November 30, 2000 was the one-hundredth yahrtzeit of Oscar Wilde, an event marked as the day approached by a number of events around New York. I recall attending an exhibit at the (then unrenovated) Morgan Library, and I also attended the culminating event, a series of readings on the day itself at the Jefferson Market Library. (I seem to recall it being mentioned at the event that the building had some connection to Wilde's famous visit to America.) Presenting were such luminaries as the renowned playwrights Peter Shaffer and Edward Albee, the actresses Cherry Jones and the late Kim Hunter, and others, including the not-yet-Speaker Christine Quinn.
Shaffer preceded his readings with a personal story: When he first came to America, he worked at the New York Public Library on 42nd Street in a low-level position. (I was just there yesterday to see their exhibits, thus further provoking the memory.) Then, he heard of an opening in the Library at the Arents Tobacco Collection. "One of those rooms off to the side of the main reading room, open only to those with special permission, soft chairs, quiet surroundings- you've passed those rooms, you know what I mean," as he put it. The audience, mostly literary types, nodded in agreement. The job was easier, more prestigious, and paid better than his current position, so he applied for it, and was told to be there at 1:00 of an afternoon to be interviewed by George Arents himself.
Arents, who had made his money in tobacco, had then turned his attention to collecting every single work he could find that mentioned the plant- certainly including books, pictures and the like about tobacco, but even works notable for other reasons that mentioned it only in passing. Shaffer figured that he might never have a chance to enter the room again, and so took his lunch break at twelve and came to the appointment an hour early.
The librarian let him in, and allowed him to look over the collection. Shaffer began flipping through the card catalog and came to one entry: "The Importance of Being Earnest, a Play in Four Acts". Wanting to impress the librarian with his knowledge, he said, "But The Importance of Being Earnest has three acts!"
"Ah, no," said the librarian, and he opened a special drawer and removed four plain-looking school-type notebooks. It was the original manuscript of the play, in Wilde's handwriting, one act per notebook. Wilde had been asked to shorten it to three acts by the play's producer before it was first put on. The play had earned its place in the Arents Collection because of the following lines:
Lady Bracknell: Do you smoke?The four act version was not then widely available (it's now published in some versions of the complete works), and Shaffer spent the next hour reading the treasure. "And," he concluded, "It's nowhere nearly as good as the three-act version. Wilde was wise to revise it." (I've seen this sentiment in a number of places.)
Jack: Well, yes, I must admit I smoke.
Lady Bracknell: I am glad to hear it. A man should always have an occupation of some kind. There are far too many idle men in London as it is.
Just as he was finishing the play and putting it back in its drawer, the door opened, and George Arents himself was there, a somewhat...crotchety elderly man in a wheelchair. "Wheel me," he said simply. And so Shaffer began wheeling him down the long corridor leading to the main reading room. (Another knowing nod from the audience.)
The trip was quiet, and Shaffer could tell that things weren't going well. Trying to make a good impression, he leaned over and asked, "Mr. Arents, would you happen to have a copy of the Guttenberg Bible in your collection?" (The Library does, indeed, have a copy, which I saw yesterday, exhibited next to the original Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends, of all things.)
Arents favored Shaffer with a sidelong glance and then replied curtly, "The tobacco weed is not mentioned in the Holy Writ."
Shaffer then sheepishly told us, "I knew I shouldn't have said anything, but I...just...couldn't...help it. And so I leaned over again and said, 'But surely it is written in the Book of Psalms [104:32b- today's Psalm- NL], "He toucheth the mountains, and maketh them smoke"?'"
Arents turned and gave him a good, hard look, then simply said, "Wheel me back."
Ruefully, Shaffer finished, before starting his readings for us, "I didn't get the job."
R.I.P.
Mildred Loving, the plaintiff (one of two, of course) in Loving v. Virginia, has passed away. R.I.P.
I always thought that case was about as perfectly named as you could hope.
I always thought that case was about as perfectly named as you could hope.
Monday, May 05, 2008
Labels
I like labels, and have always championed them. They're helpful and (almost?) always correct.
And yet frum dating sites have turned me off of them more and more. Trying to sign up to YUConnects, I have hit a brick wall trying to figure out if I am "Modern Orthodox (Machmir)" or "Modern Orthodox (Liberal)". In fact, I have no idea what those terms mean, and here I'm supposed to decide my future based on them.
OK, I suppose I have features of both. So let me rephrase: I still like labels, so long as they don't get too minute. Why is there no simple "Modern Orthodox" option?
As long as I'm linking to YU's page, this story really makes me shake my head.
OK, so maybe they mean (based on context) "frescoes by Michelangelo." Well, OK, except, um, an entire wall is covered by "The Last Judgment", by Michelangelo, which has a huge depiction of Jesus front and center.
OK, so maybe they mean (again based on context) the ceiling. Well, OK, except for the depiction of the ancestors of Jesus lining the sides...like I said, it's a bit of a head-shaker. Michelangelo did lots of Christian works: The Doni Holy Family, the Pieta...I give up. R' Blech is a great guy and a great author, but books like these don't do much for Judaism.
And yet frum dating sites have turned me off of them more and more. Trying to sign up to YUConnects, I have hit a brick wall trying to figure out if I am "Modern Orthodox (Machmir)" or "Modern Orthodox (Liberal)". In fact, I have no idea what those terms mean, and here I'm supposed to decide my future based on them.
OK, I suppose I have features of both. So let me rephrase: I still like labels, so long as they don't get too minute. Why is there no simple "Modern Orthodox" option?
As long as I'm linking to YU's page, this story really makes me shake my head.
The Sistine Secrets posits that the paintings covering the Sistine Chapel, theWhaaa? First, there are two frescoes on the walls (of four total) entitled "Christ Giving the Keys to St. Peter" and "The Temptation of Christ".
largest fresco painting on earth in the holiest of Christianity’s chapels, does
not contain a single Christian image.
OK, so maybe they mean (based on context) "frescoes by Michelangelo." Well, OK, except, um, an entire wall is covered by "The Last Judgment", by Michelangelo, which has a huge depiction of Jesus front and center.
OK, so maybe they mean (again based on context) the ceiling. Well, OK, except for the depiction of the ancestors of Jesus lining the sides...like I said, it's a bit of a head-shaker. Michelangelo did lots of Christian works: The Doni Holy Family, the Pieta...I give up. R' Blech is a great guy and a great author, but books like these don't do much for Judaism.
Can you have ga'avah for doing a mitzvah?
Today I had the zekhut of tearing down two posters featuring gedolim. One was just offensive because of what it said, and the other just came off with it. (Although I've got issues with the actual person on the second.)
Actually, I think all posters tacked on walls in my neighborhood need to be torn down, regardless of content. This ain't Geulah. In addition, I was worrying about chillul Hashem, seeing someone reading it this morning. So I'm just sure if my motives were 100% pure, that is, fighting for kavod haTorah in the face of attacks from the Right, or whether neighborhood beautification and defense of God's name played a part as well. But the latter two are nice things as well, so we all win.
Actually, I think all posters tacked on walls in my neighborhood need to be torn down, regardless of content. This ain't Geulah. In addition, I was worrying about chillul Hashem, seeing someone reading it this morning. So I'm just sure if my motives were 100% pure, that is, fighting for kavod haTorah in the face of attacks from the Right, or whether neighborhood beautification and defense of God's name played a part as well. But the latter two are nice things as well, so we all win.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Ugly Comedy
A bunch of political points today, mostly courtesy of National Review:
A bunch of Hawaiian secessionists take over a palace and allow entry only to natives (in the racial sense) and some others. I don't mean to be unkind (ah, who'm I kidding? Of course I do), but I wonder how many ordinary people would have been able to enter the palace back in the "glory days" of the monarchy. (h/t)
The CIA reports that to make up for its population decline, Russian will have to import massive amounts of people, including "Russians from the former Soviet states." (h/t) My first thought on reading that was, "Well, maybe Russia has problems ("Maybe?"), but that'll certainly improve matters in the Baltics, Ukraine, etc." I can certainly see Russia, in the not-too-distant-future, bounded by the Urals and the Don-Volga. Let's hope it goes well.
Hillary, alas, is getting charming. Holding out hope for an Obama convention victory now. One upside I heard for a Hillary victory is that black turnout will be depressed and the Congressional picture will look better for Republicans. Unfortunately for that scenario, congressional districts are so racially gerrymandered that it wouldn't make much of a difference. Of course, such a scenario would affect the presidential race, but if Obama would lose more decisively than Hillary anyway, why bother?
One thought did pop into my head this morning: Doesn't the whole Democratic primary setup- proportionally divided states side-by-side with superdelegates- perfectly symbolize the Democrats faux-populism combined with condescending elitism?
Anyway, speaking of Hillary, I came across this: Asked who she'd go out with, she says Lincoln. (h/t) Now, I can't really blame her (see what I mean?)- when faced with those who say that he's achieved mythical status, I respond, "Because he deserves it." Problem is, it looks like the too-easy answer. Ah well, the tradeoffs we make.
When conservatives get pet projects, it's time to look out. See this, for example. It reminds me of something Jonah Goldberg pointed out about reaction to his book: "Sure, those people were all fascists- all except the one guy (philosopher, usually) that I like!" (I've seen it regarding philosophers in general, when people get their hobbyhorses. And causes in general- see the sad case of D. Klinghoffer, for example.) Rod Dreher basically left conservatism (I don't care what he says) over the issue of asthma or something. And now we have ethanol. (Also, I'm not saying it applies here, but often there are big-business funding fingerprints over these things.) And evolution. And more. It's time to put the foot down: "Small government means small government. No exceptions."
Finally, a bit of ugliness. I have to disagree with Ramesh Ponnuru here. When I see Sullivan use a line like that, I don't think theology (I imagine those who think of theology more themselves would, and it's a logical conclusion); rather, I read it as "Evil [Jewish] neo-cons manipulated us into a war in Iraq." No, I wouldn't put it past Sullivan- he's amply demonstrated that he is driven to madness by his hobbyhorses. As to "little" and "boy", well, the former is clearly along the lines of "You've got a nice Army base here, Colonel...we wouldn't want anything to happen to it." The latter is perfectly appropriate for a fawning fanboy like Sullivan- who, in any event, is a poofter. An anti-Semitic poofter. So there.
Anyway, that's what I thought of when I saw this, linked from here. Sorry, but I really can't see the (double) use of "neoconservative" (you remember Brooks' line- "con" short for "conservative", "neo" short for "Jew"- and its frenzied reaction, and Rush stresses this as well) and the reference to the American Enterprise Institute as being accidental, even more so in light of this church's actions towards Israel. Like I said, ugly. And which side of the spectrum is it coming from?
Oh, and speaking of the Religious Left, how funny is it that every Tom, Dick, and Harry on that end thinks they're qualified to say what's "grounded in Biblical tradition"? From a theologian, maybe, but who is this guy? (h/t)
Enough for today. Peace out, all!
A bunch of Hawaiian secessionists take over a palace and allow entry only to natives (in the racial sense) and some others. I don't mean to be unkind (ah, who'm I kidding? Of course I do), but I wonder how many ordinary people would have been able to enter the palace back in the "glory days" of the monarchy. (h/t)
The CIA reports that to make up for its population decline, Russian will have to import massive amounts of people, including "Russians from the former Soviet states." (h/t) My first thought on reading that was, "Well, maybe Russia has problems ("Maybe?"), but that'll certainly improve matters in the Baltics, Ukraine, etc." I can certainly see Russia, in the not-too-distant-future, bounded by the Urals and the Don-Volga. Let's hope it goes well.
Hillary, alas, is getting charming. Holding out hope for an Obama convention victory now. One upside I heard for a Hillary victory is that black turnout will be depressed and the Congressional picture will look better for Republicans. Unfortunately for that scenario, congressional districts are so racially gerrymandered that it wouldn't make much of a difference. Of course, such a scenario would affect the presidential race, but if Obama would lose more decisively than Hillary anyway, why bother?
One thought did pop into my head this morning: Doesn't the whole Democratic primary setup- proportionally divided states side-by-side with superdelegates- perfectly symbolize the Democrats faux-populism combined with condescending elitism?
Anyway, speaking of Hillary, I came across this: Asked who she'd go out with, she says Lincoln. (h/t) Now, I can't really blame her (see what I mean?)- when faced with those who say that he's achieved mythical status, I respond, "Because he deserves it." Problem is, it looks like the too-easy answer. Ah well, the tradeoffs we make.
When conservatives get pet projects, it's time to look out. See this, for example. It reminds me of something Jonah Goldberg pointed out about reaction to his book: "Sure, those people were all fascists- all except the one guy (philosopher, usually) that I like!" (I've seen it regarding philosophers in general, when people get their hobbyhorses. And causes in general- see the sad case of D. Klinghoffer, for example.) Rod Dreher basically left conservatism (I don't care what he says) over the issue of asthma or something. And now we have ethanol. (Also, I'm not saying it applies here, but often there are big-business funding fingerprints over these things.) And evolution. And more. It's time to put the foot down: "Small government means small government. No exceptions."
Finally, a bit of ugliness. I have to disagree with Ramesh Ponnuru here. When I see Sullivan use a line like that, I don't think theology (I imagine those who think of theology more themselves would, and it's a logical conclusion); rather, I read it as "Evil [Jewish] neo-cons manipulated us into a war in Iraq." No, I wouldn't put it past Sullivan- he's amply demonstrated that he is driven to madness by his hobbyhorses. As to "little" and "boy", well, the former is clearly along the lines of "You've got a nice Army base here, Colonel...we wouldn't want anything to happen to it." The latter is perfectly appropriate for a fawning fanboy like Sullivan- who, in any event, is a poofter. An anti-Semitic poofter. So there.
Anyway, that's what I thought of when I saw this, linked from here. Sorry, but I really can't see the (double) use of "neoconservative" (you remember Brooks' line- "con" short for "conservative", "neo" short for "Jew"- and its frenzied reaction, and Rush stresses this as well) and the reference to the American Enterprise Institute as being accidental, even more so in light of this church's actions towards Israel. Like I said, ugly. And which side of the spectrum is it coming from?
Oh, and speaking of the Religious Left, how funny is it that every Tom, Dick, and Harry on that end thinks they're qualified to say what's "grounded in Biblical tradition"? From a theologian, maybe, but who is this guy? (h/t)
Enough for today. Peace out, all!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Chasal Siddur Pesach...
...so what did I just have for my first real (aside from a bowl of cereal this morning) post-Pesach chametz meal? A laffa with schwarma and veggies, some of them pretty hot. (Quite excellent. From here.)
Wait a sec. That's not really chametz- in point of fact, it precisely describes a Temple-era seder. You know what? It brought me back to those days, even though I'm eating hurriedly at my desk instead of in luxury (and it was luxury this year, as every year) at the family table.
Actually, that also pretty much describes an original seder as well. Go figure. I'm looking forward to the conference I linked to above, even though it'll likely be pretty bloodless. A malady of the MO, I'll admit, and O in general, especially in Temple-related matters. And one thing I'm not bloodless about is the Mikdash. Ah well. It should still be good. The "seder" certainly was.
(OK, I had fries and a corn muffin too. Neither are chametz either, but they didn't have either back then.)
A couple of politics-related points: I'm listening to Rush online today and, at the top of the hour, get a weird disconnect, as the station switches to Sean Hannity having a conversation- clearly from today- about Jeremiah Wright with Juan Williams and Niger Innis. I actually checked my watch a couple of times- Hannity doesn't come on until later- and then shrugged it off when El Rushbo returned.
Then Hannity comes on and tells us that, in the upcoming show, he'll be talking with...Juan Williams and Niger Innis, about Jeremiah Wright. Now, I know this goes on in radio all the time, and I don't really blame them for it. But it was still interesting to hear.
(I can pick out a host asked a guest questions to elicit pre-recorded answers in a second; I can easily tell when a host hasn't really read the book the author of which he is interviewing. The former is less cool; the latter is really less cool. And unforgivable is reading another's newspaper piece as your own: I've heard hosts- not those mentioned above- do all of these.)
Speaking of Wright, he's been bellowing all over the last couple of days, which means I've gotten to hear him as never before. One thing strikes me: The man seems to operate best with a peanut gallery that he appears to carry along with him. (It reminds me of the "claque" at the end of The Bonfire of the Vanities.) He even brought a bunch to the National Press Club, to cheer on every insane comment he makes. He's probably used to this based on his job, but it strikes me as demagogic, as if I needed any more evidence. I already knew he was a nutcase, and that doesn't speak well for his protege, does it?
Well, that was one rambling post. I chalk it up to a full stomach and a relaxed mind from the last week plus. Onward through Sefirah, all!
Wait a sec. That's not really chametz- in point of fact, it precisely describes a Temple-era seder. You know what? It brought me back to those days, even though I'm eating hurriedly at my desk instead of in luxury (and it was luxury this year, as every year) at the family table.
Actually, that also pretty much describes an original seder as well. Go figure. I'm looking forward to the conference I linked to above, even though it'll likely be pretty bloodless. A malady of the MO, I'll admit, and O in general, especially in Temple-related matters. And one thing I'm not bloodless about is the Mikdash. Ah well. It should still be good. The "seder" certainly was.
(OK, I had fries and a corn muffin too. Neither are chametz either, but they didn't have either back then.)
A couple of politics-related points: I'm listening to Rush online today and, at the top of the hour, get a weird disconnect, as the station switches to Sean Hannity having a conversation- clearly from today- about Jeremiah Wright with Juan Williams and Niger Innis. I actually checked my watch a couple of times- Hannity doesn't come on until later- and then shrugged it off when El Rushbo returned.
Then Hannity comes on and tells us that, in the upcoming show, he'll be talking with...Juan Williams and Niger Innis, about Jeremiah Wright. Now, I know this goes on in radio all the time, and I don't really blame them for it. But it was still interesting to hear.
(I can pick out a host asked a guest questions to elicit pre-recorded answers in a second; I can easily tell when a host hasn't really read the book the author of which he is interviewing. The former is less cool; the latter is really less cool. And unforgivable is reading another's newspaper piece as your own: I've heard hosts- not those mentioned above- do all of these.)
Speaking of Wright, he's been bellowing all over the last couple of days, which means I've gotten to hear him as never before. One thing strikes me: The man seems to operate best with a peanut gallery that he appears to carry along with him. (It reminds me of the "claque" at the end of The Bonfire of the Vanities.) He even brought a bunch to the National Press Club, to cheer on every insane comment he makes. He's probably used to this based on his job, but it strikes me as demagogic, as if I needed any more evidence. I already knew he was a nutcase, and that doesn't speak well for his protege, does it?
Well, that was one rambling post. I chalk it up to a full stomach and a relaxed mind from the last week plus. Onward through Sefirah, all!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Peaceful Coexistence
...is, as the first issue of National Review told us, bunk. But I got a request below for more New York stories, so here goes:
Down the block from my office is a very good kosher lunch-type place (these definitions don't really apply to kosher places) called "Milk and Honey." Right next door is a Lebanese lunch-type place called "Bread and Olive." I always thought the juxtaposition notable, especially during the last war.
Anyway, I passed Milk and Honey today and noticed the windows were all papered over. Not to worry: They're simply closed for Passover, as a sign in the window informs passers-by. And, with horrible grammar (this is, after all, a store that advertises "Hot Bagles" out front), asks the postman to deliver all mail this week to...Bread and Olive, next door.
Either it's the city or food that brings us together. Who knows, but me likey.
Down the block from my office is a very good kosher lunch-type place (these definitions don't really apply to kosher places) called "Milk and Honey." Right next door is a Lebanese lunch-type place called "Bread and Olive." I always thought the juxtaposition notable, especially during the last war.
Anyway, I passed Milk and Honey today and noticed the windows were all papered over. Not to worry: They're simply closed for Passover, as a sign in the window informs passers-by. And, with horrible grammar (this is, after all, a store that advertises "Hot Bagles" out front), asks the postman to deliver all mail this week to...Bread and Olive, next door.
Either it's the city or food that brings us together. Who knows, but me likey.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Linkys
Do you think Philologos had any idea what he was getting into with this column? (See the comments.)
This is really some piece by Kristol. This one is pretty good too.
This is really some piece by Kristol. This one is pretty good too.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Cindy Adams Time
Last night, as the F train pulls out of the Roosevelt Island station, a voice comes over the intercom: "Officer! Grab the kid in the green shirt!" We're in the tunnel and the voice repeats: "The kid in the green shirt! Grab him!"
A few seconds later, the kid apparently caught, the voice (I think it was the engineer, not the conductor) can't resist one more dig: "Oh, you're real smart, aren't you? Spit on the window and then get on the train? Reeeaaaal smart."
Today I'm on the 5 train going down to court. Middle of the day, packed. A couple of gaggles of young German tourists. A couple of men with antipodean accents asking directions to Ellis Island of an older woman. A middle-aged, small Chinese woman screaming about "your Messiah and Savior" in heavily accented English as she walks through the car. And in the middle of it all, a fully-costumed Mariachi band- beaded vests, cowboy hats, and all, at least two guitars and an accordion- playing and singing at the top of their lungs as the train weaves through the tunnel.
Only in New York, kids.
A few seconds later, the kid apparently caught, the voice (I think it was the engineer, not the conductor) can't resist one more dig: "Oh, you're real smart, aren't you? Spit on the window and then get on the train? Reeeaaaal smart."
Today I'm on the 5 train going down to court. Middle of the day, packed. A couple of gaggles of young German tourists. A couple of men with antipodean accents asking directions to Ellis Island of an older woman. A middle-aged, small Chinese woman screaming about "your Messiah and Savior" in heavily accented English as she walks through the car. And in the middle of it all, a fully-costumed Mariachi band- beaded vests, cowboy hats, and all, at least two guitars and an accordion- playing and singing at the top of their lungs as the train weaves through the tunnel.
Only in New York, kids.
Monday, March 31, 2008
The Problem With Posthumous Haggadot
Before I get to the point, I think it's funny that Bill Clinton can give a speech in which he makes the remark that this primary is allowing a lot debate in the Democratic Party, which is a good thing, "And Republicans are participating in it, too!" he adds in that annoying joking-reproving way he has. The crowd, of course, eats it up- anything to bash Republicans and, of course, Rush.
Leave aside that there isn't much of a debate here- the candidates have pretty much identical views and are just fighting out identity politics, nevermind that neither is really a member of their "group"- but isn't the ex-President being just a wee bit ungrateful, considering that the primary beneficiary of Rush's "Operation Chaos" and Republicans voting in Democratic primaries is, well, his wife?
Anyway, to the point. I visited the local Judaica store today to check out new Haggadot, and one in particular I'd heard about. (I won't name it, to protect the innocent, but you should be able to figure it out.) First, I saw an interesting one: A sort of "Seder Leader" edition of the IDF Haggadah I really like. But then I found the one I was looking for. And although I'd really been planning on getting it, after flipping through it, I decided not to. The simple reason? It's basically a plain-vanilla Haggadah with a comment or two every few pages. I counted it all up, and it's about two dozen total pages of commentary with lots of pages with just the standard Hebrew/English text.
Now, don't get me wrong- you can pack a lot of good stuff into those pages, and there are many worthwhile Haggadot that are similar to this (I own some). But I have a sefer of Pesach thoughts, including Haggadah insights, from the same author, so why get this as well? And therein, I think, lies the issue: Some people do Haggadah commentaries when they're alive. They're specifically going through it, line by line, delivering insights that can fill a whole book.
But another type of Haggadah is one done posthumously. Very often, someone will die without ever making a formal Haggadah, and one of their talmidim will do it for them. Problem is, they have to hunt and pick for insights. Often, they're not even giving Haggadah insights, but Pesach insights they're fitting into a line from the Haggadah. And, in cases like that, there's going to be a lot- and sometimes not quite so much- on Maggid, and virtually nothing on the rest of the Haggadah. Worth it? Yeah, sure, sometimes very much so, but it wasn't enough for me today.
Leave aside that there isn't much of a debate here- the candidates have pretty much identical views and are just fighting out identity politics, nevermind that neither is really a member of their "group"- but isn't the ex-President being just a wee bit ungrateful, considering that the primary beneficiary of Rush's "Operation Chaos" and Republicans voting in Democratic primaries is, well, his wife?
Anyway, to the point. I visited the local Judaica store today to check out new Haggadot, and one in particular I'd heard about. (I won't name it, to protect the innocent, but you should be able to figure it out.) First, I saw an interesting one: A sort of "Seder Leader" edition of the IDF Haggadah I really like. But then I found the one I was looking for. And although I'd really been planning on getting it, after flipping through it, I decided not to. The simple reason? It's basically a plain-vanilla Haggadah with a comment or two every few pages. I counted it all up, and it's about two dozen total pages of commentary with lots of pages with just the standard Hebrew/English text.
Now, don't get me wrong- you can pack a lot of good stuff into those pages, and there are many worthwhile Haggadot that are similar to this (I own some). But I have a sefer of Pesach thoughts, including Haggadah insights, from the same author, so why get this as well? And therein, I think, lies the issue: Some people do Haggadah commentaries when they're alive. They're specifically going through it, line by line, delivering insights that can fill a whole book.
But another type of Haggadah is one done posthumously. Very often, someone will die without ever making a formal Haggadah, and one of their talmidim will do it for them. Problem is, they have to hunt and pick for insights. Often, they're not even giving Haggadah insights, but Pesach insights they're fitting into a line from the Haggadah. And, in cases like that, there's going to be a lot- and sometimes not quite so much- on Maggid, and virtually nothing on the rest of the Haggadah. Worth it? Yeah, sure, sometimes very much so, but it wasn't enough for me today.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Cognitive Dissonance, Funny and Not
How's this one? Two tiny experimental electric cars, festooned with the logo of the manufacturer, parked on a side street. People walking by pause to admire them. One is still sitting on the back of a large flatbed truck; the other seems to have just been offloaded. The truck is just sitting there, engine idling.
News (paraphrased): Obama called for an end to racial obsession. Obama's voice itself: "We can't ignore the issues of racism." (Okay, again paraphrased.) Maybe I'm too much of a libertarian on this (and most other) issues, but am I the only one who notes the difference here?
More on Obama and his crazy uncle later, I hope.
Finally: You're sitting at work, relaxed, not a worry to the world. (OK, maybe a few.) The case involves a product made in Israel. (The Israeli company is in no way at fault, don't worry- quite the opposite, in fact. But the fact that that entered my mind when the case came up should tell me something.) And then you come across a document: "Jerusalem, Israel marked on labels might cause marketing problem in Emerging Markets [i.e., the Third World- NL]. Overlabelling program to be implemented."
That one really got to me. They still hate us. Boy, do they ever.
The product in question, by the way, is an implanted live-saving medical device. Oh, they'll take the help, but God forbid they should know where it's from. I hope the Israelis carved a tiny Magen David into them, so whichever fat, terror-supporting Saudi prince is benefiting can have a tiny visible piece of Israel inside him, whether he knows it or not. And hey, an Israeli company- and Israel and its economy- benefit anyway. Nyah nyah.
News (paraphrased): Obama called for an end to racial obsession. Obama's voice itself: "We can't ignore the issues of racism." (Okay, again paraphrased.) Maybe I'm too much of a libertarian on this (and most other) issues, but am I the only one who notes the difference here?
More on Obama and his crazy uncle later, I hope.
Finally: You're sitting at work, relaxed, not a worry to the world. (OK, maybe a few.) The case involves a product made in Israel. (The Israeli company is in no way at fault, don't worry- quite the opposite, in fact. But the fact that that entered my mind when the case came up should tell me something.) And then you come across a document: "Jerusalem, Israel marked on labels might cause marketing problem in Emerging Markets [i.e., the Third World- NL]. Overlabelling program to be implemented."
That one really got to me. They still hate us. Boy, do they ever.
The product in question, by the way, is an implanted live-saving medical device. Oh, they'll take the help, but God forbid they should know where it's from. I hope the Israelis carved a tiny Magen David into them, so whichever fat, terror-supporting Saudi prince is benefiting can have a tiny visible piece of Israel inside him, whether he knows it or not. And hey, an Israeli company- and Israel and its economy- benefit anyway. Nyah nyah.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Primaries
I have to admit, I was pretty annoyed at the primaries this year: For a while, I've felt that it's simply illogical to allow people to vote in the primary of a party they never bothered registering for- isn't that the whole point of registering? (The same goes even more so for those registered for another party.) This year, with the guy(s) I wanted losing due to this very practice, I was doubly annoyed.
But now that Republicans have turned this on Democrats- in Texas, for example- and helped keep the Dems going through the convention (come what may, that can't be good for them), I'm a little more positively disposed toward it. Selfish of me, perhaps, but I'm even seeing the logic of subjecting candidates to a wide range of voters early and getting the one with the widest appeal come November. Well, we will see. Onward...
P.S. Why does the Amazon certificate always come right after I've ordered something from them?
P.P.S. That was some winter, huh? Global warming my foot.
P.P.P.S. Much more to come soon, I hope, including many reflections on Jonah's book.
But now that Republicans have turned this on Democrats- in Texas, for example- and helped keep the Dems going through the convention (come what may, that can't be good for them), I'm a little more positively disposed toward it. Selfish of me, perhaps, but I'm even seeing the logic of subjecting candidates to a wide range of voters early and getting the one with the widest appeal come November. Well, we will see. Onward...
P.S. Why does the Amazon certificate always come right after I've ordered something from them?
P.P.S. That was some winter, huh? Global warming my foot.
P.P.P.S. Much more to come soon, I hope, including many reflections on Jonah's book.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Overheard at the Sefarim Sale:
Woman: Should I really be buying books that I'm never going to read?
Man: Well, it's not so much the reading...you buy books as an expression of your values.
Woman: What values are those?
Man: The value of buying books, of course.
Circular, but my feelings exactly.
The #1 item on this list is a bit unfair (for one, I don't think it's exactly true), so I figure I can be a bit unfair in response: What eventually happened to Brando? What's up with Steven Hill today? I can't speak for him, of course, but leaving fame and money aside...who'd you rather be?
Finally, nothing against the Giants, of course, but look at this list and tell me what it says about the development of our society. Eh, I guess it's not so bad. Three cheers...
Speaking of the Super Bowl, I recently saw the following, in this book. After writing the last Peanuts cartoon, Charles M. Schulz thought: "You know, that poor kid, he never even got to kick the football. What a dirty trick- he never had a chance to kick the football." With that in mind, this ad was actually kind of touching.
Woman: Should I really be buying books that I'm never going to read?
Man: Well, it's not so much the reading...you buy books as an expression of your values.
Woman: What values are those?
Man: The value of buying books, of course.
Circular, but my feelings exactly.
The #1 item on this list is a bit unfair (for one, I don't think it's exactly true), so I figure I can be a bit unfair in response: What eventually happened to Brando? What's up with Steven Hill today? I can't speak for him, of course, but leaving fame and money aside...who'd you rather be?
Finally, nothing against the Giants, of course, but look at this list and tell me what it says about the development of our society. Eh, I guess it's not so bad. Three cheers...
Speaking of the Super Bowl, I recently saw the following, in this book. After writing the last Peanuts cartoon, Charles M. Schulz thought: "You know, that poor kid, he never even got to kick the football. What a dirty trick- he never had a chance to kick the football." With that in mind, this ad was actually kind of touching.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Book notes
Well, the first item isn't relating to books, but Amazon.com in general: I placed an order Thursday morning, choosing the free shipping, not the two-day. The item shipped Friday morning. It arrived Saturday morning. Granted this doesn't happen all the time, but that's pretty durn good.
Yesterday I checked out an antiquarian Jewish book fair at the Workman's Circle. Wow! I got a first-edition Pathways Through the Bible, illustrations by Szyk, for a few bucks (the other Szyk items were too much), and from Dan Wyman Books- Dan Wyman himself, in fact- I got a Mesillat Yesharim (I just heard R' Schwartz mention it this weekend), published in the 30's, translated by Mordecai Kaplan- for the novelty value, I guess- and a 1940's Yiddish photo magazine with an article on YU. He had lots of other stuff to rich for my blood- a 1937 Israeli phonebook (of course, I looked up, and found, my cousins), a complete set of Leeser siddurim, seven volumes, $750, a Mishnayot from the 1700's, and much more. I've rediscovered, at least for one day, my love of old books.
Oh, and then I went to Jim Hanley's Universe and found a nearly (Abebooks filling in the gap, and more) complete set of Star Trek Fotonovels for a steal. The guy at the counter gasped and said, "We have these?" "Well, they were on the shelf," I smiled.
And next week...the Sefarim Sale!
Of course, books, as I'm learning, are nothing compared to the important things that make you happy in life.
Yesterday I checked out an antiquarian Jewish book fair at the Workman's Circle. Wow! I got a first-edition Pathways Through the Bible, illustrations by Szyk, for a few bucks (the other Szyk items were too much), and from Dan Wyman Books- Dan Wyman himself, in fact- I got a Mesillat Yesharim (I just heard R' Schwartz mention it this weekend), published in the 30's, translated by Mordecai Kaplan- for the novelty value, I guess- and a 1940's Yiddish photo magazine with an article on YU. He had lots of other stuff to rich for my blood- a 1937 Israeli phonebook (of course, I looked up, and found, my cousins), a complete set of Leeser siddurim, seven volumes, $750, a Mishnayot from the 1700's, and much more. I've rediscovered, at least for one day, my love of old books.
Oh, and then I went to Jim Hanley's Universe and found a nearly (Abebooks filling in the gap, and more) complete set of Star Trek Fotonovels for a steal. The guy at the counter gasped and said, "We have these?" "Well, they were on the shelf," I smiled.
And next week...the Sefarim Sale!
Of course, books, as I'm learning, are nothing compared to the important things that make you happy in life.
By their stars ye shall know them
I have to confess that the only part of the daily "Iran News Round Up" on The Corner that I click on regularly is the photo. Today's, as it happens, is a doozy. It's the defense ministers of Senegal and Iran meeting, and just consider: The Senegalese one is a civilian, in a suit. The Iranian is the one wearing a uniform. Kind of telling, I think.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Scenes from 47th and 6th
Scene: Rockefeller Center subway station. Two cops are standing in front of what we used to call the "token booth" when a third cop walks over to them from the Metrocard machines, where some tourists are standing.
Third Cop, calling: "Spanish, anyone speak Spanish?"
First cop: "Not fluently..."
Third cop, making a face: "Good enough, I guess..."
They all had a good laugh and headed over to help.
Then I headed upstairs and witnessed a scene I've never seen in real life: Someone yelling, "Hey, I'm walkin' here!" at a car. Didn't look native, but hey, someone's got to say it at least once in a while to remind us of Ratso. I know I've wanted to, but never really had the chance, thankfully.
Third Cop, calling: "Spanish, anyone speak Spanish?"
First cop: "Not fluently..."
Third cop, making a face: "Good enough, I guess..."
They all had a good laugh and headed over to help.
Then I headed upstairs and witnessed a scene I've never seen in real life: Someone yelling, "Hey, I'm walkin' here!" at a car. Didn't look native, but hey, someone's got to say it at least once in a while to remind us of Ratso. I know I've wanted to, but never really had the chance, thankfully.
Starving Artists
You know how you can tell the economy is getting bad? Well, WCBS-AM has been pushing a bad economy for months now, and this morning they found the perfect example: A very recent college graduate, a fine arts major, who'd like to move to Brooklyn to "pursue her painting" or something, isn't at it straight out of the gate, instead "living with a family friend" upstate somewheres. Oh, it's bad out there. Cry me a river. (As to the title of this post, it was used as a headline recently, and I couldn't pick up any irony.)
Me, I notice what I always notice: At the beginning of any crisis, there's a blip of a mention of some wacky liberal cause that led to it, and then nothing. Remember the to-do a year or so back about discrimination in lending? Anyone think that led to over-generous lending? Well, it was floated. Maybe once. And then disappeared off the radar. (To be honest, I'm no economist, so I may be completely wrong there.) Oddly, in all this, I haven't heard Bush blamed, although I'm sure they'd love to and are implying it. I guess they have their hands full hating him for other reasons, or no reason at all.
I chanced across a video of the famous Buckley-Gore Vidal debate. I gotta say, Buckley's famous line looks a lot better in writing than it does live, with him hemming and hawing and talking through his nose in some pompous accent, and the two of them grinning at each other like it's a big joke. In his defense, the various videos are of poor quality, with lots of three-way crosstalk, and Vidal certainly seemed offended later (much as Buckley felt bad about it later). So, again, it may just be me. It is a beautiful line.
Me, I notice what I always notice: At the beginning of any crisis, there's a blip of a mention of some wacky liberal cause that led to it, and then nothing. Remember the to-do a year or so back about discrimination in lending? Anyone think that led to over-generous lending? Well, it was floated. Maybe once. And then disappeared off the radar. (To be honest, I'm no economist, so I may be completely wrong there.) Oddly, in all this, I haven't heard Bush blamed, although I'm sure they'd love to and are implying it. I guess they have their hands full hating him for other reasons, or no reason at all.
I chanced across a video of the famous Buckley-Gore Vidal debate. I gotta say, Buckley's famous line looks a lot better in writing than it does live, with him hemming and hawing and talking through his nose in some pompous accent, and the two of them grinning at each other like it's a big joke. In his defense, the various videos are of poor quality, with lots of three-way crosstalk, and Vidal certainly seemed offended later (much as Buckley felt bad about it later). So, again, it may just be me. It is a beautiful line.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
So long, Fred...
Only a few days after I put one of his stickers on my bag, Fred Thompson dropped out. Ah well. It was a nice dream. My choice in the New York primary is a little easier now, though.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Speaking of Chutzpah...
"Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, fresh off a visit to Kassam rocket-besieged Sderot this past Thursday, says he found in the city - as well as the agricultural communities in the vicinity - 'impressive determination, staying power, and less complaining.'"
Less complaining? There are no words.
Less complaining? There are no words.
Friday, January 18, 2008
"They're not wiping the grin off this face!"
(Title is lifted from David Gerrold's introduction to the novelization of "Trials and Tribble-ations".)
Last night, I went to hear Jonah Goldberg speak about his new book, into which I am already making headway. He was sponsored by the local Young Republicans (one of the clubs, apparently, and I recall Jonah's Republican/conservative dichotomy as well) at the Women's Republican Club, and, as always, it was great hearing him. I've heard him a few times already, but it struck me this time what a great mind he has. He's really up on the topic, and his delivery just makes it better.
As he spoke, I remembered something I posted here a few days ago: He mentioned how fascist movements were popular, and I recalled that I had wondered what was wrong with people electing who they want- and, by extension, deserve. (This was, indeed, Jonah's point when the California Gubernatorial recall was going on, but that wasn't Nazi Germany.) But as he spoke, and implied his overall point about freedom being important, it hit me that I was making a left-wing error. (The horror! The horror!) Just because the people- a majority, a plurality in this case- want something, there'll always be at least one person they're trampling on. And even if there isn't, lack of freedom is objectively wrong. Thus I am enlightened.
But the best was yet to come. I went up to him to get the book signed...allow me to digress. Jonah has his "guys" (and some "gals")- people who fill him in on various details, about the military, medicine, odd links, business, and so on, that he's not up on as much. A few weeks back, I wrote to him with some flag information appropriate to a point he was making and added that I'd love to be his "flag guy." Last night, as it happened, he made a point about the Nazi flag, red so as to deliberately match the Soviet flag, and so when I went up to him, I mentioned my previous email(s). He remembered me- "'L-a-m-m,' right?" (I wanted to give a yell, but simply told him I was flattered)- and signed (he was personalizing everyone's), "Nathan- You are my probationary flag guy! Congrats. Wear it proudly. Jonah Goldberg".
I will, Jonah. You rock. I told him how much I enjoyed the talk, got some Thompson '08 stickers, and walked out there floating on air, giving an occasional hoot of joy aloud.
And the best part of the evening was yet to come, but that's for another day. Shabbat Shalom, y'all!
Last night, I went to hear Jonah Goldberg speak about his new book, into which I am already making headway. He was sponsored by the local Young Republicans (one of the clubs, apparently, and I recall Jonah's Republican/conservative dichotomy as well) at the Women's Republican Club, and, as always, it was great hearing him. I've heard him a few times already, but it struck me this time what a great mind he has. He's really up on the topic, and his delivery just makes it better.
As he spoke, I remembered something I posted here a few days ago: He mentioned how fascist movements were popular, and I recalled that I had wondered what was wrong with people electing who they want- and, by extension, deserve. (This was, indeed, Jonah's point when the California Gubernatorial recall was going on, but that wasn't Nazi Germany.) But as he spoke, and implied his overall point about freedom being important, it hit me that I was making a left-wing error. (The horror! The horror!) Just because the people- a majority, a plurality in this case- want something, there'll always be at least one person they're trampling on. And even if there isn't, lack of freedom is objectively wrong. Thus I am enlightened.
But the best was yet to come. I went up to him to get the book signed...allow me to digress. Jonah has his "guys" (and some "gals")- people who fill him in on various details, about the military, medicine, odd links, business, and so on, that he's not up on as much. A few weeks back, I wrote to him with some flag information appropriate to a point he was making and added that I'd love to be his "flag guy." Last night, as it happened, he made a point about the Nazi flag, red so as to deliberately match the Soviet flag, and so when I went up to him, I mentioned my previous email(s). He remembered me- "'L-a-m-m,' right?" (I wanted to give a yell, but simply told him I was flattered)- and signed (he was personalizing everyone's), "Nathan- You are my probationary flag guy! Congrats. Wear it proudly. Jonah Goldberg".
I will, Jonah. You rock. I told him how much I enjoyed the talk, got some Thompson '08 stickers, and walked out there floating on air, giving an occasional hoot of joy aloud.
And the best part of the evening was yet to come, but that's for another day. Shabbat Shalom, y'all!
Monday, January 14, 2008
Can you say "chutzpah", boys and girls?
The surge is working because of the 2006 election? Because of Democratic threats to withdraw? Please.
John Edwards actually said "Those who believe that real change starts with Washington politicians have been in Washington too long and are living a fairy tale"? Wow. Well, read it in context: I guess it's OK if we're talking about liberal achievements in their own endeavors (and in this case, at least, it's fine with me too), not about ordinary Americans doing their thing. Otherwise we need the Breck Girl.
Yesterday, I mentioned living in a normal country like the US. Then I read pieces like this (in the Washington Post/Newsweek! And don't even ask about the comments!) and start to worry. Ben Hecht said much the same thing about making pronouncements about anti-Semitism in the US. Sure, it's a Gandhi, and we know about them. But I've always known that the camps in this country (and let's not even bring up Canada) would come from the Left rather than the Right. Thank God their power is still limited, for now.
John Edwards actually said "Those who believe that real change starts with Washington politicians have been in Washington too long and are living a fairy tale"? Wow. Well, read it in context: I guess it's OK if we're talking about liberal achievements in their own endeavors (and in this case, at least, it's fine with me too), not about ordinary Americans doing their thing. Otherwise we need the Breck Girl.
Yesterday, I mentioned living in a normal country like the US. Then I read pieces like this (in the Washington Post/Newsweek! And don't even ask about the comments!) and start to worry. Ben Hecht said much the same thing about making pronouncements about anti-Semitism in the US. Sure, it's a Gandhi, and we know about them. But I've always known that the camps in this country (and let's not even bring up Canada) would come from the Left rather than the Right. Thank God their power is still limited, for now.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Soutine's Lost Masterpiece
A wide-ranging conversation this past Shabbat began with family, moved to technology, then Philistine cities and their modern equivalents, before settling on, of all things, tattoos. (Don't ask.) I then took the opportunity to mention a story I've recently seen for the second time, Roald Dahl's "Skin." (Available in this collection.) Basically, it's about a man who discovers that his back is worth a fortune because it was tattooed by Chaim Soutine (an unknown when they were acquainted), whose paintings have skyrocketed in value after his death during World War II. A typically macabre Dahl story, I didn't supply the ending. (I did correct the plot in the Wikipedia entry; also provided handy-dandy wiki links for Jewish terms below for those who need them.)
Now, I've always known that my maternal grandfather and Soutine knew each other- they were from the same shtetl, and my grandfather used to write him, after Soutine had hit the big time in Paris, to ask him to help out his siblings back in Eastern Europe. (Soutine apparently responded generously.) We've always had a few Soutine books and prints around the house, and there's a certain hometown pride when there's an exhibit or article about him.
"Ah," I said, talking of my grandfather, "He should have asked him for a picture! Imagine what it would be worth today!"
"Oh, but he did!" my mother answered. "You don't know the story?" I didn't. It's really something.
Apparently, my grandfather, true to his later calling as a melamed, was retained, in his late teens, as a sort of tutor to Soutine, who was about the same age but, rebellious already, not to apt in his religious studies. Soutine had begun painting by this time, and my grandfather asked him if he could paint a portrait (from a photograph) of his eldest brother Leibe, who he admired greatly. (Leibe actually delivered a drasha, a discourse, before the Chafetz Chaim when the latter's yeshiva relocated to Shmilovitz- we have letters from the yeshiva's secretary attesting to this- and was known in the family as the one who, in a time and place when education typically stopped at around Bar Mitzvah age, made it further, to the "Gemara melamed.")
Soutine took the photo and painted the portrait. Later, my grandfather came to see him, and saw the portrait on the floor, leaning against the wall. He admired it, but Soutine, who was a perfectionist, said, "You think this is a good painting? Look at this! Look at that!" pointing out various (in his eyes) flaws. He then proceeded to rip the painting up.
Ahhh, a lost masterpiece. And an amazing story.
A few more random thoughts:
Speaking of young accomplished people, see this amazing story. (The first column is here.) I had a classmate in law school- actually my partner in one course- who was a World War II veteran. He once showed me a picture of himself in uniform and said, "I was, oh, about your age when this was taken." Still, as Rush and Clarence Thomas both had pointed out to them by veterans of the current war, we all do our part. I hope I am doing mine.
I just finished this book. I have to say, I began it somewhat disappointed- the author states that he's no expert in science, religion, or history, which makes it kind of tough to accept a book he writes about, well, science, religion, and history- and, sure enough, his points on the first subject are not clearly written, and his points on the second two subjects are often hopelessly wrong, often with a mistake in each paragraph on a page. Add to that a cliche-ridden style, and I was wondering if the book was worth it.
Fortunately, it really picks up as it progresses. The problems get less and less egregious and the information gets more and more interesting, so while I mostly skimmed the last chapter, I found most the rest of the book very satisfying indeed. It's a brave new world, and books and articles like this are helping us understand it well.
Now on to Jonah, I hope, whose whole book makes a point I've long argued, about the left-wing nature of fascism. I think the local bookstore is hiding it. Oh, and Zev's. I hope there's a Sefarim Sale event for it, his ideas about IBC notwithstanding. (That's the second time I've replaced an "o" in a link with an "a," by the way. Yay!)
Oh, speaking of Jonah, I had a bit of a thought recently- just a bit, mind. There's a constant refrain along the lines of "Hitler came to power with democratic elections," blah blah. (True or not, relevant or not, let's leave that aside.) Often it's used to suppress unpopular parties and the like. But the thought finally struck- so what? If that's what they wanted... (UPDATE: See above. I was wrong, of course, as I suspected.)
OK, a bit Oliver Wendell Holmes-ish of me, and maybe because I don't live in a country where people do that sort of thing. But the thought occurred to me, and I don't block that out.
Now, I've always known that my maternal grandfather and Soutine knew each other- they were from the same shtetl, and my grandfather used to write him, after Soutine had hit the big time in Paris, to ask him to help out his siblings back in Eastern Europe. (Soutine apparently responded generously.) We've always had a few Soutine books and prints around the house, and there's a certain hometown pride when there's an exhibit or article about him.
"Ah," I said, talking of my grandfather, "He should have asked him for a picture! Imagine what it would be worth today!"
"Oh, but he did!" my mother answered. "You don't know the story?" I didn't. It's really something.
Apparently, my grandfather, true to his later calling as a melamed, was retained, in his late teens, as a sort of tutor to Soutine, who was about the same age but, rebellious already, not to apt in his religious studies. Soutine had begun painting by this time, and my grandfather asked him if he could paint a portrait (from a photograph) of his eldest brother Leibe, who he admired greatly. (Leibe actually delivered a drasha, a discourse, before the Chafetz Chaim when the latter's yeshiva relocated to Shmilovitz- we have letters from the yeshiva's secretary attesting to this- and was known in the family as the one who, in a time and place when education typically stopped at around Bar Mitzvah age, made it further, to the "Gemara melamed.")
Soutine took the photo and painted the portrait. Later, my grandfather came to see him, and saw the portrait on the floor, leaning against the wall. He admired it, but Soutine, who was a perfectionist, said, "You think this is a good painting? Look at this! Look at that!" pointing out various (in his eyes) flaws. He then proceeded to rip the painting up.
Ahhh, a lost masterpiece. And an amazing story.
A few more random thoughts:
Speaking of young accomplished people, see this amazing story. (The first column is here.) I had a classmate in law school- actually my partner in one course- who was a World War II veteran. He once showed me a picture of himself in uniform and said, "I was, oh, about your age when this was taken." Still, as Rush and Clarence Thomas both had pointed out to them by veterans of the current war, we all do our part. I hope I am doing mine.
I just finished this book. I have to say, I began it somewhat disappointed- the author states that he's no expert in science, religion, or history, which makes it kind of tough to accept a book he writes about, well, science, religion, and history- and, sure enough, his points on the first subject are not clearly written, and his points on the second two subjects are often hopelessly wrong, often with a mistake in each paragraph on a page. Add to that a cliche-ridden style, and I was wondering if the book was worth it.
Fortunately, it really picks up as it progresses. The problems get less and less egregious and the information gets more and more interesting, so while I mostly skimmed the last chapter, I found most the rest of the book very satisfying indeed. It's a brave new world, and books and articles like this are helping us understand it well.
Now on to Jonah, I hope, whose whole book makes a point I've long argued, about the left-wing nature of fascism. I think the local bookstore is hiding it. Oh, and Zev's. I hope there's a Sefarim Sale event for it, his ideas about IBC notwithstanding. (That's the second time I've replaced an "o" in a link with an "a," by the way. Yay!)
Oh, speaking of Jonah, I had a bit of a thought recently- just a bit, mind. There's a constant refrain along the lines of "Hitler came to power with democratic elections," blah blah. (True or not, relevant or not, let's leave that aside.) Often it's used to suppress unpopular parties and the like. But the thought finally struck- so what? If that's what they wanted... (UPDATE: See above. I was wrong, of course, as I suspected.)
OK, a bit Oliver Wendell Holmes-ish of me, and maybe because I don't live in a country where people do that sort of thing. But the thought occurred to me, and I don't block that out.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
M'chaven
Interesting article linked to at The Corner today. (You can also try here if that link doesn't work.) Now, you can believe me or not, but this is actually something I've thought of a few times as Obama has ascended. (I posted on a similar situation once.) Good to see it's getting wider play- I even posted it to my Trek group.
Well, the "holidays" are over, and things are settling down. I like that some areas have left the lights up for a bit longer, sue me. Many places did leave the menorahs up all the way through, a matter about which I've complained in the past, but, wonder of wonders, the building I work in took it down as soon as Chanukkah was over. (The Christmas stuff came down quickly too, come to think.) Yay! The title of the post applies to both halves.
Well, the "holidays" are over, and things are settling down. I like that some areas have left the lights up for a bit longer, sue me. Many places did leave the menorahs up all the way through, a matter about which I've complained in the past, but, wonder of wonders, the building I work in took it down as soon as Chanukkah was over. (The Christmas stuff came down quickly too, come to think.) Yay! The title of the post applies to both halves.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
The World We Live In
Well, 2008 is here. And, while it's arriving as quite a good year, I got a grim reminder of the world we live in last night.
I work only a couple of blocks from Times Square (although I rarely go there), and I pick up the subway to go home even closer nearby. Yesterday evening, well before midnight but with the crowds already arriving, I walked to the train along West 43rd Street, where the local firehouse is. And the entire block, Fifth Avenue to Sixth Avenue, was packed with Fire Department vehicles of all sorts. There was something that looked like a shipping container, painted red, being offloaded off a flatbed truck, marked "Mobile Decontamination Unit". There was truck after truck- huge ones- from the Hazardous Materials unit. Command cars, Emergency Service trucks, ambulances, police cars, more. A large crowd in uniform being briefed outside the firehouse itself. Thank God it all went well, but it was one of the scariest things I've seen. (I was at Ground Zero a few days after 9/11, but it had already happened there, if you take my meaning.)
It used to be they only had to worry about people getting drunk and rowdy in Times Square. Now crime has dropped- all the news outlets are touting the "less than 500 murders" number (of course, so long as a Republican is president, the Times will find the dark lining in the silver cloud), but what strikes me, as good news, is the "400 of those knew their killer" number- and now we have to worry about people who, at least officially, don't get drunk and still get rowdy, in a deadly way.
That said, it's important to note that things are cheery. (Well, things are cheery anyway, but I'm talking about the War here.) The radio informed me yesterday that this was the deadliest year for American troops in Iraq. (We never hear about the other side, of course, but I'm sure it wasn't a picnic for them.) Now, this is technically true, but it's outright dishonesty if...well, I was waiting for the next sentence to begin "But..." as in, "But this month saw the least deaths since the beginning of the war," and it never came. They just went on to the next story. Twenty-two deaths, about eight of them not even combat related, and they went on to the next story, and the AP simply reported the overall numbers as well. Disgusting. This morning, yet again, "New Year's in Iraq is just another day for soldiers...The war griiinds on." (I'm typing it exactly as he said it.) I suppose it'll keep "grinding on" until President Hillary, r'l, can take credit for a victory and be declared Woman of the Year, but it's good to know things have much improved, and we've taken the fight to them instead of having it come to Times Square, c'v. (Sorry for the Hebrew abbreviations.)
Anyway, a Happy New Year to all. I was wishing people (jocularly) a "Happy Sylvester" (yes, I ignore their note on spelling) yesterday, and only realized too late that I should be wishing them a "Happy Hirsch Day." Ah well, I'll do it next- whoops, this- year, for his 120th, if I can remember for 365- whoops, 366- days. Yup, it's a leap-Olympics-election year. Full of fun, excitement, and good times, for all of us, I hope, wish, and bless.
I work only a couple of blocks from Times Square (although I rarely go there), and I pick up the subway to go home even closer nearby. Yesterday evening, well before midnight but with the crowds already arriving, I walked to the train along West 43rd Street, where the local firehouse is. And the entire block, Fifth Avenue to Sixth Avenue, was packed with Fire Department vehicles of all sorts. There was something that looked like a shipping container, painted red, being offloaded off a flatbed truck, marked "Mobile Decontamination Unit". There was truck after truck- huge ones- from the Hazardous Materials unit. Command cars, Emergency Service trucks, ambulances, police cars, more. A large crowd in uniform being briefed outside the firehouse itself. Thank God it all went well, but it was one of the scariest things I've seen. (I was at Ground Zero a few days after 9/11, but it had already happened there, if you take my meaning.)
It used to be they only had to worry about people getting drunk and rowdy in Times Square. Now crime has dropped- all the news outlets are touting the "less than 500 murders" number (of course, so long as a Republican is president, the Times will find the dark lining in the silver cloud), but what strikes me, as good news, is the "400 of those knew their killer" number- and now we have to worry about people who, at least officially, don't get drunk and still get rowdy, in a deadly way.
That said, it's important to note that things are cheery. (Well, things are cheery anyway, but I'm talking about the War here.) The radio informed me yesterday that this was the deadliest year for American troops in Iraq. (We never hear about the other side, of course, but I'm sure it wasn't a picnic for them.) Now, this is technically true, but it's outright dishonesty if...well, I was waiting for the next sentence to begin "But..." as in, "But this month saw the least deaths since the beginning of the war," and it never came. They just went on to the next story. Twenty-two deaths, about eight of them not even combat related, and they went on to the next story, and the AP simply reported the overall numbers as well. Disgusting. This morning, yet again, "New Year's in Iraq is just another day for soldiers...The war griiinds on." (I'm typing it exactly as he said it.) I suppose it'll keep "grinding on" until President Hillary, r'l, can take credit for a victory and be declared Woman of the Year, but it's good to know things have much improved, and we've taken the fight to them instead of having it come to Times Square, c'v. (Sorry for the Hebrew abbreviations.)
Anyway, a Happy New Year to all. I was wishing people (jocularly) a "Happy Sylvester" (yes, I ignore their note on spelling) yesterday, and only realized too late that I should be wishing them a "Happy Hirsch Day." Ah well, I'll do it next- whoops, this- year, for his 120th, if I can remember for 365- whoops, 366- days. Yup, it's a leap-Olympics-election year. Full of fun, excitement, and good times, for all of us, I hope, wish, and bless.
Monday, December 03, 2007
"Gonna crack my knuckles and jump for joy..."
"...got a clean bill of health from the people of Venezuela!"
(And yeah, I'm a bad Trekkie for thinking it was "click my heels.")
Russia, not so much. Didn't really expect anything better.
As for Sudan, I think the funniest line is this:
(And yeah, I'm a bad Trekkie for thinking it was "click my heels.")
Russia, not so much. Didn't really expect anything better.
As for Sudan, I think the funniest line is this:
This case has done quite a bit of damage to how the Sudanese government will beOh, because before they were the most admired country on Earth, huh?
perceived...
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Chutzpah Redux
Looking over my archives, I see I've already once used the phrase "It takes some kind of chutzpah..." Well, I'm going to use it again regardless, and still about charedim:
Finally, here's a shot from a month or two back. The Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society (I am a member of the latter) sponsored a book tour for Clarence Thomas consisting of luncheons around the country. He spoke marvelously, and the book is magnificent as well. Here he is signing a copy for me. If he looks a bit distracted here, it's because some tables accidentally fell over at that moment and he was concerned about his wife. But he was very nice, gave me a hearty handshake- but my camera didn't get that. Ah well. It was great meeting him.
Reading reports from the Agudah convention (and posts done before then), it takes some kind of chutzpah to carry on for over seventy years about how modern Zionism is wrong, is un-Jewish, has failed (a favorite meme among them, and patently false to anyone who can see), the modern State means nothing, etc. etc., and then, when access to your precious Koysel is threatened, to moan and complain and say that Yerushalayim must remain under Israeli control. Can't these people see the cognitive dissonance they live with? Didn't they realize, all these years, who it was who was enabling them to go to the Kotel, to have yeshivot, to live off the dole? Do they even recognize it now?
Come to think, it takes a really special kind of chutzpah to have actively enabled the turnover of territories and expulsion of Jews for years, and then only wake up now. What, the people of Gush Katif weren't "black" enough for you?
Eventually, it all becomes quite sad, as even halakha is trampled underfoot. Poor man. I wonder if I could ever be a mouthpiece.
Speaking of which, yasher koach to the Machon HaMikdash. When I heard the tzitz was being remade a year or so ago, I was a little nervous they'd mess up the lines to be more "frum" or something, but they did a really good job. (Didn't touch the lines, in fact.) There's a group I'll depend on over the Agudah (and their spokesmen) any day. That said, I think I'm a bad Jew for laughing when I hear "New research has come to light."
Oh, and here's a good piece from R' Mandel. An oldie and a goodie.
Anyway, it was a good weekend. At the Kollel Yom Rishon this morning (two very good shiurim, as always), Dr. Goldberg asked me what R' Leiman spoke about. "Well, there's this new Artscroll book on Aleppo..." I began, "...and he ripped it to shreds," he concluded. Hee. What's especially pleasing is that I smelled something fishy about that book lo these two years plus past, but you need a scholar like him (and Dr. Zohar) to put their finger on it. That, a Carlebach Friday night, and a good session with the chavrusa, and...
...yes! Take a look at these photos. Sorry they're a bit dark- it was snowing today and not much natural light was coming in. The Eldridge Street Synagogue has been undergoing renovations for decades (I've visited a few times during that period, so I can attest to the huge amount of work that's gone into it), and they finally reopened to the public today:
The view from outside, which my ultra-cool camera flipped automatically.
The view from outside, which my ultra-cool camera flipped automatically.
Finally, here's a shot from a month or two back. The Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society (I am a member of the latter) sponsored a book tour for Clarence Thomas consisting of luncheons around the country. He spoke marvelously, and the book is magnificent as well. Here he is signing a copy for me. If he looks a bit distracted here, it's because some tables accidentally fell over at that moment and he was concerned about his wife. But he was very nice, gave me a hearty handshake- but my camera didn't get that. Ah well. It was great meeting him.
Still no Wilde, I know. Soon. Instead, here's a funny video. My apologies to those I forwarded it to whole instead of looking for a link first. (And before learning, from YouTube, that it isn't an uncommon "shtick," although this is one of the better ones.) And speaking of wedding dances and YouTube, I had no idea.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Vindication of History
A few random thoughts before I get to my main point:
-Well, first, about random thoughts: There are some good Jewish blogs out there, and I find myself exhausting all I have to say on certain topics in their comments sections, and then unwilling to go through all of it again here. Unfair advantage for them, perhaps, but they deserve it for posting more often (somewhat akin to my old point of stuff I want to post about sitting around and getting stale)- and hey, more people will read me over there, alas. Onward...
-The Straight Dope posts a new piece (usually one from the archives) every day. Do you see a progression in the choices for this last week? Cults and then...Christianity?
Speaking of religion, the latest National Geographic made me take notice of something very interesting. (And no, it wasn't their cliche-filled article on Bethlehem.) I'm the last person to start crowing about intelligent design and the like, but just reading their article on dinosaurs, I couldn't help but notice that virtually every mention of the word "evolution" and "nature" could have been very easily been replaced by "God," and the article would have flowed just as easily if not better.
And, speaking of National Geographic, I guess I've read it for so long that when I saw a mock image of Spitzer in a pilgrim hat, I thought the buckle was the Geographic logo at first.
-Today is Oscar Wilde's 107th yahrtzeit. I have to mention that here now, and hopefully will be able to post a funny related story later.
-So Katie Couric, I hear on the radio, interviewed Rudy Giuliani last night about these allegations he charged visits to his paramour or whatever. He denies it- convincingly enough- but Katie also asked if he feels that even if these specific allegations are not true, they get noticed because the undeniable parts of the story (i.e., adultery) are tawdry, "something [he]'d be sorry about." Rudy didn't respond to that part, perhaps because he wanted to get to the substance, but Katie's going to have to learn something: Rudy regrets nothing. He is not sorry for anything he ever did. Now, this may be good in some contexts (and I've always liked Rudy, just not decided if he's "my man"), but it can be pretty bad in others.
-Well, thank God for little favors. Of course, as always with such things, I wonder about their exact language: If she had meant it, punishing her would be OK?
-Apparently, the street on which I work (45th) was once known as the model train capital, lined with stores selling equipment for them. I read an article about it some time ago (Yay for free archives!), and walked past the two remaining stores for years without going in. I finally went into both one day a couple of months back when I had a free moment. Now, I see one of them (the one that seemed half-dead when I went in) has closed as well. Dor holekh...
-Michael Miller, of the Jewish Community Relations Council, spoke at the event last night which I describe below. When I got home, I looked him up in my YU Alumni book (yes, I do have one), and, as long as I was at it, looked up his brother as well. It was odd- there were two entries- and one of them read, "Gruss Institute, RIETS Jarvis Island." Surprisingly (premature senior moment? Or as Helen Marshall put it last night, "intellectual overload"?), it took me a few moments to remind myself what Jarvis Island is. And when I remembered, I laughed long and hard.
Speaking of intellectual overload (see how these posts work?), it's funny how the brain controls the brain, as Holmes would say. To this day, in order to remember which is Medicare and which is Medicaid, I remember and old Tom Lehrer lyric I first heard as a kid: "Just go out for a breath of air, and you'll be ready for Medicare..."
OK, enough of this gay banter. Yesterday was November 29th, the sixtieth anniversary of the U.N. resolution partitioning Palestine. The vote took place in Flushing Meadows Park, not far from where I live- the Israeli government made a little grove there in honor of the event- and there was an event last night at the Young Israel of Hillcrest, one neighborhood over, commemorating it. It was nice- some good speeches, lots of politicians pumping Queens, and a rare video of the actual vote was shown.
But one thing really struck me. You see, the State of Israel has a new line. "Are you willing to accept Israel as a Jewish state?" What they mean is, "OK, we'll give you your state in the territories. But it's not enough for you to recognize us. You have to recognize us as Jewish- that is, you can't keep hoping to flood what's left of Israel with refugees and/or babies and vote us out of existence." Now, personally, I think it's a good line. Does Olmert mean it? Knowing him, probably not, but his people are saying it for some reason I can't figure out, try as I might, so good. Do all the American politicians who've latched onto it- including one prominent one from last night- mean it? Probably, if only to keep delaying having to make a deal with people they know, deep down (even if they don't admit it, even to themselves), shouldn't be dealt with. Do all the Jews who've latched onto it- including one prominent one from last night- mean it? Again, probably, if only to keep from having to hand over land they don't really want to hand over but don't want to sound "messianic" and "fanatic" about. But, again, I like it, even though I'm perfectly willing to add the idea that Israel should give up nothing and there should be no state, and it would still be true.
And there's the irony, and the vindication. You see, the same Young Israel of Hillcrest was the only place I ever heard Meir Kahane speak, almost exactly eighteen years ago. It was that speech that turned me into a Kahanist. And, of course, this was his single major theme: How you can't call Israel a "Jewish State" and still be unwaveringly committed to democracy. And here, with a slight twist, are all these people who wouldn't look at him, then or now, saying the same thing. Are they thinking it through? Probably not. Would they admit in a million years he was right? Of course not. (See the post below, about which one of my valued readers has shared outrage.) But like I said to that correspondent, R' Kahane wasn't doing what he did for public recognition. He's probably satisfied enough that he's been proven right on so many issues, and laughing at the rest. Here's hoping it only keeps getting better.
-Well, first, about random thoughts: There are some good Jewish blogs out there, and I find myself exhausting all I have to say on certain topics in their comments sections, and then unwilling to go through all of it again here. Unfair advantage for them, perhaps, but they deserve it for posting more often (somewhat akin to my old point of stuff I want to post about sitting around and getting stale)- and hey, more people will read me over there, alas. Onward...
-The Straight Dope posts a new piece (usually one from the archives) every day. Do you see a progression in the choices for this last week? Cults and then...Christianity?
Speaking of religion, the latest National Geographic made me take notice of something very interesting. (And no, it wasn't their cliche-filled article on Bethlehem.) I'm the last person to start crowing about intelligent design and the like, but just reading their article on dinosaurs, I couldn't help but notice that virtually every mention of the word "evolution" and "nature" could have been very easily been replaced by "God," and the article would have flowed just as easily if not better.
And, speaking of National Geographic, I guess I've read it for so long that when I saw a mock image of Spitzer in a pilgrim hat, I thought the buckle was the Geographic logo at first.
-Today is Oscar Wilde's 107th yahrtzeit. I have to mention that here now, and hopefully will be able to post a funny related story later.
-So Katie Couric, I hear on the radio, interviewed Rudy Giuliani last night about these allegations he charged visits to his paramour or whatever. He denies it- convincingly enough- but Katie also asked if he feels that even if these specific allegations are not true, they get noticed because the undeniable parts of the story (i.e., adultery) are tawdry, "something [he]'d be sorry about." Rudy didn't respond to that part, perhaps because he wanted to get to the substance, but Katie's going to have to learn something: Rudy regrets nothing. He is not sorry for anything he ever did. Now, this may be good in some contexts (and I've always liked Rudy, just not decided if he's "my man"), but it can be pretty bad in others.
-Well, thank God for little favors. Of course, as always with such things, I wonder about their exact language: If she had meant it, punishing her would be OK?
-Apparently, the street on which I work (45th) was once known as the model train capital, lined with stores selling equipment for them. I read an article about it some time ago (Yay for free archives!), and walked past the two remaining stores for years without going in. I finally went into both one day a couple of months back when I had a free moment. Now, I see one of them (the one that seemed half-dead when I went in) has closed as well. Dor holekh...
-Michael Miller, of the Jewish Community Relations Council, spoke at the event last night which I describe below. When I got home, I looked him up in my YU Alumni book (yes, I do have one), and, as long as I was at it, looked up his brother as well. It was odd- there were two entries- and one of them read, "Gruss Institute, RIETS Jarvis Island." Surprisingly (premature senior moment? Or as Helen Marshall put it last night, "intellectual overload"?), it took me a few moments to remind myself what Jarvis Island is. And when I remembered, I laughed long and hard.
Speaking of intellectual overload (see how these posts work?), it's funny how the brain controls the brain, as Holmes would say. To this day, in order to remember which is Medicare and which is Medicaid, I remember and old Tom Lehrer lyric I first heard as a kid: "Just go out for a breath of air, and you'll be ready for Medicare..."
OK, enough of this gay banter. Yesterday was November 29th, the sixtieth anniversary of the U.N. resolution partitioning Palestine. The vote took place in Flushing Meadows Park, not far from where I live- the Israeli government made a little grove there in honor of the event- and there was an event last night at the Young Israel of Hillcrest, one neighborhood over, commemorating it. It was nice- some good speeches, lots of politicians pumping Queens, and a rare video of the actual vote was shown.
But one thing really struck me. You see, the State of Israel has a new line. "Are you willing to accept Israel as a Jewish state?" What they mean is, "OK, we'll give you your state in the territories. But it's not enough for you to recognize us. You have to recognize us as Jewish- that is, you can't keep hoping to flood what's left of Israel with refugees and/or babies and vote us out of existence." Now, personally, I think it's a good line. Does Olmert mean it? Knowing him, probably not, but his people are saying it for some reason I can't figure out, try as I might, so good. Do all the American politicians who've latched onto it- including one prominent one from last night- mean it? Probably, if only to keep delaying having to make a deal with people they know, deep down (even if they don't admit it, even to themselves), shouldn't be dealt with. Do all the Jews who've latched onto it- including one prominent one from last night- mean it? Again, probably, if only to keep from having to hand over land they don't really want to hand over but don't want to sound "messianic" and "fanatic" about. But, again, I like it, even though I'm perfectly willing to add the idea that Israel should give up nothing and there should be no state, and it would still be true.
And there's the irony, and the vindication. You see, the same Young Israel of Hillcrest was the only place I ever heard Meir Kahane speak, almost exactly eighteen years ago. It was that speech that turned me into a Kahanist. And, of course, this was his single major theme: How you can't call Israel a "Jewish State" and still be unwaveringly committed to democracy. And here, with a slight twist, are all these people who wouldn't look at him, then or now, saying the same thing. Are they thinking it through? Probably not. Would they admit in a million years he was right? Of course not. (See the post below, about which one of my valued readers has shared outrage.) But like I said to that correspondent, R' Kahane wasn't doing what he did for public recognition. He's probably satisfied enough that he's been proven right on so many issues, and laughing at the rest. Here's hoping it only keeps getting better.
Shabbat Shalom, y'all!
Friday, November 23, 2007
"Something's missing, all right."
Well, not that I expected it- in fact, I was expecting not to see someone's name on this list (pdf). But the absence is glaring nonetheless.
By the way, I find it entertaining to see how, now that the violent aspect of the Iraq situation has turned around, liberals have started to crow louder and more exclusively on the political aspect- no government or whatever. To which I respond, maybe we should apply the same logic to Belgium as well? True, no one's being killed there, but there's a country I'd say "good riddance" to faster, perhaps for that very reason.
By the way, I find it entertaining to see how, now that the violent aspect of the Iraq situation has turned around, liberals have started to crow louder and more exclusively on the political aspect- no government or whatever. To which I respond, maybe we should apply the same logic to Belgium as well? True, no one's being killed there, but there's a country I'd say "good riddance" to faster, perhaps for that very reason.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
"1957 was a big year..."
"...The Russians put that Sputnik into outer space, the Dodgers played their last game at Ebbets Field to say goodbye to Brooklyn, that guy shot Frank Costello in the head, and missed, and the Gallo brothers whacked Albert Anastasia in the barber shop of the Sheraton View hotel. It was total chaos. With Anastasia out of the way, Vito Genovese figures he's the big boss. But Carlo Gambino and Joe Bananas, they had other ideas. So they called a meeting. A big meeting."
Well, the fiftieth anniversary of each one of the events in that monologue has passed. (I still find the sudden transition after the first two items hilarious. And I think it's ...and say goodbye...", or maybe just a verbalized pause. A trifle, but you know what Sherlock Holmes said about those.) And today, the radio brings us news that it is the fiftieth anniversary, today, of that "big meeting." Most people I tell are surprised it really happened.
Well, the fiftieth anniversary of each one of the events in that monologue has passed. (I still find the sudden transition after the first two items hilarious. And I think it's ...and say goodbye...", or maybe just a verbalized pause. A trifle, but you know what Sherlock Holmes said about those.) And today, the radio brings us news that it is the fiftieth anniversary, today, of that "big meeting." Most people I tell are surprised it really happened.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Peace In Our Time
Well, with the coming end of another presidential term comes that old standby, the peculiar mental defect that convinces presidents and diplomats that they can solve all the problems of the "Middle East" (i.e., the Palestinian issue). (That this is indeed a mishegas I had confirmed for me by an old college buddy in, shall we say, a position to know.)
With the Annapolis Conference- we must already speak about it in near-mythical tones, I suppose- fast approaching, I've read about Shas and Lieberman possibly dropping out based on what comes back from there, thus dooming the government and process. This is but one of a number of possibilities- Olmert somehow not surviving his scandals is another- but seems the most likely. My sister and brother-in-law attended a lecture which concluded this as well, and you can read Michael's letter here.
But I have one sickening feeling- these things tend to become self-fulfilling. It's happened before- the Prime Minister comes back waving some paper, the United States and all the usual suspects have already gone into fits of joy over "peace finally breaking out" that it's almost as if the Knesset (or Cabinet) doesn't matter- who wants to be a "bad guy"? Was there ever any doubt that they would pass all the nonsense from the past?
I remember thinking this when watching, in his museum, footage of Begin coming back from Camp David. Oh, huge Knesset debates. Yelling, screaming. Was there any doubt it wasn't a fait accompli as soon as Jimmah "The Cat Killer" Carter was done with his strong-arming?
Of course, I must admit that it doesn't help that true Land of Israel Zionists are never really a majority, or close to it, in the Knesset. Leaving Arabs aside, one may also wonder what that says about the Israeli electorate, but that's democracy for ya.
Eh. I hope I'm not too pessimistic. Z'man l'mashiach, as Michael always says.
Oh, speaking of the Middle East, two more complaints: I overheard Ron Paul being interviewed on the radio the other day. The second time he trotted out the line, "The problem is not X [Iran, Iraq, etc.], the problem is our policy toward X," I shut it off. Aren't presidential candidates- the Republicans, at least- supposed to be patriots? The Democrats I don't expect anything of, but this was sickening. And people wonder where he gets his support.
Finally, as the not-so-bad news from Iraq continues to be ignored by the MSM, the reporters breathlessly announced "bloodshed in Afghanistan." Turns out we killed a bunch of terrorists. And that's bad news?
With the Annapolis Conference- we must already speak about it in near-mythical tones, I suppose- fast approaching, I've read about Shas and Lieberman possibly dropping out based on what comes back from there, thus dooming the government and process. This is but one of a number of possibilities- Olmert somehow not surviving his scandals is another- but seems the most likely. My sister and brother-in-law attended a lecture which concluded this as well, and you can read Michael's letter here.
But I have one sickening feeling- these things tend to become self-fulfilling. It's happened before- the Prime Minister comes back waving some paper, the United States and all the usual suspects have already gone into fits of joy over "peace finally breaking out" that it's almost as if the Knesset (or Cabinet) doesn't matter- who wants to be a "bad guy"? Was there ever any doubt that they would pass all the nonsense from the past?
I remember thinking this when watching, in his museum, footage of Begin coming back from Camp David. Oh, huge Knesset debates. Yelling, screaming. Was there any doubt it wasn't a fait accompli as soon as Jimmah "The Cat Killer" Carter was done with his strong-arming?
Of course, I must admit that it doesn't help that true Land of Israel Zionists are never really a majority, or close to it, in the Knesset. Leaving Arabs aside, one may also wonder what that says about the Israeli electorate, but that's democracy for ya.
Eh. I hope I'm not too pessimistic. Z'man l'mashiach, as Michael always says.
Oh, speaking of the Middle East, two more complaints: I overheard Ron Paul being interviewed on the radio the other day. The second time he trotted out the line, "The problem is not X [Iran, Iraq, etc.], the problem is our policy toward X," I shut it off. Aren't presidential candidates- the Republicans, at least- supposed to be patriots? The Democrats I don't expect anything of, but this was sickening. And people wonder where he gets his support.
Finally, as the not-so-bad news from Iraq continues to be ignored by the MSM, the reporters breathlessly announced "bloodshed in Afghanistan." Turns out we killed a bunch of terrorists. And that's bad news?
Monday, November 12, 2007
Veterans Day
In honor of Veterans Day, I thought I'd print two stories I've come across over the years. The first, a number of years old, comes from a TWoP message board, and, regrettably, I can't be sure who posted it (not that I know the real names of most of the people there anyway), and the original board has long since been deleted. I remember, however, realizing back then what a great story it was and getting the author's permission to repost it. In any event, it was posted as part of a discussion on heroism and altruism, and I present it here in its entirety, deleting only the immaterial section at the end dealing with the specifics of that discussion:
The second story comes from a posting on the Flags of the World mailing list. It was contributed by Ron Lahav, one of the regulars there and an occasional correspondent of mine, in response to a discussion, with yours truly participating, about how Civil War campaign streamers (displayed above the flag of the particular armed service) and campaign ribbons (worn on the chest) are displayed: They are both divided blue/gray; units that fought on the Union side display the streamer blue side up, while units that fought on the Confederate side (there are a few, believe it or not) display the streamer gray side up. Similarly, Union veterans wore their ribbon with the blue on the right (their right), while Confederate veterans wore their ribbon with the gray on their right. It's about the last point that Mr. Lahav writes:
Okay, story time.
The camera store I worked at was located next door to a big hotel. They
frequently had conventions there, which made the location good for business,
especially since there was a popular restaurant two stores down from us. The
other thing that was good for business was our manager; the guy is, putting it
bluntly, one of the most impressive people I've ever known. He is brilliant at
reading and dealing with people and he understands that the key to success in
business is to give people the best service you can. This made the job fun, too,
because he treats his employees like family, and he likes to kid around. There
was no job he wouldn't do himself, including cleaning out the store's toilet or
going in on his day off to complete the inventory. The guy could (and still can)
schmooze with almost anyone. I learned to schmooze here, and it was easy to be
friendly with the quality customers we tended to have as a result.
So there we were, a specialty shop, specializing in being as nice as we
possibly could. One week, the hotel next door hosted the annual convention of
recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor. For those of you who are
unfamiliar with this, the CMH is the highest military award in the United
States. You can only get it in combat, can only get it by being nominated by the
men who are fighting next to you, and most of the men who receive it do so
posthumously.
Anyway, so we're selling film and stuff, and we start to notice these
guys walking around with these little blue pins with white stars on them. A lot
of the guys came in our store because they were taking pictures at the
convention. My boss, of course, schmoozes with them, and I and the others give
them the same good service we give to everyone. Prior to this, mind you, I had
encountered precisely one recipient of the CMH in my life (giving us a speech
for Pearl Harbor Day at my high school), so it was quite an experience to see
these guys in groups, wandering around. They were generally real nice, real
polite fellows.
Well, the last day of the convention comes along, and there I am, in
the store, and the CMH recipients were now running around in tuxedos, wearing
the full medal (it's a star, hanging from a ribbon worn around the neck) because
that night was the formal dinner for them and it was a big deal. This guy, not
dressed up, comes in the store and I go and ask him what I can do for him. He
reaches into his pocket and pulls out a Congressional Medal of Honor. The thing
was all wadded up and it looked like it had been in the bottom of a drawer for
years. He says to me:
"I need some help. I'm supposed to wear this tonight, but it's broken.
Anything you can do?"
I took the medal from him, and sure enough, one of the little rings
that held the star had bent open, and the star was hanging by only the other
ring. So I said:
"Let me give it a try."
I took a pair of needle nose pliers (we had lots of tools for minor
camera repairs in the store, you see) and I gently and carefully reattached the
star to the ring and bent it closed. My repair was successful, and I gave him
back his medal and he thanked me and went on his way, stuffing the CMH
unceremoniously back into his pocket. That's the story.
I remember this event vividly not simply because I fixed the medal,
which was really a pretty unique experience, but because I'll never forget the
man himself. I have no idea who he was, or what war he fought in (my guess based
on age would be WW II or Korea), but I do know that he was a hero.
Because I think about him, and about the other men we saw that week,
and what stays with me is the same thing that stays with me when I think about
all the heroes I've had the honor of knowing in my life. These guys with the CMH
were really pretty nondescript. They were polite and unassuming, and if you
passed them on the street you would never know that each one of them had done
something extraordinary.
But they are heroes. And this experience has helped me define for
myself just what a hero is. A hero, you see, is someone, anyone, who finds
themselves in a difficult, even an impossible situation, and who does what they
have to do, not just for themselves, but for the person next to them. And they
do it not because there is some glory in it, but because they simply can't
fathom the notion of doing anything else. It is simply a part of their makeup,
of who they are. Often, they are actually embarrassed by the attention they
receive later, because they don't really see themselves as having done anything
extraordinary. They simply did what they had to do.
Hence the CMH stuffed into a pocket or neglected in a drawer. I don't
think this man saw himself as being any more extraordinary than anyone else. I
don't think the passengers of Flight 93, or the firefighters who rushed into the
Twin Towers or the Pentagon, or my friend who gained the courage to lock out her
abusive husband and protect her two children from him would regard themselves as
heroes either. But they are.
The second story comes from a posting on the Flags of the World mailing list. It was contributed by Ron Lahav, one of the regulars there and an occasional correspondent of mine, in response to a discussion, with yours truly participating, about how Civil War campaign streamers (displayed above the flag of the particular armed service) and campaign ribbons (worn on the chest) are displayed: They are both divided blue/gray; units that fought on the Union side display the streamer blue side up, while units that fought on the Confederate side (there are a few, believe it or not) display the streamer gray side up. Similarly, Union veterans wore their ribbon with the blue on the right (their right), while Confederate veterans wore their ribbon with the gray on their right. It's about the last point that Mr. Lahav writes:
I am absolutely positive about the Civil War campaign ribbon being flipped. My father and uncle owned and operated for about thirty years a number of naval outfitters in Norfolk and other parts of Hampton Roads. In the mid-1950s (I am no longer certain of the exact year) the last Encampment of the United Confederate Veterans was held in Norfolk, with about fifteen of the surviving old soldiers who were able to travel attending. We had in each of our stores a large wall chart of all US service ribbons to date issued by Gemsco, the largest manufacturer of US military insignia at the time (these charts were updated every two or three years, but I don't know if the firm still exists). Using the chart, my Dad ordered fifteen of the Civil War ribbons; the company had to make up a special order for him. He then checked with the Public Relations Office of the Fifth Naval District, which referred him to the Office of Naval History, and they informed him at the time of the procedure for wearing the ribbons, which was as I described it [gray on right- NL]. My Dad, my uncle (his brother-in law), my Mom, her sister, and myself (then about 12/13), then attended the Encampment, where my Dad presented each of the old soldiers with their own campaign ribbon, which their relatives pinned on them. Many of the veterans were in tears, and most said that they never knew that they were entitled to a service ribbon at all, regardless of color. Now all of these men had served in the Confederate States Army and not its navy, so I suppose my Dad should have checked with the US Army rather than the naval authorities to see whether the same rules applied for them as well. We had several thank you letters from many of the veterans and their families afterwards, saying that receiving the ribbon was for them a final recognition of the service that they gave to their country. I think Mom threw all of these things out years ago when she got rid of a lot of 'junk', as she called it.God bless all our veterans, and those fighting today.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
New York People, New York Dogs
So I'm walking to work this morning and pass a cute little dog tied up outside a store. He has a muzzle on, but when some guy passes by, he starts barking. Not really at the guy, just in general. And the guy goes, "Awww, get a job and s***!"
I still have no idea what it meant- and I know the dog didn't- but it was hilarious.
Speaking of hilarious, Derb on the Chinatown bus today is just that: laugh-out-loud funny. What he has to say about Watson, though, is just depressing, both in the content of what Watson had to say (if true) as well as the reaction to it.
What Do You Call a Star Wars Fan, Anyway?
First things first: A belated congrats to my cousin Boris on his performance in Mexico. (His menschlichkeit pours out of that interview.) It was nice seeing him in all the papers during our trip to Israel, which coincided with the tournament. May he go from success to success!
Did I ever mention the time he came by our house and played a game against yours truly? (I was about twelve.) Guess who won?
Yeah, he did, in about ten moves. I think he was going easy on me. :-)
Anyway, last night I was watching a bit of The Empire Strikes Back, and something occurred to me: If the Rebels have an ion cannon powerful and accurate enough to hit and disable an orbiting Star Destroyer from the surface, why can't they just rotate it (it is a giant ball, essentially) and just blow up those Walkers?
I imagine if I was a Star Wars fan, I'd have known the answer, or at least a few fanwanks, a long time ago. Being a Trekkie, I can recite as many fanwanks from memory as you want. I do not maintain a Holmes-like mind.
I keep intending to do long, serious posts- I have a few topics in mind- along with some photos, but procrastinate (and don't have much time). One day soon, I hope.
Did I ever mention the time he came by our house and played a game against yours truly? (I was about twelve.) Guess who won?
Yeah, he did, in about ten moves. I think he was going easy on me. :-)
Anyway, last night I was watching a bit of The Empire Strikes Back, and something occurred to me: If the Rebels have an ion cannon powerful and accurate enough to hit and disable an orbiting Star Destroyer from the surface, why can't they just rotate it (it is a giant ball, essentially) and just blow up those Walkers?
I imagine if I was a Star Wars fan, I'd have known the answer, or at least a few fanwanks, a long time ago. Being a Trekkie, I can recite as many fanwanks from memory as you want. I do not maintain a Holmes-like mind.
I keep intending to do long, serious posts- I have a few topics in mind- along with some photos, but procrastinate (and don't have much time). One day soon, I hope.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Funny Halloween!
There's a cute article in today's NRO, which led me to the NY Times' opinion page in the first time in who knows how long. There I saw this piece, casually clicked on it, read to the bottom of the first page- and exploded in laughter. Ah, the good ol' Times and its never-ending, tragic yet hilarious, effort to destroy normal society. Well, hopefully it'll be a few more years until I go there again, if the paper even exists then.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Star Trek Day
Friday, October 12, 2007
C. Little
I used to ask people a trivia question: Who was the only person to win both a Nobel Prize and an Oscar? The answer was Bernard Shaw, in Literature and for the (adapted) screenplay of Pyagmalion, respectively.
Well, with the continued religious fervor of the warming (whoops: climate) crowd and their coronation of Algore, that's no longer true. Shaw was something of a political dolt, and Gore technically didn't win the Oscar (didn't keep him from grabbing it and speechifying anyway), but it's still a long step down from one to the other- and, if the Peace (har!) prize has to be discussed specifically, it's a long way from Albert Schweitzer and Mother Teresa (although the "har!" applies, really, to anyone not in a uniform) to a guy who made a movie, starring himself.
Then again, the Peace Prize has already gone to such lovelies as Rigoberta Menchu and Yasser Arafat. Oh, and Jimmy Carter, who I've never really heard talk before hearing him praise Gore this morning. Look, a Southern accent is one thing. Carter sounds like a hayseed. I wonder how people bought into him- but maybe that's how he fooled them into not realizing how evil he was. (Props to my Mom, who booed loudly whenever his image appeared in the Menachem Begin Museum.)
Lots to report- hope to post more soon!
Well, with the continued religious fervor of the warming (whoops: climate) crowd and their coronation of Algore, that's no longer true. Shaw was something of a political dolt, and Gore technically didn't win the Oscar (didn't keep him from grabbing it and speechifying anyway), but it's still a long step down from one to the other- and, if the Peace (har!) prize has to be discussed specifically, it's a long way from Albert Schweitzer and Mother Teresa (although the "har!" applies, really, to anyone not in a uniform) to a guy who made a movie, starring himself.
Then again, the Peace Prize has already gone to such lovelies as Rigoberta Menchu and Yasser Arafat. Oh, and Jimmy Carter, who I've never really heard talk before hearing him praise Gore this morning. Look, a Southern accent is one thing. Carter sounds like a hayseed. I wonder how people bought into him- but maybe that's how he fooled them into not realizing how evil he was. (Props to my Mom, who booed loudly whenever his image appeared in the Menachem Begin Museum.)
Lots to report- hope to post more soon!
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