Like the rest of the world, I have been transfixed by the discovery in Cleveland of three young women who were freed this week after a decade in captivity near their homes. As far as I am concerned, the three brothers can be let loose in an Ohio prison, especially one rife with Hispanic gangs. There they might get a real education in rape, pillage | Read More »
On Tuesday of this week, President Barack H. Obama told members of the American military forces that he’s got their back. Was he speaking about soldiers posted to the most dangerous areas? Benghazi, perhaps. No, forget that. On Tuesday, Obama told reporters that he spoke to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel earlier in the day to reiterate that the administration has “to not just step | Read More »
I live hundreds of miles from Chicago now. Tonight I was telling my middle child of life at his grandfather’s car business on that city’s South Side. When I was in high school, Father took the $300 from my bar mitzvah savings, a similar amount from my brothers’ account and the $300 he and Mom had saved, to open a used car lot on Ashland | Read More »
As the earlier diary entry made clear, the Thanksgiving blog post of my local rabbi posed a number of questions. I took the liberty there and here in answering those questions. Some time has passed and my comments at blogspot remain under moderation. The lack of response has led me to respond to one of his earlier postings: As a Rabbi, I am supposed to | Read More »
On Thanksgiving morning, the rabbi at my synagogue posed a series of questions on his blog. Today, I took the liberty of responding to them there. Following are his queries and my answers. Why have we, as lovers and supporters of Israel, found it necessary to flood social media like Facebook and Twitter with constant statements of support for Israel? It is truly heartening to | Read More »
To: Barack H. Obama, President of the United States John Boehner, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Gentlemen: As you know only too well, the nation is facing a fiscal cliff at year end. In the absence of compromise legislation, tax rates in place for the past decade will rise to their previous levels and certain federal expenditures (principally defense) will be slashed. You, | Read More »
Memo to Mitt. Invoke Ozzie Guillen. Everyone in America, even folks who can’t speak English, will understand you. Stand up in the debates and explain the Benghazi attacks like this: It’s like you’re in a tight game and the other team’s pitcher throws at one of your guys. Beans him. Kills him. What are you going to do? What would Ozzie Guillen, manager now in | Read More »
Memo to selected Massachusetts voters: Pls note that your candidate for US Senate, Elizabeth Warren, describes herself as the Godmother of Occupy Wall Street. While she began the night on the defensive over her Native American heritage claims, Warren’s credibility was further damaged when Brown pointed out that Warren, the self proclaimed “intellectual godmother of Occupy Wall Street”and defender of the middle class against evil | Read More »
Just think. If you had had a second rate education, had just skated by an academic fraud charge for a book you had published and had pretended to be due an Affirmative Action designation, you could be a Senator. Or not
I base this on a small but realistic sample. For the past several weeks I have been going once or twice a week to make calls at a local Republican Victory Center in Michigan. Our function has been a simple one: calling on lists of swing voters to ask whether Mitt or they other guy will have their vote come the election. This weekend we | Read More »
Memo to the RNC: In 2008, the President got 78% of votes cast by Jewish citizens. Because they tend to participate at very high rates, this makes these votes even more important in such battleground states as Florida and Ohio. Everyone knows the buyers’ remorse which has set in amongst Jews. Want to close the deal, and raise the entertainment value of upcoming convention? Book | Read More »
Dear Mitt: For the past several weeks I have been making calls on your behalf. I am making these calls in a swing state, and generally confident that the populace wants to replace an Obama administration with something else. When I ask what folks would like to ask you, or tell you, invariably it is this: He’s better than Obama. At this point, I would | Read More »
The neighborhood where my late father operated a business was once if not lovely and upscale, then at least lively and proud. With time, it became less and less so. Windows sprouted bars. Residents fled to suburbs. Businesses fled with them. As he had for decades, each morning Father got up for the now longer drive to his place. Into his pants went a holster. | Read More »
To: Mitt R From: Ashland Avenue Re: Upcoming speech at Netanyahu dinner Dear Mitt: Please find below thoughts you may want to incorporate in your Tisha B”Av dinner with Prime Minister and Mrs. Netanyahu in Israel July 29. As you know, a fast is held each year on the Ninth (Tisha) of Av, commemorating the destruction of Judaism’s First and Second Temples. The holiday is | Read More »
A good percentage of the Jews living in Florida, New York metro, Boston, Chicago and California do or will soon know that their holiday of Tisha B’Av is to be celebrated this year on July 29. It is a sad day, commemorating the destruction of Jerusalem’s First Temple (by the Babylonians), Second Temple (by the Romans) and the expulsions of Jewry from England and Spain | Read More »
To: Elizabeth Warren, Leo Gottlieb Professor of Law, Harvard Law School Dear Prof. Warren: I am a third year undergraduate at a university in Michigan. Given your background, I am taking the liberty of writing you for advice. As you undoubtedly are aware, in Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 306 (2003), the US Supreme Court upheld the University of Michigan Law School’s affirmative action admission | Read More »
This is the crime http://www.tulsaworld.com/site/printerfriendlystory.aspx?articleid=20120320_11_A1_ULNSet211200&PrintComments=1 They met on a blind date on Thanksgiving 1946, and within a month, Bob and Nancy Strait were married. For 65 years, the couple lived a happy life in Tulsa, raising their children and sharing their kindness with their family and everyone they met. “In the evenings, that’s what we did: sit on the porch and pick guitar and sing,” | Read More »
Here is the what: Homer Wright says he won’t hesitate to buy another gun — or use it to defend himself or his South Side tavern. The 81-year-old Englewood man who shot a teen who allegedly had broken into his home said Monday he was happy that weapons charges against him were dropped, but he was annoyed that cops had seized his gun. Here is | Read More »
An open microphone gave the world today some idea of what Barrack Husein Obama might do if unfettered by the need to run for re-election. Speaking with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev at the Seoul meetings of world leaders, our President addressed Russia’s hopes that we neuter the missile shield defenses planned for Europe. Not realizing he was on live mike, our President told Medvedev for | Read More »
Perhaps you have read of hazing charges at a Dartmouth fraternity. Here, from the student newspaper, www.thedartmouth.com, is the case The Undergraduate Judicial Affairs Office has charged 27 members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity with hazing violations during the fall 2011 pledge term, charges that could lead to the students’ suspension or permanent separation from the College if they are found responsible, according to SAE | Read More »
I tried finding the following story on NYTimes.com BLANCHARD, OK., (Indiana’s NewsCenter)— 18 year old Sarah McKinley said she did what she had to do to protect her new baby The recently widowed mom killed an intruder on New Year’s Eve after a 911 operator told her, “Do what you have to do to protect your baby.” Sarah McKinley, who was alone with her 3-month-old | Read More »
In this week’s stand-off between Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow and Stamford, CT Conservative Rabbi Joshua Hammerman, I stand with the Tebows. In a blog posting on Jewish Week,Hammerman wrote: “Tebow’s mother, a Baptist missionary, became comatose during her pregnancy and was saved by drugs that nearly killed the fetus. Doctors anticipated a stillbirth and recommended termination to protect her life, but Tim’s mother refused | Read More »
Dear NY Times, Your feature today entitled “Aid for Child Care Drops When It Is Needed Most” is much appreciated. As you note, Christian Griffith, chief consultant of the California Assembly Budget Committee, said the state cut $335 million in child care financing this year, and with hundreds of millions in cuts to other public services — courts, schools and the public university system — | Read More »
Five days ago, I wrote a snarky little item here suggesting that troubles at Chicago based MF Global brokers could represent one more failure for former NJ Governor Jon S. Corzine. I didn’t know or care whether MF would file or escape bankruptcy proceedings. It was pretty clear even then that stockholders of the firm would face harsh consequences. What was unfathomable less than a | Read More »
What do you call a financial company leveraged 11 to one, and making money? How about JP Morgan Chase, with $1,941 billions of liabilities supported by its assets and also $176 billion of equity. What do you call a financial company leveraged 32 to one, uncertain as to whether there is a tomorrow? How about: one more failure of former NJ Governor John Corzine? After | Read More »
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