MOChassid

2010-04-29T13:26:00.000-04:00

I'm Done - Again

After six years, 1800 posts and two previous "retirements", I am calling it a day.

Because of my present circumstances, I can't really write what I want to write about and, anyway, don't really have the time. In any event, it's not like this space has been much good for a long time.

Most importantly, it will make MHW, who was never particularly comfortable with this, very happy.

I may continue to write, elsewhere, but only about biking.

It's been fun.

MoC

2010-03-15T11:35:00.004-04:00

$38 Million's Worth - The Lehman Report

(And that's double sided without the Appendixes).

I hope to have some commentary on what went wrong at Lehman after I've had a chance to read through and digest the Examiner's report.

2010-03-14T20:37:00.004-04:00

Winning Is Better Than Losing...A Profound Thought

This afternoon, I took a welcome break from cleaning my garage for Pesach and went to the Yeshiva League hockey championship. Amazingly, for the fifth year in a row (starting with OYS's Junior year), DRS has been to the championship game in both the JV and the varsity.

Sadly, since OYS's junior year, they have lost each game. It is not a small thing for a school to go to, effectively, ten straight championship games. One the other hand, no one likes to be thought of as the Buffalo Bills of scholastic hockey.

Today, all that changed. In an incredibly tense and exciting game, DRS beat TABC, 2-1, breaking a 1-1 tie with about five minutes to go. They then defended a power play with two minutes to go and a five on four advantage when TABC pulled it's outstanding goalie with 30 seconds left.

Congratulations to the team and the wonderful coaches who taught OYS a lot about a lot of things and to whom we owe so much. And, OYS sends his best as well. Despite his immersion in deep Talmudic thought the last three years, he called me back immediately (at well past midnight) when I called him with the news. You can't take the hockey player out of the shteiger.

And, also, congratulations to TABC, DRS's mirror image, who won the JV contest and fought a very hard varsity game today against, in my not so humble opinion, a better team that deserved the win.

As a great sage once said, it is better to win than to lose.

2010-03-14T10:45:00.001-04:00

In Real Life

Last night, I had some salmon and spaghetti for dinner. MHW, who is not a fan of white flour foods, made the spaghetti only for me, since I am not a fan of whole-wheat anything, and has given up trying to foist that healthy stuff on me as she does with our children.

The Vance, who was on her way up to bed when I sat down to dinner, and who did not get spaghetti for dinner, asked me "Where did you get the spaghetti, Dad?"

I said, "On a spaghetti tree".

To which the Vance replied, "No, in real life, Dad!"

2010-03-11T13:35:00.003-05:00

Bloomberg Headquarters...Way Cool

I had occasion to spend the morning at Bloomberg's midtown headquarters. I attended a legal ethics seminar they hosted and then got a tour of the joint from a loan market reporter with whom I frequently speak.

(Digression: My birthday, and with it, my Continuing Legal Education (CLE) reporting deadline, is fast approaching. Practicing lawyers need 24 CLE hours (including 4 ethics hours) every two years. I have over 60 hours but zero ethics hours. I have so many CLE credits because (a) my firm runs many seminars every year and (ii) I speak on many panels and speakers get triple credit. (Note to self: Next cycle, organize an ethics panel and put yourself on the panel).)

But I digress.

The place is very cool. High tech (as you would expect), completely open (including the radio and TV studios; I got to see Tom Kean whom I love) and circular. Dow Jones (whose offices I visited a few weeks ago), are also pretty cool and similarly open and seem to have been modeled on Bloomberg.

There was lots of energy (it reminded me of a huge trading floor) and the people seemed pretty happy and engaged.

Now, if he could run the City as well as he runs his company....

2010-03-08T12:50:00.001-05:00

Six Years

Today is the sixth anniversary of the date I started blogging.

I'm just saying...

2010-03-07T10:13:00.003-05:00

Two Phones

A few weeks ago, Mishpacha ran a cover story on a Chassidishe askan in Israel who, for lack of a better term, was a fixer. He got stuff done, whatever it took. Regrettably, they had him pose for the cover holding two phones, one on each ear.

My reaction was, "how did this guy let himself get photographed in such a ridiculous pose?" But I let it slide.

Then, this week, the Jewish Star published an article about a wonderful young local man who is doing a similar chesed. He runs an organization that helps people find help in a whole range of areas. I happen to know him and his family a little bit and there is no doubt that he is doing G-d's work, entirely lishma.

Sadly, they also had him pose holding a phone to each ear.

As someone who is often extremely busy (albeit not necessarily doing G-d's work (unless you think helping banks and hedge funds is G-d's work), I can tell you that I never have two phone conversations going at the same time, one in each ear. It's not possible, even for the most gifted person.

So, next time a photographer asks you to pose holding two phones, turn him down.

2010-03-07T10:04:00.002-05:00

Back on the Road

Today was the first time since my surgery in September that I rode my bike (I did ride four days in Israel on a rented bike back in January).

Since none of the girls in the MMFW Bike club chose to join me, I ended up riding alone, at 7 a.m. It was nice to get out again.

The ride out to Point Lookout was fast and easy, which meant that the ride back would be slow and hard, right into a headwind, which it was. I was very comfortable despite the 40 degree temperature because I have the right clothes. This is why Hashem created Gore-Tex, etc.

On my way back, as usual, I stopped to pick up a muffin and bagel at Toddy's (There's no point in burning 1000 calories if you can't replenish them with a blueberry muffin). Jay just purchased a juice machine and offered me some fresh orange juice, gratis. Yum. Highly recommended.

Next week, if the weather holds up, back to the North Shore and some hills.

In the meantime, this was a nice start to the season.

2010-03-04T09:50:00.001-05:00

Very Helpful

I received the following email from US Airwayd at 2:57 a.m. the morning of MARCH 4TH:

We regret to inform you that flight # 2182 from Washington, D.C. (DCA) to Laguardia (LGA) on Mar 3 at 6:00 PM has been cancelled YAT.

Please call 1-800-883-1027 for re-accommodation assistance.

We apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you for choosing US Airways.

Very helpful. Thanks loads.

2010-03-04T09:29:00.009-05:00

Saved by Little Debbie

I spent all day yesterday meeting with staffers at the United States Senate.

I had taken the Acela Express to Baltimore on Tuesday night and, after a lovely late dinner with OOD, slept over at OOD and THG's apartment.

I arrived in Washington at 8:15 am yesterday. OOD had gotten me a muffin for the train ride and I also had a bowl of cereal. Our meetings started early and did not end until 4:45. Although we took a break for lunch in one of the Senate cafeterias, all I could eat there was a bag of potato chips, a banana and a drink.

Our last meeting was at 4:00 p.m. with Senator Corker's staff. By this time, I was pretty hungry. In the Senator's waiting room was a large basket filled with pastries. What did I have to lose? I took a look. Little Debbie's blueberry muffins and other such stuff. (Little Debbie is part of McKee Foods and is apparently based in Chattanooga, TN) Being a sheltered New Yorker, I had never heard of Little Debbie. To my surprise, they had hechscher from Triangle K.

I stuck a a muffin and a granola bar (a sure sign of desperation) into my coat pocket.

The meeting ended and we raced to the airport. (Only to find out that our 6 p.m. flight had been canceled; about which, more later). Long story short, we were able to get on the 5 p.m. shuttle that had been delayed until 5:30 (but ended up actually leaving 6:15). Bottom line: I didn't even have time to buy a chocolate bar.

We got on the plane and I took out the spoils of my meeting with the staff of the good Senator from Tennessee. Saved by Little Debbie.

2010-03-01T10:46:00.003-05:00

The Space Ship Has Landed.

A typical Shabbos at my shul

2010-03-01T10:04:00.003-05:00

Oy Canada

I worked for a Canadian bank for 9 years and during that time made countless trips to our neighbor to the north. I watched many hours of Canadian Sportscenter (where the thrill-a-minute "sport" of curling is second in importance to hockey).

I cannot adequately express how bad it would have been in Canada had their hockey team lost to the upstart Americans yesterday afternoon. Like a national Tisha B'Av (l'havdil) that would have lasted a month.

Imagine the U.S. losing to Canada in football at the Olympics hosted by the U.S. Then, multiply that by ten, no, twenty, times.

So, I fargin the Canadians their squeeky victory.

2010-02-25T10:50:00.000-05:00

Ohel Video

Featuring the Vance and her parents

2010-02-19T12:58:00.004-05:00

Trouble

As if they didn't have enough to worry about, HAFTR just lost an appeal by Nachum Brisman, a tenured teacher whom they had whacked, to the Appellate Division of the New York State court. Under an arbitration clause in his contract, Rabbi Brisman took HAFTR to a beis din and was reinstated (at $100,000 per year). HAFTR was also required to pay $50,000 into his pension plan.

Brisman went to court to have the arbitration award confirmed but, in December of 2008, Judge Balter vacated it in a controvertial decision. Brisman appealed (and was supported by the OU, Agudah and Torah U'Mesorah who, while avoiding the merits of the HAFTR/Brisman situation, argued that the court unconstitutionally ignored the ruling of the beis din).

Unsurprisingly, in a brief decision, the Appellate Division reinstated the award.

On one level, I feel HAFTR's pain. It is exceedingly difficult to get rid of even horrible teachers (not that I'm saying Rabbi Brisman was horrible; I have absolutely no knowledge of the underlying situation. For all I know, he could have been a superstar and they didn't like his beard). When I was co-chairman of HAFTR (in a previous gilgul before they decided to self-destruct), it took us years to get rid of a couple of truly terrible teachers who were truly terrible (and in one case, sadistic) when I was a student at HILI 25 years earlier.

On the other, the decision appears to be correct.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Hat Tip: Hirhurim

2010-02-19T10:30:00.003-05:00

How I Really Felt About Mamshit

I wrote a running diary about all my Alyn Rides which I sent out to sponsors (and, in the case of my first two rides, which I posted). That allowed me to memorialize just how much I hated Mamshit, as you can see here.

That post also reminded me how everything is relative (the climb up Hamachtesh Hagadol which once seemed so daunting, is really no big deal at all even though a bunch of British sissy boys had to walk it up) and how much I hated waiting for the stragglers when I used to do the regular road ride.

These posts are also a reminder of how much fun I have on these rides and why I continue to look forward to them.

2010-02-18T16:07:00.003-05:00

Chaim Rubin Calls It A Day

Life of Rubin was one of the very early blogs devoted to Jewish music (one of the early Jewish blogs, period). Chaim is no longer feeling the love and, like so many others, who either officially called it a day or just disappeared, Chaim has had enough.

While I never shared his enthusiasm for Shiny Shoe Music, he did have an appreciation for Carlebach and post-Carlebach music as well and worked hard to showcase and critique J Music.

I wish him well.

2010-02-18T12:56:00.003-05:00

Letting Go

This morning, on my way from shul to the train, I passed by a member of my shul who was walking in the other direction. Although we're not friends, I said good morning. He seemed to be looking straight at me but did not respond. I thought it was weird, but, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, just assumed he was distracted or did not hear me. (Incidentally, this is a guy whom, in ten years, I have literally never seen smile. Ever).

The only other alternative I can think of is that this guy is b'roigas with me. He wouldn't be the first and probably not the last. Serving as shul president for six years can have that effect on people (particularly when you get stuff done; you are much less likely to develop enemies if you are a do-nothing president).

Over the years, I've had a few such experiences. A couple of years after I resigned, just before Rosh Hashanah, MHW made me apologize to a former member whom I had, effectively, pushed out of the shul. Although I did not regret what I had done (he was like a malignant tumor that had to be removed), there is no question that my actions were rough and that an apology of sorts was warranted. During our meeting, after stating that he appreciated the gesture, he mentioned that there was another man who was closely associated with him and had also left the shul, who had tainas against me and that he thought speaking to the other guy would be a good idea.

Having barely said a word to the second guy, I couldn't imagine what I could have done to have made him so upset. Nevertheless, after reporting back to MHW, I was instructed to meet with the second guy. I told him that I wasn't sure why he was b'roigas with me but I apologized if there was anything I had done to hurt him. When he told me what it was, a single incident that had happened about four years earlier, it took all my willpower to stop myself from saying to the guy, "you've gotta be kidding me."

Next scene. A couple of weeks ago, after Friday night davening upon my return from Israel, I went over to a third man and gave him regards from an acquaintance of his whom I had met in Israel. He gave me a stare, mumbled something I couldn't understand, and walked away (I have a witness who saw the whole thing; I'm not exaggerating). For some reason, this guy is apparently b'roigas with me for a non-shul-related incident that happened more than two years ago that I had nothing to do with. Since that time, the guy has avoided me to the point where he will try hard not to even make eye contact. (About a year ago, we were in close proximity for about three hours and he refused to say anything to me, including a return good morning). I thought that perhaps my reaching out to him with regards from a friend would break the ice. I was wrong.

I felt like grabbing him by the lapels and shaking him and saying, "GET OVER IT!! LIFE's TOO SHORT!! But I didn't. The only thing left to do is to have yet another conversation where I ask for mechila for whatever it is that I did.

My mom always reminded us not to take ourselves too seriously. I think that was good advice.

2010-02-18T09:01:00.000-05:00

Pitchers and Catchers Report

All is good

2010-02-16T17:18:00.009-05:00

Alyn 2010

IYH, after taking a year off, I will be doing the Alyn Ride again in October.

The preliminary itinerary just came out. We start in Mitzpeh Ramon and tool around in the Negev for four days until we climb back up to Jerusalem, via the Judean Hills. Some details: We will climb into and out of both HaMachtech Ramon (Ramon Crater) and HaMachtesh Hagadol (The Great Crater). We will also climb Mt. Harif.

I've stayed in Mitzpeh Ramon during the ride twice, including the first night of my first ride (when I could barely sleep I was so excited). I've done the two craters (Hagadol twice) but I don't recall whether I've done Har Harif. I'm not sure which route they are going to take up to J'lem but I'm assuming it may be Nes Harim or Ramat Raziel. In any event it will certainly include a climb to Ein Kerem which is very close to the Alyn Hospital.

(This will be my sixth ride but my fourth time in the South. The country ain't that big so you're bound to repeat once you've done the ride more than twice.)

(Speaking of which, I'm davening that they don't return to stay overnight at the Mamshit Bedouin tent. Been there (twice). Done that. It's great if you're seventeen, not when you are more than three times seventeen. Cold showers. Bad food. No place to get a beer or a decent cup of coffee. Sleeping on a cot three inches from other riders who snore the night away after riding 80 miles. It doesn't get any better. PsycleSteve really misses that place.)

In any event, I'm pumped. With pitchers and catchers reporting in the next couple of days, how long can it be before we're back on the road.

2010-02-16T13:43:00.005-05:00

More America Gonnif

Inspired by my buddy Ben, I finally took the plunge and bought a Kindle.

Way cool. (So cool, in fact, that the e-books I bought on Amazon while the Kindle was in shipment had already been uploaded when the Kindle arrived).

I never thought that I could get used to the idea of an e-book. Well, it took me about 30 seconds. The thing weighs nothing, is about as wide as a pencil, and fits easily into my backpack; great for travelling.

I fully expect the Kindle to join my ipod and my Bose headphones in the High-Tech Trilogy of awesome, life-impacting devices.

2010-02-15T19:32:00.003-05:00

No Sweat

This morning I took a spin class. Not only that, but I actually got to my bike more than 20 minutes early so I ended up riding for 67 minutes. And, I really pounded the bike today. Top HR was 179; average was high 140s.

The instructor is great; my favorite at my new gym. (Unfortunately, she only teaches on Mondays and Fridays at 9:30 so the only time I get to take her class is when I'm off or work from home.) She also recognizes that I am a serious rider (not saying much compared to most of the chevra that attends this class) and often encourages me to let it rip during particularly difficult segments. And, at the end of each ride she walks around the class and challenges each rider to really let loose for about 30 seconds.

When she walked by me this morning, she said, "Gee, if I worked as hard as you, I'd have a pool of sweat around me."

Until she said that, it hadn't really occurred to me. But, now that she mentioned it, I have to agree that it's true; I don't really sweat much any more. I don't know why. Two possible explanations. The room is pretty cool and I wear a bandana that catches some of the sweat.

But most spin classes are held in cool rooms and I've been wearing a shmata for years so that doesn't explain it.

The only other difference from before is that I'm 7 pounds lighter than I was before my recent surgery. Why would that be so significant? It wasn't that I was heavy before and now I'm light. I've been very thin for years; just not this skinny.

Any doctors out there care to venture an explanation? I'm stumped.

2010-02-09T16:50:00.003-05:00

I Am Not Worthy

I have been working on an important matter for the past few months (at least it's important if you're a vulture fund). The final act (for now) took place last Friday when I testified before a Judicial Rules Committee (It was pretty cool, although I was so nervous I could barely eat the day before).

I'm having dinner tonight with two of the law firm partners with whom I worked on this project. They are bringing along two other partners whom they want to introduce.

I looked them all up on their firm website. One of the partners I worked with is a piker like me. Among the other three, there are two Supreme Court clerkships, three Federal Court of Appeals clerkships and one Executive Editor of the Harvard Law Review. I am not worthy.

On the other hand, as I've noted before, it's not all about brains.

2010-02-03T08:52:00.004-05:00

It's Just Wrong

I went to a spin class at 6 a.m. this morning.

A rider nearby clearly had had something for dinner last night with a lot of garlic and had not done an adequate job of getting it out of his mouth.

Every time he let out a big breath, I got hit with a blast of garlic.

It's just wrong.

2010-02-02T21:48:00.003-05:00

Endless Day

This has been a long, weird day.

It started at 2:30 a.m. in Tokyo (12:30 p.m. New York time, Monday). This trip has completely wreaked havoc on me and I am completely off. I woke up after only a few hours of sleep. I worked the rest of the night until the gym opened at 6.

I crashed for an hour from 11 a.m. to 12 and then gave my presentation at 1:45. I left for the airport at 3:30 and got there just before 5.

Because I had changed my flight from Wednesday, the best I could do was a flight to Chicago with a connection to New York. (It would have cost about $2,000 to get a direct flight). I was really looking forward to that.

(Again, the wisdom of traveling about 40 hours to make a one hour presentation to a bunch of Japanese businessmen is something I am not convinced of).

The flight was scheduled to leave at 7. As I was walking out of the Admiral's Club lounge, I decided to ask the guy at the counter if he could put me on the direct flight to New York. To my surprise, he said, sure, no problem. I even got an aisle seat (although I had to give up my kosher meals; that's why I always travel with a few chocolate bars).

So, my flight left Tokyo at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday and I was in my house before 7 p.m. Tuesday. Crazy.

Right now my body clock is so confused I don't know what to do. I think I'll go to sleep.

2010-02-01T01:49:00.003-05:00

Tokyo

This is my third trip to Tokyo in four years. In my previous two trips I stayed no more than 2 1/2 days. This trip will be no different. I arrived at 11 p.m. on Sunday evening and will be departing my hotel for the airport at 3:30 Tuesday, right after the presentation I'm giving, for on a 7 p.m. flight.

In my previous trips, I never strayed more than one block from my hotel; I might as well have been in Chicago. I am thinking of getting up at 4 a.m. tomorrow to go to the Fish Market which I hear is very cool. Chances are I will be awake anyway since this trip wreaks havoc on me.

It took me 21 hours, door to door, to get to my hotel in Tokyo from Ramat Shiloh. I flew El Al to Hong Kong (10.5 hours) and, after a 2 hour layover, went the rest of the way to Tokyo (a four hour flight). The bus ride from the airport to the hotel took over an hour and a half on a Sunday evening when there was no traffic. The bus ride back is scheduled to take over 2 hours. (Taking a cab from the airport costs around $250).

The saving grace is that I flew business class and that the hotel I'm staying at is first class (The Four Seasons at Chinzan-So). Nevertheless, this trip wipes me out and it takes me a long time to recover. It's very hard for me to reconcile spending all this time traveling, and getting so messed up, for, effectively, a one-hour presentation. But, that's the way it is.

The only reason I'm posting now is because it is delaying me from having to prepare my notes for tomorrow's presentation. I've procrastinated long enough. I have to do some work.

2010-01-31T21:38:00.003-05:00

Ode to Ramat Raziel

Besides getting to see my sons, HDIL and grandchildren, I got to ride my bike a bunch of times during our recent trip to Israel.

OOS rented me a very nice carbon bike from the wonderful bike store in Har Nof (on Kanfei Nesharim). We rode on the first Friday and then on Sunday in the Nes Harim area, doing the nasty 3.5 mile climb and descent. On Wednesday, I rode by myself, doing the Nes Harim thing and adding climb up from the Stalactite Caves (another 2.5 miles).

This past Friday, OOS and I did the climb up Ramat Raziel. I had done this climb twice before but hadn't done it in about four years. The ride is about 5.5 miles, about 5 of which are uphill with some very tough gradients. As usual, OOS, with his inferior bike (but superior legs) smoked me and left me in the dust. (He kept climbing towards Ein Karem until I called him when I got to the top of Ramat Raziel; it's good to be 26).

I may not be particularly fast up the hills but at least I get up the hills. It was especially tough since I was riding without my shoes and pedals (I was too busy and too lazy to remove my pedals from my bike and take them with me; big mistake in light of all the riding I did) and the fact that I was riding a bike with a compact double with only a standard 12-25 in the back (rather than the 12-27 I use on my bike).

It's amazing how one remembers these hills so well. It was like I had climbed it last week rather than 4 years ago. I guess pain will do that to you.

The biggest hoot of the week (riding-wise) was the descent down Ramat Raziel, which I had never done before. (We didn't have time to do a sivuv up to Ein Karem, Nes Harim and then down back to Ramat Shiloh; that's a fabulous ride but takes about three hours). I'm not one who usually likes to descend but, for whatever reason, I really enjoyed it. Not for the feint of heart and, in one really scary section where the road narrows to one lane, freezing to boot. It was good for a couple of primal screams.

If there aren't enough reasons to live in Israel, living 10k from Ramat Raziel ought to clinch the deal.

2010-01-28T02:56:00.004-05:00

Worse Than Shiny Shoe Music

I was sitting this morning at the Rimon Cafe in the mall outside the Jaffe Gate having a lovely working breakfast. (I have recently bought in heavily to the idea of taking a lap top everywhere I go and hooking into wifi; a little late to the game but not bad for an alter kocker)

They were playing very nice music (including a tune from Mati Caspi from about 35 years ago when I spent a year at Hebrew University that had me going nostalgic). Then they played a pretty song called "Killing Me Softly" by someone whose name escapes me. Suddenly, after a couple of verses, a rapper intervened in the song. The whole rap thing then surrounded the pretty song and totally ruined it.

I've been meaning to post about this phenomenon for a while but haven't had the chance. This morning was the last straw.

What IS this?

I am often subjected to this horror at spin classes. They take classic rock songs and surround them with either a rap or disco beat. I recently went to a spin class where the instructor was a few years older than I. She announced that she would be playing "oldies" from her era and hoped that everyone would get into it. Unfortunately, I was then forced to listen to 45 minutes of this horrible music. I felt myself longing for The Chevra or the Yeshiva Boys Choir! (OK, not really, but you get the point).

There ought to be a law.

2010-01-15T14:12:00.003-05:00

Dumb and Dumber

I've been on the road a lot lately. Last week to Washington, this week to San Francisco and LA.

I assumed in light of the recent airline bombing attempt that the security process would be more painfully stupid than normal.

Until last night, I was pleasantly surprised. All of my flights went smoothly with only the usual silly hassles (I get annoyed every time I have to take off my shoes; even though I usually travel in Naot clogs).

Last night took the cake. I got to the security line at LAX at 8:30 for a 10 pm Red-eye home. It took 35 minutes to get through the x-ray and metal detectors. Among the people the TSA peeps body searched were a blond teenaged girl, a woman in a wheel chair, and an old lady; all highly suspicious characters. When I finally got through the x-ray, they pulled me over because they didn't recognize my tube of hand cream. I had to send my bag through X-ray again.

Ich kenesht.

2010-01-02T19:57:00.003-05:00

Almost Home

In less than 12 hours I will be picking up MHW at JFK.

I have survived!

Truth be told, I very much enjoyed the last four days taking care of and hanging out with The Vance. We had fun, she did not take too much advantage of me, and I don't think I destroyed all of MHW's four-plus years of work (maybe just one). Nevertheless, I will be very happy to see MHW back in charge. I suspect the Vance will be as well.

It's a funny thing. I spend many nights on the road on business. I don't sleep well when I'm on the road but don't feel the loneliness overtly. I'm probably too busy and stimulated to think about it. At home, I feel the loneliness much more but sleep very well in my own bed.

In any event, I look forward to getting up at 5:30 a.m. tomorrow, driving to JFK in the freezing weather and picking up MHW. Well worth it.

2009-12-30T20:00:00.002-05:00

"Mommy Doesn't Let"

I took The Vance to Manhattan today to see Cirque de Sollel. We went for pizza before the performance. I bought a Dr. Pepper along with my slice (I don't usually drink soda but I am still trying to gain a couple of pounds so I drink the stuff from time to time). The Vance didn't want anything to drink but I took an extra cup expecting her to change her mind.

When I offered her some of my soda she said, "Mommy doesn't let".

This is true; except for Shabbos (and then only when we have guests) soda is never made available. I was impressed with the Vance's self control but more so with MHW's mastery of motherhood. Without being preachy or loud, MHW has somehow constructed a paradigm where rules are rules and her word is the law. Kids crave structure and MHW gives it to them in a firm but gentle way (how is that possible?).

(And, as an aside, if regular kids crave structure, how much more so foster kids. Which is what makes MHW a spectacular foster mom).

I am not worthy.

Really. I'm not.

2009-12-29T15:46:00.006-05:00

Random Thoughts

1. MHW must be looking forward to travelling to Israel tonight what with the new TSA procedures in place. I wonder how long it will take her to get through the checkpoint and what other silly things the security people are going to require. They may not even let her through with yogurt (we know the Yoplait
is no good).

2. I get to play Mr. Mom for the next few days. I will try my hardest not to undo all of MHW's hard work with The Vance since last Thanksgiving (when she last went to Israel without me). Burger's Bar, here we come!

3. Try this very funky new Shabbos CD by Yerachmiel and Aaron Razel. Cute article in Arutz Shevah.

2009-12-27T18:35:00.002-05:00

Ouch

This afternoon, The Vance had a play date at our house. I had been out for the first part of the visit but when I came home I said hello to The Vance's friend and asked her her name. She told me her name and then asked me, "are you The Vance's grandpa?"

Ouch. She sure knows how to hurt a guy.

2009-12-26T19:49:00.002-05:00

More Stupid Rules Coming Our Way

In the wake of the attempted on board airline bombing the other day, the TSA has apparently instituted more stupid rules that will make flying for everyone even more unpleasant than it already is.

Instead of biting the profiling bullet and closely scrutinizing those who fit a certain bill, the TSA will now more thoroughly pat down children, prohibit the use of electronic equipment in the last hour of flights (huh?) and not let people get up from their seats towards the end of flights. All this will do is drive travelers even more crazy because everyone knows (including the TSA) that this is not an effective way to prevent terrorism. Mainly, it's just reactive nonsense (like preventing people from bringing in liquids; what a joke!).

Ich kenesht.

2009-12-25T14:58:00.003-05:00

Jews Love To Eat

Jackie Mason always makes fun of the Jews' propensity to eat.

Based on my anecdotal experience in general and specifically this afternoon, I tend to agree, at least insofar as frum Jews are concerned.

Not that there's anything wrong with it.

I took my mom to the Pizza store for lunch this afternoon. Not only was the pizza store packed, but it seemed that many of the eateries in town were similarly crowded. They were crowded when I came and they were crowded when I left.

Shabbos was less than 3 hours away when I left and the places were still packed.

Mi K'amcha Yisrael?

2009-12-23T13:45:00.005-05:00

Baalabatish

On Monday I traipsed back to Philadelphia for another court hearing. I went for two reasons. First, the issue under consideration in court was another one that my firm and industry are focusing on. The second, and main reason, was because I was told that the general counsel of a very chashuva hedge fund (and a new member of my firm) would be testifying. The reason this interested me is that it would give me the opportunity to meet the GC and, perhaps, persuade him to testify at a hearing in February that is of great importance to the industry.

The hearing went well and the GC was a fabulous witness. I got to introduce myself and spend a few minutes with the chashuva GC ("CGC"). Everything went according to plan.

After the hearing, I took a cab to the 30th Street Station to catch the 4:35 Acela Express back to New York. If everything worked out, I would be able to rush over to the LIRR and catch the 6:02 home.

Not.

The departures board at the station noted that the train would be 25 minutes late. No big deal. In fact, since I had scheduled a conference call for 4 p.m., I was happy to spend another 25 minutes in the station since it would make handling that call much easier.

Of course, 25 minutes turned into an hour and forty minutes. This looked bad. But actually, it turned out to be good. Very good.

As luck would have it, I ran into CGC who was also waiting for the train. We started talking, first about business, and then about other things. Turns out CGC is a Mormon. So when I told him I had five kids, he didn't flinch (unlike most people in business who look at me like I have two heads when I tell them that).

We ended up talking for almost three hours. He agreed to testify in February, making my trip a total success. But more than that, he turned out to be an extremely nice man who, despite his great success in business, was very humble and very family oriented and "baalabatish". I couldn't help thinking that this guy was a frum, "Modern Orthodox" Christian. Very serious about his religion, but very much a part of the modern world.

While I know that the Mormons have some strange stuff going on (unlike, say, Jews, whose religious practices are completely understandable and rational), I was impressed with CGC and his family oriented approach to life.

All in all, a very interesting afternoon.

2009-12-22T15:57:00.002-05:00

E-Cards

Is it only me or are you also tired of all the holiday E-Cards?

I'm all for saving trees but these things are annoying. It used to be that I'd get the cards, open them quickly, read them and throw them in the trash.

Now, if you don't open them, the senders KNOW that you didn't open them so you HAVE to open them to prevent bad feelings.

2009-12-20T18:56:00.002-05:00

My GMC Validated

Today was one of those days that occurs about every five years that validates my purchase of a GMC Envoy.

This morning, while others where spending hours digging out their cars, I backed the GMC right out of my driveway and cruised to shul while drivers around me were slipping and sliding.

So it gets 12 MPG; on days like today, I forgive it.

(And, while we're on the topic of snow, there is no doubt that the sanitation department drivers who plow the streets target people who have already shoveled the snow awy from their cars. My other car was plowed in three times today. Maybe I should have bought two GMCs).

2009-12-16T09:31:00.003-05:00

Real Life Moot Court UPDATED

I spent yesterday morning in a Philadelphia courtroom listening to oral arguments in this case. My firm had submitted an amicus (friend of the court) brief in support of the evil hedge funds that own the debt.

Three things were noteworthy. The lead judge rocked. He took control immediately and had an absolute handle on the issues (He is a former bankruptcy partner at a Delaware firm and has a reputation for being a great judge in financial cases).

Second, one of the three judges on the panel attended virtually, through a video hookup. Pretty cool. As my father, z'l, would have said, "America Ganif".

Third, there were about 20 representatives of the Teamsters Union in attendance, in support of the company. The company has been warning the unions that if the evil hedge funds get control of the company, the union will be busted and other terrible things will happen. (Perhaps the company should have thought of that when they borrowed $275 million that they can't pay back).

All in all, a very interesting morning.

And, for me, whose last "court" argument was 33 years ago in law school moot court (a case I lost 2-1 to a very attractive blond; I received the vote of my female writing instructor and my opponent received the two men's votes. I'm just saying), these cases are a hoot. This is the fourth case that I've been involved in since July and we are about to file a fifth. MoChassid: Litigator. Who woulda thunk it.

2009-12-14T18:10:00.002-05:00

Checking In

I apologize to my rapidly dwindling numbers of readers for my lack of attention to this Blog. I have been extremely busy both at work and at home and have had very little time to write. It is not for lack of topics; I have been thinking a lot about a number of topics but that thinking is usually during my spin workouts and I have not been able to execute.

It is unlikely to get any better until, perhaps, the last week of the year. I will do the best I can. In the meantime, best wishes for a lichtig Chanukah.

2009-12-07T14:23:00.002-05:00

Gassing Up: Still the Story of My Life, But With a Twist

If you substitute OMD for OOD, much of this post still pertains today.

The arrangement I have with OMD, the same arrangement I had with OOD and OYS, is that so long as she drops me off at the train station in the morning, and picks me up at night, she can use my car during the day. Thus, I barely get to drive it. And, as I've noted in the past, none of my kids seems to have figured out that the "E" on the gas gage means empty. Or that the lit up picture of a gas tank means you need gas.

So, last Friday, as I drove my car to shul, I noticed that the car gage was, indeed, very close to the "E". I made a mental note to gas the car up on Sunday morning despite the fact that I knew OMD would be driving it on Saturday night (albeit only locally).

I woke up ten minutes earlier and, on my way to shul, stopped at the gas station. I took out my credit card, got authorized and began pumping.

To my astonishment, the car took only two gallons. It then hit me that I hadn't re-checked the gas gage and had just assumed that OMD would not fill up the car on Saturday night. Well, obviously, she had.

Mea culpa to OMD. My constant whining is apparently having an effect.

2009-12-02T17:18:00.001-05:00

Ikvisah D'Mishicha

Tootsie Rolls are now certified by the OU.

2009-12-02T16:40:00.004-05:00

Worrying About "Worrying"

I have recently read a number of articles, mostly on the economy, that used the word "worrying" in a way that I'm not sure is correct. Similarly, I've seen and heard the word "concerning" used in the same, possibly incorrect, context.

"She is worrying about the safety of her job." No problem here.

"The current job trend is worrying" (substitute "concerning" and you have the same issue). Are there such words as "worrying" or "concerning" in this context?

If not, should I care or is this just the way language evolves?

2009-12-01T23:03:00.004-05:00

Black Black and Whites

On Sunday morning, I went to Gourmet Glatt to buy some things for a tikun for my father's yahrtzeit. I bought some herring, some rugalach, a mandel bread and some crackers.

As I was picking up the baked goods at the Zomicks counter, I stumbled upon an all-black black and white cookie.

"It's not possible", I thought. I had been looking for an all black black and white for years. Only once, more than 20 years ago, did I see one (in Boro Park, of all places). And now, right here in my neighborhood, less than ten minutes from home, I can presumably now get one any time I want.

Life is good.

2009-11-30T11:36:00.004-05:00

More Evidence of G-d's Sense of Humor

In the same week that I am helping OMD polish up her essays for admission to seminaries in Israel, MHW and I are meeting with the principal of a girl's elementary school in the Five Towns to help us figure out where to send the Vance to kindergarten next year.

2009-11-29T10:00:00.000-05:00

Five Years

Tonight marks my father's 5th yahrtzeit. It is very hard to believe that so much time has passed since he left this world.

The older I get the more I recognize how much my father influenced me and how many of his characteristics I have. He was always in a hurry. I am always in a hurry. He had little patience for shtick. I have little patience for shtick. He walked fast. I walk fast. And so on.

On Friday, while driving to Baltimore to see OOD and THG, I drove about 75 miles while moderately uncomfortable because I really could have used a pit stop. My father in me made the decision whether to stop a tortuous one. Stopping would set me back from reaching my destination by 15 minutes. On the other hand, I was getting increasingly more uncomfortable. (The fact that, even had we stopped, we would still have had plenty of time before Shabbos, like more than two hours, was not a factor in my decision. Stopping on the road unless absolutely necessary is simply not done). Finally, after thinking about it for more than an hour, I actually laughed, turned to MHW and said, "I'm really insane." We stopped at the last rest stop in New Jersey.

Other than inheriting some of my father's mishagas, I know that I have not measured up to him in many other ways. He was a very good man. A man of principle, a man without shtick, utterly devoid of pretense or guile. He was an incredibly hard worker who felt an absolute responsibility to provide for his family. (If he knew how many Jewish families were, more or less by choice, on welfare or using food stamps, he would be spinning in his grave). I don't think a day passed when he didn't think that he was the luckiest man in the world to have married my mom. He was totally devoted to her. I am lucky to have had him as my dad.

This is some of what I said at the levayah:

It is customary to refer to your father as Avi, Mori; my father, my teacher. That, indeed, was the essence of what my dad was.

He taught us both concrete things and abstract concepts. He taught us to throw a softball and he taught us to be erliche Yiddin. He taught us a love of baseball and he taught us to be menches. He taught us the importance of being physically fit and he taught us the importance of being real. He taught us to swim and he taught us the power of music. He taught us the importance of a smile and a good word. He taught us about the sweetness of Shabbos. He taught us z'miros in three-part harmony. He taught us that it was more important to get out of the Shea Stadium parking lot quickly than whether or not the Mets won. He taught us that if you walk at a fast pace you get to where you are going more quickly. He taught us to give tzedakah in a tzniusdik way. He taught us the importance of being oskai Tzorchei Tzibur B’Emunah. He taught us the importance of being on time, especially for appointments with the Ribbono Shel Olam. He taught that it was not beneath his sons or grandsons to do the laundry, clear off the table or wash the pots. He taught us a love for Eretz Yisrael [and, I should have also said, Medinat Yisrael]. He taught us never, ever, to raise our voices, especially to our loved ones. He taught us how much a person can overcome in life just by force of will and determination.

And, he taught us all this without ever darshaning or giving mussar. Indeed, he taught us all this by hardly saying a word. He taught us all this simply by the way he conducted himself. He understood on a very simple level that he was a Ben Melech, a child of the King, and conducted himself accordingly.

My father was a very special man and we will miss him dearly. I take comfort from the pasuk in Tehillim that I was reading last Sunday night when we thought he was about to leave us. Yodai’ah Hashem Yimai Timmim, V’nachalasam L’Olam Tihiyeh. “Hashem recognizes the days of the righteous and their inheritance will be forever.” The Even Ezra says that nachalasam, the inheritance of the righteous, refers to their children and grandchildren through the generations. The Radak says that nachalasam refers to their olam habah.

May Hashem grant my father the olam habah that he so richly deserves and may he be a meilitz yasher for all of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and all the generations to come.

2009-11-19T15:24:00.000-05:00

An Important Post

By Rabbi Horowitz abd Dr. Twerski

2009-11-19T09:12:00.005-05:00

Tree Killer

I will not be receiving the Man of the Year award from Greenpeace any time soon.

I am working on a bunch of litigation matters and have printed over 600 pages in the last 24 hours.

When they charge me with environmental terrorism I will say that I was just following orders.

2009-11-18T17:10:00.002-05:00

A Preview of The Future...

.... under Pelosi Care

2009-11-12T11:16:00.003-05:00

Inside Seat Or Good Coffee

Today I was presented with a classic dilemma: Inside Seat or Dunkin' Donuts Coffee?

OMD (f/k/a OYD), who recently got her license and has now taken complete possesion of the Camry formely known as My Camry, drives me to the train station every morning.

Here's the problem:

The coffee at the coffee shop at the Woodmere station is, how shall I say?...undrinkable. (How people actually drink that stuff day in and day out is a mystery beyond the scope of this post). While Dunkin' Donuts coffee (available at the Hewlett station) is not at the apex of coffeedom, it is worlds better than the Woodmere stuff.

(An aside: I did not have time to make a cup of far suprior Flavia Sumatra coffee at home).

But, if I go to Hewlett, I give up any chance of getting an inside window seat on a three-seat bench. The inside seat of a three seat bench (on a train that is unlikely to be so crowded that the middle seat gets occupied) is one of life's small pleasures. I roll up into a ball and read my Wall Street Journal. If the nearby yentas get too loud, I put on my Bose Quiet Comfort 3 headphones. Life is good at the window seat.

What would you do?

2009-11-11T12:04:00.003-05:00

Old Men With Spindly Legs

Back in the day when I was a runner, I would often run into guys who can best be described as "old men with spindly legs". These guys were hard core, often doing a few marathons a year and other races almost every weekend. They looked like they were in their sixties and up and all of them had skinny, Olive Oyl legs.

While doing a spin class this morning, I looked in the mirror and I realized that I have become an old man with spindly legs. I've always had Olive Oyl arms, but my legs never used to look like toothpicks.

Sheesh.

2009-11-08T11:55:00.000-05:00

Deathly Political Correctness

It's too early to tell for sure, but all signs point to the fact that the Army received ample warning signs about the Ft. Hood murderer. It also seems that the signs were ignored or not passed on partly so as to avoid offending Muslim sensibilities.

This is a very dangerous path to go down. Radical Islam is not a religion of peace. The sooner we come to terms with that as a nation, the safer we will be.

2009-11-06T08:55:00.002-05:00

The Yankees Win; MoC Suffers

Not because I hate the Yankees. I don't.

This morning at 8 a.m. Penn Station was teeming with Yankees fans of all ages preparing to travel downtown to the parade. It took me twice the amount of time it usually does to get from my train to the street.

Worse, the train ride home this afternoon is going to be awful. Forget about getting a seat. The train will likely be full of the very same people but this time many of them will likely be drunk.

I know. It's all about me.

2009-11-05T13:23:00.006-05:00

Bar Results

New York State's bar exam results were made available today. We have an intern this year (courtesy of a major law firm that is paying her not to work) who took the exam this summer.

She received her results this morning by email. (She passed). Alternatively, her results were availble on-line. All she had to do was log in.

Back in the olden days, when I took the exam, you were notified by mail.

In my case, 29 years ago, I was working for a Wall Street firm (which was, strangely enough, near Wall Street) when I was told by one of my fellow first year associates(who was still living at home) that his mom had called to tell him that he passed.

I lived near the Village at that time so I told my boss I needed to step out. I hopped on the subway, went to my apartment, opened the mail and, voila! That was a very scary moment.

Thankfully, all 13 first year asociates in my firm passed so it was a very happy day at Lord, Day & Lord.

(An aside: The Wikipedia summary of Lord Day & Lord mentions Todd Stitzer, CEO of Cadbury, as a prominent alumnus (Todd was a very nice guy who was a killer tennis player) but fails to mention Ted Ammon, the partner at KKR who was killed by his wife's boyfriend.

2009-11-04T11:26:00.003-05:00

Smart Money

The Five Towns Jewish Star has an editorial about the visit by a Chassidic Rebbe from Yerushalayim to the Five Towns that is scheduled for this week. This Rebbe is the head of a virulently anti-Zionist sect and many of its members were involved in the "parking lot riots" in Yerushalayim this summer.

The gist of the editorial is a question: Why are we welcoming and financially supporting a Rebbe (especially one whose views are inconsistent with the feelings of much of the neighborhood) when people can't pay their tuition or mortgages right here in the Five Towns.

Without even considering the issue of the Rebbe's views (which is not to say it isn't a legitimate question), and consistent with what I've been saying for months, I also question the wisdom of supporting mosdos from outside the neighborhood when our own institutions are suffering mightily.

(Please no comments about the Rebbe or his philosophy; it's not my point and I don't want to go there.)

2009-11-02T12:57:00.002-05:00

Damon's Dash

Just because it was successful doesn't mean it was smart.

Everyone I heard was gushing about Damon's steal of second in the ninth inning last night followed by his mad dash to third when he realized that no one was covering the base (The Phillies had a shift on for the pull-hitting lefty Mark Texeira so their third baseman was covering second).

I think it was a pretty dumb play. Damon would have scored from second on almost any hit to the outfield (and, as it turned out, A-Rod hit a double that might have even scored him from FIRST!). So, getting to third with two outs did not add that much but the risk that he took was immense (especially with A-Rod and Posada the next two batters). As I saw the replay, he didn't miss geting tagged out by very much (at the beginning of the dash; once he got some distance, he was clear of the third baseman).

Can you imagine how the fans and the press would be howling if he had gotten tagged out?

But all's well that ends well for the Yankees. When you are destined to win, whacky plays like this one seem to all work out in your favor. Just don't call it smart baseball.

2009-11-01T17:31:00.003-05:00

Next Year in Jerusalem (On My Bike)

Today was a tough day for me.

Every year on the day of the New York Marathon I feel pangs of regret that I'm not running. This year was especially tough because I actually was entered to do it. (I dropped out because my knees blew up but I would not have been able to do it in any event because of my recent surgery).

I know in my heart of hearts that I will never do another marathon; my knees and ankles are simply not meant to run 26 miles at a time. The fact that I managed two New York Marathons (15 years ago) is miraculous. But I still feel that yearning every year because it is one of the coolest athletic experiences I've ever had.

Making this year even tougher is the fact that the Alyn bike ride also started today and, for the first time in five years, I wasn't doing it. I hadn't planned on doing the ride this year for a number of reasons. For one, my firm's annual conference was last Thursday so I couldn't have gotten to Israel in time for the start of the ride. More importantly, with a four year old, it's just too hard on MHW for me to disappear for at least ten days. Again, as it turned out, I wouldn't have been able to ride anyway. I only started spinning last week.

(Adding to my frustration this morning was the fact that I went to the gym hoping to do a spin class. I hadn't signed up but I'm usually able to get in off the waiting list. Today I was aced out by a bunch of tubby guys who showed up at the last minute but have absolutely no clue how to spin (they should live and be well). Instead, I worked out with weights and then went home and did 45 minutes on my own spin bike. Ich kenesht.

The good news is that MHW and I are thinking about taking the Vance to Israel with us next year for the ride. OYD will be in seminary and, this way, I will only be away for the five days of the ride but will be able to spend the weekends together with the mishpacha. Maybe I can get OOS to join me.

Post script: I heard from one of my buddies that the weather on the ride is miserable.

2009-10-27T08:39:00.002-04:00

Apocalypse Coming

A sure sign that the apocalypse is coming soon: At 8:30 this morning, I passed by the Barnes & Noble on Fifth Avenue and 45th Street. There were at least 30 people standing in the rain hoping to be the first ones in for a book signing by Hulk Hogan that, I assume, doesn't take place for a few hours.

2009-10-26T15:18:00.004-04:00

Fantasy Fluke

Despite my best efforts to lose this past week (playing Eli Manning (4 points) and benching Tony Romo (34 points), etc.), it looks like I'm going to win, thereby raising my record to 4-3.

The truth is my team is mediocre at best and I've stunk, over-dealing and making the wrong moves at almost every turn. The truth is, I'm very lucky to be 4-3. This week, for the second time this season, I would have lost to EVERY OTHER TEAM but the one I played.

Maybe I could go work for the Oakland Raiders.

2009-10-19T14:55:00.002-04:00

Against Moneyball

Interesting article in the New Republic arguing that "Moneyball" doesn't work and that Michael Lewis' praise of Billy Beane was unwarranted. (Hat Tip: Big Brother)

A few thoughts: Billy Beane was, in certain respects, the victim of his own success. Teams with much more money than the Oakland A's (most notably Theo Epstein and the Red Sox and the Yankees) started to implement some of the ideas that Beane promoted. Consequently, the market inefficiencies that Beane tried to exploit were narrowed and teams with more money could pay up for the players that were truly valuable.

(An aside: The Baltimore Orioles of Earl Weaver vintage played "Moneyball" long before the Oakland A's hired Beane. Weaver believed in walking and hitting homers. He rarely bunted and eschewed the idea of "small ball". He was the true revolutionary even though he didn't use computers).

I am not suggesting that Beane was infallible or that all his theories were good. But one would be silly to suggest that there hasn't been a significant change in the way the game is played and players are valued since he came on the scene.

2009-10-15T10:01:00.002-04:00

What's More Annoying? II

A. The guy who blurts out "Mashiv Haruach" in the midle of the silent amidah and thereby distracts you and causes you to lose your place?

B. The guy who blurts out "Shemah Koleinu" in the middle of the silent amidah and thereby distracts you and causes you to lose your place?

I think it's A. At least A thinks he's doing you a favor. B is just being randomly annoying.

2009-10-06T18:56:00.004-04:00

The Wretched Mets

It is hard to do justice to how wretched the Mets were this past year but an article in Vanity Fair (Hat Trick: Big Brother) comes pretty close.

(As I noted in an earlier comment on the Great Joe Schick's blog, things got so bad at Citi Field that, towards the end of the season, I literally could not give away my Mets tickets. And, as an aside, I have to disagree with Mr. Schick. I do not think that "pathetic" adequately describes the Mets. Wretched is much more appropriate).

So, naturally, the Wilpons are bringing management back. Makes a lot of sense.

2009-10-06T12:33:00.003-04:00

Rav Yehoshua Hartman at Aish Kodesh

Rav Yehoshua Hartman, one of the great experts on the teachings of the Maharal, will be giving two shiurim at Aish Kodesh, this Thursday evening, leil Hoshanah Rabah.

The first shiur, at 8 pm will be a retrospective on the thought and teachings of the Maharal on his 400th Yahrtzeit.

The second shiur, at 9 pm, will focus on the Maharal's Torahs on Succos and Hoshanah Rabah.

Men and women are invited.

Please spread the word. Rav Hartman is awesome and it's really worth coming.

2009-10-01T14:28:00.004-04:00

The Case of The Missing S'chach (Or, Another Senior Moment for MoC)

This year, for the first time ever, I did not put up my own Succah. (Indeed, for many years, I put up two succahs; ours and my dad's). Instead, through the efforts of some good friends and a bunch of young men from DRS, our Succah was put up while I convalesced in the hospital. The best I could do was give instructions over the phone.

One of the things I told the guys was not to put up the schach. I first wanted to set up the lights, which I felt I needed to do in person (and, since the succah was put up a few weeks early, there was still plenty of time).

So, yesterday, I called one of my neighbors to help me put up the beams, the lights and the s'chach. He readily came over with two of his sons and in no time we had the beams and the lights up.

I went back to the garage to help bring out the s'chach (bamboo mats to be specific).

They were nowhere to be found.

We looked all over. In the garage. Outside. Gurnisht.

I'm thinking, no one is going to steal s'chach. If they were going to steal anything out of my garage it would be my bike (chas v'shalom).

Then I started thinking.

Did I throw out the s'chach when I took the succah down last year?

I absolutely could not remember doing so.

On the other hand, I know that I've been thinking about replacing the 17-year-old mats for at least three years. They were really ratty and frayed.

After thinking hard about what I happened, the vague memories returned. I remember throwing the mats out last year (I can now picture putting the mats on the sidewalk for bulk pick up) with the idea that it would force me to buy new mats this year when I put up the succah. (Otherwise, I thought, I will just do the easy thing and put them back up for yet another year).

How was I to know that it wouldn't be me putting up the succah and that I wouldn't even be around to "discover" the missing mats?

Thankfully, I didn't wait until Friday to attempt to put the "roof" on. Now THAT would have been interesting.

2009-09-29T19:20:00.002-04:00

No More Junk

I know people are not exactly going to feel sorry for me but I have officially come to the point where I can barely swallow the junk food that I've been forcing myself to eat.

Over the course of the summer and during my recent recuperation, I lost 25 pounds (or 19%) off my normal (massive) weight. I hadn't weighed so little since junior high school.

So, what's a guy to do?

Oreo's. Milanos. Haagen Daaz. At least three times a day. For the past two weeks.

I have to admit, I was digging it. What is better than Oreos, Milanos and Haagen Daaz?

Then, over the past few days, I started to get my strength back. My appetite started to normalize. I started eating bigger meals. Today, I could barely swallow three Oreos. No Milanos. No ice cream. I can't even think about it. Yecchh.

How sad.

Is that violin music I hear in the background?

2009-09-22T23:05:00.003-04:00

Shana Tova and Other Thoughts

I have been dealing with a fairly serious medical situation for the past few weeks so it's been a while since I've posted. Baruch Hashem, I am fine, but the process has been rough and I still have a ways to go.

Although I haven't posted, I gave a fair amount of thought to where I want to go with this blog, influenced, obviously, by what's been going on. I'm still not sure what I want to do but, for sure, I expect to post less frequently, less snarkly, and, perhaps, more seriously and with more focus on specific topics like Jewish communal affairs and the economy. What I eventually decide will play itself over the coming weeks and months.

In the meantime, I extend best wishes for a sweet and happy year and a gmar chasimah tova to all my readers. This year has been an incredibly eventful and happy year for the MoC family with the marriage of OOD to the Holy Goalie, the arrival of our third grandchild (and second grandson) and the adoption of The Vance. We have much to be grateful for.

2009-08-31T12:47:00.004-04:00

The Orthodox SUV: Where It All Went Wrong

During my most recent Shabbos afternoon walk down Central Avenue to visit my mom, it suddenly hit me. I looked into one of the silver stores' windows. This is where it all went sideways. Did we really need Kiddush fountains or was it the hubris that broke the camel's back? Was it the final taunt that took the Aibishter over the top?

2009-08-25T12:16:00.001-04:00

One of the Dumbest Ideas of All Time, II

The Destruction of Wealth

Uncreative Destruction
By the Editors (National Review)

When we talk about government policies destroying wealth, we usually mean taxes that shift money from efficient to inefficient uses. Rarely do we mean the deliberate destruction of valuable assets. Yet, thanks to the Cash for Clunkers program, which ground to a halt yesterday, we now have a visual aid to help with this abstract concept. Mechanics tasked with destroying the so-called clunkers have been posting the videos on YouTube, often muttering in anger as they fill the engines of perfectly good Corvettes and Cadillacs with sodium silicate and then run them until they self-destruct. The goal of the Cash for Clunkers policy is, literally, the destruction of wealth.

To get a sense of how much value the program has destroyed in its short lifespan, keep an eye on used-car prices, which are expected to skyrocket as dealers see their inventory sacrificed to Washington’s green gods. Look also at the 12 percent decline in used cars donated to charity. This is to say nothing of the extra use their owners could have gotten out of them if the government hadn’t subsidized their destruction.

In addition to flushing tangible assets, the program has destroyed wealth in other ways. First, it has added $3 billion to the deficit, which will have to be taxed out of the productive economy at some point. That’s money that won’t be saved, invested, or spent on other goods and services. Second, the $3,500–$4,500 vouchers for new vehicles only covered part of their cost. Buyers covered the rest by borrowing or spending their own money. Some of these buyers would have purchased a new car anyway, but other car owners spent money on new cars they didn’t need because of this policy. These consumers had less money to spend on other consumer goods last month, as reflected by worse-than-expected non-vehicle retail sales. Cash for Clunkers robbed from the taxpayers and the rest of the economy to pay Detroit and a few hundred thousand new-car buyers.

Now that the program has become a furnace for taxpayer cash and an administrative nightmare, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood wants to declare victory and go home. We should deny him peace with honor. He says the program was a success because it boosted new-car sales and helped out the struggling auto industry. This “stimulus” argument is the only leg the program’s defenders have to stand on, as most have conceded that Cash for Clunkers will provide little to no environmental benefit.

The stimulus argument is bunk, too. As mentioned above, the program “boosted” new-car sales by encouraging consumers to direct their money away from other economic uses. One could counter LaHood by noting that the program depressed other kinds of sales and investments. Also, the boost in sales is partially illusory. Car dealers expect their dealerships to turn into ghost towns once the program ends.

As for the “struggling auto industry,” eight of the top ten selling vehicles under the program were Japanese brands. Cash for Clunkers helped Detroit, but most of the money went to subsidize sales at companies that didn’t need help. The Japanese automakers make cars in the U.S., but their non-union workforces helped them avoid the catastrophic cost-structures that doomed Detroit.

In the end, though, one returns to the footage of mechanics pouring liquid glass into the engines of drivable cars and destroying them. There is no better symbol for what happens when the government takes over large swaths of the economy. It is an important image to keep in mind during the health-care debate: We may not get death panels, but we’ll definitely get sand in the gears.

2009-08-21T12:44:00.002-04:00

Scary Smart

I'm currently involved in three amicus (friend of the court) situations where we have or are contemplating filing briefs on behalf of my trade association in support of this or that legal issue.

What strikes me is how ridiculously smart and credentialed some of the appellate attorneys are. We're talking Harvard Law School, clerks for Supreme Court Justices, etc. Scary.

I am a total piker when it comes to them, pure smartswise. Luckily, I survive by using my Yidishe Kup, and Brooklyn street smarts (first four years in Brooklyn; you can never take the Brooklyn out of the boy).

2009-08-20T17:21:00.002-04:00

Little People Not Welcome

The Wall Street Journal writes about the NFL's version of hagbah discrimination.

I could be my shul's James Harrison and the gabbaim would never know.

2009-08-20T09:57:00.003-04:00

Smokestrong

In the category of "you can't make this stuff up", this morning on the LIRR platform, I saw a man wearing a yellow Livestrong wristband while smoking a cigarette.

2009-08-18T16:19:00.003-04:00

El Al: The Worst Website In The World

Once again, I have had nothing but frustration with the El Al website. OYS is going back to Israel tonight and I am trying to check him in on line. I have tried more than a dozen times since last night. Fuggedabodit.

The same thing happened to MHW and me when we returned from Israel a couple of months ago. To add fuel to my frustration fire, as I was standing in line for a half hour waiting to check in, the sign over the check in line said something like "Next time, save time by checking in on line".

They truly are awful.

2009-08-17T17:52:00.002-04:00

Wall Street Cycling Chick

From the Wall Street Journal:

By Reed Albergotti

Evelyn Stevens left a career on Wall Street less than two months ago to pursue professional cycling – a sport she picked up to get some exercise last spring. In one season, she has gone from relative unknown to one of the most promising American cycling talents in years, perhaps decades.

Cyclist Evelyn Stevens had a full-time job on Wall Street just over a year ago. She went from winning regional races in the Northeast in April, May and June to winning top caliber, multi-day races in July, to finishing in second place in the top-level Route de France last week. (Ms. Stevens lost time after crashing during a time trial in that race, hurting her chances for the overall victory.)

The next big question is whether Ms. Stevens will be chosen by USA Cycling’s selection committee to compete in the World Championships next month in Switzerland. It’s a hilly, 77-mile race. Appointment to that team would put her among the top handful of women cyclists in the country, and her inexperience suggests she could still improve tremendously.

2009-08-12T14:27:00.002-04:00

...It's the Humidity

I rode my bike out to Point Lookout early this morning. Nothing new about that other than the fact that for the first time this summer (and I have ridden many hundreds of miles this summer), I rode in humidity. I've ridden in the cold and in the rain, but not in any particular heat and not once in any humidity.

Must be all that global warming.

2009-08-09T14:12:00.006-04:00

Reversion to the Mean

One of the great things about listening to sports radio is the amusement the dopey sportscasters bring me with their utter stupidity. When I tell this to MHW (who knows almost nothing about sports), she can't understand how sportscasters can know so little yet remain on the airwaves.

Two recent examples:

Susan Waldman made perhaps the dopiest comment I've ever heard when, after a batter moved a runner from second to third on a grounder to second base, she said "the Yankees thrive when they play 'small ball'". No, Susan, the Yankees actually thrive when they hit three run homers and crush the ball. They are in first place because they lead the league in OBP, slugging percentage, RBI and runs scored. They lead the league in total bases by 125 over the second ranked team. They are second in home runs and average. They are not in first place because they move runners from second to third with no one out. Nor because they execute sacrifice bunts or hit and runs. Or steal bases (they are 7th). Duh.

But even better is the reaction of virtually every talking head about the Mets "steal" of Jeff Francoeur from the Atlanta Braves. Because he started out on a hitting streak, these dopes made it sound like Francoeur was the next coming of Mickey Mantle. I laughed every time I heard that because I was more or less familiar with his career stats. His lifetime on-base-percentage? .309. Lifetime average? .267. Strikeouts to walks? 487/130. (And this after his first couple of years before the league totally figured him out).

Now that Francoeur has reverted to his mean, perhaps the dumbells will shut up and realize that the Braves aren't as stupid as they think.

2009-08-09T10:44:00.005-04:00

Underwriting the Weather

I woke up at 5 a.m. this morning secretly hoping that it would be pouring so that I could fluff up my pillow and go back to sleep.

Alas, it was not to be. Although it looked shaky out there, it was dry. I checked the weather for Oyster Bay (my best proxy) and it predicted that I would have a window of opportunity from 7 to 10 a.m. So, off to the Vasikin Minyan with my bike in the car and my kit under my clothes. I was on the road by 7:15.

(Sadly, none of the other members of the MMFW bike club had my level of emunah peshutah, so no one else showed at the vasikin minyan. That must be why they call me the Biking Rebbe)

Thirty-two miles later (and never straying more than ten miles from my car), I was done. Beautiful ride.

I take back all those nasty things I said about the weatherman last week.

2009-08-09T10:40:00.002-04:00

Intergalactic GPS

It occurred to me this morning that the Intergalactic GPS system must be off. How else to explain the landing of a number of of beings at this minyan rather than here?

2009-08-05T09:17:00.003-04:00

Mass Murderer

This story blows me away. She is nothing less than a mass murderer.

But the case blows me away less than it might have prior to my grand jury experience.

Of the 60 cases we heard, probably at least a third were DUI cases, most of them involving repeat offenders with very high levels of alcohol or drugs (or both) in their systems. Very scary stuff. I can report that the grand jury had no sympathy for any of those defendants. We voted to indict in every single case, even where a guy was under the influence of a cocktail of prescription pain killers (don't feel bad; I found out later that he was also a serial drunk driver).

(After one particularly egregious case that we heard on the penultimate day, I asked the ADA whether the driver would have to serve time. I was disappointed when she could not assure me that he would).

It is hard to fathom what compels a woman to drive with her own children in the car while drinking the equivalent of ten shots and smoking weed. It was also frustrating to hear case after case of alcoholics and drug offenders (whose licences had frequently been revoked) getting behind the wheel of a car while totally drunk.

2009-08-04T20:52:00.003-04:00

Cash For Fat Wheels

Having extracted $1 billion from taxpayers (soon to be $3 billion) for the wildly successful Cash for Clunkers program, the federal government has just announced an expansion of the program.

At a press conference on Tuesday, President Obama announced a new $1 billion program, BIKES, under which owners of bicycles with fat wheels that weigh over 25 pounds can turn in their clunkers and receive a voucher for up to $1,000 that can be used toward the purchase of new road bikes weighing under 20 pounds.

Obama noted that the moribund United States bicycle manufacturing business needed a stimulus plan of its own and that, since it is much more fun and healthier to ride road bikes rather than fat wheels, this program would encourage Americans to ride more frequently thereby using less carbon fuels. As well, it would result in fewer Americans being obese. This, in turn, would reduce costs for our soon-to-be nationalized health care system.

"A win-win all around", said Mr. Obama. The president also announced a parallel program called "SHORTS" which would permit owners of traditional, baggy shorts to turn them in and receive a $50 voucher towards the purchase of spandex bib shorts (but only if you weigh less than 200 pounds. Nobody wants to see someone who weighs over 200 pounds wearing spandex; spandex is a privilege, not a constitutionally protected right).

2009-08-04T13:41:00.001-04:00

One of the Dumbest Ideas of All Time

Cash For Clunkers

2009-08-04T10:38:00.004-04:00

Scenes From A Wedding

I had the great privilege of attending the lovely wedding of Robert and Karen Avrech's "Offspring Number 3". More about the wedding here.

An outsider might have considered this weird in a way because my relationship with the Avrech's came about solely because of our mutual blogging. It's true that I have also had the opportunity to meet them in person in Los Angeles and have developed a bit of a mentoring relationship with their first son-in-law. Nevertheless, through the relationship of blogging, commenting and many, many emails over the years, I think we have come to consider ourselves yedidai nefesh who relate at a deep level. The sad part for me last night was that MHW, who had been looking forward to meeting the Avrechs, had to bug out because The Vance got pretty sick on Sunday afternoon and we couldn't leave her with a babysitter.

It also happens that I know the Groom's side as well. My brother and sister-in-law are very good friends of the groom's parents and the father is a shtikel bike rider, having done last year's Alyn Ride (albeit not at my sicko madraiga :-))

The wedding was very spiritual (the Chupah was absolutely beautiful, led by nigunim from my chaver, Eitan Katz) while at the same time very wild (what else would you expect when the mesader keddushin is the Holy Levite Shlepper from Jawbone Valley

All in all, a wonderful evening.

May the young couple have endless years of happiness and go on to build a bayis ne'eman b'Yisrael.

2009-08-03T09:54:00.002-04:00

What I Learned in The Grand Jury. Part I

Every single DUI arrest happens in the following way:

Assistant District Attorney: "So, Officer Smith, what did you observe when you approached the driver?"

Officer Smith: "I smelled a strong odor of alcohol, and noticed that the driver had red, bloodshot eyes and his speech was slurred."

It's amazing!

2009-08-02T12:41:00.006-04:00

Kiddush Hashem at Various Venues

The recent nasty news from the Orthodox world has caused me to battle a bout of chalishas ha'daas. In fact, MHW had to gently remind me yesterday not to be so negative and snarky (my term; not hers).

Three thoughts on this as well.

First, my next door neighbor's father passed away on Friday. Baruch Dayan Ha'emes. He was a survivor who, together with his wife, also a survivor, built a new life with four wonderful sons. The family is a walking Kiddush Hashem. Just thinking about them made me feel better.

Second, seeing how the chevrah kadisha and the women of the kehilah sprung into action to make sure that everything was taken care of at the bais avel also made me feel good.

Finally, my experience at the grand jury, which finally ended on Friday, brought home how easy (and important) it is to engage in Kiddush Hashem. I was one of four Jews on the 23 person panel; the only observant one. As such, I was always mindful that I was representing more than just myself. I made sure to always be on time, to treat people with respect (even when disagreeing with them), and to be cordial (without getting pulled in to the prust, inappropriate conversations that often went on over the course of four weeks; my blackberry and computer where helpful tools in avoiding those situations). I brought rugelach and tomatoes from my garden a few times. At the end of the last session, a group of five of the jurors came over to me to thank me for the role that I played on the grand jury. They said I helped clarify thorny issues and was always fair.

All one has to do to create a Kiddush Hashem is be a mentch.

2009-08-02T12:38:00.001-04:00

Unpleasant

One of the least pleasant things that one can do is ride a bike for twenty miles in the rain.

Two thoughts. (1) Never trust the weatherman. (2) Why does it also seem to start raining at mile 19 of a 40 mile ride?

2009-07-30T16:32:00.002-04:00

Ehrlichkeit II

Ich Kenesht.

(Note: People are presumed innocent until proven guilty. I'm not making any judgments, just reporting the next scandal).

It starts with parking in front of other people's driveways to make a mincha minyan.

2009-07-29T23:23:00.003-04:00

Erlichkeit

Last night the Agudah held an emergency asifah at which a number of Rabbanim and Ben Brafman spoke. Ben's speech is available here.

What I found amusing is that at an asifah called in response to the recent shady dealings in Deal, the guy introducing Ben Brafman had to call out two idiots who had parked in front of people's driveways.

Classic.

2009-07-28T19:09:00.003-04:00

And Another Thing....

Never agree to a breathalyzer or blood test to measure your blood alcohol or drug levels (unless you weren't drinking or doing drugs in which case you should have passed the field sobriety test and probably would not be subject to a breathalyzer test).

If you take the test and are really drunk (i.e., your blood alcohol level is something like 0.16 or higher) or full of drugs, you will get indicted for aggravated DUI. If you don't take the test, they probably don't charge you with aggravated DUI because they won't be able to prove it. It's true that you will automatically have your license revoked for a year but if you fail the test that will happen anyway.

Case in point: today we indicted a guy for aggravated DUI because his blood alcohol level was 0.18.

2009-07-26T17:31:00.004-04:00

We Can Relate

This New York Times Magazine article poignantly relates some of the frustrations of fostering (particularly when adoption becomes the goal).

MHW once took care of a drug-addicted infant for a week (while I was conveniently on a business trip abroad) so I'm sure she can relate to this couple who stayed up through the night for three weeks while the baby in question, born to a drug-addicted mother, withdrew (and have raised her ever since).

Although the issue in this case is the gayness of the adopting couple, so many other factors are beyond your control when it comes to fostering to adopt. Pretty powerful stuff.

Hat tip: Tesyaa

2009-07-26T10:32:00.002-04:00

What I Learned in the Grand Jury Room

I have now served three of the four weeks of my grand jury "sentence".

It has been both fascinating and tedious at the same time. It has wreaked havoc on my schedule and I have struggled to keep on top of all the things that are going on at work. It has been very demanding and I feel good about my contribution as a citizen. I am looking forward to the end in five days.

It has also, in many ways, been a huge eye opener.

I hope to post (seriously) about some of my observations but that will have to wait.

Right now, I have a couple of short thoughts.

* If you are driving with drugs, by all means obey all traffic laws. Many of the drug busts we have heard started as routine traffic stops.

* If you are arrested, lawyer up and don't talk to the cops or make or sign any statements until you've seen your lawyer. A very high percentage of the targets of the grand jury have signed self-incriminating statements that give the grand jury virtually no choice but to indict. Haven't these people watched LAw & Order?

2009-07-13T21:59:00.002-04:00

Stop The Music

Please!

I went to Brach's after court today. Instead of the regular horrid shiny shoe music one is normally subjected to, I was inundated by even more horrid shiny shoe acapella music.

Would it kill them to just shut the music off for three weeks? Isn't that part of what the Three Weeks is supposed to be about?

Ich kenesht.

2009-07-13T08:52:00.000-04:00

MoC on Arbis

In the Jewish Star

2009-07-10T03:40:00.002-04:00

Pros and Cons of Jury Duty in July

Pros:

1. I wear my Naot with Thorlo sweat socks all day every day and no one cares
2. I wear my khakis all day every day
3. I ride my bike to Point Lookout every morning at 6 a.m. and am still at my computer by 8:15 am
4. No LIRR for a month
5. No City streets for a month
6. Some interesting stuff going on in court (although it may get stale real soon)
7. July is a relatively slow month at work; any other time would have been horrible
8. I'm home by 5:30 pm or earlier (albeit still working)

Cons:

1. In order to ride my bike I have to get up at 4:30 a.m.
2. I'm working (for my job) on my computer and BB before, during and after Court hours
3. Ridiculous amount of downtime; the waiting never ends

All in all, it could be a lot worse

2009-07-09T08:07:00.003-04:00

Grand Jury

There are many things I would like to post about but I have been selected for grand jury duty in Nassau County and will be sitting for the entire month of July. The grand jury meets every day from 10 to 5 and I manage my real job before and after court (and every spare free moment of the day, of which there are many). So, it is unlikely that I will be posting much for the remainder of the month.

I won't leave without noting the breakup of HAFTR and Rambam which is the result that I expected three years ago when this Frankenstein's Monster was originally dreamed up. At that time, I posted about how dopey an idea it was, got huge grief from many parties and then deleted the posts because (a) I just couldn't be bothered, and, (b) I felt conflicted because I once helped run HAFTR before a number of geniuses who knew better pushed us out and managed to run it into the ground).

It's good to see that there appears to once again be adult supervision at HAFTR. It may still be too late, but at least they seem to understand how misguided the Machon Hatorah experiment was. My advice to the new administration al regel achas: Fess up to the fact that you are a left wing MO school and run the place accordingly. You might be able to survive in that sweet spot.

2009-06-28T11:16:00.001-04:00

Secular WQ Plunges

With the passing of the strangest man in the history of the world, the world's WQ has plummeted.

I'm just saying.

2009-06-25T09:40:00.002-04:00

What's More Annoying?

Perhaps this will be the first in a series of posts. The possibilities are endless.

What's more annoying?

The guy from Longgiland who went to an MO school but now davens for the amud with a fake Israeli accent or the guy from Longgiland who went to an MO school and then Yeshiva for a couple of years and now davens for the amud with the whole Yeshivish "oy" thing going?

Tough call.

2009-06-24T16:47:00.002-04:00

Huge Upset in Soccer

U.S. defeats Spain in Confederation Cup semifinal.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

2009-06-22T12:44:00.003-04:00

Raz Hartman* in the Metro Area

Please welcome Rav Raz Hartman for 3 nights of inspiration, live music & chizuk...

Sunday July 5th - Woodmere, NY

Hosted By: The Gerber Family, 325 Howard Ave, Woodmere NY
8pm / $15

Monday July 6th -Teaneck, NJ

Hosted by: Rapps Family, 1499 Sussex Rd. (Corner of Warwick), Teaneck NJ @ 8pm / $15
Info: Sruli - (551)795.0508 / srulirapps@gmail.com

Tuesday July 7th- Camp HASC
361 Parksville Rd., Parksville NY 12768 (NYS Thruway, Exit 99) @ 9:15pm / $15
(Separate Seating)
Directions: http://www.hasc.net/camp/contact.php

*Raz Hartman is a Rebbi at Yeshivat Simchat Shlomo and Rav in Nachlaot, Jerusalem. He is a gifted teacher, (specifically of Rebbe Nachman & Rav Kook), and is an exceptionally talented composer as well. His beautiful Niggunim are unique in their depth and sweetness. Please join us for an evening (or three!) of inspiration. Bring your friends, and help us show our support for a dear friend and very special Marbitz Torah. [MoC's thoughts: Raz Hartman's CD is very special (albeit very difficult to actually get one's hands on). I am looking forward to seein Rav Hartman in person)

For more info, click here.

2009-06-21T21:45:00.002-04:00

Pass the Ginger, Please

This afternoon we had lunch at my in-laws to celebrate Fathers Day. Among the things my MIL served was sushi. The Vance, who just turned four, specifically asked for fish sushi, tuna in particular.

After I put a couple of pieces of tuna roll on her plate she asked, "pass the ginger please!"

2009-06-19T11:16:00.004-04:00

Round Wedding Hall. Coincidence?

I think not.

Last night we attended the wedding of one of the daughters of our Rebbe. Not surprisingly, the WQ at the wedding (which, ironically, was quite normal and nice) was off the charts; perhaps the highest ever recorded in history.

It occurred to me that it was very thoughtful of our Rebbe to host the wedding at the Sands of Atlantic Beach. The Sands is in the shape of a circle and I'm sure the Rebbe realized that many of his guests would be more comfortable in a setting that resembled the space ships in which they traveled to the wedding.

2009-06-18T14:32:00.002-04:00

Rain; No Game

This weather is really starting to p*ss me off!

Bad enough that it's virtually impossible to ride my bike (although I did sneak in a 46 miler last Sunday morning), the rain followed me to Chicago during my recent road trip.

I had scheduled meetings and a speaking gig for Tuesday/Wednesday knowing that the Cubs were playing the White Sox at the Friendly Confines. I had scored bullpen box seats for Tuesday night through one of my law firm contacts and was all set to enjoy a nice baseball game at the coolest park in the Majors. A nechter g'toog.

It poured all day Tuesday, into the night. They postponed the game. Bummer.

(Another sign that the Aibishter runs the world).

I am now trying to think up a reason for why I have to go back to Chicago in September when they rescheduled the game.

2009-06-12T09:45:00.004-04:00

Comfort Level

As a ~~Kean~~ Keen Observer Of The Human Condition, it occurred to me the other day that most people need to have a certain level of comfort before they will either go over to someone in shul and tell them their tefillin are misaligned, or, harder, tell them that they are mispronouncing a word (words!) as shliach tzibur.

I saw the former happen twice this week and in each case it was a good friend who approached another and adjusted his tefillin. When I was saying kaddish (and davening for the amud) on a couple of occasions people I'm close with pointed out pronunciation errors. I was grateful for the corrections. I'm not sure how I would have felt had a complete stranger pointed out my mistakes.

On the other hand, on a daily basis I hear shlichai tzibbur botch the Ivra. Since I've been davening mornings at my other shul, where I am not friendly with many people, I have not said a word. In the past, at my primary shul, I haven't hesitated to gently point out errors after davening.

And then, of course, there are the hockers who will say anything to anyone. Perhaps they are doing us all a favor by being nudniks.