NOBODY
ASKED ME BUT.......
1)
Rosh Hashonah is past but
the piece in the NY Times about the Rabbi who encouraged people to “text” their
thoughts (“texting” ---a new verb) seems
a bit over the top. Here is a
thought---cancel the service and “text” the Diety your thoughts---he is
probably up to date and you don’t have to
sit through a boring prayer service.
2)
It is strange to have heard
(before his well deserved down-fall) Rick Santorum’s comment about Pres.
Obama’s “snobishness” since it was out of context (what else is new) and the
humble Mr. Santorum graduated from Harvard---who needs college? Right?
3)
I am glad to see the way
Michael Oren is handling his ambasadorship.
What a delight to have had him on my program (Tabletalk)(WFDU) all
those years back---and he spoke of his ideas---
just as he is pursuing them now---and his hero---Abba eban.
Admittedly, his tale of Eban and his involvement is the negotians with
an earlier White House may influence his actions today. In any case---an honor and a delight to have
sat down with him. I do believe that you can catch him in conversation at
certain synagogues (or JCCs) that telecast the proceedings from the 92St Y
“Conversation” series.
4)
Irving Cohen died at age 95
and I loved part of his obit in the NY Times----longest serving Maitre D’ at
the Concord (over 60 or so years—they closed) but I truly enjoyed the story of
a husband threatening to sue the hotel because his wife choked on a tag from a
Kosher chicken that had not been removed---he quickly got the name of the
person and announced a winner for the contest to find the tag on the chicken
with a Champagne bottle as a prize.
That alone should inscribe in the name of the great “tumlers”.
5)
One does have to keep
current. Do I believe that Romney won
the debate? Since it was not what is
truly defined a debate but, rather, a multiperson interview I would say that
there really is no winner. That said, I
add that his stage presence was excellent, his teflon like presentation was
excellent and, surprisingly, Pres. Obama did not rise to the occasion with his
usual public persona on the campaign trail.
6)
Television has certainly
changed our views of debates or confrontations on a given subject. Going back to Nixon/Kennedy it seems that
“image” is what counts and, admittedly,
Romney’s image truly surpassed anything from before. Substance.
That is a whole different topic and, hopefully, Pres. Obama can finally
expound on that subject as the professor he comes across as. Yes, he is not what we all expected but he is a
lot more than what we had. Mr. Romney is
someone I would trust as far as my broker when he says he is thinking of my
financial best interests and not his commissions.
7)
On the celebrity beat I am
delighted that Seth McFarlane is going to host the Academy Awards. This might make me actually stay tuned in
for more than 30 minutes---and I do expect to hear Stewie and Brian give some
salient commentary.
