Junior High Cit Ed Refresher Course... with new things you might want to know.

What used to be Jerusalem Avenue Jr. High

I do believe this lesson bears repeating as we round third base to election day. Just so you understand the terms floating around you. Understand which government you want should impact your vote. Knowledge is power. I hope.

Seventh and eighth grade social studies, at least at the now defunct Jerusalem Avenue Junior High, was called Cit Ed...short for citizenship education. In hindsight, these were by far and away the most important classes I ever had in either junior or senior high school. We learned US history, New York State history, and how our federal and state governments are supposed to work. Yeah, there was a certain amount of indoctrination going on, but the lessons about government and the separation of powers has stuck with me forever. So, let's have a review of what kind of governments are out there.

The United States is supposed to be a constitutional federal republic operating as a representative democracy. This means: 

1. power is divided between the federal and state governments
2. The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the land
3. The federal government has three working branches:
• the legislative - Congress
• the judicial - The Supreme Court
• the executive - The President, Vice President, cabinet, et al

Communist countries are few and far between since Communism as a form of government is difficult to manage. China, Cuba, Laos, and North Korea are pretty much it. 

Communist governments have:

1. One party rule
2. Collective ownership: State owned major industries, resources, and agriculture on behalf of the public.
3. Social and Media Control: Information, mass media, and civil liberties like free speech or religious expression are heavily regulated

Democratic Socialism is a left-wing political and economic philosophy that advocates for political democracy alongside a socially owned or heavily regulated economy. Their stated goals are:

1. Democratic Control: Emphasizes that both political and economic life should be run democratically, aiming to replace what adherents view as the "dictatorship of capital" with worker and community self-management (TIME Magazine)
2. Abolition of the Profit Motive: Advocates for replacing capitalism with an economy driven by social needs rather than corporate profit, (TIME Magazine)
3. Social or Collective Ownership: Long-term goals often include placing key economic drivers—such as utilities, healthcare, and transportation—under public or cooperative control rather than private ownership. (Democratic Socialists of America)

And just to be clear, countries like Denmark and Sweden are NOT democratic socialist governments. No, and they are very clear about that. They are SOCIALIST democratic countries and therein lies a HUGE difference. 

If you get Social Security or Medicare or Medicaid, you are using that very social democratic kind of safety net. Same with SNAP benefits or health insurance through your state program. In a truly capitalist country, these things would not necessarily exist. 

Social democracy emerged in the late 19th century as a response to the challenges of inequalities of the existing class system. They do not seek to abolish capitalism or private property, favoring instead an economy that leverages the economic engine of a free market. Social inequalities of capitalism can be remediated through high taxation, social safety nets (like universal healthcare and public education), and strong labor laws. (Politics Stack Exchange)

1. The Welfare State: Advocates for government-funded public services to ensure a basic standard of living for all citizens.
2. Progressive Taxation: Promotes a tax system where higher earners pay a larger percentage of their income, redistributing wealth to fund public programs and curb extreme inequality.
3. Market Regulation: Supports private enterprise but emphasizes strong labor rights, minimum wages, and environmental regulations to protect workers and society 
4. Democratic Process: Believes in achieving these goals entirely within the framework of a representative democracy.

These days, however, the Democratic Socialists are sucking up all the air in the room, effectively shutting down any sort of debate about what they actually stand for. It's pretty well established they have an unwritten purity test to determine if you can be a part of their movement. Candidates are expected to adhere without question to the following planks in the platform:

1. Health care for all through a single payer system
2. Support for the New Green Deal 
3. refusal to accept any campaign money from corporate PACs or fossil fuel executives.
4. Opposition to foreign military interventions, significant cuts to the defense budget, and support for ending military aid to Israel.

And #4 is where the buck stops. Not just for Israel, but for all the arms industries in the US the Israelis are required to use. No sales, no profits. Who are they really hurting?

In addition to ending military aid to Israel, they have also adopted an "anti-Zionist" plank: 

• Anti-Zionism: The DSA views Israel's character as a Jewish state as inherently exclusionary and officially supports the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
• Denial of Israel's right to exist or the recognition of Jews as indigenous to Israel. 
• Right to Return: The organization advocates for the realization of full Palestinian self-determination and the right of return for refugees, actively supporting protests that use the slogan "from the river to the sea".
• Expulsion Rules: At its national convention, the DSA passed resolutions establishing that promoting or supporting the State of Israel constitutes an expellable offense for members. 

This means, in no uncertain terms, our indigeneity, our right to live in our own homeland, is not permitted under their rules. Their support for "the river to the sea" supports Hamas' goal to exterminate Jews wherever they live. This is not just about Jews who live in Israel; this is open season on Jews in London, Paris, Brooklyn, and in every city in the world. 

Can you imagine what would happen if you tried to tell the French that they are really Italians because Caesar once conquered Gaul, thereby wiping away their language, their culture, their cheese, their wine, and the pastries????? Good luck with that. 

But somehow, it's okay to do to Jews. Because that's what they're telling us: that 5000 years of recorded history in one language (still spoken today) with front and forward archeological evidence in literature (i.e. the Bible,) on tombs and headstones, walls, coins, and paving stones means nothing. Never mind one of their own BIG guy was born in Judea, spoke the language, read the texts, and died because he was a Jew going against the status quo of Rome. 

Nah. Don't look here! Look over there at that purple elephant! 

Let me put this in a way everyone can understand: IT IS NOT ABOUT THE LAND. IT IS ABOUT WE, THE JEWISH PEOPLE.

from tonight's event. 

When they welcome guys like Hasan Piker into their rallies, We, the Jewish People, have to recognize that they are both actively and covertly advocating for the death of Israel and all Jews. Those crowds don't seem to understand the colonization of North Africa and the Levant was a real thing that marginalized all minorities. They still  have cells of LGBTQ+ advocating on behalf of Gaza, not quite grasping the idea that if they actually went there, they would be subject to the death penalty. Just ask Patti LuPone how her gay cruise was welcomed in Türkiye and Egypt, both Muslim countries that actively suppress and criminalize homosexual behavior. Good thing they didn't try to visit Gaza where homosexuality is punishable  by death. Often off a rooftop. 

And that's what they support. Hardly sounds like truth, justice, and the American way. 

Then there's Ilhan Omar welcoming Piker with open arms at Theatre in the Round. Yep. You read that right. This debacle was held at TRP. I don't know about anyone else in this theater community, but that sure as hell makes me queasy. Or maybe it's just another permutation of artists hating Jews. This is, after all, Minneapolis where Jews had to build their own hospital, Mount Sinai, because the others wouldn't grant Jewish doctors privileges, Jews weren't welcome in the local AAA. Welcome to Minnesota?

In a statement to FOX 9, Omar's campaign offered this explanation for why she and Fateh invited Piker to town:

Early voting among people under 40 is down, and we need to do everything to get young people to the polls. The Congresswoman knows the Democratic Party is a Big Tent party, and she's excited to join Senator Omar Fateh's event to mobilize young voters and get them to vote in this critical midterm election.

Which roughly translates to: if you hate Jews, it's okay because we hate 'em, too.

Not to worry, Ilhan and Omar, we got the message loud and clear. 

But here's the  thing: Peggy Flanagan dances around the same pole, as does Matt Little who's running to fill Angie Craig's seat. They're not as blatant as Omar, but none of them are jumping up to recognize our indigeneity on that strip of sand called Israel, or even our right to live in a place where a 3000 year old tombstone can be read by any Israeli kid because they're in the same language we speak today. 

I'm going to be doing a lot of nose-holding when I vote. Part of me asks, why bother? but the other half worries about our bodies, our selves, and our Constitution if we don't get out the vote. Either way, you're dancing with devils who basically want us to disappear.

The ads are disgusting, vile, manipulative, and are pretty much bullhockey all the way across both platforms. We are rapidly losing our democracy to whoever can buy a congressclown or two or three or four. It's not just Bezos and Musk who are undermining our long cherished right to elect a government, it's the government itself who actively attempts to deny We, the People the right to have our votes counted.

Not that it matters in the end. If Feckless President Felon doesn't like the projections, he will try to stop election day. And if he can't do that, he will order federal henchmen to snatch ballots and voting machines. And if that doesn't work, he'll just declare the election corrupted and void. You can be sure the lackeys in congress and SCROTUM...I mean SCOTUS... will allow him to do that. 

Talk to me on November 4th.

The Wifely Person's Tip O'the Week

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

The screening of THE DARKEST LIGHT

is on Wednesday night at 6:30

at Walker/West Music Academy on Marshall Ave in St Paul.

Click here for tickets.

This is the official trailer.

Stuff is coming to Minnesota. Not all of it good.

No, I don't mean winter. 

Apparently, Hasan Piker is coming to Minnesota. He was invited to attend an event with Omar Fateh (who is running unopposed for state senate) and Congressclown Ilhan Omar. Now, when someone is running for office, they can appear with anyone they want, and in this particular case, since he's running without opposition, I'm guessing he can say anything at all without someone complaining about it. In this case, however, Hasan Piker isn't just anyone with an opinion; he is a well established hate monger. Not content to complain about Israel, he goes much beyond the boundaries of what one might think is civil discourse to be had in an election. The invitation is just an opportunity for him to espouse his usual hate-filled rhetoric, it becomes a tacit endorsement of his position by two legislators, one of whom serves a congressional district where Jews live.

Not all Minnesotans have been silent. TC Jewfolk, as usual covered the proposed even thoroughly:

The decision to welcome Piker has drawn condemnation from both Rep. Angie Craig. and Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Craig, who lost the Democratic Senate primary in August to Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, said: “As Democrats, we constantly criticize the far-right for their incendiary and discriminatory politics, but we need to hold ourselves to the same standard. Hasan Piker’s rhetoric is polarizing and dangerous, and embracing him as a party is a mistake. I am disappointed that Minnesota DFLers are hosting an event with him here.”

I'm not gonna attempt a history lesson here because frankly, I'm not in the mood, but I wonder about a sitting congressclown's willingness to share a stage with someone who routinely calls another ethnic group. Here's just one quote from Piker take from an interview with Congressclown Rashida Tlaib at the Democratic Socialist of America national convention in August of 2025:

Zionism is an exterminationist ideology built around ethnoreligious supremacist values. So, when people say, like, ‘oh well, you know, I'm a liberal Zionist…I want there to be a Jewish ethnostate.’ I'm like, okay, like, what do you mean? It's like saying you’re like a liberal Nazi, you want an Aryan majority ethnostate? Like, what are you talking about?

Draw your own conclusions. If he spouted his signature rhetoric at any other group, there would be burning effigies. But he's saying heinous things about Jews, so there you go. 

I am so freaking tired of writing impromptu history lessons for people too stupid to good something like a timeline. I'm tired. And worst of all, I'm bored by having to do this bull-hockey over and over. 

And just so you know, I'm already well-repulsed by Ilhan Omar ....but I still think siccing the DoJ on her yet again criminal use of the department. Go figure that out. 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch....

I'm getting ready for the Minnesota screening of THE DARKEST LIGHT October 28 at the Walker West Music Academy in Saint Paul. A few people have asked me if I think this makes "us" look bad, and that the antisemites will latch on to this film as an example of our moral depravity. Obviously, I said, "No, it does not." If anything it is timely and supports the need for transparency even in the worst of times. 

Since I'm intimately involved with the documentary (it's taken up four years of my life, and yes, I'm in it) I figured I should let you see a bit of what others have written:

From Norman Gidney of MuseTV:

The Darkest Light is one of those documentaries that will haunt you long after it’s over. It follows the problematic legacy of Rabbi and musician Shlomo Carlebach who rose to fame on a message of love and light, only to be posthumously accused of being a predator and pedophile. Director Simon Mendes and writer Aimee Lyde pull focus on Carlebach‘s daughter Neshama Carlebach who is forced to reconcile the father she knew with the human that he was. We also consider just how personal the process of trauma recovery is. There is no right answer, only a positive direction.

From Jeremy Fogelman of Hotchka.com:

For her part, Neshama [Carlebach] says she believes the victims, but doesn’t want that to be the full definition of who her father was — this is certainly a pivotal aspect of the documentary, because it’s hard to acknowledge anyone else that was as deeply, personally connected to the positive aspects of Carlebach’s life. Thus her grappling with the darkness is a compelling one, and the documentary implies a judgment on the past. 

From David Wilensky for the Jewish News of Northern California

At the beginning of the film, his daughter lays out the stakes, asking: “What do you do when there’s someone that you really love and then you find out they did something, or some things, that were really terrible?”   

That question is at the heart of both the film and Carlebach’s legacy. And it’s not just a dilemma for his daughter. It’s a dilemma for Jews around the world who love, or loved, his music and his teachings. Some dodge the question, refusing to believe the allegations or taking refuge in the idea of separating art from artist. But the film itself is a persuasive argument that it’s their dilemma too and that they should face it, whether they want to or not.

And from Neshama Carlebach herself, as published in The Blogs of the Times of Israel:

We grow when we learn to live in the uncomfortable space between truths, resisting the urge to turn people into saints or sinners. 

Both can be true. 

And yet complexity must never become an excuse for moral confusion. Holding two truths does not mean that they carry equal moral weight. Love does not excuse harm. Admiration does not erase accountability. And acknowledging what was beautiful does not require us to minimize what was wrong. 

To deny either side, though, is to deny a piece of our own experience. Perhaps becoming whole means having the courage to hold all of it, and to allow some of the tension to remain unresolved.

The road traveled to make this film possible has not been without its moments of utter desperation. Simon Beychok-Mendes has done a remarkable job in threading this very narrow, complex needle, somehow managing to balance the film between the good, the bad, and the exceptionally ugly. We had endless conversations about what this movie is supposed to be about...and in the end, it is, at least for me, about what is to be done about the music. 

Trust me when I say this is not an easy decision. My grandson has been known to endlessly hum AM YISROEL CHAI, and for the last two decades, my walking pace-setter just happens to be a Carlebach Hallel nigun. And no, I did not realize it was Carlebach when it started rattling around my head 20-some odd years ago. If you can get my brain to scrub that earworm, I'll be your best friend. Lord knows, I've tried, but the damn thing keeps coming back OVER my playlist. 

After the Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival, we are at the Santa Barbara Jewish Film Festival, then the Rutgers Jewish Film Festival before we head into the city for Doc NYC, probably the most important documentary festival in the country. We sold out our Sunday, November 15th screening two weeks ago, so a second screening has been scheduled for November 18th. Click here for more information. As more festivals are added, the list will be updated. 

I want everyone to see this film not just because I'm in it (which is bonus enough) but because of how the subject is handled. I am so proud to be a part of THE DARKEST LIGHT. 

The Wifely Person's Tip o'the Week

If you can, vote in advance in person.

Don't rely on the postal service to get your ballots in.

This is serious stuff; don't screw it up 

Limp D¿cks Sink Ships

Earlier this month, an 8 foot statue of our illustrious President Felon was installed at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. Like the place formerly known as the White House, President Felon is covered in 23 karat gold leaf clutching a tiny scale and a large golf club. The sculpture, by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt, is entitled THE ORANGE PLAGUE. At the base of the stature, is inscribed a satirical pledge: 

The King of Injustice: I am sitting on the back of a man. He is sinking under my burden. I will do anything to help him. Except stepping down from his back.

Galschiøt, in explaining the work, issued a statement:

Trump represents one of the greatest threats to the rule-based world order, democratic values, and our common effort to solving the climate crisis, We must address this issue and stand together against such destructive influence.

Galschiøt explained on his website:

Inspired by The Emperor's New Clothes

The sculpture is inspired by H. C. Andersen’s tale The Emperor’s New Clothes, in which a vain ruler parades naked, believing him-self dressed in the finest garments. The illusion — sustained by fear and flattery — endures until a child cries out, “He’s not wearing any clothes” - and the emperor becomes a figure of ridicule.

Trump is covered in 23-carat gold leaf

This symbolizing a world where wealth, privilege, and power are reserved for himself and his inner circle. Like Andersen’s emperor, he believes the gold makes him great. It merely makes his nakedness shine brighter.

Why Donald Trump?

Donald Trump is back in the US where he is undermining the climate efforts, rolling back hard-won progress, and even destroying the scientific data that documents it. Worse yet, he is using power and economic pressure to discourage other nations from pursuing green initiatives — thereby weakening the global fight against climate change. Nations as well as NGOs are afraid to openly raise the subject on how to deal with Trump and his policies, fearing tariffs, fund-cuts, deportations or the like. As an independent art workshop we are not restricted by such bonds. This sculpture has been made to address "the elephant in the room" and start a necessary debate of how the US is destroying the world's only chance to counter the climate catastrophe and a debate on how stand up against him. 

It's not the first naked Felon we've seen, and I doubt it will be the last. But you gotta admit, Galschiøt is right: we have to address this grotesque elephant in the room because it's not just climate he is bent on destroying, it's the government of these here United States.

He makes announcements and pronouncements that are meant to bolster his rock-dropping numbers. He's gonna buy our votes for a promised $5000 if the GOP keeps Congress Republican? Who's paying for that? He's running these ridiculous ads PAID FOR BY MONEY DIVERTED FROM GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS despite an order to cease. On his orders, they chopped down over 500 trees on a public golf course he says he's re-doing despite federal judge Ana C. Reyes ordering them to do nothing until "major changes were disclosed before the work began. Let's not forget his crew of questionable appointees: Hegseth, Gillfoyle, Kash Patel? They give the phrase feeding off the government teat new meaning.

The limp d¿cks are occupying not just Congress, but the Supreme Court as well, has more than guaranteed that if the election is not to his liking, he will upend it. Right now, we have the longest lasting national democracy that has ever existed as an independent nation. SCOTUS has permitted new mail-in ballot restrictions , Follow the link if you want to read more about how they are working to stymie the vote. 

And in a wag-the-dog moment, that gas deal with Putin is total bullhockey and it's not the first time he'd claimed he has an "energy ceasefire for diesel which, according to both Zelenskyy and Putin, he does not. Not to mention, importing Russian oil is illegal since 2022, as per US law . Putin is jerking his strings while he lets the whole world know he has a strong hand in controlling what comes out of Feckless Felon's mouth. 

Meanwhile, his ongoing weaponization of the DoJ reared an especially ugly head this morning when they raided a sitting Congressperson's home. I am in NO WAY a fan or supporter of Ilhan Omar and think she's the worst congressclown in the House, but she was elected. And if, after all these years of trying they have not found any immigration irregularities, you can bet someone is in a back room using AI to create some. 

It has never been more true that we elect the government we deserve, and if we elect a GOP congress to keep him in power, we deserve to become the totalitarian dictatorship waiting in the wings. While we might have the longest lasting national democracy as an independent nation, we won't have it much longer. We are on the cusp of the demise of our system of government. The administration's attempts to disenfranchise voters and control elections should be sending warning bells clanging in all our heads. 

The only thing to do is vote. I don't care too much who you vote for, but vote. If we keep a GOP congress and the Dems take a bath, then that's the government we deserve. If the Dems look like they are the clear winners, wait for the overturn, but that will be the end of Constitutional America as we thought we knew it. 

The Wifely Person's Tip o'the Week

If you wanted to see me at THE DARKEST LIGHT at Doc NYC,

you're out of luck.

We are sold out.

There will be a second screening on Wednesday, November 18th,

but I won't be there. 

Go anyway. You need to see the movie.

When Punctuation Is An Excuse. Not.

            The Nova Massacre Scene

     (photo : Arie Leib Abrams/Flash90)

October 7th is on Wednesday. For most of my life, October 7th meant Andrea's birthday, but for the last 3 years, that observance has been overshadowed by the Hamas massacre. It began with a barrage of 4,300 rockets launched into Israel. Followed by para-glider and vehicle incursions. An estimated 6,000 terrorists took part in the attack. Approximately 1,200 people were murdered that day, including 364 who were dancing at a music festival. Many were murdered in their pajamas when their homes were invaded.  Hamas recorded what they did and proudly showed the world the rapes, the murders, the kidnappings as they occurred. Some used the phones of their victims to show their families how they cowered and died. 

But you know all  this, don't you? And you're probably tired of hearing about it. I know I'm tired of writing about it. But that fatigue doesn't do shit for the reality on the ground, does it? In fact, I would guess that the fatigue is exactly what the Hamas PR machine wants: people so tired of hearing about Israel that they can manipulate the narrative away from the reality of a massive attack on sleeping kibbutzniks to turn it into something else entirely.

Jew hatred isn't new nor is it news. There is always someone willing to align anything with a reason to hate Jews. Most recently, it's punctuation. Yeah. You read that right. Did you know that punctuation turned Hebrew from a written to a spoken language developed to colonize and oppress people? I kid you not. A new book by Florence Hazrat, On the Mark: From Periods to Interrobangs, How Punctuation Remade the World, claims exactly that. I cannot improve on Peter Himmelman's brilliant column about this, hence, I shan't even try: 

Hazrat’s book is a history of punctuation—or some punctuation, since it barely mentions the apostrophe, the serial comma, or quotation marks. “On the Mark” is a “the X that changed the world” book, which is a popular genre. Its claim is that “the history of punctuation is the history of humanity.”

This ambition inevitably leads to overreach. If punctuation played a role in everything, what about, say, the war in Gaza? Hazrat finds a link. “Punctuation marks in Hebrew,” she explains, “are relics of a brutal colonial system that is far from over.” Adding punctuation turned Hebrew into a spoken language, “paving the way for an artificial sense of unity among Jewish people from all over the globe, encouraging them to move to the land that already had people—a people made to suffer and bear the brunt of European anti-Semitism in the most horrendous ways for generations.”

Excuse me? Is this woman on crack? Despite having an entire alphabet soup of degrees, she apparently had some cosmic event where she forgot that the original language of Torah is Hebrew and has been since the beginning. Is she thinking Hebrew is only to be admired and never spoken? Clearly, she never been to services on Shabbat or any other morning. 

All things considered, using punctuation to demonize a language is ridiculous overreach. And claiming punctuation moved Hebrew to be a spoken language is even more ridiculous since our liturgy and commentary texts are all in Hebrew.  And how she concluded Jews were not indigenous to that land is beyond comprehension.  What isn't beyond comprehension is the new wave of antisemitism that is promulgated by disseminators of news like The New Yorker, the BBC, The New York Times, and a myriad of others who claim to be reporting the facts when, in fact, they're not even checking the facts. The New York Times' long history of bogus and bullhockey headlines where Israel is automatically villainized is indictment enough. One would think the people of New York would be entitled to journalists actually doing their jobs, but apparently not. 

So, once again, let me explain this so everyone can understand it:

We are not leaving our homeland.
We are not defenseless any more. 

We're not going anywhere.

Why don't you go tell the French to give France back to the Gaul?

How about you all return Scotland to the Scottish people who have been asking for their land back even recently?

Maybe give North Africa back to the Amazigh people who are still living there?
I bet the Kurds would like their country back, too.

How about New York returns land to the Shinnecock, Algonquins, Senecas, Mohawks, and the rest of the tribes from whom they stole it? 

Shall I go on?

Every one of those examples has a much shorter history of land theft than Jews have in modern Israel. Look at the graves. Stones in Hebrew that can still be read. More than 3000 years of conquests and exiles, but we always come back home. 

Ergo, get off our case. Stop trying to tell us we don't deserve to live in our own land. 

Oh, yeah: Happy birthday, Andrea. Now you're as old as me. (Big Giant Grin)

The Wifely Person's Tip o'the Week

If you really wanna free something,

free Palestine from Hamas.

Give them a chance to be a real country.

Home Again, Home Again, Fiddle Dee Dee

Ziggy & Jackson Square

Okay, folks, it's true; I'm sitting in a very well air-conditioned New Orleans hotel room. It's equally true that Ziggy and I once aspired to having a pied-à-terre here, a sorta bolt-hole for this writer to hide out in when Minnesnowta winters became oppressive. I dragged him down here and he fell in love with the place. BIG time. We took a second trip down the year-of-empty-nesting, and even got as far as working with a realtor when Katrina hit and the $200K flats we liked and were miraculously dry were suddenly listing at over $500K. Needless to say, we demurred. But I never relinquished the secret hope that one day I would spend a winter writing down here. This is the first time I've been back since then. 

It took a family wedding to get me to come back, and while the decision was made with to spend a few extra days in the Big Easy, I planned that one of those days would be just mine to catch up with a couple of old friends and wander around by myself. (That day was today. But more about that in a bit.) Wandering is good. Unstructured time is good. Admitting you can do this on your own is the best.

The wedding was an amazing event. The weather was perfect for an outdoor ceremony at a venue on St. Charles Avenue. But what happened after the ceremony was a gas! Complete with a Second Line parade stopping traffic on St. Charles! Cops help back the car. People came out on the balconies to wave white handkerchiefs and napkins as we went buy. A handsome stranger guest dropped a string of beads around my neck and told me it made me "extra lovely." Oh, to be young and flirty! Nothing says Naw'lins like a brass band wedding parade in the middle of a busy street. And it looked a whole lot like no one in the cars objected to the joyousness. 

O.B.E Warrant of Appointment for Ringo

The morning-after brunch was held at my cousins' house. They bought Musee Rochon, and did significant restoration to the home of Rosette Rochon, a free woman of color , who purchased the land from the Barony De Marigny in 1805. Rochon, one of the wealthiest women in New Orleans, was a merchant who owned and operated corner stores. But it's how she got there that is la grande aventure. The house is amazing....right down to the bright red fridge in the kitchen. But seeing my cousin's study in person was definitely a highlight of the trip. He is a collector of both political and music memoriablia. I could've spend hours in there looking at everything on the walls. I was enchanted. Besides which, were bloody Marys, mimosas, and a food truck with beignets and chicory coffee from....nu? who else?...Cafe du Monde.

photo courtesy of E. Buchbinder

Getting to see most of my generation of cousins (my big bro included) is a rare treat. We are not able to all convene these days, but the missing few were duly noted and significantly missed. And I had the even rarer treat of seeing many of the next gen cousins, one of whom was the bride. They are a lovely bunch who laugh easily with each other. I know my mom, my aunts, and my grandmother would be relieved to know there are ties that still do bind.

I rarely travel without a schedule to keep, so I was excited about having some alone time. My first stop was to visit my old friend Oscar Donahue in the French Market. I encountered him in 1999, when my friend Wendy B took me along on a "fam" trip to New Orleans. It was the weekend Harrah's opened their very fancy casino on Canal Street. Oscar of New Orleans was (and still is) in the French Market and I fell in love with his whimiscal art at first sight. I bought a frog pin from him...a pin he would replace several times because I am so hard his delicate work. We corresponded on AOL, and over the years, he not only sent me stuff, I had friend heading to NOLA with instructions to find him and buy another frog! The one I wear now is dated 2018! Oscar is just one of my favorite people on the planet. His sense of whimsy and wonder makes everyone and anyone he encounters smile. I have several of his other pieces, bought two more. He made a frog magnet for the fridge.Oscar claims he's gonna retire soon; that's a bit of a scary thought. I rely on people going on forever. I'd best be kinder to my frogs! Go visit him in the market while he's still there. Tell him Susan-of-the-Minnesota-frogs sent you. You'll walk away with a joyous grin.

Since I didn't make it minyan this week, I availed myself of the noon mass at the Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France. I sat in the back and just observed. We get better attendance. Not kidding. And no, I did not count myself. I was with an old friend who did take communion, and she was the one who pointed out "huh; no minyan." I have always like churches. I like the art, I like the silence, I like the hush-ness of the space. Granted, some of the statuary usually freaks me out, but St. Louis doesn't have that much. It's rather simple for such a grand place. I'm glad I went, though; makes me appreciate what I have at home. 

Tomorrow, I will fly home. Then it's back to my usual whining and moaning. 

The Wifely Person's Tip o'the Week

No trip to The Big Easy is complete without 

a full day at the National WWII Museum.

Not kidding. 

DO NOT MISS.

I Think, Therefore I Hate?

Jolson in Mammy, 1930

No, I did not spend Yom Kippur writing this....just thinking about it. I really don't want to write about Macklemore but he has raised a question that just won't let go: what constitutes freedom of expression? Does that freedom include the harassment and intimidation of people going about their daily business? Can a venue say, thanks, but no thanks to that performance because it would be offensive to many audience members? Or are all venues require to permit performers dressed in minstrel costumes with cork blackface and clown white lips singing pro-slavery songs while shouting epithets at black people to perform? Is shouting FIRE! in a crowded theater when there is no fire really a crime? 

Does the owner of a venue have the right to say, thanks, but no thanks  to a performer who intentionally spouts something he doesn't consider hate speech but others do? And what exactly is hate-speech?

One opinion is that Macklemore has the right to say whatever he wants, but he does not have a right to perform on the privately owned arena stage if the owner of said stage says no. The performer's long history of antisemitic statements lend credence to the idea that denying him performance space is an act of corporate responsibility.

This is not over. The fallout is already spectacular. But I don't see anyone asking if minstrel shows are now okay?

The Wifely Person's Tip o'the Week

Take a moment to read The Constitution.

It's a pretty interesting document. 

 

The Check Ain't In the Mail

at the "packed" GOP convention

Over in Fantasyland, President Felon promised the country that if the GOP retains control of Congress after the midterms, each US adult would get a "dividend" of $5,000. Now, I don't know how they're planning on determining what constitutes an adult, but I'm guessing there may be some interesting factors involved. Nevertheless, considering that if there are around 260 million "adults," the payout would be in the neighborhood of $1.3 trillion dollars. Surely there would be questions about where it's gonna come from? NBC News posed the question to Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick:

“Together we’re going to deliver that plan and we’re going to pay that money to the Americans, and not from taxpayer money,” Lutnick said.

He referenced the Trump Platinum Card, an upcoming Commerce Department program allowing wealthy individuals to sign up to pay $5 million in order to extend their U.S. visas for an additional 270 days.

“We have a waitlist of more than 100,000 people who want to come,” Lutnick said. “That’s $500 billion.”

Lutnick also cited an investment in Intel the administration made last year. “Everybody knows we got just about 500 million shares, and the stock was $20, and now it’s $100, so we’re up $50 billion,” he said.

The administration spent $8.9 billion from appropriated CHIPS Act funds to make the investment in Intel. While the stock has appreciated from the government’s purchase price of $20.47 to $100.32 as of Thursday, the administration has not sold those shares — meaning the gain is merely on paper.

Remember, this promise comes from the same Goldleaf House that promised us We, the People would reap great benefits from Elon Musk and DOGE efficiency implementation:

President Trump said on Wednesday evening that the newly established Department of Government Efficiency might return a portion of the savings accrued through job cuts and other budget curbs to American taxpayers.

The idea of giving back 20 percent of the money saved as a result of initiatives recommended by the new department, known as DOGE, is “under consideration,” said Mr. Trump. The potential initiative, he said, was “a new concept” under which his administration would give “20 percent of the DOGE savings to American citizens” and “20 percent goes to paying down debt.” (He didn’t mention what would be done with the other 60 percent of the money.)

If you're wondering what happened to that other 60%, let me assure you it didn't go into public coffers. 

But, wait! There's more! With pledges and promises that an economy so robust would be produced by tariffs, President Felon promised freedom from income tax! A December 3, 2025 article in Politifact reported that President Felon said, 

...Americans could soon stop paying federal income taxes. But experts say he’s overpromised. 

“Over the next couple of years, I think we’ll … be cutting income tax — could be almost completely cutting it, because the money we’re taking in is going to be so large,” Trump told service members in a Thanksgiving video. 

He repeated the idea in a Dec. 2 Cabinet meeting.   

“I believe at some point in the not too distant future, you wouldn’t even have income tax to pay because the money we’re taking in is so great,” Trump said. “It’s so enormous that you’re not going to have income tax to pay. Whether you get rid of it or just keep it around for fun or have it really low, much lower than it is now, but you won’t be paying income tax.”

According to several sources, the amount collected from U.S. customs duties and tariffs in 2025 reached approximately $264 billion. Those cost of those tariffs were absorbed not by foreign exporters, but by U.S. firms, importers, and consumers via higher prices. And if that wasn't enough to rock that free-money boat, in February of 2026, SCOTUS struck down the emergency powers tariffs as illegal. Subsequently, approximately $166 billion in illegal gains need to be returned. Sure, some refunds went to corporations, importers, and retail doors, but nothing was refunded to consumers.

How much did you get in your income-tax-eliminating-tariff-windfall? Probably the same amount I did.

I am certain none of the above is news, gentle readers. I'm equally certain none of you actually believed you getting anything in that fictitious pay envelope he waves around. And I am absolutely certain that President Felon is a lying sack of rubbish. This past weekend, he was going on about how he could put together a unified Ireland. Really? Whose flagpole did he run that one up? Apparently no one's. 

Donald Trump has reiterated his support for Irish unification and brushed off Andy Burnham’s opposition to a referendum.

“Everybody says that. Then things happen,” the US president said on Sunday of the British prime minister’s response.

“It seems to me that one of the naturals of all time is to put them together,” Trump said of the unification of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Trump caused consternation on both sides of the Irish Sea on Saturday when, at the start of a two-day visit to Ireland, he said he would “love” to see a united Ireland and “it may as well happen now”.

I'm just wondering when he's gonna send "advisors" in to make that happen. This guy is not simply a feckin' eejit, which is Irish slang for whatever you think it means, he's a feckin' meddling dilettante with neither smarts nor understanding of world politics. What's he gonna do next? Attempt to free Scotland? Oh, wait, there are some who would welcome that. But never you mind; this is just another feckin' attempt to buy himself a Nobel Peace Prize....or is that Piece Prize? I forget. It's not enough to screw up Ukraine, Iran, or Venezuela...he's now setting his sights on Europe. 

Meanwhile, back at the Arch d'Trump L'oiel, and his self aggrandizement of our impeccably planned nation's capital, remember all those promises that We, the Tax-Paying People, weren't paying for this stuff?

Au contraire, mes amis! 

Turns out We, the Tax-Paying People, are indeed paying for the demolition of the White House and its transformation into the Gold Leaf House. Apparently, over half of the $600 million needed is being paid for by us because they didn't raise enough money. 

And that eyesore arch he's planning? As reported in the NY Times:

Mr. Trump suggested in October of last year that the arch might be funded by money left over from the ballroom project, but documents show that the National Endowment for the Humanities, an independent federal agency, is reserving $15 million for the project. The overall cost is likely to be much higher. Already, $500,000 has been awarded to an Oregon-based firm for an environmental assessment of the site.

Christ the Redeemer Rio

They didn't have money for Children's Television Network and Public Broadcasting that services the entire nation, but they have money for this garbage. None of the normal channels and provisions for protection have been observed in any of this. They might as well just erect a gold plated Don-The-Felon statue with outstretched arms overlooking Washington DC. 

If, by some remote, inexplicable chance you harbor the idea that there are not machinations taking place as I type to upend the midterms in some way, shape, or form, I would suggest you think about your future expectations for this country. Maybe enough benighted souls will vote GOP in the foolish belief they're gonna get $5k? Not bloody likely.

We are poised at a perilous edge, and given the direction the three branches of government are headed, we will sail over as the country we once knew becomes a third-world-dictator-run banana republic faster than you can say, We, The People.

See, sometimes the self aggrandizement is a red-herring, a distraction to get your arguing over nonsense so the really bad stuff can happen. Like the Wizard of Oz.  Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. In the end, however, that's precisely whom you should be looking for. The Stephen Millers. The Elon Musks. Even the Vlad-the-Impaler Putin. The guys who pull the strings to make the feckin' eejit dance. Cuz it sure as hell isn't We, the People.

The Wifely Person's Tip o'the Week 

For those who will observe Yom Kippur:

May you have an east fast,

and 

may you all be sealed in the Book of Life

for a happy, healthy new year. 

!גמר חתימה טובה