AMERICAN LIFE
ANTI-CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION
On February 6, Donald Trump signed a head-scratching executive order about religion. From section 1: “It is the policy of the United States, and the purpose of this order, to protect the religious freedoms of Americans and end the anti-Christian weaponization of government.” The executive order further states that, “the previous Administration engaged in an…
Read MoreLIFE IN THE SLOW LANE
Some people are quick about things and respond to life in the moment, but I live life in the slow lane. When you do that, you learn to laugh at yourself. After all, other people are laughing at you. So, how slow am I? I’m so slow, I get dizzy watching paint dry and grass…
Read MoreFIRE LESSONS
I live in San Francisco, but the fires in Los Angeles County are personal. My son Yosi lives in South Pasadena. To his north, the Eaton Fire destroyed much of Altadena. Thankfully, the threat to untouched South Pasadena has greatly diminished. The challenge now is recovery and lessons learned to guide it. Can Altadena, parts…
Read MoreFIVE CRUCIAL NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
The New Year’s morning terrorist attack in New Orleans reminds us that the world seems to grow darker, but I have ways to brighten my soul. I take tragedy in New Orleans somewhat personally. My son Yosi used to live there and played drums and fiddle with two bands. Carolyn and I visited a number…
Read MoreMEMORY’S FRAGILITY
Last Saturday marked a momentous occurrence in American history, yet no one seemed to remember. Perhaps you have to be at or near my age, 80, to commemorate December 7 as Pearl Harbor Day. On a Sunday morning in 1941, Japanese planes bombed the U.S. naval base in Honolulu, Hawaii, and nearby Army Air Force…
Read MoreA BIRTHDAY, A MARRIAGE AND HEALING
My wife Carolyn turned 77 last Tuesday, and we’ve been married 55+ years, both of which I address to a fragmented America. Carolyn proudly proclaims her age. Many people fudge theirs, hoping to prove they remain strong physically and mentally to get that next promotion, job or desirable partner. Vanity plays a role. The legendary…
Read More15¢ A SLICE
Inflation, a prime issue for Donald Trump voters, took me down memory lane. A (small) 14-inch pizza (eight slices) from my neighborhood go-to, Village Pizzeria, runs $21-$31. When I was a kid in 1950s New York, a slice of cheese pizza cost 15¢ Hamburgers in my Queens neighborhood also cost 15¢. Then Hamburger Train—a model…
Read MoreFIVE THINGS KEEPING ME SANE
With the presidential election 11 days out, if you’re not going a little crazy, you’re not trying. Me? I rely on five ways to stay (somewhat) balanced. • My morning routine. After breakfast with the San Francisco Chronicle sports section, I walk a mile or more. Returning home, I enjoy coffee watching CNN and reading the rest…
Read MoreTHE FOG OF LIFE
The new Jewish year, 5785, began Wednesday evening and presented me with a serious, if ongoing, challenge. At 80, I find myself increasingly lost in the fog of life. While my head remains clear, the older I get, the less certainty I cling to. In synagogue for Rosh Hashanah services, we prayed for peace. This…
Read MoreTARGET ON MY BACK
There’s a target on my back, though it doesn’t take the circular shape with a bullseye. It’s a six-pointed star—the Star of David. Who put it there? The former President of the United States. On September 19, Donald Trump told attendees at a campaign event titled “Fighting Antisemitism in America,” “I’m not going to call…
Read MoreMY ELECTION DILEMMA
The second assassination attempt on Donald Trump leaves me with a dilemma. Do I tamp down my anti-Trump remarks because they might lead some unbalanced person to violence? I well remember the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas. I was a sophomore at Alfred University. Also the 1968 murders of Martin Luther…
Read MoreHAILING THE UNSEEN
A hundred red firetrucks get you thinking. Six weeks ago, Carolyn and I started our return drive from Willow Creek in Humboldt County where we’d visited family. As we headed down route 299 to Arcata, a new shift of firefighters convoyed up to a fire near (but not threatening) our cousins’ summer home. Sometimes, we…
Read MoreTHE VEEP AND THE JEWS
Kamala Harris’ pick for running mate—Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota—has raised new questions about Jews in America. In a recent New York Times article (“For Some Jewish Democrats, Heightened Worries About Anti-Semitism”), Jennifer Medina and Katie Glueck wrote, “For many American Jews, the prospect of Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania as a running mate for…
Read MoreLESSONS FROM THE COURTROOM
Most people flee jury duty, but a recent experience confirmed that our courts offer much to learn. Recently, I reported to San Francisco’s Hall of Justice on Bryant Street. It sits in an area south of Market Street where most San Franciscans don’t go. In the ’90s, I served on two criminal juries there. The…
Read MoreON TURNING 80
This Tuesday, I turn 80. What have I learned? I’m imperfect. And the older I get, the less I understand. Yet, I still claim to know a few things worth sharing. But first, don’t ask me to predict who’ll win the 2024 presidential election. Or whether Joe Biden will withdraw from the race. Or if…
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