Monthly Archives: September 2012

(Community Matters) Celebrating 16 Sept w/ gorgeous food & delicious friends on the Long Center stage while raising money for aspiring entrepreneurs – hits all my buttons! Kudos to Monica Peraza for organizing this third annual gala. Much fun w/ our table of friends: Charles Santos, Carol & Chris Adams, Cookie & JR Ruiz, Kip Keller, Michael Barnes, and Rosa & Juan Miro. bummed ST missed but he was in route to London

The MexNet Alliance’s mission is to provide opportunities to Spanish-speaking individuals that have a small business or are planning to start one, providing its students valuable information and tools that increase entrepreneurial success, creating jobs and generating wealth in the community.

David Garrido organized a slew of chefs who offered gorgeous appetizers during the cocktail hour, plus he prepared the sit down dinner’s first course, a scallop ceviche with habanero, while Chef Carmen “Titita” Ramirez Degollado, owner of El Bajio in Mexico City,  served a pheasant breast in white mole with a bean tamal.

Great turn out for the event – in addition to friends at our table – visited with Patsy & Jack Martin, Joe & Terry Long, Marc & Carolyn Seriff, Leo Ramirez, Erin Defosse, Steve Wanta, Richard Hartgrove & Gary Cooper, Sarah & Ernest Butler, John Hogg & David Garza, Amalia Rodriguez Mendoza, Gregory Vincent and heaps others

(Community Matters) The Iran Project paper is organized around questions that U.S. leaders and citizens should ask themselves when contemplating any military action.

NYTimes opinion piece referencing the paper – No Rush to War

(Community Matters) it’s sad that Prime Minister Netanyahu has so badly handled international relations with our country. Unfortunately, with me (who I realize am inconsequential but who should represent a proxy for, politically active, non-Jewish Israel supporters) he has burned through hisl credibility by his bad faith toward our country and our political leaders who I most trust. I’m more inclined to trust J Street positions and statements and to trust that US intelligence is as good as the PM’s.

(Community Matters) “After 9/11, the neocons captured one Republican president who was naïve about the world. Now, amid contagious Arab rage sparked on the 11th anniversary of 9/11, they have captured another would-be Republican president and vice president, both jejeune about the world.”

These days, I’m too often inclined to think of Maureen Dowd’s columns as gratuitously bitchy, though she’s a former favorite. I fear she’s hit this one on the head – Neocons Slither Back

“Cheney, described by Romney as a ‘person of wisdom and judgment.'”

(Community Matters) in the nytimes – tamales, tortas & tacos

Roberto, a long time friend, owns two of our favorite restaurants in NY – Fonda Comida Mexican in Manhattan on Ave B and in Brooklyn on 7th Avenue

(Community Matters) Dealing NOM a crushing defeat, New York state Sen. Mark Grisanti, won his party’s primary in the face of the most outrageous anti-gay ads and the full force & furry of the Nat’l Org for Marriage. NOM  had vowed defeat as retribution for his vote supporting the legalization of marriage in NY. That they couldn’t pull off this win even in a Republican primary may thankfully signal the beginning of their end.

(Community Matters) I think she’s irreversibly crossed over to the world of crazy. She appears to believe what she’s saying.

(Community Matters) very insightful summary from Politico below. It’s especially insightful in light of evidence that Pres Obama now wins the majority of confidence in the economy & unemployment, though Gov Romney retains advantage re: handling the deficit – note relative percentages importance.

READING THE VOTERS’ MINDS: The 34-page printout of last night’s New York Times-CBS News poll (taken after the Democratic convention) provides X-ray vision for much of what the candidates are saying on the stump and on the air. Here are a few especially illuminating responses (all of these are from the weighted sample the poll calls “probable electorate”):

–If election held today: Obama/Biden, 46%; Romney/Ryan, 45%

–Add leaners: Obama/Biden, 49%; Romney/Ryan, 46%

–Country going in right direction: 38%; wrong track: 57%

–Most important issue in deciding how to vote: economy: 28%; jobs/unemployment: 13%; health care: 12%; budget deficit: 4%; Medicare/Medicaid: 2%; taxes: 2%

Continue reading →

(Community Matters) I especially like the tweet

@DeepakChopra: To offend another religion is disgraceful & shameful. To be easily offended is poor self esteem & lack of faith. #CosmicConsciousness

“The one thing you do in any resolution of any conflict is you treat your perceived enemy with respect,” Chopra said. “The rage in Islam is the perception of disrespect and humiliation.”

(Community Matters) Just, finally watched  the “movie.” It’s atrociously vulgar and stupid. I think given what we know about tensions and reactions, and its obvious intention to incite anger, we ought to think about it like yelling fire in a crowded theatre – with the knowledge that it’s resulted in deaths & mayhem.

I in no way advocate forgiving violent, illegal reaction to the film. That’s a separate matter. I don’t believe those reacting violently represent most Muslims.  And, I’m confident those who have murdered members of our diplomatic corp will be enjoying the accommodations accorded Osama Bin Ladin.

Huff Post on film’s origins

Pres Obama demanding condemnation by Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood

(Community Matters) just out . . . “President Barack Obama is closing extending his lead with Jewish voters, leading among registered voters 70-25 percent according to unreleased Gallup daily tracking poll data .” Buzz Feed

(Community Matters) In the New Yorker

the political philosopher Avishai Margalit told me that Netanyahu was a kind of “mythomaniac,” a politician utterly absorbed and guided by his sense of heroic mission, and dismissive of the opinions and analyses of even his closest advisers.

I don’t one iota believe Netanyahu has better intelligence than the US. The US wouldn’t let Iran develop a weapon. Nevertheless, if Netanyahu believes the threat is imminent, then he/they should strike – even as Pres Obama was signing the US-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act in July he and others reaffirmed Israel’s right (its responsibility) to make its own decisions and take its own actions.

President’s lead w/ Jewish voters increasing