Ex-CTLawyer

@coffee
Not two reasons
I was uncomfortable with the person next to me carrying a gun during davening. Civilian status unimportant to me.

I am aware some police organizations require employees to carry off duty. I don’t care to daven next to a gun. Just as we have women’s sections with a mechitzah, perhaps we could have one for armed men

@AAQ

Protection has a cost. If a congregation cannot afford a private security guard they can ask for stepped up coverage by law enforcement.
Here in Nassau County we have active Auxillary Police who perform security, many are shul members

@ZSK
We happen to have a home in Florida. The shul we attend posted that it is against shul rules to bring a gun into the davening areas, notwithstanding state carry permits.
If I saw someone breaking the shul rule, I would ask the Gabbai to enforce the rule.

@aaq
‘Redleg better armed to defend your right…’
Different type of defense, I‘Ll defend you in court on that charge that violated the First Amendment
A major problem with the current administration

@UJM

My first in-laws emigrated to Palestine in the early 1930s.
Father in law from Vienna via HaShomer HaTzair (despite being frum). MIL from northern Germany with her younger brother via Youth Aliyah.

Yes, their journeys and entry were facilitated by Zionists.
FIL, was a Zionist from a young age. His parents got Visas for the US in 1932, he refused to go with them, insisting on moving to Palestine.

Your generalization about those who came pre1948 is far from accurate.
I also had cousins from Brooklyn who arrived in the Yishuv in 1933 and 1946 via the Zionist organizations.
By 1946 it was virtually impossible to get permanent housing if you did not arrive through organized Zionist channels. Those arriving illegally lived clandestinely til May 1948.

As a side note I laugh at the right wing frum Jews in America complaining about illegal immigrants when so many of us were illegal immigrants in British Mandat Palestine. Talk about hypocrisy

@Coffee
I have no problem with a policeman outside the shul door who is armed as a deterrent to miscreants and other threats to our safety.

@AAQ

Have you ever seen someone shot to death in a civilian setting?
Unfortunately, I have a number of times.
The first time, I was 16 years old working retail. The store owner pulled a gun from under. The Counter to stop a shop lifter, when the thief refused to drop the merchandise, the shopkeeper fired and missed the shoplifter, but killed a child shopping with her mother.

The second time was a drug shootout, three bystanders killed as collateral damage.

I’ve seen more, but these were more than enough to fix my opinion.
In both these cases the killing guns were licensed.

In junior high school we were required to learn to shoot rifles. They still had a WWII attitude that if drafted we should be ready to fight. 1967 was the last time I held or fired a firearm. I have no desire to do so again.

Last Sukkot we were guests at friends in the Five Towns. The host showed me his pistol below his suit jacket when we arrived at shul, told me he’d been auxiliary police for 29 years. He is that member of law enforcement or well organized militia that I believe has the right to carry a gun. That said it made me feel uncomfortable to have someone with a gun davening next to me in shul. I davened in a different shul The rest of Sukkot. There may have been those with guns but I was not aware of their presence.

Redleg
Evil diet was a typo but the Coffee Room does not allow edits

I have little respect for the current SCOTUS for many reasons

I don’t agree that I have conflated anything in the second Amendment.

I am anti- private gun ownership. I don’t hide that fact

You will not change my mind and I will not change yours, but as much as I disagree with your opinion I will defend your right to make it known

Until moving to Nassau County when I remarried, I had never lived within an eruv. I still find myself checking pockets on Shabbos.
Gone are the days of house key tie clips as we have push button door locks.
Out of habit I do not carry on Shabbos, but trust the Rabbeinu who supervise the local Eruv and my wife carries.
We live across the street from a park full of families on Shabbos. Many Ashkenazi kids play baseball, the Sephardic Rabbis assured it. Loads of scooters but no bicycles on Shabbos.
I am not yet comfortable with all the baby strollers parked outside shul every Shabbos, but an eruv has greatly increased the female attendance.

I must concur with UJM/Joseph

Being a moderator or Administrator of an online group is a time consuming unpaid thankless job.

Much better to have delays, appropriate excisions or decisions not to publish than be bombarded by Schmitz and lashing horah.

W all owe an expression of Hakoras HaTov to the moderators of the Coffee Room

As for coffee, I‘Ll drinki it piping hot, ice cold or having sat in the mug in my desk for hours. I just won’t drink instant.
So it’s yea for me on Shabbos…..

@none

You make a choice to be constantly running.

The late Mrs.CTL and I ran our professional practices/businesses from offices attached to the home when we had minor children.

They never were in the care of a nanny and were raised by us not the school teachers.

We could have earned more working for large firms but family came first.

Yes we ran, to see our daughters in school plays or sports, etc.
BTW, living out of town meant a trip to a kosher restaurant was at least 40 minutes each way. So, there was no grabbing takeout. Every night there was a home cooked meal for family dinner (I cooked, she baked) and in more than 40 years of marriage we never once bought Shabbos or Pesach.

Living in NY now, I am appalled at the number of children being raised by non-Jewish nannies, while both parents work and one salary pays childcare. I live directly across the street from a park full of frum children and the nannies all sitting in the benches on their cell phones. It is no wonder that the youngsters are so poorly behaved.

@CoffeeAddict
Three weeks ago caught a special on Jet Blue on their nighttime flights.

I don’t mind a flight that arrives at 1am in FT Lauderdale

Borenstein Caterers is owned by El Al preparing all their meals for flights originating in the USA as well as proving kosher meals to other airlines and transportation. Companies
Reliable hashgacha, Glatt kosher under OU with cross endorsement by Volover, universally accepted chasidiche hashgacha

@gadolhadorah

Sorry, you are incorrect about garters.
They are used to hold up hosiery, not just by women.
Long before American men wore stretch socks, a garter was used to cinch or secure the sock near the top to keep it from falling down.
I still own our cotton lisle dress socks that are size specific and have no elastic in them (binds circulation) that are held up by garters under my trousers.

Being both old and having grow up in the clothing business I know about these things.

@ujm
You need to get a life

Dishes, flatware, glassware are not fabric and are washed in hot water

As for hotels (I don’t use the often) but pack a vinyl mattress cover and pillow covers in my suitcase. I tip the housekeeper to strip the bed, put these covers on and place freshly laundered bed linen and blankets on the bed.
I will use the freshly laundered towels in the bathroom.
We went away for a Pesach program this year, traveling via car and stopped at Home Goods and bought new pillows to take with us to avoid dust mite issues

I previously answered your car rental question; and I don’t take Uber or car services.

I no longer do much travel

None

I never used the term dirty clothes.
Not all used clothing comes from wealthy people.
I explained that I do not take chances on used fabric items for health reasons.
You are free to do what you want.

@UJM

I don’t drive other people’s personal cars.
As you renting a car. It is something I do when traveling on business and I check to see that the car had been thoroughly cleaned and specify that it have vinyl or leather seats (not cloth).
This occurs a few times a year at most.

I can’t totally avoid contact with others furniture etc. such as a meeting in another attorney’s conference room.
But that casual contact is different than bring the used item into my home or regular use such as a car.

None
You don’t know me or my lifestyle

I drive a 6 year old car that I bought new and paid cash for. It replaced a 15 year old car that is still being driven by one of my grandchildren.

Yes my suits and shirts are made for me but they are classic in style and last a very long time. The suit and shirts are made I wore this past Shabbos were made in 2007.

Not being an off the rack size, the cost of remaking someone else’s clothing eould cost more than new.

I worked and paid for my own college and law education made my way in business and family.
I am not extravagant but do enjoy comfort.

I don’t enjoy being criticized by youngsters who haven’t experienced life.
Not only did I pay for all of my children’s educations, but quite a few others as well.
I currently am providing stipends to a number of yeshiva boys and seminary girls whose parents manage to come up with the tuition but not that necessary pocket money.
I do this because HaShem makes it possible

Sorry
I am perfectly able to go into a store with far more money that the cost of the item I seek to purchase; and not spend any of the extra money.

I make a list of what I want to buy before shopping and do not add impulse items to my cart.

Buying secondhand is not the answer to everything. I don’t want clothing or bedding used or worn by others, same with upholstered furniture. Not taking a chance on what might be inside to make me sick.

I prefer a full manufacturer’s warranty on automobiles, and high end appliances, HVAC equipment, etc.

No difference in a new versus used diamonds and I buy used serforim regularly.

It’s about buying what you can afford comfortable while meeting all you obligations such as maaser.

I find it interesting that many posts talk about the inability of therapists to cure xxxxx.
Medical professionals treat and sometimes cure diseases and illnesses.
Therapists help one cope with emotional and mental health situations. These are not things which can be cured. One cannot cure anger, grief, jealousy, resentment, etc. a good therapist can help one to deal with these feelings/issues.

Therapy need not be a long term thing. It does not have to break the bank.

There are all kinds of therapy practiced by people with far different training, experience, education and degrees.

I would not consider the therapy offered by Clinical Licensed Social Worker (who may only need a Batchelor’s degree in some states) to be the same as that offered by PHd. psychologist.

When I received a designation as a Marital Law specialist, the university granted me a Counseling Certificate. In no way did I consider the 15 credits sufficient to provide marriage counseling/therapy despite being allowed to do so by law.
My holding the Certificate allowed my divorce clients to avoid the mandatory (Connecticut) court employee provided marriage counseling in order to obtain a civil divorce.

@AAQ

You write about the need to have the highest paying renters in my response to not renting to students; a group I label as destructive and transient,

So, if I can rent a 3br to six students for $4800 month plus utilities or a couple with 3 children for $4100 per month. I’ll take the family. The wear and tear from 6 students far exceeds the family. They tend to move friends in without permission. They tend to leave after the academic year and the unit needs painting every time. They have no pride in the place.
The family wants to live in nice surroundings and does not generally trash the place. Typically only have to paint after 4 years if they renew leases. They want stability, don’t trash the grounds, etc.

Yes property is expensive, but I look at the rental market and aim for 85%of market rate on a new purchase that is financed. If it can’t carry at a 10% return, not worth buying,
Typically, landlord loses a month’s income every time there is a change of tenant. Lease expires 11:59:59 pm and can’t expect to have it ready for move in at midnight.
Outside of NYC, landlord pays real estate agent, typically one month’s gross rent on a year’s lease.
I don’t use agents, we own an in house Real Estate Agency. Mostly get my tenants by referral from happy existing tenants whose friends and families are anxious to live in my properties.

BTW you talked about appreciation in deterring your profit. You neglect to mention depreciation, that wonderful accounting system that throws off tax saving snd profit. After 29 years (used to be 15) and depreciation to zero one doesn’t sell and have a huge taxable capital gain from reduced cost basis. Instead one doesn’t a like kind property swap, avoids the tax and gets to start depreciation again. I’m

Epithets belong on gravestones

Let’s wait until he is dead to assign one

Appropriate during different points in his life:
Adulterer
Felon
Deadbeat
Barker
Liar
Charlatan
Presidential Victor
Presidential Loser

@fakenews
B”H my properties are not financed, so I am not subject to fluctuations in interest rates.

In 2007/8 when the markets imploded, real estate values dropped. Many with mortgages found themselves underwater and lost their properties.
AND: my real estate taxes dropped for a year when my town made the next year’s budget. I passed the savings along to my tenants by lowering their rents proportionally for my tax savings for the renewal one year leases.

When taxes and insurance and maintenance are stable I do not increase rents at renewal time. This year real estate and fire taxes are increasing 2.5% based on the grand list of Oct 1, 2025 (payment due in January 2026-we pay taxes in arrears in CT). Tenants will get a proportional increase when lease renews. Example 2 family house with $600 tax increase, each tenant will get a $25 increase for the coming lease year. I don’t increase their $2500 month rent by 2.5% which would be $62.50 unjustly enriching myself.
I set a 10% net ROI for myself (7% which I could get in a stock dividend<which I do regularly for clients and self for 40 years >, and 3% for my efforts/labor time in managing the properties, doing bookkeeping and taxes, etc.)

If I had to pay a mortgage those 3Br 2 bath central A/C modern apartments would have to bring in $3800 mo rent, which is comparable in the area.
I’d rather have long term stable families as tenants who can afford the rent on dad’s income while mom can raise the children and watch over the property.

Not unusual for me to get a text from a tenant stating that the kitchen faucet broke and the bought a mid price replacement from Home Depot for $40 and they asked their son in law to install it so as not bother me to get a plumber. I immediately Zelle them the cost of the faucet and express my thanks.

Long term good tenants are the key to financial sucess as a landlord, turnover is a killer.
Today is the last Friday of the month bc and many of my tenants have already paid rent for July. I have not had to bring an eviction action in about 20 years and I”H will never have to do so again

I have been a landlord for many decades. When my expenses (taxes, maintenance, insurance) rise then rent has to increase at renewal time. I keep my net constant, but why should you expect me to subsidize my tenants?

I do not look at what the current rentals in my local markets are to set rents. They are set based on expenses and a reasonable Return on Investment.
In years when taxes and insurance does not go up, I renew at current rental amounts.

This may be one reason that most of my tenants have been in place more than 10 years.

Since I only drive through the Bronx and Queens when going to and from Nassau and Fairfield County homes I doubt I will make changes in my life.
No reason to visit the city for business, entertainment or shopping.