Ex-CTLawyer

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  • in reply to: How Close Are You To Your Siblings? #2047234
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    I am close with all my siblings, but not their spouses. I am closest with my sister who is 5 years older than I am and we speak at least 5 times per week. I was in business with my eldest brother for almost 20 years, we seldom see each other (since Covid) but speak 3-4 times each week. I prefer not to speak to his wife and call him on his business line.
    My children and their spouses are close. Most live in the compound or within a block or so. Most work in the CTL law firm. All of their children were ensconced in the compound during school shutdown for Covid and spend their summers in the compound with their first and second cousins.

    in reply to: America’s teacher salaries #2046322
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @Romain
    My experience with teachers’ salaries in the USA, has been as the son of a public school teacher, the brother of a day school teacher. As an Adjunct professor at both University and Law School
    As a member of the Board of Directors who negotiates salaries and makes sure there is enough money to pay those salaries.
    Excluding the adjunct professorial work, all the other teachers’ salaries are based on the school year: X dollars for the year, paid biweekly or bimonthly.
    Part time specialists are paid by the course taught.

    I have never come across American teachers paid by the month. In fact in public schools the pay is paid out over 10 months bi monthly (how teachers hate 5 week months and love February) UNLESS the teacher elects to receive less each pay period and receive payments over the summer break. This makes budgeting easier for the teacher.

    The average teacher in our local public schools with a teaching license, bachelors and masters degrees and 10 years experience is being paid about $90,000 for a 185 day work year.
    A teacher with similar qualifications in our local day school would earn about $50,000, but only teach a half day. Our local day schools don’t hire teachers without 4 year college diplomas.

    in reply to: America’s teacher salaries #2046111
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @Romain
    $4000 salary???????????????
    weekly
    biweekly
    Monthly
    semester
    per class taught
    per student taught
    per year
    ??????????????????????????????????????
    You make ZERO sense in you post

    in reply to: the most delicious food ever #2045846
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @yungermanS
    Farina is the major ingredient in kishke

    in reply to: Electric Cars are they in your future? #2045127
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @AbbaS
    NO, here in CT, Counties don’t do a single thing you mentioned. All county government was abolished in 1960. Municipalities assess and collect property taxes.
    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
    Regarding using a charging station. There are quick charge stations at our local shopping mall, you pull up and if one is available, you use it. No reservation son an app, Last night I had to drive to JFK to pick my daughter up from a flight. There are charging stations at the gas stations on the Merritt Parkway, again, no reservations. I waited in the cell phone lot at JFK for my daughter to be ready. I had not been ion that lot in about 9 months. There are now a dozen chargers. 7 were in use and 5 were available to whoever drove up.
    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
    Please don’t use your conception about Government and taxation when replying to a post such as mine. My username is very specific as to the fact I am in CT, just as CT Rebbe, another member of the CR.

    in reply to: Electric Cars are they in your future? #2044774
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @AbbaS
    There is no state property tax, it is municipal. The tax credit is assigned by the property owner to the company providing/installing the rapid charging station. This is the same system that got us our solar at no cost out of pocket.
    Our local mall had had the public charging stations for a year or two. Car owners insert their credit or debit card to pay for a charge.
    My solar system produces more than enough to sustain rapid charge, but in most cases we charge overnight at a slower rate

    in reply to: Electric Cars are they in your future? #2044770
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @Always
    I said it was a proposed zoning reg change in my town. Not statewide. The charging station is free to the property owner. Not land or cost of using it. The charging station is about the size of a parking meter pole and head. At our office they are installing them between two spaces on the dividing line at the concrete tire stop at the front of the space. There are cords for both spaces on one station.
    They can be key operated, credit card operated, etc. we are using keys as only family will use them and I will provide the power. The state is paying for the stations through tax credits as it did for solar installations. Each landlord will decide how power is to be paid for.

    in reply to: Electric Cars are they in your future? #2044591
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    Mrs. CTL and I leased an Electric Jaguar I-Pace to replace her Lincoln whose lease expired recently. When comparing costs it was similar to a new gas powered Lincoln of similar size and equipment/trim.

    We have full solar in the CTL compound and sell excess to our local utility so it will cost nothing to charge. The mfg of rapid charge stations who is in the process of installing 4 at the CTL office building will also install a double unit at the compound at no cost.

    Right now in CT there are state programs that make the cost of a rapid charge station free to the building owner,
    Our town is considering changes to the zoning rules that will require every new commercial building to have as many rapid charge stations as required handicapped parking spaces.
    All new residential (1-4 family) construction will be required to have one rapid charging station for each two units. Again, all at no cost to the owner.

    We realized that we typically don’t drive more than 50 miles in a day, so range is not important to us.

    in reply to: where to you live #2041576
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    I haven’t lived in a city since 1988. I live in a town in Fairfield County, CT
    Only Joseph (of CR members knows which one) as his daughter loved to stay here in the compound with my grandchildren BC…before Covid

    in reply to: Balabatim, how do you learn? #2039671
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @Lostspark
    It is not a sacrifice, I am giving nothing up, as I established that schedule/regimen when I opened the CTL firm. I hung a shingle upon passing the bar exam and never worked for anyone else.
    You have made comments on my billing rate previously, but fail tp understand that billings do not equal profit. There are rents, salaries, taxes, insurance, utilities, etc. That are paid out of revenue.
    As senior partner, my non-court rate is a modest $500 hour, modest because here in Fairfield County most name partners charge more in 2021. I am not greedy. My in court rate is much higher. That said, not every minute or hour of the working day is billable, and at this stage of life I enjoy a certain amount of pro bono work.

    in reply to: Balabatim, how do you learn? #2038670
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    I learn an hour in the morning before my office opens, an hour lunchtime, if not a court day, an hour at the close of business (with my sons and sons-in law in the office, and two hours in the late evening.

    Been following this schedule for more than 30 years, except no sons-in law back then.

    During the summer, I tend not to work afternoons and learn with my grandchildren who spend the summer in the compound

    in reply to: Keeping my last name when married #2036595
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    Mrs. CTL has used a hyphenated last name throughout our marriage because she was partners in her family’s real estate firm.
    My daughters kept their (my) last name, as they are part of the CTL Law firm. Starting out being known as Sarah Schwartz would be meaningless, but as Sarah CTL was advantageous. Two sons-in-law hyphenated last names for same reason. They are in the firm, e.g. Atty. Josef CTL-Schwartz

    My mother never worked before marriage, so changed her name, her sister who was 3 years younger was working while her husband to be was off fighting WWII in the US Army, so she kept her Maiden name for professional reasons.

    All of these women use(d) Mr and Mrs X for social occasions

    in reply to: what is the cause of income inequality in the jewish commnuity? #2035689
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @Gadolhadorah
    Your comment I object to said first wave, not largest wave. Two different things

    in reply to: what is the cause of income inequality in the jewish commnuity? #2035492
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @ujm
    You miss the point about the question asking how many of your families have 3 or less children.
    We are discussing dynastic or inherited wealth, not the wealth of the current generation. the more parts into which your estate must be divided, the less money for each who inherits.

    Someone leaving $1,000,000 (not unusual with the value of housing) to 3 children leaves them with a measure of wealth that is far greater than if there are 12 children sharing that amount.

    in reply to: what is the cause of income inequality in the jewish commnuity? #2035490
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @Gadolhadorah
    “In the early 1900s, during the first wave of European immigration to the U.S….”
    Sorry, you’ve got that wrong.
    Many Jews came to the USA following Pogroms in the Russian Empire in the 1800s. Odessa 1859 and 1871 come to mind and many in 1880, 81, 82.
    I was born and raised in New Haven. Although y family had immigrated from Germany and Russia in 1868 and 1872, the 2 shuls we belonged to were founded by Russian Jewish immigrants before 1883. We did not belong to the German Jewish synagogue founded in 1840 because by 1900 it had become a Reform institution

    in reply to: Justice in the USA #2035336
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @n0mesorah
    I have never supported the idea of having a democracy, I support having a Republic. Democracy cannot work in a political division of more than several thousand people. A population bigger than that calls for representative government. As soon as you have representative government, you have given up your individual say in most decisions of government.

    BTW>>>>>I am old enough to remember when my town was ruled by Town Meeting and not elected officials and a Town Council

    in reply to: Justice in the USA #2035334
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @lostspark
    There is no normative ideology of a national political party in the USA. There are no card carrying members, as in other countries, who subscribe to a uniform ideology.
    I am liberal. I did not say I am progressive, or far left, or anti- this or that.

    We had a discussion at or town’s Democratic Town Committee meeting last week. 28% were anti-abortion, 30% were pro-death penalty 90% were against school vouchers, 100% are anti-Trump. That was the only totally unifying factor found in poll results.

    I don’t vote party, I vote candidate. In the 2021 elections for municipal office, I voted for 4 Republican candidates because they were better qualified for the office than their Democratic opponents. What I don’t do is publicly endorse non-Democrats for office, as that goes against the stated purpose of a Party Town Committee….to aid in election of members of our party.

    in reply to: Justice in the USA #2035331
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @DovidBT
    anyone who undermines justice in a criminal manner should be prosecuted.

    BUT, why limit yourself to members of Congress? After November 3, 2020 Trump and his henchmen (women) were trying to intimidate judges to overturn the results of the election he lost. I’d like to see them prosecuted, as well

    in reply to: Justice in the USA #2035329
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @Health
    It bothers me when charges that can be proved and convictions obtained are dropped PERIOD. This is regardless of charge or jurisdiction.

    in reply to: what is the cause of income inequality in the jewish commnuity? #2035105
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    How many of your families had college educations and worked as professionals three generations ago?
    How many of your families owned homes three generations ago?
    How many of your families owned businesses three generations ago?
    How many of your families left Europe more than three generations ago?
    How many of your families moved out of NYC or first city in the New World three generations ago?

    How many of you make sure your children and grandchildren have full college/professional school/secular education/skills to make substantial incomes?

    How many of your families have 3 or less children?

    I find these to be determinant factors in growing familiar wealth in America…………..

    I am the third generation of my family to go to college/professional school in America and my grandchildren are the 5th. % generations of college educated professionals earn and accumulate dynastic wealth described in the OP.

    My grandparents owned their homes in Brooklyn and the Bronx before WWII, My parents aunts and uncles bought in the post war boom. I bought my first house while still in college. All my children are homeowners. Dynastic wealth in America is made/accumulated through rising real estate values. I make good money collecting rents. My tenants would be better off buying than renting long term, albeit not buying i this hyper inflated Pandemic market.

    Those of us in the USA pre 1924 are more likely to own homes over the three generations. We do not have the fear of survivors of needing portable wealth to bribe guards and cross boarders to save our lives. It is a different mindset. I’m a 5th generation Jewish American, who has family members in their 9th American generation. That in of itself allows for dynastic wealth that wasn’t possible for most Jews elsewhere in the world.

    My parents and their siblings left NYC soon after WWII…the opportunities in the suburbs, nearby states for making money were fat higher than in the city, so was the cost of living much lower. The downside was that for many chances the assimilation rate was higher than remaining in the apartment buildings of the self imposed ghettos.

    All of my generation, the next two generations have both Yeshiva and college/professional educations. The CTL Law firm is now multigenerational. So is my brother-in-law’s medical practice. My great grandfather started a clothing factory that is now run by the 5th generation of the family. All of whom have degrees in management, engineering, human relations and accounting.

    To build dynastic wealth you must constantly reinvest in the family. Can a family member be hired trained to do the job? Better to employ a family member than an outsider.

    How do you build a family conglomerate?
    My great grandfather was a Necktie maker who had daughters and no sons. He put his eldest daughter’s husband into the shirt business, the next daughter’s husband was set up as a suit and pants manufacturer. A cousin made hosiery, a nephew made ladies nightwear and underwear. My grandfather and his brothers went on road as salesmen calling on stores throughout America. Unlike most salesman who represented one or two non-competing manufacturers, they could provide a full line of family clothing (all made in family factories) to small town dry goods stores. This saved on commission expense to the family and huge travel expenses. By my father’s generation, many of his cousins as well as he were retail clothing or department store owners (Dad had 15 stores). They set up an owned a buying office in NYC. This way not only did they pool their resources and share the expense of resident buyers, but the retailers they represented throughout the country covered the entire cost of the office and buyers salaries and they were receiving lower prices based on aggregate income, My generation provided the legal, accounting, insurance services for the assorted family businesses.
    This is dynastic wealth as work. My grandchildren will not start life in huge debt for their education. They don’t have to worry about finding employment, somewhere in the family network will be a position suitable for their skills (should they choose to join), but they don’t get a free ride. Everyone is expected to work hard and help the rest of the family grow.

    Lastly, family size; my grandparents all were from families with 4 or 5 surviving children. My parents generation was smaller 2 or at most three children, affected and truncated by the Great Depression. My parents generation married later, delayed by WWII in most cases and my generation is 3 children average. BUT in our family which has grown in USA prosperity, the next generation is about 5 children average and I expect my grandchildren’s generation to exceed that. BUT, it we had remained cliff dwellers in 2 bedroom NYC apartments, I doubt family size would be so large. 5 or 6 bedroom homes an 60-90 minutes form NYC can be had for the price of a 2 bedroom co-op in Brooklyn or Queens.


    @yochy
    ……………..NO we do NOT all live in the same communities

    in reply to: Israels health care system #2034631
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @yeserbius
    I don’t think the US system is terrible or expensive.
    What is terrible is that insurance companies can’t sell policies across state lines.

    I have a Medicare Advantage Plan issued by Connecticare. It is only sold in and available to Connecticut residents. My premium is the same approx $144 per month as regular Medicare Parts A&B.

    I pay zero for visits to my primary physician. I pay $10 for specialists visits. I had two eye surgeries in September. I was responsible for a $100 co-pay to the Surgical center, ZERO to the anesthesiologist and $50 total to the eye surgeon.
    Every hospital in the state accepts the insurance. I have never called to make an appointment with a new specialist and been told he/she does not participate. So far in 2021 the insurance has paid out more than $35,000 and my out of pocket costs have been about $200.

    Shopping for and picking the correct plan is the key to better value.

    in reply to: Israels health care system #2034393
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    Your post has no facts to back up your claims.
    I doubt you are a South African, as your English writing skills are so bad. You use no apostrophes, upper case letters where required, etc.
    “Israels system is no beter than the usa and israelis and a third
    Of what americans do.”
    I dare you to rewrite this into a sentence that can be comprehended by CR readers.

    in reply to: Poasters of YWN Coffee Room- Are you employed? #2034394
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    Actually, as the owner of the CT L Law firm, I am the employer, not an employee

    in reply to: 55 cent increase! #2034181
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @CoffeeAddict
    It isn’t that I don’t care about it. I don’t waste time following state tax issues in other states. I have no opinion one way or another about the proposed NY gas tax increase. This is no different than when your income tax or sales tax rates change. I focus on taxes that affect my family and business.

    I don’t know how much you currently pay in NY State gas taxes. 55 cents might be a reasonable increase or it might not. It is up to NYers to take action. Your state government doesn’t care about my opinion, as I neither vote in NY or donate to candidates there.

    As I stated, CT has no tolls, so gas tax is the user fee that is to upkeep our roads and brisges and tunnels. I don’t mind paying user fees,

    in reply to: Why is there so much demand for scam degree programs #2034018
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @ujm
    Employers may not check before hiring, but when they are dissatisfied with an employee it is often checked. If fraudulent the employee can be fired for lying in the application (which prospective employee agreed to in signing the application) and the employee will be out of a job and unable to collect unemployment in most states. If firing for job performance it is subject to interpretation, possible union grievance procedures, appeals etc. This is a much cleaner and easier to fire an employee, they lied, gi\ot caught and hung themselves.

    in reply to: 55 cent increase! #2034011
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @CoffeeAddict
    Nice to put words in my mouth….NOT
    This thread is about a NY State gas tax
    My CR Name is NOT NYLawyer
    It is more than 10 years since I have had occasion to purchase gasoline in NY State.
    Last Sunday, I had to pick something up in upper Manhattan. The round trip used less than a quarter tank of gas, no need to buy gas in NY State.

    BTW>>>>Mrs. CTL and I have decided that my next car will be electric. Our home has Solar that produces more electricity (over 45000KHW/yr}than we use. It will cost nothing to charge the car.
    Currently, the makers of the fast charge charging stations are offering them at no cost to building owners. I am having 4 installed at our law offices.

    Our town is in the middle of rewriting our zoning regulations. I am lobbying for requiring all new commercial buildings and apartments/condo to install the same amount of high speed charging stations as handicapped parking spaces currently required by law.
    My lobbying git a big boost this week, as the UK will require very new building or residence constructed after Jan 1, 2022 to have charging stations. They will ban the sale of new gas or diesel cars in 2030.
    I have natural gas in my home and businesses in CT. It wasn’t available where we own in Florida, but it doesn’t matter as we have solar.
    As for back up generators, we don’t have one, and don’t really see the need. Our solar system has storage batteries that can keep us going a week.

    The pandemic has taught us how much work can be done from home. I haven’t driven my car since last Monday. I used to drive about 1500 miles per month, the past year it has averaged less than 400. Since the gas taxes in CT are earmarked to pay for highway upkeep and construction, decreased sales mean decreased revenue and taxes might have to be raised. BUT…unlike NY, NJ, MA, PA we have no toll roads or bridge in CT, so the gas tax is merely a user fee which I don’t mind paying

    in reply to: Justice in the USA #2033514
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @Health
    It is not Congress’ place to investigate the riots. That belongs to state Governments, and it federal property was destroyed, the US Attorney in that District. It is Congress; place to investigate the invasion of their home…The US Capitol Building.

    I’m a Liberal Dem, but believe everyone who breaks the law, riots, loots, damages others property should be prosecuted no matter what race the perpetrator is

    in reply to: Local elected frum people #2031840
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    Me……
    Not currently holding an elected post, gave that up when I turned 62, but on a Town Commission, elected member of the Democratic Town Committee, delegate to Sate and National Party Conventions for 40+ years.
    In my previous town, I served two terms elected to the Legislative Council
    In my current Town of more than 30 years:
    I was elected and reelected to the Town Council
    Elected and served a 5 year term on Planning and Zoning Commission
    Elected and served a 4 year term on Board of Education
    This is in Connecticut.

    My eldest sister was elected and served a term on the School Committee (what they call Board of Education) in her Boston area town, Her eldest daughter was elected and served a term on their Town Council, she did not seek reelection as she was hired as a school employee and it would have been a conflict of interest.

    in reply to: The most unexpected place where you met yid. #2031248
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    In the Vatican during an audience with Pope Paul VI.

    in reply to: Cofee room members #2031247
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    I have grandchildren older than that

    in reply to: Redistricting #2030866
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @ShimonNodel
    Replace “Ny democrats” with POLITICIANS and it is universal. I live in CT and my town has just been redistricted into 4 State House of Representative districts all of which are held by multi term Republicans who can win reelection with out our town’s votes.

    in reply to: Trump 2024? #2030744
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    I didn’t in 2016 or 2020 and I”H I am alive I’ll not vote for him in the future.

    in reply to: which jewish community to live in #2028640
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @CommonSaychel
    Bridgeport, CT??????
    No way!!! The city has zero to offer. High taxes, a convicted Felon/jailbird as Mayor.
    A dead Jewish Community
    No Bakery, Butcher, etc.
    Overpriced housing
    High property taxes

    Disclosure: I live nearby and we are property owners in Bridgeport. I would not send any Jew to live there. Makes Waterbury look good. Those who have followed my posts know my low opinion of Waterbury

    in reply to: Penniless #2027737
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @rightwriter
    #1 why would you round to the nearest dollar if you have no pennies? You would round to the nearest nickel.
    #2 It costs 2 cents for the mint to produce a cent coin. There is little you can do with a cent. Long gone are the penny candies of my youth. Most people consider them a nuisance
    #3 Since Covid, far more transactions than ever in the US don’t involve cash money, It won’t be missed.

    in reply to: cleaning help #2025954
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @always
    We are specifically talking about house cleaning, not all manual labor around the house

    If you have at all followed my posts over the years, you’ll have read that I mow my own lawn, remove my own snow, paint and do carpentry, as well as do almost all the cooking (with an office in the home it is easy, and I find cooking enjoyable). I taught my kids these skills and they all had chores.
    Now we are senior citizens, so it’s not about setting an example for our children. Our children set examples for our grandchildren.
    Mrs. CTL has been ill for more than 5 years, I don’t expect her to clean from a wheelchair or hospital bed.
    I enjoy the sense of accomplishment, when I have painted a room or cooked a gourmet meal, I don’t get that feeling after cleaning a toilet or scrubbing floors.
    The cleaning lady cleans the kitchen, but she does not clean keylim, that’s reserved for a family member
    BTW>>>we do not have live in help or aides for Mrs. CTL even though we could easily afford it. That would be a waste of money at this time.

    in reply to: Tznius and kosher pastimes for teenagers #2025733
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    My teenage grandchildren often go bowling Motzei Shabbos. No pizza shops to hang out in here OOT

    in reply to: cleaning help #2023796
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @NG76Bc3
    Why is cleaning the house myself good for our wallets?
    I’m an attorney who bills in excess of $500 per hour
    Mrs. CTL (prior to illness and retirement) was a designer/builder/realtor who billed approx $200 per hour.
    The cleaning Lady gets $40 per hour ($50 with taxes and insurance costs to me). That’s far cheaper than our time is worth.

    in reply to: cleaning help #2023794
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @UJM
    Has it ever been a man?
    YES………………….
    My mother had a cleaning man from 1972 to 1988, when she and my father moved to Florida full time. “Bob’ then cleaned my home until 1997, when he passed away from cancer.
    BTW…..”Bob” was my Polish cleaning man.
    Since his death, we have only had cleaning ladies, but I would not rule out a man if we needed to change personnel.

    Disclosure: Our cleaning person NEVER cared for or was alone with the children or grandchildren. We are talking cleaning service only and Mrs. CTL and/or I has always been at home at the time.

    in reply to: cleaning help #2023573
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @huju
    I remember Polish cleaning ladies as well. In fact the lady who cleans our house on Wednesday each week is Polish.
    Since the breakup of the Soviet Union we are seeing Russian and Ukrainian cleaning ladies who were doctors in the old country.
    The majority of cleaning ladies in our area are either Mexican or Brazilian.

    in reply to: cleaning help #2023569
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @lowerourtuition

    B”H surgeries went well. Have to limit screen time for next 60 days. Glad to be back

    in reply to: cleaning help #2023349
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    Having lived in CT for over 67 years, I can say that most upper middle class people I have known have cleaning help.
    My parents and grandparents had cleaning help in Florida
    My Niece’s family had cleaning help in Illinois
    My other niece has cleaning help in California.

    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @Health
    same in KY, maybe Monsey, etc,

    BUT, the majority of those commenting before me in this thread don’t live in Lakewood, so my comments and observations stand.

    I have found that when those who don’t have children in the public schools try to take over a local school board it is often an attempt to keep expenditures down and local property taxes down.

    Locally, the Republicans are running a homeschooling parent for the BOE who believes public schools should be abolished and states he will not vote for any increase in the school budget during the 4 year term.

    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @Moderator 29
    B”H 98% recovered from my eye surgeries. Still have to limit screen time as they will not be able to prescribe permanent lenses until 90 days after I stop the medications following surgeries.
    Strangest thing is driving without glasses after 50+ years. I had to go to Motor Vehicle and get them to remove the glasses required restriction on my license.

    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    There is a good chance that most of the commenters so far in this thread do not have children ion public school, did not attend public school and are not on their local school board.

    I attended public high school for secular subjects and Yeshiva high school in the morning for religious studies. My mother was a public school teacher, principal and retired as Asst Supt. of Schools.

    I served two terms as an elected member of my local Board of Education. 4 of the 6 members of the BOE were parents of children in the schools. They had and have a say in curriculum.

    Our school board is up for election this Tuesday. There will be 8 members (no more than 4 form any party may serve). of the 12 candidates 8 have children in the schools, the other 4 have older children who graduated already.

    The curriculum committee and the curriculum director annually reports its plans to the BOE at a PUBLIC hearing. Parents may comment and challenge the proposed curriculum (and they do). Only after the hearings may the BOE adopt the curriculum for the coming year.

    Parents and taxpayers have a voice, but only recently do they show up and make their opinions heard. For many years, few people showed up and spoke or asked questions at the public hearings.

    For democracy to work, you must participate, not just gripe on line.

    in reply to: Abbreviations? #2021061
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @Maivin
    Most of what you post are NOT abbreviations, but acronyms…………………

    Abbreviations and acronyms are shortened forms of words or phrases. An abbreviation is typically a shortened form of words used to represent the whole (such as Dr. or Prof.) while an acronym contains a set of initial letters from a phrase that usually form another word (such as radar or scuba).

    in reply to: Was the 2020 election stolen? #2014528
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @RebEliezer
    You don’t quite understand the 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution.
    Your statement that no one can be president more than 8 years is false.
    One can only be elected to 2 Four Year terms. BUT, If a person (usually the VP) assumes the Presidency upon its vacancy (Death, Resignation) for no more than two years, that President may be elected twice and serve for no more than TEN years total.

    “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.”

    in reply to: Trump vs. Biden #2013384
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @Always………………….
    Jews always supported Polish during Napoleonic times…(early 1800s). A lot of good it did when the Poles collaborated with the Nazis.

    My of my ancestral lines was from Suwalki. B”H they got out in the 1870s.
    I have been to Poland a number of the times in the 1980s on business. I could not wait to leave. I felt as if I had a target on my back. I did not get that feeling in other Eastern Bloc countries or in Germany.

    As to your supposition that Solidarity led to 1+ million Soviet Jews being freed, I think that is quite a stretch. There were many reasons why the Soviet Union and later Russia were glad to be rid of 1+ million Jews.

    in reply to: Should Firetrucks be red? #2012569
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    I was born and raised in New Haven, CT. The firetrucks were and are WHITE. We owned a business in Hamden, CT the trucks used to be a Yellowish Green Color. Now they are Red with white upper sections.
    The town I live in now uses red trucks.
    40 years ago I was in business in Danbury. Paid firefighter drove red trucks, the volunteer companies drove the color of their choice.

    It is up to the individual municipality to decide.

    in reply to: Trump vs. Biden #2011893
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @Always
    Half the country did not change their opinion of President Biden. Many Americans did not approve of the way the US left Afghanistan, That is quite a different thing.

    Personally, I believe we never belonged in Afghanistan to begin with. I am reminded of the beginnings of The Labor Union Solidarity in the Lenin Shipyard of Gdansk in 1980. The union and Polish troops were fighting and killing each other. My father, Z”L said: ‘who cares? Let them kill each other they killed enough Jews over the centuries.

    There was no country called Afghanistan until the British Imperialists created this political entity. You can’t make a country out of warring tribes. It has failed miserably in most of Africa, it failed in much of Asia as well. The British couldn’t handle it, the Russians were defeated and now the US and NATO allies have given up. We should have cut our losses and left long ago.
    BTW>>>>I am sorry for the families of US service personnel who died in Afghanistan, BUT every single one was a VOLUNTEER member of the Armed Forces. NOT one was conscripted. They knew when they signed up there was a change their lives would be put at risk.

    I am thrilled we are out, and don’t care about internal power conflicts that will occur for decades to come. The country will probably split into new countries, as did Pakistan and Sudan

    in reply to: Tish or Farbreng #2011818
    Ex-CTLawyer
    Participant

    @Common
    NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    The last football game I attended was in the old Yankee Stadium in 1962, People were well behaved, most men still wore ties and hats. I don’t remember beer or pushing and shoving, but people walking up the ramps in an orderly fashion.
    I attended Yankees Games in the old stadium until about 1990, we had a box and the crowds were not as calm as in the early 60s.
    Until Covid, I’d take the grandchildren to the local minor league baseball games here in CT. Beer wasn’t sold here in the stands and they had family sections.

    In 1970, I attended a Farbrengen at 770. The behaviors, odors and such are reflected in my comments. In the 80s I attended several Tischen in EY. I felt unsafe in terms of overcapacity and safety exits in case of fire. None of these had food or drink worth consuming, but that is not the purpose of the event.
    I am not one who enjoys being in crowds and jostled and inhaling the personal odors of those in attendance.
    I am Litvak Misnagid on the paternal side and Yekkeh on the maternal side. BUT, I support all varieties of Torah Institutions. That doesn’t mean I have to partake in their events.

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