CTLAWYER

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  • in reply to: Annoying Jewish Telemarketers #1215087
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Comlink-X

    I do not reveal details about my children in any campaign literature, that is private. It should make a difference in how voters vote and I keep family life separate.

    There are 169 towns in CT and I have not identified where I live, nor the office I seek. I do not think you would easilly find me from what I post here.

    in reply to: Annoying Jewish Telemarketers #1215086
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    popa_bar_abba

    No, I don’t deliberately call people who I know have asked not to be called.

    The calling list is the list of registered voters in the district. It is generated by the Registrar of Voters and contains the phone numbers given by people when they register to vote. This government provided list is not checked against a ‘no call list’ because calls to these numbers are not subject to that list.

    If a voter does not want calls from candidates and political parties/pollsters, the voter does not have to provide a phone number when registering to vote, or can ask the Registrar to remove the phone number.

    Just because something is legal doesn’t mean it isn’t offensive. Slaughterhouses are legal, but I wouldn’t want to live next door to one because the smell and noise is offensive.

    The history of the Chinese Auction, where the replacement of the word tricky by Chinese is documented and offensive to those of Chinese decent.

    My family arrived in the US in the early 1870s and were storekeepers in the south. Those general merchandise stores were known as Jew Stores by the populace. It wasn’t illegal, but is sure was offensive.

    If you are told by someone with a Chinese child that the term ‘Chinese Auction’ is offensive, why fight it? It would be far more respectful to say: “I didn’t know that, thank you for educating me.” That doesn’t mean you’ll change your opinion or practice, it does mean you show courtesy and perhaps compassion for a fellow human being.

    in reply to: Annoying Jewish Telemarketers #1215079
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    So now that everyone had a chance to make fun of my screen name, one that is accurate I am a lawyer in CT. I don’t do medical Malpractice cases so no CT scans in my files…

    I suggest that none of you rely on Wikipedia for authoritative knowledge. Almost anyone can post or edit entries.

    My discussion was based on actual experience having a Chinese child. I doubt there are many in the Coffee Room with such a child, but out of town it is not that unusual in the Jewish world to have one. In fact my rov recommended such an adoption as when marriage tome came around there could be no possibility of mamzerus. Only Chinese girls are available for adoption, never boys.

    Now back to the telemarketers, My father Z”L taught me more than 50 years ago to simple say “I’m sorry we have no budget for that, thank you for calling, Goodbye….then hang up.”

    No lies, no wasting the callers’ time and very polite.

    I no full well the wrath of callers, especially at dinner time. I am currently running for local office, and we call voters from 6-8:15 PM. People are quick to yell into the phone that they are on the no-call list, however charities and politicos are exempt under the law. Also any company you have done business with in recent history may call you.

    in reply to: Annoying Jewish Telemarketers #1215054
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Coffee…read this 2002 post from wordoriginsorg…….it brings home the point I made:

    Joseph, it also answers your question about checkers

    CONFUSED ABOUT CHINESE AUCTION #21 [-]

    Mar 19 02 10:50 AM

    My children came home last night with an advertisement for a Chinese Auction that was going to be held at one of the local elementary schools. We are Chinese Americans.

    My 10 yr old son asked me if only Chinese people were allowed to go. I told him “no”. He then asked me what an auction was. I explained. He then asked me if they were planning to sell Chinese people.

    When I asked the schools about the term “Chinese Auction”, I was told that this is what it has always been called. (Not that this is justification…..). I then asked the obvious question, “WHY?” I was told then that the Chinese, a long time ago, were considered “tricky” and “deceptive” and that that was why the term “Tricky Tray” was synonymous for “Chinese auction”. I went from curious to offended very quickly.

    It seems to me that things should be named appropriately. I am not offended by “Chinese Food” or “Chinese Checkers” because those are appropriate names and accurately describe these things. I am offended by “Chinese Auction” because there is absolutely nothing Chinese about it. Call it a “Basket Raffle” or “Surprise Raffle” or even “Tricky Tray”. But for goodness sakes, let’s not call it “Chinese Auction” because that is not what it is.

    in reply to: Annoying Jewish Telemarketers #1215041
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Coffee Addict.

    The term Chinese auction is a very disgusting and derogatory term and should never be used. They are not auctioning off Chinese people as they did with blacks in pre-Civil War America.

    I have a Chinese daughter, my wife and I adopted her in China 18 years ago at a time when due to government one child per family policy, newborn girls were being killed.

    Any charity or organization that advertises a Chinese Auction will never get one cent from me, and I will publicly urge a boycott of the charity/organization until the term is banned and proper apologies made.

    We know dozens of other Jewish families that adopted infant girls in China and we are all offended by this racist term.

    BTW, we also have a white, American born adopted daughter who is 30. We did not start to adopt until we had 3 natural birth children, then for medical reasons could have no more.

    in reply to: Going to shul in the rain on Shabbos #1192132
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Daas Yochid…

    yes, we have 2. My grandparents owned a bungalow colony in Loch Sheldrake in the 50s and 60s. When they sold the land for commercial development, zaidy donated the siddurim and chumashim to his shul, but kept the sifrei torah in the family. I’m the youngest male in my generation and have had them since 1988.

    in reply to: Going to shul in the rain on Shabbos #1192126
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Plumber………………

    If it’s really hot, I walk in shirtsleeves and slacks. If going to shul, there’s a suit waiting, if coming home, a closet full of clothes awaits me.

    Both shul and home have central air conditioning…no window units on timers like in the city.

    If I know on Thursday that Shabbos is supposed to be 95 degrees plus, I invite enough Shabbos guests to have a minyan at home and lunch is served by the pool (within an enclosed fence with door from the house so carrying is not a problem). Having a dozen Shabbos sleepover guests may not be easy in a city apartment, but is no problem in a 7 bedroom 5 bath house when all the kids are grown and no longer at home. Just holding on until we fill them with grandchildren on Shabbos and Yuntif…………..

    in reply to: Going to shul in the rain on Shabbos #1192124
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    I have a couple of Rain Suits bought at LL Bean. I keep one in a closet in Shul, where I also have a suit bag with a Shabbos Suit, shirt, Tie, socks, underwear and a pair of dress shoes.

    If It’s pouring when I’m planning to leave for shul, I wear sweats under the rain suit and boots, when I get to shul I change. If it’s pouring when it’s time to leave shul, I take off my suit and put on the rain suit I keep there. The key thing is to remember to take the items back to shul during the week.

    Twice in the past 10 years weather has been so bad that I have had to stay in shul overnight because of rain or snow. Here in our small town there are no sidewalks and I live about 2 miles from shul.

    in reply to: cemetery etiquette #1101349
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    How else would they cut the grass?

    Seriously, in many cemeteries there is no way to get to many graves without walking on other graves. If there is a usable walkway, then one should try to use it. But as for telling other adults NOT to do something…if you aren’t on the cemetery board it’s not your place. Children on the other hand can be given a lesson in ettiquette

    in reply to: Temple Beth-El of Borough Park, what do we know about its history? #1101234
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    My father, OBM, grew up at #312 Ave F and celebrated his Bar Mitzvah there in February 1935.

    As for Orthodox Synagogues being called Temple it is not common in NY, but in the Boston area it is very common

    in reply to: Free WiFi #1100490
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Feivel…

    You don’t need internet on your computer, you need a WiFi card built into your computer. There are computers that require connection to an outlet in the wall via an ethernet card. WiFi is a wireless connection.

    WiFi is also used for Intranet connections-between computers in a home or business or to send documents to your printer wirelessly…all without accessing what we think of as the Internet.

    in reply to: Free WiFi #1100485
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Most publicly owned buildings-schools, town/city halls, libraries have FREE open WiFi.

    Using that is not theft, it is provided for the public’s use through tax dollars.

    Sitting in your car outside a Starbuck’s or McD’s to use their free WiFi intended for their customers would be theft.

    in reply to: What number date? #1099633
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    I think that Justbecause must be thinking the boy and the girl’s parents live in the same metro area.

    We live out of town (Connecticut) Our son dated both at Yeshiva in NY and in Israel. It would have been very inconvenient for us to have a set number of dates after which we would require meeting the girl.

    He ended up marrying a girl he was set up with while in Israel, we met her at JFK when she had a layover flying back from Israel and changing planes for Miami. I have no idea if they had been on 4 dates or 10. We met her for 90 minutes. We then had a long phone conversation with our son and made arrangements to fly to Florida and meet her parents.

    OTOH, our daughters went to school in NYC. If they reached the stage of wanting to go out a 4th time with a boy, we would drive in on a Sunday afternoon to meet him for coffee. In both daughters’ cases they ended up marrying brothers of their school room mates and had already met the parents when they came to bring their daughters to school or when our girls went as guests to the room mates homes.

    in reply to: How much do you spend per person for shabbos food for 3 meals? #1099515
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Skripka………….

    Apikores? No Misnagid yes

    My mother Z”L was of German descent (I’m 5th generation born in America) and never served cholent. I only make it in the really cold weather if the sons-in-law and grandchildren will be here for lunch as they are accustomed to it.

    My wife and daughters like to keep their trim figures and avoid the starches that comprise most of cholent. They’d rather I made a good Boeuf Bourgignon or Veal stew with mostly root vegetables than some glop made of potatoes, beans, barley, kishke, kugel and one hunk of fatty meat for flavor.

    in reply to: How much do you spend per person for shabbos food for 3 meals? #1099512
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    @fathousewife

    Glad you mentioned the cost of good chicken soup. I use 10 pounds of chicken to make a 12 quart soup. No powder or frames fro me. I then use the soup chicken for making knishes, chicken croquettes or chicken salad later in the week.

    We don’t buy or use prepared food with the exception of Challah in warm weather (we do bake Nov-April). We are down to 4 adults in the house and I figure that we spend approx $25 per adult per Shabbos excluding wine. We do not generally make cholent, Warm weather Shabbos lunch main course is generally a salad topped with cold grilled chicken or beef, lamb or veal shishkebabs. I smoke my own deli meats (the joy of living in the country with a small smokehouse in the yard). We also do not serve both fish and liver at the same meal. One Friday night, one Shabbos lunch.

    in reply to: Whole Life Insurance #1099127
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Whole life is great…for the selling agent.

    It is sold as a forced savings vehicle, but you lose out on the returns available on investments that have no commissions involved.

    What good is building policy value, then borrowing it to pay for weddings and G-D forbid something happens to you and your widow and children get a pittance?

    Term life is cheap, just develop the discipline to save each month.

    The only time whole life was great for policyholders was in the times of great inflation. In 1980 my father was able to borrow $100,000 in policy value against a whole life policy he bought in 1946 for 2% and invest it in bank CDs at 18%. But in modern low interest rate economies one would not accumulate that amount of policy have and have the chance to arbitrage the funds.

    in reply to: Professionally addressing Invitation Envelopes #1099075
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    I am old fashioned and believe social invitations should be hand addressed, not printed on a computer label.

    My wife hand addressed all the invitations for our wedding all those years ago and our married daughters have done the same thing. My son’s shvigger addressed the invitations for his wedding as the Kallah’s handwriting was not as beautiful as the mother’s.

    in reply to: Seuda at a Bris #1125753
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    I grew up eating Fleishcige breakfasts, such as salami and eggs or corned beef hash and eggs. I drink my coffee black so it never made a difference to be Fleischige so early in the day.

    In fact after Yeshiva and while in Law School, as a single adult I had a Fleischige apartment, no milchige keilim at all.

    With the advent of so many parve milk substitutes we had no problem making a fleischige bris for our son 25 years ago.

    My grandsons have had pareve brisim (fish, eggs, veg) as it was not the custom of my sons-in law (or theor families) to eat fleischiges in the morning, and one of the shuls only permits milchiges or pareve in their kitchen

    in reply to: Asking to taste the girl's cooking before agreeing to a shidduch #1098223
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Better to taste her mother’s cooking. If it’s not to your taste you probably won’t be happy with that the girls cooks either. Her reference point will be her mother’s cooking and seasoning.

    in reply to: attention all "jewish democrats" #1143621
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Homer…

    One party rule doesn’t work. It doesn’t work in Hartford or in my unnamed little town with Republicans holding all the power.

    Only in a split legislature where compromise is necessary do we achieve good government.

    When I was young, CT legislators were part-time, they met every other year and set a 2 year budget and it worked.

    I want term limits, not long term professional politicians feeding at the public trough

    in reply to: attention all "jewish democrats" #1143611
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Homer>>>>>>.

    I’ll keep it brief (few words)

    President Obama….elected and re-elected

    VP Biden…great supporting actor, not a headliner

    H.R. Clinton…too much baggage

    Sen. Sanders….Mentsch, but it doesn’t play in Peoria

    17 Republican aspirants….Circus Clowns, Foot Eaters

    USA—seeking a true leader

    There is still one year until the political conventions, maybe there will be a yet unannounced candidate who appears to save the day

    in reply to: attention all "jewish democrats" #1143605
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Joseph,

    Congratulations, something not made up such as promising on his dead mother’s life.

    BTW>changes vary greatly by state and insurance carrier. Not all states set up health care exchanges. I’m thrilled CT did. I’m saving more than $600 per month with the same carrier and an improved policy with the same co-pays. Then again CT is the insurance capital of the US

    in reply to: attention all "jewish democrats" #1143603
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Joseph…….

    Literalist? or interested in truth?

    You didn’t tell me a million times, or a thousand or a hundred or even 10.

    I am an attorney, I have to deal with facts and the law. (BTW I’m not a trial attorney, so testilying isn’t an issue).

    in reply to: attention all "jewish democrats" #1143596
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Joseph……….

    making things up are you?

    President Obama’s mother died of ovarian cancer in 1995. He became President on January 20, 2009.

    Is your hatred so great that you must post untruths?

    in reply to: attention all "jewish democrats" #1143585
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Homer,

    You post generalizations and untruths (LIES) as well.

    You defame Hillary Clinton claiming she lies almost every time she opens her mouth. You don’t like her, fine, but you have no way of knowing the truth of her every uttererance.

    “Mrs. Clinton, would you like coffee or tea?”

    “I’ll have coffee, thank you” and you would label it a lie.

    Affordable Care Act–You FALSELY claim you can’t keep the same doctors, etc.

    Are you covered under the ACA?

    I previously had private coverage with Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield. They dropped all small groups. My small law firm replaced it through the CT Healthcare exchange and coverage is written by Connecticare. Not one doctor change or hospital change or pharmacy change was necessary. In fact I have a wider choice of pharmacies than before.

    Methinks you protest too much and your hate for Democrats and Liberals shows your true self.

    You can’t show a lie by Bernie Sanders so you dismiss him as a Socialist.

    in reply to: attention all "jewish democrats" #1143573
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Coffee Addict….

    Unlike Trump, most candidates don’t spend their own money on the race. neither O’Malley or Chafee have attracted enough interest from donors to finance much of a campaign.

    Traditionally many of these minor candidates gather enough ‘favorite son’ delegates to insure a speaking role before a national audience, or to broker a deal putting a candidate over the top.

    A speaking role can be a step to stardom, Who ever heard of the state senator from Chicago before Barack Obama gave the Keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention?

    in reply to: freezer for morahs #1097262
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    $250 week to teach my children, grandchildren?

    In a day when we pay the cleaning lady $100 for 4 hours, the kid who weeds and cuts the lawn gets $20 hour it is a complete outrage that we pay our Morot starvation wages.

    in reply to: freezer for morahs #1097248
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Abba_S

    NO she could not have sued and won. Did you miss the year, 1964. Sexual Discrimination in hiring was NOT illegal back then.

    in reply to: freezer for morahs #1097244
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    There is actually a third side to this situation………..

    Economic Reality Check…from the school’s perspective.

    When we were first married, Mrs. CT Lawyer taught first grade for two years at a local day school. She finished the second year and gave birth to our eldest child two weeks later.

    She was a stay at home mom, B”H we didn’t need her income. 25 years later, when our youngest was in high school, wife decided she missed being with children and applied to teach 2nd grade at the same day school The same family runs the school, the son of the previous previous director is now menahel. My wife has a teaching certificate, classroom experience and a Master’s Degree in early childhood education.

    She didn’t get the job, the Menahel explained to her: We want young female teachers who will get married, get pregnant and leave. Teachers who are through having babies, gain seniority and expect more than starting salaries (yearly raises, benefits, etc.) Illegal, yes, but who’s going to take this to court and ruin the school/Rabbi’s reputation.

    The irony is that in 1964, when I turned 10 (youngest child), my mother A”L with 10 year’s public school teaching experience and a Doctorate in Education applied for a teaching position in the New Haven Public Schools. The Superintendent told her that she was the most qualified for the job, but he only hired young Yale Wives, because they either left to have babies or their husbands graduated and they moved on. He didn’t want mature married woman who’d stay 30 or 40 years until retirement gaining tenure and salary increases. Mom took a position in a neighboring town and 5 years later when the Superintendent was gone, she was hired as a Principal and stayed for 25 years. When she retired they were able to hire 4 teachers for the total she was earning each year.

    in reply to: attention all "jewish democrats" #1143565
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Coffee Addict,,,When I say ‘in play’ I mean having an actual organization working in many states to gather votes, support, raise funds, hold functions, rallies, contact delegates to the state convention….

    I’ve been to 3 Hillary events and 2 for Sanders, I regularly get calls and email from both. I have also been contacted by the chair of a state committee that has organized itself to support Biden if he enters the race.

    Not one peep from the other 2

    in reply to: attention all "jewish democrats" #1143563
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Coffee addict……….

    I have heard of Martin O’Malley, I’ve even met Lincoln Chafee.

    I don’t consider either of them as serious candidates for the nomination.

    As you say, Chafee is from my neighboring state to the east, Clinton from the neighboring state to the west, and Sanders straight up the Connecticut River..only 60 miles separate CT from Vermont.

    That said, I am a member of the Democratic Town Committee where I live and a delegate to the CT Democratic State Convention in 2016. There has been no activity by Chafee or O’Malley attempting to win our votes. We are a small state, but get extra votes at the national convention because we’ve voted D in the past Presidential elections and have an elected D administration plus all members of Congress.

    in reply to: attention all "jewish democrats" #1143553
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Coffee Addict,

    There are millions of Democrats, just these are the three in the limelight right now.

    My post states ‘barring a surprise late entry into the race’

    Right now these are the people in play.

    in reply to: attention all "jewish democrats" #1143551
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    If there was a Democratic party primary with the 3 candidates:

    Biden, Clinton, Sanders…I’d vote Sanders.

    I have no questions about his honesty and integrity. He has never sold out to special interests.

    That said, I don’t expect such a primary to happen. I first met Hillary Rodham when she was a student at Yale Law School in the early 1970s (introduced by Joe Lieberman) in my home town of New Haven. I felt then that she was the smarter of the Clintons and would go far. I think she can beat Joe Biden hands down in primaries and fundraising and barring a Sanders surge or surprise late entry into the race she will be the candidate.

    In all candor, I don’t think middle America will vote for a socialist Jew after 8 years of a Black President. They are ready for another White Protestant, not a Roman Catholic such as Biden (or Jeb Bush for that matter-born a WASP but converted to Catholicism).

    edited

    in reply to: Funny Shidduch Stories #1227618
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Joseph,

    the rebbi embarrassed himself. I could have asked? Don’t you remember you were mechubad with a brocha under the chupah at my chasunah? Better to let him overhear the question to my wife.

    BTW>>he sent the baby a gift, and we laugh about this whenever we meet. Plus he was mechubad with a brocha under the chupah at my son’s chasunah as well.

    in reply to: Funny Shidduch Stories #1227614
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    In 1989 I got a call from a rebbi I had in yeshiva back in high school. I answered the phone and he went on and on about a young lady that he wanted to set me up with. He told me all about her attributes and the family’s yichus. Would I please consider going out with Miss X on Sunday because she’d be in town for a Bris that morning. I said to the rebbi; ‘let me check my calendar. Not covering the phone to block my conversation.

    I asked my wife out loud…Sweetheart, Rebbi so and so wants to know if it’s ok for me to go on a shidduch date with your younger sister Sunday after the baby’s bris?

    I returned to the phone to hear a dial tone.

    in reply to: Replacement idiom for "when the fat lady sings" #1134839
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    You can tell this is a Yeshivish group.

    Most have no understanding that most classical European opera ended with a fat female soprano singing over the body of the slain hero…etc.

    in reply to: Paying to hear a shiur #1093454
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    zahavasdad…

    How else can a shul raise money?

    By charging and collecting realistic dues.

    Those us us living out of town know that a shul cannot be maintained without realistic dues. $1,000+ per year for a family is not unusual.

    This is not the case in large communities with tons of shtieblach.

    in reply to: Middle Names #1091039
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    I couldn’t answer about Galitzianers, as my paternal side is Litvish and maternal German.

    That said, I grew up in close proximity to many paternal cousins of my generation. There were 6 boys born in early 1954. All of us were named for our paternal Great Grandfather A”H who had died in December 1953. Rather than having mass confusion when mother, grandmother, aunt called for Yitzhak to stop playing ball and come inside, we were all called by our middle names (which were all different from each other). Only when signing our names, in yeshiva, or after Bar Mitzvah when being called for an aliyah are we called by our given first names.

    in reply to: let's make it easier to judge #1089212
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Guess I’m a 62 year old rebel

    My suits, never a jacket and slacks, are dark blues and charcoal, occasionally brown. The judge wears a black robe, attorneys wear other colors.

    My hats all are color coordinated to the suit I’m wearing, including straw for summer wear. I wear a hat for Mincha/Maariv, not Shacharis-when my talis covers my bald head.

    No hair-no haircut.

    Extremely short well trimmed beard–longer is frowned upon in court.

    Suede yarmulke in colors to match suit

    Shirts are a white background with a pinstripe the color of the suit I’m wearing.

    Glasses are gold wire rimmed…a vestige of the 1960s and not wanting to grow old

    1971 Jaguar XKE…living my second youth–personal car

    2015 Jaguar XJR LWB for when I have clients or children with me

    Living outside NY relieves certain pressure to conform by the Chevra

    in reply to: Minyan with a kiddush in Midwood #1089528
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    EpesAhYid………..

    MartyB?

    Planning is crucial for Shabbos. It’s nice to know what’s available.

    I live in CT. Here a kiddush is served every Shabbos, BUT unless it’s a special simcha, it’s a cold Kiddush…herring, kichel, schnapps. Shabbos Mevorchim will also have kugel, salads and cakes.

    Cholent is only served in the dead of winter to warm everyone’s body for a long, cold walk home (2 miles is the norm).

    No bagels are served…that’s for every Sunday morning after minyan when a full breakfast is served and wives and children are welcome and an educational program included.

    in reply to: beard types and lengths in Judiasm #1088930
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Flatbusher

    My mother said it in English translation. The longer the beard the greater the thief!

    My father’s side was Litvish….I never heard that expression used by them.

    BTW, I’m more than 60 years old, and heard this the first time more than 60 years ago.

    in reply to: supreme decision #1089553
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Much of this reaction is meaningless. Same sex civil marriage has been legal in most states for a number of years. It does not affect the average reader of this website.

    No one is forced to marry another person of the same sex, nor are you being forced by the government to perform a civil marriage ceremony between same sex partners.

    What the Court decoded is that there are 14th Amendment rights that must apply to all in the USA and they cannot be denied by individual rights.

    American society evolves over time. States used to give charters to synagogues permitting them to open and operate. Jews, Women, Blacks and non-property owners were not allowed the vote in the past. Goyische prayer was forced upon Jewish children in public schools. The Court has interpreted the Constitution to right these injustices.

    Nothing in today’s decision forces an individual to do something that is morally reprehensible to one’s religious beliefs.

    One of the most important portions of the ruling is that states MUST recognize legal marriages performed in other states. Some states permit marriage between first cousins, others don’t. But those who don’t recognize those permitted marriages should the couple later move to the state who does not permit those marriages. Now a same sex married couple from CT or NY who moves to Virginia doesn’t lose marital rights.

    in reply to: Legal name change #1088472
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Coffee addict……………

    your advice is not correct.

    I’m an attorney. I handle name changes in Probate Court in CT, and have in Surrogates Court in NY. There is nothing you need a notary public for except to notarize your signature, and that verification can be done by other officials.

    In fact in CT, EVERY lawyer is an officer of the court and can authenticate that a document is being signed by the person who is who he/she says he/she is.

    Most Notaries Public do little more than authenticate the validity of a signature, or that someone is affirming a statement as their free act and deed.

    Power varies by state. In Florida, a notary can perform marriages.

    in reply to: How Often Do You Eat Meat? #1088168
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Excluding the 9 Days, Fast Days (and the night after) and Shavous I tend to eat meat or poultry twice a day.

    Back when I was single, mor with a small than 40 years ago, I had a fleishiges apartment service for 2 set of pareve. I drink my coffee black, and was happy with toast and pareve margarine, eggs and coffee for breakfast.

    B”H we have separate kitchens in our home and it is no problem for me to have a fleischige meal when the wife and daughters may be having milchiges.

    Today is Father’s Day. My youngest daughter made me salami and eggs for breakfast at 8 after I came from Minyan. I had a cookout at 1PM where I grilled burgers, franks, and steaks with veg kabobs, corn on the cob. Tonight after I get home from shul will be a cold meal. A tossed salad topped with sliced turkey, roast beef and pastrami.

    It’s a great menu to celebrate…three meat meals…I’m very satisfied.

    in reply to: What to do when your daughter wants a cat #1087206
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Charliehall

    We have had cats for all the years of our marriage (40+).

    Never had kittens, never altered a cat.

    HOW? We have indoor only cats and only have females. Yidden don’t believe in immaculate conception…no problem

    in reply to: Becoming a Rebbe in Cheder #1087620
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    As my name states, I live in CT. Far enough away from NY to enjoy open space, but within a 90 minute drive to NYC.

    That said, the close commute to NY is used by Yeshivos and Shuls to lower the pay rates for rebbeim and Rabbis. Applicants are told that it’s an easy trip in to Monsey, Queens or Brooklyn to see family, shop, eat, etc. Therefore you are not sacrificing as much as communities 3 hours or more away from the city and we can pay you less.

    Also, it is quite common for rebbeim to teach a full day in out of town day schools/Yeshivos. They may teach elementary in the morning and High School in the afternoon or vice versa.

    One of the biggest problems ion employment is that many of these Yeshivos (particularly Chabad) have become dynastic, employing mostly family members. Non family members tend to be hired for a year or so and when they seek a raise they are not retained and another beginner, who comes at beginner salary is hired.

    Tuition discount is not a selling point for employment, faculty kids attend free.

    in reply to: What to do when your daughter wants a cat #1087195
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    Why would you make your daughter ask 77 days in a row. When my princesses asked for kittens or puppies, the answer was Yes darling, when would you like to go choose one?

    Then again, I live in a large home in the suburbs, not a NYC apartment, and keeping dogs and cats as pets is the norm.

    BTW>>>Thank G-D she asked. My eldest daughter, now grown and on her own brought home two kittens and a puppy over the years without asking. She brought home our 4th dog two years ago, introduced him to me and announced: Happy Father’s Day!

    That means poppa gets to pay the food and vet bills, get up at 4AM to let him out, etc.

    But I wouldn’t trade my daughters for anything or anyone and we love our 4 dogs and two cats

    in reply to: VoIP Telephone Service #1086047
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    We have used Vonage for 5 years for both home and office. We have no complaints and it saves us lots of money each month. They included features at no charge that AT&T was charging us for (voice mail, directory assistance, three way calling).

    My wife’s favorite feature from Vonage: if dialing a number in your same area code you only dial SEVEN digits.

    Oldest daughter works on a private ship in Europe. She uses MagicJack. It drops about half the calls, but as there are no cell towers at sea, the alternative is a Satellite phone and the cost is prohibitive.

    in reply to: Law School & Rabbi Mizrachi #1085624
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    akuperma………….

    Frankly I’m not in Eretz Yisrael. As my handle indicates I’m a lawyer in Connecticut.

    I’m not a judge…no reason to take a cut in income. In CT all attorneys are officers of the court. Most attorneys never go to court, they process paperwork and mediate between their clients and other attorneys and their clients.

    I respectfully disagree that a degree from a second or third tier law school is just as useful as one from an Ivy League school if all you want to do is hang out a shingle.

    A lawyer in a large firm with many Top Tier Law School attorneys has that yichus to stand behind. A independent who hangs out a shingle is often judged by prospective clients by the diploma on the wall…and those prospective clients have more faith in an Ivy League lawyer than one from a cut rate institution.

    in reply to: Law School & Rabbi Mizrachi #1085619
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    I have no idea why some maggid shiur would pontificate this way. Who do Yeshivos come to when they have zoning issues, want government money for feeding students, special education funds, etc.? They come to us lawyers…and they expect us to do their bidding for free.

    As for Jewish lawyers who can’t find a job for 2 years>>>this applies to non-Jews as well. The field is over-saturated. The return on your tuition investment, as much as 150K in a top school is not guarranteed.

    When I retire my children or grandchildren will not continue the firm.

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