My Benjamin Netanyahu Story March 8, 2012
Posted by judylobo in Jewish Stuff, Photography, Politics, Religion, wildlife, Zoos.Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu, Central Park Zoo, Politics
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My friends are now rolling their eyes and saying ‘Nooooo – not the Benjamin Netanyahu story AGAIN!’ But since he is back in the news as the Prime Minister of Israel some stories just need to resurface. So here goes –
Time: March 2001
Place: The Central Park Zoo
Background: As a long time volunteer Zoo Guide in the education department at the Central Park Zoo I was asked ‘if I minded’ giving a tour to the recently ousted Prime Minister of Israel and his young family. Did I mind? Did I mind? (We Jews like to repeat ourselves). Heck, no. I was thrilled.
Story: So after the formal introductions, Bibi, his wife, their two young sons, two undercover Israeli agents, two under cover NYPD officers and the head of security at the Central Park Zoo and I took off for an informal tour of the Zoo. The boys were excited, the Netanyahu parents seemed relaxed and the under cover officers were tense. I was trying to look cool, calm and collected. The only Hebrew I could recall was ‘shalom’ and how often can you say that on a zoo tour?
Meat of the story: As we toured the upstairs close-up gallery in the tropical rain forest we stopped at the tarantula exhibit. I spoke for a very short while about tarantulas. The boys and Bibi were fascinated by the creepy crawly critters.
I say to Bibi – “Do you have tarantulas in Israel?”
Without skipping a beat, looking straight into my eyes, Bibi replied – ‘”Only in politics”.
Oh yes, he was good. Very good. I just wish he were not such a hawk. Oh well. That is my Benjamin Netanyahu story. The above photo was taken of us by Tom, the head of Zoo Security. I told Tom at the time that if the photo did not come out – I would have to kill him.
Fasten your seat belts… January 1, 2012
Posted by judylobo in Photography, Politics.1 comment so far
If you thought 2011 was a roller coaster – fasten your seat belts. The 2012 campaign for President, Congress and local Governments are going to be bigger, louder and nastier than ever.
The Year in 100 seconds
My Vote Got Applause November 8, 2011
Posted by judylobo in Politics.5 comments
It is Election Day. The City is quiet as schools, City agencies and many other businesses honor this very special day. Yes, it is an off year in politics in my State. In NYC we did not even get a mailing from the Board of Election to tell us where to vote or what to vote for.
So off I went to my local polling place about 90 minutes after the polls opened. As I walked into the school gymnasium I was greeted by 12 people including one Police Officer. They smiled as if it was Christmas morning. They got off their folding chairs and started to applaud. Yes, I was the first person to vote and they were thrilled.
So what was on the ballot? There was one column of 10 names. All were running for a Judgeship without any opposition. And they were all Democrats. Not a tough choice for me. I voted the party line, got into a short chit chat with the workers and went on my merry way.
I told them as I was leaving that next November it would be more crowded. They said ‘Do you think so?” I told them I would bet on it.
Keeping the faith. Don’t forget – if you don’t stand for something – you’ll fall for anything.
What to Wear to the Revolution October 6, 2011
Posted by judylobo in Photography, Politics.Tags: Keith Olbermann, Occupy Wall Street, Zuccotti Park
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We (my sister and I) decided it was time to go downtown and see what the Occupy Wall Street Protest was all about. So, decked out in the usual protest gear (jeans and a black turtleneck), traveling light (just in case we got arrested), smiles on our faces, we hit the streets. My first impression was that tiny Zuccotti Park looked like a street fair that had just broken up. Cartons everywhere, tables of food in no particular order, and the oh so gentle smell of marijuana in the air. It was generally a sloppy, disorganized mess, and seemed to be filled with rag tag characters out of a 70’s hippie movie.
We wandered around for about an hour, criss crossing the small park. We read all of the posters, spoke with a few people and generally felt a cheeriness throughout the air despite the gloomy signs and ocassional creepy outfits. We saw people getting free haircuts. They asked me, or I thought they asked me, if I wanted a muppet? A muppet? I said. They laughed and laughed. No they wanted to know if I would like a mullet! Then we all laughed heartily.
We spoke at length with a guy who had a scary beef with Johnson & Johnson. Really serious accusations about attempted murder, etc. Being J&J shareholders, we did not like what we heard. Oy!
The street was theater and felt like performance art.
Then again, was it the beginning of a movement? We donated some money here and there and hoped against hope that this was, indeed, the start of something big.
The Left needs to lift its voice and get its air time back from the Right.
Did we get arrested? No we did not. In all my years of placard carrying, bra burning, women’s rights, war protesting and then some – I have never even gotten close to being arrested and today was not going to be my first arrest.
When I got home after 8 PM there were a couple of voice messages from my dear friend Carol and her husband Matt, the Police Officer. Did I get arrested? Why wasn’t I home? Worry, worry, worry. When I phoned them back I realized that I had failed to tell them that after the Protest we went up to the Museum of Modern Art to see the DeKooning show and then went to The Paley Center for Media to hear Susan Orlean speak about her new book on Rin Tin Tin. For some reason, Carol and Matt found this incredibly funny. What?
Keepin’ the faith….
Laboring on Labor Day September 5, 2011
Posted by judylobo in Photography, Politics, Videos.Tags: labor day, unions
3 comments
Labor Day is a day when we are supposed to honor the laborer by not laboring. In today’s job market – that is an easy task. Jobs are hard to find and the horizon does not seem any brighter. Today’s headline grabber in the New York Times indicates that the Post Office is on the brink of shutting down and the possibility of 120,000 postal workers being laid off (talk about ‘going postal’).
I am a long time believer in unions and do not blame them for our present economic problems. That is just one more ‘class warfare’ tactic that the Repugnants use to attempt (quite successfully) to break the unions. Do we have to look any further than Wisconsin to see what an of control Repugnant legislature will do?
Am I at all optimistic about the President’s jobs speech this Thursday to a joint session of Congress? No, I am not. I will listen and count on my fingers all of the things he will propose and then try to figure out when he will cave on them when dealing with the other side. I have begun saying to my friends that we already have a Republican in the White House and we do not need another election to switch parties in that branch of Government. Oh dear – I am wandering off topic.
Back to Labor Day. Last year on Labor Day I wrote “I would like to proudly say that I have never crossed a picket line but three of my friends would know that’s a big fat lie. Does it count if I was out of town while guiltily crossing the picket line? Here’s the story in a nutshell. We were on a fun holiday to Chicago. I had no idea the hotel I booked us into was on strike. I gasped when I saw the picket line. What to do? What to do? Luckily I found a side door that I could sneak in and out of each time we entered and left the hotel but it was extremely unpleasant for me (my pals got a good laugh out of my discomfort). So, in conclusion, I will proudly say that other than those four days in Chicago, I have never crossed a picket line”.
‘The first Labor Day in the US was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City. It became a federal holiday in 1894, when, following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the US military and US Marshals during the Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with the labor movement as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously (can you imagine anything unanimous in Congress today?) and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike.
The only effective answer to organized greed is organized labor – Thomas Donahue
Wet Dog, Dry Plants – an Irene Postscript August 28, 2011
Posted by judylobo in Animal Stories, Dogs and cats, Photography, Politics.Tags: Hurricane Irene
5 comments
It is over for us. Hurricane Irene came and left leaving most New Yorkers unscathed (if you are not counting all of the people that had to evacuate or are calling their insurance companies to assess their house/tree/car damage).
I have started to schlep my outdoor plants back outside (without the energy I had yesterday). Benny has been on two walks since Irene passed us by – which he much preferred to this morning’s very wet outside adventure at 6 AM.
a) Manhattan had no power outages. Why doesn’t the Government spend stimulus money to bury all power cables underground? Manhattan had no power outages because our cables are all underground.
b) The Battery did not flood very much considering it it all manmade and should be flooded all of the time.
c) Here is the one thing that was damaged in my neighborhood – an upset pot.
d) Plants going back onto my balcony (a work in progress).
e) I know that life is back to normal. The lunatic that stands on the corner singing and screaming with his guitar returned.
I hope your experience with Hurricane Irene was as uneventful as mine. Unfortunately, Mayor Mike has informed us that the transit system will most likely not be up and running for tomorrow’s rush hour. He is sure ‘we’ will figure someway to get to work because New Yorkers are tough. Hey, Mayor Mike – you have a chauffeured lim0. Want to pick us all up and give us a ride?
Deconstructing Casa Lobo August 27, 2011
Posted by judylobo in Animal Stories, Dogs and cats, Photography, Politics, Videos.6 comments
We were instructed by building management to clear our balcony of any furniture, grills or plants before Hurricane Irene drops by. Easy for you to say, Pedro. Have you seen my balcony? (All photos below). So, I went to the gym at 7 AM to build up my strength for my upcoming arduous task. My 24 hour gym is closing at 10AM today and will be closed tomorrow as well. In case you are living somewhere else and have not see the news – NYC is essentially shut down as of noon today. No subways or buses and the airports (all three) are shutting down. There are evacuation areas throughout the five boros and most food items are gone from supermarket shelves.
I checked my own pantry and found I had plenty of food for the pets, ample wine, pretzels and tuna. What else does someone need? Am I nervous? No (except when I turn on the TV and hear the horrible warnings, statistics and blather). So I turned off the TV and did my task. There are now pots, plants and garden supplies all over Casa Lobo and both Benny the dog and Madison the cat are not pleased. The cat retreated to the closet to hide and benny hid under the bed. Now that the noise is over they have returned to their normal positions.
Do I think the Mayor and Governor have over-reacted? I surely do. I think if this hurricane had hit during the week when Wall Street does whatever it is they do – it would have been a different story. However – ‘who works on the weekend’ – the powers that be thought? ‘Not anyone I know’ – so they shut it down. Am I cynical? You bet. Just because I am not blogging much on politics these days do not for one minute think that I have changed my tune or softened in anyway. I am mad as hell and shake my fist at passing clouds all of the time.
So what will I do today and tomorrow? I will devote myself to some projects that have been on a list for ages. I will stare out the window. I will most likely speak to my good buddy Carol several times and also will yak with my sister Terry. One more thing – I will call and speak with my zoo buddy, Mary tomorrow as it is her birthday. ‘Happy Birthday, Mary’.
Good night Irene – good night.
A Shout Out to Governor Cuomo June 26, 2011
Posted by judylobo in Photography, Politics.5 comments
The anual Gay Pride Parade goes directly past Casa Lobo. It is always very loud and festive but this year – even more so. I cheered rather loudly myself when Governor Cuomo passed by. A HUGE shout out to him for promises kept.
Weiner Walks and I’m Pissed June 16, 2011
Posted by judylobo in Politics.3 comments
I know I have been uncharacteristically silent of late but now I am pissed.
What the heck is going on? Anthony Weiner was the only Democrat with enough moxie, chutzpah and smarts to take on the Repugnants and call them out as they should be on issue after issue. So what do the waffling, ball-less Dreadfulcrats do?
They throw their loyal pit bull under the bus. They call for his resignation and send him off into the sunset alone without so much as ‘thanks for all you have done.’ I am pissed. Weiner said what I thought – he said it over and over again. Who is going to do that now? I do not see anyone in the House who will come to the podium and say what needs to be said.
Sad – pathetic and very disappointing. I will miss him.
Keith and Kovacs April 13, 2011
Posted by judylobo in art, Links, Politics, Videos.1 comment so far
Boy, do I miss Keith Olbermann. Last night, thanks to my sister Terry, we went to the Paley Center (the Museum of Television and Radio) to enjoy 90 minutes of ‘The Life and Legacy of Ernie Kovacs’, moderated by Keith Olbermann.
‘Cerebral and surreal, Ernie Kovacs was one of television’s most daring and subversive originals. From 1950 until his untimely death in 1962, the outrageous comedian used the small screen as his personal comic canvas, challenging the medium’s conventions and assumptions. Moderator Keith Olbermann, himself a master of pop culture references, will lead a discussion about Kovacs’s offbeat sensibility and how it paved the way for future experimentation by Monty Python, David Letterman, and MTV. George Schlatter and his wife Jolene Brand will put their friend’s life in perspective, while two of the most innovative creators of contemporary television, Robert Smigeland Joel Hodgson, will examine why Kovacs remains relevant today. Historian Ben Model will reveal how he curated the definitive box set of Kovacs’s work, which will be released by Shout! Factory on April 19. The evening also will feature exemplary highlights of Ernie’s art, testifying to his personal motto, “Nothing in Moderation’
The evening was funny and entertaining but what I enjoyed most of all was seeing Keith again. I have missed his Countdown more than I realized. Yes, I have been distracted these past few months about politics, the world and the demolition of our system of government as we know it, but last night I was energized again.
Contractually, Olbermann is not allowed to speak about his separation with MSNBC so there were vague and subtle references all evening about his estrangement with the network that the crowd enjoyed. Keith will be back on the air on Current TV sometime soon. I for one, will tune in.
If you are not familiar with the work of Ernie Kovacs there is a treasure trove of snippets on youtube and the new boxed DVD set is now available. He was a genius who tragically died in a car accident at the age of 42. Below are just two of my favorites.
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