kochleffel

The chicken kebabs would be OK but I'm not making them. Today is also National Beans and Franks Day, but I'm not making that, either. Pass on the cocktail. I'll counter the wine with a Fulkerson 2018 Zweigelt, $25. "An early ripening Austrian red grape variety that is soft, fruit driven and medium bodied. A dry wine with medium tannins and pleasing cherry and currant fruit flavors. A very easy wine to drink." I just saw that Dr. Ruth Westheimer has died. I didn't listen to her program regularly, but the hygienist in my dentist's office always had a radio playing and I always seemed to be there during Dr. Ruth's show. When the hygienist had to leave the room, she ordered me to listen carefully and catch her up.

More on Night of Nights: Night of Nights is an annual event held on the 12th of July by the Maritime Radio Historical Society (MRHS) to commemorate the history of maritime radio and the closing of commercial Morse operations in the USA [in 1999]. These on-the-air events are intended to honor the men and women who followed the radiotelegraph trade on ships and at coast stations around the world and made it one of honor and skill. Once, the maritime mobile bands were populated edge to edge with powerful coast stations operating from virtually every country on every continent. Once, the ships of world trade and the great passenger liners filled the air with their radiograms—and with their calls for help when in danger on the sea. Now those bands are largely silent. https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/events_nightofnights.htm The commercial Morse transmitters that are still operable will sign on tonight and transmit Morse code until midnight. Maybe I will make chicken burgers tonight, if I can get ground chicken. The drink would be OK but those who take certain medications will need to avoid it because of the grapefruit juice. Finger Lakes wineries excel in dessert Rieslings and ice wines; throwing budgets to the winds, we'll go with Weis Vineyards Noble Select Riesling 2020, $109.99. "Our 2020 Noble Select Riesling is hand crafted in the German style of Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA), meaning "Dry Berry Selection," this wine is made using meticulously hand selected Riesling grapes of the highest quality. The grapes contain a naturally high sugar content occuring with the help of Botrytis Cenera (Noble Rot). TBA style wines rank among the greatest sweet wines in the world. This wine will age comfortably for decades."

A hint for Cheering Up The Lonely: you don't do it by going up to them and shouting "CHEER UP!" It is cool enough to make soup but I'm not going to. I would like the drink. It is getting hard to find a Finger Lakes Sauvignon Blanc that I haven't mentioned before and I am starting to hate New Zealand, so here's a 2021 Vignoles from Keuka Lake Vineyards, $19. "This Vignoles is made from grapes grown on our eastside estate vineyards, specifically--Turkey Run, Silvernail and Garden. Between the three sites there are a variety of soil types including well-draining gravel, glacial till, clay, and sandy soils in portions of Turkey Run. The wine is bright and flavorful, with citrus and tropical aromas." I was concerned that the prayer service last night might not have a quorum, because of the forecast for severe thunderstorms, but it was just noise and a brief splash of rain, and there were plenty of people. Tonight is the last night, by the family's choice; it could have continued through Monday.

In California I saw a lot of creative ways to be excluded from jury service, all different ways to make the lawyers on one side or the other fear that you might be crazy. That was one of the cases where I knew that I would be challenged. The opposite was in Massachusetts, where there's no voir dire and unless you are dead or in jail you will probably end up on a jury. Even police officers serve on juries (in civil cases) and the judge in a case where I served was just back from jury duty in another court house where the court personnel at least wouldn't be on a first-name basis with him. I was a full-time student when I was called; there's no exemption for that, but I could postpone it until the end of the semester. The first time I was called was in Ohio, strangely in the jury pool for a paternity suit. Once the lawyers got a look at the prospective jurors, they settled the case. While we were waiting, someone said that no one who owned a business should be required to have jury duty; instead, they should fill the juries with chronically unemployed people who would be grateful for the $12/day that it paid. The most recent time, here in New York, was for a shaken-baby case. They filled the jury before getting to me, but I would have had to tell the judge that I had lived in Boston during the Louise Woodward trial and had followed it closely.

Oh dear. Does Vanessa need to add RNB's toes to the care list?

Tornado watch for all of upstate New York, and Pennsylvania as far south as Harrisburg.

As I posted in yesterday's thread, New York has no automatic exemption for age. You have to explain to the jury commissioners why you can't serve, but the older you are, the less likely they are to question it.

I also remembered what a Clerihew is although I've never written one, and I endorse not stepping on a bee. I don't really like the idea of a pasta salad today, and I think that it might be dangerous to drink a Flatliner. There are also many cocktails called Defibrillator, most containing espresso or cold-brewed coffee. One Irish version adds Guinness and Jameson's whiskey to it. For the wine, Goose Watch 2022 Viognier, $19.99. "Known for its lush tropical passionfruit and peach aromas, Viognier is a rare find in the Finger Lakes region. Our cool climate slowly ripens the fruit producing intense varietal aromas and flavors in this medium-bodied, dry white wine." The events yesterday left me exhausted. It was like a steam bath, only not voluntary, but the officiating rabbi, who has known the couple for 45 years (his first job after seminary was here), did an outstanding job. I did OK with leading the prayer service in the evening at the couple's home, a new condo with AC; two more to go. I went to bed early and thus woke up early, really just wanting to go back to sleep, but I couldn't. The rain has been postponed until noon and is no longer expected to persist into tomorrow, but it was too humid this morning to consider any outdoor work.

There's no jury exemption for age in New York, but the jury commissioner can excuse people who explain why they shouldn't serve. The last two times I've been summoned, the nature of the cases was such that I was sure I wouldn't be eligible. In one of them I would have been challenged by the plaintiff's lawyer because of my occupation. In the other, I would have told the judge that I had been too engaged with a parallel case in another state.

Early tomorrow morning and into Thursday here.

<brag> I actually remembered who the Bab was.</brag> I would be happy with the menu suggestion and I have cod on hand, but I won't be broiling anything in this weather. I like it steamed with greens, too, not that I have any greens right now. The drink would be welcome, perhaps more than welcome, today. For a Shiraz/Syrah, Glenora 2021, $23.99. "Elegant aromas of plum, brown baking spice, molasses and hints of chocolate covered orange. Bright red fruit flavors course across the palate with lively acidity that will give it a long life in bottle." Glenora is on the west side of Seneca Lake but the grapes came from Chateau LaFayette Reneau on the east side. When I took the trash out, it was already disgustingly hot and humid outside.

I don't think that most people have gotten very far with Math 1.0 yet. It's 91° and I don't want any black bean soup, or any soup that is very spicy. I think I'd rather have an ordinary mimosa, made with orange juice. For a Cabernet Sauvignon, Weis Vineyards 2021, $29.99, a bit of a surprise since they specialize in German varietals. "A medium to fuller bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with notes of black cherries, black raspberry, sweet tobacco, and a light cedar spice accompanied with medium tannins and a long finish." My plans have been seriously disarranged by the death of a woman here of very high social standing:from one of the Grand Old Families that things are named for, married to a prosperous businessman. The rabbi of the congregation is away, as he frequently is, and a former rabbi from 40 years ago is officiating at the funeral, but then I'm on for prayer services at their home for three evenings; it could have been for six. The funeral is at the inconvenient time of 1:00 p.m., and with burial across the river and then a lunch it will take most of the afternoon. The sanctuary of the synagogue, where we hold almost all funerals (this is very rare) has no AC. The suggestion to friends who want to visit them in the evening is to come at 6:00, but the prayer service won't be until 7:00 and I think that most will try either to arrive or leave right before it.

Exactly the same here, including the rapid clearing. It's just that we are required to use checks; cheques are not allowed.

Yes. When I can't pay something by EFT, I usually have my bank issue a check (we do not have cheques south of the border) and mail it. Right now I need to write one to the sewer district, because the bank says not to use their service for government obligations. I had been waiting for a corrected bill, because right after I received the first one, they announced that all the bills had been based on 14 months instead of 12.

Two of my mother's sisters, who were twins, didn't have middle names. As teenagers they chose their own.

Remember the conference? The one that waited until July to respond to session proposals for presentation in July? They publish memorial notices in the program book for people in the field who died in the past year. I wrote one for a rabbi who had participated in some of the past conferences although most of her activity was in another area where she was very prominent, and sent it in on time. They later decided to dedicate the entire conference to her memory, but by then they had mislaid what I wrote.

It appears that they are pulling all episodes off Hulu because of that.

I agree with the definition of a dive bar from @0106. No daughters to take on a walk. Is global forgiveness different from regular forgiveness? No shrimp here, please, and no pina coladas. For a Sauvignon Blanc, let's try the 2021 from Keuka Lake Vineyards, $22, which confusingly is made from grapes grown by Hazlitt 1852 on Seneca Lake. "It is delightfully soft and expressive, with some peachy characteristics with a bit of chalky minerality." A Coruna wasn't skipped on the Spanish Farewell last year, because it wasn't on the itinerary to begin with, but if it had been it would have been skipped.

Dr. Pol hasn't been available on cable here for at least a year (Charter Spectrum). Eventually the current season will make it to Hulu.

It is news to me that there is anywhere to get pizza on a Carnival ship at 3:00 a.m.

Here's the cabin I had on the Matanuska, with facilities. The one I had on the Kennicott was an inside, but had a sofa of sorts, really a lower berth with the upper one raised--it was a cabin for 4.

I was a webmaster for 16 years and no one ever took me to lunch on this day, or any other. Zuke pancakes would be OK but I'm not making any. I'd skip the drink (pineapple juice). For the wine, Chateau Lafayette Reneau Petit Verdot 2018, $29.99. "A medium bodied red wine with rich flavors of black cherry and brambleberry. Rich and fruity with a lingering soft black pepper finish." What I want to know is why companies that think they are implementing Artificial Intelligence are actually implementing Artificial Stupidity. There is plenty of natural stupidity already available. A cheer for Pope Clement. It's widely claimed, without proof, that Jews died of the Black Death at lower rates, but the reasons advanced for it are unpersuasive to the point of being ridiculous (ritual hand-washing, Passover cleaning). Being less hostile to cats, which were widely hunted and killed in the Middle Ages because people thought they were agents of witches, or of the devil, might have made some difference. The only idea that makes any real sense, however, is that a significant percentage carried the gene for Familial Mediterranean Fever, which reduces susceptibility to yersinia pestis. The plant does look like a canna, but cannas aren't winter hardy north of about south Georgia. One might survive in an exceptionally warm spot, such as next to the foundation of a house with a heated basement.

I forgot something: when the customer switched to paying cash, the cashier had to send to the office for $1 bills.

I'm lactose intolerant, and I noticed this.

Around 5:00 I made a quick trip to the supermarket. I knew that it would be busy then, but my car had been in the sun earlier and by then it was in the shade. The customer in front of me in the checkout line seemed to have little idea how it worked: didn't put a single thing on the belt until the previous customer had paid and left, wouldn't put anything on it while it was moving, then put everything leaning over the edge of the rail, ready to fall on the floor. Also tried to push a credit card at the cashier before the cashier had even begun to scan things, but ultimately paid in cash.... I have finally finished the kale. I have to ask again: would everyone please stop posting such interesting photos? I am trying not to book any more cruises until I've taken at least one of those already booked.