MAGA, Marin and Jackie Robinson

AROUND THE BLOCK

I learned today…

It's been a while since the last Around the Block post. There are many reasons why I went on hiatus, but primarily because I felt that writing satirical posts, like News with a Twist, didn't suggest funny anymore given the current state of affairs in the country. At least not to me. I figured I should leave the satire to Borowitz and Bee and Oliver...professionals who are really good at it. Importantly, my heart simply wasn't in it.

Although I stopped writing, I did continue to forward articles and commentary I thought worthy of a read, just in case friends and/or former Around the Block readers missed them. And, you know, some did. Which leads to my going back to my original iteration of Around the Block– I learned today... In this version, I won't be twisting the news but rather posting interesting articles that moved me somehow: made me think, made me angry, made me laugh...you get the point. Oh yeah, and where appropriate, I'll also add my own commentary. 

This is my first attempt at the new Around the Block. It might take a few tries to get into a groove, so bear with me (or not, as the case may be). In any event, feedback is appreciated, and opting out is allowable without any rancor or retribution on my part.

So, here goes: 

MAGA

I learned today that a San Francisco Bay Area restaurant is refusing to serve diners wearing MAGA (Make America Great Again) hats.

https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/marin-civic-center-makes-its-marin-blue-debut

Now, I’m as liberal as they come, but denying service because you don’t agree with a patron’s political views, while perhaps not as odious as denying service due to a person’s sexual identity, is simply wrong. What’s next, banning Yankee hats at Fenway’s Bleacher Bar? (Note to self, find out if they already ban Yankee hats at the Bleacher Bar). In any event, here’s better approach, as shown in the “Take Your Hat Off” scene from the Sopranos: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewb-52xRl2g. 

Take it from Tony, banning all hat wearing in restaurants solves the MAGA problem, not by promoting discrimination but by promoting common courtesy.

Jackie Robinson

I learned today that the Museum of the City of New York has opened a new exhibit: In the Dugout with Jackie Robinson: An Intimate Portrait of a Baseball Legend. https://www.mcny.org/exhibition/dugout-jackie-robinson.

The exhibit, which will be on display through September 15, will then become part of a new Jackie Robinson Museum opening in SoHo in December.

Opening a Jackie Robinson museum in SoHo? In Manhattan? Home of the hated NY Giants? The only thing worse would have been locating the museum in the Bronx. C’mon Robinson Foundation, Jackie Robinson = Brooklyn. I mean it’s not like no one's going to Brooklyn nowadays.

Marin Civic Center

As a 40+ year (but now former) resident of Marin County, I am justly proud that Frank Lloyd Wright’s last building is in Marin, the iconic Marin County Civic Center. The civic center has been going through a roof renovation, including restoring the roof to its original “Marin Blue” color. 

https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/marin-civic-center-makes-its-marin-blue-debut

But I learned today that Wright’s original conception was for the building to have a gold roof to mimic the “summer gold hills of Marin.” For those of you who have seen the civic center while driving down Highway 101, I think you’d agree that the iconic blue roof is one of the buildings most striking features. Thank goodness the contractors at the time couldn’t find a gold paint that would weather Marin’s sun and rain and received permission from Wright’s widow to change the roof to a blue color Wright had used before.

Will Marin Color Service, Marin’s premier paint store, be working with Benjamin Moore on a new Marin Blue color? Stay tuned.

California, Caged farm animals, SCOTUS and $1 a Year

AROUND THE BLOCK

I learned today…

It's been while since the last Around the Block post. There are many reasons why I went on hiatus, but mostly it was because I felt that writing satirical posts, given the current state of affairs in this country, didn't suggest funny anymore. At least not to me. I figured I should leave the satire to Borowitz and Bee and Oliver...professionals who are really good at it. Frankly, my heart simply wasn't in it.

Although I stopped writing, I did continue to forward articles and commentary I thought worthy of a read, just in case friends and/or former Around the Block readers missed them. And, you know, some did. Which leads to my going back to my original iteration of Around the Block– I learned today... In this version, I won't be twisting the news but rather posting what I believe are meaningful and interesting articles that moved me somehow: made me think, made me angry, made me laugh...you get the point. Oh yeah, and where appropriate, I'll also add my own commentary. 

This is my first attempt at the new Around the Block. It might take a few tries to get into a groove, so bear with me (or not, as the case may be). In any event, feedback is appreciated, and opting out is allowable without any rancor or retribution on my part.

So, here goes: 

I learned today that the U.S. Supreme Court declined to get involved in a legal dispute in which 15 states are seeking to strike down laws in California and Massachusetts that require larger living areas for some farm animals. 

According to the Associated Press, 

“The attorney general’s office in Missouri, which spearheaded one of the lawsuits, vowed Tuesday to continue fighting for local farmers and consumers and said it was considering the next step. California voters approved a ballot initiative in 2008 requiring that caged hens spend most of their day in spaces large enough to lie down, stand up, turn around and extend their limbs. The measure gave farmers until 2015 to comply. After California egg farmers raised concerns that they would be put at a competitive disadvantage, state legislators in 2010 expanded the law to bar the sale of eggs from any hens that were not raised in compliance with California standards requiring at least 116 square inches of floor space per chicken. The lawsuit claimed the California law cost consumers nationwide up to $350 million annually because of higher egg prices since the requirements took effect in 2015.”

There you go again, California.

SCOTUS probably “chickened out” in getting involved in this because they were concerned that their likely ruling (5-4 against California) would reveal their inhumanity to the caged chickens. Now, if they’ll only start worrying about their inhumanity to American citizens.

BTW, the 15 states opposing the California law say it will cost American consumers $350 million a year. Imagine that, about $1 a year per person. Wow, we can’t let that happen.