An Apology

I have to say this: I voted against Michael Bloomberg in NYC's mayoral race. We were still living in NY when he ran the first time, schools are my trigger issue, and I didn't like his plans for the NYC school system. However, having read his comments about about the planned Park 51 Muslim Community Center" (I will not use that other, inflammatory name for it) I feel I should apologize to Mr. Bloomberg. Yeah, I know, he probably doesn't know or care how I voted. But this just about brought me to tears:

“Our doors are open to everyone. Everyone with a dream and a willingness to work hard and play by the rules. New York City was built by immigrants, and it's sustained by immigrants -- by people from more than 100 different countries speaking more than 200 different languages and professing every faith. And whether your parents were born here or you came here yesterday, you are a New Yorker.

“We may not always agree with every one of our neighbors. That's life. And it's part of living in such a diverse and dense city. But we also recognize that part of being a New Yorker is living with your neighbors in mutual respect and tolerance. It was exactly that spirit of openness and acceptance that was attacked on 9/11, 2001.

He goes on to cite the history of religious practice in the city, including some things I didn't know. It's a good speech, sane, dispassionate, going right to the real, non-crazy core of the issue: "Should government attempt to deny private citizens the right to build a house of worship on private property based on their particular religion? That may happen in other countries, but we should never allow it to happen here."

Civilization and Its Discontents

About four months ago I bought a pair of the new Shape Ups shoes made by Skechers. They are fabulous: comfy and, just possibly, able to do some of the stuff that is claimed for them (I don't know that my butt is tighter, but my posture has improved). I got one of the Mary Jane style shoes.

Sunday, while I was driving, the little rectangular thingie that keeps the velcro strap across the instep in place broke in two, rendering my right shoe unwearable. I called Skechers this morning--they don't have a supply of the finding to send out. I must hope a shoe repair shop can fix it. I love these shoes, but at $100 a pair, they should hold out a little longer than four months. Grump.