By Eric Wolf Schoen
What is up with this rain every weekend destroying our plans and forcing us to sit in the house watching old movies? The last six weekends have brought inclement weather to our area forcing us to reconsider our thinking on global warming. So many major fall events including Yonkers Riverfest have had to be cancelled spoiling weekends for families throughout the region.
I guess it’s time for us to take a second look at global warming. The reason I say this is that the weekend rains have not been our usual garden variety style rain but have been massive storms closing our regions roadways flooded with water. What can we do? Pray that the rain will stop. All I know is I feel bad for families plans destroyed by the weather charged with entertaining their children in the house. Was there even a fall foliage to watch this year?
So much going on coupled with what is going on in the Middle East. It all starts at home as funding cannot be allocated and distributed due to the inability of Congress to select a leader. The process seems very uncomplicated. The Republicans have a majority in the House and should be able to select one of their own as Speaker. They have been running through candidates like rain water pouring through street grates. As we go to press a vote is being taken to name a new Speaker of the House.
The entire House gathers in Chambers with lawmakers casting their votes in alphabetical order by standing up and yelling out a name. The majority of those present and participating have their votes counted. There are 433 members of Congress. This is usually done on one vote. It took 15 votes to name the last speaker. Quite unusual. But work is sort of at a standstill until the Speaker is selected. That would include the allocation of money and supplies to Israel.
After much criticism last week, far left Democrats referred to as ‘The Squad’ including our own Yonkers Congressman Jamaal Bowman have called for an end to the war in Israel referring to it as armed violence and making no mention of American hostages in the Gaza Strip. This is just a continuation of their refusal to recognize what is going on until lawmakers, the media, religious leaders and the public call them out. Same thing happened right after the October 7 attacks when the Democrat Socialists said nothing until they were called out.
President Biden heads to the region this week to show United States support for Israel. He will call out Hamas as a terrorist group and support Israel’s unwillingness to support Hamas’s control over Gaza. Israel is going after a group of people who engaged in barbarism as horrific as the Holocaust and must respond.
Biden also wants to stop a wider Middle East war. Hamas’s attacks changed all rules of play. He will seek to rescue the hostages Hamas is holding. I would note that to show support of New Yorkers for Israel Governor Kathy Hochul is headed to Israel this week. Former President Donald Trump has said Netanyahu and Israel were poorly prepared for Hamas’s attacks infuriating members of Congress and Jews around the world.
Where this is all headed nobody knows. The anti Israel language coming out of colleges and universities throughout the United States is coming from students who probably could not find the Middle East on a map. All we can do is pray for the people of Israel that hostages are released and no more killings occur and those who murdered Israelis receive the punishment they deserve. And that Congress gets its house in order to supply Israel with what it needs to win this war.
And now for some HOT TOPICS:
New York Alcohol sales can now take place on Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. This at the request of liquor store owners. Has anyone placed a time frame for when cannabis or marijuana sales can take place or do we have to smell it at all hours of the day?
New Yorkers are receiving public service calls from Mayor Adams where his voice is translated using Artificial Intelligence into Yiddish, Mandarin, Urdu and other languages. Will our Cracker Jack communications office in the Mayor’s Office in Yonkers follow suit? New Yorkers love it!
When I visited Florida I often stayed in Pembrook Pines. The Pembrook Pines Police Department is coming to New York offering interviews and jobs to certified police officers. It can’t be that big a department, and if they are going through the expense of coming to New York they are either really having a hard time recruiting or want the type of tough training NY officers receive.
A couple added a $200 speeding ticket they received to their wedding registry. And one of their guests is paying the ticket as a wedding gift. With the economy like it is who knows what else couples will include as possible wedding gifts!
R.I.P. Suzanne Somers. America’s thighs thank you! Her portrayal of a dumb blonde in Three’s Company Will long be remembered.
Consumers faced with high grocery prices are buying store brand food and beverages. Have you gone to the grocery store lately? Prices are out of control. Many of the store brands are made by the companies that make the name brands!
A Columbia University professor was quoted as saying the attack on Israel was exhilarating and energizing. And sadly he still has a job.
On a positive note, If you are in the market for a beautiful cat or dog don’t forget Yonkers has plenty of cuddly animals at the Yonkers Animal Shelter ready for adoption!
Reach Eric Schoen at thistooisyonkers@aol.com, follow him on Twitter (X) @ericyonkers or friend him on Facebook Eric Schoen…just look for him in the picture with Joan Rivers!
