The Real Zombies of Italy

A PR photo for Sarah Murray's book, Making an Exit seemed appropriate for Halloween. This is from a Capuchin Monastery in Palermo where in the 1800s, noticing that bodies preserve particularly well in the dry air of their basement, they began hanging dead clergy from the walls. National Geographic has a number of photos from the crypt on its website. One in Sarah's book is particularly startling for the snarl on its face, but you'll have to buy the book to see that.

Richest Congressman Practiced Republican Job Creationism in China

The richest man in Congress, Darrell Issa, was on NPR  the other day talking about the Postal Service where he brilliantly observed that “as a businessman, that no matter what they say, they have more than a small cash flow problem.” That comment was to establish his credentials as a "successful businessman" before his next move which was to propose a classic management maneuver: cut wages. Issa wants to establish a Government Control Board that could impose wage and benefit reductions on Postal workers. This is just good business. Never mind that Congress has refused to invest in the postal service, let it modernize, or even raise the 44 cent price of sending a letter from New York to California (something UPS charges between $23 and $71 to do) while demonizing its management and workers for the large losses.

Here is yet another millionaire businessman doing his vision thing on the economy. Cut wages, increase profits, cut wages, make money, cut wages, run for Congress.

Issa, through his company Directed Electronics, is responsible for more nights of disturbed sleep than anyone else  in America thanks to his annoying car alarms. The company's home page states, “Directed Electronics is the largest designer and marketer in North America of consumer-branded vehicle security and remote start systems ,” Notice it doesn't say manufacturer. Guess what that means. In all likelihood their products are not made in America. Like so much other junk that is sold here, they are made in China or Thailand or Indonesia, or even Japan. So, the richest capitalist  in Congress made his fortune without ever creating an American manufacturing job. (Oh, except at that factory in Cleveland that burned down.) Issa is a Republican and I think it is safe to assume he supports his party's low tax on business platform. Why wouldn't he? He is one of its greatest beneficiaries.

Organic Matter

My friend Sarah Murray has just published a book about the rites and practices people follow when saying farewell to their dead. Apparently, not just the mafia has unusual ways of disposing of bodies. Making an Exit explores what in the author's words are "sad, funny, dark, enlightening, moving, scary, weird and wonderful" things people do to deep-six their loved ones. It seems Sarah was moved by her research, as you can see from this video of the unusual conversation piece tucked discreetly into a corner of her apartment.

Tarte aux Abricot

This is pretty easy if you have some frozen pastry and fruit and jam on hand. Bake the shell, smear a generous amount of jam on the bottom and then put the fruit on top. Bake it again until any juice that's released is fairly thin, up to 45 minutes. It will  thicken more when it cools.

All Hail Ina

I am a big fan of the Barefoot Contessa,  Ina Garten. I watch her while I am on the elliptical machine at the gym. Usually, just viewing her prepare her food satisfies my taste for it, though sometimes it looks way to rich. And I love the way when she's having a dinner party, her guests are mostly the gay guys from the neighborhood, while when it's her husband, he's usually relegated to the kitchen or patio to dine solo. Anyway, I made her lobster pot pie this spring and as promised it was delicious. I cut back on the portions a bit, which was my loss, but it was pretty darn good.

Random Photos

Hamilton Grange, Alexander Hamilton's country house is no longer in the country. Here it is being moved for the second time in its history from Convent Avenue to a site in Saint Nicholas Park. In 1889 it was moved from its original location about two blocks north.

Not far from Hamilton Grange is the George Washington Bridge. It's towers are about 600 feet high and its span is close to a mile long.

Trinity Church Cemetery, the uptown property of the famous church at Broadway and Wall Street is the resting place of many local politicians and society notables including a number Astors. Ed Koch just bought a plot there, even though it is an Episcopal cemetery. I am not sure who the goddess on this column is.

Umbrella Carnage in Manhattan

 

Saturday's big storm  was rough on umbrellas in the city. I went out that morning and my umbrella was destroyed almost instantly by the heavy winds and rain. On Sunday I took a walk up West End Ave and the carnage was everywhere. 65 abandoned umbrellas on a nine block stretch.