Jackson, Tolkien

We join our City of Champions already in progress:

Today I am announcing a major new initiative that will provide clear pathways for economic development across the city, from small residential projects to skyscraper construction.

It will create inter-agency cooperation among the Department of City Planning, Zoning, the URA, the Housing Authority, and what used to be called the Bureau of Building Inspection. BBI will be turned into a new Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections and be tasked with streamlining the city’s building permitting processes, proactively enforcing property maintenance codes, and ensuring the highest levels of building safety and performance. (Mayor Peduto, State of the City 2014)

But then, as quick as lightening: Continue reading →

Alef to Tav

The most recent conflict demonstrated at Schenley Plaza in the Oakland corridor of Pittsburgh seems to be passing without serious incident — and for that, we should rejoice.

I don’t want to get caught up in the weeds of a geopolitically complex military entanglement. But can we all agree that wildcat threats of mortal violence in reprisal for academic speech are bad?

Such mishegas is mishegas. But in our own speech and politics, we should be mindful of danger in our capacity to be “led astray by our own heart and our own eyes”. That is why Jews are given to weaving blue fringes on our garments: it is to implore us to remember the Lord’s commandments.

Of the 613 “mitzvot” enumerated in the Torah Continue reading →

Ahem [clears throat] now that we have shaken the spambots…

Holly Lantain

UPDATE: Belay that headline. The foundations bought the Center from Dollar.

At length it has come to this:

Continue reading →