By Bonnie Fishman / San Francisco Bay Area Bonnie in her element when she could cook and eat The irony is not lost on me! I have been obsessed with food since I was a kid. I was inspired by my mom who was a great cook and entertainer. She was ahead of her time. Back in the ‘50s, she would make chocolate leaves for cakes by painting melted chocolate on rose leaves, letting it harden, and peeling off the leaf. Voilà! My favorite store that Mom took me to was called Kitchen Glamour. It was a fantastic kitchenware store in Detroit. Even then I would get all excited about the pots, pans, utensils, and gadgets that one used to prepare food. To this day, I seek out cookware stores wherever I travel. My fingers itch to get cooking. Everything a cook could want If the adage “You are what you eat” is true, then I’m nothing for the time being, nada, zero. I haven’t eaten in over six weeks due to a medical condition. Think about it, no food or drink at all! When I was told by my doctor that I would be fed through a tube in my stomach for over two months, it was a punch in the gut, as it were. Put me in a farmers‘ market or open food market and I really palpitate! Before I go to a new city, even in Europe, I find out when and where the farmers’ markets are located and make a point to check them out. My absolute favorite is the Borough Market in London. I had the good fortune to visit it with my sister, Marcia, and my cousin, Jeri, several years ago when we were breezing through London on our way back from Corfu. I think I literally sampled half the prepared foods there, from pastries to pizza to sausage rolls. Two bites and pass it on. Produce for sale at Marché Provençale, Anitbes, France London, England It is no wonder that I ended up in the food business. Having my own shops, Bonnie’s Patisserie and Bonnie’s Kitchen and Catering, for 30 years allowed me to inconspicuously be surrounded by food. It was of course “normal” to have all this food at my fingertips and be able to taste, talk about recipes and what would go with what. I was in heaven every day. Bonnie’s Patisserie, Southfield, Mich. from 1980 to 2005 Bonnie’s Kitchen, Bloomfield Hills, from 2005 to 2009 I really enjoyed buying produce in quantity. We would get a 10-pound box of cherries delivered, or flats of strawberries and I could have my fill. One of the most exciting deliveries was when we would get 500 pounds of chocolate dropped on our doorstep–ten boxes of 50-pound  slabs of chocolate that had just been manufactured in Pennsylvania. Actually, most of the boxes were slabs, the rest were chips, chunks, unsweetened and white chocolate. The smell was intoxicating. Chocolate Galore! Now that I can’t eat, I literally ache for food. I yearn. I miss it. One thing I discovered during this period is how much time a day I spend either grocery shopping, planning what I’m going to make for dinner, prepping a meal, and actually eating and cleaning up.  I have a great big void from my not partaking. Food has been my creative outlet my whole life. Like I said, if you are what you eat, then I’m for the moment a non-starter. For everyone else, bon appétit! Bonnie Fishman attended the Cordon Bleu Cookery School in London. Later, she owned and operated Bonnie’s Patisserie in Southfield, Mich. and Bonnie’s Kitchen and Catering in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. She has taught cooking for over 35 years and created hundreds of recipes. She is now living in Northern California.

By David Tubman / New Braunfels, Texas Insider readers may recall me as the person who refused the MRNA Spike protein shot during the pandemic. Since then, I had the virus again in 2023. Recognizing the symptoms, I went to the feed store and purchased a tube of Ivermectin for $9.25 plus tax. The counter clerk offered me some advice as he rang up my purchase. “Most people just put a little drop on a cracker.” My second case lasted less than a day.   However, that’s not why I’m writing this.   Imagine being in a coma for four years and then waking up to this bizarre world. Are you one of the happy ones? Or do you live in a rage cage? I’ll speak to both sides.   If your only sources of news are the New York Times , CNN, MSNBC, and the like, you may just be in a news bubble. You may well be yoked with angst about Donald Trump, and a hater of all things MAGA. If you are fed by the Mainstream Media spinners, I wonder what part of ‘Make America Great Again’ we are supposed to hate?   Perhaps you’ve heard of TDS, or Trump Derangement Syndrome. Donald Trump was once the poster child for everything Democrat, Hollywood the one personality with whom everyone wanted most to be photographed. He was a sought-after guest on all the late-night talk shows. Well, since DJT entered the political arena on the opposite side of the Democrat coin, anything labeled TRUMP has become demonized. If Trump says or does something, you must automatically hate it and ridicule anyone who voted for him, likes him, or agrees with his policies. MAGA has become a brand with hats, emblazoned gold coins, and bobbleheads. The substance of the actual policy is no longer of any importance.   Don’t believe me? Then try this out: Talk to a random person on the streets of New York or any major city. Ask them to answer a few questions about any of the controversial core policies the President is in favor of. But never utter the words “Donald” or “Trump.” You might be surprised to find out that many are in full agreement with many of those issues. Immigration? Do it lawfully. LGBTQ+? Live and let live. Religion? Believe as your heart desires. Make America Great Again? What’s not to like about that?   TDS and MM (MAGA Mania) surface to ridicule whenever there is disagreement. However, the approach should be one of respectful discourse. Ranting and name-calling are just a form of prejudice that proves our core logic is imbalanced and empty-headed. Offensive emotions take over. On the other side of the coin, if you only listen to FOX News, there’s such a thing as MAGA Mania, complete with MAGA socks, hats, pillows, flags, and bobblehead Trumps.   I’m known for being a former liberal who has turned conservative. My left-leaning friends (and some family members) think I need tokens of my transition, so at home, I have a mini-collection featuring my Trump-Vance flag (unfurled) and a Trump pillow (perched on the rocking chair). I have just added my newly acquired Trump socks (still unused). But I didn’t buy any of that myself. I’ve accepted the gifts in jest. I haven’t attended any right-leaning political rallies or Second Amendment gatherings. Who would want to strap on their gun and hang out with a couple hundred upset survivalists? I decided not to attend the J-6 rally in D.C., just out of precaution. It had nothing to do with my opinions.   What do I recommend for therapy when someone shows symptoms of TDS, or MAGA Mania? Follow these simple 12 steps to recovery: 1. Admit you suffer from TDS or MAGA Mania. 2. Remember: We are all Americans, first. 3. Admit you live in the greatest and most blessed country on the planet. (We actually do). 4. Swear allegiance to the flag. It’s a symbol of what makes us free to disagree, and others have died for it. 5. Stop doing all the talking and listen when others speak out about what they think, without ridiculing them. 6. Do your own research about issues, even if it means tuning in to news outlets you used to abhor. Truth has a way of cutting through falsehoods and so-called ‘fake news’. 7. Open your horizons to go beyond the usual biased news sources. Seek out balance, and clarity will follow.  8. If you’re showing signs of MAGA Mania, add these five networks to your favorite channels: CNN, MSNBC, NPR, The Washington Post, and The Guardian). 9. If you have been showing symptoms of TDS, add these five stations to your favorite list: The Federalist, Just the News, Breitbart, Newsmax, and The Epoch Times (My favorite). You’ll notice I didn’t mention FOX News? 10. Trust but Verify: Beware the headlines and repeated spin statements. Dig deeper before clicking the share button. 11. When you sense rage erupting, follow this Biblical advice: Pray for your enemies and those who persecute you. They may not know any better. “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” 12. Don’t be offended every time someone disagrees with you. Then rage can’t find its foothold. That’s real freedom. David Tubman, a former Michigander (Detroit and Oak Park), moved to the West Coast in 1976 and is now living in New Braunfels, Texas. His newfound passions are writing and podcasting. To date, David has self-published two nonfiction books about Detroit’s infamous cold case: Jimmy Hoffa Is Missing–The Gap   (2020)  and Jimmy Hoffa Is Missing–Beyond The Gap (September 2025). He is a respected independent researcher in the disappearance of Hoffa. David now hosts two social media sites: “ JHIMTG ” and “ Poly-Ticks & Faith .” The other passion has led David to begin a podcast called “Poly-Ticks & Faith.” He feels there is overwhelming stress associated with our national political culture, and he wants to help by talking people down from the ledge. Topics he has covered include “When Did Science Become Politics?” and “Who Are The Real Jews?”

A Q&A with Dr. Jeffrey Sachs American economist sees China as key to the global energy transition to zero-carbon energy, especially in markets outside US and Europe The tariff tru ce between China and the United States is set to end in August. What do you forecast will happen after that? And what will happen to   trade relations   between China and the US for the rest of   US President Donald Trump’s   second term ? The United States learned th at it can’t impose its will on China. The  rare earths threat  by itself was enough to cause the US to reconsider. So, almost immediately after putting on the high tariffs, the US backed down. And both sides know that each has some chokeholds on the other. F or that reason, we might expect the two sides to maintain certain limits on the trade frictions in the years ahead. There will be, therefore, some kind of agreement, but it won’t stick in the details, and frictions will continue to wax and wane, with neither side definitively imposing its will on the other. The basic reason is that both sides have a mutual gain from continued trade. I’m hopeful that a measure of rationality will therefore prevail. The biggest challenge, of course, is the behaviour of the US. The US started this trade war. This is not two sides fighting each other, but rather the US fighting China. We should remember that. The US needs to show some prudence at this point. I do suspect that there is a chastened view among many senior US officials. Trump himself is unpredictable. He has a very short attention span. Agreements with Trump don’t stick. So, I don’t foresee a quiet period, but I do foresee some limits to the competition because each side can do damage to the other and both sides have a strong reason to achieve some cooperation. Let me add one more point. From a long-term point of view, China certainly should not regard the US as a growth market for its exports. The US is going to restrict China’s exports to the US one way or another. The relationship will not be harmonious. The US will not be friendly to China, or trustworthy. China should just take care that it’s expanding its exports to other markets, and should not be overly focused on trying to break through to the US market, or even to Europe for that matter. The rapid growth of China’s exports will be with Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia, west Asia, Central Asia, Latin America – not with the US and western Europe. What is your forecast fo r the   US midterm elections, and will it be a tough battle for Trump? Can you comment on how divided the US is compared to before the election of Trump last year? I think that the Democrats will likely regain control of one or both houses of Congress, because in midterm elections that is generally the pattern. Even without getting deeply specific about the current context, the prevailing party that holds the White House almost always loses ground in the midterms, and the Republican majority in both hous es of Congress is very small. Having said this, we should also understand that Trump is ruling mainly by  executive decree , not by legislation. Even if the Democrats regain one or both houses of Congress, Trump will continue with h is decrees. The US currently does not have a functioning constitutional system in my view. It is one-person rule by declarations of emergencies by Trump. The orders generally start with the statement: “By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered”. This is a kind of soft dictatorship, not a constitutional system. The lower courts object, but the Supreme Court lets Trump have his way. The Congress is nearly moribund. Even if the Democrats regain some control of the House or the Senate, it won’t stop a lot of what Trump is doing. I should also add that while Americans are polarised, they generally dislike both political parties. Most Americans are unhappy about the direction of the country. They’re distrustful of the politicians. Our political institutions are not functioning properly and that’s why there’s a high level of distrust. Another point that I think is important to understand is that the swings between the Democrats and the Republicans do not change US foreign policy. [Former president Barack] Obama started the anti-China policies in his term. Then came Trump’s tariffs in his first term. Biden kept those Trump tariffs and had a hostile policy towards China. Now Trump is picking up where Biden left off. The deep state drives foreign policy, not public opinion or presidents. In sum, I don’t have much hope that some change in the midterm elections will change the direction of US politics very much. Even a change in the White House in four years is not likely to change US politics very much. Our problems are deep seated. Our institutional failings are deep. It’s going to take perhaps 20 years to work through this. This is not a Trump phenomenon by itself. What effect wil l the   One Big Beautiful Bill   have on the US economy? The One Big Beautiful Bill weakens the US in two ways. First, it adds to the already large budget deficits by making additional tax cuts that mainly benefit rich Americans and the corporate class. These tax cuts raise the budget deficit substantially and are partially offset by cuts in healthcare benefits for the poorest Americans. The bill, therefore, is dramatically unfair and unwise in its impacts on the deficit and inequality. Second, the legislation phases out some of the modest earlier US efforts towards low-carbon energy and modernisation of infrastructure. So, the legislation marks a US retreat from leadership on 21st-century technologies. Basically, the Trump administration is a gift to China, with Trump’s policies saying to China, “China should lead the way on climate safety, low-carbon energy, electric vehicles and all of the green and digital technologies that the world needs, while the US will ignore the future”. So, none of this is a big, beautiful bill. It is a mess that reflects the failures of the American political system. What are the implications of the fallout between billionaire Elon Musk and Trump? Trump doesn’t have long-term relations with any individual other than his immediate family. Trump falls out with everybody. Remember Steve Bannon? He was once Trump’s closest adviser. That came to an end quickly. Almost all Trump advisers get fired at one point or another. Trump is not a person with long-term loyalties to anybody. The individual feuds don’t mean very much. Breaking with Musk does not mean breaking with Silicon Valley. Silicon Valley put Trump back into the White House with enormous financial backing for Trump’s campaign. There are still tens of billions of dollars of government contracts going also to Elon Musk, Peter Thiel and other Big Tech operators. The basic relationship between Silicon Valley and Washington remains intact because the Pentagon believes that it needs AI and can’t pursue AI on its own. While Trump has cut support for EVs, including Tesla, the Pentagon will continue to rely on Musk’s SpaceX for many years to come. And the same is true of the Pentagon’s reliance on Big Tech’s AI capacities generally. You have mentioned in other interviews that Trump lacked a coherent strategy in foreign policy, including his handling of China. Why do you think this? And what do you see ahead for China-US relations? The most fundamental trend in the world economy is the rapid rise of the non-Western economies, led by China and including Russia, India, Southeast Asia and, in future decades, Africa. The US is flailing about trying to maintain its dominance in a world in which the emerging economies are rising rapidly. The US will not be able to prevent the emergence of multipolarity, but it will try. Trump will try one thing or another, but without success or coherence. Multipolarity has already arrived. The broad pattern of economic convergence – in which the emerging economies narrow or close the income gap with the high-income countries of the West – means that Western hegemony is over. This is leading to deep frustration, not only in the US political class but in Europe as well.   China vastly outproduces the United States in advanced industrial goods, such as EVs, solar power, wind power, advanced nuclear power, batteries, low-cost 5G and many other key technologies. China incorporates AI into advanced manufacturing processes more than the US. Many European leaders feel that if they stick with the US against China and Russia, then maybe the Western hegemony will continue. This is delusional in my view, but nonetheless creates a lot of noise, friction and risks of conflict. None of it is a coherent strategy, however. The US has no strategy to stay ahead of China. In fact, the US can’t succeed in that. We hear a lot of US sabre-rattling against China, Russia and the BRICS countries. This is all dangerous. I think the heated rhetoric by itself can become a self-fulfilling prophecy of war. There are a lot of ignorant people in the US political leadership, and I worry very much about their naivety and delusions. This, in my view, is essentially the origin of the “trade war”. The US decided during 2010-2015 that China is now a threat to US primacy. The US has tried a lot of things to block China’s continued rise, including: a military build-up in East Asia; export restrictions on hi-tech goods, especially advanced chips; economic sanctions on key Chinese companies; investment restrictions by US companies, and ownership restrictions on Chinese companies in the US; high tariffs against China’s exports; and others. But none of this stops China’s rise. China’s development results from hard work, ingenuity, high rates of saving, high rates of investment, very effective long-term planning and a very skilled, very entrepreneurial generation of business leaders, especially young business leaders. Those fundamental strengths continue despite America’s anti-China policies. Trump’s policies are accelerating the move of top scientists to China. My overall view is that Trump is creating a lot of noise and some real dangers, but with no real strategy and no likelihood of success in holding back China’s rise. That’s a good thing. The rest of the world benefits from China’s economic success, including the US. In   your last Open Questions interview,   you talked about “the deep state”, a complex vested interest group in industry, the military and other spheres. Does the deep state want military conflict with China? And do foreign governments – such as China and Russia – believe in the existence of a deep state, which many dismiss as a conspiracy theor y? The deep state means the permanent security system of the United States and its partners in Europe and in East Asia, including Japan, Korea and other places where the US has military bases and other security institutions. It includes the military, the CIA, the military contractors and the politicians who serve the military-industrial complex. Does such a deep state exist? Yes. The US has around 750 overseas military bases and many of them are in East Asia. The US has many major military contractors with hundreds of billions of dollars of annual business with the US government. The US fights overt and covert wars pretty much non-stop, some of which are proxy wars (in which the US arms and funds Ukraine to fight Russia), and sometimes open conflicts with heavy US involvement, as in Iraq and Afghanistan. The US has the extensive global networks of the CIA and other intelligence and covert institutions. All of this constitutes the deep state. Presidents come and go but the underlying foreign policy is consistent and set largely out of view of the public, and without any reference to public opinion. When Obama replaced [US president George] Bush Jr, and Trump replaced Obama, and Biden replaced Trump, and Trump replaced Biden, on the PR level there was alleged to be change, but in fact very little policy change occurred. For example, how much foreign policy change was there when Obama succeeded Bush Jr? Very little. Obama launched many wars, just as Bush had done. Obama’s team actively participated in the coup in Ukraine in 2014 that set the path for the Ukraine war. Obama went to war against Libya. Obama gave the CIA the order to overthrow the Syrian government. All of this was a continuation of the policies of the Bush period. Trump continued most of the same policies. Trump continued to build up the Ukraine military. The Trump administration dismissed the Minsk 2 agreement that could have prevented the escalation of the Ukraine war. There was not any major change between Obama and Trump. When Biden came in, their claim again was that there would be a new foreign policy, but it didn’t happen. What did Biden do with China? He continued Trump’s tariffs. He continued Trump’s hardline rhetoric. Biden absurdly divided the world between the so-called democracies and autocracies, which was an incredibly naive approach, as I said from the beginning. Biden escalated the Ukraine war. He rejected all attempts at peace negotiations, including the Istanbul process that could have ended the Ukraine war in 2022. When it came to the Middle East, Biden was complicit in Israel’s ongoing genocide. So, Biden did very little different from Bush Jr, Obama and Trump before him. Now , Trump has returned. What’s the real difference? Trump is different in style, in his unpredictability, nastiness, self-dealing and endless flip-flops. Yet, in terms of basic foreign policy, Trump is not very different from his predecessors. This is the sense in which deep state means an ongoing consistency of the US security institutions that run American foreign policy. American foreign policy is not determined by public opinion, or Congress, or even the president in large part. Look instead to the CIA, the Pentagon and the other parts of the deep state. The deep state also determines the politics of US vassal states. Many observers consider Japan to be a US-occupied country, with Japan’s foreign policy basically subservient to the US. One can say the same about many other countries. Where the US has military bases, the host countries tend to act like occupied countries, bending their own foreign policy to that of the US. The US deep state is profoundly arrogant, thinking that it can have its way around the world. The US deep state thinks that it can dominate not only US allies, which is typically true, but also China, Russia, Iran, Brazil and others. When US arrogance becomes too strong, we face the danger of disaster. That’s what happened in Ukraine. The US thought that it could push Russia around to its will. It could not. The attempt to assert US power in Ukraine led to war. US arrogance deeply worries me. Trump certainly is not a strategist. There’s no long-term plan. The US is playing poker, but not very well or wisely. It often bluffs. The whole approach can lead to war. China is now drafting its economic policies for the next five years. You have advised many countries before. What is your advice to China in the face of this tension and the global tariff war? My main advice to China is look to the non-Western world for the strongest partnerships in trade, investment and diplomacy, at least for a while. The US-led alliance (US, Canada, Britain, EU, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand) is around 13 per cent of the world population. China is another 17 per cent. The remaining 70 per cent of the world – in Asia, Africa and Latin America – wants good and strong economic and diplomatic relations with China. That 70 per cent of the world population wants to modernise, and China provides the means for those countries to achieve rapid growth and modernisation. China is key to the global energy transition to zero-carbon energy, especially in the markets outside the US and Europe. The emerging and developing economies of Asia, Africa and Latin America will be the markets for China’s rapid export growth in the years ahead. China will play a vital global role in these economies in building advanced green and digital economies, using Chinese cutting-edge technologies.  This will be a great win-win for the world because China will continue to grow rapidly while also empowering rapid growth throughout the emerging and developing nations. Sadly, in my view, the US will not play much of a role in that modernisation in the next generation. The US under Trump is withdrawing from green technologies, and from global responsibility.  The US cannot compete with China for the global renewable energy market. The US can’t compete with China for the global digital connectivity market. The US can’t compete with China in fast rail or low-carbon ocean shipping. In all these sectors, Trump is handing world trade and leadership over to China.  Regarding the US markets, China should certainly attempt to make a suitable trade deal with the US but China should not fret too much either way. The US is already a small part of China’s exports – perhaps around 10-12 per cent. That share of China’s exports will most likely decline further.  I hope that I’m wrong and that the US regains some sense and rejoins the global effort for green transformation and re-establishes normal trade with China. Yet, I don’t think that’s going to happen for many years, and I don’t think that China can, or should, base its policies on a return to normal trade with the US. More specifically, I advocate expanding [China’s] Belt and Road Initiative. I advocate that China should deal with regional groups, including ASEAN, the African Union, the Arab League and the Community of Latin America and Caribbean States (CELAC). China’s relations with these regional groups can be very strategic, as the regional groups can, and should, spur the interconnectivity of infrastructure among all the members of the group. For China, it will be easier to interact with regional plans rather than one country at a time. In fact, no individual state in ASEAN, or the Middle East, or Latin America can modernise on its own without strong links with its neighbours through trade, finance and infrastructure. With ASEAN, for example, there really is the need for an ASEAN-wide energy system, not separate energy systems for Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia etc. These countries need an interconnected power grid, and China will play a key role in achieving an ASEAN-wide grid. Therefore, China-ASEAN diplomacy is strongly win-win. I also believe that Hong Kong will have a huge and indeed unique leadership role in the global transformation. Hong Kong is vital for China’s growing links with ASEAN, the African Union, and beyond. The Greater Bay Area (GBA) combines Hong Kong’s world-class leadership in international finance, higher education and global management, with Shenzhen’s leadership in cutting-edge technologies, and the advanced manufacturing of Dongguan, Guangzhou and other GBA cities. Put these strengths together, and the GBA becomes the beating heart of the global green transformation, in zero-carbon energy, robotics, AI-based manufacturing, digital connectivity and much more. All of this will help to fuel China’s – and Hong Kong’s – rapid growth for the next generation. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. How is the post-war world order changing and what will the new world order look like? There are three scenarios. One is that we create a truly multilateral world. For that, we need a United Nations 2.0. We need an upgraded international system in which all the major powers agree to invest in the international rule of law and peaceful resolution of conflicts. This will require an upgrade of the UN Security Council, and UN institutions more generally. I’d love to see a major UN campus in China, to help lead the green and digital transformation worldwide. I’d love to see China and India working together closely at the UN, including towards India’s seat in the UN Security Council. I’d like China to support the African Union to play a much larger role in global governance. I’d like to see China, Japan and Korea end the geopolitical divisions and form a strong alliance in northeast Asia. Most importantly in this scenario, the US and Europe accept the rising role of China, India and the rest of the non-Western world. A second scenario is that the Western world hunkers down. It goes protectionist and the US tries to divide the world into camps. This is perhaps the likely US strategy, but I think it is significantly worse for the US and the rest of the world than the first scenario. I think the US absolutely should abandon the idea of building competing camps. The third scenario is that we don’t have a global system at all, but rather increasing chaos from climate change, wars and geopolitical conflicts. This dire scenario is a real possibility. Any of these three trajectories is possible. We should be aiming for the first. The United States and Europe should take a deep breath, sigh and welcome the non-Western world into a shared global leadership. The major powers – the US, Europe, Russia, China, India – should agree to prevent confrontations. The US should stop NATO enlargement and should stop providing armaments to Taiwan. Such actions are provocative and lead to great-power conflicts that threaten the safety and security of the whole world. In short, the West should stop asking “Who is Number One?” and instead ask, “How can the whole world work together for the global common good?” In my experience, China, Russia and other nations would enthusiastically back such a global, cooperative effort that is based on mutual respect and mutual security. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3320575/jeffrey-sachs-says-us-sabre-rattling-china-can-become-self-fulfilling-prophecy-war?module=inline&pgtype=article

Two weeks ago, we requested your retrospective thoughts about the pandemic. Here's another submission. Why the Pandemic Changed Me Forever I lost 10 friends to Covid from March 29, 2020 to May 17, 2021. The loss was immeasurable and still is. The eeriness of Zoom funerals; the lack of information about what was occurring; the idiocy of an administration so devoid of feeling as to downplay every minute of the devastation. It was so exasperating knowing that then-President Donald Trump had gotten the most up-to-date treatments to fight his own infection but wasn’t letting members of the public avail themselves of those same treatments.    Watching the same hypocrisy today and worse is overwhelming and makes me a person who challenges pretty much everyone I meet to question their willingness to make sure to understand what the current administration is doing, to fight back against the cruelty of this regime, and to think of younger generations and their futures and try to ensure that the water they drink and the air they breathe are clean and safe.    I’m a changed person because of the pandemic–more of a hermit, much more introspective, and obviously, much more political.  I’m also glad to be–a great Andrea Sachs term–a NOVID.  I am saddened to know that I probably won’t be alive when this country finally gets back to where it was just on January 19 th , 2025, but I’ll keep working towards that goal.  Julie Kraus / Southfield, Mich.

By Naomi Serviss / North Kingstown, Rhode Island The ecstatic new owners! Nearly nine months ago, my husband Lew and I ditched Dodge, hauling anchor for a different island nicknamed Little Rhody , aka Rhode Island. Lew had just retired from the New York Times on December 31 2022, after spending a good chunk of his 40+ year journalism career at the Old Grey Lady. When we lived in the Big Apple, we were grateful to have Central Park half-a-block east. Our five-year-old rescue pup, Janis Joplin, oozed joy during early morning meetups with four and two-legged pals. When outdoors, not inhaling bus fumes, we marveled at the picturesque tree-lined paths and blossoming branches. Woody Weber was working intently on a colorful oil painting as I walked past. He had finished it upon my return. It’s hanging on my office wall. Without Central Park, our apartment would have been unbearable. Personal space is nonexistent in a 750-square feet one-bedroom apartment on the 10th floor of a once-lauded property. It wouldn’t be lauded today. We weighed options and forged a resolution. Resolved: The next chapter takes place in Rhode Island, an original colony! Why RI? Manhattan living was a gamble. A simple stroll to CVS might bring you close to a street-sleeper, obscenity shouter or an EDP (Emotionally Disturbed Person) punching a random guy walking ahead of you on 97th & Amsterdam! I could no longer tolerate subway violence, sidewalk e-bikers, car accidents or mauled pups, including Penny, an Upper West Side Chihuahua. Penny recovered. I worried when Lew walked home from the paper at 1 a.m., speed-walking like a pro 60 blocks north. Our No.1 reason for uprooting? The rent was too damn high! Our two-year lease ran through November 2024, should we deign to remain. That’s a 15% increase of $500. Bringing our monthly charge to $4,250. We itched to head north.  Whenever we left the city for a few days or so, our mood would depress when we returned from a visit elsewhere, thickening with the humidity as we turned west down on 96th Street. Tilt! Game Over! We gave notice to vacate by November’s end. Boston was a serious consideration. We would be closer to daughter Emmy and her soon-to-be-husband, Charlie. In New York Emmy slept on our ten-year-old lumpy futon and squeezed accessed the bathroom through the kitchen. Massachusetts was soon out of the running. The state isn’t dubbed “Taxachusetts” for nothing. The rent was too damn high there, too! Rhode Island tugged my psyche. Full disclosure: I was born in RI and moved about with four siblings and my biological parents until I turned four. Lew and Janis, a Maltese rescue, taking a stroll on Sandy Point Beach in Warwick, RI Then my mother ditched her husband and loaded four out of five kids on a Greyhound bus that eased into Elkins Park, a posh ‘burb of Philadelphia. My father, born in Liverpool, lived in RI’s East Greenwich for decades after his Navy career. His home was a dingy, two-room apartment off a Main Street alleyway. My father and I reunited in 1976 when I interned at the Providence Journal/Bulletin . With a bounty of good fortune and kismet, fortitude and perfect timing, Lew and I turned to home ownership. My Rhode Island nephew Aaron lives in Saunderstown. He runs a terrific organic garlic farm. He hooked us up with his realtor. Stephanie sent listings every day, but it was slim pickings. Maybe we should have remained in the crazy city. But Rhode Island is pastoral, scenic and 20 minutes to Newport! But the manifestation of a dream bearing fruit was irresistible. After striking out with the first handful of houses, we entered a modest ranch in North Kingstown with a cat in the yard. He meowed hello and I was smitten. The vast open kitchen/dining room with crafted wood counters and table took my breath away. A cool touch was the blackboard filling the wall in the kitchen! We settled there, in a state so miniscule that most destinations are reachable in 20 minutes. Not only did we find a treasured ranch home, but I was moving to where I was born. Same town. Now, my days fill with birdsong instead of ambulance sirens and groaning buses. Or next-door construction four years running. I miss Broadway but have already returned to see Gypsy with Audra MacDonald! I’m determined to catch the revival of Ragtime with powerhouse triple threat Joshua Henry! Previews at Lincoln Center Theater begin in late September. I miss restaurants and museums. Central Park, my sanctuary during the pandemic, will always be my home. This morning, I adjourned to my “Zen Garden” gazing at the deep forest and blue sky graced by billowing clouds. You can see the stars at night. When I walk Janis in the morning, the neighborhood air thrums with warblers and mourning doves. Brown bunnies scamper across lawns. It’s not perfect, but rooftop sun lights, and 2,900-square-feet provide exercise, music and laundry rooms! No more trips to the gross basement only to compete for a handful of machines. Instead of two noisy air conditioners, we have central air! Do I miss the madness of Manhattan? Of course. But my friends will visit, and our son Ben and his wife Katherine will have their own guest room! A full circle moment, written in the stars. Naomi Serviss has written for the  The Insider , the New York Times , Newsday , the New York Post, the Boston Herald , the Providence Journal , the Philadelphia Inquirer , Broadway World , Stage Magazine , Temple University's alumni publication. and numerous travel/spa magazines. including Spa Asia . She and her husband Lew, who were Manhattan residents for 15 years, recently moved to Rhode Island, her birth state. Janis Joplin, their pandemic rescue pup, approves.

By Bonnie Fishman / San Francisco Bay Area Sailing on the Danube Last summer, my husband and I were scheduled to take a wonderful trip to the Scottish Highlands. Alas, due to illness (both of us!) we had to cancel. That’s when Bob declared “I’m never going overseas ever again, you can go, but leave me out of it!”  He was fairly defiant until this past December, when a Viking River cruise flyer arrived, unannounced as they always do, with a stunning image of sailing on the Danube.  Oddly enough, Bob now proclaimed that he always wanted to go down the Danube. Say no more. The next day I booked a stateroom for mid-June 2025. Now he couldn’t back out. We actually did take the cruise, our first, our last. Am I sorry I went? No. Would I go again? No. Just to be clear, the ship was beautiful, the staterooms well-engineered, the staff, excellent. But the cruise didn’t fit what I had imagined would transpire. We were way too busy being herded on and off buses for land tours and most of the cruising was at night. Those gorgeous TV commercials where folks are sitting out on their balconies oohing and aahing at the castles, forts, and vineyards. The ads weren’t wrong, the scenery was spectacular. This lasted only 90 minutes, though. Ninety minutes of beauty of the whole eight days. Other than a few cute riverside towns and villages sprinkled along the Danube, the rest of the trip could have been on any river in the world. Town, vineyards Wachau Valley, Austria Schonbuhel Castle, on the Danube River Now let’s get down to business and talk about the food on this trip. If you’re looking for great food, go to Italy, France or Spain. In my opinion, the food is not that good in Eastern Europe. There, I said it. We visited Prague, Regensburg, Germany, Vienna, and Budapest. The traditional foods are very meat- and pork-forward, so if you’re a vegetarian or kosher, I’d pack a jar of peanut butter for emergencies. In the Old Own Square, Prague In this part of the world, it seems every culture enjoys dumplings. There are dumplings and there are dumplings. The strangest and most disgusting ones were in the Czech Republic. They call them bread dumplings. They’re actually like a lightly cooked log of dough cut into big slabs. Without gravy, just walk away. By the time we got to Germany, they morphed into small spaetzles. One of my most delicious meals was in Vienna at an outdoor cafe, spaetzle and cheese, just like mac and cheese. What’s not to love? Beef stew with dumplings! This was my second time in Eastern Europe when I had vowed I wouldn’t go back because the food was so awful (food does mean that much to me!)  Years ago, I went to Romania with my sisters to visit a cousin who was living there for three years. We spent the weekend at an inn in the country where they served breakfast for their guests. How do you mess up simple eggs? I thought it was a fluke, but the eggs were consistently inedible. Then Bob and I ordered brunch in a lively café in the main square of Prague. Bad eggs. I will say; thought the bread and rolls were consistently great, and the apple strudel in the Czech Republic and Germany was terrific. Fresh apple strudel, Prague I have failed to mention that I had a mission in Vienna and Budapest.  Not only did I want to eat in one of their stunning coffee houses, I also wanted a specific dessert that I’ve not had since childhood. Muvesz Cafe, Budapest Bonnie sampling pastries at Muvesz Cafe My mom had a close Hungarian friend whose confectionary specialty was Szerbo or Gerbeaud, a famous cake in Hungary. I looked all over for it. It wasn’t until our last night in Budapest when it was featured on the menu. It was as spectacular as I imagined. The cake has thin layers of yeast cake, crushed walnuts, and apricot jam. The top is coated with chocolate glaze. Another classic Hungarian dessert is Dobos torte. I sampled it a few times and it was delicious. All in all, the pastries in Germany, Austria, and Hungary were fabulous. Believe me, I was on the hunt for greatness. Almond Blueberry Crumble Gerbaud (Szerbo) The restaurant that served Szerbo also served the best meal for both of us. Bob had a rich and satisfying Hungarian goulash and I had an alternate version of chicken paprikash, in which the chicken was stuffed into savory crepes instead of chicken pieces in sauce. This dish was a standout. The stuffing was similar to beef knish filling but made with ground chicken. The paprika sauce was rich yet surprisingly light. Crepes filled with chicken paprikash, Restaurant Rosenstein, Budapest Flodni, filled with apples, nuts, and plum jam and poppy seeds I can’t review the food in Europe without discussing what was offered on the ship. Let’s talk about the good before we get to the bad and ugly. Everyday breakfast was a lovely buffet of brunch items:  eggs and omelets to order, crisp bacon, sausages, (they’re everywhere), warm beans, potatoes, a hot vegetable concoction, yogurt, muesli, fresh fruit, smoked salmon with all the trimmings and a great bread and croissant selection. I learned quickly that this was the meal to calorie load for the day. Things started going downhill from there. Lunch was a meh–lackluster salad and standard favorites. All in all, not too bad. The ugly came at dinner. I thought the “fancy” chef on the ship would have some great food ideas up his sleeve. Au contraire! The dinners were stuck back in the last century. Boring meat in a gravy that I swear came out of a can, whipped potatoes, and a vegetable medley that had been boiled and thrown on the plate–no seasoning, no nothing. Same gravy every night, just the protein changed from beef to pork to lamb. One night, the chef even served a filet with Béarnaise sauce. I haven’t seen Béarnaise since Jimmy Carter was president. Unexciting chicken, boiled potatoes and vegetables (gravy du jour!) Consistently, the bread was the highlight on the table. Also, the ship employed a very capable pastry chef. His selection of pastries–cakes and homemade ice creams–was fantastic. I ate two desserts at each dinner. Why not? All and all, it was a solid trip, visiting beautiful cities with stunning cathedrals, government buildings, interesting streets and alleyways. The people were friendly both on and off the ship, the weather was perfect in mid-June, and it was exciting to have a wonderful adventure. Just remember, pack your peanut butter for emergencies! Bonnie Fishman attended the Cordon Bleu Cookery School in London. Later, she owned and operated Bonnie’s Patisserie in Southfield, Mich. and Bonnie’s Kitchen and Catering in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. She has taught cooking for over 35 years and created hundreds of recipes. She is now living in Northern California.

A Roundup of Fiction Recommendations By Gwen Cooper / Jersey City, N.J. Of Anniversaries and Milestones Greetings, fellow Insiders! Since this entire issue is an anniversary celebration, we’re rounding up a handful of novels that feature the marking of an anniversary, either in the background or as an essential plot point. This list is by no means exhaustive, nor is it meant to be. Let’s get to it! Rendezvous in Black, Cornell Woolrich – Cornell Woolrich wasn’t a happy man, and he didn’t write happy books. But happy endings are a dime a dozen, whereas writers of Woolrich’s caliber come along all too rarely—and I dare you to make it to the end of his masterpiece Rendezvous in Black (truly one of the best noir thrillers ever written) without immediately wanting to check out the rest of his oeuvre. Young Johnny Marr’s fiancée is killed the night before their wedding in a freak accident when a bottle is dropped from a chartered plane during a drunken celebration. This prompts a shattered Johnny to embark on a years-long quest for revenge on the five men aboard the aircraft. Rather than killing them directly, he targets their loved ones, believing they should suffer the same devastating loss he experienced. Each year on the anniversary of his fiancée's death, he strikes at another man's happiness. A clever detective does eventually tie the seemingly unrelated deaths together and solves the mystery—but not before a terrible toll is exacted on all, including Johnny Marr himself. Gone Girl , Gillian Flynn – You probably don’t need me to tell you about Gone Girl , but here goes: This neo-noir follows Nick Dunne, who becomes the prime suspect when his wife, Amy, disappears on their fifth wedding anniversary. Nick and Amy initially appear to be something of a golden couple—two good-looking and successful young writers with, in Amy’s case, a trust fund to boot, living the high life in NYC. But when the early-Aughts great magazine die-off comes for their cushy jobs and they’re forced to start over in Nick’s Missouri hometown, longstanding fractures in their marriage become more obvious. As the investigation into Amy’s disappearance unfolds, evidence increasingly points to Nick. The narrative alternates between Nick's present-day perspective and Amy's diary entries, exposing lies, secrets, and disturbing truths—not to mention one infamous and oft-quoted inner monologue on the misogynistic mystique of “the cool girl.” If you’re one of the half-dozen people on the planet who still hasn’t read this one, what are you waiting for??? Second Honeymoon , Joanna Trollope – Distantly related to (although not directly descended from) Victorian-era great Anthony Trollope, Joanna Trollope has become a much-beloved icon of contemporary British fiction in her own right, and reading one of her lighthearted, but nevertheless substantial, domestic comedies like Second Honeymoon makes it clear why. Edie and Russell Boyd are on the cusp of celebrating their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary and finally—after decades of childrearing—have the house all to themselves. Now that all three of their children have moved out, they can focus on individual passion projects and rekindling the romance in their marriage. None of this goes to plan, of course—and, soon enough, all three of their adult children move back, one by one, into the family home. A frequently humorous exploration of love across generations, the novel features Trollope’s signature perception and charm—which, if you’re a fan of her great-great-great-great Uncle Anthony, will come as no surprise. Smart Women , Judy Blume – This early-80s novel is set in Boulder and told predominantly from the perspective of two divorced single moms who’ve just turned 40—Margo, an architect, and BB, a successful real estate agent. Margo’s 16-year-old daughter Michelle, and BB’s precocious pre-teen daughter Sarah, also take turns as narrators. All four lives intersect when BB’s ex-husband moves to town and ends up dating Margo—who’s in the midst of helping her parents plan their fiftieth anniversary celebration and longs for a love as lasting as theirs has been. I was all of eleven when this novel first came out, and I devoured it in a couple of sittings. (I was at the age where I would have read literally anything Judy Blume had written—including a grocery list—if they were selling it at the Waldenbooks in the mall.) Rereading it many years later as an over-40 adult, I found its examination of female friendships, independence, and the struggle to balance career, childrearing, and personal fulfillment just as engaging as I had as a younger reader. I also came away with newfound appreciation for its wisdom and insight. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight , Author Unknown – A fourteenth century, Middle English chivalric romance that squeaks its way onto this list by setting its climax on the one-year anniversary of its inciting event. The story begins when a mysterious Green Knight interrupts King Arthur's New Year's feast, challenging any knight to strike him with an axe—on the condition that he may return the blow in a year. Gawain accepts, beheading the Green Knight, who amazingly picks up his head and reminds Gawain to meet him at the Green Chapel in exactly one year. The bulk of the story is made up of Gawain’s journey to find the Green Chapel, and the adventures he has along the way. It’s a gorgeous example of a narrative poem written in Middle English alliterative verse, and I highly recommend Simon Armitage’s excellent translation as one that preserves as much as possible the linguistic charm of the original while still presenting it in eminently readable modern English. Gwen Cooper is the New York Times bestselling author of the memoirs  Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned About Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat ; My Life in a Cat House: True Tales of Love, Laughter, and Living with Five Felines ; and Spray Anything , among numerous other titles. Her work has been published in more than two dozen languages. She is a frequent speaker at shelter fundraisers; donates 10% of her royalties from Homer's Odyssey to organizations that serve abused, abandoned, and disabled animals; and has raised nearly $1,000,000 for rescue organizations worldwide. Her forthcoming Homer Whodunit cozy mystery series debuts in July 2025 with Book #1: You Only Live Nine Times . Gwen lives in New Jersey with her husband, Laurence Lerman. She also lives with her two perfect cats--Clayton "the Tripod" and his litter-mate, Fanny--who aren't impressed with any of it.

By Laurence Lerman / New York City Medium Cool (1969) From the dawn of the 20th century to the dystopian explosions of the future, protest films have long served as one of cinema’s most passionate battle cries. They remind us that art doesn't just imitate life—it ponders it, challenges it, shouts at it, and occasionally lights a Molotov cocktail beneath it. The same can be said of the very real protests that have erupted around the country over the past six months. At their core, protest films are stories of resistance. They are about people pushing back on behalf of issues that are political, social, and cultural: against corrupt governments and systemic injustice; against environmental degradation; against racism, sexism, and classism: and against the apathy that frequently surrounds such issues. Protest films span all genres—thrillers, dramas, comedies, romances, action films, even science fiction—and emerge from every corner of the globe. And while the urgency of their messages may differ, they all share a demand to be heard. Battleship Potemkin (1925) To enter a discussion about narrative protest cinema (we’ll let someone else track the ever-expanding universe of protest documentaries) is to start, fittingly, with a revolution. Sergei Eisenstein’s Strike and Battleship Potemkin —the pioneering Soviet filmmaker’s first feature-length efforts, both released in 1925—are foundational not just to this genre, but to film itself. These were not polite critiques; they were cinematic uprisings, with Strike portraying a brutal factory revolt in pre-revolutionary Russia and Potemkin depicting a mutiny aboard a battleship that spills into the blood-soaked streets of Odessa. Eisenstein’s montage techniques were as radical as his politics, turning the discipline of film editing into an aggressive weapon all its own. Z (1969) Jump forward to The Battle of Algiers (1966), Italian filmmaker Gillo Pontecorvo’s gripping docudrama that chronicles Algeria’s fight for independence from French colonial rule. Banned in France for years, it remains one of the most viscerally charged depictions of insurgency ever put to film. In a similar spirit, Costa-Gavras’s Z (1969) follows a fictionalized account of political assassination and its aftermath in Greece. Inspired by the killing of Greek politician and activist Grigoris Lambrakis in 1963 and the turmoil left in its wake, the hard-hitting thriller was made while the real-life regime behind the government cover-up still held power, which only deepens its audacity and authenticity. Protest films aren’t just about bullets and ballot boxes—some of the most memorable and effective are deeply personal pieces. From 2008, Milk , directed by Gus Van Sant and starring Oscar-winning Sean Penn, tells the story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office in California, and his fight for gay rights. The movie’s pride and sense of solidarity was similarly felt six years later in British filmmaker Matthew Warchus’s aptly named Pride , which concerns an unlikely alliance between striking Welsh miners and London queer activists. Selma (2014) American filmmakers have frequently confronted the country’s demons in their work, particularly when it concerns the Sixties’ frequently protested issues of civil rights and the Vietnam War. Ava Duvernay’s Selma (2014) and Spike Lee’s Malcolm X (1992) dive deep into the former, offering portraits of leaders whose legacies still continue to thunder over the decades. Lee, never a stranger to protest cinema, kept it going with Get on the Bus (1996), which follows a group of Black men traveling to the Million Man March, their conversations capturing the kaleidoscope of Black male identity and activism in America. And in Born on the Fourth of July (1989), Oliver Stone turned his lens on Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic, chronicling his journey from patriotic soldier to anti-war crusader—a protest film born from disillusionment. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020) Then there’s The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020), Aaron Sorkin’s glossy, rapid-fire dramatization of 1969’s high-profile trial of anti-Vietnam War protesters  including Tom Hayden and Abbie Hoffman. Sorkin’s dialogue crackles, the stakes are high, and the parallels to modern-day crackdowns on dissenters are impossible to ignore. Its spiritual forebear, Haskell Wexler’s way-cool Medium Cool (1969) uses cinéma verité-styled filmmaking techniques to blend fiction with real footage of the explosive 1968 Democratic National Convention protests in its story of a seemingly hardened TV news cameraman dealing with his own ethical and social dilemmas. Brazil (1985) The genre’s reach extends even into the futuristic and fantastical. V for Vendetta (2005), directed by James McTeigue from a screenplay by the Wachowskis. It wraps its anarchic message in a Guy Fawkes mask and dystopian aesthetics, imagining a fascist totalitarian Britain of tomorrow.  Terry Gilliam satirizes a more organized but still oppressive kind of Orwellian bureaucratic madness with his trademark visual flair in his 1985 masterpiece Brazil . Even Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) (the toughest and most serious-minded big-screen Star Wars installment, if I may be so bold) offers up a gritty resistance tale about those fighting for a cause, showing that a Terran-styled rebellion can also be found a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. And the movie’s serialized Disney+ TV prequel Andor , created by Rogue One scribe Tony Gilroy, is even better. And then some films march quietly. The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988), Philip Kaufman’s adaptation of Milan Kundera 1984 novel, offers an intimate romance set against the backdrop of the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, where acts of resistance are as personal as they are political. Ditto for 1981’s Reds , director/star Warren Beatty’s epic passion project in which American journalist/activists John Reed and Louise Bryant’s romance plays out alongside Russia’s October Revolution of 1917. Civil War (2024) Four decades-plus later, the protest tradition continues. Alex Garland’s much lauded Civil War (2024), featuring Kirsten Dunst as a jaded war photographer, offers a provocative look at a fragmented secessionist America on the brink. Whether it’s speculative or all-too-real, the film speaks to a modern audience already acquainted with polarization, unrest, and the dangerous thrill of collapse. Protest is not its own genre; it’s a throughline. It can be loud, or quiet. It can punch through walls or whisper in corners, but it’s always there. And at its most formidable movies and their creators don’t just reflect the world—they offer their own take on it without feeling any obligation to accept it as it is. So as long as there are voices silenced, freedoms threatened, and systems in need of breaking, there will be directors, writers, and actors picking up the torch—and their cameras—to spread the word. Laurence Lerman is a film journalist, a former editor of Video Business--Variety's digital media trade publication—and husband to The Insider's own Gwen Cooper. Over the course of his four-decade career, he has conducted one-on-one interviews with just about every major filmmaker working today, from Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino and Clint Eastwood to Kathryn Bigelow, Bernardo Bertolucci, and Werner Herzog. Most recently, he is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the online review site  DiscDish.com , the founder and curator of  FilmShul.com , a multi-part presentation on the history of Hollywood and Jewish America, and a commentator on various 4K UHD and Blu-ray home entertainment releases.

By Bobbie Lewis / Detroit The colorful foliage at a typical Chautauqua house In high school, I learned about Chautauqua as a movement that sent influential speakers on a variety of subjects out to small towns across the country, where the people had little access to higher education or culture. It was an important factor in civilizing the frontier, as the expression then went. I had no idea Chautauqua still existed until 2013, when I read an article in Moment magazine about the relatively new Everett Jewish Life Center in Chautauqua. The Chautauqua Institution, it turns out, has been in the same location in Chautauqua, NY, on the shores of Lake Chautauqua between Erie, PA and Buffalo. NY, since 1874. “We have to go,” I said to my husband, and we did, spending one week as guests at the Everett Jewish Life Center, which operates a five-room bed-and-breakfast in addition to providing a busy schedule of speakers and films. We returned for a week in each of the following two years –and in 2016, there was a sign on the porch saying they were looking for a new “host couple” for the bed-and-breakfast. We applied, were hired, and have spent our summers there ever since (except for 2000, when the entire season was cancelled during the COVID epidemic). Our duties are to welcome incoming guests, get them settled in their rooms, shop for breakfast and then cook, serve and clean up. In return we get to spend more than nine weeks in paradise. We know the Chautauqua Institution as an idyllic island of sanity in an insane world, where people are polite and friendly and the intellectual atmosphere is at once relaxing and challenging. More people are aware of Chautauqua now than then because of the horrendous attack on Salman Rushdie there in 2022. That altered the atmosphere on campus somewhat; we now see a lot more security staff, and one often has to go through a metal detector before entering the Amphitheater, the main lecture and performance venue. But even that has not changed the sense of Chautauqua as a respite from the world. It’s evident the moment you drive through the gates (yes, it’s a gated community during the summer): the Victorian houses, most with spacious porches; the spectacular gardens overflowing with greenery and blooms of every hue, the quiet streets almost devoid of cars, where kids can safely ride their bikes; the central plaza which functions as a town square. Chautauqua grew out of three uniquely American movements: the camp meeting, the lyceum (where small Midwestern towns brought in speakers on a variety of topics) and the Sunday school. One of Chautauqua’s founders, John Heyl Vincent, was a Methodist minister determined to use modern methods in Sunday school. He believed that leisure provided a great opportunity for personal growth and improvement–and what better “classroom” for such work could there be than a natural setting? A tent like the one used at the first Chautauqua Assembly In 1872, Vincent met with Lewis Miller, the superintendent of Sunday Schools for Akron Ohio, to arrange to teach his new multi-disciplinary approach to the study of religion. Miller was passionate about education and suggested to Vincent that they set up their teachers’ program in the woods. He suggested a place called Fair Point on the shores of Chautauqua Lake in western New York. Local Methodist ministers had built a camp meeting there in 1871, for which Miller was a trustee. Vincent saw the potential of the site for a national assembly lasting 10 to 15 days. He planned to bring in “the best talent in the country” and to combine recreation and pleasure with study. He put together a program featuring speakers that included well-known preachers, college presidents, artists and journalists – a few of whom were women -- and advertised it through the Christian press and Sunday School journals. The first Chautauqua Assembly opened on August 4, 1874 (and that date is now observed in Chautauqua as “Old First Night”). Between two and  three thousand people attended. There was a morning worship service, followed by a lecture or sermon. A break at midday provided time for rest or recreation. More classes and lectures were held in the afternoon and evening, along with performances by brass bands and singers. This program developed into what is now known as Chautauqua’s “four pillars”: religion, education, entertainment and recreation. The entertainment offered at the earliest Chautauqua was a wholesome counterpart to the popular burlesque and vaudeville offerings of the time. An enterprising partner in the Redpath Lyceum Bureau put together a travel plan for Chautauqua-style entertainers to visit towns in the Midwest – the traveling Chautauquas I had learned about in high school. By the 1920s dozens of “daughter Chautauquas” had started; a few still exist, including one in Michigan and one in Ohio. A day at the Chautauqua Institution in 2025 would feel familiar to Miller and Vincent. There’s an ecumenical worship service every morning, with top-tier visiting clergy. The service still has a Protestant feel, though Catholic priests have been chaplains since 2015; in 2019, Sharon Brous became the first Jewish clergy in that role. There are two major lecture series, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and the rest of the day is filled with a variety of classes, lectures, films, book reviews and discussions. There’s a small beach at Chautauqua Lake, and a boat dock; there’s a fitness center with a gym, pool and tennis courts, and two golf courses across the road from the main campus. The list of past and present speakers reads like a who’s who of American leaders in politics, business, journalism, the arts and science. Several US presidents have spoken there, including Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Bill Clinton. There’s a whole part of the campus dedicated to training up-and-coming artists in instrumental and operatic music, dance, theatre and fine arts. A performance in the amphitheater in Chautauqua Every day the Amphitheater (known locally as “the Amp”), which seats about 4,000, hosts stellar entertainment, from the resident Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra (established in 1928), the Music School Festival Orchestra, a variety of visiting classical and popular musicians, dance recitals and more. There’s way more than anyone can do in a day, and choosing from among the many options can be challenging. The Chautauqua population in any given summer week ranges from 2,000 to more than 5,000. While the year-round population is only about 300 to 500, many nine-week visitors have second homes there; the climate in western New York in July and August is much more comfortable than that in Florida or Texas, or even New York City. Many more visitors come for a week or two. A stay at Chautauqua is not cheap. A weekly gate pass, which grants entry into the grounds and to the morning’s keynote lecture and evening’s entertainment, costs about $700 per person – though when you divide that by the number of lectures, concerts and other presentations, the price per program seems quite reasonable. (A season’s pass is much less than nine weekly passes.) For accommodation, weekly visitors can choose from a variety of hotels, apartment and house rentals starting at less than $1,000 for the week depending on the size and condition of the building. Newer buildings have central air and elevators; many vintage buildings have window A/C units and show their age. Chautauqua’s “denominational houses” provide an option for reasonably priced housing. They were started as a way of providing Sunday school teachers and other parishioners with an alternative to boarding houses and hotels, like the beautiful Victorian Athenaeum Hotel, which opened in 1876. The oldest denominational house is the Baptist House, built in 1890. Others are run by the Disciples of Christ, Presbyterians United Methodists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Unitarian-Universalists, Quakers, and the United Church of Christ. A few years ago, an African-American Heritage House opened, which doesn’t take in paying guests but provides interesting programs. There's a Christian Science Reading Room and also an LGBTQ organization that doesn’t have a house. It's not too early to start planning your 2026 Chautauqua vacation! For more information about Chautauqua Institution, visit www.chq.org . Philadelphia native and long-time Detroit resident Bobbie Lewis retired after a career in public relations and communications for nonprofit organizations. A graduate of Antioch College, with master's degrees in journalism and administration from Temple University and Central Michigan University, she is an award-winning contributing writer for the  Detroit Jewish News. Since 2017, she has spent her summers at Chautauqua Institution as co-host (with her husband, Joe) of the Everett Jewish Life Center in Chautauqua.

By Jeffrey Markowitz / Huntington Woods, Mich. The author on his motorcycle in Oak Park (1970) One of my favorite movies in high school was Easy Rider . It came out in 1969, and I saw it three times. Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson inspired me and my friends to buy motorcycles. We were in awe of the power and speed of those bikes. Our minds kept whirling with images of looking cool while riding through the streets of Oak Park, Mich. But we were only 17 and needed finances to carry out our plans. Our teenage minds weren’t focused on academics and school was a secondary proposition. At Oak Park High School, Wood Shop was an elective, and I enjoyed the various projects we completed. But the best part of the class had nothing to do with woodworking. The classroom had high-top tables and stools for instruction. We had to learn safety procedures before we were able to use any of the equipment. I sat next to a good friend, Billy Cannon, and our table had a bird’s eye view of Coolidge Highway and Oak Park Boulevard. From our elevated positions, Billy and I would gaze out the window and watch motorcycles drive by. Acting like fools, we pretended that we were seated on one of those spectacular bikes with sparkling chrome gas tanks. We even imitated the sweet sounds of revving an engine. With our arms outstretched in midair and our hands moving downward on the invisible handlebars, we felt like we were on the road. We certainly looked ridiculous but didn’t care. Another highlight of our hour spent in Wood Shop was seeing Eddie Cohen drive by on his Triumph Bonneville motorcycle. He was one of the coolest guys we knew and Billy and I were in awe of his bike. Motorcycle fever crept into my blood. I desperately wanted one of those beautiful bikes. I probably thought I would look cool too. I decided to approach my dad about the prospect of buying a new motorcycle. I was chomping at the bit to cruise down the street with a sparkling, new bike. But when I broached the subject with my dad, he immediately said, “no way.” I decided to keep working on him. After hassling my dad for two weeks we came to a mutual agreement. He told me I could buy a used motorcycle, and I would have to pay for part of it. Since I had been working at the State Fair in Detroit during summer vacations, I had saved a few bucks. I took him up on the deal. I scoured the classified ads in the Detroit News but came up empty. As it turned out I bought my first bike from a friend who lived next door to Billy. It was a Triumph Daytona 500 — a bike made for scrambling. I was excited. After riding the bike for two years I wanted an upgrade — a street bike. After all, I was now 19 and needed to keep pace with riding buddies who were buying new bikes. I told my dad that if Billy Cannon drove up to our house on a new motorcycle, then I was going to find a way to get one too. My younger brother, Gene, got into the act as well. He was already riding a Fox 500 minibike and decided he too wanted something bigger and better. Then, just one week later, my dad and I were sitting on our front porch when the inevitable happened: Billy Cannon came riding down Gardner on his bright, shiny, new Triumph Bonneville. It had a two-tone gas tank — purple and white. I was beside myself with envy. I needed to have one of those splendid machines. Much to my surprise, the following Saturday morning on my dad’s day off, the three of us ventured over to Shores Motorcycles in St. Clair Shores. This was the go-to place for anyone who wanted to buy a Triumph. As I walked down the aisles, gazing at those spectacular bikes, one immediately caught my eye. I was hopefully looking at my future bike being built right on the spot. In the meantime, my brother and dad were wondering where I wondered off to in the store. I asked if Gene found a bike and my dad responded that they were ready to cash out. My dad then asked me what I was thinking about. I turned around and pointed to the motorcycle that was being built and told him, “That’s it.” It was a Triumph Bonneville with a cherry red tank that had a white strip on top. The negotiations began, and my dad offered a deal. He told Gene and me that the only way we were walking out of the store with two new motorcycles was if he could ride one of our bikes every Sunday morning. Otherwise, there would be no transaction. Gene and I readily agreed. Ultimately, Gene gave his bike to my dad more than I did. My dad was like a little kid who was waiting for his new toy. Each Sunday was a magic moment for him. Before he got on his bike, he would light up a cigar and take to the streets. He thoroughly enjoyed the ride and appreciated the time spent cruising to various locations. Soon, more of my friends began to purchase bikes and we would ride all over town. Soon our bikes headed to the Hazel Park Raceway, where we embarked on a few crazy antics. Not being old enough to go in the track by ourselves, we would ask strangers in the parking lot to be our parent for admission. It worked every time. My best friend, Harold Oleinick, and I loved the races. We rode our bikes to all the local tracks, including Windsor Raceway in Canada. Harold suggested riding to the track to Windsor to watch a great horse named Albatross race. Since we knew the Ambassador Bridge and The Tunnel would be crowded, we decided to only take one motorcycle – I rode on the back of Harold’s bike. Customs was a breeze, but the bridge would not be. It was so crowded that we stood in place for what seemed like hours. Harold made a unilateral decision and told me to hold on. He proceeded to drive the motorcycle right down the middle of the bridge. It was an insane move, but it worked. We made it just in time to place our bets at the ticket window. The author's coveted Triumph Bonneville Another adventure, suggested by Billy Cannon, was to ride our bikes to Woodstock. It was a happening scene, and we wanted to listen to great music groups. As it turned out, we had bitten off more than we could chew. We weren’t prepared for the onslaught of insects that hit our faces like bullets at 70 miles per hour. Without face shields on our helmets, we were forced to turn back. Little did we know that Woodstock would be inscribed in the annals of rock music history. Billy and I were awestruck when we heard about the legendary bands that played and the continued news coverage of the event. We missed a big one. But the upside is that we can still listen to those iconic tunes today and identify with their stories. When reflecting on those glory days, a motorcycle ride wouldn’t have been complete without a girl hanging on to you while cruising down a main thoroughfare. For me, that girl was Judi Foster. She was my good friend in high school, and I was lucky enough to marry her years later. We would ride to all the local trails. The most popular route was cruising along Hines Drive. There were many spots along the trail filled with all types of motorcycles. On a nice day, you couldn’t ask for anything better. After taking so many rides with Judi, I decided that she might want to learn how to drive my bike by herself. Without hesitation, she agreed. We pulled into the back of Birmingham Seaholm High School, where she began her lesson. The outfield grass of the school was thick, and I knew if there was a fall she would be safe. Judi took off like a champ–it was amazing, and I was in shock. After some time, I waved for her to come back, and she stopped on the money. Judi then asked when she could ride my bike again. I responded, “I’ll get back to you.” As these motorcycle memories come flooding back, I have nothing but appreciation for all the things I was able to do while growing up in the small, flourishing city of Oak Park. Those days were the best. And when my friends and I reminisce about our crazy antics, we are grateful that we came out on the other side in one piece. After a 30-year career in construction management, building commercial and residential jobs, Jeffrey has turned to his passion–cooking. He is the master of the grill and has been nicknamed Chef Jeff by his family. Jeffrey also started a small catering business. Nothing makes him happier than satisfying his customers He enjoys sports and has spent 65-plus years playing golf, competing with friends, playing the course and trying to keep his head in the game for all 18 holes. He is the husband of Judi Markowitz. They have four adult children and nine grandchildren who keep them on their toes. Oh yeah, let’s not forget George, their Bernese Mountain granddog.

By Judi Markowitz / Huntington Woods, Mich. During the long winter months, I look forward to warm weather coming to Michigan. As the temperatures rise and the landscape changes, people can be seen riding bikes, walking, gardening and simply visiting with neighbors. The low hum of cars can be heard from our main thoroughfare, Woodward Ave. However, this summer, cars equipped with glasspack muffler systems have virtually transformed pleasant evenings into a caphony of loud and irritating noise. Glasspack mufflers first came on the scene in the early 1960s, but didn’t become popular until the 70s. They were originally designed to make engines sound louder and more aggressive than stock exhaust systems. These muffler systems sound like a motorcycle on steroids — they emit a thunderous sound. Their deep tones are attributed to its construction. Glasspacks are known as straight-through mufflers since exhaust gas passes through the center of the mechanism. They have much less sound absorbing material due to fiberglass being the main component. Not surprisingly, these features violate many local noise pollution laws — but only if drivers are caught in the act. Glasspack mufflers are relatively inexpensive to install. Depending on the size of the muffler and material used, prices may range from $8 to $30 dollars. When installed by a professional, the price escalates— $50 to $200 dollars. With these nominal costs, glasspacks have become immensely popular. After months of listening to cars race up and down Woodward, I decided to contact several local police departments about the issue – Ferndale, Royal Oak and Huntington Woods. They all had similarly dismissive responses. “Call us when you hear the loud noises and we’ll try to send an officer out to observe the situation.” I responded, “Cars are racing down Woodward all night, just send someone at any given time to monitor.” Then I was told, “Sadly, we just don’t have enough officers available to assess this problem. We are aware of the irritating noise and the drag racing since residents have complained.”  And, last, a city official stated that each city has noise ordinances, but none is specifically focused on vehicles. I have observed police cars stationed on busy streets eagerly waiting to pounce on a speeding vehicle. I have also been privy to an officer knocking on my front door during a federal holiday to report that a citizen lodged a complaint. My car, which was parked at the end of the driveway to accommodate family members who were having dinner at our house, was blocking the sidewalk by over a foot. I suppose it was too difficult for that disgruntled individual to simply take a few steps around my car. If officers can respond to such a frivolous complaint, then why can’t they monitor the activity on Woodward Avenue — the infamous M-1. When speaking with residents who live close to Woodward, I repeatedly hear anger and utter frustration about these monster mufflers. My neighbor Shelley Jaffe, who lives one block west of Woodward, explained, “My family has lived here for 38 years. In the past we could open our windows at night, sit on our porches, and enjoy the peace and quiet of our beautiful neighborhood.” ‘Woodward has always been a busy street, but in the past few years it has become a hangout for drag racing with cars and motorcycles that have installed Cherry Bomb Glasspack mufflers that make booming noises that sound louder than fireworks.” Shelley, who works at a law firm, informed me about Michigan Vehicle Code 257.707.  She became acquainted with this code due to the ongoing racket on Woodward. The code states that, “A motor vehicle, including a motorcycle or moped, shall always be equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise and annoying smoke. A person shall not remove, destroy, or damage any of the baffles contained in the muffler, nor shall a person use a muffler cutout, bypass, or similar device upon a motorcycle or moped on a highway or street.” Added Shelley, “Because these types of mufflers are currently legal in Michigan, our police departments have done nothing to deter the noise pollution emanating from these vehicles.” The majority of people who have installed glasspack mufflers don’t seem to care about the impact they have on the public. A recent incident in a parking structure cemented these feelings. I was helping my daughter Lindsay out of her seat when a car drove by, which is nothing out of the ordinary. But on this day, the sounds the car produced completely took us by surprise. Lindsay has special needs and is sensitive to loud noises and she also startles easily. I literally jumped up and Lindsay’s body stiffened before I could help her into her wheelchair. The muffler sounds from this car reverberated off the walls of the structure. It was an unsettling auditory experience. As I watched the car slide into a parking spot, I knew I had to speak to the driver. There are risks involved in this, but it had to be done. After a brief conversation, I told the young man about our reaction to his souped-up muffler system. He apologized and then grimaced saying, “It’s a cool sound though.” This guy just didn’t get it.   David Soloman, another neighbor who lives on the east side of our street, discussed his concern over the never-ending commotion on Woodward. Says David, “We have lived in the same house on York Road, just south of Lincoln, for 20 years. In that time, we have come to truly appreciate where we live and how convenient Woodard is for us. We accept that it’s heavily traveled, and we accept that the car enthusiasts use it regularly. In truth, Woodward is a big reason why our neighborhood is so great.” “However, the increasing vehicle noise has really been noticeable this year. The normal sounds of traffic are one thing, but the modified vehicles with extremely loud exhaust systems are incredibly annoying. These cars increase in number as the sun goes down, especially on summer nights, and continue well into the early morning hours. That truly baffles me. Where are the police when these cars have the road to themselves?” “I would support any and all efforts that seek to regulate the excessive noise on Woodward, especially after 11 pm. It seems to me that the city of Royal Oak often forgets its residents on the west side of Woodward, which is disappointing.” In March 2025, an article was published in the Royal Oak/City Spotlight discussing this ongoing problem. Questions were posed by citizens and answered by local authorities. The report stated, “In 2016 the City of Royal Oak passed an ordinance prohibiting vehicle noise audible at a 50-foot distance—the most stringent vehicle-noise ordinance of all the Woodward communities. Police issued more than 100 high-cost citations to drivers in violation. Unfortunately, the ordinance was overturned in 2017 following a lawsuit filed against the City; we are now required to follow the State’s less-restrictive laws and ordinances.” After digging further, I discovered that many states have instituted ordinances against loud mufflers, which include glasspack types. The focus has been on reducing noise pollution due to the many complaints lodged by citizens. On the West Coast, Los Angeles has a strict enforcement code which regulates noise issues pertaining to vehicles. San Francisco also has ordinances as well. The general consensus on the East Coast makes it clear that noise pollution from vehicles will not be tolerated. In New York, there are strict limits on noise levels. which include muffler modifications. Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. Baltimore, Maryland and others have followed suit. Citizens have shown their displeasure with booming mufflers and their voices have been heard. It doesn’t matter if you’re 23 or 73 — muffler modifications are an annoyance to those who live close to the action. I’m fully aware that these systems are fun for the drivers and their companions. However, it would be nice if drivers could display a modicum of respect. They take advantage of the cities that don’t ticket loud vehicle disturbances, and they know that local police departments aren’t overly concerned with the issue. It’s a win-win for these rollicking drivers, who are creating havoc on the roads. Michigan lawmakers need to change their position on muffler modifications, reduce the blaring noise, so that summer evenings on Woodward Avenue can return to a quiet hum. Judi Markowitz is a retired high school English teacher of 34 years. She primarily taught twelth grade and had the pleasure of having her three sons grace her classes. In addition, she taught debate, forensics, and Detroit film. Judi has four adult children and nine wonderful and energetic grandchildren. She is married to Jeffrey Markowitz, whom she met in high school. They now spend much of their time running around with their grandkids.  The View from Four Foot Two  is Judi’s first book.

Last week we requested your retrospective thoughts about the pandemic. Here are a few of your submissions! Washing Off Potato Chip Bags On March 9, 2020, we attended a Purim celebration at Shaarey Zedek with our children and grandkids. We had heard stories about the spread of a deadly virus, but there we were with doctors and their families feeling unaffected and safe, that is, until the next day when everything shut down. It was quiet with no airplanes overhead, no traffic on the roads and no construction noises. So quiet that we could hear nature around us and nature was not in fear of us coming out for a romp or a flight.   Looking back, we were participating in a civic experiment of unknown duration. Faced with a public health crisis with no known cure and deadly outcomes, we chose informed self-preservation. We only saw our kids and grandkids online or at a distance for the first two months, until we closed a tight family circle. Low contact parking lot drops from the store to our car trunk were an innovative way to secure food items that we antiseptically wiped down in the garage before bringing things into our home bubble.   Once it was clear that this was an airborne contagion, my wife sewed masks to help protect us from viral sharing.  I am still unsure of how many people knowingly ignored the potential dangers or how much people were resentful of the government-supported public health professionals or even those of us making an effort to mitigate the spread. We watched TV reports of evening call outs to first responders from the windows above New York City. We tipped appreciatively to keep family restaurants in business. We saw chancy gatherings and knew people who contracted the virus.   January 4, 2021, was our first public venture to Macomb Community College where masses of people were being inoculated. It was reminiscent of in-person class registration in the 1970s and very disorientating after not having not been in an indoor public space in nine months. In times past, the rapid achievement of effective vaccines and treatment would have been a proud moment for Americans. We would have welcomed the government responding with support for first responders, stabilizing a catastrophic situation, and providing financial support to vulnerable businesses to help return things to normalcy. It was messy, it was risky, it was imperfect and regimented too, but it appeared to me as well-intended.   Was it wrong? Was it overreach? Was it unnecessary? Were we betrayed? Today, our government’s ability to protect and respond is becoming undermined and dismantled and people are being pulled off the streets with no due process. Is it all the same assault on freedom?   I think back on the overworked first-responders, Scenes of overcrowded hospitals, the inability to keep up with burying the dead. I remember the uncertainty at the beginning when I was wiping down boxes and canned goods and washing off potato chip bags to mitigate an invisible and unknown assailant. As much as I can tell, we have remained Covid-free to this day. I am also glad to think that the establishment had our backs on this one. Paul Levine / Oak Park, Mich. How I Learned to Love the Pandemic I got all the boosters, as many and as often as my alerts told me to. Then I took it upon myself to update even those who didn’t want to hear about the pandemic not being over. And worse even, chant my mantras about the next pandemic with my favorite quip of “Be a microbe, See the world.” Such an onus to be in public health and try to communicate with the public about public health!   Also, in the name of public health (mixed in with advocacy, anger, and anxiety), I found myself spending my time reading leaked budgets, budget drafts, budgets passed, funding rescinded, and funding gone with fury and anger. Now I'm mostly concentrating on the Feds - the HIV funding and departments going extinct like the dinosaurs and progress made with HIV will be progress lost.  Irate at cuts for USAID, PEPFAR and programs that kept disease and starvation at bay but instead have had their supplies locked in warehouses as people die.    So 51 years in public health—hardly a field when I began and only six schools offering an MPH and about 40 years of me working with HIV–I never thought protests from long ago would become a way of life, letters and calls to Congress, posts on social media and I'm sure making some ex-friends in this process. But the reality is that our Secretary of Health and Human Services, the MAHA guy, is gonna kill us!   Helene Bednarsh / Sharon, Mass.