The Writer's Life 2/5 - Numbers & Chats

There are interesting numbers in today's NY Post: In his business column, John Crudele reveals the results of a recent poll of 900. 60% had never wagered on sports before it became legal... In an op-ed piece, Steve Cuozzo responds to the ignorant venom spewed by certain NYC leftists concerning the recent $238 million purchase of a condo by a hedge fund mogul. The deal netted the city $10 million in taxes, and the annual property tax rate for it will be in the neighborhood of $850,000. Overall, real estate levies provide 52% of NYC's tax revenues. Kudos, sir... The state of New York has a $2.3 billion shortfall in tax revenue this year. Andrew Cuomo sent a mixed message about it, blaming both the Trump tax cuts and the taxes that have driven high earners from the state. Expect more nuisance measures in the near future, similar to the one that's prompting shop owners afraid of fines to
preemptively take down awnings that might be deemed illegal by government lackeys. Here's the fourth to do so in the stretch on Sheepshead Bay Road directly across from the floating book shop. It's a beauty shop called Glamorous. Workers pasted that sultry woman's visage to the window this afternoon:

I just heard Newt Gingrich make a stunning comment on Sean Hannity's radio show. It's corroborated by sfchronicle.com: There are about 24,500 injection drug users in San Francisco — that’s about 8500 more people than the nearly 16,000 students enrolled in San Francisco Unified School District’s 15 high schools...

Although I still fully support President Trump, I will not be watching the State of the Union address. Some people can't get enough of politics. I want as little to do with it as possible. The sight of the swamp audience would make me sick.

The floating book shop was back at its usual nook today. My thanks to the woman who donated a two-volume Russian-English dictionary, and to the one who bought both, taking a lot of weight off my hands. Thanks also to the sweet elderly woman who purchased a paperback in Russian, and to Steve, the poet laureate of Sheepshead Bay, who settled his tab. I also reconnected with a bunch of folks I hadn't seen in a while. Romanian born artist Andu continues to struggle with mental health, now believing Rudy Giuliani is after him; Nell told how she was blown to the ground twice on her way home on Ocean Parkway during last week's squall; little Shelley had the pins removed from her broken left thumb and has started therapy, hoping she will be able to bend the digit again; Andy F-bomb complained that Stop n Shop's recycling room was so crowded he didn't bother redeeming his plastic bottles. I advised him to do what I do - visit during rain or extreme cold or heat.

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