Ex-CTLawyer

@Neville
Regarding liqour sales in CT
When I was a child, stores could be open 6 days a week from 8am til 11pm No one could own more than 2 stores. The mom&pop owners got the state to cut hours to 8am-8pm as they did not want to work so many hours.
in 2012 when Sunday sales were allowed, it was again the liquor store owners who asked that it only b 6 hours 11am-5pm to restrict how many hours these mom&pop operators worked in a week. The number of stores you can own increased to three. So for an eample, only 3 of the Costco locations in CT can sell booze.
You cannot buy wine in a grocery store, only beer.
Liqour store can n ow be open til 9, but most close at 8, with a few open Frioday and Saturday til 9.

The last vestige of the Blue laws, was that auto dealers could not be open on Sunday. The dealers fought this saying they were losing sales to NY, MA and RI. The law changed a few years back, but most dealers, not on the state borders remained closed on Sunday.

I was born and grew up in New Haven, where you still don’t find car dealers open Friday nights. Back then the dealers were almost all Jewish and Friday night was reserved for family, not business. Today, most dealers are not Jewish, but the closed Friday night tradition continues.

@Neville
The CT Blue Laws had far more to do with business activity and public displays of affection on the Sabbath, then liquor sales.
They were done away with starting in 1909, 1979 did away with ban on Sunday retailing and 2012 allowed Sunday liquor sales.
When I was a kid, my family’s retail stores were open Sunday and closed Saturday in compliance with the laws.
CT Liquor store owners opposed Sunday openings, as we have no chains, mom&pop didn’t want to work 7 days per week.

@Lakewhut
Regarding Danbury Baptists and their letter to the federal government seeking redress.

CT (my home for almost 70 years) like most of New England was settled by the Puritans (Congregational Churches). Each village had a parish and the minister served as head of government and tax collector. This continued to the middle of the 1800s, long after the USA was a country and the US Constitution in force.
My small town has 4 distinct neighborhoods, each was a parish and still has an active Congregational Church bearing the name.
Until the early 1900s, any religious institution wanting to operate in CT had to get a Charter from the State of Connecticut. My shul received its charter in 1881. My FIL is buried in a local Jewish cemetery that received its charter in 1918.

This issuing of charters (and requirement thereof) established State approved religions in direct violation of the First Amendment.
BTW, males who wished to vote in the State of CT before approx 1850 had to be members of the Congregational Church in their Parish and current with tax obligations. Another violation of the First Amendment.

@Neville
My fiscal conservatism is not just from my personal pocket, but society as a whole.
That’s why I believe in user fees, such as tolls (which don’t exist in CT) so the user pays for the upkeep of the roads.

As for the orthodox synagogues of my youth. They did not have mechitzas, they had balconies.

@coffee
I haven’t been called a ‘lefty’ since I was protesting the Viet Nam War and burning my draft card more than 50 years ago.
Yes, I am a proud Democrat, but that doesn’t mean I support every idea floated by every Democrat. At the State and National Conventions I am viewed as old fashioned and right wing.
I am socially liberal but fiscally conservative. I am anti-gun and believe no private citizen unless a sworn law enforcement officer or member of the National Guard (the well regulated militia mentioned in the 2nd Amendment) should possess a gun.

I have watched American Orthodoxy move to the right over the past 60 years. While I may not find all the moves to my taste, I support the institutions.
I am one of the final generation of American Euro-Traditional Jews. What was called Orthodox in my youth. We were the children of business owners and professionals. Many attended public school and Yeshiva as well as university and professional schools. What we didn’t do as a whole is become professional Jews, deriving our income from Jewish organizations, instead we fund those salaries and positions.

@Mentsch1
Since our dogs range in weight from 6-13 lbs, the risk of them eating us is not a concern.

Send Cruz back to the country if his birth

@coffeeaddict
I don’t decide which ‘news’ articles to post
I merely answered the OP’s question

@lakewhut
The OP did not ask a question about the current POTUS

@zeruth
I voluntarily had two Covid-19 vaccinations and three boosters including the bivalent. I don’t allow non-vaccinated into my home of office.

@americanyeshivish

Better the shooter is dead at the beginning of an intended shooting spree, having killed him/herself,

Take all guns away in the USA unless the possessor is a member of the National Guard, law enforcement or corrections (our well organized militia, satisfying the 2nd Amendment).

@ujm

I generally fly first class and have done so for more than 60 years.
I don’t do it for the wines and foods I cannot consume. I have done so for the comfort and quiet and ability to get work done.
In the 80s I flew about a half million miles per year with bi-weekly trips to Europe. I would leave my office here at 5pm, make a 8 pm TWA flight to London or Paris. I would work most of the night preparing for meetings that began at 9am soon after my arrival. I also made a half dozen flights each year to EY, South Africa and Brazil plus an annual flight to Australia.
By the 90s I was flying to China each month. My clients paid these costs but it was important to arrive fresh and ready for business.
That said, I do not like the modern pods that isolate First Class (and business class) travelers from each other. The pods defeat the ability for two of us to work together on a long flight. I really miss the days of an upstairs lounge in early B747s where we could spread papers out on a table and sit facing each other and plan strategies.
Nowadays, if three or more of us from the CTL law firm are flying together on business, we are likely to fly private. It is not much more expensive than first (for our clients) and they are not paying for us yk have to arrive at the airport hours early and pay X hundreds of dollars per hour for non-productive time. It also allows us to fly into smaller airports that may be closer to our destination and that also saves time and money.

If I am working on a 14 hour flight I do not want to be disturbed by children or bumped by people trying to get through the aisle to reach a lavatory or food service carts. Lastly, I need to protect the privacy of my work.

BTW, when I went to Budapest this month for my dental work, I flew premium economy (using miles). I was not doing any work and didn’t need the privacy and space. I flew home in a private jet that belongs to a client. His wife and children had been dropped off in Vienna and it was returning to Teterboro empty.

So back to Dental insurance and cost of dental procedures. It is now the end of March and I have been to Budapest for my two implants.
They were done in the same Swiss Method Dental practice at The Thermal Hotel and Spa where I had a few crowns done in 1988. They still had all my records.
My all in costs came to $4300. Locally, the cost was $20,000.
Medical and Dental tourism is a thriving international business.
Could I have paid the $20,000? Yes, but I don’t waste or squander capital, it is better spent on my grandchildren and Tzedaka.
>>>>>>>>>>€>>€€€€€
As a side note, my original comments about the cost of Mrs. CTL’s care took place during the past few years with Covid protocols in place.
Her final 12 days in ICU required 200 masks, gowns and glove changes each day (every time someone entered the room they needed fresh PPE.
Our local hospitals are no longer billing a surcharge for these no longer required expenses

@Yeserbius123

You are not hated by everyone. I disagree with your political beliefs, but don’t hate you. I defend your right to express your beliefs and vote for the candidates of your choice.

BTW, it is possible to be a Democrat and be a law and order kind of guy. I would love to see Trump prosecuted, tried convicted and imprisoned. But I also would like that to happen to all crooked elected officials who have broken the law, as well as street thugs, blue collar criminals and white collar criminals.

@AAQ
Despite your name, sometimes not being asked is a relief.

@aaq
If coming soon, Moshiach would be better off speaking Spanish than Italian since the current Pope is Argentinian.

I, however, took 6 years of Latin in high school and college. I don’t listen to Radio Vatican, but it made law school easier for me than classmates with no Latin knowledge.

This post is a prime example why more time needs to be spent learning English in Yeshivos.
“Most likeliest “
Est ending means most.
What a waste of a modifier.
Bittul zman through ignorance.
No charge for this lesson in English grammar.
BTW, I thought Joseph claimed to be a teacher in the NY public schools.

Haven’t had ACA in about 5 years as I aged out. It gave me the savings benefit of a huge statewide group not the income based subsidy. It also had better benefits for same level plan from same carrier I had before ACA.
Connecticut did/does a much better job with ACA and our state exchange than most other states. Should the federal program cease due to court challenges or Congressional whim the Connecticut program will continue independently.
This afternoon a neighbor came by with some questions about tax forms for short term disability (he is having a knee replacement). I reviewed his situation, explained how to fill out the forms and then looked at his health insurance plans. We determined he would save more than 30% buying his coverage through the exchange than the small group from his employer. Since he recently had another child, I pointed out it was a qualifying life changing event and he could change his insurance despite being outside the annual enrollment period. We did it all on line. Not only will he save on his monthly cost, but his out of pocket for the surgery (all in) will be reduced by about $1000.
This was just a friendly chat with a neighbor, not billable client work. When Mrs. CTL died, his teens were here every day during shiva, setting up chairs, taking out garbage, parking visitors cars, etc. They are not Jewish but understand small town neighbors help neighbors without being asked.

@Goodtoknow
I am not a fanatic about anything
I choose my terms/words carefully
I wrote about some, not all of most police officers and I believe some are in fact Facist
Being Facist is not illegal in the US (it was cause for imprisonment without being charged or convicted in 1940s Britain), but not something I like.

I don’t like the extreme right or left in most things

@Yserbius
I was not saying it was allowed. I was commenting on the type of bathing costume worn 100+ years ago (before air conditioning) and why it may have been tolerated

@goldersgreener
You may live in an island but can’t stop trends from infiltrating your borders.
As for meat carving stations at simchas it was commonplace in Connecticut 60 years ago, if it just arrived in GG, chances are it has something to do with the traditional abundance of beef in the new world and that it was relatively cheap.
My mother served meat twice a day when we were growing up (except Shavous and the nine days). She always claimed it was cheaper and more available than dairy or fish.

@5T
Big thumbs, small keyboard layout on phone

@dbrim
I stand behind my comment that many police are both criminals and/or racist,
I did not post most and am not part of the ‘defund the police’ group.

My town’s police force has been sanctioned by the state for racial profiling. Driving while black is treated as a criminal act.
A good number of police have been found guilty of all types of crimes: from assaulting civilians, padding payroll, theft of seized drugs, etc.
Police get unlimited sick days under their contracts in CT.
The man who plowed our snow for our office is a Stamford officer who lives in our town. Last winter, I asked him how he manages to be available to plow whenever it snows… he replied that he simply calls out sick
This is dishonest and theft.
We did not hire him for this year (not that we have needed plow service), instead gave the contract to the landscaper who cares for property from April to October.

In the early 29th century it would be said that the two of you are ‘keeping company’

The term companion is applicable to both of you

Getting back to the OP’s post about reducing the cost of getting married by eliminating the engagement ring.

Over a number of generations and many decades of observation it is my observation that the woman’s family bears the brunt of the cost of the marriage. The chassun and or his family having to buy an engagement ring has little effect on the cost of getting married.

My parents generation paid for their daughters’ weddings, I and my brothers paid for our daughters’ weddings. My sins have paid for the weddings of granddaughters who have reached that age. Yes, the boys’ side may have made a small contribution towards the total by paying for license, Ketubah, personal flowers and occasionally liquor or music; but the vast majority of the expense falls on the kallah’s family. I discussed this after minyan this morning. Of the 12 present, there have been 5 children or grandchildren married in the past 3 months in Brooklyn, Monsey and Lakewood. In each case the kallah’s family paid for more than 75% of the costs.
The cost of an engagement ring not purchased would not reduce the expense to the kallah’s family, it might just lower total money spent, not up the contribution by the other side