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Depends how fast I can get the tenants out of the family house in EY.
There is no ‘Lease terminates on appearance of Moshiach’ clause.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.
@Avram in MD
Some states, especially mine, set up excellent healthcare exchanges. Connecticut’s exchange works well, is staffed by knowledgeable, caring staff who are able to fully explain thd system and handle enrollment. Youngest child just aged out of parental plan coverage.
Half hour toll free call to the exchange and application completed. Compared the products offered, made a choice. Ten days later had her insurance cards from the carrier.
Even received follow up calls to make sure she received all paperwork and answer any questions she might have.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@ujm
You call it a political persecution, I call it a long overdue prosecution@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.
@besalel
Everything about Trump was/is a joke, albeit a sick one. The American people were the butt of his jokes.BTW, who did the Democrats put in Jail? A political party in the USA has no power to arrest, try, convict and sentence.
But, you are typical of the MAGA nuts, you don’t let facts color your opinion, you show hatred to the majority party and unwavering adherence to the orange one (May he soon be clothed in a matching prison jumpsuit).
@AAQ
Despite your name, sometimes not being asked is a relief.@ujm
Completely agree with your comment about being invited home for Shabbos meal.
This Litvish misnagid wears a dark blue suit, not black (as I’ve posted many times: in my business black is reserved for judges).
Saying Kaddish for Mrs. CTL this year has taken be to many different minyanim. I often stay in our house in Brooklyn and enjoy visiting new to me shuls.
Always invitations in Satmar, Bobov and Chabad.
If I go into a Litvish or MO minyan after the first Kaddish someone will inquire for whom I am saying Kaddish. As soon as I say my wife I hear whispering. Then the invitations arrive, typically for someone with an unmarried 40+ daughter working as an accountant, paralegal or attorney.
The Chasidim give real Hachnosses Orchim invitations, the others see me as a pigeon@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.
It is if it’s the glaze on steak or wings.
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.Mr. Oil Business
Get ready for $10 gallon gas and heating oilHaven’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.@AAQ
You far over estimate both what I take in personal income and the taxes I pay. The tax laws benefit those with substantial assets allowing minimization of income taxes. Due to exoduses of wholly owned businesses in our personal returns, our effective Federal Income Tax rate has never exceeded 7% in the past 30 years. Mrs. CTL hadn’t been in the Social Security system for a decade before her death. I draw a moderate salary, preferring to leave retained earning in the firm. I don’t need the cash.
When reveal real estate we own has been fully depreciated (giving us offsets gif income), instead of selling and paying taxes in a gain from the new reduced cost basis of zero, we engage I. Like kind exchanges and get to start depreciating all over in the same money investment but from a much higher new market value.
Property in Mrs. CTL’s personal name passed to me under the terms of her will, tax free, and I get to start the depreciation all over, we made sure to keep her personal estate below the point where estate taxes would be due. But, I am an estate and trusts attorney and tax specialist and know how to make the system work.
I have never lobbied or contributed to legislators to make the laws to my advantage, but use the regulations to my advantage.
The 3 million in medical bills would have been beyond my cash holdings, that is why I believe in insurance. My old posts will show I was( still am) a supporter of ACA. Saved me loads in premiums and met our needs nicely.
Youngest daughter turns 26 this month and must go off parental insurance. The company policy is not as good or inexpensive as that available through the CT healthcare exchange, so she will buy via ACA.I support a single payer national insurance plan. I also support allowing insurers to sell across state lines to lower costs. My carrier now has a network in NY, FL and IL so if I should choose to spend time I. The family home in Brooklyn or the place in Boynton Beach I don’t have to worry about out of network uncovered expenses
Dr.P
I question your statement that the bill of healthcare expenses could be avoided if people took care of themselves from a young age.Mrs. CTL suffered and died as the result of a congenital birth defect that did not make itself known until she was 60 years old.
I and each of my siblings and parents and in-laws had cataract surgeries Post age 65. Nothing we could have done a young age to prevent this.
I had Carpal Tunnel surgery last year, again nothing done as a youth could prevent it. Genetic diseases can not be prevented and costs avoided by lifestyle choices.
Diet and exercise can only do so much
Mrs. CTL’s medical costs exceeded $3,000,000
I am far from poor but could not have afforded this without insurance. Prior to age 65 she was on a policy bought through the Connecticut Health Care Exchange (ACA) at a very reasonable rate. Prior to ACA her policy from the same carrier had a lifetime cap of $1,000,000. Those caps went out the window when ACA became law, as did prior existing conditions as a disqualifying factor. We had a Medicare Advantage Plan from the same carrier after age 65.
One thing I discovered about choosing a plan is that you should choose the HMO option over the PPO option if your doctors abc hospitals are in the plan (every one of ours was). In an HMO plan, if a participating provider performs and bills for a service that is denied by the carrier, the insured is not liable for the bill. I have seen this notation on more than $100,000 in billings on our EOBs in the past two years.@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 toleratedI am amused reading these posts about mixed swimming and then talking about 100-125 years ago.
Our family was in the clothing business, both manufacturing and retailing from 1890-1995.
Bathing attire 100 years ago was more tznius than average non-frum street clothing of the past 60 years.
There were no exposed midriffs, both men and women wore full tops, no short, shorts and the bathing costumes were a dark heavy material, ladies in long sleeves.
@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.Dbrim
Employees do call in sick from time to
time, but police are unusual in getting unlimited sick time.
I don’t practice personal injury law. Last year my Son in law represented a homeowner being sued by a handyman who claimed he was injured on the job. Records showed the handyman was a cop who had called in sick for the 8 days he was painting the house for the homeowner.
The injury turned out to be bogus and he was dismissed from his police position after losing a contract obligated arbitration. He took a plea deal to avoid prison time for an assortment of crimes committed running a long time handyman side business while on the municipal clock, but he did lose his pension.
I don’t object to an employee taking an occasional sick day when not really ill, but in need of a mental health day. I do object to the employee being paid for the sick day and also other work for the same time period.@5T
Big thumbs, small keyboard layout on phoneBrim…
Venezuela is Marxist not Socialist. Read my comment and see that they are excluded from the list of Socialist multi-party countries in the world.@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.@anonymous Jew
I referenced racist/bigoted police in my posts, many are also fascist,The countries you list are Marxist/Leninist/Communist, not Socialist
The following are some of the Socialist Countries that are multiparty, Some such as India enshrine Socialist principals in their constitutions.
Algeria
Portugal
Bangladesh
Guinea Bissau
Guyana
India
Nepal
Sri Lanka
Many of these governments have operated under Socialism for more than 45 years.I am not advocating Socialism, but stated I support some Socialist programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, Section 8 Housing assistance, free public education.
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
@squareroot
I suggest you start your comment with the word ‘some’
Not all Democrats have done these things.I take issue with some of the categories you post as wicked and stupid, in fact the category is stupid:
Muslims over Americans….you are a bigot! Just as there are Jewish Americans, Christian Americans, etc. there are Muslim Americans so this is utter nonsense.
Choosing criminals over police….many police are I. Fact criminals as well as racist bigots. Don’t get caught driving while Black from the city directly south into my small town. Three squad cars will pull you over or follow you till you leave town. The department was sanction by the state for racial profiling.
Israel’s enemies over Israel. While you and I may support Israel and like our government to do so, no American of any party has that obligation. Some want nothing to do with foreign affairs.
Socialism over Democracy. These are not mutually exclusive terms. Although I am well off financially I support many social programs such as Medicare. Free public schools, libraries, parks and roads. BTW, there are no toll roads in CT.
Illegal aliens over citizens My zaidy Z”L forged many support papers to bring Jewish refugees from Europe into the USA illegally in the 1930s and gave them jobs (there was a depression going on) and housing ahead of native born goyim who were US citizens. Only sorry he could only save hundreds not thousands.
Atheism over All-mighty G-d. America guarantees the right to believe or not believe. You already picked o. Muslims who believe in an All-Mighty G-d
Who are you to judge?I don’t paint with an all encompassing brush as you do
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@ToShma
My point about constituents is that they elected a member of the House (whether I like the choice is not an issue) and expect her to be able to serve on all committees to which she was appointed. They did not cede this power to other members of the House.
There are 435 constituencies who have elected voting members of the House and it is my opinion the constituents should not be diminished in importance by a vote of the members.@ToShma
Now you claim to have been quoting something, BUT I. The topic and your actual post no quotation marks exist.
I have no idea if it is in fact a quote or your summation of something I read.
Your posted topic is where you lay Shane in every Democrat and does not have the source listed. Your post has the source but does not lay shame.
My taking you to task has to do with your topic@ToShma
Of course you meant ….
Then why didn’t you use that word in the topic you chose? We are not all mind readers, or have read a specific report. Instead you smeared every registered Democrat including me.
I mention constituents as they are the only people she represents and is answerable to (in terms of reelection or defeat). They don’t lose their right to be represented on a House committee (I didn’t agree with others being removed in the past).
————————/-///////——————
Senator Schumer does not represent me, I am not a NYer. You conveniently ignore the point that loyalty, even to a party is also part of principles. They may be principles to which you or I don’t agree, but loyalty is a principle nevertheless.@AAQ
No, prices don’t need to be controlled because some people want what is above their means.
People need to live within their means.In the 1950s, my eldest brother had an over the top three day Bar Mitzvah celebration on a public holiday weekend. In many ways it was a celebration of my father’s business success not my brother.
It was soon followed by business reverses for my father, and my Bar Mitzvah consisted of a kiddish and luncheon for about 100 guests in the synagogue social hall. No night affair, no orchestra. I wasn’t scarred emotionally. It was what my parents could afford at the time without going into debt.Every time we spend money we make choices and live with the consequences. If in fact the parents and chatan are working, as you post, and can’t afford to make the chasunah then instead of controlling prices we should examine their ability to earn, low salaries or perhaps their spending history that makes them unable to afford the prices.
@Shalom-al
I didn’t compare them and don’t care about better or worse. Their constituents are entitled to representation on House Committees based on seniority and party leadership
I’m glad you are sure ToShma refers to Dem Representatives, not voters. However, that is not the verbiage he chose as the topic for this thread. I did not refer to voters, as many who vote for Dems are not in fact Democrats (registered members of the Party). If ToShma wishes to change what he posted, let him postYou are a fool!
The vote of some 200 m Myers of the Democrat Party in no way causes you to put shame on every registered Democrat in the country. None of us elected more than one member of the House of Representatives.
I detest the Congresswoman but her constituents are entitled to representation and all powers of committee assignments that go with her seniority.
I also detest M Taylor Nazi Greene but her committee assignments and power are the right of her constituents.Don’t like these members of the House? Donate and campaign for their opponents
Dr. P
Here in CT, yesterday the Governor announced a plan to pay off individual’s medical debt. We as a community have an obligation to provide healthcare for all.Mrs. CTL’s final hospital stay in August resulted in a bill of $198,000. My share after insurance and adjustments was a number of thousands of dollars. B”H I can afford to pay this, but it could put some people over the edge and cause loss of home. Medical debt is an obligation of both spouses, by law. Take a lower middle class working or retired couple hit with a large medical bill, couple it with death of a spouse and loss of income (paycheck, social security, pension) while fixed housing expense continues and it is a recipe for disaster.
I am not dependent on the lost income, but the almost $4,000 a month in retirement income she received is no longer funding it’s way to Tzedaka each month.@UJM
All of my siblings and I were married in the social halls of our synagogues. That was the standard OOT for baby boomers. In fact most shul Rabbis refused to officiate at the Chasunah (or a Bar Mitzvah) unless the Seurat Mitzvah was held in the synagogue. That way the Katy’s was under the rabbi’s control. Often there was only one caterer in town.
Of the 5 of us siblings, two had the social hall downstairs, three had the social hall on the main floor.
Nothing wrong with a simcha in a shul.
My parents were married during WWII in NYC. Guests had to send their ration points with RSVP cards so the caterer could get the foodstuffs. No shmorg or uninvited guests during wartime rationing.Autocorrect changed yerushos to thrush’s, which they did not receive
@Rocky
Telling your child that these are our values does not mean they have to suffer. If they have been brought up to live within means it is not suffering. They have no false expectations.
I could afford to make the most lavish resort or hotel based Chasunos for our children but it wasn’t our values and they did not suffer by having affairs scaled to our values.
I think each would rather have the thrush’s they received than memories of one outlandish overpriced evening with hundreds of guests they did not even know,Why should the kallah be the one to suffer?
You could eliminate the solid gold watch and band for the Chassan.
>>>>>>>>>>>!>!!!!!!!!!
BTW, why is it always the have nots trying to change the norm by trying to eliminate something the haves can afford.
My advice has always been: if you can’t afford it don’t do it, and don’t go into debt to impress others.My daughters were married in our gardens, not some expensive wedding hall. We didn’t have 500 guests, mostly unknown by chassan and kallah.
Work out a budget you can afford and stick to it. If you can only afford a Chevrolet, you don’t buy a Bentley to impress the neighbors.
In addition to the funding Amil Zola mentioned above ur town’s libraries have been recipients of trust funds bequeathed to them specifically for the purchase of books requested by residents. These purchases are not funded by the taxpayers and not subject to the far right’s attempt to censor.
Before you think it is only left wing and LGBTQ and smut that is being purchased and put on the shelf, they have purchased many a. artscroll publication at my request.
Requests for purchases by residents are honored each year until the years Trudy income had been spent. Usually lasts about 10 months each yearI was looking forward to my birthday next month as in Connecticut mandatory jury service had ended at age 70, alas, due to the huge backlog of cases during Covid (mostly civil) the state has increased the age to 75.
I did however receive a notice from the Jury administration office that Mrs. CTL would not have to report for jury duty in March as scheduled. They actually have a computer program that cross references death certificates issued in state (quarterly). Now if the life insurance company who paid out her death benefit would only stop sending mail saying she is qualified for a whole life plan that pays burial benefits………
@UJM
It is only in areas of large frum Jewish population that all these distinction matter so much.
In small town America making sure you have a regular minyan of frum Jews is enough and the right/left Hasidic/misnagid/Israeli divisions cease to function within the shul walls.
This week, the shul where I attend daily minyanim (in the next town), moved minyan to the home of a member sitting shiva. He and his sons Yeshivish Litvak, 4 Israelis, 3 Hasidism and a number of us senior citizens who are EuroTraditional. Each there for the purpose of having the community make sure there was a minyan three times each day.
In the shul, there are a half dozen varieties of siddurim that serve assorted traditions, but whoever is shsliach tzibur davens from the official shul suddur. Harmony ensures survival, we avoid the narishkeit of labeling JewsI am amazed at:
The fixation on criminal trials, guilt and innocence by almost every poster above. In many jurisdictions there are far move civil suits heard by juries than criminal trials.
I don’t do criminal defense work, in 40 years of an average of three jury trials per month in the CTL law firm, EVERY one has been a Civil Trial with a jury of 6 members.The inaccurate information posted is laughable.
Smerel, no American judge can hold you in contempt for saying you are racist or against the American government. The ability to make those statements are protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution. The judge may personally have contempt for you, but cannot hold you in contempt and apply penalties for voicing those opinions during the voir dire process.
UJM, the voir dire questioning is usually conducted by the attorneys, not the judge. Often the defendant is not present. You would not be able to tell the judge anything about the defendant’s looks. In fact in most voir dire proceedings you don’t get a chance to address the judge until all the acceptable members of the jury have been chosen by the attorneys. Then the judge asks the chosen group if any one of them has a reason they should not serve. The others are removed from the courtroom and that potential juror is asked why. This is done so as not to bias the other jurors. This is likely the only time in the process a potential juror may address the judge.When the judge introduces the case to the jury panel sent for questioning he/she typically says this trial is set to begin Tuesday the xx of xxxx, if anyone has a conflict with that please raise your hand. If only a couple of hands go up, those may be sent back to the holding room to be questioned for another trial or be excused, or told they may explain if they are chosen for the jury.
4 years ago I raised my hand when he judge said the trial would start two days before Pesach. I was sent back to the holding room and not sent back for questioning for another case. In CT you are called for one day and if not chosen for a jury you cannot be called again For three judicial years.
@UJM
A unanimous jury is not required in all cases.
In some jurisdictions and types of cases 10/12 may render a decision. This usually is in civil damages cases, not criminal cases that have possible prison consequences if the defendant is found guilty.Have I ever served on a jury? Yes, here is CT lawyers are not exempt. We are typically empaneled in the farthest end of the state from where we live or practice.
Jurors only get paid by the state if the employer does not pay them.
Shabbos excuse won’t get you out of most jury duty, the jury clerk will send you for voir dire examination for trials expected to start on a Tuesday and last no more thann3 days.
Hating America or saying you are a racist is meaningless in a civil suit between white people.
Parties to a lawsuit or a criminal defendant don’t have to make their religion known, so how do you know they are Jewish.We have an obligation to serve and to be an example to our children. Looking to beat the system is not what I would want my children to learn.
Lakewhut, you exemplify shonder fir dem goyim@Akuperma
The judge cannot lose on appeal.
The judge will not be a party to the action.
The appeal, if filed, will be DJT and Habba v. USA seeking the fine be dismissed.Please stop posting inaccurate legal observations and stick to your field of expertise.
@AviraDeRah
his point was that all the time the wealthy man wasted on becoming wealthy could have been spent learning, if he just worked enough to support his family
This ignores inherited wealth. The rich man may have spent no time becoming wealthy.
As good part of my practice is as a trust administrator. Some beneficiaries receive a hefty monthly income, never having to work, great grandpa or great grandma may have done that.As for the fancy walls and trimmings, the late Mrs. CTL was a designer builder realtor. Our home was larger and fancier than our needs, but it housed her office and served as her showroom and portfolio (almost like living over the store in generations gone by). Her potential and return clientele expected as much.
The Litvish Yeshivish system seems to approve of women working and men learning.
By the time her estate is settled, there will be grandchildren living in or owning fancy decorated dwellings for which they did not have to sacrifice an hour of learning to work in order to acquire them.I don’t pretend to know more than a Gadol, but his observations about a specific situation in a different place and time should not be applied by others who don’t know other people’s actual circumstances.
@DaMoshe
I agree with your post. Many in the CR have blinders in and suffer in-town myopia.
At almost 70 years of age, I don’t a black hat or a black suit. As I posted a long time ago: the first time I appeared in court as a young attorney, an esteemed judge took me aside and advised, in this business only the judge wears black. My suits and hats are midnight blue or darkest charcoal.
This does not make me less frum. I don’t feel out of place at a Yeshivish minyan or the annual Agudah Dinner. To be perfectly frank , they don’t care about the color of my suit or the color of my checks.