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The
place is full of vultures, vultures everywhere...
It's been nearly two weeks now since the "results"
of Election 2004 were announced. Shock, outrage,
disappointment, cynicism, anger…what other emotions?
Oh yeah, sadness.
Close…yes
too close.
I've been unable to put anything on paper -
part of me still wants to see the picture of
Diana Kerry on the home page of our website,
as a reminder - as Rick would say - " of happier
times."
Today I read it's almost sure Ohio will be recounted.
And at the same time I read if it happens, it
will be aggressively reported. A Berkeley study
has come up with some convincing data on disparities
in Florida involving electronic voting machines,
and it's been reported beyond the internet.
These are good things, but I wonder where the
mainstream press was during the campaign.
New Yorkers - the principal victims of 9/11
- voted overwhelmingly for the Democratic ticket,
indicating they felt Kerry/Edwards would do
a better job of fighting the war on terror.
Open, brash, energetic tolerant New Yorkers
who didn't flee the City or isolate themselves
after the terrorist attacks. I hear that the
Bush twins tried to get a table at Freemans
in NYC and were told by the maitre d'hotel that
the restaurant was full, and would have no tables
available for 4 years! As word of this exchange
spread through the restaurant the diners burst
into applause and a round of shots was offered.
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A
couple came into Rick's last Saturday and sat
at the bar. "We're from New Jersey and we were
so depressed by the election we just had to get
out of the U.S." They made a bee-line for Rick's
and some good cheer, knowing they'd find some
kindred spirits.
So in one of the many ironies between our Rick's
and the film "Casablanca" we have an opposite
theme today. (Madame) Rick is still an American
expatriate, idealistic and supporter of underdogs.
But Rick's is the center of activity not for helping
refugees get to America but encouraging Americans
to come to Casablanca and look at the world from
a different perspective.
I'm thinking of setting up an open table where
Casablanca visitors and residents can meet and
over a good drink exchange jokes, discuss books,
politics, music; play a game of cards or chess.
Maybe something on the lines of the Algonquin
Round Table, frequented by literary figures in
the 20's - Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, Edna
Ferber among others - known as the "Vicious Circle."
The "letter of transit" for an entrée to Rick's
is a sense of humor, curiousity, nostalgia and
an open mind - not to mention an appreciation
of food, wine, music and design. We're doing all
we can to make Rick's a bastion of reason and
civility in "this crazy world."
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| 20
November 2004 |
| Kathy
Kriger |
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