Too many laws, but no cat

There ought not to be a law — In these days of raging inequities, inequalities and indecencies, the need to rein it all in is so so tempting. Agreed, but there comes a time when here’s just too too much law. One recent bill proposal comes from now City Council Member Rafael Espinal. The New York Post reported this past week that Espinal’s “Right to Disconnect” bill is heading for City Council hearings. The bill would prohibit businesses from requiring employees to check emails and all other electronic communications outside the normal workday unless they were contractually obligated to do so. Oy. Please, not another law so legislators can add another bill to their term-limited resumes, add lawsuits to court calendars, and just create another avenue of agita. It seems employees and employers should be working together to resolve this type of work issue without legislation. Unfortunately, lawmakers seeking another office — in Espinal’s case, he’s one of the many many, running for Public Advocate this election cycle — will get exposure for their candidacy with City Council hearings and media attention. Really, what’s law got to do with it?

Safer mailboxes — Thanks to the U.S. Postal Service for modifying the design of mailboxes — at least in parts of Manhattan — in order to stave off the spate of mailbox content thefts. The shiny new boxes no longer have pull-down snorkel compartments. Instead, there is now a slot (which is set between a claw-like configuration) that can fit a standard size envelope inserted lengthwise. It’s a little tricky figuring out how to find the slot to insert the letter. Takes a few tries. The old mailboxes are being replaced with the new ones in neighborhoods where there has been a high incidence of mail theft by “fishing,” where thieves use sticky substances to trap and then fish out the mail through the snorkel. Can’t happen through the slot.

Reader readback — Some updates/feedback to my last column about the Public Advocate race: Andrea Catsimatidis, president of the Upper East Side’s Metropolitan Republican Club, sent out a release endorsing Eric Ulrich of Queens for Public Advocate, bypassing Met Club member Mike Zumbluskas. Zumbluskas has name recognition on the UES having run for several other offices. Political consultant and West Side Democrat Suzanne Jacobson writes that the “Republican could win the special election as the Dems could fracture the vote. The election is 2/26, which is also the first day of petitioning for the new combined federal and state June 25 election [this year].” Petitions are in. Candidate names on the ballot are not yet known. Note to ALL registered voters, regardless of party: VOTE.

Cat’s out — Chinese New Year 2019 welcomes the Pig and says bye bye to 2018’s Year of the Dog. The Chinese zodiac honors one animal each year in its 12-year cycle of animals — including a rat, an ox, a monkey — but nowhere a cat. There’s lore and folklore on the whys and wherefores of the missing cat. Some say it’s because cats originally came from Egypt. Others say that the cat jumped over the moon. Whatever. No cat. So cat people, starting February 5th this year, share Chinese New Year with a cat of your choice and bring home a doggy bag filled with roast pork leftovers. Gung Hay Fat Choy.