My apologies for being gone so long. Let us not examine too closely the technical glitches and difficulties of having computer components shipped to out of the way addresses. Let’s call is a pre-holiday break (what? everyone needs to rest up for the holiday crunch) and declare it done.

It seems the world has gone on strike while I was away. The writers, the stagehands, the French transport workers. I’d say ‘3 strikes and you’re out’ but I’ve made that joke before and besides, there is more than enough baseball in the NY news these days for me

Hold on! A fourth strike? The employees at Ollie’s Noodle Shop. I don’t think I’ve been to Ollie’s Noodle shop in years - though I noticed a couple of months ago that the Broadway shop had closed. Shocking. A real theater district staple and though lacking in ambiance of any kind it was fast and reliable and you go to your seats on time.

Well, at least it’s a third NY related strike and I can ignore the French transport workers. Look, I’m sure the French transport workers have their reasons (like it’s a month with an R in it. Or is it? What is French for November?) but as I am not in France, it’s a non-issue for me. I am in NY - home of Ollie’s, Broadway and a town littered with the scribblings of countless Writer’s Union members. I therefore declare New York City to be Strike Central

I admit that of all these actions, I am most concerned about the stagehand strike because I have theater tickets for Stoppard’s Rock N Roll right after Thanksgiving.

The writers strike involves people I know one to one but won’t disrupt me personally since I watch less and less US television with every passing season. I can’t tell you how much I love having access to UK shows on a regular basis. No, really. I can’t tell you. Inside the writere’s strike, all is not harmony though. Some soap opera writers - such drama queens - are planning to cross the line, give up their union cards and keep their jobs.

 Who’s next? The taxi workers have “been there, done that” so many times with so little to show for it that I can’t believe they’d do it again. That said, I hate the new electronic gadgetry in the cabs. I don’t WANT to watch TV while stuck in traffic. I want to grumble about the traffic which is my god given right as a New Yorker. Thank goodness for the off button. The TV news writers are talking about striking but only at CBS. ever a dull moment on the sidewalks of Gotham. I wonder if there are enough inflatable rats to go around?