Fred's Blog

All years

January 18th, 2021

To my everlasting shame, I participated in the 1994 Howard Stern gag campaign for Governor of New York. I was not surprised recently to learn that Trump and Stern are buddies. It figures. The Trump campaigns were much like the Stern campaign, only on a bigger scale: President instead of Governor, and a billionaire instead of a millionaire. Higher stakes and a closer semblance to a serious campaign, and of course Trump actually won. But just a gag nonetheless. In the movie that Stern made about himself (starring himself) a radio demographics analyst explains that his research has shown that more people who say they hate Stern listen to his show than people who identify themselves as Stern fans. And they listen to Stern for the same reason: they want to know what the heck he is going to pull next.

ON TRUMP Monday, January 18, 2021 Two days bef... Read more

December 17th, 2020

I have just completed a book called "The Cookinhams of Utica." Just email me and i will send it to you as an attachment. I have gathered together in one book a bunch of documents on my family history. My great-grandfather, Henry J. Cookinham, a big lawyer in Utica, NY, wrote a life sketch, as did my grandfather and my uncle Walt. I have letters from my brother, father, aunts, uncles, mother, ancestors farther back. I have transcripts of interviews with my mother, talking about her life. I have a bio of my great-great-great grandfather, who captained a steamboat on Lake Champlain that was highly praised by Charles Dickens. I have a funny story about an 1873 fishing trip in the Adirondacks by my great-great grandfather, a New York State militia general and newspaper publisher. I have some information about my immigrant ancestor, who came over from Germany in 1737, his son, a Dutchess County militiaman in the War for Independence, and his grandson, a militiaman in the War of 1812. I have a log that Henry J. kept of his trip to the Holy Land in 1922, when he was 79. And so on. Fun stuff, for anyone related to the Cookinhams, and to students of American History and Upstate New York in particular. Free!

August 5th, 2020

HALFWAY THROUGH ATLAS SHRUGGED COMMENTARY! Yesterday I reached Page 584: halfway to Page 1,168. I have now written 175 pages of commentary on 584 pages of Atlas. I should finish by the end of the year. I am also revising a science fiction novel I finished in 1994. It is in the hands of an actual professional copy editor now. Coming soon to an attachment near you! I am also writing a book about the history of the Cookinham family.

July 6th, 2020

HAMILTON PANEL ON GO TO On Thursday, July 2, I was one of four speakers on a panel discussing Hamilton the man and "Hamilton" the musical. This was on Go To, and was watched by about a hundred members of the Guides Association of New York and the Tour Guides Guild of Washington DC.

June 25th, 2020

ATLAS SHRUGGED COMMENTARY By the end of 2020, I hope to complete a commentary on Atlas Shrugged. I am going through the whole book line by line, making comments. There are three main kinds of things I am looking for. I am making cross references, so you can look up and compare, for example, all of the conversations between Eddie and the track worker that are sprinkled around the book. Second, there are lines in the book that relate to experiences I have had over the years with people who knew Ayn Rand, and in one case, with Rand herself. Third, I point out little touches all over the book that I fear few readers notice or remember. Most readers flew through the book in their teen years, and missed or have since forgotten many little gems. When I finish, send me an email and I will send you my Commentary as an attachment. Free!

June 8th, 2020

TOURS RESUME! On Friday, June 12, I will resume offering my weekly AYN RAND'S PARK AVENUE tour. You will find me in front of Grand Central Terminal, at E. 42nd Street and Vanderbilt Avenue, at 6 pm. $20.00 per person, $15.00 for 65+. Masks will be worn. Please stay 6 feet apart.

February 17th, 2020

I APPEAR IN THE NEW ELY JACQUES KAHN DOCUMENTARY

On Wednesday, February 12, 2020, I had the honor of be... Read more

February 25th, 2019

BOND, SPOCK, GALT AND ME: GROWING UP NERD IN THE SIXTIES

Here is the beginning of my new book. I will add more ... Read more

January 19th, 2019

JIMMY NAPOLI'S ALEXANDER HAMILTON TOURS

Jimmy Napoli, New York's resident Hamilton expert amon... Read more

August 7th, 2016

Books with References to Fred Cookinham

CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNS: A CELEBRATION OF THE SPOONERI... Read more