Preface
It has been about a year since my last post, but I’m finally back with a new one now as things in my life have settled down a bit. How have you all been doing this past year? I’ve had some very busy times at work, but I’ve also had the busiest private life I’ve probably ever had. Actually, I’ve been busy with my wedding, moving, honeymoon, and other things this past year, but it’s been a very fulfilling time. Anyway, enough with the long introduction, let’s get to this month’s topic!
News
Donald Trump’s Return to the U.S. Presidency
On January 20, 2025, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Republican Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States. Within hours of taking office, President Trump signed several executive orders. As a Japanese resident in the U.S., I am particularly concerned about future immigration policies. There is a growing focus on stricter enforcement against undocumented immigrants. However, I am especially worried about the treatment of legal visa holders and the future developments regarding green card acquisition, which were also contentious issues during the previous administration.
Additionally, changes have been made to U.S. citizenship policies. Previously, children born in the U.S. to parents temporarily residing in the country could obtain U.S. citizenship relatively easily. However, a recently announced executive order, signed into law, will impose significant restrictions on certain groups of children born after February 19, 2025. Under this executive order, the following groups of children born in the U.S. on or after February 19, 2025, will no longer be eligible for U.S. citizenship:
Children of undocumented immigrants: If one parent is unlawfully residing in the U.S. and the other parent is neither a U.S. citizen nor a green card holder at the time of the child’s birth.
Children of temporary visa holders: If one parent is legally but temporarily residing in the U.S., and the other parent is neither a U.S. citizen nor a green card holder at the time of the child’s birth. Examples of temporary visa statuses include:
- B-1/B-2 (Business/Tourist Visa)
- F-1 (Student Visa)
- H-1B (Specialty Occupation Visa)
- L-1 (Intra-Company Transfer Visa)
- TN (NAFTA Trade Visa)
- O-1 (Extraordinary Ability Visa)
- P-1 (International Performer Visa)
This executive order overturns the traditional interpretation that granted U.S. citizenship to all children born on U.S. soil.
Meanwhile, while obtaining U.S. citizenship is becoming more difficult, the administration appears to take a more supportive stance on the H-1B visa program for high-skilled workers compared to the previous term. As I am currently in the process of obtaining a green card, I am deeply concerned about potential delays and the impact this policy may have on my application process.
Recent Traffic Trends in Manhattan
Since I got married last year, I moved to New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. That said, my workplace is still in Manhattan, and my new home is within 30 minutes of the city by car or public transportation.
Over the past year, there have been some interesting changes in Manhattan’s traffic situation that I’d like to cover.
Legalization of Jaywalking in Manhattan
First and foremost, as of November 1, 2024, jaywalking has been legalized in Manhattan!
For those unfamiliar with the term, jaywalking refers to crossing the street against a red light or walking across the road where there is no crosswalk.
For rule-abiding and order-conscious Japanese people, this law may seem unthinkable. However, jaywalking was already a common practice in Manhattan before its legalization. The rationale behind this change was that laws should not criminalize actions that nearly everyone engages in. Additionally, concerns were raised that jaywalking enforcement disproportionately targeted certain racial groups, leading to this legal revision.
Frankly speaking, from the perspective of drivers, this new law is nothing but a nuisance.
Implementation of Congestion Pricing
The second major change in Manhattan’s traffic trends is the introduction of congestion pricing, a first-of-its-kind policy in the U.S. aimed at easing traffic congestion.
Under this new system, vehicles driving south of 60th Street in Manhattan are now subject to toll fees.
At the time of implementation, passenger cars are charged $9 during the day, while trucks and buses pay up to $21.60. At night, a 75% discount is applied.
The tolls are collected automatically through license plate readers, with drivers charged only once per day. This policy also applies to taxis, Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare services.
The city’s transportation department estimates that this system will reduce daily traffic by 80,000 vehicles, which accounts for approximately 11% of pre-implementation numbers.
Currently, over 700,000 vehicles enter Manhattan’s central business district daily, with an average speed of just 7 mph (11 km/h). The goal is to alleviate these congestion issues.
The city expects to generate $500 million in the first year from congestion pricing, with the collected funds allocated to improving public transportation, including subways and buses.
Personally, I worry that the legalization of jaywalking could worsen traffic congestion, counteracting the benefits of congestion pricing.
Crackdown on Fare Evasion in the Subway
The final traffic-related topic is Manhattan’s subway system.
The subway in Manhattan is notorious for its safety issues, but recently, fare evasion enforcement has been ramping up.
In Japan, station staff are typically present at ticket gates, and attempting to evade the fare would immediately attract attention. People forcing their way through the gates are rare. However, both the enforcers and fare evaders in Manhattan operate quite differently.
Until recently, even when station employees were present near the turnstiles, many seemed indifferent to fare evaders.
This was likely due to concerns about personal safety, as many staff members appeared to ignore fare evasion even when witnessing it firsthand.
However, with financial strains that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, authorities have started cracking down on fare evasion.
Recently, more security guards and police officers have been stationed at subway entrances, actively stopping people from entering without paying.
In Manhattan, fare evasion generally falls into two categories:
- Jumpers – People who leap over or crawl under the turnstile bars.
- Door Riders – People who enter through emergency exit doors opened by someone else.
To combat these practices, the city introduced a new measure in early 2025—installing spiked plates at turnstiles.
While this method may seem primitive, it has reportedly been highly effective so far.
Pick-up
I’ll take a break from this month’s tree pick-up.
Gadget/Lifehacks
TEXCY LUXE
When it comes to business shoes, they often tend to be uncomfortable. Do you have a favorite pair of leather shoes?
Whenever I go to the office for work, I wear leather shoes, and I highly recommend the Texcy Luxe brand by Asics Trading.
The best thing about these shoes is their sneaker-like comfort.
Despite their excellent functionality, they maintain the classic look of genuine leather shoes, and the price is very reasonable.
You can purchase them from official stores on Amazon and other online retailers, with shipping available to the U.S. If you’re struggling to find a good pair of leather shoes, I highly recommend giving them a try!
I initially ordered a pair from Amazon Japan, and I was so satisfied that I bought two more pairs during my honeymoon trip to Japan.
Since I also use Asics tennis shoes, I felt confident in the quality, making it a purchase I could trust.
Personal Finance
Since there has been a significant gap since the last update, I will start by listing the realized gains from individual stocks during this period:
- LWAY: 12.75%
- THC: 26.62%
- GGAL: 16.62%
- BLBD: (4.04)%
- APP: 29.21% (１st)
- APP: 96.66% (２nd)
Overall, I was able to achieve good results, but especially with APP, there was a significant rise during the presidential election. Considering the current price, I may have sold too early, but I realized profits with a substantial position.
I do have a few promising individual stocks I would like to purchase, but due to my job, holding them is difficult, so I am reluctantly settling for the S&P 500 index fund, VOO, instead.
Currently, I do not hold any individual stocks.
Shop/Restaurant
Benjamin Steakhouse – Benjamin Prime
The restaurant I’m reviewing this time is the steakhouse Benjamin Prime.
This restaurant is quite close to the home I lived in during my single years, so I’ve visited a few times before, but this was my first visit in a while. I went with my wife during Restaurant Week in Manhattan.
Manhattan has many steakhouses, but I believe Benjamin Prime is one of the few that offers Creamed Spinach, one of my favorite dishes, on their Restaurant Week menu.
I ordered Grilled Calamari, Bone-in Rib Eye, Creamed Spinach, and NY Cheesecake, while my wife had Lobster Bisque, Bone-in Rib Eye, Crispy Brussel Sprouts, and Chocolate Mousse Cake.
Every dish was absolutely delicious, but the steak was truly breathtaking!
Benjamin Prime
Between Park and, 23 E 40th St, Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016
Mon-Fri 11:30 AM - 3:45 PM, 4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Sat 4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Sun Closed
Postscript
As I mentioned in the preface, I’ve had an incredibly busy year since the middle of last year, which led to neglecting my health, and I unfortunately fell ill early in the new year.
During this time, I’ve been so grateful for the daily support of my wife, something I didn’t have when I was single, and I truly appreciate her every day.
Additionally, throughout this year, I’ve spent meaningful time with family and friends, receiving immense support from them as well.
I’ve come to feel more than ever the importance of family and friends, and I find myself feeling more thankful for the people around me in my daily life.
Next time, I aim to stick to the topic of the article and update it monthly. I’ll make sure to update for March!
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