Young

I might have mentioned it in the past how much I dislike young people. I don't mean kids, I mean young people who appear on television and offer advise and explanations to today's political events.

I ask, what backgrounds these people have to be able to tell me the political thinking? What is their experience that they base their opinions on? Everything must be based on their book learning but that is not experience.

I will take any day an experienced political commentator over the age 50 because at least he has a background and he has seen things.

This is my reversed age discrimination. Give me an older person any time with his experience based know how against these young Turks.

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Speaking of young versus old people here is another observation.

I have been watching a lot of poker tournaments lately and I noticed that 99% of the pros are young people. By young I mean below 30. So, here is my question. Where are the old-timers? Where are the people who play poker professionally for 15-30 years or longer? Did they die out or did they just give up because they can not hold their own against these young people.

Some of these players look so young that I'm sure they are asked to show their IDs whenever they enter a casino. I understand that playing poker for a living is much more attractive than any 9 to 5 job and the money can also be more enticing. But still, where are the oldies?  

Saturday

 I will skip Saturday because because my creative juices went to sleep. But I will wake them up soon because I need them for Sunday.

Friday

My wife decided sometimes last year that I had it too good by using our one and only tabletop computer. She claimed I was bolted down front of it most of the time and thus denying her any possible access to it.

So, to solve this "major inconvenience" she solved this problem by buying me a laptop. Smaller one and not Mac but Microsoft but all mine. This laptop was a combination Christmas/Chanukah and birthday present.

I am very happy with this. The only problem I have is that it took me forever to get used to Mac from Microsoft when we bought our computer a few years ago. Now, I am back getting back to the Microsoft system that I conveniently forgot.

This was the way with me when I worked. I had to learn how to use Lotus 1-2-3 and when I became fairly confident with it I was told forget this one, now we are using Excel. When I got used to Excel my darling wife decided that Mac is the future. For her yes but I am going around in circles. I wouldn't be surprised if I had to go back to Lotus 1-2-3 one day.

But that is life, what goes around comes around. If one lives long enough he will see things that went out of use or he will see styles returning. Just like bellbottom pants! 

Our Future

Being "locked in" my abode makes it necessary to watch a lot of tv. Actually being retired is also necessitates watching a lot of tv. 

How many hours can a tv set endure before it says kaput I had enough?

Anyhow, I found general programming extremely poor. It is very hard to find programs that are really entertaining or educational.

For example, BBC America a British TV network broadcasts old American shows, and the same one over and over again. It is a shame when there are good current and former British shows that are genuinely funny.

There are shows like Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Seinfeld that can be found all over in the programs. Just like Lucy was years ago. They said that any given time of the day Lucy was on somewhere in this country.

I'm not sitting front of the box all day long, but I do watch more than I used to. Actually the box is no longer a correct definition. Just like dialing isn't either and carburetor is also passé. These are words only us, old-timers remember and use. 

Lately, my wife and I watch more political programs as we used to. It is very interesting how the media is divided between Biden and Trump. ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN were openly on the side of the democrats while Fox used to be Trumpist but now it is waltzing backwards. Newsmax is openly on the side of Trump (for now) and it is interesting to watch this last one because it reports things none of the others do.

This proves that media outlets lack conviction but full of chasing the mighty $. Advertising money runs their programming. Today's antichrist is tomorrow's messiah! Funny to see how these commentators turn suddenly 180 degrees with their opinions. And, these are the people we supposed to trust.

The soviets used to censor what could be published. Now the democrats do exactly that. They control what can we, the public should be informed of. That is not a healthy situation but looks like we are heading in that direction. After that comes the elimination of term limits. Watch out!  

Covid-2021

 This entire pandemic thing is going crazy. Nobody knows what is good and what is bad. Nobody knows what is the correct behavior.

In my apartment building there is a sign that says that the landlord wishes everyone to wear masks in the common areas like hallways, elevators, laundry room etc.

This is all ok, but I for one have the tendency to go out within the building without my mask. I just don't put it on or I just plain forget it. The other day a lady balled me out in the mailroom for not having my mask on. I told her not to worry about it because I am ok. She didn't buy it. Then I told her to piss off!

It annoys the heck out of me when I see reporters on tv out in some desolate area and talking into their microphone with the mask on. What are they afraid of? There is nobody around but their crew.

In the US Senate when they speak at least they remove their masks but in the House of Representative they insist of having their masks on making their speeches unintelligible. That's alright they don't make too much sense anyway. Anyway, it is to some's advantage to cover their faces!

I find it funny how scared the Washington politicians are since the January 6 event. They are so scared that it can be smelled all over the country. Don't they realize that it was by the people they claim to represent? It was the people for whom they try to do all that good stuff from both side of the aisle. This was their fan club they are suddenly trying to alienate themselves from.

Don't they realize that two years from now there will be elections and they all will have to account for their actions? Or they just don't care and are so sure of their power that they are convinced that they are invincible. 

To have military presence in Washington is unheard of, at least in this country. Is the military propping up this regime? 

  

Robin

I don't know if I ever wrote about our dog. But if I did it is ok, I will write again and this will be an update.

Just to recap, we have a four year old Maltese. He is very cute, very lovable and he is houseclean.

Abigail was clamoring after a dog for years and years and eventually her mom decided that we should make her happy. Remember, it was her mom who decided it! Three years ago we went to a shelter and adopted this one. Why this one? Because he was the cutest one in the bunch.

It took him all of ten minutes to make himself at home and to make our home his home. He is very well behaved except he likes to bark. Anything moves outside our windows or door he barks at it. If we would live where he could be outside he would be continuously chasing after cars and bicycles. There are certain people he doesn't like and barks at then there are people he just doesn't pay attention to.

We took him to a behavioral class at Petco but he flunked it. Shortly after the class started he got into such barking with his classmates that they asked us to leave and gave us back the tuition. So, he is a behavioral class dropout.

Abigail swore on the bible that she would take care of him. Who do you think gets up early in the morning to take him out? Her mom. Abigail takes him out at 11:30-ish and around 3pm and that's all. At 7pm and after 11pm her mom and I go out.

No wonder this dog is so attached to her. She feeds him, occasionally she baths him, and generally always babies him In the evenings if Abigail or I try to go near my wife he starts to bark and goes into attack mode. For some reason I must taste good to him because I have more dog bites on my hands and arms than a professional dog trainer. 

It is a good thing that my last tetanus shot is still valid.

Correction

Please read Sentimental Me that was erroneously published Sunday. I was ment foe Monday!

Sorry! 

Sentimental Me

This will be a little sentimental writing. So if you are weak in the heart don't read it!

Lately, I were thinking about the age of my generation, and that is between 80 and 90. I came to the conclusion that this is a very dangerous time period. This is worst than an icy roadway. The news is full of people who died within these two ages.

I personally feel well. I have no serious complaints, I am like an old Timex watch: I take a licking but I keep on ticking!

However being at my age is beginning to bother me. I realize that the inevitable is lurking around the corner and I am also aware of this old American saying that one can not escape  death and taxes. But it does not men I have to make peace with it.

There are all kinds of ways to avoid taxes but I don't know how to avoid that other stuff.

It bothers me that there are things in life that are no longer available to me. I was always active in certain sports. I loved skiing and I skied for a very long time. Now, skiing is limited to watching it on tv. I used to be a sun worshipper. Now I am paying the price for that. The beach and the ocean is something I can hope for but I don't know if I ever be able to enjoy it.

Long-term planning is not something I can look forward to. I hope I can plan for things for years from now but I should be realistic about it. Abigail should graduate from college four years from now. I hope to be around to see it. If she gets married shortly after that I hope to be around and upright. Grandchildren is another issue. 

Thinking about these things and other stuff make me sad. Old age creeps up very slowly and stealthily. Little by little negative thigs surface in the body. An ache here, and ache there. Doing stuff that not long ago was normal, now is difficult. 

Jumping up and down from joy is now only a sad memory. Lack of balance is now the presence. Because of this pandemic we don't go out very much. I spend most of my time inside doing...nothing, actually. And I find that very comforting. I'm not very upset by not have the chance to go out as frequently as I used to.

If I would get a job and the interviewer should ask me where do I see myself in five years, I would say alive!

Telemarketing

It is amazing how many unsolicited phone calls a person gets in a the course of a day. Because at the beginning of most of the calls is the voice of a taped introduction, it takes the pleasure off saying something nasty right at the start.

So, I immediately block the call but wonder of wanders a few days later it shows up with a different phone number and breaks through my "iron" defense. It is unbelievable how insistent these people are. And, I guess they always find a pigeon who falls for their tricks.

One of these calls and also through mail is when they are offering extended service on our car. That might be fine but the offer is for a car that we had two cars before the current one.

One time just for the fun of it I followed the steps in order to talk to a human voice. Would you believe he was upset when I told them to get their acts straight because they want to warranty a car I did not have for years. The nerve he had being upset with me!

In the middle of the this pandemic restrictions I was getting travel offers and vacation offers galore. 

The sad truth is that no matter how bad any situation is somebody will try to make money out of it.

College

The last time I wrote about Abigail, my daughter was over a year ago. A lots of things happened since.

First, she grew up to a beautiful young lady. Second, she graduated from high school with very good marks. And finally, she was accepted to the college of her first choice. So now, she is a college student.

Nowadays this is a very funny position to be in. She goes to college but then she does not go to college. So far she did not see the inside of her school because all her courses are taught on line. There are live lectures, there are meetings with her study groups and there are tests, all on line. What a world we live in!

She actually doesn't mind this because this way she can sleep later and there is no need to take public transportation to the city which might not be the best experience.

I forgot to say that her college is in Manhattan and this way there was no need for her to go out of town and live on campus which was a relief for us. I know a few people who went out of town to school and are living on campus. That life is no longer what they expected. No parties, various health restrictions and occasional lockdowns.

Maybe this is for the better because they have nothing else to do but study and this way they will be smarter when they finish school.

Second Coming

Just continuing yesterday's line of thinking about the possibility of human flight I think walking on water is also in our near future.

Some people look at the new leader of the free world as the messiah who can easily walk on water. Will see, said the blind man!

Politics is a very strange business. It creates strange bedfellows. Today's adversary will easily becomes tomorrow's best buddy.

There is  common saying in prison: don't bend down for the soap in the shower!!!! Politics is like that also. The politicians have absolutely no conviction of any kind. The American politician believe in the power, the comfort the position provides and after their fall a safe future.

It is not a coincidence that most of the lawmakers have legal backgrounds. That is how they know how to circumvent the law. They probably teach that in law school and in political science classes.

Typical scenario is when a member of a body of lawmakers gets elected on the platform of a particular party then later on changes his or her alliance. Now, in my book that person if he is disillusioned should resign because if I voted for him/her, at that instance he/her is no longer representing me and just proved that he got into that position under false pretenses.

What a world we live in!  

Human Flight

 The king is dead, long live the king!

I was watching the inauguration ceremony on and off during the day and I tell you I was embarrassed. In an African or South American military dictatorship have ceremonies like this was. The people everybody claims to represent were excluded, only the A-listers were there (politically speaking).

The streets were empty except security some poor government employees who were ordered to be there and look enthusiastic. After the swearing in and other meaningless happenings the new president and others headed back to the White House. Not far from it him and the missis decided to walk the rest of the way. This is a tradition now.

They walked an almost empty Pennsylvania Avenue. And what is interesting that they kept waving to whom? It was pretty embarrassing. I can not believe that this man does not see the difference between now and 12 years ago. Then there was a crowd now there was no one. 

He must be so scared that is why there was such security. He claims to represent the American people but the people were excluded from this ceremony.

I am very excited because in time we will be witnessing a life altering discovery. The wife of the new president is always waving so vehemently that eventually she will take off. And when that happens human flight will be invented. And the Democrats will take the credit. 

Advanced Age

Tomorrow is not just a victory day for the Democratic Party but a victory day for the AARP. All of us who are over the half a century mark are familiar with this name.

One of the goals or aims of the AARP is fighting age discrimination. Almost every issue in their publications deal with the useful employment of the older generation. I sympathize with this because years ago my company made me an offer I couldn't refuse. And thus my retirement was born.

But now the world is changing. Tomorrow a 79 year old man who is not in perfect mental health will get the highest chief executive position in the world. In addition, one of the most powerful politician in Washington is an 80 year old, fairly unattractive grandmother.

So, things are looking up for us old folks. Maybe we all can get such good jobs in the future.

A pretty frequent question that comes up at job interviews is: where do you see yourself in five years?

I wonder what the gentlemen from Delaware said or would say. I could come up with a few variations but I just won't.

That grandmother from California apparently doesn't want to spend any time with her family but rather be with the "boys" in Washington. Maybe at home nobody listens to her around the dinner table. Sorry to say but this virus is to her advantage. She has to wear a mask all the time.

 

Monday

 Today is Monday,  two days before the coronation. There is little else in the news than the preparation and the controversy surrounding this entire circus. I don't think I want to dwell into this thing right now.

I don't remember if in the past I ever mentioned that we have a dog. He is a cute, white, small Maltese. Today was the day he went to the doggie beauty parlor. He got a shampoo, manicure (cutting only) and trimming. I don't want to say he loved it but he tolerated it. At the end it was worth it because now he looks beautiful. This is not an easy exercise. During the entire trimming process he had to stand without moving. And that process takes over an hour. We don't realize how easy we have it because we can seat through our beautification processes.

Ok, he stands on four and that reduces the supportable weight, but still it is not easy. No wonder he is so happy to see us at the end.

While he was being treated we went shopping to a nearby Walmart. It was very disturbing that at 11am the store was half empty. The shelves were empty, no merchandise and no sign of people stocking them. When I inquired I was told people are hoarding again. 

This is pretty disturbing because this is exactly what happened early last year when the pandemic started and people bought up everything in  sight. I hope that situation will not repeat itself. 

Next to Walmart there is a large wine establishment. We went in to buy a few bottles of wine. Walking around I saw a locked glass cabinet. It contained very expensive spirits. What cought my eye was a 26 year old bottle of whiskey. It was not the bottle that was interesting but the price. $2,299 a bottle. This must be some good whiskey!

I wonder how many bottles they sell a week and if there is anybody who buys mofre than a single bottle at a time.

Too bad I am not a fan of whiskey!

  

Long Live The King

We are living in a very interesting time. Things are happening that affect every person in this universe. Politically, economically and not the least healthwise.

I came to this country 63 years ago hoping to find peace and prosperity. Well, neither is given away on streetcorners.

I worked, I studied and I fought and eventually I succeeded. Now I have beautiful family that I love dearly. They make my life easier and comfortable. 

As I said I am living here for quite a while, I saw political and financial upheavals but never anything like what we are going through now.

There was a presidential election not long ago that one fraction claims was stolen. Maybe yes, maybe no. I will not judge. The winning side is extremely unpopular but winning is winning! So, on January 20 they will take the throne. And a political revolution will begin.

The losing side will disappear on that day and everything they did in the previous four years will be stricken from the history books. This is normal in the American  political system. When an opposing party wins everything goes in the opposite direction. It is idiotic but that is the way it had been and it is.

And both sides claim to represent the American people. With all this good will the American people are ripped apart by the opposing parties.

On January 6 there was a violent demonstration in Washington with the demonstrators breaking in the Capitol building. Members of the House of Representatives were running for their lives like rats running from a burning building. Why were they running? These were the American people on whose behalf they are doing all those good things. These were the people they claim to represent. Or maybe not?

Things deteriorated so much that currently there are over 30,000 armed security in Washington to ensure a "peaceful" inauguration. This is how they do things in some of the banana republics and in some dictatorial African countries. 

The other thing is this virus. Our local economy went to the dogs, our social life is non existent. This unfortunately effects people all over the world. I am convinced that this is a political virus. Maybe after the coronation it will mysteriously disappear. Nobody knows and only time will tell.

There is a possibility that as of January 20, America becomes a dictatorial monarchy.

Sign of Life

Before you read this I must explain the contents. This was written a year ago when things looked quite different. I was more optimistic than I am today. But I didn't want to erase it so I kept it. It should make interesting reading because this might be looked at as a time capsule from the past.

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I am back amongst the living! At my age that is no small feat.

First Happy New Year to all! According to all the business forecasters we are looking forward to a banner year.  The market is continuously reaching record highs and that must be good. Yes, it eventually will fall but hopefully not too badly.

Anyway, I am to tired to worry about this right now.

I know I skipped a long period of time but not doing anything is at first habit forming and second it takes up a lot of time. Laziness is contagious and a stubborn malady. It is not something two aspirins can cure. I cought it a while ago and it is very difficult to get rid of it. Maybe one day they have an antilazy vaccine.

Being a sort of useless old man I have plenty of time to do absolutely nothing. That also includes watching a lot of news on the telly.

Lately all the antisemitic attacks in New York are taking center stage. This is very disturbing and extremely upsetting. Unfortunately, most of the videos indicate that the perpetrators are black youngsters.  From ages 12 and up. I believe they are doing it just for fun because they think it is fun to hit a defenseless orthodox man or woman.

My question is: where is brother Al Sharpton? He is the defender of the African Americans. According to him they can do no wrong. Why he does not speak out against this, maybe he condones this kind of disgusting behavior? For every little thing he organizes demonstrations. Is this not important enough for his schedule? The same question applies to our glorious mayor DeBlazio. He occupies himself with everything but fighting this epidemic. Maybe he is afraid to admit that most of these attacks were committed by blacks. He is a lame duck mayor and I guess his interests are now limited.

We are living in a very peculiar world. The American military kill an Iranian terrorist the democrats are quick to criticize the president. The president is the commander and chief and that comes with some responsibility. Congress is not running the office of the president as much as grandma pelosi would like to. But this subject is for another time.

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I wrote this a year ago. Life was different then. Since that time we were hit with a political virus called Covid-19. Its worldwide side effects are staggering. This thing effects every human being healthwise, economically and socially. But this at another time.

I just wanted to reintroduce myself and let you know that I am here.