Sunday

 Time flies, it is Sunday again.

Siblings

Once upon a time there were three young siblings. Abigail, the youngest, Cinderella the middle and Lancelot the eldest. They lived happily in their young years. Their mother worked very hard to keep them happy and provided them with whatever their hearts desired. She held two jobs and that necessitated for these youngsters to look after themselves. The older ones cherished and pampered their little sister Abigail. 

They lived in a beautiful, sunny, tropical state with palm trees and ocean, surrounded with never ending sunshine. Winter and snow did not exist in that location. I wouldn't say they lived a charmed life, but it was nice. They grew very close to each other, formed a close bond.

But as life had it, this closeness got loosened. Mother had to move North in order to make a living and took Abigail with her. Cinderella and Lancelot stayed but not in the same household. Jumping ahead in time, Cinderella got married, and is expecting her first child. Lancelot moved to the other side of the state and lives there. Abigail lives with her mom and is no longer a teenager she is now a college student. But the contacts between the siblings remained. They closely monitor each other's lives.

And that is where the problem begins. They are very, very jealous of each other. Each one requires the exclusive attention of their mother. The mother as most mothers do is ready assist her children any way possible. But when she gives to one the other or others complain, why her/him and not me. I don't know if this is normal between siblings, but I find it disheartening.

But that was in another country at other times.

Abigail is the biggest mischief maker. She lives home and gets whatever she desires, yet she always brings up what help/assistance her siblings get. She is totally jealous of whatever her mother gives to the other two. But a mother is a mother, and she feels it is her responsibility to help her children whatever age they are.

We can not blame her for that. She just can not say no, when they ask. The problem is that the young people believe their mother has unlimited funds and that is why they keep asking. When one gets any form of assistance it is sure that the other two will bring it up why her/him and not me? I don't know if all siblings are so competitive for their parents' money since I was an only child. And maybe it was just as well because this way all the parental affection was centered on me.  

Witch

Yesterday Nancy Pelosi announced that she would not be the democratic leader of the house. We already knew that she would not be the Speaker of the House because democrats lost their majority, but she could have stayed as the party leader. I guess she just a sore loser. If she can not have all she wants none. T

To fall from the top to the actual bottom must be traumatic, primarily to a person who was used to be the commander of all politics. She will have to give up all the perks her office made her be entitled to and also move from the luxurious Speaker's suite to an ordinary representative's office. I wonder if she will be doing her own packing and moving?

Why stay in congress? She is 82 years old, isn't time to go home and be with family? Or is it still necessary to hang on to her remnants of power? It is not easy on day to be on top of the political hierarchy and at the bottom the next. But she will have to get used to it. 

Politics is a dirty game. It makes strange bedfellows. It is very similar to professional wrestling. They roar, they scream and slam each other left and right. But it is all rehearsed. Every move they make is carefully choreographed. And the same happens in the halls of congress. The only difference is that the wrestlers dress funny.

Ukraine

This Ukrainian fiasco is getting weirder by the minute. First it is not as interesting (in the media) as it was at the beginning. When it started every tv company ran to send its correspondent to the scene for live reporting. Everybody was very quick to point to Russia, the big bad wolf, and paint Zelensky as the poor suffering president.

But it is wearing out. Maybe it is still frontline news among the Ukrainian communities, but it is certainly not in the mainline media. Their government's constant asking, no demanding more and more weapons is getting on everybody's nerves. As I read on the internet even Biden told Mr. Z at one of his "demanding" phone calls that maybe he should show some gratitude for all the help he was getting.

Since 2021 US committed to Ukraine $18.2 billion in help. For what? That money could have gone far at home in today's economy. We also have people who could use such assistance instead of giving it to a foreign, antisemitic country. The fallout of this are the refugees. Ukrainian refugees in the neighboring countries are fast wearing out their welcomes. Initial sympathy is now turning into anger because of their demanding attitude.

They do not graciously accept help given to them. They criticize it and demand better and more. That is not the way refugees should behave. I know, I was one, too.  

Earlier I already expressed my feelings towards the Ukrainian people and even though Mr. Z is Jewish he is foremost Ukrainian. Naturally he will deny any involvement about the "misdirected" missile that landed in Poland and also the one that flew over Hungary and landed in (I think) Serbia. Plausible deniability is the backbone of every politician, and Mr. Z is not different. I do believe the Ukrainians are capable of such acts in order to whip up international sympathy. If the world is stupid enough to believe this, fine. Then bear the consequences.

One more thing, it is getting boring to see him in his designer t-shirts every day. Reminds me of Fidel Castro who wore his jungle uniform long after he won.   

Trump

Last night (Tuesday) Donald Trump announced that he would seek the presidency in 2024. I guess he did this on his own because I am sure that his political advisers advised him against it. But he wants the job so badly that he is willing to do it on his own. He wants another term so he can prove how bad Biden was and how bad the democrats were.

Tuesday's midterm election was a shock to the republicans. Even the democratic media forecasted republican victories but unfortunately that did not happen. Years ago a politician said that polls mean nothing, what the voters do on Election Day has value (or something like that). Republicans lost bigtime. The Senate remained in the hands of the democrats and as of now the House is still undecided (even though it looks like it well be republican).

If I have ever seen a crooked election this was one. Since the people spoke, nothing will change. Biden's economic policy will remain, and $6.00 gas is on the horizon. If he stays on, I wonder that four years will be enough for a republican. one term president to fix everything.

I said it before that my uncle told me he never stuck to one party at voting time. He voted for the opposition because he believed change was good. I agree with his thinking.

Travel

My bro is in Hungary. I think by the time this is published he is on his way home. A week goes very fast when one has a good time. To say that I envy him is the least. I wish I could have gone also. He went with family members who have not been there a long time. My friend was there with me in 2014 the last time.

He sent me a few photographs about what he ate, and my response was that he knows how to hurt a guy. The pastries and the food looked just scrumptious. Budapest is not for the diet conscious, that is for sure. And neither is for the low sugar watchers. When he and I went, every day we had two good meals. Lunch and dinner. Plus, some breakfast and the obligatory stops at pastry shops. Naver gained a pound because we just walked and walked.

Pastry shops are another story. Budapest has more pastry shops that Starbucks in New York. And Starbuck can be found here on every corner. There are famous pastry shops and there are the small neighborhood ones. The difference is mainly in the prices. As far as I am concerned the small shops are just as good as the named ones. These are one by individual pastry makers who take pride in their work. Their shops survive in the neighborhoods because of the good products, the ambiance and prices. They might have fewer selections but what they have is worth trying it. 

Unfortunately, New York has no such establishments. There are some places where they sell French pastry but in my opinion that does not come near the good Hungarian product. As far as I know, there is only one Hungarian pastry shop in New York, but their products are less than mediocre. Beggars can not be choosers, so we just have to accept it, but it is a shame.

Anyway, I hope he had a great time, and can't wait to hear his stories. 

Robin, again

Robin is such a cute, lovable little dog. November 11 was his birthday. The little guy was six years old on that day. In human years that is 40 years old. He doesn't look and act as a 40-year-old. He acts more like a playful little puppy. 

He is very funny. On the street he growls at people and people are afraid because nobody knows his intentions, bite or don't bite. We don't know it either. All I know that several times when I tried to do something in spite of his growling, he always bit me. But minutes later he came over and licked my hand.

The other day a friend came over to us, somebody he never met before. Right off the start he bit his leg. Not hard because he had jeans on but still, he bit. But true to his form a few minutes later he was all over him, waiting to be petted. When our friend sat down, he immediately jumped up and sat on his lap. Now, how can we figure out this complicated personality.

He is extremely close to my wife. He is a real mama's boy. Follows her throughout the apartment and whenever she goes out the door, he gets very sad. But when she returns, he is overwhelmed. It is very funny to see his happy dances, jumps and other exhibits that he creates. I usually say it is worth going out just so we can come back again and see him happy.

I originally did not want a dog. I had a cat for over 20 years, and it was very hard when I lost him and did not want to go through that again. But like everything else, nobody listens to me in this house, so we got Robin. Now, I am glad he is here. I got very used to him, he is part of the family. Actually, everything revolves around him. He is our four legged baby.

He is extremely close to my wife. Every time she steps out of the apartment, he thinks the world is over. Iess  guess that is what he is thinking because we can see the sad

Sunday

One word says it all: Sunday 

The Elections, Again

Nobody in this world can tell me, that the election results of November 8, 2022, are not being massaged to the satisfaction of some higher power. Almost a week past by and still no results in this land of "honesty" and "transparency".

Yes, it is transparent that whatever results they will come up with is as far from honest as we are from Mars. It boggles my mind that two years after another mismanaged election they had the balls to do it again. Is this the norm, now? We will have to wait and see how the powers want the results to look?

And then the whatever administration has the gall to criticize countries where the elections are not straight. We are slowly becoming a dictatorship where democracy is slowly disappearing, elections are fixed, and we are told how to think and what to think.

If the projected results realize it will prove that the American people are stupid. High prices, inflation, danger of war, non-existent border control. This is a short list of what we are having. If this is ok, and this is what they want then why not get back to the $6.00 per gallon gasoline price or higher? They are satisfied with the current norm of life then don't change anything. 

With this current leadership America is becoming, no it became the laughingstock of the world. Nobody is taking us seriously anymore. Now we are really the ugly Americans.

  

Antisemitism

Hungarians are basically a very dirty bunch. They don't go to the neighborhood for a little hate. They hate everybody and that hate starts within the family. When antisemitism came into existence Hungarians did not have to go to school to learn it. They had it in their blood. During the communist regime, between 1945 and 1956 most antisemitism was suppressed. But it was always there.

During the 1956 revolution it was just a question of time when it will burst out. I personally did not hear any such negative comment, but my dearest friend witnessed such. When that revolution started people started to leave the country in droves. My bro and I thought about it, but I think we were just too lazy to do it.  Then one day in January 1957 my friend came to me very upset and said we must leave. Somewhere he overheard very strong antisemitic outbursts and that was enough for him to make up his mind.

My friend and I are the same age, we both lived through the Holocaust. Unfortunately, he lost both his parents, so I never blamed him for feeling like that. Who in this world want to relive something like that? So that was the primary reason for our departure. 

Now antisemitism is raising its ugly head here. Many synagogues received various messages that made police protection necessary both in New York and in New Jersey. Something like this is very disheartening even though there is nothing to be afraid of. But still, it seems there is always danger lurking out there. I am 100% convinced that a holocaust will never happen, at least not in our lifetime but still...

What causes this feeling of hate? It has been around for eternity but still there is no logical explanation for it. The only explanation I can find is envy. People are envious of the Jews because they survive, they succeed regardless of the hardship life throws front of them.

Maybe really, they (we) are the chosen people.

The vote?

I love when so called celebrities come out with their support of political candidates. Who do they think they are? Is there anybody in this country stupid enough to vote for a candidate just because Bozo the Clown supports hum? I guess the answer is, yes.

Kim Kardashian supported an LA mayoral candidate. Who cares! Who is Kim Kardashian that her support should count and who are the retards who even follow the advice of such a person. Mattress Kim should just stick to what she knows best and that is how to flaunt her questionable figure and be horizontal. Is she now a political adviser? This just proves that in this country anybody can be whatever he or she wants to be.

They keep saying that people should make up their own mind, yet the media, the parties, the politicians keep bombarding us with advice. The only thing where our minds come into the picture is to decide whose advice to follow. We already know, thanks to the opposition whom not to vote for, but who are we going to vote for. That is the question.

It is now two days after election day, and they have still no results. Their claim is that they are counting the votes. A blind man could have counted them faster. Nobody can tell me that this not about falsifying the results! 

Post voting

Today is the day after the elections. Chaos is an understatement for what is happening nationwise. In a country where voting is done mainly through electronic means results are not that easily collected.

Or they are collected but not just released! Maybe the results are being massaged to the satisfactions of the powers up there. The United States is great and very quick to criticize other countries for their less than fair election methods and corruption, but they do not want to admit that they are not holier than thou either.

Two years ago, at the presidential election the results were finagled for the satisfaction of the republicans. At this they are again being "adjusted" to a so far unnamed party. How come that almost 24 hours after the polls closed, they still don't know the results? In a third world, jungle country by this time they already have results but in this land of fair practice the results are still not known. Or are they?  

All last night we were watching the results and found it interesting that the results kept coming in pretty quickly until they reached a point when the final control of Congress was to be show. At that point all stopped. Come on! Don't try to make me believe that this stoppage not the result of some maneuvering.

Free elections we do have. We are free to go to the polling place and cast our votes. But results are a different thing. Maybe this is the new American way! 

Election Day

Today is the big day. Today is the day when we decide which gang we will pay protection money to. Because no matter who wins it will cost us, the taxpayers money is the day when the American people will not make an intelligent decision. Their decisions are based on sensory preception.

Who is the loudest, who is the better looking, who has the right color and who will give me more. But list can go on and on to list what effects the outcome of an election. Being the most qualified has absolutely no role whatsoever.

There are hard core party members, democrats and republicans who will always vote the party line even if Bozo the Clown would run for president. Then there are the ones who would look at qualifications. My uncle used to tell me that at each election he voted for the opposing party's candidate because he believed that change was good. This last is not a bad way of thinking.

I am sure there are candidates who are shaking in their boots at the prospect of losing and at the prospect of losing their prestigious positions. I'm sure it was nice to walk around and pull rank by saying I am a member of congress. But as the saying goes "the higher they are the harder they fall"!

At the time of this writing, morning hours, we didn't vote, yet. We plan to go later.

X-mas

Halmark is now showing Christmas movies on its network. It is early November, Christmas is not even near, and they are showing X-mas movies. That can be just bearable well not 24 hours but what they show is so unnatural that I can just laugh.

Beside the eventual love between the two main characters the subject mostly revolves around Christmas cookies. They make believe that the world really cares about Christmas cookies. They also do nothing else but grin and smile throughout these two hour films. I also find it interesting that the characters go outside in falling snow in open neck shirts, open coats like it were June. Probably it was when they filmed it and then added the background.

Another think is the interior decorations every home has. Who in the world decorates their home is such a kitschy way? They are not even half nice. I can not imagine people believe in these stories or imitate the surroundings.

Going on to the burgeoning love stories, they are very childish. The way the characters act make it look like this is a Christian channel and not a regular broadcaster. Beside one kiss per show there is not much going on between these (retarded) adults. Is this believable? Yet, my wife likes them.

Sunday

It is Sunday! 

Marathon

This coming Sunday is the New York City Marathon. That is a big event for the City and for many people. Supposedly there will be 50,000 people running, including the elites and handicapped runners. As far as I am concerned this is a joke.

Many people show up just so they could clown their way through the 26 mile route. Some are serious amateur runners but there are the pros, mainly from Africa for whom this is their way of life. The prize monies and the promotions are how they make their livings. And if you can run 26 miles fast you can outrun any lion or tiger.

What I find very discouraging that the main sponsor of this race is an Indian company, Tata Consulting. What is the matter with the American companies that they have to bring in a foreign sponsor?

Because of this race Manhattan will be mostly closed to cars. I used to go in and I remember what a disaster that used to be. Now, I will watch it on the telly and won't even get tired. The good thing for the runners that they forecast good weather, little warmer but who cares.

At first I thought I would run but then decided against it when I tried to run on city block.

Election

Television is full of political ads. This is the season and it will go on until election day. I find them all disgusting. I know that all elected politicians cheat and lie and they are the scum of the earth but listening to their on-air ads only enforces my opinion about them.

They promise the stars, they use their platforms to get the endorsements but once they are in all bets are off. They promise to vote for this and that, all good for the common people, the lower class (in a classless society). But once they got their seats at the helm all promises disappear because of various instruction from up above and just because it is not feasible (for them).

So, here we are the poor and defenseless oh and dumb public who need guidance. The papers, the tv, the ads all tell us whom to vote for. Making our own decisions never come into the picture. Very sad!

All tv ads deal with the opponent. They all say the opponent is a monster, he or she is against everything we would want. They never mention what good each of the candidate did and why should he or she should be elected. They just say why not to vote for the other person. 

Is this what they teach in political science or communication? Don't mention your good deeds, mention the other guy's bad deed.

Good country, America. 

Time change

This coming Saturday/Sunday we are turning back the clock. Actually, it happens around 2 something in the morning. I don't understand the importance of 2am. Will anybody be up, watching the clock and when it reaches that 2am magic number turns the clock back?

I don't even understand the importance of time change. It just means that early morning will have some light and afternoons for a very short time will have more daylight. Most of the world, at least Europe moved the clock back last weekend. But here we have to be different. America always has to be different. For one week all international time schedules are mixed up because of the time differences.

Both the European Union and this country have been talking about not to do this in the future. I think, but I might be wrong that this year is the last when time changes will take place. Interestingly, Arizona and Hawaii do not observe these time rules. I don't understand that the federal government has no authority to enforce this. What authority do they have if they can not even regulate the times?

I will only change our clocks on Sunday because this way when we wake up in the morning and look at the clock it will be one hour behind. One more hour to sleep. Not that Sunday there is any reason to get up early but still.

  

Robin

 As I wrote about him before Robin is the third member of our family.

In spite of his size things here revolve around him. Our daily schedule is governed by when his next walk is due. He is used to go out every 3-5 hours. But thankfully he is able to hold it much longer. My wife takes him out for a short pee trip around 6 in the morning. Then 11:30, 4pm, 7p and around midnight. Then then the day is done.

He does get occasional car trips when we go somewhere, and we just don't want to leave him home. At those time I usually stay with him in the car. He is so spoiled that he hates to be left home alone. That is why we usually take him with us.

The picture shows Robin in his "nightshirt". He wears it indoors in the winter when it gets cooler in the apartment. He doesn't object, I think he likes it. He also likes to be photographed. He is totally aware when we take pictures of him, like in this picture.

As I said earlier his last walk is around midnight. It is interesting how many people are as crazy as we are. We always meet other dog owners who are walking their dogs at that hour. It is easy for him to be that late. Sleeps most of his waking hours away. I wish I could do that.

Parking

 New York City is wall to wall cars. Street parking is a nightmare. Many programs are avoided simply because there are just not enough parking spaces. And if one wants to use pay garages, their prices are astronomical. One of the most desirable things for a car owner in this city is a garage space or an assigned parking spot in a lot. That is what we have, and we feel pretty lucky about it.

Our building is so old that garage was not a requirement at the time of its construction. I don't think it goes back to the horse and buggy days, but it is not much younger. Anyway, the landlord is required to do exterior repairs which include pointing and replacing broken windowsills, bricks etc. This work has been ongoing since May of this year and so far, they only finished the front and two sides. We are a corner building. 

Today they started work on the back of the building. Why is this important? Because the back is where the parking lot is and that is where we park our car. As of today, and for the unseeable future we are not allowed to park our cars in the lot. So, this morning we moved it and as millions of other drivers started to hunt for parking spaces. At 7 in the morning parking spots were not in abundance. But we prevailed and found a spot. Just as well because by 10 am the workers were already working where we "used to" park. Now, we are looking ahead to a pain in the ass few months as far as parking.

What makes our situation a little easier is that almost a year ago, thanks to my doctor I got a city permit that permits me to park anywhere within New York City and without paying for it. This is a handicapped parking permit and I got it because of my spinal surgery and because I walk with a cane.

All I can say again: good country America!

Anniversary

Today is October 31, and that is a kind of turning point in my life. Not because it is Halloween but because 65 years ago today, I arrived in this land of milk and honey. 65 years ago today. I just can't believe how fast the time went by. Maybe because I had such a good time? I don't think so.

Time is just flying by. It only crawls when we are suffering but at the end it just goes. And that is what it did with my 65 years. This 65 year was like a galaxial black hole. I sucked in all the events, all the people I used to know, all my history. What remained is the present and a questionable future.

But aside of this 65 years ago today I landed at what was Idlewild Airport, now JFK. Up to that moment I had no care in the world. For nine months I was in a refugee camp where every decision was made for me, I got three square meals a day and no worries. On this day it all changed and 'till today it did not stop.

Now I worry, I have issues, problems (big and small) but life goes on. It is ok. This is what life supposed to be. And this what we supposed to do as we grow up and get older: worry.

In hindsight, I am glad that I landed here on that particular day and started my new life. All in all, it didn't turn out to bad.