Robin and Stuff

Ok, so I missed some days, but I have a good excuse for it. Robin was done on Tuesday. We dropped him off at 9am and picked him up at 5:30pm. He was still very groggy and confused. It was a slow process but by today, Thursday he is looks ok.

He got a lot of affection and TLC. I hope he appreciated it. The good thing is that he is not angry at us and holds no grudge. Since all his front teeth (16) have been removed, he now barks with a lisp! 

Now, it is Christmas time. Abigail has no school until January something and there is holiday in the air. On that note I will be taking time off from this chore. I shall return next year, in January.

Until then, I wish Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year to all!

 

Robin

Tomorrow is Tuesday for us here. When you read it, it is already Tuesday. But for us here it's not yet. Why is this important? Because on Tuesday poor Robin has a dental procedure that includes anesthesia. He doesn't know it yet, but we are really sick about it.

What makes it very difficult is that the little guy trusts us, totally. He doesn't know what is going on, but his full trust is in us. And I feel that we are betraying that trust even if the event is for his benefit. How can we explain it to him that what will happen is totally for his good? We keep telling him and he is listening, that's how smart he is.

Even though we have full confidence in the vet, we are still worried and concerned and praying for him. I am sure he will pull through and by the next day this will all be a memory. But still, I wish it were over.   

Sunday

 Sunday, the end of the week.

War

Israel is fighting for its life. It is defending its borders, its residents and it independence. There are powers in this world having great pleasure seeing the destruction of this state. From day one of its birth, it was an eyesore in certain circles. In many countries supporting Israel was not a moral question but a political one. The minute something happened they were ready to take the opposite side.

In this country, every president had to show how much he supported Israel. Obama was anti Israel (understandably), Trump was on their side as were Clinton and Bush. Biden is pussyfooting. He doesn't know whose side he is on.

One thing is for sure. He has no right to tell Irael how to fight its war! Israel was attacked and they have every right to defend themselves and go as far as necessary to root out and destroy the enemy. Biden has absolutely no right to tell them to curtail their activities. First he does not know anything about war. He has absolutely no military experience. Second, this country never had a war on their own territory so they can even imagine what it is like. Third, according to him yes, they hit you and you should hit back but not too hard! Does this sound like normal?

He is pushing for restraint and cease fire. A cease fire doesn't help anybody except Hamas because it will give them an opportunity to reorganize, regroup and continue the fight and at the same time Israel will lose the advantage it had in this war. But Biden being a true American talks just for the sake of talking and sounding important. 

The last great generals lived during World War II. Now we have politicians with no war experience. Korea, Vietnam were both disasters. Nothing to brag about. The Kuwaiti war was almost like military exercise in the desert. It doesn't even count as a serious military victory. So, what right America has to offer military advise?

Israel was attacked by terrorists bent on its destruction. They murdered innocent people and the world stayed quiet. Now that they are reciprocating there is an international uproar about the "innocent" Palestinian victims. Poor Palestinians, how about the poor Israelis who never be here for the rest of their lives?

Robin

Just in case anybody is holding their breath out there about Robin's health, I am pleased to report that the little is doing ok. Yesterday he had his follow up visit and the vet was very happy with his progress. Why  shouldn't she be happy? She just got another $550 out of us?

Since the previous visit the prescribed medications were very strictly followed, and the result is that his ears cleared up very nicely. Not out of the woods yet where we usually win, but a lot better than at the initial visit. Giving him his pills is not an easy task. He has to be coaxed and tricked into taking bites of his favorite snacks where the pills are buried. To apply a spray into his ears is a family wrestling event,y that we usually win. We have to continue this treatment for another two weeks and hopefully it will be over. 

On December 19, he will have a serious dental treatment where anesthesia will be necessary. Yesterday they did pre-op EKG and an x-ray to determine if he is ok for the anesthesia. Yes, he is. And that is why the bill was $550.

With these numbers it appears that vets can make more money than people doctors!

Opinion

We are living in a world of double standards. Apparently, what is good for the goose is not good for the gander. This country is great for showing dislikes for everything under the sun except... It does not matter what happens there are always people who find something disagreeable with everything.

Boston has an oriental woman as their elected mayor. The way I see it there is nothing wrong with that. They elected her so it was their choice. I'm sure she is doing a good job because otherwise we would have heard the opposite already, like of the mayor of New York City.

Well, this mayor made the news when she sent out Christmas party invitations to members of the City Council addressed as for the colored members! This meant not whites. Now, is this blatant discrimination or what? 

Ok, so it is. Now my beef with this situation is that if such an invitation would go out a little different, like reversed, they would be asking for her head. How come that the "black community" is so quiet? How come that brother Sharpton is not up in arms about this? If a black homeless man is shoved by a white policeman, they are calling for his head and follow it with national demonstrations. But this time, nothing!

Where are all the liberals who find any reason to demonstrate? They are taking good tv people off the air just because a wrong remark front of the microphone. The black community has a very thin skin when it comes to remarks about them but they have interest in other people.

NAACP means National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In my opinion white is a color, so Colored People should include whites, too. 

Good country America!?

Palestine

I mentioned before that I happened to live in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood. Not only Jewish but also Russian. I never liked the Russians, I was running away from them and now I live in an area where everything is in two languages, English and Russian.

The street I live on is a major street with four synagogues. Russians are the real born-again Jews. 75 years without any religion. They lived under the Soviet regime without any religion and now they claim to be holier than thou. It turns my stomach. Bucharians is one of their nationalities and are everywhere. I don't know who the heck they are, but they do have money. And I mean real money. They are building their own temples for their own people. Other people are really not welcome.  

Anyway, yesterday we had our share of Israeli/Palestine demonstration on our street. Early afternoon a lone man with an Israeli flag walked down on the sidewalk. Not far behind him another lone flag bearer with the flag of Palestine was another man. This man was surrounded by police for his protection which is understandable. The funny scene was that while the Israeli flag bearer was marching in quiet the Palestine sympathizer kept on screaming  f.. u. I guess this is not against the law.

If the Palestinian's outburst reflects their mental capacity in a capsule, then I can understand the whole situation.

Yesterday on the news they showed an anti Israel demonstration by the UN. What was sickening that at front of the crowd there were about six or seven Hassidic people holding up anti Israel signs. Now, they might be real Hassidic or just dressed as ones but it still looked disgusting. But in this country everything is possible.

Mr. Z

The beggar of the world is in Washington again. I am very surprised that they are still willing to see him. He is going around the world begging for money. You have to admit, he is pretty good at this. I think he is in deep shit. Congress had enough of him and do not want to give him any more. I can understand that.

This country is also in the need of those billions. Republicans and even some democrats are against this blank check system. They want money allocated for border protection (our border) as a condition for approving this freebie. Thousands are coming through the southern border every day and our senile president is doing absolutely nothing about it. No wonder some members of congress want money allocated to the protection of America's borders.

Everybody knows that Ukraine is a corrupt country. From the top all the way down. Naturally they want more money because from Mr. Z down they all have their hands in the till. Those billions buy a lot of homes in foreign countries and also buy plenty luxury vacations. Why not go teary eyed to the dumb Americans and beg? They are suckers and eventually will give in. They can not see other countries suffer. Their own country is another story. Send the money out of the country instead leaving it here and try to make our life better and safer.

I wonder if Mr. Z's sweater smells already.  

Selfishness

This Israel - Hamas war brings out the true feelings of people. It turns out that not too many really like Jews. It is very interesting considering that the American economy is greatly supported by Jews, yet people voice their dislikes to them. Is this jealousy or is there any other buried feelings that are surfacing now?

Interestingly the black community is totally quiet. Sharpton stands up if a black person gets a traffic ticket and claims discrimination. Blacks demonstrate when a homeless, ex-con gets shot by police and suddenly that person becomes a saint. How come they are so quiet now? Why don't they show their support of Israel's action against the terrorists? Why they all just sit quietly without choosing sides?

But when it is one of their own, they do expect the world to stand with them. I just don't think it is fair. It smells of total selfishness. I want your support but when you need mine, that's another story. Maybe next time a black person gets shot, because it will happen, Jews should just stay out of the demonstrations, moral and financial support. See how far they will go on their own!

American blacks have a permanent chip on their shoulders. Their attitude is that nobody suffered as much as they did, and this society and world owes them restitution and apology. With that behavior there is no room for sympathy for others and that is where Jews/Israel find itself today.

Something else.

I heard through a European newscast that Soros is somehow behind this Israeli fiasco. And not surprisingly, not on the Israeli side. Why does he have to stick his nose into everybody's business? What does he want, total world chaos?

Sunday

 Never on Sunday!  It was a good movie.

McCarthy

Kevin McCarthy is a sore loser. His want of power is so obvious that even a blind man can see it. He badly wanted to be the speaker of the house, but now that he lost it because of some internal strife, he quits. He figures if he can nut be the ultimate leader, he wants nothing. Hell with the people who elected him, hell with everything else.

He had been in the House of Representatives since 2007 and he is 58 years old. Nobody retires at that early age, not when his reelection was very likely a sure thing. He is driven by money that is for sure. By leaving Congress he will have plenty opportunities to make real money. He might not have the political power but he will have the power money and contacts will give him.

I liked him when he was elected speaker. He is one of the few who is not a lawyer, yet he still achieved a lot. But now that he announced that as of January 1, 2024, he is retiring from Congress he is no longer my favorite. He just proved what I always said. These people don't care about anybody else just themselves. Their aim is to get power and with that make money. The people? Well, let them fend for themselves.

Good country America!

News

 Al-Jazeera is a Qatari government and royal family owned news network. It has reporters all over the world, including here in the US. I used to be available on my cable system but lately it is not. Available through YouTube or internet. They naturally have an English language section also. For a while I liked them because I had the misconception that they were pretty much neutral in their reporting but this opinion drastically changed after October 7.

Watching them I came to the conclusion that their reporting of the Gaza events is anything but neutral. It is so one sided that it is unbelievable. I don't know if they have reporters inside of Israel, but I would throw their asses out along with the ones in this country. Their reporting is very one sided, and that side is Hamas. 

It is bad enough that we can not get the real true news from our own American news networks, then there is that lying other network. There is already a real problem finding out what is happening in this world because of all the fake news we are being stuffed with. It would be great if there were a one truly honest news source for us. That is why I am already listening to another country's nightly newscast so I can make my own determination what is real and what is not.   

MTA

New York City transportation is provided by a state chartered agency called the Metropolitan Transportation Agency. This agency is responsible for the subways, buses, commuter transport and toll bridges and tunnels. In my working years I was involved with several projects with this agency, working directly with their staff. I can honestly and without fear say that they are dictatorial, and to a certain extent crooked. Crooked because they do not work honestly. They have their pet contractors, and it is not easy to break into their ranks. 

Now, this agency is planning to introduce congestion pricing, starting this spring in Manhattan. This is being planned to ease the terrible traffic conditions that currently exist in the city. Driving into Manhattan on a weekday is worse than torture. Traffic jams, crazy drivers, lack of parking make driving in a pain in the you know where. Lately we only drive in when there is a doctor's appointment. I do have a handicapped parking permit but even with that it is not very easy to find parking space. At least we do not have to use garage parking as before.

Now, the congestion pricing supposed to charge cars $15 to enter Manhattan below 60th street. Their hope is that this will reduce traffic, air pollution and increase the use of public transports. They are dreaming. This will never work.

MTA is hoping to pocket $1 billion a year that they plan to use for transit improvements. Never, never, never. This is a disorganized agency. The money will disappear in their bowels. It will be misappropriated and there will be no improvements, it will be stolen.

People who want to drive in will drive in regardless of the tolls. Truck deliveries will cost more, small businesses like restaurants will suffer for loss of costumers and generally prices will go up in those areas. But their Board is not concerned about any of that, they are adamant to go ahead with this plan. If it does it will be the first in the country and I guess they want to make history.

I for one can live very happily without going into Manhattan. Worked there for over 40 years and that was enough for me. In these days I only go there when I have a doctor's appointment or if we go to the synagogue (rarely), or theater (also rarely). Otherwise, everything else can be found out here where we live.

Since I have plenty of time I just sit and wait to see how this thing will work itself out. There will as always be unhappy people and there will be one who support it. Interestingly, the Palestine thing can create more uproar than the fact that people will not be able to drive into Manhattan! Why there are no demonstrations for this thing? Pro and con!

Weird

In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 5, an alternative for "an eye for an eye" is given by Jesus: You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Now, this saying was in the Bible and maybe back in those days it was something possible. But today this not something that is easily acceptable. Israel was attacked by terrorists bent on the destruction of the state of Israel. They mercilessly butchered people, raped women and killed innocent children.

Now, American warships and American bases in the middle east are being attacked by various Iran backed rebel/terrorist groups. Israel rightly is hitting back. Unless they wipe Hamas off the face of this earth this kind of activity will never stop. The Americans are defending their bases and their ships by shooting the incoming rockets out of the sky. 

Yet, world opinion is pushing for less forceful responses. Are people totally crazy? They shoot you with rockets and you supposed to maintain your cool? They kill your people, rape your women, kill the children and you can hit back but not so hard? Are these people have brains? This is unbelievable how the international opinion can present itself.

With all the demonstrations worldwide now the Palestinian people are the insulted party. Nobody feels sorry for the innocent Israelis. With all the constant demonstrations people just find an outlet for their antisemitic feelings. These happenings are a good reason for showing it.

Some countries step up against it but some others just let it happen. This country is hiding behind the Constitution which guarantees free speech. I don't argue with the Constitution but there must be a limit to these so called freedoms. There must be a ban on hate speeches.

Why it is not accepted to say negro any longer but it is ok to say "die jew, die jew". Is kristallnacht also protected by the American Constitution? 

Tooth, Again

So, here is the saga of my poor tooth. Last week my upper left "wisdom tooth" began to hurt. At first I borne it as a man but as it became worse and worse, I decided it was time to go to the dentist. Unfortunately, my dentist only has office hours in our area on Mondays and Fridays I was forced to see her on Monday.

During this time I was living on Tylenol and amoxicillin (found some at home) and by Monday I wasn't feeling that bad. But before when I forgot to take the Tylenol pain came on so fast that I was dizzy from it. I can vouch that one can not overdose from Tylenol because at one time just to get quick action I took five pills. It worked,

Monday morning, I went to see the dentist and she told me that it was inflamed and she was going to extract the tooth. I said, thank God! The only complication she found that the tooth was part of a bridge which she had to remove. Now interestingly, insurance covered the extraction but not the bridge removal. That was $154. No problem, I said just take the damned thing out.

Several injections later I was totally numbed, she started to work on me. Drilling, cutting, pulling and voila, the tooth was out. Actually I did not feel that last act at all. Very little bleeding, and now, next day I am perfectly fine. The spot healed very quickly.

About a year ago she removed another tooth from the opposite side for the same reason so I hope this is not a trend now where I will wind up with two teeth in the middle. 

Tooth

For days now, I had a very bad tooth ache. For days now I was living on painkillers. Finally, today I went to the dentist and she freed me from one bad tooth. 

This is all I write about it today, More details tomorrow.

Sunday

 Time flies. It is Sunday, again.

Robin

Last Wednesday we had a little excitement with little Robin. At his night walk we noticed that he was shaking his head too much. Naturally, my wife got very concerned about this and when we go back to the apartment. While checking his left ear she noticed some dark stuff in it. Trying to touch it Robin snapped indicating that it hurt. 

Next morning, we took him to the vet, saying that this was an emergency and needed to be addressed. They looked at it and said it was not an emergency. The black stuff was not something from the outside but simply a buildup of wax. We already had an appointment for his annual checkup for that same day and they said to bring him back then, which we did.

So, in the afternoon we went back, and they took a much closer look and determined that poor Robin had a nasty ear infection. They cleaned it and loaded us up with medication including antibiotics. When they cleaned his ear, he was crying it must have hurt him terrible. My wife cried and my heart just broke for that poor little thing. Never done anything bad to anybody (except biting me), why he had to suffer? But he came through and we took him home.

Now, we have to administer medications twice a day which is not an easy chore. He is no dummy. Even wrapping the pills into some food he knows and it takes some effort to make him swallow them. But so far we persevered. I believe he already feels better.

Now the vet is not shy either. Every move they made is listed, just like in a hospital. By the time we finished we were almost $2,000 poorer. And then we have to bring him back in two weeks and then he will get his annual vaccinations. He is 9.5 pounds. That is a lot of dollar per pound! Naturally we pay for this. He is a member of the family, he depends on us and we will not let him suffer. It is our responsibility to take care of him.

Abigail always says that he is her dog, so I told her that she can contribute to the expenses. Now suddenly I am the bad guy. Nothing is fair in this world! 

  

Honest Politicians?

Are there any honest politicians out there? The answer is a resounding NO! What happened today in the House of Representatives just proves my point. This thing is about the sage of a New York representative by the name of George Santos.

George Santos was elected to Washington two years ago with a resume that was full of lies and untruths. His academic, professional and family background were all fakes. Nothing he claimed was true and in addition he supposed to do some bad credit card thing and spent campaign money on himself. Things are so bad that right now he is being charged in New York federal court. He naturally, denies any wrongdoing.

In Congress there were movements to have him expelled. One would think that the Representatives would agree that such a person should not sit amongst them. But that did not happen. He is a Republican and Republicans have a very thin majority therefore every vote was badly needed. Based on that he stayed all this time, until today. Today the House with 311 to 314 votes voted to expel him. His short lived political career is over for now.

Now, the New York governor will request e special election to fill the empty seat. Democrats are pushing and hoping that one of theirs will win and that way the Republican majority will be pretty slim.

My question is, what about those 114 representatives who voted for him to stay? Those people see nothing wrong of what he is charged with? Maybe because they are just as bad as he was? I still maintain that this is a House of Crooks. If 114 agree with a habitual liar and cheat and want to keep him in their midst it is because they are all the same. This is a very sad situation and unfortunately politicking and self interest takes front row versus the interest of the people they supposed to represent.

I would love to say Good Country America, but I will skip it for now!

Little history

Maria Theresa was the emperor of Austria Hungary in the 1700s. Her son and successor was Joseph II who reigned 29 November 1780 – February 20, 1790. Aside from his faults this Joe guy was pretty enlightened for his time. One of the good laws that he made toward the end of his reign was that he permitted Jewish people to take up family names. To that time Jews were not permitted to have family names. At least this was what I learned in history.

Since Hungary was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire it made sense that most Hungarian Jews took German sounding names. Later on many Jewish families picked up Hungarian names just to blend in. Unfortunately, that did not always help. Hungary was the home of latent antisemitism. I don't know for how long, but it was always there. 

Hungarians are a very jealous people. When they saw that Jewish brains achieved lot more than they did, they turned on the Jews. Major industrialists, Ganz, Weismanfred employed thousands of people, but they were Jews, so they were hated. It did not make sense but that was the way it was. A large part of antisemitism is jealousy.

My father told me that when he was going to the Technical University in the 1920s it was pretty usual that the nationalistic students periodically beat up the Jewish students. My father played good soccer and he was very popular. He told me that they usually warned him ahead of time to hide because Jew beating was going to happen.

This attitude eventually led to Hungary becoming the death sentence to thousands of innocent Jews, by allying themselves with Hitler and deporting tens of thousands to death camps. Why am I writing this? Because colleges and universities here in the good old US of A are starting to do similar things. If nothing is done will that lead to similar behavior of the 1940s Europe toward its Jewish population?

This country can not hide behind its constitution and do nothing. They must declare martial law on hatred and discrimination. They must kill that behavior in its roots. But unfortunately, the liberals who are hiding behind free speech will block any such movement. When they will realize their mistakes unfortunately it will be too late.

Nice country America!