More Ukraine

The letter here was written by me to Senator Schumer after I heard him on tv idolizing the Ukrainians. I do not expect a response and I know I will not change his views. As a good politician he could probably defend Hitler if it was politically advantageous. That's why I always say that politics is a dirty game. 

Dear Senator Schumer,

I am one of your constituents, and I did vote for you. I will not hold it against you that you are a Democrat, but I will hold against you that for a Jew you are idolizing Ukraine. 

Dear Senator, do you realize how the "poor" Ukrainians behaved during the German occupation? They were worse then the Germans. The Germans actually stepped back and let the Ukrainians do the work for them because their cruelty toward the Jewish population exceeded theirs. And now, you a Jew yourself are going around trying to whip up support. Does this mean that politics forgives past sins if it is for the national interest?

Apartments

I find it very interesting that every advertisement on television, every prize to be won on game shows are aimed at people who live in houses. Nothing is ever shown to people who live in apartments. Can anyone imagine winning a 300 gallon jacuzzi hot tub and living in a one bedroom, third floor apartment? Or winning a nice outdoor barbecue set when living in an apartment building? They never have anything tailored for us poor apartment dwellers. I wonder why?

According to some statistics there are 21.3 million apartments in this country with 36.8 million residents living in them. Not a small number, but not a number to ignore. Yet, we are being ignored. The accuracy of these numbers can be argued but still, it would be nice to see things on tv that us, poor apartment dwellers can also use.

When they advertise exercise equipment, they always show apartments with a room large enough to be a gym by itself, and also with views to a river or something similarly spectacular. With today's apartment prices people who live in such environment must earn about a half a million dollars a year. This already exclude a large percentage of those 21.3 million apartment dwellers. Just like advertising a Rolex or a Bently for the average populace.

The average pople will not notice these advertisements and the well off ones will not follow them either. So what is the point?

I love those personal elevator chairs for older and handicapped people. I thought I would have one installed when I realized that I live in an apartment with all the rooms on the same level. Bad luck! I also like those window replacement ads by Anderson. Very impressive stuff they have. So, I thought I would have all my windows replaced when I realized that I live in an apartment building with about 500 similar windows. Again, bad luck!

Now, I just have to wait until I see something practical and interesting suitable for an apartment. I have time (I hope).

Ukraine

I am sick and tired of Ukraine. That war is going on for two years now, and they are nowhere. Except the billions of dollars they received from friendly countries. From countries that are so blind to reality that they honestly believe Ukraine can come out as the winner. They are also blind due to their hate and being afraid of Russia.

Don't they realize that Russia is huge, and nobody will be able to beat them? Napoleon was not successful, Hitler was not successful. Now they think that the Ukrainians will succeed? But in the effort, they are destroying their own country. They are probably counting on the international community to step up (again) and help out in the rebuilding.

I said it before, and I am saying it again. The leadership is dishonest. It is well publicized that from the top down large amounts of the aid money find its way into pockets of the people who hold the power. The villas in other countries, the luxurious vacations while the war goes on seems to be the accepted norm for these people.

Mr. Z. is great on going around the world in his tailored war getup and beg for money. He is very convincing showing that it is never enough because some naive European countries are still falling for his crocodile tears and give money. Nobody take notice that the Ukrainian leadership from the top down is one of the most corrupt in Europe.  I guess they need it for the next Riviera vacations!  Finally, there are some in the American Congress who are against any further aid. And that is good.

But the president feels obligated to grant some to the Ukees. Probably because as a gratitude for the business his family was (or maybe is) doing with them. 

Here is another thing that nobody brings up. The Ukrainians were like wild dogs against their Jewish population when Germany occupied them. In many instances they were worst than the Germans. Actually, the Germans let the Ukrainians do their dirty work they were so bad. And we are helping these people? I know that war was 80 years ago, but still. As far as I am concerned them and the Russians deserve each other and the Ukees can rot in hell! 

Sunday

 Time flies, it is Sunday again.

Theory

I honestly believe that there is a conspiracy in this country against Donald Trump. This conspiracy started right after he became the Democratic nominee for the presidency. I don't know who the leader is or are but I am absolutely sure that Nancy Pelosi and Schumer are at the top. After he won the election, it bugged the hell out of them to see that an "outsider", a non-politician became the president of this country.

Once his presidency was over the democratic machinery went out full blast to destroy him. It is not coincidental that right now there are about six or seven lawsuits pending against him. It is not coincidental that several states or their attorney generals decided that he could not be on their ballots. It is unbelievable that all these people come up with the same idea at the same time.

A blind person can see it that this is being orchestrated. And that can only be by the Democrats. He is campaigning for the 2024 election. He is very popular and this time the leading candidate. The Democrats are trying everything in their power to have him found guilty in some of the lawsuits because that might disqualify him from running. But it doesn't seem that they would succeed. 

While his lawsuits are cropping up left and right at alarming speed, our president son's charges are moving at a snail space/ Biden is very successful getting the affairs of his son buried in the bureaucracy and swept under the rug. Interestingly all the media already showed the shady side and doings of his son, but the prosecutors don't seem to find anything. Now, don't tell me that there is no influence peddling in this case. 

The Democrats are concentrating on a conspiracy theory to overturn the previous election results and are blaming Trump that he orchestrated the whole thing. What about the Democratic orchestration to disqualify Donald Trump and force on us a demented old man at the head of the American government. The government is so eager to chastise Putin for what he does but are we any different?  

Good country America! 

Working

I don't understand the big uproar about returning to work. When I worked my place of employment was in our New York office. Unless I was out on a construction site it was expected of me to be there five days a week, eight hours a day. Sometimes we worked six days a week and ten-hour days, depending on our workloads. There was never any question about where we would work.

We had one employee who had about two hour train ride each way every day and he was the exception. He left early but did all his writings on the train and next day he delivered what was needed. But nobody ever worked from home.

Because of the Covid thing, workplaces closed down and people were allowed or required to work from home. Naturally, this depended on the type of work, can it be done through computers and did these people have the necessary computers. This appeared to be a very comfortable if not totally practical solution. It was difficult to keep track of deliverables and timeliness of such. People usually get paid for eight hours of work. Working home in pajamas or nightgowns that is not always trackable. But it was very comfortable.

Now that the pandemic is over, companies want to see their employees back in the offices. Not just because that is the normal way but also companies are paying big bucks for office place. To have empty offices because everybody is working from bed is just not practical.

Being real Americans. people are complaining about everything. Now, employees complain about being required to go back to their workplaces. Companies had to give ultimatums for people to return. Come back or face dismissal!

Now because of that people are upset. They upset that they have to go in and put in an honest day work for a day's pay. I think an employer has every right to require for his employes to work at their original workplaces. But if things will remain normal, no matter how they fight eventually that will be the norm again. 

This is the typical American way. Protest about everything.                                                                      

Inflation

Many, many years ago, probably in the 1960s I was young and pretty much clueless to the intricacies of life. One thing I had problems with is handling money. Or routine was that once a week we went to the supermarket and shopped for the coming week. It kind of occurred to me that slowly we either were spending more money or stuff just got more expensive.  

So, me the smart guy bought a hand counter that by pushing some buttons showed the money we spent. It showed dollars and cents. It had an upper limit of $25. That was all it went to. But in those days we rarely spent that much. At the end of shopping, it showed how much money we spent an shoild pay at the checkout counter. 

This system worked for a while but slowly, very slowly we reached the limit of this counter and eventually I had to keep remembering how many times we went over the $25 limit. At first it was once, then twice and finally about three times. That was when this counter became obsolete. 

Why am I writing this? Because now when we go to the supermarket and do our weekly shopping the final bill is always encroaching $200. And we are still not buying caviar and rime cut meat. Still looking for what is on sale, which brand is less expensive. Ok, there is the three of us and Robin's food is not cheap either, but still. Prices just keep going up.

Sometimes it is more beneficial not remembering back to the "good old days" because it is just upsetting. I don't want to be that old man who keeps saying "in my days"... But as long as I have memories, I can't help but remember. Just like my first new car was only $3,000. Now the tax on a new car is more than that.

But this is life. Things keep going up, never down. And there is nothing to do just accept it. Right?

Comment

 It is terrible what happened in Russia. That opposition person, Navalny who was arrested a while ago suddenly just died in prison. He was a young man of 47. They never mentioned that he was sick, just suddenly died? Very unbelievable. 

But in today's Russia it is not safe to be a vocal opposition. Russian windows seemingly are habitually poorly constructed because too many opposition persons just fell out. Mr. P, doesn't take criticism kindly. Anybody who criticizes him will not look forward to a long and happy life.

Well, that is Russia. Let's see how things are here in the good old US of A. They put Jeffrey Epstein in prison because he was molesting young girls. But beside that he also was very well connected and invited well known people to his private island to "sample the goodies". He invited a prince from the British royal family, he invited ex-president and also who knows how many well connected people. 

He knew too much and that was not tolerable. So, they say he hung himself in his cell. We either believe that or not. It just sounds very fishy. Can we imagine what the powers would do if they would ever get Trump into a prison cell? Mr. P. is not the only dirty politician who wants to cling to power. We have those in this country also.

Good country America!  

Politicking

I can not understand what makes a politician to decide that he or she will run for the presidency of this country. In order to succeed that person must be known throughout the country, must be a good successful person, must have backing both political and financial and probably some other stuff, too.

When a person is not well known all over the chances are already limited. Just because that person is or was the governor of a state doesn't make him eligible for a national office. Half his time must be spent on introducing himself in every corner and prove that he can do the job.

If that person has no political background, it is already an uphill battle. The establishment is closely guarding its secrets and they will go to any extreme to keep "non-members" out. Trump is a perfect example. Even though he won in 2018 the war against him never stopped. General Pelozzi was leading her troops to fight then President Trump at every corner. And now the fight continues.

The funny thing in politics that it makes strange bedfellows. Today's opponent tomorrow may become the strongest advocate and supporter. Senator Tim Scott, Chris Christie, Ramaswami and latest Ron DeSantis are the perfect examples. These were all attacking Trump while they campaigned but after withdrawing from the race, they all swore allegiance to him.

Now, why would wealthy contributors donate money to sure losers? Do those people are really believing that their candidates can win? Isn't this money just down the drain or there is some finagling, deal making going on in the back rooms? I can not imagine smart, wealthy people throwing their money and support behind some dark horse with absolutely no chance at winning.

I think Trump did and right now is doing his own financing. Even though the Republican Party is constantly asking for money, I believe Trump is financing his own campaign. He doesn't need to spend any money on advertisements because he is always on the news, uses his private plane for travels, so why is his party is asking for money?

Anyway, as time goes by this is turning to a very interesting contest. Probably more interesting than any presidential race since I am in this country, which is almost 66 years.

FIFA Final

A few days ago, there was an announcement in the news that the 2026 FIFA finals will be played in the USA, particularly in the New Jersey/New York area. Understandably this is great news for the local politicians and the soccer fans. Immediately they noted how much money this will bring in.

Being the eternal critic, here is my take. This is a typical American move. Bring a world sporting event to this country where there is no real fan base for it. Professional soccer team owners spend big money to bring foreign players into their teams hoping the public will become interested. In suburban elementary schools there are soccer leagues, but the problem is that kids do not stay interested in this sport. Baseball and football are the ones they all care about. For many years soccer was trying to establish itself here but with very limited success.

Baseball, basketball, football (American) and hockey are the ruling sports here. I believe one of the reasons is for soccer not finding its turf is television. This is 45 minutes of uninterrupted play. There is no time for advertisements like in the other sports. And that does not provide enough commercial time for the networks to make money. All the other sports can be interrupted for commercials, but not soccer.

So, what's the point bringing the FIFA finals, the most popular sport in the world to this country? Money is the point! There are just not enough local fans interested in this sport no matter what the organizers hope for but they will bring international broadcasting rights and advertisers. Unless, by 2026 there will be millions of illegal immigrants here and they are mostly coming from Central and South America where soccer rules, and these people will fill the stadiums. Maybe that is what the organizers are counting on. One never knows.

Sunday

 Working very hard, taking a day off!

Grammy Awards

The other Sunday I made the mistake of watching the 2024 Grammy Awards on TV. What a waste of three hours! This was the biggest congregation of useless bunch of people, doing nothing but congratulating themselves. The women dressed in what they thought were sexy and fashionable. I swear I saw more pancakes in those decolletages than at IHOP.

The music they presented were terrible, as were the so called artists who presented them. Maybe I am an old fashioned person, but I see nothing enjoyable in this type of music. I still like music that I can understand, and rhythms that have rhythms. I particularly don't like women performers who come up the stage totally tattooed and do not even attempting to cover those up. Really, they look like they have the creeping crud. Like Miley Cyrus.

She won two Grammys and sang one of her songs and each time behaved on stage like total idiot like it was her own private event. Oprah Winfrey was jumping front of the cameras like a clown and Taylor Swift thought this was her private party. She was jumping up, singing and dancing. Ok, she loves her popularity, and she also used it to promote her new album, but this could have been done with a little more dignity, a little more finesse. Frank Sinatra was also popular, but he never behaved like a buffoon. 

These award shows are nothing more than a self celebration of these people, by themselves. They get the free wardrobe, the loaner jewelry and then they strut their stuff down the red carpet. They get drunk on their own success or lack of it. At these shows they show such a solidarity with each other but in private, I am sure they all hate each other and are jealous of each other.

I always tell myself that I will never watch them again but in the lack of anything else it was just a brainless few hours with absolutely no cultural value at all. And tv goes all out for these programs.

Good country, America!

Super Bowl

This past Sunday was Super Bowl Sunday. This when the championship is decided between for the NFL. The supposedly two best teams play for that title, trophy and not least the $164,000 each player of the winning team gets.

I am not a football fan, I rarely watch the game but this time lacking anything else on TV Abigail and I watched it all the way through. I have to say this was one of the boringest football games I ever had the misfortune to watch. Two major professional teams, and they almost fell asleep while playing. Unable to score, dropping balls, they played like beginners.

College football is more interesting than this was. And then the incessant and boring commercials! Even the halftime show with Usher was not much to brag about. CBS Television was more obsessed with showing that idiotic and childish Taylor Swift jumping around in the private box, and at the end naturally kissing her player boyfriend.

The regulation game ended with a tie and unfortunately it needed to be extended. Luckily Kansas City scored a touchdown and after 15 minutes the game was over. Thank God! I couldn't take it if it went on. This is the biggest sport event in this country. Unbelievable! 

The Venue

Auto makers assume the entire world is made of idiots and they are above us all in brainpower. Their only game is to feed us the worm, us catch the hook and buy their products. It is a psychological game they are playing. Advertise catchy phrases filled with false promises, make us curious and go into the showroom. Once in there we will never be permitted to leave unless we buy a car.

Case in point. We own a 2018 Hyundai Tucson with pretty high mileage. Months ago, the catalytic converter was stolen from underneath it and we have not yet replaced it. They said it is at least $2,500. The car also in need of new tires and there are some minor issues with the car. In short, time for a new car.

Just before New Year and ad showed up in our email by Hyundai saying that in their Gateway promotion, we can get a new 2024 Hyundai Tucson with reduced price and a 60 month no interest loan. Good until January 2, 2024. Sounded good, let's go to the dealer!

Right at the beginning the salesman told us that the advertised car does not exist. None of the dealers have it. The 0% interest loan only applies to people with very high credit rating (800+). But as long as we are here look around and see maybe there is something else we like. Nice move, ha?

Ok, we looked around and settled on a 2024 Hyundai Venue. Nice small svu with a reasonable price tag. After a protracted haggling we agreed on a price. This was on a Friday afternoon, so we went back on January 2, Tuesday to pick up the car. Just a small detail remained, the financial detail.

We sat down with the financial manager (everybody is a manager) and he jovially informed us that our interest rate will be 9.69% for 75 months. No. no, no we said. We came in on the promise of 0% interest. He told us the same thing the salesman told us. It did not apply to us. But just to show what a nice guy he is he lowered it to 5.67%. My wife said she would not pay a penny more over 5%. Another trip to the boss for consultation. He said he would try 4.99% because according to the small print in the promotion that was what we would qualify for.

After a lengthy consult with the boss (actually his father) and the bank he returned and offered us 4.19% for 60 months. We feel that we won. But this shows how crooked and misleading car companies are. We can not trust the company ads, can not trust the sales people, can not trust anybody. Maybe ourselves.

So now we have a nice little 2024 Hyundai Venue. By the way, the 2018 Hyundai Tucsan was traded in.

Abbi again

 I have to continue the Abigail story. As I am sure I noted earlier she is graduating from college this Summer. Foe quite a while she has been working (on her mother's insistence) her continuing education. Her number 1 choice was Columbia University which according to her gives the best choice of programs of what she wants to study.

So, this past week she received a letter informing her that she was accepted by Columbia. And this brings up mixed reactions from me (naturally!). First of all, we are all very happy and proud of her because this is a real achievement. But and there is always a but...

Abigail is living in a vacuum or dreamworld. Has very little understanding of money. Loves to buy expensive clothing, loves to select the expensive stuff in restaurants and this is why (in my opinion) Columbia was also her first choice. Ok, it is a name brand and probably people coming out of there she will do better than the average. But still! In my opinion it is not the institution that will make the person but the person.

Abigail believes that by coming out of Columbia she will have the education, the knowledge, contacts and the respect that will help her get better jobs. Maybe so, but she will also have a gigantic expectation she will have to live up to. They will not give her the money because she is cute and a Columbia graduate but because of her knowledge. I always worked with engineers, college graduates and we never asked them what school they came from. It was how they were able to adapt to the job and how did they perform.

In my experience, college will not provide the education necessary for any profession. maybe doctors are the exceptions. College will provide the basics so they can be trained to do what that particular job requires. At least that was the way where I worked. Companies have their own way of doing things and they will train the prospective employees. But whenever I tried to discuss this with her, I am shot down by her comment that I am old and things are different now from when I worked. Maybe so but I don't believe they can be that much different. Nobody is giving money away without getting something for it.

Oh, I forgot to mention that Columbia master's program is damn expensive!

 

Winter break

The Winter break is over. Abigail went back to school. Started her last semester in college. By May of this year, she will graduate with a bachelor's degree. I am very proud of her. She is already investigating the possibilities of continuing on to a master's degree. She applied to about four colleges and right now waiting for their responses.

How time flies. It is scary! On Thursday, September 8, 2016, Abigail started high school. At that time she was fourteen years old. Like it was yesterday. Now, at the end of this week she is starting her last semester of college.

The thing is that she is aging and very slowly maturing while I am just as young as I was at that time we first met! Ha, ha, ha! Really, I don't understand why she is in such a hurry to get older or as she says a grownup. From experience, there is no great joy in being a grown up. While one lives at home close to the family and under the wings of the family's protection real life is seen different than being out in the cold. Hopefully she will never have to find out what it is to live without a family and to rely on entirely oneself. Hopefully her studies will allow her to find whatever she is expecting from life.

Honestly, I envy her. I was two years younger when I came here and had to start my life working. And I worked all the way through until 2007. I had no family looking out for me. I was looking out for me. But I can't complain. I did ok, I survived and thank God I am still around. I love Abigail like my own daughter I never had. On my birthday she gave me a card addressed as "To my Dad". That brought tears to my eyes and warmed the cuckols of my heart, too.

Just a note of interest: I met Abigail in 2014. At that time she was 12 years old. Now she is 21. Reverse 21 and it is 12! Interesting, ha? This happens only once in a lifetime.

2024

The holidays are over, the Old year is gone, and we are on to a brand New year. I guess we will still write 2023 because it takes a while to get used to 2024. At least for me it is. At this age getting into a new year is going to tax my memories. Now I have more years to remember and think back to. 

You know, after so many years time just rolls on and on and it is not easy to distinguish one year from another. Actually I do keep a kind of diary for that particular purpose, but I am also running out of space to keep them where I can find those. In short, we survived another year. Very curious what the new year has in store for us. 

With two wars already going on and some other areas heating up, it doesn't look like a very peaceful time we are looking forward to. Wars around the world, crime inside the country, what a beautiful world we live in. I believe if one lives long enough, he tends to see a lot. But excuse me, I lived long enough and seen a lot already. Isn't that enough, yet? Can we not have a little peace? Or, that is just not good business and business what is driving this country.

2024 is a presidential election year here. I wander what conspiracy the democrats will cook up to prevent a republican victory. Because what goes on against the Trump candidacy is nothing more than an organized democratic conspiracy. They are convicting him before even proving him guilty. I always thought that was against the Constitution. Maybe not the Constitution of the Democratic Party. 

Anyhoo, I wish a Happy and Healthy New Year to all out there!

Sunday

It is not easy to go back to "work" after such a long hiatus but one must do what is best for the world! But being Sunday, it is still my day off. But after that I am back!