10/27/13

It's Later Than You Think

Signs that the aging process has taken over:

  • You mute the TV set during the mandatory butchering of the national anthem by a Grammy Award winner prior to the start of a World series game.
  • You fall asleep during the sixth inning of a World Series game.
  • You are annoyed by the facial hair of baseball players.
  • You can't tell which is the home team.
  • You detest "terrible towels" at baseball games.
  • You could care less who wins the World Series.
  • You can't wait until next season when the Indians win it all.
  • You are writing this post while the game is on.

10/26/13

A Study In Contradictions

A study in contradictions
Today's issue of The Plain Dealer contained an interesting article about a study which found that a genetic link exists between eating red meat can increasing the risk of colon cancer. Immediately below the article was an add pleading the readerto take advantage of the deal of the day at The Sausage Shoppe. A sloppy layout but good for a laugh. Comes under the category of "anything for a buck".

10/25/13

The World Series Mirror The USA

Normally at this time of year I'm engrossed in the World Series. It may be a stretch, but in my book Baseball's World Series mirrors the greatness of this country. This year that mirror is a bit clouded. I haven't watched one game beyond the sixth inning. The play has been sloppy and Boston's beards are more suited for a Halloween party than the World Series. Why should I expect more? The World Series mirrors the good old U. S. of A. Our politics are sloppy, the NSA is pretending to be the Gestapo, the launch of Obamacare has been frightening. The World Series with all its misplays will be over next week. Our politics show no signs of abandoning the World Series of Misplays.

10/21/13

Smart Phone Update

After almost four months, I think I'm finally on speaking terms with my smart phone aka Telefinino.  I tap an app and its apt to work. The virtual keyboard is not exactly a success but neither is it a mess. The map app accurately shows where I'm taking a nap. I can surf the web . I can access Twitter and Facebook and can even leave comments. Oh yes, phone calls. Making a call, receiving a call and texting measure up to my former dumb phone.

 I didn't expect Telefinino to be promiscuous. I was pleasantly surprised when it mated with my car's Bluetooth and my lap top. I can even talk to Telefinino .  It talks back but not always in English.

There is a problem . I think that Telefinino  is a smoker. By the end of the day it has run out of gas and gasps for me to give it a boost. I consulted a smart phone doctor who advised me to have the phone shed at least five apps, Like  the Bayer Aspirin Facebook page and let it get some rest.

There is also the matter of obsolescence. I didn't realize how rapidly smart phone models became obsolete. I've got news for Telefinino . We're going to get obsolete together.

10/18/13

Buddha and The Tea Party

Buddha had some advice for those who embrace extremist, non-compromising, self serving, selfish politics such as those of the Tea Party:

The thought manifests as the word. The word manifests as the deed. The deed develops into habit. And the habit hardens into character. So watch the thought and its ways with care. And let it spring from love, born out of concern for all beings.

 Of course a closed mind could never absorb the words of Buddha.

10/14/13

Columbus just don't get no respect

In fourteen hundred ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. By two thousand thirteen, Columbus was just another yahoo. Christopher Columbus is the Rodney Dangerfield of explorers. "He don't get no respect!". 

During my elementary school days, Cristoforo Colombo aka Christopher Columbus was always cast as a great explorer. Columbus Day (on October 12th in those days) was a day for celebrating the discovery of America (more accurately The Bahamas archipelago)  by a great navigator with a faulty GPS. This was especially true in East Utica (Utica, NY) with its predominately Italian-American population. Every politician worth his salt made a speech at the statue of Columbus which graced the Parkway. Nary a word that it was Spain that financed this discoverer and not one of the Italian states. Considering the antics of another Italian in those days, Benito Mussolini, old Christopher wasn't a bad choice for an Italian hero. In fact, at one time Christopher Columbus was even an American Hero. Those days are long past and the chances of Christopher Columbus regaining his once lofty status are no better than the Chicago Cubs winning a World Series.

Like President's Day, the celebration of choice to honor Columbus is a gigantic Columbus Day sale at the local mall. Perhaps it is fitting since Columbus' trip was all about money.

 Some parades do survive but hardly a word will be spoken or written (this post being an exception) about someone named Columbus having discovered America. Although he never set foot on the shores of Manhattan, he still should receive some credit for stumbling on a New World.

If we default on our debt in a few days, Cristoforo will probably wonder why he even set out on the ocean blue only to find a world of a different hew  which would be populated by deadbeat Tea Party members with a sick view.

10/4/13

We are reaping what we sowed

For days I have tried to put into words my thoughts about the mess of a government shutdown. I needn't have bothered. Fareed Zakaria did it for me in the following Facebook post yesterday:

What cannot be allowed to stand is the notion that if a group of legislators cannot convince a majority in both houses and the president to agree with them, they will shut down the government or threaten to default until they can get their way. That is extortion not democracy.

I would be happy to see President Obama compromise on the budget, taxes, spending – even healthcare. But he cannot compromise on the principal that the rules of democracy must be respected, whatever the outcome. If Democrats had threatened to shut down the government to force the repeal of the Bush tax cuts or defund the Iraq War, I would have hoped President Bush would have also been uncompromising.

http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2013/10/03/how-to-solve-the-crisis-in-washington/

It is going to be difficult living in a Banana Republic but I guess I'll get used to it. The alternatives are not particularly attractive. As for our Congress - we are reaping what we sowed.