Monopoly

When I played this board game as a child the railroads depicted thereon were the Baltimore & Ohio and the Reading Co. - both long gone - absorbed or assimilated. The hotel properties were depicted along the avenues of Atlantic City - long before the casinos appeared. And the tokens used to move around the board included a "flat iron" - an appliance that your grandmother used to iron your grandfather's shirts on Tuesday - (Monday being wash day). But now I read that to modernize the game the flat iron has been replaced by a "silver pussycat" - the choice being twice as popular as the Scottie dog - and blamed on the "all powerful cat lobby." There are 86 million cats in American households several of whom have friended me on F-book so whereas my sentiments would be with the Scottie dog, I dare not offend this powerful lobby. Meow!
tjs
Next -  Merry Month of May

Caveat Emptor

Sorry to start the week with a Rooney Rant on a rainy Monday.  My primary credit card is with a prominent national bank. A few months ago I received a letter from them which I will paraphrase ....."We have reason to believe that some of our secure files have been penetrated and it is possible that your confidential information may be at risk. Accordingly, to protect your privacy we have cancelled your present card and issued a new one. Please accept our apologies etc. etc."  One might expect that this switch would be seamless but I found too late that I the user - i.e. the "customer" - must notify all the vendors who have been billing my card electronically. Some vendors, when rejected by the bank, surface quickly to remedy the situation - but another vendor just cut off service without a contact. The lack of customer care was appalling. Add to this the "mickey mouse" ATM charges and the exorbitant credit card interest rates - all of which make for an irritated consumer. But please don't let it spoil your day.
tjs
Next - Monopoly

Bridging the Gap

My brother had a saying "Don't raise the bridge, lower the river!" But they are planning just the opposite right now in the New York area. Staten Island has always been overlooked and considered somewhat of a stepchild among the boroughs.  But not anymore as outlined in the NYTimes of April 25th.  The Bayonne Bridge will have its deck raised by sixty-four feet to permit larger vessels to enter New York Harbor - cost $1.3 Billion.  The Goethals Bridge to Elizabeth will be replaced.  And lastly, the Outerbridge Crossing to Perth Amboy will be resurfaced.  What I did not know was that this latter span was named for Eugenius H. Outerbridge, the Port Authority's first chairman. Eureka! Now I will be ready when JEOPARDY calls.
P.S. - Come to think of it, the Chairman's name sounds like an alias once used by Groucho Marx.
tjs
Next - TBA (Mon.)
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/24/some-love-for-3-achy-workhorses-linking-staten-island-and-new-jersey/?ref=nyregion

Earth Day

Earth Day came and went on Monday overshadowed by my son's birthday. Back in high school we used to plant trees on the campus on that day - then known as Arbor Day -  trees that today have birds nesting and initials of students carved in the bark. The cherry blossoms are spectacular again this year. But the cool spring in the northeast is delaying the warming of the earth which in turn may be delaying the emerging of the seventeen year cicadas which are expected to appear along the eastern seaboard before the end of May or early June. It is said you will hear them before you see them - millions of cicadas screeching and seeking their mates - then dying and covering your lawn crunching under foot. It is expected that their migration will start in the Carolinas and head north - as soon as the earth temperature reaches 64 degrees Fah. This is the first time they will be followed on T-World using #BroodII or #Cicadas. So if you hear them coming keep your windows shut and get out the ear plugs.
tjs
Next - TBA
http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/09/17676853-17-years-in-the-making-this-springs-cicada-invasion-generates-early-buzz?lite

Locked Down

Last Friday Esquire magazine ran a humorous article by a Boston writer who found himself in the midst of a one night stand when the city went into "locked down" and he couldn't get home and to complicate his predicament he was on deadline and his cell phone was running on fumes. All day Friday he was forced to "hang out" with his overnight partner much to her chagrin. During WWII, circa 1942 when the Axis were still winning, we often had air raid drills accompanied by blackouts. My neighbor four doors away was our Air Raid warden who donned his hard hat and climbed the street gas lamp in front of our row house to extinguish it. One such night we received a surprise exercise and in the darkness looking out our window I could observe the following: the neighbor across the street in house No. 5 was a well off chap who drove a Pierce Arrow sedan which impressed a twelve year old on roller skates. He was exiting house No. 3 and furtively making his way back to his own domicile eschewing the sidewalk by hugging along the wall. Perhaps he was on an errand of mercy to calm his neighbor as the air raid sirens wailed. At age twelve who could be judgmental. But here we are seventy years later and some guys just can't keep their pants on - or their cell phones juiced.
tjs
Next - Earth Day
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/trending/Writer-got-trapped-at-one-night-stand-during-Boston-lockdown.html

Global Reach

In Monday's NYTimes, Bill Keller writes of the activist blogger in Russia who has been arrested on trumped up charges which should send a chill thru the world of social media. I only mention it because I seem to have an active - though unexplained -  readership in that country. The Google scorekeeper tells me that I had 32 "page views" last week and 137 for the month - hardly a yell for "Author! Author!" but somewhat intriguing none the less.  Perhaps it was that comment about their President flying a glider and leading a flock of whooping cranes to a safe habitat. In any event I don't think this news will silence me - only writer's block can do that.
tjs
Next -Locked Down
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/22/opinion/keller-a-blogger-on-trial-in-russia.html?ref=opinion

The Art of Persuasion

Last week there were several votes in the Senate related to Gun Control. One bill regarding background checks  - and being championed by the President - was defeated by six votes - four of which were Ds.  Now, it is always politically risky to buck your party leader, particularly when he is the Prez.  You might get disinvited to the next State Dinner.  But that is not the current President's style. I recall how Lyndon Baines Johnson handled maverick members of his party. LBJ was a master at arm twisting, lapel grabbing and old Sen. Theodore Green (D-R.I.) may still have bruises on his sternum from a long bony finger poke.  Folklore has it that LBJ would invite a fence sitter into the mens' room and work his charm while standing at the urinals.  One of his pet sayings was "Come, let us reason together!" Once when an aide came to him with the message that Congressman X was not on board, Johnson said "tell him we plan to erect a low rent housing project in his district." The recalcitrant legislator came around. To paraphrase an old joke: Q - Do you approve of clubs for Congress? A - Only if persuasion fails....  Now fast forward to 2013 - if LBJ were in the W.H. today - and with the Senate now 20% female - presume there would be fewer trips to the woodshed - and more "reasoning together."
tjs
Next -TBA

Slick Willie

Above is the face of Slick Willie Sutton the most famous and infamous bank robber of the twentieth century. I do not mean to romanticize him but recent discussion of New York subways brought him to mind. He was a master of disguises and often wore some kind of uniform as he went about his business - which was robbing banks. When asked if he carried a gun he replied "You can't rob a bank on charm and personality." But he allowed that the gun was not loaded as "someone might get hurt."
In April 1945 he found himself incarcerated in the Eastern States Penitentiary - a fortress like facility in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia. On a Sunday morning as the milkman was passing on his rounds he saw all these heads popping up outside the walls - Sutton and friends had tunneled out. He was quickly apprehended and next placed in Holmesburg Prison in northeast Philadelphia but that couldn't hold him as dressed in guards uniforms he and friends went over the wall in February 1947. He remained at liberty living in his native Brooklyn until one day in February 1952 he was recognized by a college student and amateur detective - one Arnold Schuster - while riding on the Brooklyn subway. Schuster followed Willie home and turned him in. In the following days Schuster went on TV exploiting his action. But the New York Mafia considered him to be a "squealer" and poor Schuster was shot and killed outside his home on March 9, 1952. I was in New York that week for March Madness at the Old Garden and rode the 7th Ave. subway and opened the N.Y. Post to learn of Arnold Schuster's fate all because he recognized someone on the subway when any New Yorker knows the first rule of straphangers is "no eye contact."
tjs
Next - TBA (Mon.)

Where Were YOU?

Most of us remember where we were when a news worthy event occurred i.e. 9/11 - VJ day, JFK assassination, etc. Last week, in Cape May, N.J. I had a conversation with the woman who owns the only hardware store in town. Earlier on she had gone to school in Manhattan, worked in various corporate internships and rode the New York subway system. We compared notes on our subway experiences. She said "Do you remember Bernie Goetz?" I said I certainly did. In December 1984 Goetz was riding the number 2 train when he was accosted by four youths seeking money from him. He had previously been a victim of a mugging and suspected the same fate this time. Feeling threatened, he rose, pulled a 38 caliber pistol from his jacket and shot all four individuals. He later turned himself in and his life was never the same. He became a vigilante hero to some and the press gave the incident lengthy coverage. My new friend said she was on the same train that day only several cars away and when police and medics arrived all the passengers were detained and delayed several hours. I had to confess that my rides on the Lexington Avenue Express were less eventful.
tjs
Next - Slick Willie

Humane Society

In the past week I have read of the following in the news:
-While the Barnum & Bailey Circus was performing in Mississippi, one of their elephants, Carol, age 36, was grazing in the adjacent field - minding her own business when she took a bullet in her shoulder - a victim of a drive by shooting. The pachyderm shook it off and went on with her act.
-In Africa poachers have been killing off rhinoceros for their horns but now their herds are being policed by drones overhead to prevent this slaughter.
-And in the African country of Mali, French soldiers have pushed back the insurgents and as a token of thanks the president of Mali presented President Hollande of France with a baby camel. The camel screeched a lot and refused to let Pres. Hollande pet him. This behavior would not go well in the Elysee Palace so Hollande placed the camel in the custody of a family in Timbuktu. But the instructions were misinterpreted and the custodians slaughtered the camel and made a delicious stew.
It wasn't just the big boys and girls who were picked on as I read where small dogs were disappearing in certain parts of our country. Hence - Humane Society ALERT!
tjs
Next - Where Were YOU?

Number 42

"Judas Priest" was the strongest expletive used by Branch Rickey in his private life. But he used much stronger language when he was preparing Jackie Robinson to be the first person of color to play in Major League Baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers circa 1947. Rickey wanted to make sure that Jackie could endure the taunts he was sure to encounter on the playing field and not retaliate. Robinson had been an outstanding athlete at U.C.L.A. and a military officer - both of which were rare in Big League dugouts. He won over his teammates with his playing ability. He was pigeon toed and very fast and when he was on the base paths he drove pitchers and catchers crazy. He even stole home against the N.Y. Yankees in a World Series game although Yogi Berra always claimed he was out. Jackie led the way for Larry Doby, Monte Irvin, et al. After his playing days he was an executive with Chock-Full-of-Nuts, the coffee company. He left such a mark on baseball that they have retired his number 42 and the last player to wear it will be  Mariano Rivera of the N.Y. Yankees who plans to retire at the end of this season. The movie "42"  opened  in Manhattan last week.
tjs
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/movies/jackie-robinson-the-hero-in-42.html?ref=arts
Next - Humane Society

Finished With Engines

The S.S. UNITED STATES docked in Newport News, Va. on November 8, 1969 for her annual overhaul. By mid-November she was ordered into "lay-up" status and the New York Times wrote at the time "her return to service remains in doubt." There was a two man crew left aboard to babysit the vessel - Staff Captain John S. Tucker and Chief Engineer John Logue. There were two umbilical cords keeping the liner alive - one steam line and one electrical line - both connected from shore. The abbreviated crew lived ashore and reported to work every day at 8AM. Their only break came at 4PM when Capt. Tucker joined Mr. Logue for tea. This was their routine seven days a week and they spent Christmas 1969 on the empty vessel. As Newport News was the place of her birth it is probably fitting that she would end her active sailing life there. So it is F.W.E. - finished with engines. We wish the Conservancy Good Luck in their efforts to save this ocean liner.
tjs
Next - Number 42

Captains, Commanders and Commodores II

Commodore Leroy J. Alexanderson was the third and last Master of the liner S.S. UNITED STATES serving from 1965/1969. I first met him in Philadelphia circa 1950 when he was commanding a U.S. Lines freighter S.S. AMERICAN FORWARDER on the Liverpool/Dublin/Glasgow run. During WWII he commanded an attack transport USS GAGE which saw action landing Marines in Okinawa. And at war's end brought our troops home via Suez. In 1955 he became Captain of the S.S. AMERICA and shortly thereafter joined COMMODORE ANDERSON as his Executive Officer on the BIG U where they became a team until "Alex" relieved Anderson and remained her Master until 1969 when she was decommissioned. He later commanded the container ship S.S. AMERICAN LEGION on the Far East run. He was an adviser and consultant to the new owners of the BIG U. And he retired as a two-star rear admiral in the Naval Reserve. (You will note that he was fastidious in his choice of cologne.")

tjs
Next - F.W.E. (Mon.)

Captains, Commanders and Commodores

The second Master of the S.S. UNITED STATES was Commodore John W. Anderson from 1953/1964 - serving the longest tenure on the ship. He obtained his master's ticket and received his first command in 1921. During WWII he was convoy captain aboard the troopship SS JOHN ERICSSON sailing 200,000 miles and ferrying 300,000 troops without mishap. In 1957 the Saturday Evening Post did a full length article describing the eastbound crossing of voyage 213 with close coverage of the Commodore's activity during the 4-1/2 days to LeHavre and Southampton. In 1964 he relinquished the helm to his executive officer, Captain Leroy J. Alexanderson - more on him later.
The Post reporter who made the trip mentioned that Elsa Maxwell and the Duke and Dutchess of Windsor were passengers on EB voyage 213. At the time Maxwell was feuding with the Dutchess as celebrity women sometimes do. But on this occasion Maxwell made an overture and they reconciled
in the Windsors suite - and the Captain was not needed for the peacemaking.
tjs
Next - C.C.C. II

Maiden Voyage

Commodore Harry Manning (center) made the record setting maiden voyage on the S.S. UNITED STATES in July 1952. The Eastbound transit from New York to England was 3 days 10 hours 40 minutes. Margaret Truman was a passenger and they let her blow the ship's whistle passing Bishop Rock (the finishing line). After receiving all the awards, Manning did not stay on very long. It was said that in an earlier career he had been a member of Amelia Earhart's aeronautical team. He was fortunate to have left the air and turned to the sea before her fateful flight. In 1994 a colleague of mine in London said he felt there was a similarity between the BIG U and the TITANIC - except for their fates - in that - Both sought to break the record crossing on their maiden voyage - both had their Naval Architects on board (ours being William Gibbs) -and both had owner's family members on board (ours being Gen. John M. Franklin's sister). Our ship's Westbound crossing was also a record averaging 34.51 knots. These transit times were both record crossings taking the Blue Riband from Cunard's QUEEN MARY 1. (Above excerpted from "The Eagle Blue Chronicles".
P.S. There is a current book published by Simon & Schuster about Mr. Gibbs titled "A Man and His Ship." His grand-daughter is a force behind the Conservancy efforts to save the ship.
tjs
Next - Captains, Commanders and Commodores

BIG U Revisited V

Between voyages the ship spent several days docked in New York to re-fuel, take on stores, change laundry, etc. and give the crew time in the city. It also provided opportunity for "events". In the mid 1950s the Colgate Comedy Hour was competing with the Ed Sullivan Show for the TV audience on Sunday night. So in March 1955 Colgate brought their show to Pier 86 on the Hudson River with the S.S. UNITED STATES as a backdrop with the gangway down. Appearing on the gangway at the left are singer Gordon MacRae and the Gabor sisters with their mama and the band playing on the pier. It was a bit of a coup for Colgate as Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town was performing in a Manhattan studio several blocks away. This was featured in Life Magazine at the time and was early in the vessel's active lifetime.

tjs
Next - Maiden Voyage

BIG U Revisited IV

The S.S. UNITED STATES was built at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. in Newport News, Virginia which makes up part of the Hampton Roads. Her maiden voyage was in July 1952 and she was active until 1969 during which time she would make periodic visits to the "yard" for routine drydocking. When out of the "yard" it was an overnight sailing back to New York and an ideal opportunity for shipboard entertaining. Our Norfolk District Manager was a good old boy with many friends and clients in the tobacco industry and tobacco was the number one export from Norfolk at the time. He was given permission to entertain "freight customers" on those overnight junkets  - call them "non-paying passengers" - one way - I never learned how they all got back to Norfolk but it must have been a happy bunch of Virginians.
tjs
Next - TBA (Mon.)

Avoirdupois

I just read where the Samoa Airline is charging airline fares by the kilo - i.e. your personal weight plus baggage. Their island hopping aircraft are small and the average Samoan can be obese - and weight affects fuel consumption. Some years ago I was going down island in the West Indies using a carrier LIAT (Leeward Islands Air Transport). These were small propeller driven planes where the pilot handled and stowed the baggage. He sized up his four passengers by weight and girth and placed us and the baggage in strategic locations in the cabin so as to balance the "weight." Considering all the aggravations we currently undergo at our airports, the last thing we want to see are SCALES.
tjs
Next - BIG U Revisited IV

BIG U Revisited III

The second (Aft) smokestack on the S.S. UNITED STATES was a "false funnel" housing the dog kennel which could accommodate up to 20 canines. Some wealthy passengers traveled with more than one pet. Seemingly unrelated, the deck chair blankets were two toned - gray plaid on one side  and rose plaid on the reverse made by a woolen mill in the Mid-west U.S.A. I was privileged to obtain several at auction  - still new in their envelopes - when the S.S. AMERICA was taken out of service. On occasion these lovely wraps could be "holed" by errant pipe smoker's ashes and were no longer suitable for the deck steward to tuck you in. I learned much later that U.S. Lines employed several seamstresses at Pier 62 North River (Hudson) who cut out the burn holes and tailored the smaller blanket for the kennel master to use for the dogs' comfort. Nothing wasted! Wishing the Conservancy good luck in their efforts to save our ship from the scrap yard.
tjs
Next - TBA

The Home of Golf

Most people know that the game of golf was invented in Scotland when a few lads went out with sticks and struck a small white thing thru the links as their courses are called - and then struck it again and again. Last week Tiger Woods took home a million dollars for four days work doing the same thing. Now comes Donald Trump who has built a golf course near Aberdeen in Northern Scotland only to find that the government there has erected a wind farm offshore with eleven HUGE windmills
that are spoiling the esthetic view from his course. His protests have been in vain. He also has plans for a hotel in the area. When I think of The Donald's current predicament,  it reminds me of that Irish song -"Me Father he was ORANGE and me mother she was GREEN."
tjs
Next - TBA

BIG U Revisited II

During the off season on the North Atlantic the S.S. UNITED STATES would sail on cruises to the Caribbean and elsewhere. One such trip took her to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The harbor at Charlotte Amalie is a lovely crescent shape but not deep enough to allow our vessel to dock so she would anchor offshore and shuttle passengers to the landing via ship's tenders. While several hundred passengers and cruise staffers were ashore visiting the duty free shops, a storm kicked up causing choppy water in the anchorage. The Captain, not wanting the ship to touch bottom, hoisted anchor and moved further offshore. When the shoppers returned to the landing with their duty free merchandise there were no tenders in sight. So this group along with a few company staffers spent the night in a local gymnasium. Upon returning on board it was reported that some disgruntled passengers hanged the Captain in effigy. But he kept the ship casualty free and she remained that way for seventeen years and four hundred voyages transporting over one million passengers.
(Above excerpted from "The Eagle Blue Chronicles" February 13, 2006 EagleBlue No. 6)
tjs
Next - The Home of Golf