The Ryder Cup

The Ryder Cup Golf Tournament is being contested this week in Minnesota pitting the best of the U.S.A. versus their counterparts from Europe. The late Arnold Palmer played in his first Ryder Cup match in 1961 representing our nation.
He said that when they played our National Anthem he had a lump in his throat and a tear in his eye. Fast forward fifty-five years and we have some American athletes exercising their first amendment rights by refusing to stand for our Anthem. Arnold Palmer died this week and I have a tear in my eye.
tjs

A Wonder Down Under

That map you have of Australia is wrong. The whole country is sitting atop tectonic plates which cause a movement northward about three inches a year although the last adjustment in 1994 was a "doozy" 656 feet. And the Global Positioning System (GPS) notices this. The next adjustment at the end of this year will be about five feet. With the next generation of GPS technology and with the advent of driverless cars, if you are 1.5 meters out you could be on the wrong side of the road. But not to worry, mate!
tjs
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/24/world/what-in-the-world/australia-continental-drift-location-gps.html?src=me

A Favorite Son

"Hardball" Chris Matthews was recently in Ireland to receive a Tip O'Neill award. A story is told of O'Neill visiting the land of his ancestors at which time the community was planning a drive to build a new hospital and asked Tip if he wanted to contribute. He gave them a check for $5000. and the next day the local paper announced he was donating $50,000. and while they apologized for the editing error he knew he was on the hook. So he asked them to return the $5000. check and sat down and signed a new one for the $50,000. with one stipulation that he could coin the phrase to be engraved over the hospital entrance. They readily agreed and he wrote "I was a stranger and you took me in."
tjs

Leaning Tower

No, not in Pisa! This one is a 58 story luxury residential building in San Francisco which has sunk 16 inches into its soft foundation which could disrupt the sewage pipes but the real problem may be that it is now leaning six inches toward its neighbor. If it should lean further it could affect the elevators which could render the place unlivable for the occupants of these $2million apartments. Leaners only count in quoits!
tjs
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/23/us/san-francisco-millennium-tower-dispute.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fus&action=click&contentCollection=us&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=9&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0

Waxing Wistfully

Not to pile on but apparently the Pitt/Jolie split has reverberated around the globe. We now read that at Madame Tussauds London emporium "The couples wax figures have been split up and are now featured at a respectful distance from each other." Perhaps too much heat and not enough light. Fame is fleeting.
tjs
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/21/fashion/angelina-jolie-brad-pitt-divorce.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fstyle-international&action=click&contentCollection=international&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=8&pgtype=sectionfront

Your Leaping Lordship

"Ten lords a-leaping" is a line from "The Twelve Days of Christmas" but the real House of Lords in Britain now numbers 810 - twice as many Lords that can fit into their elegant Westminster Hall so it is fortunate that they don't all show up at the same time. Some are bishops and some are peers with lifetime membership. Efforts to overhaul the House of Lords meets with more noise than change.  But, then, some things never change. Hail Brittania!
tjs
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/17/world/what-in-the-world/britain-house-of-lords.html?ref=world

Let's Build a Wall

In 1653, Peter Stuyvesant, fearing an attack by the British from New England, constructed a 15 foot high defensive palisade across lower New Amsterdam. But the English did not ride down the Major Deegan Parkway, they came by sea and the line drawn by that useless palisade was called Wall Street. How now Dow Jones?
tjs

Primarily Political XX

Has anyone noticed how that showman, Donald J. Trump will sometimes turn to the studio audience for a decision as he did with Dr. Oz - he lets the audience decide. In the bullfight ring it's thumbs up or down that carries the decision. His penchant for audience participation reminds one of the New Testament scene when Pontius Pilate turns to the crowd and asks them "Whom shall I release to you - this prisoner called Barabbas or Jesus Christ?" And he let the mob decide. Is this how he would govern if he ever gets near the oval office? God help us!
tjs

Alphabetically speaking

Donald Trump's medical report reflects an "LDL" level of 94 well within tolerances. LDL is known as the "bad cholesterol". But on Wall Street LDL has a different connotation. In light of the rash of email hackings, when a subject appears sensitive the bankers will type LDL = "let's discuss live." Or perhaps meet on a park bench. So it's different strokes for different folks but not to have that "bad" LDL cause a real stroke.
tjs

A Pipe Dream

Dateline - Bruges, Belgium. A 500 year old brewery in this medieval city has been transporting its liquid gold by tank wagons two miles to its bottling plant causing traffic tie ups. But they have now built a pipeline and went to the internet to develop donors to defray the expense. A modest donation gets you a six pack on your birthday but a maximum contribution gets you "free beer for life" or one bottle of beer a day for as long as you live. A frat boy's dream!
tjs
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/17/world/europe/a-two-mile-beer-pipeline-carries-belgiums-lifeblood-to-be-bottled.html?src=me&_r=0

A Sterling Idea

"In for a penny, in for a pound!"....The Bank of England is issuing a new five pound note printed on polymer. This is more durable than paper, more environmentally friendly and more resistant to counterfeiters. And with Winston Churchill's grim face staring back at you, that alone should be enough to scare any counterfeiters. Hail Brittania!
tjs
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/14/business/international/britain-unveils-new-5-pound-note-in-bid-to-foil-counterfeiters.html?ref=international&_r=0

Potpourri XII

Quote of the week: "Vladimir Putin is a strong leader in the same way that arsenic is a strong drink!" - Garry Kasparov

Quote of the fortnight: "What is Aleppo?"- Gary Johnson

"It's not her health, it's her stealth!" - Maureen Dowd speaking of Hillary Clinton.

Attention Manhattan commuters: The New Haven Line will be restoring bar cars on their trains but don't expect a seat. This will create an envious thirst by those deprived folks on the Hudson Line.
tjs

Primarily Political XIX

President Obama brought his A game to Philly yesterday on the Parkway and in the shadow of the Art Museum was in full campaign mode. After 7-1/2 years in office he is now at the peak of his approval rating making one yearn for a third term.
After all, Michael Bloomberg arranged it. As Walter Huston "sang" "The days grow short when you reach September."
tjs

Branding

Companies always take a risk when they anchor their brand to an individual. The pitchman for a Mexican beer is known as the "Most interesting man in the world." "His charm is so contagious, vaccines have been created for it!" But now this aging charmer is being replaced by a younger "interesting" fellow resulting in a P.R. challenge.
Closer to home, KFC has hired at least four actors to play Colonel Sanders in the last eighteen months. Gotta get measured for that white suit.
tjs
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/12/business/media/dos-equis-makes-its-case-for-its-new-most-interesting-man.html?src=me&_r=0

The Hajj

The NYTimes reminds us that the season is approaching when thousands of Muslims make the pilgrimage to Mecca. A young woman journalist preparing for her first trek received the following advice from family members:
-Wear comfortable shoes - but not with laces as when bending to tie them men will grab you from behind.
-Always wear socks for protection from the urine in the pathways.
-Try to avoid crowds so as not to get trampled.
-And buy your figs at a local market as the prices will gouge you at the holy city.
As a non-Muslim I was not aware what these folks went thru to seek and or offer forgiveness.
tjs

Super, Mario!

Much of the current fanfare regarding Apple's new iPhone 7 seems to be about improved processor and expanded camera capabilities. But one item overlooked is that - for the first time - a Nintendo game - "Super Mario Run" - would be available on the iPhone. The news sent Nintendo stock up 28%. I am duly impressed as I write this on my lap top.
tjs

Potpourri XI

If you are in the market for that bauble for a certain someone please note that Cartier's has reopened their flagship store on Fifth Avenue after a two year renovation.

For you golfers a quote heard after a recent tournament: "Golf is fifty percent fun and the rest is putting".

The New York Tennis Open attracts many celebrities and wannabees. Several interviewed said their occupation was "social media influencer" and "style blogger". I have been blogging for six years and influenced no one.
tjs

I Scream, You Scream!

The latest scourge hitting Manhattan is the theft of ice cream and the brazen fellows are particular leaning to Ben & Jerry and Haagen Daz. It has to be resold quickly to small delis and bodegas and is termed as "hot ice cream." Merchants are placing locks and alarms on their freezers similar to those on razor blades in an effort to combat this frozen assault. As supplies run short can we expect a price rise? Perhaps the demand will fade as cooler weather approaches. At my next purchase they may want to see my I.D.
tjs

Grin and Bare it.

The city fathers in the French Riviera are up tight about the full body bathing suits worn by Arab women which garments have been called "Burkinis". They are forcing the ladies to strip down to more acceptable garb. Meanwhile, halfway around the world in China many men are beating the heat by raising their shirts to reveal their pot bellies in a navel operation. It is being referred to as the "Beijing Bikini". Even some Chinese tourists in Manhattan have adopted the cooling off practice. Either way you need to have some skin in the game.
tjs