All Aboard

There is an old Jewish custom of planting a tree in Israel to commemorate a family event. But now the Transportation Minister wants to build a rail stop in the Old City and name it after Trump. It will cost $700 million and take five years of digging, etc. The next challenge would be to have the trains run on time. Benito Mussolini tried to have his trains run on time and you know what happened to him. Good luck Transportation Minister Katz!

tjs

The Word of the Year

This is the season when all the various dictionaries proclaim their "word" of the year 2017. My vote is a tie:
A - "process" - day after day the drone goes on from the W.H. podium, processing the various processes ad nauseum.
B - "inappropriate" might seem more appropriate in light of current news highlights.
You are entitled to your own favorite which will be forgotten in the New Year.
tjs

Local Color

The NYTimes travel section offered suggestions for bar hopping when traveling. Avoid the hotel bars and seek out the bartenders to recommend where the locals imbibe. Some years ago some friends and I were bareboating in New England waters and we put in to New Bedford, Mass. an old whaling port. Seeking local color, we four entered a local establishment and my friend began chatting up a "local" at the bar, saying how impressed we were with the town and its whaling museum. The gent turned to us and said "This town sucks!" We beat a hasty retreat and hoisted the anchor. Color me blue!
tjs

Disney's Hall of Presidents

Disney's Hall of Presidents in the Magic Kingdom is set to reopen adding a "likeness" of Donald Trump which some say resembles actor Jon Voight. He stands between Grant and Lincoln - the "fifty" and the "five" and the arm gestures are spot on but the rest reflects the revenge of a Democratic makeup man. At first he had a silent role but that would never do. Madame Tussaud at her wax museum in Orlando was heard tittering - her Trump is better looking but has to stay out of the
sun - like Icarus. Disney is expecting too much Magic in their Kingdom.
tjs

Lend me Your Ear

A movie with an interesting background is set for release at Christmas - titled "All the Money in the World." It involves the family of J. Paul Getty, an oil baron of the last century. It seems his teenage grandson was kidnapped in Italy in 1973 and the culprits demanded $17 million in ransom which the old man refused to pay. They held the boy for five months during negotiations eventually cutting off his ear and mailing it to a Rome newspaper to prove their point. Eventually, the lad was released for $3million. The background drama to making this film was that Kevin Spacey was replaced by Christopher Plummer, age 88 with little time for splicing. The basic story called to mind O. Henry's "The ransom of red chief" but in that the kidnapped boy drove his captors crazy and they paid the parents to take back their son. Getty III wasn't so lucky in Italy.
tjs

Women Power

This is the year of the Women - not just on magazine covers. They actually carried the day in Alabama.  But one hundred years ago there was another convergence of power. It was the year 1920 and the Temperance ladies joined with the Suffragettes and the result was Prohibition and the Women's vote. Hard to believe that Prohibition lasted thirteen years - one can get awfully thirsty - but it indicates the power women can wield when you turn them loose. I stand in awe!
tjs

Eat Mor Chikin

A church in the Old City of Philadelphia has displayed a live Nativity scene since 1973. But a few nights ago, Stormy the Cow broke out of her enclosure and went for a stroll in the neighborhood. At first she refused to be "cowed" but police and a farm vet convinced her to return to her stable setting. They never did find out what was her "beef".
tjs

Hot Holiday Toys

You parents will recall the fever for Cabbage Patch Kids & Beanie Babies. This year's hot holiday toy is called the "Fingerling" - a five inch toy monkey that grips your finger with its legs and arms - it babbles, blows kisses and blinks its eyes. But wait - that's not all - press the Fingerling's head and it passes gas! - the dream toy of every adolescent boy. Priced at $15. Walmart is stocking up. Was thinking if Santa has a rough trip this year, if you don't hear him land on the roof, you might smell him coming down the chimney. Forget the milk and cookies. For an attempt at propriety, the ads are only displaying the index finger. This announcement courtesy of the Sunday
Business Section of the NY Times. The Old Grey Lady actually used the phrase "a $15. farting monkey." And on Sunday!
tjs

Noel Coward

As a closet Anglophile, I have always enjoyed Noel  Coward's long list of music that he authored. Someone once asked him to write something "quintessentially" British and he composed the following about his favorite pub "The Rose & Crown".
"Saturday night at the Rose & Crown is just the place to be - soldiers and sailors - tinkers and tailors - out on the town for a bit of a spree if you're - weary of life with your husband or wife - and the kids are getting you down - things will all turn right on Saturday night - at the Rose & Crown." Buy me a pint and I'll sing you the melody.
tjs

Mind Your Ps & Queues

Sarah Lyall spent seventeen years in London as the NYTimes correspondent. With British royalty again in the news, her column last Saturday recalled a reception attended by a friend some years ago. It seemed that the Queen was a surprise guest and a reception line was hastily arranged. Her friend had not yet had dinner but she had had several glasses of champagne. As she reached the Queen, the monarch greeted her with "I understand that you're from Texas." The friend, confused by the Queen's clipped accent, thought she said "Have you paid your taxes?" Replying to such a personal question by a British Monarch, the guest uttered "No taxation without representation".
And that was the end of the conversation.....but a diplomatic brouhaha was avoided.
tjs

Bitcoin

Bitcoin - very much in the news again is also known as crypto currency - is very popular with smugglers and others interested in committing fraud. It has no regulation - fluctuates wildly - and Goldman Sachs won't touch it. But it does away with paper currency. Michael Bloomberg, being interviewed, mentioned that China is trying to do away with cash. The beggars on the street don't accept cash. They show donors a sign with their code number and well wishers flash their iphone to donate their offering. All nice and clean. One hundred years ago, John D. Rockefeller, he of Standard Oil fame, used to hand out dimes. If he visited Shanghai today he would be laughed out of town. During our Great Depression the cry often heard was "Brother, can you spare a dime?" Another time, another place.
tjs

Yes! Siam!

A snake in the grass? No, more likely in your toilet. Heavy rains in Bangkok, Thailand bring a surge in the number of snakes seeking refuge indoors. The fire and rescue department has received over 31,000 calls for help in removing snakes so far this year. This city of 8.2 million has expanded into formerly wild lands and the new housing is encroaching on the creatures' domain. The eight foot python emerging from a resident's toilet was not named Monty. One native wrote "There's an old saying that if you encounter a snake, you will meet your soul mate." The bite victim replied "I'd rather be a widow."
tjs

Don't Build a Wall

Don't build a wall - build a fence - in Northern Norway - where the National Railway freight trains killed 100+ reindeer during a four day period last week. The herders - known as Laplanders - are urging the government to erect more fences in herding areas. They estimate that 200 to 600 reindeer have been in train related accidents each year. With Northern Norway's proximity to the North Pole, it would behoove Santa to plan an alternate route this year, and he may definitely need Rudolph in the lead to light the way.
tjs

Lend Me Your Ears

The upper corners of newspapers are known as "ears" and can convey a brief message. After Pearl Harbor, the Philadelphia Daily News ran the Stars & Stripes in the upper left corner with the phrase "She'll fly over Tokyo" which continued throughout WWII. The NY Times runs their motto in the left corner and a brief weather report on the right side. What I didn't know was that the Times runs 27 different Accuweather reports to coincide with their 27 printing locations. So if your weather app is not at hand and you are reading the Times in Seattle, they will give you the rainy forecast you learn to expect, while it is sunny in Manhattan. Bring the umbrella.
tjs

Dating 101

China is now paying the price for their one child per family policy - since ended. With a preference for boys, many couples aborted female fetuses. Now they find that young marriage age men outnumber women by 33.6 million. With those odds even I couldn't get a date. Enter the dating coach and young men are signing up for lessons in courtship. Even the government is playing matchmaker.  And, of course, this reverses the dowry arrangement. Dolly Levi, where are you?
tjs

Did You Know?

The little blue bird that is Twitter mascot and logo has a name - it is Larry - supposedly after Larry Bird the great Celtics basketball star.

NYT Science section states there are estimated 17 million flies for each person on earth. Quick, Charles, get the swatter!

A.G. Jess Sessions, under oath, admitted that all cabinet members use an alias or pseudonym. His predecessor, Loretta Lynch, of tarmac fame is known as Elizabeth Carlisle on email. I have trouble remembering my sign on moniker.
tjs

On Aging.

The Julian calendar on the wall reminds me that tomorrow 11-11 I will reach my eighty-eighth year or as my golfer son might call it (88) a double-snowman. I try to keep sharp with the blog and the crossword puzzles. An old sea captain once told me he carries an envelope in his jacket and when he feels he is slipping he opens it - the contents read "Port is left - Starboard is right" - and that keeps him on an even keel. My solution would be to play Billy Joel's "Piano Man" - the instrument with 88 keys - (52 white - 36 black) if you're counting.
tjs

Target Audience

Yesterday my land line rang, disturbing my nap.
The (live) female voice began extolling the merits of a Medical Alert system. Before she could query my age  I said "I already have one - my wife." They must think that anyone with an old fashioned land line must be an old codger. They know everything about you except the hours of your nap.
tjs

Tax Reform?

Yesterday my land line phone rang. Being the day before Election Day I thought it might be a political advocate. Yes it was a robo call but the recorded female voice said "You are being sued by the IRS and you need to call this ten digit number." She didn't mention my name, age or gender - it might have been my maid answering my land line phone and that would have scared the beejeebers out of her. With Congress currently tearing apart the present tax code, one would think that the real IRS would have more on their mind than suing this senior. Coupled with the IRS commissioner retiring in two days. The present is to remind all that the scammers are still out there preying on all of us. Stay vigilant and keep your maid off the phone.
tjs

Asia Bound

POTUS arrived in Honolulu where they presented him with the usual flower lei. Except this one was lacking in perfumed flowers and appeared to resemble something growing up my garden wall or perhaps a garland like they place on the withers of a thorobred in the winners circle. Now on to Japan. He expects to play golf with the Japanese P.M. Mr. Abe.  These hosts take their golf seriously and he shouldn't be surprised if his partner visits his bag to count his clubs. (The max allowed is fourteen) They also don't recognize Mulligan San and gimmees are non-existent. But, Donald, don't let it spoil your round.
tjs

Man bites Dog

Two weeks ago my blog post title was "The Sound of Silence" - was I prescient? Now we read of a disgruntled Twitter contracted employee who on his way out the door pulled the plug on Donald Trump's Twitter feed for eleven minutes. My hero! And so it can be done! Reminds me of the Network anchor who said "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore." But wait......On POTUS' current trip to Asia - at 30,000 feet - he crossed the International Date Line losing twenty-four hours - Utopia! Unfortunately, upon arriving home he will regain that lost time but hopefully, that with jet lag, he will be too busy pardoning turkeys.
tjs

Piling On

POTUS said recently that the press makes him out to be more uncivil than he really is. Duh!

While people were suffering in Puerto Rico he gave himself a 10 rating. He certainly is old enough to recall that Bo Derek was the real 10.

I hire only the best people! - Donald J. Trump
tjs
(Roll back the clocks this weekend - don't forget the clock in the car.)

I'm Puzzled

An earlier editor of the NY Times crossword puzzle was Eugene T.  Maleska who practiced his craft from 1977/1993. He prided himself, where possible, of solving clues with single words. But on 11/26/86 he "puzzled" me. He asked for the given name of a L.A. Rams football star whose nickname was "Crazylegs" Hirsch. As a keen follower of the game I knew his name to be "Elroy". - but Maleska said it was "Leroy" which worked for his puzzle frame but confounded me. I never forgave him for his fallibility but I continue to accept the challenge daily - even using a pen.
tjs

A Bridge too Far

The British tax authority has ruled that Duplicate Bridge cannot be considered a sport for tax exemption as it did not "qualify because it did not involve much physical exertion" and because it was "characterized by a physical element that appears to be negligible." Perhaps he has never been kicked under the card table by a frustrated partner - where I trumped (small t) her ace. The plaintiff also appealed that the "sport" was an excellent way of improving mental acuity and delaying the onset of dementia. Remembering 52 cards would challenge even a Vegas veteran. I pass. Hail Brittania!
tjs

Amazon Key

As online shopping explodes there is concern that packages linger for long hours outside the home where they are subject to theft or rain.  Now, if customers give permission, Amazon's couriers will unlock the front doors and drop packages inside when no one is home. For $250. they will supply a kit with a smart lock and an indoor security camera. Trust them, like you do the Uber driver. But what happened to their drone idea? Of course, you may have to restrain the dog and hope the cat doesn't flee. Aint Amazon amazin'.
tjs

Primarily Political XXXIII

Trump vs Corker - where does one start? I agree with Katy Tur that Potus is using recycled insults.
When he says that the Senator could not be elected dog catcher he is reaching back to the school yard.
Next he will be tweeting "Ya mother wears Army shoes!" Of course, since Corker has his goat he might have been elected goat herder. We yearn for the clever insult. When Churchill was young he sported a tiny mustache. At a town meeting he was confronted by an irate woman who told him "I don't agree with your policy and I don't like your silly mustache." Churchill replied "Madam, it is unlikely that you should ever become familiar with either.
tjs

Screwed in Paris

An acquaintance booked an AirBnB weekend in Paris and proceeded to purchase the wine & cheese but with the owners absent, could not locate a corkscrew on the premises. Mon dieu! This reminded me of the time some years ago when I vacationed in the Poconos of Eastern Penna. The housing was rustic with cabins in dorm style for eight occupants. This area attracted many New Yorkers who were unfamiliar with the strict Penna. laws on wines and spirits. One new found friend drove 12 miles into town to purchase a case of beer in cans. This was before the advent
of the flip top can and he failed to realize he needed a punch type can opener. Panic ensued. The tool selected was the number two iron from his golf bag. He was about to peel Piels. The resultant explosion coated the bedroom walls with foam. As my old sales manager used to say "Ya gotta know the territory" - and never go out without your trusty Boy Scout penknife.
tjs

"The Sound of Silence"

In the title song Simon & Garfunkel proclaimed that "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls." During and after our last election a local writer taped a hand written sign on the white tiles in the Union Square subway station "Express yourself!" This urging to practice "free speech" resulted in thousands of sticky notes being posted on the walls and many are being preserved by the New York Historical Society. Some samples:
-Doubt is a sign of your intelligence.
-A candle loses nothing by lighting another.
-Maybe it's time to get to know the other half of the country.
tjs
Ref. - Signs of hope:Messages from Subway therapy (Bloomsbury) Matthew Chavez.

Sexual Harassment

This subject is in the forefront today and has been a long time coming. When I first worked in New York circa 1975 my employer had a two man personnel department. Human Resources was still a dream. However, twenty years later my next employer had a full blown Human Resources department with employee manuals covering every contingency. They also held sessions on Sexual Harassment in the workplace - attendance was mandatory - which included role playing. For some reason I was always assigned the role of the harasser. Perhaps it was my gray hair and maturity that gave me away but I really think it was my Lt. Colombo raincoat that sealed the deal. After a few sessions I went out and bought a new raincoat.
tjs

Primarily Political XXXII

Quotes of the day:

President Trump speaks in hyperbole. - Sen Cassidy (R) La.

Re: M.A.G.A. - You can't have greatness without goodness. - Rich Lowry - Politico.
tjs

A Melting Pot

A recent visit to New York City gave evidence of the diversity of nationalities and religions sharing the same sidewalks and bike lanes. The hospital we visited had five elevators - one designated as a

Sabbath elevator and as we were leaving on a Saturday we were told that that car was programmed to stop at every floor so that people practicing religious beliefs would not have to touch the "buttons". I had not heard of the practice and at first thought a child might be playing the "button" trick. In a related vein, the NY Times ran a recent article on a course sponsored by a Jewish non-profit that teaches dogs commands in Yiddish.
As Jack Paar used to say "I kid you not!"
tjs

72 hours in Manhattan

I last worked in Manhattan in 1979 and we returned there last week to witness and celebrate the birth of our first grandchild. We noticed that while the crowds have grown the sidewalks have not kept pace. During our stay we managed to visit the Plaza Hotel for old time's sake. The Palm Court still serves tea but the violins are gone. And they have moved the restrooms to a lower level to discourage walk-ins. A small oval bar sits in the center offering recharge outlets under the bar presumably to keep you from leaving. On the beverage menu liquid Manhattans are priced at $24. and if you have to ask you don't belong there.
On the hotel scene I was prepared for State Tax, City Tax, Room occupancy tax but a buck fifty for bed tax was a surprise. And our Uber driver played classical music for us. It is truly the City that never sleeps.
tjs

Longevity

Dateline - Liechtenstein - Baron von Falz-Fein, the prominent sponsor of that country's Olympic Team, just celebrated his 105th birthday. He attributes his longevity to "the succor of honey and Ovaltine." Ovaltine! Who knew - they were the sponsor for the radio broadcasts of "Little Orphan Annie" in the 1930s - and it having its own longevity. Those Russians in the Steppes rave about their yogurt and the Japanese pride their fish diet, but there is something in that Alpine air to combine with Ovaltine that creates that magic that the Baron touts.
tjs

The 21 Club

Recently, Donald Trump was heard criticizing his team for a delay in performing a task saying that the 21 Club restoration was done faster. The famous eatery and former speakeasy located at 21  W. 52nd Street in Manhattan was refurbished in 2015 but not done so quickly. The midtown location was notable for the metal jockeys standing sentry on its steps each bearing the racing colors of various stables of the period i.e. The Vanderbilts, Phipps family, etc. During the restoration these statues were removed for repainting and patching and were absent for three months July/October 2015. Perhaps POTUS never ventured near a race track and never experienced the thrill of booting home a winner. Sad!
tjs
P.S. - The writer had the pleasure of having lunch
at this emporium once - recommend their hamburger.

America's Pastime

The NY Yankee manager yanked his starting pitcher in the sixth inning after only 77 pitches to disastrous results. C'mon man, this is a nine inning game - and it's the Playoffs. Back in the 1950s the Brooklyn Dodgers came into Philly for a Sunday double-header. Big Don Newcombe pitched and won the first game for Brooklyn. After a half-hour and a change of shirt he started the second game and as I recall pitched into the middle innings before being relieved. He and his rotund battery mate, Roy Campanella, didn't have a weight room, or a jacuzzi, or a dietician - they just played the game in their hot flannel uniforms. How the game has changed!
tjs

A Play on Words

Quotes of the week:

Bob Schieffer, the CBS emeritus, in describing Donald Trump's 2016 campaign: "from the inane to the profane."

Jennifer Finney Boylan in describing the next presidential election: "In the year 2020 - the year of perfect hindsight."

The Manhattan District Attorney reminds us that not every lie is a crime.

Just a few nuggets among the maze!
tjs

Humming Birds Beware

Tuesday's NYT Science section featured the Praying Mantis which is an ancient relative of the cockroach and given its name from its kneeling appearance. But it has a violent side and goes after humming birds at their feeders and such encounters have been seen on You Tube. Apparently, it has been doing more "preying" than "praying". Survival of the fittest!
tjs

Knit One, Purl Two.

In an effort to find some non-political news I located the following in the NYT 9/23/17:
Staten Island, N.Y., usually known as the forgotten borough is under going a campaign of performing vasectomies on male deer to reduce the population and the resulting effect on highway collisions. A bit of slicing, stitching and stapling with a tag on his ear and the buck is awakened and sent groggily stumbling into the bushes - and as the good book says "to sin no more." Mating season peaks in November so hopefully you may see fewer highway incidents as you drive to grandmother's house for Thanksgiving. (All the news that's fit to print.)
tjs
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/22/nyregion/deer-vasectomies-staten-island.html?_r=0

IRMA Aftermath

I have often blogged about adventures in the West Indies on the Schooner TIKI. Captain Ted always said "You have to visit Foxy's on Jost Van Dyke'"
My recollection is there was a pig turning slowly on the spit with the blue aroma of marijuana in the air and no electricity. Fast forward fifty years and IRMA visited Jost and now Foxy's Bar & Restaurant has the only generator on the island so Foxy's has become the de facto command center and lifeline. The popular drink there is called a Painkiller. But IRMA played no favorites as Richard Branson the founder of the Virgin Group weathered the storm inside a wine cellar in his home on Necker Island that he owns which home was destroyed. He has spearheaded relief efforts but did not indicate whether that included sharing the contents of his wine cellar.
tjs

In God We Trust

The above motto is on the reverse side of your banknote also soon to bear the signature of the new Secretary of the Treasury. While still practicing his signature he got in hot water for using a government airplane to visit Kentucky to view the solar eclipse last month. His cover was a speech making date whereupon a pundit opined that he was checking on the gold at Fort Knox. He later compounded his embarrassment by requesting an Air Force plane equipped with an office to fly on his honeymoon. After all, we are reminded that this man is fifth in line for the oval office and we need to have TRUST.
tjs

A Blob Called Fatberg

I know what an iceberg is - but I just learned that a "fatberg" is a rock solid agglomeration of fat, disposable wipes, diapers and other unmentionables clogging the nineteenth century sewers of London. The current "berg" would tip the scales at 140 tons. The utility is attempting to convert some of the waste fat into environmentally friendly fuel. And the Museum of London is seeking a cross-section of the blob for its curiosity collection. Some tourists visit Paris to tour the
 sewers but not so to London. Maintain a stiff upper lip as you hold your nose.
tjs
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/13/world/europe/uk-london-fatberg.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Feurope&action=click&contentCollection=europe&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=10&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0

Marriage Vows.

It used to be that not every Jack & Jill could get their wedding announcement in the New York Times. It helped to have a pedigree or be a scion of society. All parent achievements are listed and there is usually a paragraph titled "How we met". But the following raised my eyebrows: "The couple briefly connected online after a mutual friend tweeted a profanity- laced column from a daily humor website. The groom who was among the twitter's followers was thoroughly entertained and retweeted himself." And the rest was history. Names and hashtags have been redacted. Geez! We know how Jack & Jill met - they were fetching water!
tjs

Avoirdupois

Apparently, AEROFLOT, the Russian airline likes their attendants "svelte" as signified by their guidelines limiting uniform size to 14 or smaller. This rule affected at least 500 employees, two of which successfully sued their employer. The court's narrow ruling was that the airline could not link income to clothing sizes. The company defended their regulation because "heavier flight attendants added to the fuel costs and could prove less nimble in emergencies." NIMBLE, really?
tjs

Marquess of Queensberry

They say that "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!" But last Saturday night there was a "bout" in a hotel arena matching a martial arts athlete versus a forty year old "boxer". The martial fellow was handicapped as he was not permitted to kick with his feet. After waltzing around for nine plus rounds the referee stopped the contest. Dan Barry writing in the NYTimes called it the "fleece of the century" further commenting "The match belonged here - deserved quarantining here!" But the contestants embraced each other as they clutched their million dollar checks. Apparently, the odor didn't stay in Vegas.
tjs

Wine Tasting

For $4000. you can accompany the infamous Sheriff Joe of Arizona on a European tour of Normandy and the Champagne Region of France. I didn't know the gunslinger had such expensive tastes. He could return with an educated palate and become a sommelier in an Arizona saloon if he is not in jail. Oh, pardon me! It reminds me somewhat of the glory days of U.S.Lines when each year our London V.P. (Guvnor) would be invited to visit the Burgundy Region and after much fanfare and tasting he would be honored with the title of Chevalier du Tastevin with a chain around the neck and suitable paperwork. Our Yankee bosses loved it.
tjs

Two Points of View

The following two articles appeared in the same edition of the NYTimes:
-About 71% of Americans over the age of 20 are overweight or obese.
-Sugar arrived in Japan from China in the eighth century and for nearly a millennium it was treated like a controlled substance, hoarded and administered like medicine.
And I thought it was their fish diet that kept those Asians svelte. We could learn from them.
tjs

Brexit Remorse

NYTimes writes that more than 10,000 pigs are exported from Ireland to Northern Ireland every WEEK! That's a lot of hog bellies! I guess this may be reflected in the old saying "Irish as Patty's pig." The flow was smooth when both countries were members of the European Union. Now that the U.K. has "exited" the Union taking Northern Ireland with it, there is a problem at the border and the pigs have become a trade issue. As the roads back up it is too bad that pigs can't fly!
tjs

Total Eclipse

The total Solar Eclipse will occur on Monday August 21st. While the total exercise will take about two hours, the maximum period of darkness will be 2:41 minutes in downstate Illinois with lesser time as the phenomenon proceeds from Salem, Oregon to Charleston, S.C. Since I  can't be in Illinois  I will settle for Cape May N.J. with best viewing around 2:26PM. With darkness you might observe the following:
-Many animals appear baffled.
-Deer become restless - sheep stampede and bleat.
-Birds scatter and screech - mosquitoes emerge.
-Crickets and owls begin their concerts.
-Biological clocks are affected.
-Temperature may drop as much as 13 deg. Fah.
-A sudden shift in wind direction.
Special eclipse sunglasses are recommended.
Lastly, that halo around the eclipsed sun is called a corona, which happens to be the eclipse beer of choice. Don't miss it but pray for clear skies.
tjs

'Tis an Ill Wind...

The founder of EBay, who has some property in Hawaii, would like to create a dairy farm on the island of Kauai about a mile and a half from The Grand Hyatt Resort. The hotel folks are complaining to the EPA fearing flies and odors wafting on the wind in their direction and a serious negative effect on tourism. Each dairy cow produces ninety pounds of manure per day x 699 cows and Hyatt's lawyer says "That's a lot of manure!" To ameliorate the situation the dairy folks plan to introduce "dung beetles" to help process manure. That is one beetle this city boy is not familiar with. (Sorry to end on a preposition)
tjs

Overcrowding.

You've heard of man-spreading on the subways - now we have Beach-spreading at the Jersey shore.
When I was a youth the only irritations at the beach were the green head flies and an occasional sea gull dive bombing on you. Now the crowds come with their tents and cabanas - tables and grills and block the views of folks on their towels and chairs. It came to a head last year in Seaside Heights when a guy brought a wooden coffin on to the beach containing his food and drink. He was banned due to an absence of a corpse.
tjs

Neither snow nor rain......

Above is the lead in to the postman's motto. But pity the poor delivery man in Kabul, Afghanistan where very few streets have names and there are dozen of Mohammads in every block. He rides a bicycle over unpaved roads and tries to deliver 100 parcels per day. While he doesn't contend with snow he does tolerate 90+ fah temperatures. The story reminded me of the situation in Japan told by our manager in Tokyo during the 1960s. It seemed the postal authorities permitted you to designate your house address and everyone wanted Chome Number One. Figure that out on your bicycle.
tjs

Primarily Political XXXI

Quote of the week: Re POTUS - "there is no vacation from grievance and frustration." - Peter Baker NYT.

Whoever coined the phrase "Fire and Fury" must have had an affinity for alliteration but was not the Good Book's "fire and brimstone" adequate?

Recent wet weather has spawned wild mushrooms springing up on lawns and gardens. Don't eat them! Recall the disgruntled ex-employee speaking of his employer  - "They give you the mushroom treatment - First they keep you in the dark, then they cover you with manure, and finally they can you."
tjs