My boss said to me today that he is only going to get $13 a week in President Obama's plan. I had to explain to him that $13 a week multiplied by 200 million people is a stimulus to the economy. I received a check last year for $600. I used it to pay down a credit card. The difference is obvious. The sad part is that people don't realize that we are in such bad straights due to the outragious spending of the last 8 years. The republican refusal to support our president and his efforts to fix this mess is shameful. Their corporate masters are undermining our democracy and our freedom. They are bought and sold!
My boss understood once I explained it to him. It's not about what you are going to GET. It's about the effort of a brave president who will fight to make things right. It is a sure sign of a coward to be against changes just so he can leap in when something goes wrong. Where are the brave republicans? They are cowards and even worse, opportunists. Not one!!!.. broke ranks.
They are praying for President Obama's plan to fail. They are traitors and cowards. If the plan fails, we all fail. They only care about themselves and not for you, the American people.
Our president is the first president in 50 years who has no personal agenda. He wants to solve our problems. He has been in office for less than a month. Lets support!
A-ROD!!
Steroids make you a better athelete. DUH!!! We have known this since the present Governor of California admitidly took them way back in the 70's. The players will do ANYTHING to get an edge. DUH!!! They are jocks! They can play, they can't think. The idiot corporate masters who run our beloved game let this happen. If I could see in 98 that McGuire and Sosa were juiced, so could they. Bud Selig (The "commisioner") gets 17 million dollars per year because he let this happen. We have seen our pastime become a joke. How does it feel to be cheated? In 2000, the Mets lost The World Series to The All Juiced Team!
I have heard and read many so called Sports commentaters actually blame the Players Union. The players don't work for the union, they ARE the union. The union doesn't police it's members, it protects them. That is their job. There is a controversy that union officials told players that they would be tested. DUH!! The union is the player.
I was a union rep. If someone from the company said we are going after some guy, it was my DUTY to tell him, protect him, and even cover for him.
The Baseball Player's Union screwed up by not destroying A-Rod's and all the dirty players test results.
Anyway, I'm going to pick a team soon to follow along with my Mets. Any suggestions?
DD
Friday, February 13, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
An Old Wives' Tale (and a bit of History)
I have worn glasses since I was 12. My eyesight was probably less than 20/20 for some years before that. My mother told me that eating carrots would improve my vision and even enhance my ability to see at night. When I questioned this theory, she would say that you never saw a rabbit wearing glasses. This of course is an old wives' tale or what we now call an Urban Legend.
Like most of these tales, there is a basis in reality. In the days before we understood about nutrition and vitamins, people who were severely deficient in vitamin A would suffer debilitating symptoms including impaired vision. Eating carrots which are rich in vitamin A quickly restored their vision. A legend was born. Eating carrots or any other dietary measure can not enhance vision, but people are prone to believe such myths and superstitions. In fact, since vitamin A is not water soluble, a diet too rich in vitamin A can cause the same debilitating effects. The only thing that can enhance one's vision is technology. From corrective lenses to laser treatment, we need some help from science to overcome this problem.
OK, enough with the science lesson. Here's the cool part!
In the early days of World War II, before America entered the war, England and France were soundly defeated by Germany in The Battle of France. As the Germans planned their assault on Great Britain, they employed a strategy that has been used since air warfare was invented. They would bomb the hell out of them! They called it Blitzkreig. This had two objectives. The first was to weaken their manufacturing capabilites and impair their infrastructure. The second was to wear down their will to fight.
The bombing missions were highly successful. Despite the valiant efforts of the British fighter pilots, they were unable to stop the slow moving bombers because the raids were conducted at night under the cover of darkness. Pilots from all over the world, most notably, The US and Canada, volunteered to relieve their British comrades. Nightly, great cities in England were in flames. After several months, the German's first objective was achieved. However, the resolve of the British to defend their homeland was undeterred.
All hope was nearly lost but almost suddenly, the German bombers began falling from the sky at the hands of the tenacious British fighter pilots in unbelievable numbers! Not only were they unable to reach England, but they were being shot down shortly after they left their bases in France! The world was astounded. The British had found the answer. It was carrots! They showed newsreel footage of the British pilots eating stacks of raw carrots while preparing for missions. This enabled them to see the German bombers at night. They told the world that the old wive's tale was responsible for the complete turnaround and the victory in The Battle of Britain. The bombing missions stopped and there are rumours that German pilots were falling ill to vitamin A overload.
The truth, as we later learned, is that The British invented RADAR!!!!!
DD
Like most of these tales, there is a basis in reality. In the days before we understood about nutrition and vitamins, people who were severely deficient in vitamin A would suffer debilitating symptoms including impaired vision. Eating carrots which are rich in vitamin A quickly restored their vision. A legend was born. Eating carrots or any other dietary measure can not enhance vision, but people are prone to believe such myths and superstitions. In fact, since vitamin A is not water soluble, a diet too rich in vitamin A can cause the same debilitating effects. The only thing that can enhance one's vision is technology. From corrective lenses to laser treatment, we need some help from science to overcome this problem.
OK, enough with the science lesson. Here's the cool part!
In the early days of World War II, before America entered the war, England and France were soundly defeated by Germany in The Battle of France. As the Germans planned their assault on Great Britain, they employed a strategy that has been used since air warfare was invented. They would bomb the hell out of them! They called it Blitzkreig. This had two objectives. The first was to weaken their manufacturing capabilites and impair their infrastructure. The second was to wear down their will to fight.
The bombing missions were highly successful. Despite the valiant efforts of the British fighter pilots, they were unable to stop the slow moving bombers because the raids were conducted at night under the cover of darkness. Pilots from all over the world, most notably, The US and Canada, volunteered to relieve their British comrades. Nightly, great cities in England were in flames. After several months, the German's first objective was achieved. However, the resolve of the British to defend their homeland was undeterred.
All hope was nearly lost but almost suddenly, the German bombers began falling from the sky at the hands of the tenacious British fighter pilots in unbelievable numbers! Not only were they unable to reach England, but they were being shot down shortly after they left their bases in France! The world was astounded. The British had found the answer. It was carrots! They showed newsreel footage of the British pilots eating stacks of raw carrots while preparing for missions. This enabled them to see the German bombers at night. They told the world that the old wive's tale was responsible for the complete turnaround and the victory in The Battle of Britain. The bombing missions stopped and there are rumours that German pilots were falling ill to vitamin A overload.
The truth, as we later learned, is that The British invented RADAR!!!!!
DD
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Observations On A Crazy World
I was really hoping that a new presidential administration might make our leaders in Washington stop the petty wrangling on important issues and get to serious work in fixing the worsening state of our economy. With thousands of people losing their jobs every day, I was optimistic that the president and congress would roll up their collective sleeves and get to work together to fix this mess. The administration introduced a stimulus bill to hopefully jump start the process. The republicans in Congress disagreed with several points in the bill as written. The President went to them in the spirit of compromise and changed and deleted several measures in the original proposal. Even after significant alterations at the request of the Republican Congressmen, not a SINGLE one voted for it. It passed of course, and it would have passed as originally written. I suppose bi-partisanship or post-partisanship does not enter the minds of republican congressmen. What is apparent is that some people are very sore losers.
My big sister Doreen gave me a birthday gift. It was Bill O'Reilly's latest book "A Bold Fresh Piece Of Humanity". Doreen and I are not fans of Bill O'Reilly but the fact remains that my two sisters (Ellen is the other one) and I went to the same grammer school as Bill. It was and is St. Brigid School in Westbury, Long Island, New York. I have many memories of the 8 years I inhabited the place and Bill's book was primarily about his recollections of the 8 years he was there. He talks about many of the same people I knew and the places and experiences we shared growing up in middle class Long Island. I must admit, the book brought back a flood of memories. That was cool.
Unfortunately, the story unfolded into a self serving advertisement for Bill's TV show. He expounded on how noble he is and how his cause is righteous and the precise ways his staff investigates everything that he spouts about (or bloviates as he calls it).
Today, Mr. O'Reilly was exposed as the unintelligent fraud that he really is. He attacked, of all people, the ACTRESS, Jessica Alba for making an off handed comment to some reporter that he should be neutral like Sweden. O'Reilly called her a "pinhead" for this remark and said that everyone knows Switzerland is the neutral country.
Ms. Alba responded on her blog:
“Last week, Mr. Bill O’Reilly and some really classy sites, i.e.TMZ, insinuated I was dumb by claiming Sweden was a neutral country, It’s so sad to me that you think the only neutral country during WWII was Switzerland.”
" I appreciate the name calling and the accurate reporting. Keep it up!!”
The fact is Sweden proffessed neutrality and has remained neutral since 1814. Their stance on this is recognized by the U.N. and all countries. I guess the well educated Bill O'Reilly and his crack staff missed this one.
The point is, stupid people can make a pile of money by bloviating to other stupid people. Bill O'Reilly certainly has. It is refreshing that a 27 year old actress is smarter than a 60 year old man who went to Harvard, Marist, Chaminade, and St. Brigid.
DD
My big sister Doreen gave me a birthday gift. It was Bill O'Reilly's latest book "A Bold Fresh Piece Of Humanity". Doreen and I are not fans of Bill O'Reilly but the fact remains that my two sisters (Ellen is the other one) and I went to the same grammer school as Bill. It was and is St. Brigid School in Westbury, Long Island, New York. I have many memories of the 8 years I inhabited the place and Bill's book was primarily about his recollections of the 8 years he was there. He talks about many of the same people I knew and the places and experiences we shared growing up in middle class Long Island. I must admit, the book brought back a flood of memories. That was cool.
Unfortunately, the story unfolded into a self serving advertisement for Bill's TV show. He expounded on how noble he is and how his cause is righteous and the precise ways his staff investigates everything that he spouts about (or bloviates as he calls it).
Today, Mr. O'Reilly was exposed as the unintelligent fraud that he really is. He attacked, of all people, the ACTRESS, Jessica Alba for making an off handed comment to some reporter that he should be neutral like Sweden. O'Reilly called her a "pinhead" for this remark and said that everyone knows Switzerland is the neutral country.
Ms. Alba responded on her blog:
“Last week, Mr. Bill O’Reilly and some really classy sites, i.e.TMZ, insinuated I was dumb by claiming Sweden was a neutral country, It’s so sad to me that you think the only neutral country during WWII was Switzerland.”
" I appreciate the name calling and the accurate reporting. Keep it up!!”
The fact is Sweden proffessed neutrality and has remained neutral since 1814. Their stance on this is recognized by the U.N. and all countries. I guess the well educated Bill O'Reilly and his crack staff missed this one.
The point is, stupid people can make a pile of money by bloviating to other stupid people. Bill O'Reilly certainly has. It is refreshing that a 27 year old actress is smarter than a 60 year old man who went to Harvard, Marist, Chaminade, and St. Brigid.
DD
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
A TIME TO REJOICE!
As I watched the concert for President Obama's inauguration, I was touched by the performances and the exuberance of the massive crowd. It paled however to the throng over 2 million strong who witnessed the oath of office. This was truly a great day for America!
The concert had many high points including a personal one. When John Mellencamp took the stage, Magge wondered if Andy was there. As soon as I heard the lead guitar, I said "that's Andy!" My friend Andy York was playing at The Lincoln Memorial! Andy York is the lead guitar player in Ian Hunter's Rant Band. He produced Ian's last few CDs. He does the same for John Mellencamp. I first met him in 2001 outside of Mulcahy's which is a bar in Wantagh, NY. We've talked several times since then and although he is a "rock star", he has always been gracious and very nice. It was cool to see him rocking for America!
The highest point was Pete Seeger leading the crowd on a Woody Guthrie song that we all know. "THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND" should be our national anthem. Pete Seeger wrote some amazing songs too. I believe his finest was "Turn, Turn, Turn" which was taken almost ver bat um from ECCLESIASTES.
"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under Heaven"
We are witnessing a time in which the purpose is to take our battered and troubled union into the new millennium and forge a greater place for our children and grand children to have a happy, peaceful, and useful existence.
" I perceive that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works"
ECCLESIASTES: 22
I believe that finally, ALL are included in our great country. We walk together as one nation at last. The greatest accomplishments are still to come. Today was truly a day to celebrate the greatest nation the world has ever known.
There is nothing WE can not do.
Let us all rejoice.
DD
The concert had many high points including a personal one. When John Mellencamp took the stage, Magge wondered if Andy was there. As soon as I heard the lead guitar, I said "that's Andy!" My friend Andy York was playing at The Lincoln Memorial! Andy York is the lead guitar player in Ian Hunter's Rant Band. He produced Ian's last few CDs. He does the same for John Mellencamp. I first met him in 2001 outside of Mulcahy's which is a bar in Wantagh, NY. We've talked several times since then and although he is a "rock star", he has always been gracious and very nice. It was cool to see him rocking for America!
The highest point was Pete Seeger leading the crowd on a Woody Guthrie song that we all know. "THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND" should be our national anthem. Pete Seeger wrote some amazing songs too. I believe his finest was "Turn, Turn, Turn" which was taken almost ver bat um from ECCLESIASTES.
"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under Heaven"
We are witnessing a time in which the purpose is to take our battered and troubled union into the new millennium and forge a greater place for our children and grand children to have a happy, peaceful, and useful existence.
" I perceive that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works"
ECCLESIASTES: 22
I believe that finally, ALL are included in our great country. We walk together as one nation at last. The greatest accomplishments are still to come. Today was truly a day to celebrate the greatest nation the world has ever known.
There is nothing WE can not do.
Let us all rejoice.
DD
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
50 years!
On December 30, 2008, I became 50 years old. Just the thought of that number makes me cringe. When my Dad turned 50, he was ancient. I was only 10 at the time in 1969 and we were already worlds apart.
By then I had already discovered Rock and Roll. My parents were more enamored with the music they grew up with and they couldn't fathom the new music that was pervasive everywhere. I actually tried, many times, to turn them on to my favorites like The Beatles, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, The Who, The Byrds, Bob Dylan, and other performers that I thought they might enjoy. They wouldn't even listen.
My parents were supportive though, so when I was 13, they bought me an electric guitar (a Univox) and a small amp. They paid for my lessons. They had sent me earlier to accordion and clarinet lessons as well which ultimately failed. The guitar lessons proved to be a bit more successful.
My guitar teacher was a man named John Wynn. He taught out of his mother's basement in Carle Place, Long Island, New York. He played profesionally in wedding type bands and made a decent living playing and teaching music. I went there religiously every Tuesday after school and learned the basics of playing guitar.
There was a student who had the lesson right before me. I would sit in the basement waiting room and hear amazing sounds. I must admit, that after hearing this kid, I was very intimidated. He was a chubby kid and he was about 11 years old. We eventually met and hung out a few times. We went to Matthew Music, which was a store in the old Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, NY. This kid played every great guitar in the store and completely floored the staff who were all great players too. His name was Steven Vai. He was my friend.
Tonight there was a ceremony at The Kennedy Center in Washington honoring several great artists. Among them was The Who. It was a moving ceremony which included their rich history, some comic moments by their presenter Jack Black, homage's by several artists, and a loving tribute by the NYC Finest and Bravest. In the days following 9/11/01, The Who were the first band to pay tribute to our heroes of that day.
I took my daughter Jessica to her very first rock concert. It was The Who playing their revival of possibly the greatest album of all time, Quadrophenia. She was 15. I was 36. I told her that she was ruined for all time because she would never see a concert as good as this. I took all my kids to see The Who, including Dylan, who saw them at Madison Square Garden when he was 9!
Music has always been a big part of my life. On my 50th birthday, My wife Magge, all 5 of my kids, David, Jessica, Ian, Alison, Dylan, plus my daughter in law Diana, got up on stage and played and sang "Teach Your Children" for ME!!!
So I guess I'm 50. In my head I will always be 18.
I Hope I Die Before I Get Old!!!!!
DD
By then I had already discovered Rock and Roll. My parents were more enamored with the music they grew up with and they couldn't fathom the new music that was pervasive everywhere. I actually tried, many times, to turn them on to my favorites like The Beatles, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, The Who, The Byrds, Bob Dylan, and other performers that I thought they might enjoy. They wouldn't even listen.
My parents were supportive though, so when I was 13, they bought me an electric guitar (a Univox) and a small amp. They paid for my lessons. They had sent me earlier to accordion and clarinet lessons as well which ultimately failed. The guitar lessons proved to be a bit more successful.
My guitar teacher was a man named John Wynn. He taught out of his mother's basement in Carle Place, Long Island, New York. He played profesionally in wedding type bands and made a decent living playing and teaching music. I went there religiously every Tuesday after school and learned the basics of playing guitar.
There was a student who had the lesson right before me. I would sit in the basement waiting room and hear amazing sounds. I must admit, that after hearing this kid, I was very intimidated. He was a chubby kid and he was about 11 years old. We eventually met and hung out a few times. We went to Matthew Music, which was a store in the old Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, NY. This kid played every great guitar in the store and completely floored the staff who were all great players too. His name was Steven Vai. He was my friend.
Tonight there was a ceremony at The Kennedy Center in Washington honoring several great artists. Among them was The Who. It was a moving ceremony which included their rich history, some comic moments by their presenter Jack Black, homage's by several artists, and a loving tribute by the NYC Finest and Bravest. In the days following 9/11/01, The Who were the first band to pay tribute to our heroes of that day.
I took my daughter Jessica to her very first rock concert. It was The Who playing their revival of possibly the greatest album of all time, Quadrophenia. She was 15. I was 36. I told her that she was ruined for all time because she would never see a concert as good as this. I took all my kids to see The Who, including Dylan, who saw them at Madison Square Garden when he was 9!
Music has always been a big part of my life. On my 50th birthday, My wife Magge, all 5 of my kids, David, Jessica, Ian, Alison, Dylan, plus my daughter in law Diana, got up on stage and played and sang "Teach Your Children" for ME!!!
So I guess I'm 50. In my head I will always be 18.
I Hope I Die Before I Get Old!!!!!
DD
Saturday, December 6, 2008
December 7th and 8th...Days that will live in infamy
I asked a young man I work with if he knew the significance of December 7. He didn't know. I then asked him if he knew the significance of September 11. Of course he knew. He was alive when that happened. I was not alive on 12/7/41 but I know what happened. I know because my parents lived it and it changed their lives in astounding ways as it affected our entire country and the world. They passed it on to their children just as we must pass our recollections to our children.
There are few left who remember 12/7/41. Old World War II Veterans die at the rate of 851 per day. There were 2,402 Americans killed that Sunday morning in Hawaii. Thousands more were injured. It was the event that brought America into the bloodiest conflict in human history. Young men and women should know this and remember. Teach your children well.
On December 8, 1980, I was in my apartment in Roslyn, NY. I was listening to some music and had the Monday Night Football game on the TV. I got a phone call from a friend who told me John Lennon had been shot. I turned down the music and turned up the TV just as Howard Cosell told the nation that John Lennon had been murdered outside of his home in New York City. It took days before it sunk in that a great man who literaly changed the world through music had been taken from us. It is a uniquely human trait to remember vividly where you were and what you were doing at moments like these.
Every December, I recall the stories my parents told about Pearl Harbor. I Imagine a world where John Lennon is still with us. I dream about a future when no man kills another. Sadly, I will probably never see that dream come to fruition.
"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope some day you'll join us, and the world will live as one" - Lohn Lennon
DD
There are few left who remember 12/7/41. Old World War II Veterans die at the rate of 851 per day. There were 2,402 Americans killed that Sunday morning in Hawaii. Thousands more were injured. It was the event that brought America into the bloodiest conflict in human history. Young men and women should know this and remember. Teach your children well.
On December 8, 1980, I was in my apartment in Roslyn, NY. I was listening to some music and had the Monday Night Football game on the TV. I got a phone call from a friend who told me John Lennon had been shot. I turned down the music and turned up the TV just as Howard Cosell told the nation that John Lennon had been murdered outside of his home in New York City. It took days before it sunk in that a great man who literaly changed the world through music had been taken from us. It is a uniquely human trait to remember vividly where you were and what you were doing at moments like these.
Every December, I recall the stories my parents told about Pearl Harbor. I Imagine a world where John Lennon is still with us. I dream about a future when no man kills another. Sadly, I will probably never see that dream come to fruition.
"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope some day you'll join us, and the world will live as one" - Lohn Lennon
DD
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
The Price Of Oil
For several years I have played a great song written by Billy Bragg called "The Price Of Oil". Ever since we were involved in the Iraq War, the price of gas and home heating oil increased as the war dragged on but spiked about a year ago. It reached its zenith last May when the price of gas topped out at about $4.50 per gallon. The residual effect was an increase in prices for any goods that were delivered by truck, train, or plane. We were all affected in many ways.
The price of gas and oil is currently back under $2.00 per gallon. What was the real reason for this spike? Did OPEC go wild with their prices? Did Hurricane Katrina hurt our oil production in the Gulf of Mexico? OR...was it artificially inflated to give the big corporations an even bigger profit in the last days of the Bush administration?
Whatever the answer may be, one thing is certain. Our "leaders" were asleep at the wheel at best and were co-conspiritors at least. I believe the latter.
"Voices on the radio, tell us that we're going to war. Our brave men and women in uniform want to know what they're fighting for. The generals want to hear the end game, the allies won't approve the plan. But the oil men in the white house, just don't give a damn.....
It's all about the price of oil....
Don't give me no shit about blood, sweat, and tears, and toil....
It's all about the price of oil".
-Billy Bragg, 2003
"The profiteers dance, their pockets are filled. They don't give a damn about my brothers or sisters they've killed"
-Dave Drew, 2006
Please...Think, use your brain! and at the very least... Question authority!!!!
DD
The price of gas and oil is currently back under $2.00 per gallon. What was the real reason for this spike? Did OPEC go wild with their prices? Did Hurricane Katrina hurt our oil production in the Gulf of Mexico? OR...was it artificially inflated to give the big corporations an even bigger profit in the last days of the Bush administration?
Whatever the answer may be, one thing is certain. Our "leaders" were asleep at the wheel at best and were co-conspiritors at least. I believe the latter.
"Voices on the radio, tell us that we're going to war. Our brave men and women in uniform want to know what they're fighting for. The generals want to hear the end game, the allies won't approve the plan. But the oil men in the white house, just don't give a damn.....
It's all about the price of oil....
Don't give me no shit about blood, sweat, and tears, and toil....
It's all about the price of oil".
-Billy Bragg, 2003
"The profiteers dance, their pockets are filled. They don't give a damn about my brothers or sisters they've killed"
-Dave Drew, 2006
Please...Think, use your brain! and at the very least... Question authority!!!!
DD
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