3Hotdogs
3Hotdogs's JournalTo be more accurate, the flag should be flown upside eown on Jan.20.
i know, federal law requires half mast.
Just a couple of brain droppings. Christmas is a day to call people, wish them a Merry Christmas and "How is it going?"
Some you like. Some, maybe you don't like too much, but "what da hell?' A "check in" never hurts.
One of the calls, my cousin and I began discussing my late uncle. I never knew him before WW2 and no one in the family talked much about what he was like before the war. After the war, it was clear, he was a bit "out of focus. Not harmful. Never unpleasant to be with. Just, "not right."
After he was discharged from the service, he had one goal, to move into the woods (didn't matter what woods) and be away from people. To get away from people, he bought a patch of land in the town of Palatka, Fl., population, 400. About five years later, a paper mill opened on the St. Johns River. The population of Palatka increased to 4,000 or so. So much for getting away from people.
In the 80's I learned that he served on a B-17. Years later, came the movie, "Memphis Belle." There, I got a sense of what he went through. He was a waist gunner.
Today, I learned that after the war, he had several surgeries at the V.A. to remove shrapnel. Some shit.
I couple of calls later, I'm talking with another uncle's widow. She tells me that my cousin's wife's cancer has spread and she has couple of more months to live. Next, she tells me that my cousin is with the beginning stages of Parkinsons. He just retired two years ago.
Everybody else is ok.
There are no conclusions about any of this. It is just what is going through my head at this point in time,
Starfucks. Today is the last day of the strike. Can we please honor the picket lines and not buy a cup
of their shitty coffee?
Just for one day?
Good sign of the times. I'm 82. So today, I'm in a heated shed, provided by a merchant to keep
people out of the elements while they are waiting for their order to be assembled. One of the people there is probably in his 30's.
"Do you smoke?" (I don't. but I figured he was gonna hit me up for a cig.)
"Sorry, no I don't."
"Oh. I know most people your age do. I was wondering if you did."
Smoking is pretty much out of fashion in N.J. But anyway, I told him about my cousin who died of marijuana smoking. He didn't smoke tobacco but was heavily addicted to Marij. Marijuana contains more tar than tobacco but it doesn't contain nicotine. His lungs got so bad, at the end, he couldn't walk across his living room.
My new friend had trouble accepting that. Anyway, I'm glad his generation is not attracted to smoking.
Keep in mind, the fuckers have been trying to get rid of Social Security since 1936.
They've been trying to get rid of Medicare since 1965.
They're called Republicans.
$10k reward on the guy. It seems he has now left N.Y.C. I live in N.J. Maybe he's here in N.J.
If I saw him --- now don't get me wrong. I could really use $10k.
But
Believe me. I ain't seen the fucker and if I do, I still won't see him.
A walk through the Short Hill (NJ) Mall: People buying shit with money they don't have,
to impress people they don't like.
Quote, courtesy of Dave Ramsey. While I don't have any use for the man's political stance. Some of his advice is narrowed down to the point where it hits home.
I had to go to the Apple Store (Genius Bar) to get an iPad fixed. I passed by Tiffany's, Breitling and other "luxury" stores and the quote came to mind.
The shooting reminds me of a court case I witnessed. Somewheres around 1980. I was a public school teacher and
I took my Sociology class to the Elizabeth, N.J. courthouse to get a tour of the slammer, hear a presentation by the prosecutor's office and sit in during a trial or hearing.
The hearing was supposed to be the void dire of a trial. Instead, in walks the defendant. He is dressed in jail jumpsuit. To the back of the jumpsuit, he took liquid shoe polish and wrote, "Allstate Insurance, kiss my ...." With an arrow pointing down to his butt.
Kids began to chuckle. Judge and I admonishes them. Next began one of the best examples of criminal justice I could ever imagine.
The defendant was accused of stealing a car in Buffalo, N.Y., driving it to Cranford New Jersey and crashing it into the office of an Allstate Agency. He was pissed because Allstate denied his Workmen's Compensation Claim. It was acknowledged that he confessed to that offense.
Furthermore, he was charged with stealing the Buick that he used to crash into the building. Also, the cops found drugs in the trunk of the car when they opened the trunk. He was charged with possession of a controlled, dangerous substance.
So began the hearing.
Judge: "You are accused of auto theft of a 196? Buick. You state that the owner gave you permission to borrow the car. However, the owner refuses to drive from Buffalo to New Jersey to testify and reclaim the car because the car is of little value. In the absence of such testimony, I have no choice but to dismiss the charge of auto theft.
Regarding the charge of narcotics possession, Since the officer opened the car's trunk without obtaining a warrant, that charge is also dismissed.
(To the officer) Since the defendant and the car were both under your control, there was no reason for you to open the car's trunk without first seeking a warrant. Were you aware that you needed a warrant to open the trunk since you could not get permission from Mr. ... to open it?"
Officer: "Yes, your honor. But based on his behavior at the scene, I believed it was likely that the defendant had drugs in his possession."
Judge: " Then we go to the defendant's admission that he drove into the Allstate office. Your written statement says that at the point of arrest, he stated, "I stand mute." Yet you proceeded to solicit a confession by asking him if he was responsible for a break-in at a residence, To which the defendant responded 'I may have busted the Allstate office but I had nothing to do with any robbery.'
Officer, the statement, 'I stand mute' may be a flourish of the English language but the meaning is clear to me as it should have been to you. You violated Mr....'s 5th Amendment right to remain silent. The confession is therefore ruled inadmissible.
In absence of any other evidence or testimony, I accept the defendant's offer of plea bargain to plead guilty to the offense of vandalism and sentence him to time served of seven months.
Officer ......" Please remain in the courtroom and I will speak with you after completion the day's calendar."
I'm the crazy uncle. We ain't suppose'ta talk politics tomorrow.
What do I talk about?
How to tell my friends I won't be able to attend the annual pre-holiday dinner.
We are friends with a 23 year history, mostly based on shared road trips...... Canada, South Dakota, southern states and so forth. As we are getting older, the trips are fewer and of shorter distance. 400 miles on a day on a bike is different when you are in your 70's from when you were in your 40's or 50's.
Still, there are the two or three "get togethers" and one or two weekend rides each year.
The problem is with my hearing. I can't be in most restaurants because I can no longer hear what people are saying. Being in a restaurant that is packed with us and other people having holiday parties.... torture.
Yes, I've tried the three Costco and two other hearing aids but they are useless with the type of hearing loss I have.
This will be the first one I will miss.
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Member since: Sun Feb 18, 2018, 11:32 AMNumber of posts: 13,604