I DID NOT NEED BERNIE MADOFF

I did not need Bernie Madoff to ransack my portfolio, in fact I never invested a dime with the bastard. I bought ordinary things like a home and an office for my business, and a number of other safe and sound investments. Well, if you have enough money in America to even have a net worth statement, you may not even want to look at the carnage. So, go back to watching "America's Got Talent." Oh, sure, that's one way of dealing with the fact that even though you will be paying more real estate tax to your local crooks, I mean taxing authorities, your home and office building are worth a fraction of their former value only a few short years ago.

Every year, the property appraiser thought my Medical Office was worth 30% more and they enjoyed taxing it based upon that premise. I fought them in the Value Adjustment Board and lost because they have the "presumption of correctness." I was assured that if and when the value of the building goes down, the taxes would go down. Well the value did, but at the same time, those greedy pigs raised the milage rate so that I actually pay more tax this year despite the building being worth far less. YOU CAN'T WIN. When things get tough in your family you budget and scrimp and save and do without. The government does none of these things, they just tax you more.

So, who needs Bernie when we have Barney? Barack is on the attack and he wants your wallet...maybe you even voted for him. BUT, if you are paying attention to your finances and really care that those who were supposed to be watching the store were actually the thieves who robbed you blind, be sure to remember this in November when you get YOUR ONE AND ONLY CHANCE to throw these criminals out. EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM. Yet I see that once again the idiots of our county in Florida have chosen the same person to be our prospective NEXT county commissioner in the latest primary. Oh, puleeze, are we that stupid? Maybe we are just getting what we deserve.

The DOCTOR is IN

As a doctor and an orthopedic surgeon I am supposed to know medical things and have been asked at more than one cocktail party about jogging and its effects of the body. The Mayo Clinic, Stanford, and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons among many others have all weighed in on this issue. Opinions have changed from decade to decade. The current belief is that twisting, turning, stopping, starting, and pounding, all of which are part of running and many racquet sports will wear out your hips and knees. Over a half MILLION total joint replacements are done in America every year. That's a lot of surgery,and a lot of potential complications. It is only going to increase as the Baby Boomers get older.

So you want to stay fit? there are lots of options out there that do not involve high impact. The easiest and most accessible is walking. Get a good pair of impact absorbing shoes and go for it. Bicycling is great too, whether indoors or outdoors. It gets you fit, extends your healthy life, and is low impact on your joints. Swimming clearly removes all gravity and is even more preservative of joint cartilage but does not ward off osteoporosis or thinning bones precisely because our bodies make strong bones in response to weight bearing. This is especially important if you do not get much sun, are post-menopausal, and fair skinned.

In the gym, the treadmill is better than running but allows way more impact than the elliptical machines where your feet remain in contact with the pedals, like on a bike. It's like biking while standing up only with larger circles and more gliding motion. Exercise bicycles whether recumbent or upright also are joint protective. So, you want to stay young, be heart healthy, and lose some weight, there are lots of choices. Some of them may be more fun right now but will get you in the end, or more correctly in the hip. Increase your chances of health while you decrease you chances of an artificial joint but choosing wisely. Less impact...less surgery. It's that simple.

PICTURE speaks louder then WORDS

FAITH and BEGORRAH, Colleen

One of our dinner companions last night at my son-in-law and daughter's home was a beautiful young Irish woman. What started it all was the outstanding meal we had, created by Mark. It was his "signature" Paella which had everything that ever swam in it...shrimps, scallops, fish, clams, mussels along with chicken and yummy vegetables and spices. In my own inimitable way I proclaimed to the table "The best food I have had in Nantucket has been at private homes. Anything made here by Mark or Jennie, our house by the Kitty, or the homes of our friends. Remember the memorable feast in Madaket and another in Naushop which I wrote about?

This began a discussion at our end of the table about which restaurants on Nantucket were even good, regardless of price. There were a couple that I have not gone to, most notably Kitty Murtaugh's and the Hen House. Their fare is Irish food so naturally, let us call her a "Colleen."was in love with the food there. I have cousins in New York who are as Irish as the Blarney Stone and I have eaten Irish food many times. I can't think of ever saying" since I have become an adult "Let go out and get some Irish food." Irish whiskey or Irish beer in an Irish pub, most definitely...there is no better experience. Irish food, not so much, unless it's a home cooked meal made by an authentic irishman, preferably from New England.

So much of New England has Irish roots...something about a potato (Potatoe for Dan Quayle) famine and religious persecution. Mc___ and O___ are very common surnames (excluding O'Bama). The big JEEP company on the cape is O'Hara, for example. The basketball team is the Celtics. You get the picture. I can't wait to go to Kitty Murtaugh's and the Hen House so I can remove any preconceived notions about white potatoes and meat cooked to the point of disintegration. I shall be fair about the fare. I will drink Guinness along with the food to bring out the taste and the fun, but I will bring a small bottle of Tabasco Sauce, just in case. To get in the mood, I shall read some great Irish literature, and poetry, and more than a few sayings like the ones below:

May you live to be 100 years, with one extra year to repent.

We drink to your coffin. May it be built from the wood of a hundred year old oak tree that I shall plant tomorrow.

May God grant you many years to live, for sure he must be knowing, the earth has angels all too few and heaven is overflowing...

May the doctor never earn a pound out of you.

May the good Lord take a liking to you...
But not too soon!

May you die in bed at 95, shot by a jealous spouse.

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT... 60 years ago

We have been on Nantucket for three months and will be here for one more. This is the longest we have ever been away since I was a small child and used to vacation in places like this... The Hamptons (before it was cool and cost so much) or Nantucket (before it was almost as cool and cost so much.) We used to spend all summer in Sag Harbor, which is an "outer" Hampton. My friend Gene says there is North Hampton, South Hampton, and Lionel Hampton where they still have segregation. My parents and my uncles use to take adjacent cottages on the water for the entire summer. Everyone would be there, grandma, the babies, mothers, and on the weekends the daddies would come out on Friday afternoon and stay until late Sunday night. It was play all day with my cousins and going to the beach clamming, crabbing, fishing, boating (a little wooden row boat) and of course swimming.

This vacation was more like that than any other one we have taken. When our kids were young, I overextended summer vacations to almost a month, at great business cost, but they were wonderful long vacations to far away places as a family. I will never regret having spent so much time together with my wife and kids. It looks like our grandbabies will be raised in the model of spending the whole summer on an island. If it were not for my son-in-law's decisive move to buy a house here, we would never have had the chance to relive those days of my childhood, where we rode bikes, did water activities, and hung-out on an island for a whole summer. Their move prompted us to get a place up here, not far from them, but not too close. Hopefully, our son, who is an extremely busy and successful lawyer in Miami, will be able to come up next summer for more than a week. My father used to drive about 3 hours from the city to spend the weekend with us. It is a much bigger "schlep" to come up here from Florida, but make it a 4 day weekend and it's worth it. There is so much a business person can do online and with a phone these days.

BEFORE YOU FORWARD THAT AMAZING EMAIL

BEFORE you forward that amazing e-mail about the Giant Dog, Brutus, that ate a terrorist and got the Congressional Medal of Honor, or the Elvis sighting in Branson, Missouri, there is a very convenient website you can go to...it's called SNOPES.com. Just go to the website or alternatively type something in your browser like "Brutus army snopes" and you will get a reliable analysis of the email you are about to send out to everyone. It will tell you that it's 100% true, or partially true or false. They will tell you the history behind it such as , this story has been around since the civil war or Jay Leno never said this. Bill Cosby doesn't comment on the things your email is quoting him as saying, etc.

The internet is filled with bullshit. I should know, I wrote some of it. Things get started anonymously and pretty soon, we have found Obama's birth certificate, Pamela Anderson is really a transvestite, and Neil Armstrong admitted that the whole thing was staged in a warehouse in New Jersey. The same is true with medical information. Check the website that is providing the information. If it says WebMD or MAYO Clinic, it is probably true at least this year until we discover that sitting out on a porch does not cure TB like we used to think. If it says ChiroMED Natural healing holistic secrets revealed that the medical profession doesn't want you to know, you may want to look elsewhere.

So thank you all out there for sharing those wonderful stories that you just FORWARD to everyone on your list, thereby putting your reputation on the line..." It came from Larry, it must be true." go to snopes, somehow, and find out..." BS or not BS?" That is the question.

The BOHEMIAN by Renoir, the words are not mine

To take the world as one finds it, the bad with the good, making the best of the present moment—to laugh at Fortune alike whether she be generous or unkind—to spend freely when one has money, and to hope gaily when one has none—to fleet the time carelessly, living for love and art—this is the temper and spirit of the modern Bohemian in his outward and visible aspect. It is a light and graceful philosophy, but it is the Gospel of the Moment, this exoteric phase of the Bohemian religion; and if, in some noble natures, it rises to a bold simplicity and naturalness, it may also lend its butterfly precepts to some very pretty vices and lovable faults, for in Bohemia one may find almost every sin save that of Hypocrisy. ...

His faults are more commonly those of self-indulgence, thoughtlessness, vanity and procrastination, and these usually go hand-in-hand with generosity, love and charity; for it is not enough to be one’s self in Bohemia, one must allow others to be themselves, as well. ...

What, then, is it that makes this mystical empire of Bohemia unique, and what is the charm of its mental fairyland? It is this: there are no roads in all Bohemia! One must choose and find one’s own path, be one’s own self, live one’s own life.

YOUR GRANDCHILDREN ARE COUNTING ON YOU

You know who they are, the weasels who represent everyone but you. They want your money come election time but once they get in office, try to call them and you get some child-labor employee in their office, at best, and if you write you get a form letter that has nothing to do with what you wrote. Don't send these bastards any of your hard earned money. DID THEY SEND YOU MONEY when you were looking for a job?

Anyway, throw the bums out. Congress was not designed to be a lifetime career. If they are in over one term, they forgot they are working for you and think they are entitled to reelection.

I HAD TO POST THIS

our LEADER
Their LEADER

ARE WE SERIOUS?

ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL

But some animals are more equal than others. George Orwell was writing about Stalinism but he might as well have been writing about America today. The PIGS are in charge and they take very good care of themselves. The commandments or laws are rewritten to make sure that those in power stay in power, and dissidents are sent away to the glue factory. Just watch how frantically the all Democrat Presidency and Congress tries to hold on to every ounce of power and how those that disagree with them...the Tea Party for example, are all tarred as racists and idiots, who should not be listened to and maybe we need a law to.....

Queen Nancy, upon hearing that there was an organized opposition to the building of the Mosque near Ground Zero, did not call for an investigation into where the money to build the Mosque came from but rather, where the money for the opposition came from. American patriots are a greater threat to the Pigs in Power than the symbolism of a muslim shrine a stone's throw from where muslim terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center and 3000 lives. You can't have a strip club within 1000 feet of a school, but you can have a Muslim Cultural Center next to the crater that used to be a symbol of Western capitalism when EVERY terrorist involved in this attempt to destroy all we believe was a follower of Muhammad. We are now all touchy-feely about freedom of religion and the RIGHT to build a Mosque wherever and whenever. We are falling all over our selves to show the world how "sacred" the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is. We are trying to be a shining light on the top of a hill to nations where they do not allow women to drive, walk outside without being covered head to toe, and if they wink at someone, they get stoned to death. If not all of us Americans, at least the 50% of us in this country who have "boobs" should do whatever you can to repel this organized and codified misogyny and DEMAND that Sharia Law and Burkas are not religion at all but part of an oppressive system that wants to take over your country and stone you to death for wearing a Bikini to the beach or even leaving the house without putting on a Black head to toe Shroud.

The PILGRIMAGE

A man decides to set off in search of the meaning of life. He has heard legend of a great guru who resides on the top of a mountain in the Himalayas. He files to Asia, Hires a driver, goes a thousand miles, and climbs to the top of the rugged and cold mountain where he sees the great one. He crawls on his knees to the foot of the sage and asks "Oh great one, what is the meaning of life?" The guru replies "Life is like a rainbow." The seeker says " you mean I flew half-way around the world, drove a thousand miles over a vast wasteland, and climbed a mountain to hear "Life is like a rainbow?" The guru replied "You mean it isn't?"

MAYBE IT IS and MAYBE IT ISN'T

Out of feudal Japan comes one of my favorite stories about preconception and attachment to outcome. I am posting this because I just received an email from my son who "put me on the spot" about what I have learned as a result of being on this "walkabout" now entering the 4th month.

A farmer and his son were plowing the fields with an Ox. The boy would lead the ox while the father would pick up rocks or plant seeds. They awoke one morning to find their ox had died. The farmer walked into town to consult with the wisest man in the village over what he should do. After telling his story he said "This is the worst thing that could ever happen" The wise man replied, "Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't." The farmer stormed off saying under his breath "This guy is an idiot.'

When he arrived back at the farm he spotted a big horse standing in his field. He was able to capture the horse, the son rode on his back, and he plowed the field faster and more efficiently than ever before. The farmer went back to town to see the wise man and tell him the good news. "This is the best thing that could ever happen." The wise man said in reply "Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't." The farmer again walked off muttering.."This guy is missing the point."

On his return to the farm, he saw his son lying on the ground next to the horse. The boy was in obvious pain. As he got closer, he saw the boy had fallen off the horse and broken his leg. His farming was over for a while until he healed. Naturally, as was the custom, he went to share this with the wise man in the village. The farmer said "This is the worst thing that could happen. " Predictably the wise man replied "Maybe it is and maybe it isn't. " The farmer could not hold his tongue anymore and told the wise man that "this time" there was no way that this was not the worst thing that could happen and maybe he's not so wise after all. When he got back to the farm to sit with the young man and tend his broken leg he saw a cloud of dust in the distance and heard the sound of a hundred horses. A warlord and his army were riding through the countryside conscripting young men to fight and most like die in battle. When the warrior saw the young man lying there with a broken leg, he just rode on to the next farm and left the son with his father where he would live to farm again.

So, next time "the worst thing that could ever happen" happens, or you even THINK that a certain event is "the worst thing" just say to yourself, "Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. "

Let that be a lesson to you.

BURGERS and BOOKS

One of our favorite restaurants on Nantucket is Brotherhood of Thieves on Broad Street. They have a fantastic hamburger, and all sorts of beers on tap. There is a new and modern upstairs dining room, an old and historic downstairs, and an outside seating area too. If we have to wait we go into the shop right next door... the Nantucket Bookworks. There are other book shops on the island but this one has a special something, a quirky collection of things I like, because of my own quirkiness, and a nice children's section. The entire ambiance reminds me of another of my favorite book stores, the Main Book Shop in Aspen, Colorado.

Tonight after a casual dinner upstairs in the bright part of Brotherhood with the full height ceiling and less noise, we strolled by the Nantucket Bookworks and bought three books. Two of them were children's mystery stories based in Nantucket...gifts for some visiting young ladies. The third one was entitled "Thoreau and the Art of Life." I am sure you are all familiar with his work, his most famous is Walden and another favorite of mine is an essay "On Civil Disobedience." "Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves." Remember this as you turn over your freedom to the government in exchange for imaginary security.

COLD DAY in AUGUST

We have been in Nantucket since the beginning of June. The weather has been fantastic, except for that one week excursion into HELL in July when everyone on the island stormed the Marine Home Center, the place where fairness prevails, to get their Air Conditioners. These past two days we have gone the other way into cold and rainy. If the whole summer were like this I would demand a refund but this New England Sunshine is supposed to last only a few days. I hear Seattle is like this. No wonder they drink a gallon of coffee a day to ward off depression. If Sarasota got this weather for a few days during August, maybe the plants would survive.

My MacBookPro laptop went tits-up on me yesterday. It had given me some warnings and I backed up my business files to thumb drives (no eternal hard drive with me here) before the screen tuned into a Lava Lamp. White-blue-green-black... the local computer store has a MAC certified technician who can get to it in 3 days for $50 to see what's wrong with it. Then they get a part shipped, then they fix it at $100 an hour, usually one hour, and deduct the initial diagnostic 1/2 hour charge. Not unreasonable especially for this island where Rx drug prices are doubled, toilet paper is sold by the square, and gas is $4 a gallon. In the mean time, after consulting with my friend, Stan, who has all the toys, I ordered an iPAD, and look forward to expanding my APPLE stable of electronic gizmos. I already have the iPhone 3G, Airport wireless router, and the MacBook laptop (as does the Kitty only hers is pristine white and mine is milled aluminum).

For a small island, apparently you can get stuff fixed if you need to. My crown fell off my tooth and I got it glued back on within 24 hours by a nice dentist...$100. My computer is on the fritz...$100. I needed a printer...you guessed it...$100. Dinner for two with a glass of wine, $100. I feel like Rainman where the answer to every question is always $100.

A man's work is never done

SHUTTER ISLAND

As far as I am concerned, a more fitting title would have exchanged the U for an I. The movie poster plot: Drama set in 1954, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels is investigating the disappearance of a murderess who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane and is presumed to be hiding on the remote Shutter Island. The real plot: WTF? I think Leonardo must be going through some major psychotherapy and his analyst has given him homework assignments..."go out and star in some movies where nobody in the theater knows what's going on and half of them don't care." This is the second DeCaprio movie in as many weeks where I wished I had watched "The Cat from Outer Space" instead. The previous one was "Inception" which was far worse and we walked out of it. We saw Sh*tter Island in our living room so there was nowhere to go. There was NO suspense, the location was dismal, and the scary parts weren't scary. If you look at it on another level, the back and forth psychodrama, it was thin. I won't spoil it for you in case you want to watch it (why?) but it is about things that did happen or didn't happen, are real or aren't real... it was almost like watching an Obama speech.

PARKING SPACE BINGO

There are cars and trucks of all sizes here on the island but the parking spaces only come in two sizes, small and smaller. Hence, these two cars are popular here. Their differences are legion. The JEEP is rough, tough, crude, bouncy and drafty. It also goes anywhere and would NEVER get it's front bumper ripped off when you pull into a curb too far or have to pull up on a curb to let another car pass on an extremely narrow street (typical). The MINI has the same interior room as the Jeep, is quiet, water tight, and 100% BMW. You have to be careful where you tread because there are potholes that could swallow you up, the dirt roads near the beaches can have "lakes" in them, and some of the curbs are the height of your front grill. BOTh these vehicles are about the same length so there are many more parking spaces that become available to you.

In a perfect world, I would make this post and friends and followers would comment and tell me why they prefer one of these cars over the other.

NEVER on SUNDAY

Some time ago, the Catholic Church decided to get back to it's Jewish roots and allow its members to attend church on Saturday. Our local Catholic church is St Mary's in downtown Nantucket, right on Federal Street next to the post office. It just seems to work out that the Kitty finds it more convenient to go to mass on Saturday.

The service was over at 6pm and I was outside waiting for her to come out after presumably praying for her heathen husband. It is a clear day but it was starting to get dark...a big difference from our days in June when we arrived here. The changing of the seasons is just around the corner. Up here in winter, all the leaves fall off the trees and freezing weather sets in until spring. Back where I come from, in Sarasota, the weather can still be hot and sweaty in December but then all of a sudden we get 32 degree weather for a week and it kills your palm trees. At least the ones that were not knocked down by the hurricane.

Today was a day like so many others on the island, filled with sweet nothings. I started the day at the Wharf Rat Club where I hung with my homeys for an hour or two. It is something like what I do back in Sarasota with Stan and Jimmy at the mall, only there we are Mall Rats rather than Wharf Rats. The babies had a dance class at the Atheneum (library). We went to see them and I took a lot of photos and videos. The Kitty and I went to Something Natural, one of our favorite places to eat and got a HUGE Turkey-Swiss-Veggie Sandwich on oatmeal bread which we shared and still had some left over. I dropped her off downtown and she did some retail therapy...I took a nap as is my custom. Then, as I wrote above, we walked into town (about ten minutes) she went to pray and I had a nice cup of Hazelnut coffee on Main street.

We are back home now and had a very nice dinner she made with chicken, spicy sauce, three colors of peppers, tomatoes accompanied by a tall glass of Pinot Grigio. Mmmm. We picked up a couple of movies and probably will watch Shutter Island tonight. The babies' nanny, Amy Mac, says that we will love it.... not a slasher film but rather very Alfred Hitchcock. Will report on it tomorrow. I got some positive feedback on my blog today, two e-mails and a very special call from Sarasota from an old friend.

SMUL MRSE ...---...

I WAS THINKING ABOUT TEXTING. It is interesting that the technology of 1837 has come back to visit us today. I remember sending telegraph messages and operating a Morse Code key in my youth (Ham Radio). All those dots and dashes. Economy of words was important since they charged you by the word and you used all sorts of abbreviations... i don't remember CU, WTF, LOL, or BFF but I am sure there were equivalent ways of saying a whole sentence in one word. The young people of today have no idea what I am talking about and I am sure they never saw a Western Union Man walk down the street to deliver a cryptic message of seven words sent by telegraph. They have some idea of message size limitations because many current options limit you to 140 words and texting has a language all its own so that you can say nothing in fewer words. So here's another example of "Back to the Future" or the more things change, the more they remain the same.

SETTING SUN

I still get up at 5 am but it is not as bright out as it used to be last month. June 21st, the Summer Solstice, was our longest day. Sunsets are still the great miracle they always are but in August, they appear earlier.

I heard that we are supposed to have a unique astronomical event on the 27th of August. We allegedly will see two moons in the early morning sky. Actually there is only one moon but the other nearby large round object would be Mars. I checked this out online and it seems that this is one of those great Urban Legends, like Alligators in the Subway. So, don't bother setting your clock. The only two moons you will see will be if the drawstring on your pajamas gets untied. Go back to bed.

Anyhow, we have been up here in Nantucket for way longer than I thought I could "tolerate." It's been almost 3 months. We had a brief visit home and to Miami, several welcome visits to the island by friends and relatives who spent a week or so, but generally we have been on our own, not counting the daily visits to the grand babies. Without Jennie and Mark and the kids, it would not be the same. We move in different circles and have some friends in common. I must know 100 people here that I see regularly on the street, at the Wharf Rat Club, of socially. Nobody rises to those friends in Sarasota that we have missed so much (the only real downside to our summer here) but there are some really sincere and interesting folks on Nantucket who are more than superficial acquaintances. There is a strong chance that we will return here again next year and I look forward to rekindling these new friendships.

Well, the Kitty has arisen, the scrambled eggs with cheese are cooking in the frying pan at our North Beach mansion and after this fine and yummy treat, I am off to spend an hour or two at the Wharf Rat Club this Saturday morning. C U tomorrow.

ONCE A DOCTOR, ALWAYS A DOCTOR

A physician—also known as doctor of medicine, medical doctor, or simply doctor—practices the ancient profession of medicine, which is concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease or injury. This properly requires both a detailed knowledge of the academic disciplines (such as anatomy and physiology) underlying diseases and their treatment—the science of medicine—and also a decent competence in its applied practice—the art or craft of medicine.

Both the role of the physician and the meaning of the word itself vary significantly around the world, but as generally understood, the ethics of medicine require that physicians show consideration, compassion and benevolence for their patients.

Life is short, and Art long;
the crisis fleeting; experience perilous, and decision difficult.
The physician must not only be prepared to do what is right himself,
but also to make the patient, the attendants, and externals cooperate.
—First aphorism of Hippocrates, c. 400 BCE

(TAKEN FROM WIKIPEDIA)

Oh. to be JUNG again

Among the classic Jungian archetypes is the "Wise Old Man." The WOM is a philosopher whose life experiences, wisdom, and insight grant him sound judgement. A kind understanding mentor who tells stories that hopefully will provide guidance to those younger and less experienced in the ways of the world. There are many examples in literature from Merlin to Obe Wan Kenobe or Yoda.

In psychology, he is known as SENEX (the word means older, not senile) and is the opposite of the Puer Aeternus (the perpetual child). Many older folks, some of whom might be your relatives, like to think of themselves as wise and scholarly, willing to mentor, and overflowing with "just the right story" to prove a point...like a parable from the Bible. Alas, in our American society, the Senex, is not even a close second to Linsey Lohan on the influential scale. We worship the young and the advice they have to give, that comes from nowhere. We have those great philosophers... Robert Pattison, Miley Cyrus, and Barack Obama . Every time I turn on my computer and go to Comcast.com...I get to select a video on FanCast of something earthshaking that is happening in our world... like Jennifer Aniston is going to have a baby but she does not need a "man" in her life (well maybe for a few moments). If this is what passes of wisdom in our world, then we are truly F'd. Like fruit, there is an expiration or "best-if-used-by" date on the WOM resource. Sometimes wisdom disappears and is replaced by rigidity and repetition. So, if you have one of these guys in your life, taste of the wisdom while it is ripe, and don't wait until Senex is overtaken by Senility. On the good side, when a WOM is included in society or family life, the fruit stays fresh longer.

BEAUTY is more than SKIN DEEP

The number one most common Tattoo is Harley Davidson. More people have permanently inked the H-D logo to their skin that any other American symbol. That is because there are so many dyed-in-the-wool Harley Riders out there. There are not that many members of the Wharf Rats, a very special club in Nantucket. But, that does not make them any less rabidly proud of their club. A member, and friend, who is the daughter of an artist, and a bit of a flower child, has had tattoos ever since I have known her...on her ankle and her foot. She arrived this morning on the dock sporting this new tattoo. It is the official flag (Burgee) of the Wharf Rats. It demonstrates her commitment to the club. There were a few raised eyebrows and a couple of questions especially from an Admiral (member) who still has a great deal of military bearing. But I think it's great. I don't think I will ever have a tattoo...for two reasons...I probably will be allergic to the ink, and I really can't think of anything I care enough about except my family, to have it tattooed on my skin forever. I just might just get a Henna one of something...maybe a Kitty.

WAILING WALL

A newspaper reporter was watching "visitors" to the Wailing Wall in preparation for an article she was writing. Every day she saw the same man go up to the wall and wedge a small piece of paper into a crevice in the wall. He would pray a few moments and then leave. She watched him do this for several weeks. One day, she decided to ask him what he was doing. He said "I am writing prayers and requests on these little bits of paper and leaving them in the wall." She asked "And have your prayers been answered?" He said..."No. It's like talking to an F'ing wall."

I checked my Blog for comments for the past month and have concluded that writing a Blog is "Like talking to an F'ing wall." If you read this, at least phone or write me an e-mail if you do not wish to post a comment.

The GREAT Half-White HOPE

The great One Term Wonder is in deep water. Even the liberal Democrats have turned their back on him because he is "not liberal enough." Republicans have always found him to be an empty suit, and now the "Independents" are Rushing to the Right. Unless the Republicans "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory" by promoting and eventually electing through the primary process their candidate, one in the mold of McCain or Dole...someone who is propped up and feeble. Being of Medicare age myself, I do understand that wisdom can come with age and experience, but senility and rigidity also do, along with their traveling companion "senior moments".

Please, you Republicans out there, make your nominee for president someone who is non-controversial, non-senile, and in step with the 21st century, not someone who can't figure out how to turn on a computer, not to mention being familiar with the terms Google, Facebook, MySpace, and whose musical tastes on an iPod (if they know how to use one) did not stop with Tommy Dorsey.

ABO (anyone but Obama) will win in 2012 if that anyone is intelligent and mainstream. Just keep it simple...some middle aged white guy who has a Blackberry and held a responsible job like Governor and has not written anything that could paint him as a nut-job. The Republicans can't lose against the awful record of Obama and his complete disregard for the will of the average American...unless the GOP resurrects some re-tread old geezer war-hero like they did twice before. My God, there has to be someone out there who can stand without tipping over, use both arms, and operate electronics. I think Romney fits the bill. He's nothing special but he is not going to go out of his way to HARM America the way our current president is Hell bent on doing. And that's what the people want.

ORACLE at DELPHI

The Oracle of Delphi dates back to 1400 BC. It was the most important shrine in all Greece. Built around a sacred spring, Delphi was considered to be the center of the world. In classic Greek mythology, it was chosen by Zeus and became the Temple of Apollo. The Greeks believed that the god, Apollo spoke through the Oracle. People came from all over Greece and beyond to have their questions about the future answered by the Pythia (Oracle), the priestess of Apollo. And her answers, covered every imaginable subject. The answers were often difficult to understand, kind of like a politician. Arguments over the correct interpretation of an oracle were common, but the oracle was always happy to give another prophecy if more gold was provided. (Another political similarity). The lack of a strict religious dogma associated with the worship of Greek gods also encouraged scholars to congregate at Delphi, and it became a focal point for intellectual enquiry, as well as an occasional meeting place where rivals could negotiate. It was neutral ground. The temple was therefore not just for visiting the Oracle but a gathering place for philosophers. All Greek states would send rich gifts to keep the Oracle on their side. As a result, the Temple had huge collections of gold and valuable artworks. It finally came to an end in the 4th century AD when an anti-pagan Christian Roman Emperor put the oracle out of business.

LINK of the DAY

http://lucianne.com/article/?pageid=i_want_your_money

It's NOT FAIR, Boo Hoo

Last month I wrote about my experience at Marine Home Center and trying to buy an air conditioner. Despite having every credit card known to man and visiting Marine Home Center several times prior to the arrival of the shipment, I could not pre-order an A/C because it would not be "FAIR" to other people... What people... those without a credit card or a phone? I never learned how it would be not fair but suffice it to say I queued up and got my air conditioner and it still works great on hot days (rare).

Today we went to a really great lecture at the Great Harbor Yacht Club here on Nantucket. It was a presentation by Robert Ballard, oceanographer and discoverer of the Titanic, among other things. It was very informative. The lecture started at 3 pm and we got there at 2:45 so we could get a good seat. At about 3:05 a woman came up the isle and pointed to some empty seats next to us that had been saved by a man and his wife who came about the same time we did. Upon finding out that the seats were indeed "unavailable" she proclaimed in all seriousness..."It's not fair." WTF? Not fair to whom? Someone who arrived late? I guess it would not be fair if she had tickets to a plane flight that was scheduled to depart at 3:00 and she missed the flight because she arrived after it took off. I don't know, but this whole fairness thing needs resolution. I suggest we set up a cabinet level agency... "the Ministry of Fairness." Whenever a situation arose like the aforementioned, there would be an 800 number that the aggrieved party could call to get Fairness administered at the federal level so we would not have to deal with these things on a one on one basis. It would be only FAIR.

Ka BOOM

From our Balcony at North Beach. The fireworks went on for a half hour and were spectacular. It really brings out the "kid" in you except we never had fireworks this good when I was growing up. Mostly we had cherry bombs and ash-cans and blew up all sorts of things. There were roman candles and the occasional bottle rocket. If we did now, what we did then, I would be in Jail. We never blew up mailboxes or anything we thought could be dangerous to others (we were wrong at times) but it was more participatory and less voyeuristic that what passes for fireworks today. but then again, in today's world...most things are watched rather than done.

THAR she BLOWS

Took this picture as I was walking back from Brant Point today. It is about 1/4 mile from our house to the beach there. Typical of Nantucket, this weather vane was on the roof of a house on Easton Street. Whales are a constantly recurring theme here on the island due to the island's history of Whaling. It put Nantucket "on the map" but these days the island is about real estate and tourism. Though it is only 15 x 5 miles big, it has to accommodate a large population of tourists, particularly now, just before all the little bastards go back to school. I was no particularly fond of the throngs at Brant Point watching the parade of wooden boats.. but the spectacle was sufficiently interesting so as to nullify the mob-scene ambiance. A short 5 minute drive from here...we might be the only people in sight.

Last night, the Boston Pops performed at Jetties Beach...also about 1/2 mile from our house. We did not attend but we could watch the fireworks from our porch. They were huge and among the best we have ever seen.

WHALE or HO

I am thoroughly enjoying my time in Nantucket. You do not get much of a sense of phoniness up here. Most of the people are a little impressed with their history but then again they do have a lot of history that is well...historic. One thing that is quite pervasive is their pride in their WHALING industry. They killed a lot of whales to get the oil. There is a Whaling Museum and the local school teams are known as The Whalers. (no relation to Bob Marley's Wailers.) All well and good. I am not one of those revisionist people who have to rewrite all the text books to remove things from our past history that are not politically correct (PC) today. You know that there are lots of folks who prefer to think of Christopher Columbus not as the discoverer of the New World but rather the raper and pillager of indigenous peoples. These same people condemn everyone south of the Mason Dixon line who might want to belong to a historic group related to the Civil War. Many of these phony revisionists are residents of the great state of Massachusetts and some have even held political office.

To them I say phooey! Whaling was a very important part of the history of Nantucket. It was back in the days when we needed oil to light lamps as petroleum was not available (the same people who hate Columbus also hate petroleum) and rather than sit in the dark, they killed whales. Today we are more enlightened. Now we only kill people in far away countries. Anyhow, I am in favor of not rewriting history to suit the sensibilities of tree huggers and hippies and calling Columbus anything but the discoverer of America, the South as an equal part of the USA, and Whaling as something we used to do before we got PC, except in Japan where they still kill whales for whatever reason...probably to make aphrodisiacs.

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE the more they remain the same

This photo of ME was taken almost 60 years ago in the Hamptons (the part of Long Island just southwest of here) on a bluff overlooking the sea. I am riding a Raleigh bike with a wicker basket with Khaki shorts, and a plaid shirt. In Nantucket in 2010, I ride a similar bike in similar clothes along a similar coastline. They sell the "official" Nantucket wicker basket at the local bike shop. It's the same basket. Put a little Rosemary Clooney or Perry Como on the ipod and I could be easily transported back in time. What a world we live in. We buy Ralph Lauren clothes and "love" the vintage look. You should see how many men, who aren't gay, walk around wearing pink pants. Sure, it's called Nantucket Red but it a faded hot pink-salmonish color. Bermuda shorts are everywhere. The ubiquitous JEEP Wrangler, reminiscent of the WW2 military vehicle, the MINI Cooper whose design dates back 50 years, and of course the gray shingled houses that look the same today as they did in the 1700s, create the nostalgia you may be seeking.

One of my favorite movies, and soundtracks, is "Somewhere in Time" with Christopher Reeve. It takes place in Mackinaw Island which is another one of those places, like Nantucket Island where yesteryear is the theme. It is fitting, that the only clothing stores on Nantucket that are part of a national chain, are Polo Ralph Lauren, and Lily Pulitzer. Everything else is a little shop where you get to know the owner after living here for a couple of months, just like in the town where you were raised. So if you want to step back in time to a place where you can ride a bike everywhere, live and shop in buildings from previous centuries, and dress like you did when you were a child in a similar seaside town, come to Nantucket, but bring your wallet 'cause the prices have changed a little.

My BAD (Mea Culpa)

The other day, I wrote a post concerning Charlie Crist, present Florida Governor and independent candidate for U. S. Senate. I found his "neither a Republican nor a Democrat" status attractive. I admit that I was not up to date with the facts. I researched our local newspaper, the Sarasota Herald Tribune's archives and found some very disturbing facts about Charlie Crist. I also found some interesting allies mentioned. First among these is Dr. Gary Kompothecras, the man behind 1-800-ASK-GARY, a medical/legal referral service. Others supporting Crist were former Republican politicians Lisa Carlton, and John McKay. The most surprising is Former Sheriff Charlie Wells who has an outstanding reputation for being one of the squarest shooters in our state...kind of the Joe Arpaio of Florida.

Anyway, I am really torn now. Some people I admire are supporting Crist, and others who are in his camp are, in my opinion, bottom feeders. I guess I will have to do more homework. The articles from SHT also say that some of his biggest supporters are Trial Lawyers, traditionally Democrat supporters. This does not speak well for Crist. I can't think of the last time when I was on the same side as the Trial Lawyers. Individual ones, yes, but the group as a whole and the things they want for themselves from those they help gain office, no. Witness the COMPLETE ABSENCE of tort reform in the Health Care bill under the OBAMA administration. Trial lawyers made that (not) happen.

At your BECK and call

If you really want to cause a major panty wad in Liberals, excuse me Progressives, mention the name Glen Beck. A couple of days ago, I was in the presence of a young person who happened to mention "how awful" Glen Beck was and how he wished he would go away, or worse. I could not resist. I asked him what specifically he had heard Mr. Beck say that offended him, and when did he watch the TV show. Of course he was unable to say anything specific but continued to call Beck a racist and a moron, and a bunch of other vitriol was thrown in the general direction of Fox News. I repeated my question about when he actually saw one of Beck's shows and and eventually it was revealed that he had never actually seen the show but was certain that Beck was all the horrible things he earlier described. I had lowered my expectations when speaking to the very young and very liberal, regardless of how "bright" and academically gifted they are. I usually counter their opinions by saying..." I'm sorry, I guess I am just not YOUNG enough to know everything."

Believe it or not, I have actually watched the Rachel Maddow Show and Keith Olberman...so that I could speak with greater accuracy when referring to them as narrow minded bigots from the LEFT. It is much less likely to encounter Progressives who have actually exposed themselves to opposing views. Admittedly, this is all to common on the RIGHT as well. So my conservative friends, take some Imodium and turn on MSNBC some night and watch the whole thing. "Know your friends, but know your enemies better."

DANCE and SING

Dance and sing and live to play

No matter what the others say

Those who need to have grand plans

Seeking applause from the stands

As build they must something that rusts

And very soon will turn to dust

One life to live and then it’s done

Work too hard and miss the fun

Nothing bests great food and drink

No matter what the others think

To roll a little in the hay

And do these same things every day

AMERICA'S GOT NO TALENT

My lovely wife, the Kitty, enjoys the Sunday morning political shows like Meet the Press and Face the Nation. We turned on the former, moderated by David Gregory. and Congressman John Boehner, Leader of the loyal opposition and former Speaker of the House before Queen Nancy Pelosi, was questioned intensely by Mr. Gregory. Despite being asked 5 times about his various positions on Social Security, Charlie Rangel, and other things, he gave NO answers that could be considered understandable. After watching him for several minutes, the only impression I got was that he is a squirming weasel. OMG, if this guy gets to be Speaker again, there is no sense electing Republicans to the house.

I understand that "gotcha" journalism is alive and well on TV and one has to be aware of the next chess move of the moderator when a pointed question is asked. A simple question was asked..."Do Republicans favor raising the age for Social Security?" What would be wrong to saying, YES, but incrementally over several years we should raise the retirement age to 70, eventually. When Social Security was made an entitlement in America, the life expectancy was 61." Nooooo. He hedged and hemmed and hawed and said nothing. I am far more of a Republican than anything else but if this guy were my congressman, I would rather vote for the Green Party candidate. He is the poster boy for everything that is wrong with politics on both sides. He was afraid to take ANY stand on anything and left me "empty." I prefer Dennis Kucinich's style. Despite being the most liberal of liberals, Dennis at least tells you his firm position on everything. To make a real difference, run some Republicans with a similar willingness to take a firm stand and have a platform other than "Obama Sucks." If the Republican Party insists on putting up little mini-Boehners to run in primaries, I am staying home on election day. Make no mistake, voters don't get to choose from a large selection, we get to choose from a few, one or more of which were chosen by the Party. You may well get to choose between Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee in the primary. As a result of gerrymandering and redistricting, winners in Republican district primaries tend to stay Republican and win in the general election, and Democrat...similarly. So they person who wins the primary will likely be your representative. Show up, make sure he or she is not a weasel, and vote in the primary. Your vote will count more because so few people show up.

David Gregory is more than subtly biased. The guest representing the Liberal-Dems was former congressman Harold Ford Jr. Ford was much more adept at forwarding his position but it was far easier for him to be so because he was essentially unchallenged by the moderator in any way. He was allowed to speak uninterrupted without follow up questions or his feet being held to the fire. None the less, a weasel is still a weasel, and Boehner looked like one to me and I drink the Kool Aid to a degree. I can only guess what an "independent" would have thought.

BLONDES have more FUN

Chelsea was a really homely child but she has grown up to be good looking with some of the better features of her mother and father. I met the former president, and at the time I really did NOT like his politics or morals and was prepared to despise him. Au contraire. After being with him for only 5 minutes, I was ready to have his baby. Some people really have charisma and he is one of those. After 8 years of that illiterate hick, Bush, and NOW the current incompetent Messiah, I am starting to miss Slick Willie. He balanced the budget (I studied it at the Kennedy School) along with the Republican Congress and knew how to play the game. Were it not for his Restless Penis Syndrome, he might have been one of our better presidents.

I never thought I would say this, but I wish Hillary were president instead of B O. I am so sick and tired of the incessant race politics and incompetent appointments, socialist programs, and criminals in the cabinet. At least with Hillary, as big a phony as she is (Sniper...Bosnia), she would have represented the will of the people instead of running trillion dollar programs roughshod over us. Wet her finger, stick it in the air, find out which way the wind blows, make her move.

As for Martha, another pillar of ethics and morality, there's something charming and charismatic about her too. She reminds me of some New England Muffy with a plaid skirt and an oxford cloth shirt, who when the shades are drawn turns into Mistress Disciplina and whacks you with a spatula.

HAS YOUR OX BEEN GORED TODAY?

I write an entry into this blog every day. Some of them are funny, and some are caustic because I care a lot about the subject about which I am writing and I see so much hypocrisy and BS, I feel I must write my true feelings. Most of the time, when I write these more acerbic posts, I get resistance and second guessing about how harsh I am being or how someone will be offended from friends and relatives. I guess I am not cut out for being a shock-jock or an AM radio personality. I care too much about what my homeys think. I wonder if Sean Hannity has to run his show by his friends or family first to see if it is OK? I suspect Rush Limbaugh does not, but then again he has had a few wives, maybe they just couldn't take the unexpurgated version of things and left. Anyhow, writing just is no fun if I have to think all the time about whose OX will be gored by what I have to say. I know people in many professions...medicine, law enforcement, politics, real estate, and entertainment. So, I guess I can't write anything but platitudes about any of those. And, if that were my goal, to puff up people for the fine job they are doing and how everything in their line of work is "great" and not in need of any whistle blowing or even a light jab, I would just continue to write this blog. Unfortunately, it is not. When I am not poking a hole in someone's phony balloon or "goring their OX" I just don't have any fun. If this is not for fun, and I don't get paid for it, what's the point?

I am glad that I no longer spend time in the operating room because the jokes I used to tell would get me sent to Human Resources for discipline. You can't criticize the president without being called a racist. Life is getting a bit too rule bound and there are way too many OXEN. Mooooo (or whatever Oxen say).

POLITICS, from the Greek

POLITICS, from the Greek, POLY meaning many, and TICKS...blood sucking insects. Now here are a few famous political quotations from famous sources (nameless).

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But then I repeat myself.

I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.

A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.

Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.

Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries.

Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.

Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free.

Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.

No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the Legislature is in session.

Talk is cheap.except when Congress does it.

The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery.

What this country needs are more unemployed politicians.