Always loved JEEPS

When my father came back from World War 2 in Europe, he made this plywood JEEP for me.  I was 4 years old in this photo.  This is my backyard in the Bronx, New York.  I have had a few other Jeeps since that time, but none of them were as special as my first"wheels".  It was powered by a 6 volt car battery and an old automobile starter motor hooked up to a fan belt that drove the rear wheels.  You can't tell in this photo but there was a big white star painted on the hood.  I don't think the helmet was very protective but it looked authentic.

I GAVE AT THE BALLOT BOX

There are some personal favorite charities to which I will always contribute.  Over the years I have given to many more causes because that was the "American Way."  I have even contributed to PBS.  After this recent presidential election I "got the memo" that the American people wanted the government to do everything for them.  The losing (L) party was more into private enterprise and philanthropy.  In the spirit of Kumbaya, i said to myself "If you can't lick 'em, join 'em." I have come to accept that it must be the government's job to provide everything for everybody, after all that was the platform of the winning party.  The natural corollary to that would be: therefore I don't have to send money to support any public-spirited causes except at tax time when I will send more than last year because of a tax increase and the government will support all the causes directly, like they support Planned Parenthood, and Big Bird.

So, when the United Way or Easter Seals, among others, send you requests for donations in the coming months, and your cupboard is bare and you have trouble making ends meet, and face higher taxes and overhead in your business, don't worry (be happy) that you can't contribute to these causes, the Government will step in and take care of everything.  I heard it from Axelrod, it must be true.  I was softening in my stance for a while until I went to my car dealer for a minor repair.  The bill was 2 1/2 times larger than it should have been and was eventually corrected.  We complained that this was not the first time and it suggested that this might be a business decision.  The service writer bristled and told me that ALL doctors are crooks, and that NOBODY is ENTITLED to make more than a certain amount of money under any circumstances.  Paradoxically, he worked at a dealership where the average car costs 80 thousand dollars.  So, I was jolted back to modern reality.  The people have spoken and the algorithm goes like this....  Private citizens make money, some way more than others, but that's not fair.  The government taxes those citizens at various rates and redistributes the wealth. We don't need any charities any more or charitable giving since the government will take care of everything.  And like the mythological perpetual motion machine, the system is self sustaining and will operate friction-free forever.  Unicorns and Lotus Blossoms are implied but not specifically mentioned  among the changes we are ENTITLED to.  

The SQUEAKY Wheel

The squeaky wheel gets the grease.  I have heard this expression all my life.  Of course it means that things and people get ignored if they are too steadfast and reliable.  It's the broken things that get attention.  We are taught, as the "Logical Song" lyrics say... to be reliable, clinical and to somehow fit in,  never needing to get any special attention, or be different.  Yet, as I look around the world with experienced eyes, it is almost always the outliers who rise to the TOP, while the reliable, predictable, dependable rise to the MIDDLE. Outliers go to jail sometimes but that is the risk, but even if that happens, there will always be some attractive woman who will be obsessed with marrying a man on death row so you will never be without someone who loves you, not counting Bubba, your cell mate.

Just think of the great  "Bad Boy" heroes of cinema, James Dean, Steve McQueen, or in music...Elton John, Madonna, any rapper who has to get arrested to have street cred.  For every Michael Buble' in a three piece suit, there are ten Axl Roses, and Steven Tylers who have risen to the top of their trade wearing feather boas and sequin gowns, knocking out the walls of hotel rooms.  Serial rehab attendees like Linsey Lohan, make the news. Angelina is weird in real life...have you heard? And she hates her father.

Even in families, it's the troubled kids that get the attention.  The A-students get a pat on the head and some attaboys, but the real time and attention goes to the truant, the one who has the weed in his pocket when mom does the laundry.  The same holds true for steadfast husbands and wives.  Family life goes along on an even keel and everything becomes more important than the spouse. He or she has always been there, so let's pay attention to stuff that could fall apart if not "greased."  I can always come back later to those constant and reliable things in my life, who like a cactus in a clay pot, never need any watering, or so it seems.  Getting a to-do list "done" and paying attention to the broken people and situations in life leaves little time to nurture the reliable, constant, dependable things.  That's probably fine if you are talking about your Toyota that needs nothing but an oil change every 15,000 miles, but even if people don't need fixing, they need some TLC, otherwise they may discover that they have to be broken and squeak in order to get the "grease."

The MICE have ROARED

The Presidential election has come and gone.  The people spoke and chose the status quo...Change we can believe in, whatever the Hell that is.  As a "Senior Citizen" I have lived on this planet, in this country, for almost my biblical 3 score and 10. Biologically I am irrelevant to Mother Nature since I am no longer inclined to reproduce the species.  Politically, I am a Brontosaurus, whose ideas of what America should be are as au courant as Alice Cooper's dress.  It's hard to blame people for picking ice cream over spinach as they just did. Taking the belt off and letting your pants fall to mid buttock level is certainly more appealing than belt-tightening.  Or so my observations seem to support.

I do not know if the huddled masses have made the "right" decision, only time will tell...time that Millenials statistically have more of than Baby Boomers.  I remember, vaguely, knowing more in my youth than I do now.  And retrospectively, many times I was right.  90% of the crap I learned in school NEVER was useful in my life or career.  Father DIDN'T always know best.  My world might have been better if I were not enculturated with the beliefs of the previous generation.  I stand aside now and watch with great interest as the country evolves under the guidance of a mixed-race inner city former drug abuser, who probably has a secret tattoo somewhere, that listens to Jay-Z not Jay and the Americans.  Who knows, it may be just what we need.  Then again, maybe the fools have elected a Prince.   Not my "Yob" to care.

This past election is my last election even if I survive another 20 years. I served my country in the military, and law enforcement, and I believe that I am my generation's version of a Good American.  Since change is so good, I will go with the flow and be an observer, learning rather than teaching, and adapt to what a good American is in 2012.  Pass the condoms, the Red Bull, turn up the volume on my 2000 Watt car stereo, get a few more credit cards, MAX them out, buy a house I can't afford, get foreclosed, blame someone else,  go to the unemployment office and sign up for 99 weeks of benefits, stop paying taxes, and play more video games.  Now if I could only go back to college (default on my student loan) and major in Women's studies instead of Pre-Med.....I could be on TV like Sandra Fluke (pronounced Fluck for obvious reasons). If my kids went back to Law School, they could prepare fot the future by taking a few courses in Sharia Law. I can always go back to Med School and learn to do abortions.  We'll make a bundle.  Then again most of it will go to taxes. Oh well, there's always California or Colorado and their medicinal weed shops ... I may need treatment for my glaucoma.  Ommmmmmmm.

ADIOS POLITICS, HELLO SOFIA

The Kitty and I put our hearts and souls into following the race for President.  We watched about 2 hours of FOX News every night.  In keeping with the aphorism "Know you friends, but know your enemies better" we also tuned into the other mainstream media channels.  We had convinced ourselves that the Romneys had at least a "chinaman's chance" of dispossessing the current occupants of the White House... Mr. and Mrs. Puff Daddy. We both believed that the entire future of the free world rested upon the outcome of this election.  If the incumbent won, we would turn into Vermont or Sweden and we could all go out on unemployment until QE45 made the dollar worthless and someone had to actually get a job.  Romney was the savior who would restore fiscal sanity to America and the chronically unemployed would somehow catch the fever and get retrained in high technology and prefer to earn a paycheck rather than get one from the government.   Prius cars would disappear from our streets and Coal miners could once again get black lung disease and be treated by private insurance.

We watched on election night as things did not go the way some of the pundits on FOX predicted, especially that blowhard Dick Morris.  There was no groundswell of Evangelicals and Catholics who hated Obama's stance on Abortion, Contraception,  and mandatory insurance that covers both.  The lines at the poling places in Dade and Broward counties looked like spectators queued up to get into a World Cup soccer match or a Beyonce' concert.  The incumbent's lead grew and grew all over America until it became obvious that the Great White Hope would not lead us out of the depths of depravity and socialism.  The power of the Magic Underwear was no match for Chicago-style lying cheating and stealing votes, and "Community Organizing." By 11 pm it was OVER.  We have not watched a single moment of Political news since.

There are several lessons we could have learned from this process.... Watch Sofia Vergara on Modern Family instead of Megyn Kelly on FOX News.  Politics imitates life...win any way you can because morality and decency are no longer a part of the fabric of America.  When the Save the Seals Foundation comes knocking asking for money to support their charity, tell them "You gave at the office... the IRS office." The people have spoken. They want government to solve all their problems and provide all their needs.  Let's me off the hook except when I pay taxes.  My recycling bin is right next to my mail box... how convenient when PBS and Planned Parenthood mail solicitations for contributions.

EVA the One Trick Pony

A truly beautiful Latina woman, if you like them skinny without curves, Ms. Longoria played an amazing role on Desperate Housewives.  I thoroughly enjoyed her work as an actress.  I don't think she has been in anything noteworthy since the series ended.  Her brief marriage to an athlete made her Eva Longoria-PARKER and now she is just Eva LONGORIA again.  I wish that were the whole story.  Ms. Longoria is playing a very active role in the re-election of President Obama.  She recently "TWEETED" an idiotic message...something to the effect that no black or latino person should ever vote Republican because she said so and that Republicans are Twa*s. Anyway, EVA, stick to acting where your intellect or lack thereof does not show through.  You are a fine actress and a beautiful woman but a Rhodes Scholar you ain't.  Once again you have demonstrated that being a successful actress or celebrity does not require the type of intelligence normally associated with thinking difficult thoughts.  I am sure that there are other forms of intelligence required to be as successful as this lady, and she apparently has them. Those kinds of intelligence, however,  do not prepare a person to analyze and interpret the economy, foreign policy, and other issues associated with choosing our leaders wisely.  As for those of us who admire your work and your beauty, let us pray that we can realize that taking advice from you about politics or life in general may not be the wisest thing to do.  I think this is a good general rule.  If a famous doctor gives advice about finance, run he other way.  Same goes for celebrities giving advice about world affairs.

CHANGE YOUR GRANDFATHER BELIEVES IN

John G. is 63 years old and owns a small business. He's a life-long Republican and sees his dream of retiring next year has all but evaporated. With the stock market crashing and new taxes coming his way, John assumes now that he will work to his dying day. John has a granddaughter. Ashley is a recent college grad. She drives a flashy hybrid car, wears all the latest fashions, and loves to go out to nightclubs and restaurants. Ashley campaigned hard for Barack Obama. After the election she made sure her grandfather (and all other Republican family members) received a big I told-you-so earful on how the world is going to be a much better place now that her party is taking over. Having lost both roommates, Ashley recently ran short of cash and cannot pay the rent (again) on her 3 bedroom townhouse... Like she has done many times in the past, she e-mailed her grandfather asking for some financial help. Here is his reply: Sweetheart, I received your request for assistance. Ashley, you know I love you dearly and I'm sympathetic to your financial plight. Unfortunately, times have changed. With the election of President Obama, your grandmother and I have had to set forth a bold new economic plan of our own...."The Ashley Economic Empowerment Plan." Let me explain. Your grandmother and I are life-long, wage-earning tax payers. We have lived a comfortable life, as you know, but we have never had the fancier things like European vacations, luxury cars, etc... We have worked hard and were looking forward to retiring soon. But the plan has changed. Your president is raising our personal and business taxes significantly. He says it is so he can give our hard earned money to other people... Do you know what this means, Ashley? It means less for us, and we must cut back on many business and personal expenses. You know the wonderful receptionist who worked in my office for more than 23 years? The one who always gave you candy when you came over to visit? I had to let her go last week. I can't afford to pay her salary and all of the government mandated taxes that go with having employees.... Your grandmother will now work 4 days a week to answer phones, take orders and handle the books. We will be closed on Fridays and will lose even more income. I'm also very sorry to report that your cousin Frank will no longer be working summers in the warehouse. I called him at school this morning. He already knows about it and he's upset because he will have to give up skydiving and his yearly trip to Greenland to survey the polar bears. That's just the business side of things. Some personal economic effects of Obama's new taxation policies include none other than you. You know very well that over the years your grandmother and I have given you thousands of dollars in cash, tuition assistance, food, housing, clothing, gifts, etc., etc. But by your vote, you have chosen to help others -- not at your expense -- but at our expense. If you need money now sweetheart, I recommend you call 202-456-1111 202-456-1111 202-456-1111 202-456-1111 . That is the direct phone number for the White House.. You can also contact the White House here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/%C2%A0%3b... You yourself told me how foolish it is to vote Republican... You said Mr. Obama is going to be the People's President, and is going to help every American live a better life. Based on everything you've told me, along with all the promises we heard during the campaign, I'm sure Mr. Obama will be happy to transfer some stimulus money into your bank account. Have him call me for the account number which I memorized years ago. Perhaps you can now understand what I've been saying all my life: Those who vote for a president should consider the impact on the nation as a whole, and not be just concerned with what they can get for themselves. What Obama supporters don't seem to realize is all of the money he is redistributing to illegal aliens and non-taxpaying Americans (the so-called "less fortunate") comes from tax-paying families. Remember how you told me, "Only the richest of the rich will be affected"? Well guess what, honey? Because we own a business, your grandmother and I are now considered to be the richest of the rich. On paper, it might look that way, but in the real world, we are far from it.. As you said while campaigning for Obama, some people will have to carry more of the burden so all of America can prosper... You understand what that means, right? It means that raising taxes on productive people results in them having less money; less money for everything, including granddaughters. I'm sorry, Ashley, but the well has run dry. The free lunches are over... I have no money to give you now. So, congratulations on your choice for "change." For future reference, I encourage you to try and add up the total value of the gifts and cash you have received from us, just since you went off to college, and compare it to what you expect to get from Mr. Obama over the next 4  years. I have not kept track of it, Ashley. It has all truly been the gift of our hearts. Remember, we love you dearly.... but from now on you'll need to call the number mentioned above. Your "Savior" has the money we would have given to you. Just try and get it from him. Good luck, sweetheart. Love, Grandpa

JOE HYENA

I watched the Vice-Presidential debate last night in its entirety.  Congressman Paul Ryan, the Republican contender was articulate, informed, and polite.  He was criticized for being non-specific in what he and Presidential aspirant Mitt Romney plan to do to "turn things around"in the economy, foreign policy, everything. And I agree, I would have liked more specifics but in politics that is not wise.  Whenever a candidate is too specific, it is like saying I like the Yankees not the Red Sox, you make enemies of half the people in the room.  "I like baseball" creates no opposition.  Barack Obama wrote the book on being non specific.  His ENTIRE campaign in 2008 was vague and fuzzy and only about Hope and Change.  He made few enemies and won handily. Political lesson learned.  

Joe "the Hyena" Biden was also on the stage.  Rather that dispute his facts which were often wrong, I will leave that to the "fact-checkers" I wish to comment on his demeanor.  He grinned and laughed and snickered through every answer that Ryan gave.  Everyone watching the debate could see and hear him on split-screen.  I would say I was embarrassed for him but I rarely even get embarrassed for myself.  Rather (not Dan), I believe he was more of a modern TV man than Paul Ryan.  In the mold of Chris Matthews he spoke over and interrupted during each block of 2 minutes that Ryan had to give his answer, distracting everyone. Maybe that's what passes for etiquette these days, even from the Vice-President.  Is sure does not work in my house. 

Following the debate, on CNN and FOX, interviews with men and women revealed that the event was essentially a TIE.  Perhaps on content but I think Joe lost a lot of the women's vote on style  Women don't like this conduct in men, it reminds them too much of what it's like in their workplace and homes. You can be certain that if the Democrat hopeful were a woman and Joe were a Republican, the following morning on CBS, ABC, NBC, and particularly MSNBC would be ALL about bad behavior and Misogyny, and nothing about facts.  The moderator was a woman and he ran roughshod over her too.  The Democratic hope that Joe would redeem the miserable performance by the President last week in his debate with Romney, did not happen. Biden was anything but statesmanlike.  He would however make a good fill-in for Chris Matthews if he goes on vacation. Maybe that's his plan...his next career after he leaves politics in January.  

MASTER DEBATER

Last week, anyone who was not Helen Keller would admit that the contender, Mitt Romney, made mince-meat out of the incumbent, Barack Obama, in the televised Presidential debate.  When the sitting President ran on the vague and fuzzy "Hope and Change" last time, we were all supposed to fall down to our knees at the epiphany of his inspired vision.  He WON because we had just come off 8 years of George Bush, and Jesus would not have won if he were the Republican candidate, and John McCain was as charismatic as a mashed-potato sandwich. Then there's Sara Palin, who though a MILF, was less than prepared.  There were other factors like a media that failed to examine the record or lack thereof of the eventual winner, and finally an opportunity for white folks to make amends for Slavery in America in the 17th century. Mostly, our country wanted someone to promise them everything.  Once elected, the President delivered on very little for any of his core constituencies.  To name a few, the Latinos did NOT get the promised Dream Act despite the president's solid majority in the House and Senate. Blacks in the inner city are even more unemployed and poorer that when he took office, and the price of gas has more than doubled to well over 5 dollars per gallon in California. Guantanamo remained open  Sure we got Obamacare.  Queen Nancy Pelosi told us we had to pass it so we would know what's in it.  We passed it and STILL have no idea what's in it.  It is unpopular except among the Obamophiles. Good thing Obama single-handedly killed Osama Bin Laden or his term would have been reduced to three successes... getting Sandra Fluke free birth control, passing Obamacare, and making solar energy seem economical compared to going to Vegas and playing Craps.

So, at this debate, the President was unable to defend his miserable record of non-achievement, and Romney reminded everyone of the facts.  The following morning, the Main-Stream-Media (almost everyone but FOX and some of CNN) Parroted the memorized bullet points of the left that the Liberal HIVE unanimously agreed upon the night before and essentially told their viewers that Romney cheated and lied and created a whole new image.  Sure it was a new image to the 70 million who watched the debate.  It was NOT the image of Romney the Democrat party had been advertising and the Main-Stream-Media had been rubber stamping.  It was the Real Romney and it was painful to see the President look at his shoes and avoid eye-contect and basically FAIL to be a modern day Cicero, without his omnipresent Teleprompter. It was like watching a Baby Seal being clubbed on the Nat Geo channel.

Now we are on the eve of the Vice Presidential debates between the young-gun Paul Ryan, and the professional politician for the past 40 years, Joe "six-pack" Biden.  Biden has to be careful of being the pompous old fart respect-your-elders guy, and Ryan has to avoid looking like a know-it-all upstart who loses his audience by telling too many boring facts, like a powerpoint lecture where the slides are filled from edge to edge with fine print you can't read from the front row. I will of course watch.  Immediately following the debate, the Democrats may go into a back room like they did last time to "get their talking points straight" before emerging to be interviewed on camera.  The Democrat attack-dog will be set loose, and Biden is very good at his job.  Hopefully, since he will be defending the same record that the President couldn't defend, he won't spend the evening blustering and name calling.  Another great Democrat vehicle of rhetoric is the "make-fun of" routine like they just did with Big Bird from Sesame Street. When Romney questioned why PBS and NPR had to get 444 million dollars of FEDERAL money to exist, rather than fund raise or sell advertising like everyone else, the Lefties made a big joke out of how Romney thought Big Bird was a bigger enemy than Dennis Koslowski or Bernie Madoff.  Romney said he liked Big Bird, he just wanted him to support himself,  Since Big bird depends so heavily on Big Government and our taxes and can't seem to make it on his own, maybe the big Yellow guy is a Democrat.

TO PAY or NOT TO PAY

We went to a nice restaurant the other night.  The food was good, the service was good, not great, and the prices were reasonable.  At the end of the meal when the bill was presented, there was a "TIP" of 18% added to the total.  Below that, and later on the credit card printout, there was a space for "ADDITIONAL TIP" on top of the mandatory one.  First of all, I object to mandatory tipping as it does not encourage great service AND it is not actually a tip at all.  This is really paying for the salaries of the restaurant's employees.  Can you imagine going to a doctor's office and at the bottom of your office visit charge slip there is an entry for an additional 18% to pay the nurse  and the option to pay even more if the exam table was not too cold and she only had to stick you once to draw blood or some other special service?  So now I am being asked to not only pay the restaurant's employee's salary, but another tip on top of that.  Really?  Bad enough we get "Market Price" on anything that is more costly than chop meat, now we are pressured to double tip.  I think I will eat at home more.  Save a few 18-20% tips and the Kitty can get another pair of Manolos.  

IVY League

Every year at my favorite sandwich place on Nantucket, SOMETHING NATURAL on Cliff Road, at the foot of the stairs leading down from the check out area, this little feller grows into the walkway.  For those who know, "Leaves three, let me be." Poison Ivy can make you itch. I have stopped telling management and no longer warn the tourists wearing shorts and flip flops who lean against the railing here.  I used to but I felt like St. John the Baptist, " a voice crying in the wilderness."  Now I just make sure that absent mindedly I don't walk through it. "It's gonna take an ocean....of calamine lotion..."

TIME to get the FLOCK out of here

This afternoon is bright and sunny and 64 degrees.  Riding along on my scooter at 20 miles per hour required the addition of an undershirt under my regular shirt. Next week I would have to add a light jacket, and so on into the fall.  Some days will be warm and others will be cold and rainy.  The Sun will set earlier and those of us with Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D) will start to get grumpier.  It's time to think "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" and head back south where Summer in HELL is over and our best climate awaits. Jimmy Buffett sings about the laid back ways of warmer climes but the average mid-70s and casual nature of Nantucket can't be beat. The Kitty and I were saying last night how we wish we could bottle some of this to take back home with us.  There are NO traffic lights on Nantucket and the average speed on the roads is 20 mph. Nobody blows his horn if you daydream at an intersection and on the narrow roads where only one car can pass at a time, courtesy prevails. The dress code is non-existent but somehow the Kitty always looks great.  I am in jeans or shorts except if there is a dinner at a country club, then I dress it all the way up to chinos.

As the old saying goes..."The only Zen you find at the top of a mountain is the Zen you bring there." The wonderful weather and relaxed atmosphere of this island certainly promote a healthy and outdoor lifestyle, relaxation, and being in the NOW.  I'm sure hope we can keep this up on our return for the Fall and Spring in Florida. As for the brief Florida winter, maybe we can take advantage of Miami's extra 10 degrees of warmth. It is amazing how ones mood can depend so much on Mother Nature.  We can fight it, or go with the flow and follow the Sun, like Canada Geese.  We'll come back up here into the cold a couple of times, for Christmas Stroll and Daffodil Festival but for reasons other than the weather, more in spite of it.  And my scooter, named the Ducky, or the Banana because of its bright yellow color, will probably hibernate on a trickle battery charger in the garage until Spring.

MASSACHUSETTS HEALTH FOOD

When I think about political correctness, my thoughts immediately picture TAXachusetts, one of our most politically liberal states.  It's the state where a woman running for Senator can claim to be part American Indian to further her career and get a Harvard affirmative action appointment, get caught in the lie, receive the nickname FAUXcahontas, and still probably win the election against centrist Scott Brown.  All of the liberal causes that don't begin in Cal-e-for-nee-ah begin here. One expects that they would practice what they preach.  Barrier free handicapped bathrooms would be a start.  There are public restrooms here on Nantucket that can only be reached by a rock climber or a spelunker.  There is no requirement that a business even have a bathroom for customers.  I was riding my scooter to several errands yesterday, one of which was to go to The NANTUCKET Bank just off Main Street in DOWNTOWN Nantucket, to deposit a check.  By that time my full bladder was calling to me so I wandered into where I thought a public restroom would be and there were side by side doors labelled "Staff Only."  Locked and unavailable. The never friendly bank manager looked at me like I was Willy Sutton there to take all their money.  "Sir, can I help you?"  Then again I shouldn't complain since a handicapped person couldn't even get into the building because there are three steps in front and no ramp. I checked with zoning.  There is no restroom requirement for customers.

As for the food, though this Philly Cheese sandwich from Downyflake is absolutely delicious, it contains no vegetation (where's Michelle Obama when you need her?).  This is typical fare...burgers, lobster smothered in Mayo, deep fat fried chicken like they make in Alabama, and cheese on everything.  Fries come with every meal including if you just order a side of fries.  These had no salt.  Be still my heart.  No I mean really.

So they are not barrier free, the food is not Vegan, and they have lots of hunters.  IT IS MY KIND OF PLACE, I just wish they would stop preaching "do as I say, not as I do" and trying to elect Fauxcahontas to the Senate.

OBROMNEY

Since this is the silly season and politicians are monopolizing the airwaves, it is unavoidable that I at least mention the fact that there is an election coming up.  Really? You ask. Yes, and just as in the past, it is the most important election in your lifetime, until the next one.  The issues are complex and hard to understand, so forget all those details..  If you want to know whether to vote Democrat, or Republican, there is one simple test.  Which one are you?  If you are a Republican, you sign your checks on the front.  If you are a Democrat, you sign your checks on the back.  Now go vote.

A TALE OF TWO BURGERS

Last year and for many years before that there was a restaurant on Main Street in Nantucket called "The Even Keel." We always enjoyed going, inside, outside or take out.  They lost their lease or the owner retired or something and at the beginning of summer a new restaurant was doing interior renovations in preparation for opening.  It eventually did.  It is called MET on MAIN. We ate there before and enjoyed out meal.  Tonight, we went for what is known as 5 dollar burger night.  At the end of season, in order to keep open, more than one restaurant on island does these kinds of specials.  Kitty Murtaugh has a great 5 dollar burger deal.  We figured that the MET would step up to the  dinner plate on this special night to serve up their usual 14 dollar burger for 5 dollars, just like Kitty's does. A real bargain.  Au contraire.  What they did was serve a mini version with none of the fixings.  We ordered two tonight and sat at the bar for a half hour waiting for our meals to be served by the nice bartender.

Not only were they small, they were ordinary.   The price was as advertised.  $10 Total, which on Nantucket during high season would be practically FREE.  We give the food quality a 6 out of 10.  The service (not our bartender's fault) a 5/10.  The restaurant was nearly empty when we arrived and the manager said we would have a 15 minute wait.  Not enough wait staff apparently,  Not enough cooks.  Not enough meat in the burger. Not ready for PRIME (beef) time.  Skip this restaurant's end of season burger special.  It's not worth the wait.  Even the bill took a long time to come because the computer was frozen.  I think they have an absentee owner and it shows.  

CLASS (less) PHOTO

While visiting my daughter, she played me a voice mail that was left on her cell phone.  Somehow, a man who was looking for me, left a message that he might me my long lost cousin on my father's side of the family.  I called him back and a lot of the pieces started to fall into place.  There is a chance that we are indeed related.  He has photos and locations and dates that fit well enough for me to search my old family photos once I return to my other island.  I only have a few old time photos of myself in my laptop.  This one is my grade school graduation.  Can you guess which one I am?

I have had a mild interest in my family history.  Ancestry on Nantucket is very important.  Everyone who is anyone is distantly related to Herman Melville.  Not so much in Florida where the typical pool company advertisement would say something like IN BUSINESS SINCE  (all the way back to) 2008.  I have socks older than some of the towns in the Sunshine State.  It is the antithesis of the island I am currently standing on.  I hope you read my piece on the visit to the Historical Home.  There are things  here that could not pass any building code anywhere.  The bathroom where only Herve' Villechaise (remember "De Plane, Boss, De Plane!" from Fantasy Island) could use the potty at Fig's on Fair Street. "How Looooow can you go?" must have been invented there.  Barrier free?  Hardly, in the most PC state in America.  Anyway, on Nantucket, the folks who live here, and admittedly me now, consider taking the ferry to Hyannis..."Going to America." Things really are centuries old here. In Florida, the only old things look like Q-tips peering over the steering wheel while driving 45 mph in the left lane with their indicator on for miles.   But I digress.

Getting back to the family history, the gentleman who contacted me assured me that he was not on a phishing expedition and wasn't looking for my social security number and bank routing number.  He also does not live in Nigeria. I Googled him and found out that he was a Navy guy and still plays a big role in historic preservation of an old Destroyer and an Aircraft carrier in Charleston.  Also the Medal of Honor hall of of fame.  So, I am going to keep up the conversation and will soon be in the attic looking for the old box of  photos to see if there is indeed a long lost cousin on my father's side.  There are no living relatives to ask that I remember from my childhood.  Perhaps I will have to cough up some filthy lucre to Ancestry.com to help me out here.  I will report my progress.

Portrait of the ARTIST as an OLD man

The Kitty and I had the pleasure of visiting the home/art studio of a Nantucket artist today.  He lives in Mid-Island which means zoning is merely a suggestion.  Though the neighborhood was a hodge-podge of commercial, residential and whatever, it was a perfect location for his studio.  Just stepping into the home I was immediately whisked into a movie about the life of Picasso, Pollock, or Warhol.  Paint brushes, unfinished art, and pencils were everywhere. The bookshelves were overflowing with great literature, and guitars and digital music were shelved and catalogued and at the same time strewn hither and yon like leaves in autumn.  Everything about the place shouted ARTIST! at more than one medium.  Made me want to be one....again.  I love playing music on the guitar or piano,  writing and painting, restoring old things like cars and motorcycles and I have a pretty good collection of books too, mostly read several times. Other than the Kitty calling her lawyer if I ever wanted to live in this neighborhood, it was a real pleasure seeing how a practicing Renaissance man and his family live. Maybe I can reproduce it in Florida or next season here on island.  It would not be the first time someone was a scientist, philosopher, and artist all at once.  It was a pretty common combo back in Florence in the 1400s.  

The BIG DOG leaves a BIG PILE

In the interest of being fully informed Americans, the Kitty and I watched Bill Clinton last night as he spoke to the Democratic National Convention.  As usual, he was articulate, charismatic, handsome, and wordy.  He was also Full of Fertilizer.  Even the Washington Post, not known for its middle of the road political stance, gave him 4 PINOCCHIOs their highest rating for BS on several of his major points in todays "fact Checker".  The very fact that Clinton has come to the support of a man we all know he does not like, Obama, indicates that politicians will say anything, anytime, to anyone, for a price, usually power.  The pundits on more than one TV channel say that it is in preparation for getting Obama's support for his wife, Saint Hilary's, run for President in the future, perhaps 2016.  Anyhow, Clinton's nickname is "the BIG DOG" as in... he is the leader of the pack, does not stay on the porch, etc.  Anyone with a lawn knows what big dogs are capable of.  Last night, this Big Dog left a BIG PILE in Charlotte.  The audience ate it up, figuratively.  Perhaps the Democrat party should change its mascot from the DONKEY to the Dung Beetle.

TIPPING POINT

We are at that point in any game,  life activity, or disease, when things could go either way.  We don't have the luxury of saying "I feel strongly both ways."  We have to choose..go for the field goal or the touchdown; do the surgery or try a different medication; elect a NEW president, or stay the course with the OLD one. I am entering the biblically promised age of 3 score and ten.  My generation will soon pass away and be replaced by each succeeding new one as long as our country exists.  I guess we had our turn to elect representatives to steer our country and now that right belongs to young and middle age voters since the consequences of these choices will follow them through their lives.  Mostly I don't think they are paying attention but that is a different issue.

As I see the world, expectations have morphed and are now different than when I was younger.  The frontier mindset has all but disappeared and has been replaced by the safety net, entitlement, the everybody gets a trophy zeitgeist. Even in medicine,  computerized treatment by algorithm, every patient gets an MRI, and we will do a physical exam if we have to, has replaced the good diagnostician who could smell disease.  Soundbites replace debate on the news.  Olympic athletes are multimillionaire professionals the rest of the year, when "in my day" they could not even accept a free pair of shoes. Things change.  It is just my hope that they change as the result of active choices of those who will have to live under the new system, not defaulting to the incremental growth of government  that crowds out everything, by its very nature, like a tumor.  That seems to be what we have, on steroids, pushed by the agenda of those currently in power.

We (the Kitty and I) went to a movie a few days ago...."2012" about Obama's true political motivations of anti-colonialism.  The audience was mostly white-haired.  Either young people are all Liberal or they don't care.  Either way, the America of my youth and middle age is gone or at least going.  European socialism has not been fatal to Sweden, and if that's what modern Americans want, so be it.  Healthcare for everyone given by doctors who got their medical training at the equivalent of junior college. Everybody gets a Toyota Corolla, and lives in a rental apartment.  Like in the old Eastern Bloc, we will pretend to work, and the government will pretend to pay us.  The new national anthem will be written by Nikki Minaj. I think that New WORLD  would be intolerable, but then again I worked way too hard in my life making it on my own.  Perhaps if we had more food stamps, welfare, and unemployment for 99 weeks back in my youth, I could have had a nice secure job from 9-5 and spent more time watching the modern version of Bread and Circus... professional sports. GO TEAM....

The DUCK Rides again

I have a LIttle YELLOW Scooter in Nantucket.  With the roads up here it is a perfect way to get from place to place and feel the breeze and fresh air.  The level of danger is about the same as walking or riding a bicycle here, visiting a historic house, or the likelihood of getting chest pain after seeing your bill after eating in one of the restaurants.  I have not given my toy a name as yet.  My grandkids have names for everything they own.  Every stuffed sheep has a pedigree.  I have tentatively named my scooter "the DUCK" because it is the color of a little rubber ducky.  While I was riding two days ago, before my head and neck injury visiting a historic house (see previous blog post) the odometer "rolled over" to 1000 miles.  I took a picture of this historic moment.  After all, this island is all about "history." Unlike when I visit historic houses, when I ride the Duck, I wear a helmet.

T.R.I.M. NOTICE

I just got my Property Appraiser TRIM notice that tells me how much tax I am going to pay on my residence in Sarasota.  TRIM refers to the effect this will have on your net worth.  Allegedly, if you disagree with their appraisal, you can contest it and they will give you 235 reasons why you are wrong.  And then you can appeal to the Value Adjustment Board and they have the "presumption of correctness." That means the number you got on your TRIM notice is how much you are going to pay, or they take your house away.

Now, I don't mind paying taxes for the chance to be protected by the Fire Department and the Police Department, or to ride on some nicely repaired roads and such.  I am OFFENDED by paying almost 2/3 of my real estate taxes for the School Board (SEE the blue part of the pie chart above)).  Talk about not getting your money's worth.  Our county cannot even produce students bright enough to attract technological industry.  The drop out rate is huge, and the literacy rate is abysmal judging by our FCAT assessment scores. The teachers Union objects to state wide testing of students.  Of course they would.  Now if we could somehow pull the plug on their tenure system and fire the worst teachers and hire more of the best, even paying them more, then I will gladly write the check to the Property Appraiser.  Until then, I do it under protest.  

The GOOD, the BAD, and the UGLY

Yesterday was SUNDAY here on Nantucket, I guess it was at your house too unless you live in Australia, then it was either Saturday or Monday, I don't remember how that works.  It was the best of days, it was the worst of days. As for the Best part... we had dinner at our friends Frank and Barbara's house among 10 other guests who call Nantucket home during the summer. Folks came from every conceivable background, IBM, Banking, Medicine, Social work, teaching, landscaping, and the hospitality business.  The food was amazing...chicken lasagna with roasted pepper sauce, garlic bread to die for, or from if you are like two of my Sarasota friends, Ed and Shelley, and a home-made no-calorie carrot cake.  The wine was flowing and Moi felt no pain...for a while.  At 3 AM as I sat at the side of my bed with my heart doing the Conga, I realized I might have gone a chardonnay too far attempting analgesia.  Truth serum (In Vino Veritas) does that to my physiology some times (bad). A small price to pay, and I am sure I learned no lesson from this at all.  What a feast.  Henry the 8th (who as we remember invented fractions) would have enjoyed it.

Even the overindulgence aftermath was better than earlier that same morning.  The Kitty had run into a realtor friend of ours at the Stop and Shop the day before and the realtor said "The most unbelievably charming house just came on the market and it's ONLY $900,000. We are only in the market for more real estate, anywhere, if it is amazing and special etc, and the Kitty was assured that it was. We met her Sunday morning at the house to take a tour of it.  As I climbed the 3 steps up to the front porch to enter the house, distracted by conversation, I rose up on the top step and hit my head and jammed my neck on the header beam which is apparently, at 4 inches shorter than I am, common in the Historical Homes.  Remember that they were much smaller people back in the 1800s, because Pop Tarts, Cocoa Puffs, and Gator Aide had not been invented yet and their diets were therefore not nutritious, which stunted their growth. Whatever the explanation, this header beam impact felt like someone had hit me over the head with Webster's 1000 page Unabridged Dictionary, (something we no longer need now that we have Wikipedia). It is 24 hours later and it still hurts, but at least the concussion seems to have gone away and I can probably skip the visit to Nantucket Cottage Hospital's CT scanner.  More to follow.  I politely soldiered on and viewed the rest of the house which was positively Lilliputian in every way.  The master bedroom was a loft that barely fit a double bed and had a pitched ceiling that made it impossible to get into or out of bed if you were not Mary Lou Retton; the downstairs bedroom was the size of a guest bathroom in the average home, anywhere but the historical district; and the kitchen was "all renovated."  The  expansive 4 foot countertop was granite, the rest of the kitchen still looked like a "regular bathroom in the average house" minus the toilet.  Speaking of toilet, I never saw one of those, come to think of it.  The yard was indeed charming, though small.  Anyhow, from the HEAD NECK injury standpoint alone, I would put this event in the BAD category. I did learn some new realtor terms.  Charming means considering it is over 100 years old it still hasn't fallen down. Amazing means you will see stars when you come in the front door. Cottage means bring Ken and Barbie with you since only they can fit inside.  G.I. Joe would be iffy. As for the unbelievable part... that was the price.

AS WE GET OLDER

GONZO JOURNALISM

Gonzo journalism i is written without claims of objectivity, often including the reporter as part of the story via a first-person narrative. The word "gonzo" was first used in 1970 to describe an article by Hunter S. Thompson, who later popularized the style. 

Gonzo journalism tends to utilize personal experiences and emotions to achieve an accurate representation of a phenomenon, as compared to traditional journalism that favors using a detached writing style and relies on facts or quotations that can be verified by third parties. Gonzo journalism disregards the strictly edited product favored by newspaper media and strives for a more gritty, personable approach—the personality of a piece is just as important as the event the piece describes. Use of sarcasm, humor, exaggeration, and profanity is common.

SIESTA KEY ORCHIDS

LITTLE BUG....BIG TROUBLE

Lyme Disease is carried by Ticks, mostly very small Deer Ticks. They are very common in Nantucket. If one gets on you and you remove it right away, you will probably not catch the disease. If you do not notice it for a day of two (and they can be much smaller that this guy on the finger) your risk increases. Fortunately, the treatment if started immediately is simple, inexpensive, and generally effective. If you see a ring around the Rosy rash like this one, that is fairly diagnostic. It is not the only rash pattern and if in doubt, there is a lab test you can get to see if you were exposed.

Avoid walking through bushes, especially ones where animals such as deer congregate. This is basically anywhere on Nantucket, except for inside some buildings. You never know if you are going to have a self limited version of Lyme, but there are enough people who get serious lifelong problems with the untreated disease so...DON'T RISK IT. They may not be able to transplant your heart at Cottage Hospital but I think they can diagnose Lyme pretty well.

CANDLE WARNING

Remembering my youth and the BB gun I had and the ladders I climbed on to repair the two story roof I distinctly remember NO WARNING LABELS on anything. Nothing on the gun like "do not put this in your ear and pull the trigger" or on the ladder either.

Nowadays, there are warning labels on EVERYthing. My recent purchase of some candles for home decoration and illumination revealed these labels on each candle. I should not be surprised. Viagra comes with a warning that it does not prevent diseases. Are we a nation of MORONS?

HIBISCUS in my YARD on Siesta Key

BOYZ in da HOODie

Symbols mean something. The Hooded Sweatshirt aka HOODIE is a symbol of thinking you are or maybe actually are a Bad Ass, THUG, or Gangsta.

Today, there are gatherings all over America of people wearing Hoodies in solidarity of the one month anniversary of the shooting of a young man in Orlando. I don't have an opinion of whether Mr. Zimmerman a latino, was justified in shooting the young black male who was wearing a hoodie or if it was a crime that should be punishable by improsonment. I do know that even though I am fairly large guy, with military and police training, my antennae go up whenever I see young men of any color in a group all wearing this article of clothing.

When the tension level goes up, mistakes and impulsive actions like drawing a gun and shooting, are more likely to occur. I am not blaming the victim any more than I would blame the female college student who was raped on her way home in the dark, inebriated, partially clothed, but I DO KNOW that simple risk management suggests that there are always things one can choose to do that will lessen the likelihood of something bad happening. Not wearing a hoodie is one of these choices. Wear one at your own risk (to a degree). By the way, I did not photo-shop this photo, this is actually a Hoodie that is for sale on the internet.

COSTA RICA review

PLEASE GO TO http://notablenibbles.blogspot.com/

and see the wonderful food reviews and other adventures in Costa Rica that were recently experienced by my daughter-in-law, Grace.

Oh my GAWD

In the book 1984, George Orwell wrote about the "two minutes of hate" in which the people would gather in front of their TV monitors (which were two way and were everywhere) and yell and scream at the image of Emanuel Goldstein, their hated enemy. Somehow, the folks in power reasoned that this would be cathartic and allow them to blow off steam. It may have worked in the book, but every time I hear the name of or see this person on TV it is like I am being water-boarded.

The Queen of the World of Odious, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, opines with a voice that can only remind one of fingernails on a chalk board about why all of our problems today are George Bush's fault, any why Barack Obama is the only solution. Orwell was indeed a visionary. Now it is up to me to convert in the same simplistic Liberal manner, all things wrong into one object of hate. Debby is indeed, in this respect, providing public service.

Cafe' l"Europe in SARASOTA

Last night, the Kitty and I went out to Cafe' l'Europe on St. Armand's Circle here in Sarasota. The name is very appropriate for both the restaurant and its neighborhood as it has a Verrrrry European flair. One almost feels transported to Paris were it not for the palm trees.

This restaurant has been in business for almost 40 years and used to be one of the only fine restaurants in town and a special occasion destination for our family. Today is is only one of many great restaurants as Sarasota has grown in sophistication. The proprietor, who has since died, was an extremely civic minded man who often hosted clubs in his back room. I belonged to several of these organizations and was grateful for the chance to eat there.

Last night was a treat. The ambiance, service, and vibe, extended all the way out onto the sidewalk tables on a beautiful Sarasota night. The food was excellent. I ordered the grilled salmon, and a salad with candied walnuts, arugula, beets, and goat cheese. Not only yummy, but too much to eat there so I took half the fish home. Prices were appropriate for the food and drink and special surroundings. Anyone coming to Sarasota needs to visit St. Armand's Circle and eat at one of the great restaurants there. Cafe' l'Europe would be a good choice.

MEAN SPIRITED?

Political season upon us full force and immigration and control of the borders is certainly a top priority for the Republicans especially as they campaign in the border states (not the Canadian border)

You would think that Americans would get it. You either have laws and obey them or you have anarchy. Fewer laws would be nice however. Democrats seem to want to have no limit on illegal immigration. I personally like guest worker programs and legal immigration but maybe in this era of no personal responsibility, we should give to government a pass on not doing their job at all. Spit on the sidewalk and they are all over you. Sneak into the country with a load of weed on your back and live here for 20 years with no social security number and paying no taxes while overburdening the schools, hospitals, and prisons...NO PROBLEM.

OBAMA UNPLUGGED

Unless you are one of those tree-hugging weenies that lives on roots and berries and wears Hemp, you cannot be happy with our nation's energy policies. We have wasted billions of dollars on green energy companies that turned out to be poor investments. One of these, Solyndra, single handedly cost American taxpayers $500,000,000. The Chevy VOLT which was touted as the answer to our transportation needs, is as popular as poison ivy. They had to cease production temporarily while demand catches up to the meager supply. It is not that I am against green energy research, it is just that this pack of fools who dole out money to companies who have no chance of success is an insult to hard working Americans. On top of that, after the companies fail and the Government money goes down the toilet, management writes themselves huge bonuses. Money goes back to presidential campaigns (all Democrat in this case) and the cycle repeats itself.

This morning's news is that the average price of a gallon of gas is $3.80. This is DOUBLE the cost of a gallon when our current president took office. I hope the Obama supporters who can barely afford to fill their tank reconsider their decision in light of this grim economic reality.

How GENERATION "Y" Got Its Name

And an ORCHID in an Oak Tree

Orchids are beautiful flowers, often given at Senior Proms and Weddings for beautiful women to carry. They are also a popular house plant and a suitable gift to bring to someone's house if you are invited to dinner. They flower for weeks and then they appear to die. The leaves get a little brown and all that remains of the flower is a stem sticking up in the air. The plants are NOT dead. Take them outside and somehow wedge them into the crotch of a tree or tie them somewhere that they get a little water, not much sun, and....the most important ingredient...total neglect. They will come back to life once or twice a year. Now is one of those times. This orchid has been in our Big Oak tree in the front years for several years and rewards us with these beautiful blooms.

FUNCTION over FASHION

Stepping out of a doctor's office into the parking lot I could not help but notice that ALL of the cars in the parking lot were WHITE. So I took this photo with my ever-present iPhone. Every make and model and year of car were different except they were all white.

There are some "cool" people down here who have to have a black car with black interior to park out in the sun all day like a solar panel. You can put you hand on the surface of one of these dark colored cars and get a burn. The white cars remain much cooler both to the touch and inside. Real Floridians buy white cars. We have several. Call us overly practical but it beats a second degree burn from accidentally touching your own car while opening the door. Ouch.

DID YOU KNOW...?

The 4th Amendment of the Constitution says:

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

This means that you don't have to consent to you, your car, or your house being searched. On the other hand, the police DO NOT have to tell you that you have the right to refuse. So when you are stopped for speeding or whatever and they ask you if it would be OK if they could search your car because a car just like yours was seen leaving a convenience store robbery for example, you could ask them "Do I have to?" And they have to honestly say no. Or you could just say , "No, thank you" and if the officer rests his hand on his gun and seems to be intimating that if you don't things could go worse for you, he could be guilty of both civil and criminal transgressions.

Maybe you have nothing to hide, but what if the valet that parked your car last night at the restaurant left his "stash" in your center console? OR your kid's friend dropped an OxyContin on the floor when they borrowed your car to go the game and you don't have a prescription for that drug? As Laura Bush said during the war on drugs..."JUST SAY NO."

I PARK ANYWHERE without fear of getting a dent

Every once in a while you see something that makes you aware of how much freedom folks have when they are not overly invested in possessions. If you drive a nice car, you sometimes pass up a parking space because it is too tight or seems to be next to a car or truck that has never been well cared for.

I would be willing to bet that the owner of this vehicle does not have those concerns.

NANTUCKET on my mind

I was thinking about being outside more here is beautiful SARASOTA. It is bright and sunny and riding in an open car would be nice IF it were not for the fact that pollen is staring to fall from the Oak trees, among others and covering everything like a blanket of snow. Flocks of folks are complaining about running noses, watery eyes, and sneezing. I am among them. If it would rain, perhaps things would get better, and we aren't even in the height of the bloom.