Oy Vey - I Pray for the Future of this Country

A convicted felon duped the American public into thinking that he is the best person to lead this nation in a very turbulent time.  He was already convicted of falsifying business records to hide an affair with a porn star.  He was indicted for trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election and for having classified government documents in his home.

The question in everyone's mind is what will he do when he assumes office.

• Will he pardon those convicted of crimes on January 6, 2021
• Will he spend billions of dollars deporting all illegal immigrants?  Most of them are honest people trying to make better lives for themselves.  There must be a new policy toward immigration, but will he completely close the border?
• How will the conflicts in Israel and the Ukraine play out?  Maybe he can convince his pal Putin to stop the war.
• Will he circumvent the Constitution and do whatever he wants?  The Constitution provides for a system of checks and balances, but I fear he will become a dictator.  Since the Republicans will have a majority in the Senate, it will be impossible to impeach him (again) and remove him from office.

I pray for the future of this country.

There are Quincy Jones - Bob Dylan Connections

 We heard today of the passing of Quincy Jones.  To say the least, he had a phenomenal musical career.  His obituary in the New York Times  outlines his long career.

He had at least two encounters with Bob Dylan.

In this video,  Quincy coaches Bob during the recording of We Are the World in 1985.

In 2012, Quincy introduced Bob at Montreux.  This is audio only.

If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time by Tyrone Davis - A Couple of Thoughts

 

If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time by Tyrone Davis hit #3 on the Billboard chart in 1970.  It is popular today since we turned back the clock one hour as we returned to standard time.  We can never return to the past.  We heard this week that the Newark Star-Ledger, a major New Jersey newspaper is ending its print edition while some other newspapers are ceasing publication completely.  I always enjoyed flipping through the Sunday New York Times, but now I have a subscription to the online version.  Perhaps soon even the New York Times will end its print edition.

I always think back to people I haven't seen in decades, but I can't turn back the hands of time and restore an old friendship.  I have reconnected with people through social media, but that encounter is always brief. I met SG who now lives in Toronto in 2000.  He was an old friend from my Rego Park days.  We walked around the old neighborhood, but since that meeting, I have had no contact with him. I have been to a few high school reunions, but there have been no follow-ups.

I Googled some old friends but didn't want to contact them.  MH is a successful attorney, while AA is a CPA in private practice.  I have discussed in this journal my failed attempts to reconnect with former colleagues.

We must look ahead to the future, not back upon the past.

Jaywalking is Now Legal in NYC but......

 

Jaywalking is crossing the street in a way that contravenes traffic laws, typically outside of crosswalks, despite oncoming traffic. Every day, millions of pedestrians in NYC must "compete" with cars, traditional bicycles, e-bikes, and e-scooters for the right of way on sidewalks and streets.  Until recently, jaywalkers could be given a summons and forced to pay a fine.  The law was repealed since there was a claim that 

Blacks and Latinos were given a disproportionate amount of summonses.

There are bad pedestrians and drivers.  If two cars collide, the drivers have some protection, but when a car hits a person, a fatality is very likely. Pedestrians don't have carte blanche to do what they please if they can't be given a summons.

As a driver and a pedestrian, I observe much lack of good judgment on the part of everyone in a hurry to get to their destinations.  Many cars jump red lights and many pedestrians don't look out for cars and cross in the middle of the block.  I remember one occasion when I was driving and saw two young men crossing against the light with their heads in their cell phones.

Common Sense and Courtesy Everyone!

Random Thoughts of the Day - October 31, 2024

• Today is Halloween.  In recent years only a few kids came to my apartment trick or treating.  I bought a bag of Kit-Kats for them.
• Yesterday, the World Series came to an end as the Yankees lost to the Dodgers 4-1.  The Yankees should have won game one since the wrong pitcher was brought in to face Freddy Freeman.  The fifth inning of game five was a disaster as the Yankees committed three errors that allowed the Dodgers to score five runs.
• The Hot Stove League starts today.  For those who are not baseball fans, that term means speculation and rumors about free-agent signings and trades in the off-season.  The big question marks are will Pete Alonso sign with the Mets and will Juan Soto sign with the Yankees?  In any event, the salaries are outrageous.  Is any athlete worth $40 Million per year?  Both teams also must make decisions about other players whose contracts have just expired.
• This afternoon I passed by a building in my neighborhood where a construction crew was installing sidewalk sheds.  It was obviously their lunch hour as all eight of them were lying on the grass looking at their cell phones.  There is a love affair with the American public and their cell phones.

Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan vs Timothée Chalamet in the Forthcoming Film A Complete Unknown

 

I first saw this in 1967 when I saw the documentary Don't Look Back.  It is best known for Dylan flipping the cards with Allan Ginsberg in the background.  Subterranean Homesick Blues is a typical Dylan song that nobody understands.

 

It seems that bits and pieces of the forthcoming biopic "A Complete Unknown" are being shown on YouTube.  It whets my appetite to see the film when it is released on Christmas Day.

I bought a New Dell Laptop Today

 

The old Dell laptop just working right lately since I was have problems with the power.  I bought in September 2019 as documented in this journal.  I got plenty of use out of that laptop as I used it twice daily for five years.  It owed me nothing.

I decided to buy another Dell since the last one was very reliable until very recently.  I bought it at Microcenter that gives prompt and courteous service.  I will have to learn to use Windows 11.  I hope to get five years use out of this computer.