Gee Whiz - The Mets beat the Pirates 7-3 Monday Night

Last night we went to Citifield and saw the Mets defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-3 as Dillion Gee improved his record to 5-0.  Josh Thole drove in two runs with a double to give the Mets the lead which they held onto.  They are now 25-28.

Box Score

Before the game started we passed by Section 338 and saw Gary Fishbein who works at the stadium.  Gary has attended most of the Meets and Greets of oldies enthuisasts and always wears his Mets uniform.  I have never seen him wear normal clothing.  When he saw me, he thought I was Alan Berman.

Today's Radio Log

WINS - news
WCBS-FM - Sue O'Neal
WAXQ - Breakfast with the Beatles
WLS-FM - Chicago - American Top 40 with Casey Kasem
BBC2 - Sounds of the 60s with Brian Matthew
WCBS-FM - Pat St. John
WCBS-FM - Big Jay Sorensen
Sirius/XM 60s on 6 - Cousin Bruce Morrow
WABC Rewound -Rewound Radio
WODS Boston - Lost 45s with Barry Scott
New Jersey 101.5 - Don Tandler

Random Thoughts on Memorial Day Weekend

This really was a staycation since I stayed home for more hours than I would have liked since I had to clean up our apartment.  It seems that I was in the habit of saving things that I no longer needed and then years later not remembering what I had.  I really don't need my 1978 income tax form, but I found a letter that I received from the later Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1966.  That went right into my safe deposit box.

I certainly enjoyed listening to the BBC radio specials honor Bob Dylan on his 70th birthday.  Pete Fornatale had  a 4hour special on Saturday featuring covers of Dylan songs.  His guest was a group called the Persuasions who recently released a collection of covers titled "Knockin' on Bob's Door."  I bought the mp3 version on Amazon.com.  All of the songs are acapella versions.

Back in 2001 there was a compilation CD called a Nod to Bob by various artists honoring him on his 60th birthday.  A new compilation for his 70th called a Nod to Bob 2 was just released.  This is next on my shopping list.

 My journal  entry for October 25, 2010  stated that I bought The Last Days of Shea: Delight and Despair of a Mets Fan by Dana Brand.  I read in today's New York Times  that Dana sadly passed away at the age of 56.

I am certain that I discussed WABC Rewound in this journal before.  For several years it was broadcasted on Memorial Day on 770 AM.  This year the Musicradio WABC shows are online at Rewound Radio for the entire weekend.

Best Wishes to Gary Carter

I just read on Twitter that the family of Gary Carter say that doctors are 90% certain that his brain tumors are malignant.  A formal statement will be made shortly after Memorial Day.  I am certain that everyone in the baseball world wishes the best to Gary.  Hopefully he will beat the "Big C."

Gary certainly made things happen for the Mets in the mid 1980s.  He was the heart and soul of the World Champion Mets of 1986.  A few years ago at Riverfront Stadium in Newark I sat behind the dugout of the opposing Long Island Ducks managed by Gary.  I believe he is currently the coach of a college team in Florida.

We are rooting for you Kid!

Clearing Clutter in the Apartment

Believe me, my apartment was never as cluttered as the one in the photo above.  I spent previous staycations sitting on a park bench reading for pleasure like a retiree.  This time we decided to do something useful in clearing out much of the clutter in my department.  I just didn't realize how much stuff we saved over the years.  I actually found my old income tax returns back to 1978.  We found some photos of Lee from when he was a small child.  It is very difficult to make a decision of what to keep and what to discard.  I moved many of my old books to my garage.

There is an old cliche saying that "an once of prevention is worth a pound of cure."  In the future, we will have to examine our belongings and discard what we don't need or use anymore.

So What Did I do on Bob Dylan's Birthday

Since I am off from work this week Karen and I decided to do some spring cleaning.  We both have the bad habit of not discarding things that we no longer need.  We certainly threw out a lot of stuff that accumulated over the years.  Anyway, why we were doing this chore I was listening to WFUV.  Years ago the station used to feature all Dylan all day on his birthday, but now they have to comply with the Digital Millenium Copyright Act.  Any station that webcasts is limited to how many songs by an artist they can play in an hour.  In any event event they played a good selction of Dylan songs and cover versions.  I spent some time listening to the BBC specials described earlier in this journal.  I ate dinner listening to Blonde on Blonde.

I would like to thank Bill Dilane for bringing to my attention this CBS News report on Dylan's 70th birthday.

Dedication for Bob Dylan's 70th Birthday

Where did all these years go?  It seems just yesterday that Bob Dylan was that angry young kid who sang protest songs.  He has been called the "voice of a generation."  But his popularity has transcended the generations.  When I go to his concerts I see people from teenagers to octagenarians enjoying his songs which have been covered by performers of almost every musical genre.  It would be very difficult to pick one Dylan song for this milestone birthday.  So I am dedicating Old Friends by Paul Simon to him.

Old friends, old friends,
Sat on their parkbench like bookends
A newspaper blown through the grass
Falls on the round toes
of the high shoes of the old friends

Old friends, winter companions, the old men
Lost in their overcoats, waiting for the sunset
The sounds of the city sifting through trees
Settles like dust on the shoulders of the old friends.

Can you imagine us years from today,
Sharing a parkbench quietly
How terribly strange to be seventy

Old friends, memory brushes the same years,
Silently sharing the same fears

Time it was and what a time it was,
A time of innocence,
A time of confidences,
Long ago it must be,
I have a photograph,
Preserve your memories,
They're all thats left you...

Bob, you and I are certainly old friends going back to the early 1960s.  And thank you so much for the memories.  Perhaps you should begin to take it easy as you have reached 70.  May the Never Ending Tour never end.

Oh Well - The Yankees Won the Subway Series

The ageing New York Yankees defeated the young New York Mets 2 games to 1.  The Mets bullpen could not hold the Bronx Bombers in games 2 and 3 won by the Yankees 7-3 and 9-3.  There are still about 116 more games to play this season.  I really hope the the Mets will not trade Jose Reyes and that he will re-sign for the 2012 season and beyond.  He really makes things happen and has many productive baseball years ahead of him.

Gotta Love that Met's Bullpen as they beat the Yankees 2-1

I usually write journal entries for games that attend, but tonight's Subway Series opener was a delight.  The season started very poorly at 5-13 amid the team's financial problems with the Bernie Madoff scandal.  Injuries to key players certainly help, but Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins have certainly pressed the right buttons.

R.A. Dickey recovered from a few poor performances to pitch 6 good innings holding the Bronx Bombers to one run from a Mark Texeira home run.  Daniel Murphy's homer in the 6th inning was the decisive run for the Amazins.  I was impressed by the trio of Mike O'Connor, Jason Isringhausen, and Francisco Rodriguez who retired all 9 batters.  It is quite pleasing to see Frankie to get 15 saves in a row after overcoming some personal problems last year. 

Box Score

Thank You BBC Radio for the Bob Dylan Special

Regular readers of Bruce's Journal know that I am an avid listener of Sounds of the 60s with Brian Matthew on BBC2.  It is heard live at 8 AM on Saturday mornings which is 3 AM in NYC.  Thus I must listen to the archived version.  In honor of Bob's 70th birthday there are airing a 9 part special.  Due to the timing of the shows I must listen to the archived version which is only archived for one week.  Apparently there must be a regulation in the UK similar to the Digital Millenium Copyright Act that limits playing radio shows on the internet.

The narrator of these shows is Kris Kristofferson who has been a good friend to Dylan for many years.

Borislaw Bilash - Facebook Friend of the Day

Science teachers do not get the recognition they deserve.  Sadly since salaries are poor the profession often does not attract enough good people.  Borislaw is a chemistry and physics teacher at Pascack Valley High School in northern New Jersey.  I believe he has taught at other high schools in the state.  He also taught freshman chemistry at NJIT as an adjunct professor. I have known him for about 12 years by working with him on the New Jersey Chemistry Olympics.  You may read about today's event at my work related blog Bruce at the NJIT Library

After coordinating this event since 1998 Borislaw has decided to step down.  Over that time thousands of students have participated in this annual occurrence.  Hopefully many of these fine high school students have gone on to careers in science, engineering or medicine.

I personally thank Borislaw for all the hard work he has done over the years.  For his devotion to science education he has earned the honor of being my Facebook Friend of the Day.

After 14 .

Florida 2 Mets 1 in 11 innings

It turned into a crazy night for the Mets.  I arrived at Citifield at 6:10 since I came directly from work.  Since there was an hour before the scheduled start of the game I looked around the Mets Hall of Fame and walked around the stadium.  As I toured the stadium I noticed the grounds crew was working on the field since there was a light misty rain all day.  I got to my seat in the upper deck at about 6:50 where Karen and Lee were waiting for me.  The played the national anthem at 7:00, but the ground crew was still working on the infield.  The game did not start until 8:30.  I can never remember it taking so long to get an infield ready after a rainfall.  One of the reports later said that the tarp was not fastened properly and that water seeped on to the field.

It was a little uncomfortable sitting in a damp stadium watching the game.  We decided to leave at 10:20 at the end of the 6th inning with the Mets ahead 1-0.  As we were leaving the stadium we heard the the Marlins tied the game.  We rarely leave ballgames early, but it was a long day for all of us.  When we arrived at home we saw the game was still tied at 1-1.  We found out that Flordia won 2-1 in 11 innings.

Recap

Today it rained in the morning, but cloudy in the afternoon.  However, the Mets called off tonight's game saying "Though the afternoon's steady drizzle had actually given way to some sunshine in Queens by around 5 p.m., the threat of steady rain lingered throughout the evening. It was that forecast that prompted the Mets to postpone their game against the Marlins at around 5:30 p.m."

At 8 PM, an hour after the game scheduled start, there is no rain.  Certainly the weather last night was a lot worse.  The decision to play a game is in the hands of the home team until the lineup cards are exchanged.

Shaving Cream Song

I think I have postd to many serious songs in this journal.  About a week ago I was listening to a repeat of American Top 40 on WLS-FM Chicago from 1975.  Casey played Shaving Cream by Benny Bell.  This song actually goes back to 1946, but after it received play on Dr. Demento's radio show Vanguard Records re-released it and it reached #30 on the Billboard Chart.  Please see the Wikipedia entry for this.
Enjoy!  Facebook friends  can see it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rpq6u8hYgk

Rolling Stone Magazine Salutes Bob Dylan on his 70th Birthday

Check it out at http://www1.rollingstone.com/dylan/ .  I am waiting for my print copy to arrive.  I still enjoy reading magazines the old fashioned way.

Statement by Bob Dylan about the China Controversy

Please see http://www.bobdylan.com/news/my-fans-and-followers for his complete statement.

The information below is from Bill Pagel's site

Beijing, China

Workers Gymnasium

April 6, 2011

1. Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking
(Bob on keyboard, Donnie on lap steel)
2. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (Bob on guitar, Donnie on pedal steel)
3. Beyond Here Lies Nothin' (Bob on guitar, Donnie on trumpet)
4. Tangled Up In Blue
(Bob center stage on harp, Donnie on pedal steel, Stu on acoustic guitar)
5. Honest With Me (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on lap steel)
6. Simple Twist Of Fate (Bob on guitar, Donnie on pedal steel)
7. Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum (Bob on guitar, Donnie on pedal steel)
8. Love Sick (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on electric mandolin)
9. Rollin' And Tumblin' (Bob on keyboard)
10. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on electric mandolin)
11. Highway 61 Revisited
(Bob on center stage on harp then keyboard, Donnie on lap steel)
12. Spirit On The Water
(Bob on keyboard and harp, Donnie on pedal steel, Tony on standup bass)
13. Thunder On The Mountain (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on lap steel)
14. Ballad Of A Thin Man (Bob center stage on harp, Donnie on lap steel)

(1st encore)
15. Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on pedal steel)
16. All Along The Watchtower (Bob on keyboard then guitar, Donnie on lap steel)

Shanghai, China

Grand Stage

April 8, 2011

1. Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking
(Bob on keyboard, Donnie on electric mandolin, Stu on acoustic guitar)
2. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
(Bob on guitar, Donnie on lap steel, Stu on acoustic guitar, Tony on standup bass)
3. Things Have Changed
(Bob on guitar, Donnie on pedal steel, Stu on acoustic guitar)
4. Tangled Up In Blue
(Bob center stage on harp, Donnie on pedal steel, Stu on acoustic guitar)
5. Honest With Me (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on lap steel)
6. Simple Twist Of Fate (Bob on guitar, Donnie on pedal steel, Stu on acoustic guitar)
7. Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum (Bob on guitar, Donnie on pedal steel)
8. Blind Willie McTell
(Bob center stage on harp, Donnie on banjo, Stu on acoustic guitar)
9. The Levee's Gonna Break
(Bob on keyboard, Donnie on electric mandolin, Tony on standup bass)
10. Desolation Row
Bob on keyboard, Donnie on electric mandolin, Stu on acoustic guitar, Tony on standup bass)
11. Highway 61 Revisited (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on lap steel)
12. Spirit On The Water
(Bob on keyboard, Donnie on pedal steel, Tony on standup bass)
13. Thunder On The Mountain
(Bob on keyboard, Donnie on lap steel, Stu on acoustic guitar)
14. Ballad Of A Thin Man (Bob center stage on harp, Donnie on lap steel)

(encore)
15. Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on pedal steel)
16. Forever Young
(Bob on keyboard then center stage on harp, Donnie on pedal steel, Stu on acoustic guitar)


(2nd encore)
17. Forever Young (Bob on keyboard and harp, Donnie on pedal steel)

RIP Bill Gallo

Bill Gallo was a famous sports cartoonist for the New York Daily News who just passed away.  Tributes for him are coming from all over the world.  He must have drawn thousands of cartoons for many years.  I should really buy a compilation of his works.  He will be sorely missed.  My condolences to his family.

May 10, 1982 - The Day the music died

It was 29 years ago today that WABC stopped playing music.  There are plenty of other sites on the Internet including the Wikipedia that gives the history of the station before and after the MusicRadio era (1960-82). I was working at Schering Corporation on that date which was a Monday.  I have certainly listened to recordings of the last broadcast with Ron Lundy and Dan Ingram many times over the years.

Nothing in this world stays the same.  WABC which was the #1 rated station for years was losing listeners to FM radio where the music quality was so much better.  Those were the days.

Mothers Day 2011

A picture is worth a 1000 words.  My mother Lillian Slutsky was very happy to celebrate Mother's Day with her entire family.  It is hard to believe that she will be 92 years young in September.  This past year was a little difficult for her.  She had lived alone for 13 years after my Dad passed away, but had to move to an assisted living facility last August.  It was an adjustment for her, but she seems to be content with the new situation.  It is like living in a resort hotel.  Her biggest chronic health issue is arthritis.

The quote of the afternoon came from my sister Joyce who ask me not to put any photos of her on Facebook.  I respect her wishes and refrained from doing so.  The hit of the day was her 9 month old Cockapoo puppy named Casey seen below.  He was running around jumping on everyone.

Mets 4 Dodgers 2

Our seats last night were in the last row of section 514 behind home plate at Citifield.  It reminded me of all the times I sat in secion 1 of the upper deck of  Shea Stadium with Fuzzy's Gang.  Dillon Gee turned out to be the starting pitcher as Chris Young just couldn't get started as stated by a tweet by Kevin Burkhardt of SNY.  It was a dull game with many walks and runners left on base.  Both teams were lethargic.  Pinch hitter Justin Turner hit a long single to drive in two runs for the Amazins in the bottom of the 8th as they won 4-2.

Game recap

Landmark Status - RKO Keith's vs Forest Hills Tennis Stadium



I usually don't comment on political issues even on the local level.  I grew up in Rego Park which is adjacent to Forest Hills.  I fondly remember going to a Simon and Garfunkel concert at the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium back in 1967.  I did not have the money to get tickets for Bob Dylan when he performed there in 1965.  In that famous concert he was booed by the folk music enthusiasts as he went electric. New York City has denied landmark status to the Forest Hills tennis stadium since the architectural features have deteriorated.  The residents of that area are trying to prevent it from being torn down as a developer want to build condominums there.  Isn't Forest Hills congested enough right now?

Let's look at the RKO Keith's Theater which is near where I live now.  It has been an eyesore since the mid 1980s when the theater closed.  However, the theater's lobby has been designated a landmark.  My question is how can something be a landmark is nobody has seen it in 25 years?  Meanwhile the structure has been just standing there all these years. It seems that it can't be developed since  the lobby is a landmark.

I just don't understand why the Keith's theater lobby is a landmark, while the Tennis Stadium is not.  The US Open was played there for many years until it was moved to Flushimg Meadows Park.  There were many concerts there including the Beatles and Dylan years ago.  I certainly feel that the tennis stadium has more historical value than a local movie theater.

Ten Years After

No, I am not talking about the group that sang I'm Going Home at Woodstock in 1969.  It is 10 years ago today that we celebrated Lee's Bar Mitzvah.  The service was at Temple Israel of Jamaica which sadly no longer exists.  It merged with another congregation in New Hyde Park since the Jewish population in Queens is diminishing.  The reception was held at a restaurant called Harpers.  It is hard to believe that 10 years have passed since then.

One of the songs that was played at the reception was Meet the Mets.  You can see Lee and his dad sitting in the dugout at Citifield last September.  I fondly remember Harry Harrison announcing the Bar Mitzvah during the birthday book the Friday before on WCBS-FM.  We played the tape of that during the reception.  Harry said that Lee was picking the music.  He did that with a little help from his dad.

My Magazine Subscriptions

Here is a list of magazines that I get through the mail:

• Sports Illustrated
• Sporting News
• Chemical & Engineering News - I get this as a member of the American Chemical Society
• Scientific American
• Discover
• Smithsonian - I get this as a member of Flushing Town Hall
• Goldmine
• Rolling Stone
• AARP
• Decalcomania - a newsletter for radio enthusiasts

Doesn't it seem strange that a 62 years old would subscribe to Rolling Stone?  For 50 cents an issue it was a no brainer to subscribe.  There are many articles of interest to baby boomers.  This week's issue had a good article on Paul Simon.  Mr. Zimmerman is often featured.

There is still the constant threat of terrorism in the world

A hearty congratulations to the special forces who killed Osama Bin Ladin in Pakistan.  Kudos to all of thiose who have tried to kill or capture him since September 11, 2001.  It really shows that perserverance pays off.  The details may be found in the New York Times.  At least justice has been served by taking this low life off the planet earth.

We should not let down our guard after this significant development.  There can be retaliation by al-Qaeda operatives anywhere in the world.  The following terrorist acts were done by only a few misfits:

• The 1993 World Trade Center attack
• The failed car bomb in Times Square
• The Oklahoma City bombing

Every day as I walk through Penn Station I see National Guardsmen with high powered rifles.  This is a reminder of the constant threat of terrorism.