Mets 2 Blue Jays 1

Since this is a Sunday and the Mets are at home Bruce and Lee were at Citi Field.  There was not much hitting by either team but the seven hits by the Mets were enough to beat the Toronto Blue Jays.  Pete Alonso singled in the third inning and drove in Hayden Senger with the first run.  Later that inning Brandon Nimmo drove in Juan Soto with a sacrifice fly.

Andres Jimenez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fifth inning to drive in the Blue Jays only run.  Edwin Diaz came in the ninth, hit two batters, but held on to get the save.

Box Score

Mets 5 Blue Jays 0 in Home Opener at Citi Field

 

Our 20-game package included Opening Day at Citi Field.  Before the game Ed Kranepool who passed away last September was honored.  The players will wear a patch with Ed's #7 on their uniforms this season.  Al Leiter & John Franco, teammates of the  2000 NL Pennant-winning Mets and Bartolo Colón & Juan Lagares, teammates of the 2015 NL Pennant-winning Mets, each threw out the first pitch today.

Francisco Lindor led off the game with a double after the sell-out crowd serenaded him with My Girl recorded initially by the Temptations  Two batters later Pete Alonso hit a two-run homer.  The Mets rallied for three runs in the 6th inning with doubles by Juan Soto and Brandon Nimmo.

Tylor Megill pitched 5 1/3 innings of shutout baseball and was relieved by Reed Garrett, A.J. Minter, and Max Kranick who shut the door on the Blue Jays.

Box Score

There is a Johnny Tillotson - Bob Dylan Connection with Blowin' in the Wind

 Sadly many of the artists of the golden oldies era have passed away.  Yesterday we heard of the passing of Johnny Tillotson at age 86.  Most of his hits including Poetry in Motion and Talk Back Trembling Hits charted in the early 1960s.  Leave it to me to find a connection to Bob Dylan as Johnny covered Blowin' in the Wind.

April Fools Day With Bob Dylan

 Mike Riccio, the moderator of the Oldies Message Board compiled a list of the Top 20 "Fool" songs based on the weekly Billboard  Hot 100 lists through 1990:

1. "Everybody's Somebody's Fool," Connie Francis (1960)
2. "Poor Little Fool," Ricky Nelson (1958)
3. "What a Fool Believes," Doobie Brothers (1979)
4. "Foolish Beat," Debbie Gibson (1988)
5. "Chain of Fools," Aretha Franklin (1968)
6. "Fooled Around and Fell in Love," Elvin Bishop (1976)
7. "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," the Teenagers featuring Frankie Lymon (1956)
8. "Fool #1," Brenda Lee (1961)
9. "(Now and Then) There's a Fool Such as I," Elvis Presley (1959)
10. "Everybody Plays the Fool," Main Ingredient (1972)
11. "The Fool," Sanford Clark (1956)
12. "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," Diana Ross (1981)
13. "Foolish Little Girl," the Shirelles (1963)
14. "She's a Fool," Lesley Gore (1963)
15. "The Fool on the Hill," Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 (1968)
16. "(Fool) If You Think It's Over," Chris Rea (1978)
17. "Nobody's Fool," Kenny Loggins (1988)
18. "Kissing a Fool," George Michael (1988)
19. "What Kind of Fool," Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb (1981)
20. "Fools Rush In," Rick Nelson (1963)

Bob Dylan covered Elvis Presly's (Now and Then) There's a Fool Such as I on the Basement Tapes.

Lee and I Saw Hell's Kitchen on Broadway

 

It was a family tradition to see a Broadway show on our birthdays.  This year Lee wanted to see  Hell's Kitchen.  It is a jukebox musical built on the music and lyrics of Alicia Keys, with a semi-autobiographical plot about her upbringing in Manhattan in the 1990s.  The play is best described in its Wikipedia entry.

We enjoyed the music and the dancing in the show.  Afterward, we stopped by the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, but as usual, it was very busy.  Instead we ate dinner at Applebees.

NYC Casey Stengel Chapter of SABR meeting in Midtown Manhattan

 

For the years (excluding the pandemic years) I have been involved with SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) there has been an annual meeting at NYPL or the Scandinavia House in midtown Manhattan.

There were two panel discussions:

• The Pulse of New York Baseball: Present and Past featuring:
• Laura Albanese - writer for Long Island Newsday
• Billy Altman official scorer and former baseball beat writer for the Village Voice
• Anthony McCarron is a freelance writer who has appeared in Baseball Digest and MLB.com. and others

They discussed various issues including analytics and changes in baseball rules over recent years.

• Met Stories I Only Tell My Friends and Other First-Hand Baseball Stories
• Art Shamsky - Member of the 1969 Mets
• Matthew Silverman - author of several baseball books
• Marty Appel - another author of baseball books who was also an executive with the Yankees

Art discussed his recently published book.  I bought a copy that he autographed for me.  The panel discussed the Yankee-Met rivalry including the 2000 World Series.  The panelists concluded that since the Met signed Juan Soto luring him away from the Yankees, the rivalry will heat up again.

Happy 37th Birthday Lee

 

It is hard to believe that Lee is now 37 years old.  Where did all these years go?  Sometimes it seems like it was just yesterday that we brought him home from the hospital.  We will be celebrating tomorrow by seeing the Broadway show Hells Kitchen.

Uniform #37 was retired by the Mets and Yankees to honor Casey Stengel.

Bob Dylan's Never Ending Tour Resumed in Tulsa Last Night

 

Here is the full set list from Bill Pagel's Boblinks Page

Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa Theater March 25, 2025

1.	All Along the Watchtower (Bob on guitar and baby grand piano)
2.	It Ain't Me, Babe (Bob on guitar and baby grand piano)
3.	I Contain Multitudes (Bob on baby grand piano)
4.	False Prophet (Bob on baby grand piano)
5.	When I Paint My Masterpiece (Bob on baby grand piano and harp, Tony on standup bass)
6.	Black Rider (Bob on baby grand piano, Tony on standup bass)
7.	My Own Version Of You (Bob on baby grand piano, Tony on standup bass)
8.	To Be Alone With You (Bob on baby grand piano, Tony on standup bass, Bob Britt on acoustic guitar)
	15 minute break
9.	Crossing the Rubicon (Bob on baby grand piano, Tony on standup bass)
10.	Desolation Row (Bob on baby grand piano, Tony on standup bass)
11.	Key West (Philosopher Pirate) (Bob on baby grand piano, Tony on standup bass)
12.	Watching the River Flow (Bob on baby grand piano)
13.	It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (Bob on baby grand piano, Tony on standup bass)
14.	I've Made Up My Mind To Give Myself To You (Bob on baby grand piano and harp, Tony on standup bass)
15.	Mother of Muses (Bob on baby grand piano and brief harp at very beginning, Tony on standup bass)
	band introductions
16.	Goodbye Jimmy Reed (Bob on baby grand piano)
17.	Every Grain of Sand (Bob on baby grand piano and harp)

Thanks to Anne Margaret Daniel, Susan & Al and Jayne Watson for the phone calls
and Dan Krass, Rechi van Lehen and Bill Goodwin for the emails.

Brief Concert Reviews

Mac Davis - Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me - Country Crossover

 

I just heard this on Willie's Roadhouse on Sirius/XM.  It hit #1 on the Billboard Pop Chart in 1972 so it can be considered a country crossover.  It is a message to the young ladies who started chats with me as discussed in my last journal entry.  One of them said she loved me, but stopped chatting with me when I didn't want to invest in Bitcoins.

My Experiences with Chatting with Younger Women Through Social Media

 

Warning - this journal article is much longer and somewhat more personal than my usual commentaries

Over the past several months I have had some experiences chatting with much younger women who somehow find me.  In all cases I advise the young lady that I am a widower and 75 years all.  In every case the women said that age is just a number, and they thought they could learn from an older person.  The problems with chats are they are very time consuming, and I never know when there is a hiatus or if the chat relationship is over. In any event, I feel that there is nothing to gain by chatting with someone from afar as there is no chance of meeting them in person.  You never know when the person is assuming another identity (catfishing).  Inevitably the chat ends.

 Let me relate a few experiences:

I “met” Carolyn on Facebook when I made “friends” with her when I should not have.  She said she lost her husband two years ago and had a five-year old son.  After several days of chatting, she said she desperately needed money to pay her rent.  Like a fool, I sent her a small amount of money.  A few days later she asked me for more money, and I refused.  That chat ended but seven months later she restarted the chat.  She said she moved from West Virginia to Ohio and the abruptly ended the chat again. Conclusion – Romance Scam.

Connie read one of my Facebook posts and said they were interesting and wanted to become friends.  When we started chatting, she said she was in the U.S. Army stationed in Syria.  She started to call me Honey and Dear and said I was her best friend.  How could I be her best friend if we never had met. Romance Scam.  She asked me to buy her a Steam Card since she could not use her credit card until she returned to the U.S.  I refused and she ended the “relationship”.  About a year later I got a friend request from Tessa.  When I saw her picture, it was Connie.  It was obviously a Catfish.

Allyson like Carolyn lost her husband at a very young age.  She has two small children and lives near Baltimore.  She was originally from Memphis, but moved away after both her parents, husband, and sister passed away.  After a while she started to call me honey and dear, so I suspected a romance scam coming.  I was right as she abruptly said she had no food in her house and needed money to feed her kids.  Goodbye.

I “met” the following three women recently.  All of them were Asian, in their mid-30s and divorced.  In the three cases they claimed they got my number by accident on WhatsApp  or Telegram.  I explained to all of them that I was old enough to be their father and a widower and they said they could learn from an older person.  “Age is just a number.”

Cindy said she saw my number in her company’s phone book, but my name was not there.  She worked as a data analyst, financial risk analyst and fund manager in San Francisco.  She lives in a large house worth over $1 Million so I was confident that she was not going to hit me up for money.  We chatted for a while on Telegram.  She even said I could stay in her house if I visited SF and offered to meet me whenever she visited NYC for business.  I had a brief video chat with her, but she cut it short after a minute or two.  She offered me advice about buying bitcoins.  After I told her I wasn’t interested, she stopped chatting.  This was about three days ago.  Perhaps she was attempting to get a commission on a sale of bitcoins to me.  Who knows if she will come back.

Anna who lives in Beverly Hills found me on WhatsApp.  She seemed friendly and like the others were not concerned about the age difference.  We had a nice chat about food among other things.  I don’t sense any malicious intent on her part, but I haven’t heard from her in over 24 hours.  I will leave the ball in her court and let her restart the chat if she wants to.

This last chat is ongoing.  Emily from Singapore and lives in St. Petersburg.  I met her on her business account on Telegram.  She then moved the chat to her personal Telegram account and said that her name was Genevieve, but I should call her Gina.  The chat has gone reasonably well appears not to be a romance scam.

This is much longer than my using journal entries.  Over the past 20 years I have written in this journal since I find it easier to express myself in writing than it is verbally.  I have never been a good conversationalist.  I am careful with these chat relationships as I will not give anybody money after I learned my lesson from Carolyn.  I sense that for most of these chats there was no malicious intent from these women.  I don’t understand why these women want to chat was a man old enough to be their father. People must socialize in person with people about their own age.

I have found it difficult to make new friends after my wife Karen passed away.  I have lost confidence in myself in social situations.  I am afraid to get involved in dating again as I remember too many bad experiences decades ago.  I guess that is a consequence of having an excellent autobiographical memory.  Subconsciously, I am using these chats as a substitute for dating.

Enough said!

Good Luck to Brett Baty for the 2025 Mets

 

It is difficult for a major league player to establish himself.  Many careers end in the minor leagues as only 26 players can be on a major league roster.  Other players may have a "cup of coffee" meaning a brief appearance in the major leagues.

Brett Baty only appeared in 50 games for the Mets last season as he lost his job as a third baseman to Mark Vientos.  He spent most of last season at AAA Syracuse.  He had a hot spring training as reported in this article from MLB.com.  He is expected to make the Mets' roster and be a backup infielder.  As you can see in the photo above Lee and I met him at Amazin' Day at Citi Field in January.  He was very friendly to us.  Let's hope he does well and sticks with the team.

A Year Later Whitestone Lanes is Still There

It was just a year ago that I was interviewed on NY1 news about affordable housing coming to the site of Whitestone Lanes which is actually located in North Flushing.  At that time Community Board #7 and the City Council approved affordable housing there.  The reporter interviewed me after she found my name initiating a petition opposing it arguing it would create congestion in that immediate neighborhood.  She was able to contact me through Facebook.

A year later Whitestone Lane is still there with no immediate to close.  The only difference is that there is graffiti on their south wall.  I advised the reporter that it may be premature to do that story, but wanted to do it.

Over the past year NY1 has done stories on the immediate closings of:

• A hardware store in Brooklyn
• A diner in Astoria Queens.

I regularly read the local Queens newspapers so when the bowling alley finally closes I'll know about it in advance.

Get Together by the Youngbloods with Lyrics

Love is but a song we sing

Fear's the way we die

You can make the mountains ring

Or make the angels cry

Though the bird is on the wing

And you may not know why

Sadly, the President of the United States is making the angels and millions of people cry.

The Metrocard will Finally Be Phased Out In Favor of the OMNY Card

 

I have used the New York City subways since the early 1960s when the fare was 15 cents.  For many years riders paid their fares using a subway token as seen below.

As the fare went up, the subway token was changed.  It was a nuisance to have to wait in line for the new token.  Finally in the early 1990s the Metrocard was introduced.  Riders could refill their cards when the value was low.  At times the thin plastic caused problems when the magnetic strip could not be read.  For a number of years there was a dual system as both the token and Metrocard could be used.  The Metrocard allow for a free transfer between the subway and a bus.  Before that two fares were needed for a transfer.

OMNY is the contactless fare payment system for public transportation in the New York region. Simply use your contactless credit or debit card, smart phone, wearable device, or an OMNY card to tap and go.

For several months I use one of my credit cards as my OMNY Card to pay my fare.  Metrocards will not be sold in 2026, but they will be accepted for 6 more months.

Beatles Rarity I'm Down

 

I reported on my Facebook page yesterday I saw a DVD of the Beatles movie Help.  It has not been shown on TV in many years.  I remember seeing it with some friends at the Midway Theater in the Summer of 1965.  One of them remarked that I'm Down which was the B Side of the 45 RPM release of Help was not in the film.

I'm Down was not on any Beatles album until it was released on a compilation album/CD called Past Masters.

Saturday Afternoon at the Whitney Museum

 

Since it was a cloudy and dreary day, I thought it would be a good day to visit a museum.  I have documented several visits to the Whitney in Bruce's Journal.

Every museum has permanent and temporary exhibits. From February to July, the featured exhibit was Christine Sun Kim: All Day All Night. She is a contemporary deaf artist. Kim draws directly on the spatial dynamism of American Sign Language, translating it into graphic form.  Below is one of her works

Another exhibit was titled Shifting  Landscapes. The exhibit considers a more expansive interpretation of the category, exploring how evolving political, ecological, and social issues motivate artists as they attempt to represent the world around them.

It was an enjoyable afternoon,

Radio Comments of the Day - March 14, 2025

 

I have been a radio enthusiast since the early 1960s when I first listened to Top 40 radio on WABC and WMCA.  Over the years the technology and business of radio has changed dramatically.  Let me make some personal comments about today's realities.

• I listen to AM/FM radio much less today than I did years ago.  I regularly listen to WFUV and WBGO which are not for profit stations.  Years ago I would listen to WCBS-FM for hours a day, but their music mix today is just not for me as they are trying to reach younger listeners.  At times I'll listen to 1010 WINS, WFAN, and ESPN 880.  I feel bad for the people at News 880 who lost their jobs.  I only listen to WABC for Cousin Bruce as I detest conservative talk radio.
• I still have a GE Super Radio as seen above.  The sound quality is excellent, but it was discontinued.  I think used ones are available on Ebay.
• I have a Sangean HD radio that I bought in 2017.  The HD radio technology did not catch on.  I observe that the Sangean radio I have is the only table HD radio on the market, but many car radios have HD capability.
• In my car I only listen to SiriusXM.
• By following various radio message boards I learned that in smaller markets AM stations are going dark.  I just read that two AM stations on the Jersey Shore just went dark.

Harvey Silikovitz - Jeopardy Superstar for One Game

 

Over the years there have been thousands of contestants on Jeopardy from various backgrounds and circumstances.  I fondly remember Eddie Timmanus who was blind.  Alex Trebek gave him a braille readout card for both rounds and is given a keyboard to type out his response and wager for Final Jeopardy!

On Monday March 10 Harvey Silikovitz identified as an attorney and a karaoke singer first appeared on the show.  Harvey was coping with Parkinson's Disease that was diagnosed in 2019. He first auditioned for the classic game show in 2001 — and went on to miss an additional opportunity since then. Finally, on Monday his quest to become a contestant was realized.  There is a good article about him in the New York Post.

He was absolutely fantastic on Monday as he got 35 questions correct with only one miss and defeated 8-time champion Laura Faddah with a total of $23,600  I thought he would be a winner of several games, but his performance on Tuesday's show was not as good as he only got 13 correct and finished in third place with a total of $13,600.

I read a few discussions on Jeopardy boards on Facebook.  Some posters felt that Harvey was fatigued in the second game as a result of his condition.

I admire Harvey for his persistence in becoming a contestant's and his fight against Parkinson's Disease.  Hopefully in the future he will be invited to a Second Chance Tournament.

An Oldie with Its Parody - Leader of the Pack and Leader of the Laundromat

 

The Shangri-Las peaked at #1 in 1964

The Detergents peaked at #19 in 1965 - Dang It!

Time is Tight as We Grow Older

At 2 AM tomorrow we turn the clocks ahead to start Daylight Savings Time.  That topic including its controversies was discussed several times in Bruce's Journal.  When I think about time it seems to fly by faster as we get older.  The days turn into weeks and then into months and then years.  I just thought I would post Time is Tight an instrumental by Booker T & The M.G.'s to reflect my thoughts.

 

The Casey Stengel Chapter of SABR will Meet in Midtown Manhattan on Saturday March 29, 2025

Here is the announcement:

Our SABR Casey Stengel Chapter NYC in-person meeting will be on Saturday, March 29, 2025, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm at Scandinavia House 58 Park Ave. between 37th and 38th Streets — a short walk from Grand Central Terminal — Spread the Word!

Pre-registering by contacting David Lippman (kiwiwriter47@gmail.com) is encouraged (credit card or check, exactly worded-payable to “New York City SABR Chapter”); or pay in person on the day of the event (cash or check only, exactly worded-payable to “New York City SABR Chapter”) -- Admission is $30, and $10 for students.

The Pulse of New York Baseball: Present and Past with panelists Laura Albanese, Billy Altman and Anthony McCarron. We heard your many 'Bring Them Back' requests, so the dynamic trio will wow you again on the Scandinavia House stage. Their all-new 2025 presentation is guaranteed to elicit rave reviews.

“Mets Stories I Only Tell My Friends” and Other First-Hand Baseball Stories with Art Shamsky, Matthew Silverman, and moderator Marty Appel -- Art Shamsky is riding high with his new book! Shamsky a passionate baseball man, will be joined by equally passionate co- author Matt Silverman and Marty Appel, moderator, all well known to New Yorkers and beyond. Their lively conversation will bring forth secrets and insights you can share with family and friends. An hour like no other!

Both presentations will be followed by a Q & A and participant's bios are in the meeting link below.

And of course Eric Weiss, baseball trivia master, will test your baseball knowledge.

https://sabrnyc.org/202SABRNYCschedule.pdf

Damian Begley, Evelyn Begley, Kevin Carter, David Lippman and Ernestine Miller

 

Mr. President - Do You Know That Our Government is Based on a System of Checks and Balances?

 

The President of the United State can not do anything he wants by issuing an executive order.  He should understand the concept of checks and balances.

The idea of checks and balances is found in Article I of the U.S. Constitution. 

I wonder if the current president ever read the constitution.

Checks and balances is the separation of powers between the three branches of the United States government. The three branches are the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Each branch has its own powers and responsibilities, and can check the power of the other branches. 

The purpose of checks and balances is to ensure that no one branch becomes too powerful. It also ensures that the government is effective and citizens' rights are protected. 

Remembering Lee's First Game at Shea Stadium May 8, 1993

 

I found in an old photo album pictures of Lee when he was 5 years old in 1993.  We took pictures of him at his first Met game at Shea Stadium on May 8, 1993.  In the upper right corner of the photo above you can see me sitting with him in the upper deck.  The ticket cost $6.50 while a ticket in the upper deck of Citi Field today would be at least $30.

Above is a picture of Karen with Lee at that game.  Whenever we go to a game now there is always an empty seat next to us since Karen is no longer with us

The Mets lost that game to the Florida Marlins 4-2.

Game Account from Baseball-Reference

1993 was not a good season for the Mets as their final record was 59-103.  They finished in last place behind the expansion Marlins.  Better days would come.

Poor Little Fool by Ricky Nelson - Random Oldie of the Day

 

I don't want to discuss the miserable political situations at the local and national levels so I stuck my finger in Joel Whitburn's Top Pop book and landed on Poor Little Fool by Ricky Nelson.

Reconnecting with Josh S. from Russell Sage JHS 190

 

In 2009 I wrote a journal entry reminiscing about my days at Russell Sage JHS 190 in Forest Hills.  I hadn't seen or heard about Josh S. for over 60 years.  I remember he has a cousin named Elyse who at times posts to the Forest Hills HS 1960-75 alumni board on Facebook.  I sent her a message questioning her about Josh.  She gave me his email and phone number so we exchanged the information and then decided to talk over the phone.  We had a nice conversation for about a half hour.

I told Josh about what I have done over the past 60 years.  I think regular readers of my journal should know that so I will not repeat it here.  Here are some of the things we discussed:

• After we graduated from Russell Sage in 1964 Josh went to Brooklyn Technical High School while I went to Forest Hills High School.  At that point our paths diverged.
• Josh went to the University of Oklahoma while I went to City College of New York
• He started his career as an engineer for radio stations
• He married in 1972 and adopted two children.
• He was subsequently divorced and remarried in 1999.
• He is now a great-grandfather
• We talked about some teachers in Russell sage and some of our mutual friends
• We discussed Rego Park and Forest Hills and how it has changed over the decades,

People's paths cross for some years, but then they diverge.  At that point they lose contact but very often in this era of social networking they reconnect.  It has been my experience that reconnections are usually very brief.  Likely, I will never hear from him again.  Reconnections rarely result in a renewed friendship. As I have expressed in this journal several times "out of sight out of mind supersedes staying connected."  I certainly enjoyed our conversation.

St; Johns Defeats Seton Hall 71-61 at MSG to Win Big East Regular Season Title

 

The St. John's Red Storm Basketball team has certainly thrived under veteran coach Rick Pitino.  In his second season as coach the team is now 26-4 overall, 18-0 in the Big East Conference, and 18-0 at home.  The stars of the game were RJ Luis Jr. who scored 21 points and Zuby Ejiofor with 17 points and 10 rebounds.  It was close for most of the game but St. Johns took control in the last five minutes.

Box Score

Paying My Taxes

 

I don't like to wait for the last minute to file my taxes so as soon as I receive all my documents I visit my accountant in Fresh Meadows.  I receive income from my TIAA pension, Social Security, bank IRA, and interest from bank accounts. I have taxes deducted from my pension, but not from the other income sources.  Thus I send the IRS quarterly estimated payments.

This year may payments fell short so I have to pay the IRA more money for 2024 and increase my estimates for 2025.  On the other hand, I will get a refund from New York State.  For the first time I will make my payments electronically to the IRS.  It is so much easier to do.  I also highly recommend going to a CPA to have taxes done.

The Bob Dylan Roberta Flack Connection - Just Like a Woman

 

Yesterday, we learned of singer-pianist Roberta Flack's passing at age 88. The New York Times has a detailed obituary.  Leave it to me to find a link between her and Bob Dylan.  She covered Just Like a Woman.  Above she is singing it with the Boston Pops.  According to IMDB, this aired on July 20, 1972.  Roberta also recorded Just Like a Woman on her Chapter Two album.

Becoming Led Zeppelin at the Lincoln Square Multiplex Today

 

Since the College Point Multiplex closed last May I haven't been to many movies.  Today Lee suggested we see the documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin.  Since it wasn't playing in Queens we had to travel to the upper west side to see it at the Lincoln Square multiplex.  Lee just loves riding on the subway as he takes his map with him and follows the routes.

Itis a 2025 documentary film directed by Bernard MacMahon which charts the formation and early years of Led Zeppelin.  It traces the journeys of Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham and Robert Plant through their childhoods in post-war Britain.  The story is told exclusively by the band members with the late John Bonham represented by previously unheard audio interviews. The film features full performances, never-before-seen footage of the band's early U.S. and British concerts[14] and unseen material from the band's personal archives.

Stairway to Heaven was not heard in the film.

Norwegian Wood by The Beatles Sounds Like Fourth Time Around by Bob Dylan

 

This originally appeared on the album Rubber Soul released December 1965

This originally appeared on the album Blonde on Blonde released in June 1966

Did Dylan plagiarize from Lennon/McCartney?

I Didn't Get Tickets for Paul Simon on My Second Try

 

The general ticket sale for Paul Simon at the Beacon Theater went on sale today at 10 AM.  I went to the Ticketmaster site at 9:55 and at 10:02 the cheapest tickets available were for about $350.  I do like Paul Simon, but to pay $700 for 2 hours of entertainment is too much for me.  Perhaps I should have accessed the Ticketmaster site at 9 AM and waited for an hour.  It shows that he is very popular.

 

Hey Western Union Man - My Favorite Hit from Jerry Butler "The Ice Man"

 

Today we learned of the passing of Jerry Butler at age 85.  There is an obituary in the New York Times.  He had many hits that charted from 1960-72, but Hey Western Union Man was my favorite.

Comments about Paul Simon - Thursday February 20, 2025

 

I have been a fan of Paul Simon with or without Art Garfunkel since 1966.  He has appeared in Bruce's Journal many times.  In February 2018 d on hishe announced he would stop touring.  In September of that year the family saw him at Madison Square Garden  where he was superb on what he said would be his last tour.  He just announced a tour for 2025  including a residency at the Beacon Theater in June.

There was a presale for the shows at the Beacon Theater today at 10 AM.  When I got through at 10:45 the only tickets left cost $636.  No thanks.  I assume only a limited number of tickets were sold today.  I will try again tomorrow as the general sale starts at 10 AM.  I'll likely have a journal entry stating whether or not I got tickets.

I assume that his voice is still good and will not lip sync as Frankie Vallie did on his recent tour.

Stranger to Himself by Traffic - Classic Rock Song of the Day

 

Struggling with confusion, disillusionment too

Can turn a man into a shadow, crying out from pain

Through his nightmare vision, he sees nothing, only well

Blind with the beggar's mind, he's but a stranger

He's but a stranger to himself

Suspended from a rope inside a bucket down a hole

His hands are torn and bloodied from the scratching at his soul

Through his nightmare vision, he sees nothing, only well

Blind with the beggar's mind, he's but a stranger

He's but a stranger to himself

Through his nightmare vision, he sees nothing, only well

Blind with the beggar's mind, he's but a stranger

He's but a stranger to himself

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Steve Winwood / Jim Capaldi

I have a vinyl copy of John Barleycorn Must Die.

Sometiimes I think we are all strangers to ourselves (an others)

Larry Stahl - Facebook Friend of the Day

 

Larry Stahl was a good friend of mine when we were students at Russell Sage JHS 190 in the early 1960s.  We both went to Forest Hills HS at the same time, but drifted apart.  He went to Queens College and then to law school.  He relocated to Baltimore and was a successful attorney there.  He later became a managing administrative law judge.  He has 4 children and 9 grandchildren.

Some memories of Larry:

• In the 8th grade he brought a small reel to reel tape recorder to school and recorded some lectures.  Our math teacher went into a rage when he told her he was recording the lecture.
• Some mutual friends were Josh Socoloff, Eric Fradkin, and Alan Nelson.
• If I remember correctly his Bar Mitzvah was at the Regency House in Jamaica.  He invited our social studies teacher and her husband to the reception.
• There was a baseball player named Larry Stahl who played for the Mets in 1967-68
• I remember going to his house to listen to the album The First Family by Vaughn Meader.  Thea album may be heard on YouTube.
• He lived on Clyde Street in Forest Hills and was a member of the Young Israel there.
• He was a big fan of Steve Allen

He recently posted on the Forest Hills High School site for alumni from 1960-75.  I sense he is not active on Facebook.  Let's see if he discovers this journal entry.

Please Please Me - Random Beatle Song of the Day

 

The Beatles performed Please Please Me in Washington, DC in February 1964.  I suspect that this video was colorized at a later date.

Today is World Radio Day - You Turn Me on I'm a Radio by Joni Mitchell

 

For me everyday is a Radio Day as I have listened to AM, FM, Satellite and internet radio since the 1960s.  Radio songs were the question of the day on WFUV this morning, so I have chosen this Joni Mitchell song for my journal post of the day.

I Guess Elected Officials Can Commit Crimes and Get Away with Them

This story in the New York Times best describes the situation with New York City Mayor Eric Adams.  I guess if you know the right people you can get away with crimes. The mayor should go to trial and have a jury of his peers decide whether he is innocent or guilty.

The mayor must run for re-election this year.  I value integrity when I decide my vote in any election.

I throw my hands up in disgust when I see what is going on in politics today.  Are there any honest politicians out there?

Advice to My Readers - Avoid Romance Scams

 

I dodged one when a young lady give me a sob story and asked for money.  I had a nice online conversation with her for a while but suspected she would eventually ask for money.  As soon as she did, I stopped communication with her.  This happened on Facebook so romance scams are not not limited to dating apps.  The Federal Trade Commission gives good advice on this issue.

Random Thoughts of the Day - February 7, 2025

• The Mets finally signed Pete Alonso with a 2 year deal with an opt-out after 1 year.  Pete dropped the ball after declining a 7-year $158 Million offer by Billy Eppler.  He bet on himself and lost.
• I can't get excited about the Superbowl as I was never a big football fan.  I will watch it was millions of others around the world, but I don't care who wins.
• I had a crazy dream last night arguing with a former colleague about his misuse of email.
• When we get to February 6-8 I remember a bad snowstorm that happened when I lived in New London, CT in 1978.  There are a few smaller storms that are predicted for NYC in the next few days.

 

Here's One for Al Kooper's 81st Birthday

 

In 2012 we went to a concert at BB King's (now closed) to celebrate Al Kooper's 68th birthday.  Today is Al's 81st birthday, but there was no concert to celebrate it.  Pat St. John mentioned it on his afternoon show on the 60s Gold Channel on SiriusXM and played Al's cover of the Three Dog Night hit "One".  I didn't realize that this existed.  Two years ago Al was elected to the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame.

Happy Birthday Al.

My Thoughts on the Pete Alonso Situation

 

Spring training will start soon and Pete Alonso is still unsigned.  Something has to happen soon.  I think Pete dropped the ball a year ago when he turned down a contract for $158 million over 7 years.  He bet on he had an himself and lost since he had an off-season.  I think that his agent Scott Boras is the troublemaker here.  Steve Cohen said that the negotiations have been exhausting.  Alonso should not get a bonus if he opt out of his contract.

If Pete does not have any more options, he should sign ASAP so he can start spring training on time.  I think the Mets should give him an ultimatum and give him a final offer.  If he doesn't accept it, they need to make plans without him for 2025.

I am tired of reading fake news about this on Facebook.

Bob Dylan will Appear at the Outlaw Music Festival in 2025

 

Bill Pagel made the announcement on his Facebook page.  I am concerned that with so many acts on the tour Dylan's set list will be short.  Tickets will go on sale on February 4th, so I will have to buy them 6 months in advance for the August 1 show at Jones Beach.

Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson & Family, Billy Strings, Trampled by Turtles, Wilco, Sheryl Crow, Lucinda Williams and many others

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, February 4 at 10:00 AM through Ticketmaster and the Outlaw Music web site.

Additional information can be found at www.BobLinks.com

May 13 - Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, Phoenix, Arizona

May 15 - North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, Chula Vista, California

May 16 - Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, California

May 18 - Toyota Amphitheatre, Wheatland, California

May 20 - Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater, Nampa, Idaho

May 22 - ONE Spokane Stadium, Spokane, Washington

May 24 - Cascades Amphitheater, Ridgefield, Washington

May 25 - The Gorge Amphitheatre, Quincy, Washington

Jun 20 - Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, Michigan

Jun 21 - Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

Jun 22 – Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

Jun 25 - FirstBank Amphitheater, Franklin, Tennessee

Jun 27 - Radians Amphitheater, Memphis, Tennessee

Jun 28 - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, Maryland Heights, Missouri

Jun 29 - Thunder Ridge Nature Arena, Ridgedale, Missouri

Jul 04 - Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnic (not confirmed)

Jul 05 - Dos Equis Pavilion, Dallas, Texas

Jul 06 - The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Presented By Huntsman, The Woodlands, Texas

Jul 25 - Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, Alpharetta, Georgia

Jul 26 - PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, North Carolina

Jul 27 - Central Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, Raleigh, North Carolina

Jul 29 - Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Aug 01 - Northwell at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, New York

Aug 02 - Broadview Stage at SPAC, Saratoga Springs, New York

Aug 03 - BankNH Pavilion, Gilford, New Hampshire

Aug 08 - Darien Lake Amphitheater, Buffalo, New York

Aug 09 - Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, Pennsylvania

Aug 10 - Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview, Syracuse, New York

Sep 05 - Maine Savings Amphitheater, Bangor, Maine

Sep 06 - Xfinity Theatre, Hartford, Connecticut

Sep 07 - Xfinity Center, Mansfield, Massachusetts

Sep 12 - Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Camden, New Jersey

Sep 13 - PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, New Jersey

Sep 14 - Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland

Sep 19 - Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, Wisconsin

ST. John's 68 Providence 66 in a Thriller at Madison Square Garden

 

Since it cost over $200/ticket to see a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden we thought we would take in a college game where the ticket prices are more reasonable.  Both teams held the lead during the first half, but the Red Storm pulled ahead by 19 points in the second half.  The Providence College Friars fought back and tied the score at 66 with 33 seconds left.  Kadary Richmond nailed the game-winner with three seconds left on the clock.  The Red Storm has now won eight-straight regular season league games for the first time since it won eight consecutive from Feb. 1 from March 2, 1992.  At that point the legendary Lou Carnesecca was coach.

Before today's game the Red Storm was ranked 15 nationally.  There is about a month to go in the regular season leading to the Big East Tournament.  Hopefully the Red Storm will get a spot in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament popularly known as the "Big Dance".

Game Summary

The Marianne Faithful - Bob Dylan Connection

 

Today we learned the Marianne Faithful passed away at age 78.  An obituary may be found in the New York Times.  She is best known for a hit with the Jagger/Richards song As Tears Go By.  Leave it to me to find a link to Bob Dylan.  She covered It's All Over Now Baby Blue.