enough already

I am sick and tired of the citizens of this fair city going after the sanitation dept like an unruly mob, accusing them of a slowdown and incompotency, that's just silly, as the picture clearly shows, NY's Strongest were NOT frolicking in the snow, but rather they were hard at work for 72 hours, plowing the roads and making our lives easier......can't the NY Post find any cops, firemen or MTA workers to ridicule.

Blizzard

was offline for a few days, stranded in the Candlewood suites in Jerz city for the great blizzrd of 2010........despite les miserabe Giants we made the most of it, found a few watering holes that stayed open despitethe horrific elements and managed to drink plenty of fluids and survive on kobe beef......got home just in time to shovel out a crop circle in the backyard for Queen Graves to roam and relieve herself , so all is well......

happy belation

a belated wish of health, happiness, peace, prosperity and the constant flow of libations this Christmas season and throughout 2011 to all the Loyal Blog readers and the Exetended ever growing family of Sweater Nite......this coming sweater nite we will embroider the blog address onto the beer huggies so there will be nor more excuses for not reading religiously.

At the time of this writing we are hunkering down for a massive snowstorm that is roaring up the coast, my Christmas elfs ( Val, Gravey and Messier) are busy readying club Gato for an afternoon of playoff implication football and cold beeeeeeere.

Happy Birthday to Steve O'Dowd who is braving the elements in Soldier Field for the Jets- Bears game.

comes a time

Comes a time , when a blind man takes your hand
and says, don't you see ? ( Jerry Garcia )

inevitably in life there also comes a time in life when you ask yourself, WHY DO I GIVE A DAM ?

I don't like being extorted for a PSL , but I do it because i love the Giants.
I don't like being forced to buy season tickets and preseason games and parking passes IN ADVANCE, but i do it because i bleed BIG blue.
I don't like paying a Bernard Kings ransom for a bottle of beer in the nose bleed seats of the NEW GIANTS stadium, but I do it because there is a bond between players and fans that bridges generations, a pride that comes with identifying yourself as a GIANTS fan, euphoric when they succeed and despaired when they fail.

Yesterday tested the limits of said bond, when we the people give up so much, time, money etc etc ; this close to Christmas, you at least expect the team to meet you half-way , the 4th quarter of yesterdays games against the that team from the south, went far beyond embarrassing, i don't like loosing, but i can tolerate it.....I CANT Tolerate apathy, and that's what i saw on the field in the waning 8 minutes of the game.

why ? why ? do i give a dam.....well maybe i don't.

Woodsie saves the day

so after 96 hours of being in the dark about whether or not they are serving Cold Beer at the Garden for the Holiday Festival, no thanks to eggroll, the man the myth the legend Dante Woods calls me this morning shortly after services and emphatically stated that they ARE selling Beer manayana evening .....to the garden we go ? ? that is the question.

blast from the past

spent a cold saturday afternoon slightly under the weather looking for old pictures to put on Facebook to torture my niece's, stumbled across this gem .....summer of 1980, wishing back then i had a buck 69 for some blatz no doubt.......wishing tday i could find that shirt, if it wasn't thrown away when I left for bootcamp. I remember it well to , it was obviously a homemade tie dye and it was originally a white Tee with a small Mickey Mouse on the left breast , i made it special for the Spring Tour and if i recall.....and i do.....most of the good stuff that was being sold outside the venues that year "also" had a Mickey Mouse Character embossed on the outside.

nothin says Christmas

like a long days journey into night, drinking fine Ales in some of the oldest pubs on the isle of Manhattan. Spent Friday with my bride slaking our thirst with pints of Brooklyn Lager, The Ear Inn homebrew , Stellas, PBR's and anything else that came down the pike. Breakfast in the grey Dog on Carmine street, a late lunch in Walkers , started the drinking in the Prince Street Lounge at 10:00 a.m., with stops along the way including the aforementioned EAR INN and Fanellis......did not make it up to Petes unfortunately, next time we shall start there just to be sure.

Once again the CLASH were right

well now that Cliff lee has returned to the phillies it's looking more and more as tho the stars are aligning for the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse to return.......seriously folks if faced with the choice of our miscreant, sloth neighbors to the south (friends and blood family excluded)winning another world series , OR the world coming to an end....I might choose Armageddon....it would be less painful and would be over quickly.

It's not Christmas Time anymore....it's Armegiddeon Time. (Joe Strummer)

Honorable Eggroll is soooo busy!

How busy is he , you may ask...and rightfully so....
well the Eggman, AKA DasDas, AKA Coach Nolan, AKA Uncle Den Den , AKA and the list of nicknames can stretch from the OLA schoolyard all the way to Kirk Campions house and back, but you get the jist......I sent Strovika ( aka...ah forget it) a short and pecise text on Monday Morning.

" Eggroll ( i says) do they sell BEEEEEER at the Holiday Festival at MSG ? "

a yes or no question...but an important one that required the courtesy of a reply, you see the Terriers of Remsen street, Our Beloved St. Franks College basketball team is playing at Madisoy Square Garden on Monday against the Wildcats of Northwestern,, with the Redmen playing Davidson in the Nightcap......but if they ain't serving Nightcaps....well then obviously we ain't goin....I'd rather have double root canal then sit through a college basketball doubleheader without at least a dozen cold beers.


and so i find myself this early Thursday morn still waiting on a simple 3 letter reply.....or God Forbid a dreaded 2 letter reply.

The Fate , and attendance figures for MSG lie in the balance.

Does anyone out there know if they are serving our godd friend Mr. Al Cohol at the games? obviously the eggmesiter is hard at work with his own team and can't reply....either that or his kids are on strike and won't teach him how to Text.

1996 Army - Navy Revisited

in what was most certainly the most bitter defeat in the series, mainly because i was not only in attendance but because I helped organize a busload of approx 20 "friends" who were all rooting for ARMY ...except of course fellow squid Jack Duffy , the photos above were from that fateful day and the articale below is a recap from the Baltimore Sun......after getting rained on for 7 hours and drinking a delauge of Beer, Navy fell short at the Army Goal line......heartbreaking, absolutely heartbreaking. baltimoresun.com Army 28, Navy 24 Army enlists more Navy misery Mids see 18-point lead slip away in 28-24 loss, fifth straight near-miss 

Goooooooooo NAVY !

Today does promise to be a classic game between the service academies, with the Midshipmen of Navy looking to improve upon an unprecedented streak of 8 straight over ARMY.(scores listed below) But the final score never tells the real story, this game is match between the finest Men the United States has to offer. This past decade our country has been at war , and these guys both sides of the ball have willingly joined the frey as opposed to shying away. The Pride , Honor and Courage on display today in Phildelphia mean so much more than a final score. Do yourself a favor, settle in on your favorite couch or bar stool, raise a glass of Ale to these Midshipmen and Cadets and maybe say a prayer that God has their back , the way they have OURS.



2002 Navy 58–12 Giants Stadium East Rutherford, NJ Army 49-47-7
2003 Navy 34–6 Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia, PA Army 49-48-7
2004 Navy 42–13 Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia, PA Tied 49-49-7
2005 Navy 42–23 Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia, PA Navy 50-49-7
2006 Navy 26–14 Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia, PA Navy 51-49-7
2007 Navy 38–3 M&T Bank Stadium Baltimore, MD Navy 52-49-7
2008 Navy 34–0 Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia, PA Navy 53-49-7
2009 Navy 17–3 Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia, PA Navy 54-49-7

Rising First and shining Best

Like a Phoenix from the ashes the United States Navy Rose Up, Collectively Brushed off the Dust, repaired what was salvageable, rebuilt what was not and orchestrated the Greatest Comeback in the Manned History of the Planet Earth.......and amazing 45 months later, a mere hiccup in time, the USS Missouri ( Mighty Mo) and the USS Nicholas sailed into Tokyo Bay on the morning of September 2nd 1945 and accepted the Unconditional surrender of Japanese forces...aboard the Battleship Missouri, Flagship of the US Navy in the Pacific...the same NAVY that was left for dead on the sleepy Hawaiian shores by said Jap Bastards.........GOD SPEED AND FOLLOWING SEAS !

Try to remember in your travels

With no warning the attacking planes came into sight over pearl harbor. At 7:55 AM, December 7, 1941 the first target was hit and by 9:45 AM it was all over. Behind them the Japanese left devastation as their aircraft carriers headed home to Japan. Over 2400 people died, hundreds of planes were destroyed, and a fleet containing eight battleships was ruined. With a single act, Japan woke America to the horrible realities of war. The debate that had divided Americans since the German defeat of France was decided, America would go to war. President Roosevelt received word of the attack on a Sunday afternoon and stated he would ask congress to declare war on Japan. On Monday the declaration of war was signed and one day later, Germany, Italy, and Japan declared war on the US.

12 billion ?

well, now that the Federal Govt has made a 12 billion dollar profit on Citibank, maybe the Media will start referring to TARP as an investment in the US Financial system instead of a bailout....yeah right. We have harped on this in the past but it BEARS ( no pun intended) repeating.......nobody was bailed out, the institutions that needed cash to stay alive we're told to sell themselves or the Treasury Secretary brokered the sale for them or they went under...............TARP was an interest free loan to hand picked Banks to encourage lending, so that MAIN Street could continue to get financing for car loans, etc etc..The Fed Govt took ownership (shares) in the Banks as collateral for the loans at their "all time" low prices....low and behold when the markets recovered slightly the fed had a windfall....Damm Wall Street Crooks....making money for the American public again........and TIS the season when we will hear about Wall Street Bonuses , when in fact , it is deferred compensation, no different than Union contracts with pensions and other perks......sorry there is one difference, whereas Govt Pensions are paid even if the Municipality is bankrupt, deferred Comp on Wall Street is a percentage of profits.....tuff year on the street, the Company didn't make money ? ? FU pay me...no bonus....

The U.S. Treasury sold the last of its Citigroup Inc. common shares in a $10.5 billion offering that capped the government's biggest bank bailout of the financial-market meltdown.

The stock sale, which was finalized Monday evening, means taxpayers will reap a profit of $12 billion on their $45 billion cash investment in Citi, the Treasury said. It also helps the government quell some of the criticism that it went too far in propping up the financial system, and allows the bank to shake the market stigma that it has effectively been a ward of the state.




The U.S. Treasury sold the last of its Citigroup Inc. common shares in a $10.5 billion offering that capped the government's biggest bank bailout of the financial-market meltdown.

The stock sale, which was finalized Monday evening, means taxpayers will reap a profit of $12 billion on their $45 billion cash investment in Citi, the Treasury said. It also helps the government quell some of the criticism that it went too far in propping up the financial system, and allows the bank to shake the market stigma that it has effectively been a ward of the state.

****not suitable for children****

I try police my BLOG and keep free and clear of obscene language , but the below email i am about to reprint may shock some of you.....in the spirit of the season I reached out to my friends with gangrene and offered heartfelt condolonces on the Brian Leonhard injury.......what i received in return was disturbing......below is an "EXACT" replica of on email Squiree Brian Duffy sent early this morning ( The LORDS' day)

Why the anger? Just sit there with your little bottle of Chimp Chiller Ale, wear your little blue 56 jersey with the name "RAPIST" on the back, giggle to yourself whenever Brady completes a pass, and count your little Super Bowl trophies. You should be more concerned with Bishop Ford basketball than the NFL....at this rate your pal eggroll will be fired before the Auburn-Oregon Game, and with good cause...he couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag....dano after 6 hours in Farrells would make a better coach.....I heard Hoff, Higgins and Collins were at the debut verse POLY....Don't ANY of your friends work anymore? (was Raymore and Flanagan closed again?) your legions are so thin you guys had to accept JC into the fold....well at least he drinks....Mac, Roll, Dano ,Higgins which one of you guys is getting farmed next.....Boris and Natasha drink more than your friends...Leave worrying about the Jets to Jets fans like me and that Pollack Pazarecki. Thank you and Merry Christmas.---Duff

Furthur

Trucked into the Big city to see the Boys one more time in the Wolrds most famous arena, and was certainly not dissapointed. The sound, the song selection and arrangement (more on that later) the sights and SMELLS were all too familiar, the beeeeeer was extremely cold and the band was inspired to put it mildly.

Set 1: Jam > Help on the Way > Slipknot > Shakedown Street > Jack Straw, El Paso, Wharf Rat > keyboard solo > Two Djinn > Lady with a Fan > Terrapin Station > Terrapin Suite > At a Siding

Set 2: Mountain Song > Jam > Dark Star > The Other One > St. Stephen > The Eleven > Death Don't Have No Mercy > Franklin's Tower, E: One More Saturday Night

One for the Ages

Let me start out by saying if you were not fortunate enough to watch the whole spectacle, then you were cheated of one of the finest examples of Americana left today. The other professional sports can take a back seat to America's Queen...Nothing , and i mean NOTHING like this has ever happened in this sport or any sport. Never has there been this kind of outpouring of love for a retiring champion on the cusp of their last match, game, fight etc etc.........i implore you to get to you tube and try to catch the the walk from barn 41 to the paddock....ESPN deserves a medal for having the foresight to televise a part of horse racing that has never been talked about or shown on TV, even folks at the track are not usually locked in to this exhibition, namely because it is an insignificant non-event...the horses are lead from the barn onto the track counterclockwise past the finish line , through the tunnel and into the paddock wearing their aprons, no numbers or silks, some of them unrecognizable......until yesterday.

There were 3 police officers there to escort her and the handler , Queen Z was already dancing , playing with her two front legs , scratching at the dirt and showboating like Cassius Clay , words don't do it justice , it was a sight to behold.The crowd swell started early , up along the clubhouse turn, usually the quietest part of the track, they were buzzing , shouts and cat calls of "ZENYATTA".
As they made their way towards the grandstand the cheering started , now she was hopping around, bouncing if you will , the tunnel was lined with Breeders officials, Press, and those lucky enough to sneak a peak at the champ as she passed. When she emerged into the Paddock it was New Years Eve and the stroke of midnight, an absolute joyful roar , flags, banners, posters, flashbulbs, cheers and applause....all for one girl, THE QUEEN of AMERICA this day. Don't take my word for it, Bob Baffert and Nick Zito both interviewed in the paddock said they had never seen anything like this BEFORE a race....NOTHING.

This field was deep, certainly the toughest she had ever faced, all battle tested males from the triple crown and stakes races across the land, no slouches here, if she falls far behind like she always does, she's toast today.

I really love this horse, she amazes me, and have the utmost respect for her will to win and ability to find a way. I have had the pleasure watching her the past two years on TVG and i never bet her , i like to too much, she should not have to bear the jinx of my wager on her huge shoulders.

And there off ! she slides to the rail behind the pack as always , but still right there, as they round the clubhouse turn she is fading , Mike Smith asks her to step it up early, perhaps realizing she can't play around today , but little response. the field is in 3 packs....the lead 4 , a big gap to the next 7 , and an even bigger gap to Zenyatta.......i forget about my dopey horse Lookin at Lucky and I am fixated on Zenyatta.....she doesn't have it today, a pit in my stomach, so sad, she is not even going to make a real run.....around the far turn and onto the stretch i am focusin on Lucky.....he is 4 wide with nobody in front, just explode down the stretch and we got it ......but Blame is pulling away and all I can hope for is 2nd....and the track announcer shouts "Zenyatta is making here move" no way.....she is zigzagging through a minefield of horses and now is on outside still about 6 lenghts with 200 yards to go....with every stride she is closing the gap , and BLAME aint quitting, with Ga Go, Garret Gomez uptop he has the best jockey in the land, but Mike Smith and Queen Z are barreling down the stretch...3 lengths , 2 lengths 1 length, 1/2 length and she is just about to pass......FLASH ! they hit the wire.

The sight of this girl standing on the track, covered in mud , and somewhat confused that they were not going to the winners circle was too much. Mike Smith leaned forward and kissed her neck before the dismount, it was unfamiliar waters for both of them, for the 1st time is her life, the first time in an unbelieveable 20 races, she was not getting the flower blanket, it was almost too much to bear.

Mike Smith stated before the race that he would give back all his accomplishments over the years for this race, he wanted it for her , more than any other race in his life, he is a deeply religious man and a true gentlemen , a figure we don't often encounter in professional sports, you won't see him on a Nike commercial, he doesn't have that street edge that thugs, coke dealers and the sneaker buying populace seem
to love . And when it was over he wept , he didn't refuse to speak to the media, instead he went to the dais, broke down and blamed himself for the ride , he didn't use any of the excuses that were at his disposal, the stiff competition, the unfamiliar dirt surface, the cold weather for a Cali girl, the first time racing under the lights, the excitement of 75K fans...nope, none of it , it was his fault and he just hopes she still goes down in history as one of the all time greats.

I misspoke on this blog a while back, although i was always in Zenyatta's camp, i mistakenly said that the excitement that followed Rachel was unmatched, the truth is because I saw Rachel in person on 3 occasions I had a chance to see first hand what the buzz was, Saturday I saw on TV the infectious following of Americas Queen...she is not only the greatest Female Horse of All time, and one of the Greatest Race Horses of all time , she is the biggest Equine Rock Star of them all. The outpouring for Barbaro was unprecedented, but it took a tragedy to unfold, in some ways Barbaro may deserve credit for this new American public that has taken to the races, I wonder how many of the gals at Churchill first started following racing after the Barbaro saga.

And I close , if you didn't see it live on Saturday, i feel bad for you , because I doubt we will ever see anything like it again........Thank you Zenyatta for saving our sport.

America's Queen Z

By Amy Wilson
awilson1@herald-leader.com
LOUISVILLE — Children wept. And so did grown-ups, the ones who had come from Nebraska and Minnesota and California and Maryland to see their girl, Zenyatta, run one more, only to lose by one stride.

This was not what they had planned when they came to Kentucky's Churchill Downs on Saturday morning in triumphant glee.

"She's still a powerhouse," said Beth Shakan of Annapolis, Md. "This changes nothing."

As she said that, Erica Harris of Omaha, Neb., stood next to her in the dark and cried.

The day had started with all the promise of the tall beauty retiring from racing having never lost a single race. Cheryl Williams tried early Saturday to entice Breeders' Cup patrons who wanted to park their cars with a sign that read only: "See Zenyatta."

Just across from Williams' front yard — now a dozen parking spaces selling for $20 apiece — you had a perfect view of Barn 41's little paddock and, in it, the then-19-0, 17-hands tall beauty noshing some grass hours before what could have been her greatest triumph.

"Half of the drivers don't believe me," Williams said, "because it's too good to be true." Williams was positively giddy, cashing in as she was on the zeal that belonged exclusively to this horse and to this moment and to what many believed was the chance to see the final run of the horse who could very well turn out to be the greatest this century would know.

Next door, with lesser views of Barn 41, the going rate was $15.

Inside the Downs, the Breeders' Cup, renowned for its lack of Kentucky Derby millinery, saw the rules relaxed for Zenyatta's followers.

Dressed in boa-trimmed hats, replete with silver crowns and horse ears, wrapped in pink scarves and wearing what amounted to Zenyatta jerseys, six friends from five states who met on an Internet fantasy horse racing club came together yet again to see their favorite horse.

"We love her," they said almost in unison, explaining that they'd met her in person, given her a four-pack of Guinness beer, let her eat their flashy hats and were even allowed in the winner's circle at Hollywood Park where Diana Carreon of Venice Beach, Calif., got to raise a sign that read: "Zenyatta for Governor."

Inside the Churchill Downs shop Saturday afternoon, people were upset that Zenyatta merchandise sold out early in the morning. That made Leslie Sworsky and Carol Hanson, two Minnesota high school teachers, look prescient by designing their own T-shirts to wear Saturday. "Hail to the Queen" read the front of the shirt; "You'll tell your grandkids you saw her run" read the back.

The teachers took a day off work Friday, driving all day, crying when they saw the Twin Spires Saturday morning. Both women have loved horses for a long time, but only really began to follow Zenyatta when they heard a story about her on NPR a year ago. They said they just fell in love instantly.

"We both were in high school for Secretariat," said Sworsky. "That feeling hasn't come around for us since then. We were destroyed by what happened to Ruffian, Eight Belles and Barbaro. This horse is just joyful. This business needs this."

Because this was the Breeders' Cup, there was talk about business even when there was talk about joy, and it was coming from those with pink feathers and plastic horses in a field of teal grass on their heads.

"This is what horse racing should be about," said Nebraska's Harris before the race. "She was given time to grow into her body and be the racehorse she was supposed to be."

Harris was the most visible of fans, her hat marking each of the largest races with tiny banners and signs. She became engaged to Jeremiah Johnson just before Zenyatta's win at Del Mar. Her engagement ring is two intertwined, diamond-studded horse shoes.

Shakan, her friend from Maryland, met Erica and Jeremiah that day at Del Mar. They have become great friends, attending all the races Zenyatta's run since.

"We have met so many people," said Shakan. "I don't want to see it end."

Standing nearby was friend Jamie Harris of Louisville who added, almost as an afterthought: "But Kentucky needs Zenyatta to win, so we can get over the loss of Secretariat. It's time."

It was not time this time.

As a horse with the impossibly ironic name of Blame won, the Churchill Downs crowd at first hardly knew how to behave. There was a stunned silence.

"No one clapped for her," said Shakan, dismayed that she did not again hear the roar of Churchill Downs crowd call Zenyatta's name and see it rise to its feet for her as she crossed the wire.

"Why not?" she asked, then answered it herself: "To be all that, that's a lot of pressure for one horse."

Christmas Come early

the most wonderful day of the year, now that Breeders Cup is here.

chills and goosebumps and no it's not a hangover, it is the thrilling exhilaration and anticipation of Day 2 of the breeders Cup. Zenyatta tabs a stab at immortality this day. At approx 6:45 this evening, beneath the shadows of the Twin Spires, on the holiest of ovals the equine racers have ever known, this Gal will attempt to etch her face on the Mt Rushmore of Horse Racing. If she wins her name will be whispered in the same sentence as Secretariat, Man o War and War Admiral. A perfect 20-0 and back to back winner of the "Classic" I don't think she will do it, I can't fathom "any" horse coming from dead last ( as she always does) against this field, but Alas I have been wrong before and today I am such a sport that i am going to give her a "fighting chance" .....I will NOT bet on her.


here are the rest of the Gato picks, feel free to wager as much as you like.

Manitoba
Atta Boy Roy
Chamberlain Bridge
JP's Gusto
Gio Ponti
Tizway
Debussy
LOOKIN AT LUCKY

thems fightin words

not a big fan of Calvin in the past, dont care for his AW SHUCKS style or that GOOD OL BOY persona he flaunts, will never forgive him for abandoning Derby CHAMPION Mine that Bird for the glory of Rachel A in the Preak.

That being said, he was in the right on Friday in the winners Circle of the venerable Chruchill Downs, in case you missed it, Mr Borell took Javi Catellano to task for a dangerous move that could have killed Martin Garcia , Romp and Calvin himself......castellano responded by throwing a punch at Calvin and fireworks ensued,.....as the above photo should attest, Borell went Banannas...flipped his lid, and pleaded with security " let me go so i can kill that little bastard".

have a lot of homework to do before i head over to Monmouth park this day....check back in an hour or so and me and Gravey will let you in on whom were tossing sheckles at on day two.......6 for 6 yesterday.....pulled a PG.

Sweater Nite Breeders Picks

So my Pal Gravey and I are sitting here havin a few brews talkin horsies and we realize our loyal readership is probably awaiting our picks for day 1 of the breeeders....here goes....free money awaits

eldaafer
more than real
dubai majesty
awesome feather
shared account
unrivaled belle


on my way to Brannigans in a few if any of you lads are around..

close.....but no cigar-ski

Whom would be a better Sheriff for Monmouth County than this beast ? she did receive 2 "write in" votes, but not enough to win.

the Wonder Bar

incidentally.....the Wonder Bar has an outdoor Bar with a dog run in the back , and now proudly hosts YAPPY Hour....all well behaved pooches are welcome.

Congratulations El Gigantes of San Francisco , the official Beisbol Team of the Late Jerry Garcia and Sweater Nite....

Zombie Walk in Asbury Park

today is the Zombie walk in Asbury, they are hoping to set a Record. Zombie Walk is the official Halloween event of Sweater Nite , if you can't make the walk, you can certainly have a beeeer in the Wonder Bar

obama care...

Don't say I didn't warn ya , when your train gets lost. B Dylan

This article was written by Marc Siegel in the NY Post Oct 26th

I Can feel ObamaCare closing in.

It starts with small things. Consider a patient I'll call Jane, a corporate executive in her mid 40s. She's happy with her current health coverage -- a high-deductible policy paired with a Flexible Spending Account that can cover up to $3,000 a year in routine expenses, which she uses to pay for much of her medical care.

Other than her yearly screening check-up, Jane doesn't come in to see me unless she's really sick. An occasional bout of bronchitis prompts a brief visit, where I prescribe her a short course of antibiotics. Otherwise she uses her FSA to buy Tylenol and Advil over-the-counter for an occasional headache, insect repellant for summers in her backyard and Prevacid for an infrequent case of heartburn.

But, starting Jan. 1, Jane won't be able to use her flex-spend account to cover OTC remedies without getting a prescription first. That's right: She'll need a prescription for non-prescription drugs -- a waste of her time, and mine. Otherwise, she has to pay a 20 percent penalty for using the account to buy exactly the sort of things it was designed to cover.

She's not alone: I have 20-plus patients facing this pointless restriction on their flex-spend or Health Savings accounts. Nationwide, more than 30 million workers with FSAs and 10 million others with HSAs are all in the same boat.

Do the congressmen who passed the health-reform law seriously expect me to somehow find the time to prescribe laxatives, antacids, creams for insect bites and hemorrhoids and so on for these patients? Or are they just looking to render that coverage worthless?

There's much worse to come. Also on Jan. 1, the cuts to Medicare Advantage start kicking in -- $140 billion in lost federal funding. I don't yet know how many of my patients will lose the dental, eye and comprehensive prescription-drug coverage that these policies provide.

The burdens keep piling up, bit by bit, over the next three years. I'm really worried about 2014: That's when the new Independent Medicare Advisory Board starts restricting the essential services I can provide the more than half my patients who have Medicare. Since the "reform" cut hundreds of billions from Medicare, something's going to have to give.

Then there's the issue Dr. Scott Gottlieb pointed out recently on these pages ("Killing Marcus Welby," Oct. 18): The reform law is also designed to push my patients -- and me -- into an HMO-style arrangement, even if they've renamed these behemoths "Accountable Care Organizations." We're not supposed to find a way around all the restrictions -- we're supposed to give up, and start following the orders of the president's preferred experts.

As more of the "reform" law takes hold, the daily practice of medicine will grow more and more difficult for both doctors and patients. Premiums are already rising and services are diminishing.

Several of my patients have found that their policies are changing and no longer cover their medications. Their referrals are restricted to narrow networks of specialists even as their co-pays and deductibles rise.

Others have lost their jobs but still have too much income to qualify for Medicaid and don't yet qualify for the high-risk pools. I see many of these patients for free, but they can't afford the tests I want to order.

It's hard for me to believe that President Obama has spent any time in a real doctor's office. He can claim that he hasn't succeeded in getting his message across, or that fear clouds our thinking -- but when it comes to health care, most Americans understand his message and just don't agree with it.

And, having written a book on fear, I can tell you that fear is an appropriate response to ObamaCare as it plays out in my examination room.

Marc Siegel is a practicing internist in New York and a Fox News medical contributor.

Uncle Jerry up above

there is no doubt that the Fate of the 2010 SF Giants turned dramatically after they held "JERRY GARCIA" night on Aug 9th.....at that point the Padres were running away with the division and El Gigantes were in danger of missing the playoffs entirely....the late Jerry Garcia, a huge baseball and Giant fan has certainly been lookin down from above ever since......Go Giants !

Dublin Marathon

across the pond in Dublin they are lining up for the start of the marathon at this time, good luck Steve, beat that ol broad.


side note....sounds like the packers-vikings game was very exciting last night.....i wonder if anyone saw it.......I was down in Philly at the little bandbox waiting for game 7.....nobody effin showed....

total domination

When you beat your opponent 75% of the time, as NAVY has against the Irish in recent years, is it really still considered competition ? these victories over ND are not the type of quality wins we need in the BCS standings...yeah it's nice to play them every year, but trouncing them doesn't help the bottom line of winning a National Championship....maybe its time we rethink this rivalry ......i heard someone say somethin a long time ago about a "STREAK" ....those days died with tyrone shoelaces willingham........at least charlie Weiss used to keep it close....

35-17 was deceptive.....it wasn't that close.

GOOOOOOO NAVY

he aint dead, he's just asleep

Happy Birthday Bobby Ace......Many many more.

Sugar Magnolia, Blossoms bloomin
Heads all empty and I dont care.
saw my baby down by the river,
I knew she had to come up soon for air.

Isle be seein you

WCBS News is reporting that Charles (don't tell em your Jewish) Wang has sold the iceladies hockey club to a group of investors from Oklahoma City for 23 dollars and a necklace. A news conf to announce the sale and relocation of the team is slated for 9:00 a.m. Before the sale was finalized GM Garth Brooks Snow extended Rick Dipietros contract another 18 years and promised the netminder he could also play starting point guard for the OK City Thunder of the NBA. When reached in Toronto for comment Commissioner Gary Bettman said only " Mark Messier...come get your Stanley Cup ".

film at elevenish.

NFL unwatchable part 2

not sure what time the game ended last night, but I do know the last train to Monmouth County departs Seacaucus at 1:08 AM .......otherwise you can take a nap on a bench in the lautenderg Mahal until 5:35.....you have work on Tuesday?...Fck you.

incidentally, remember the good old days growing up in NYC.....you could go to any corner tavern or friends house on a sunday and sit down to watch the Giants and Jets back to back...1:00 & 4:00 every Sunday....week after week.

this past weekend was the 5th of this 2010 NFL season and the Jets and Giants have yet to play back to back on Sunday sfternoon.....tradition.

Teach Your Children, ahem; students well

why on Gods Green earth do these stupid teachers want OUT of obamacare ? dont they know this is FREE YIPEE healthacre for all....a topic that s/b near and dear to their liberal hearts.........and Mcdonalds, a company that has always provided health care for its 30,000 employees said it would have to rethink that policy as a result in the rising costs from obamacare.......can anyone say waiver for Micky D's ?

The United Federation of Teachers -- one of President Obama's key political backers -- is the biggest beneficiary of a White House sweetheart deal that will exempt certain outfits from
complying with new health-care rules, officials revealed yesterday.

The quietly approved federal waivers for 30 companies, health insurers, unions and other groups across the country means the UFT doesn't have to gradually phase out caps on annual health coverage like everyone else.

The UFT was concerned that could have been a major financial hit on the union.

The one-year waiver, approved last month by the Department of Health and Human Services, covers all 351,000 members of the UFT's welfare fund, which provides health care and other benefits.

The UFT has the largest pool of affected employees of the 30 organizations that received waivers. The second largest was CIGNA with 265,000 members.

Critics have questioned the need for the exemptions, who got them, and why.

"Big labor spent millions of dollars pushing ObamaCare, which they made sure was stuffed full of union giveaways," said Patrick Semmens, spokesman for the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, which represents businesses

the NFL is becoming unwatchable

maybe its me, maybe I am cranky on Columbus day morn, but the NFL is starting to suck.......flags, flags, flags after every play........challenges, challenges, challenges after every big play ( and sometimes after insignificant plays).....look at me dances after every touchdown , even when your team is getting their ass kicked ( look at the bronco lowlights yesterday) , every imbecile who manages to get past the yard sticks has to jump up and signal first down, even if the play was good for 1 yard, but hey America , don't act surprised or disgusted, WE created this, WE allowed sophomoric behavior from the media booth to take over our psyche, fools like Brent Musberger and Chris Berman get huge bonuses to glorify thuggery and insist how a rapist, DUI , Murderer, Wife Beater (take your pick) "got redemption after catching a pass or sacking the QB .....something he already gets grossly overpaid to do as part of his J O B ......but where do the funds come from to overpay Johhny Spoonjiah-Brown (everybody got 3 names these days, it started out practical because it was coin flip over possible parenthood, but now 3 names is coool).

Lets sell the game for starters........highest bidder gets to rape the shit out of NFL traditions and prostitute the game for their own enjoyment.....
Sunday Night Game ? no problem
Sunday Night Game in NY in December ? no problem
Monday Night Football? no problem
Thursday Night Football ? no problem
Thanksgiving Night Game ? no problem
Playoff games at Night ? no problem
Playoff Games at Night in January in Green Bay ? no problem
and the beat goes on

How bout a new stadium ? the NFL gave the Jets and Giants an interest free 300 million dollar loan for new stadium construction, not bad....not enough....both teams..BOTH TEAMS had to charge PSL for the privilege to buy season tickets...make no mistake about it, this is not a personal seat license , you are entitled to nothing more than the responsibility to buy season and preseason tickets......team goes 4-12 (or 4-14 after they add 2 more games) and you think about saving 2 grand in your IRA instead of buying tickets next year? guess what , you just forfeit your PSL, no reimbursement, no money back.

wanna come to the game , you better have prepaid parking ( for the entire regular and PRE season) otherwise you can park in Carlstadt and pray for a shuttle bus.

feel like a beer, be prepared to be treated like a terrorist , lets see some I.D. 60 year old man , and you can only buy two at a time....so what you are with 3 friends and you felt like buyin a round of brew , make two trips back to the top of the stadium sucker , and line up again at halftime because we ain't selling you beer in the 3rd quarter...so what you came to the game via public transportation and wish to enjoy an adult beverage during the 2nd half......tuff......that will be $18.50 got your two beers ( or you can pickup a 30 pack at home and watch it on your HD TV).

and what do they do with the added revenue ? JSB gets a nice check every week courtesy of us ........i think i am done.

you are missed

Come hear Uncle John's Band
by the riverside
Come with me or go alone
He's come to take his children home
Come hear Uncle John's Band
playing to the tide
Come on along or go alone
he's come to take his children home

Baseball and Selig

Ahh ...good ol October, Baseball playoffs.....memories for a lifetime....sadly in this day and age the only time we get to see a playoff game in the brilliant October sunshine is in the first round, everything else is sold to the West Coast in "THEIR" prime time....but what the hell , we'll take what we can get, maybe the first playoff game in the New Twinkie tadium, with the seventh inning shadows and a tight ballgame against the Yanks....yep kids in the Twin Cities would skip school and bask in the glory of the postseason, or maybe a 1:00 tee time from the bandbox in Phila, the Reds n Phils crushing dingers into the sun drenched bleachers, that would be swell....Braves - Giants anyone ? Bobby Cox last hurrah, one last trip to the mound in the late afternoon chill, contemplating a pitching change as the home crowd roars, the young rookie Heyward battling the sun in SF Bay to make a game saving catch aginst the wall.......so far soo good............and what does MLB give us ?

Back to Back 1:00 starts from the DOME in Tampa- St Pete......artificial turf, controlled temps, and steam pipes for a roof.

The King is Dead

Long live the King....

The United States Naval Academies utter domination over their rival service academies died on the carpet in Colorado Springs yesterday after an unprecedented 15 straight victories. In the cool crisp air and brilliant sunshine of the Rockie Mountains the Mighty Cadets of Air Force rose up in unison and shouted enough is enough. Withe the backs of their Jerseys adorned with FREEDOM and SERVICE it had to make you feel good to see them win, even this old Salt was filled with pride in our Nations future AF leaders. Navy, a 10 point dog; held their own. A third quarter go ahead touchdown was called back for "holding" and we settled for a gap closing field goal to make it 7-6.( replays showed that although the hold did not spring Ricky Dobbs, it was still a good and correct call). Navy miscues killed all chances of an upset though as an early field goal shank and a breakdown on special teams that led to a blocked punt and AF ball on the Squids 13 yrd line was too much to overcome. Navy did however drive the Falcon 30 yard line down 8 pts with 2:00 to go, but a Dobbs interception sealed our fate. It was a brutally battled game all day long, hard hittin emotion although no skirmishes on this day......and when it was over ? handshakes, huggs and Alma Mater singing......no room for this silliness on ESPN, God Forbid some kid would put away his Alabama, USC, Texas, fill in the blanks Jersey and start emulating the Service Academies.

Congratulations Air Force, but remember ...if our round robin ends in a 3 way tie, the current possessor of the Commander In Chief Trophy holds onto it.....it may not be leaving Bancroft Hall; anytime soon.......Go ARMY on Nov 6th.

dark day for racing

Tuesday Sept 29th 2010 , one of the darkest days in recent history for the sport of kings. The great Rachel Alexandra has been retired to the breeding shed with Kentucky Derby alum and former horse of the year CURLIN. Now before you protest and call me a hypocrite....I admit, I was not a card carrying member of TEAM RACHEL....no sir, I was always in Zenyattas Camp and i swore the Z bird would defeat Rachel A if the two ladies ever squared off on the oval, but if you were lucky enough to ever be at the track when this grand Dame was going to run and you caught a doze of RACHEL FEVER than you know how contagious it was. I was there at the Haskell 09, the Oaks undercard 2010 and Rachel A Day at Monmouth this past July......never in my life have I seen so many people sooo excited to be around and see a horse run....call it girl power, pink power, whatever, IT WAS GREAT to see and gave the whole sport a double shot of enthusiasm in the arm.....equine enthusiasts from coast to coast can only hope that another horse captures the American spirit the way this gal did...God Bless Rache and hopefully your foals will be as exciting as you were.

On a darker, sadder note, Bob Baffert trained Kentucky Derby Champion and very nearly a triple crown winner, REAL QUIET suffered a fatal accident on a farm in PA Monday Night....I won't go into details because they are disturbing, but we take a moment of silence to honor a Great Champion that came within a length of immortality.(in 1998 after winning the KD and the Preakness, REAL QUIET like Smarty Jones hit the homestretch at Belmont with the lead , sadly it was not to be as Victory Gallop caught and passed him in the final furlong).

Good luck, God Speed and Greener Pastures Champ !

Tunnel to Towers

in the sick and twisted, preoccupied world in which we live, the average citizen would stand in the rain to cheer for Mike Vick, Ray Lewis, Braylon Edwards etc etc.....buy their kids jerseys that pay homage to miscreants, thugs, rapists, murderers........thankfully some people get it, some 30,000 plus people were still willing to throw away a Sunday in front of the tube to come into the city, Run or Walk in a race or just be a part of keeping a Memory, a spirit ALIVE.

Next year is the 10th anniversary, the politicians will line up to be a part of it, everyone will do and say the right rah rah things, Never Forget, Never forget....and then into oblivion the whole September 11th events will slide....ancient History.

Fenway

right on schedule

well if i am going somewhere, attending an event or planning an outdoor activity, you can bank on rain....forecast for Fenway park Friday Night ? you betcha...RAIN

well it looks like rain and it feels like rain........here come the rain.

wont stop me from inhaling a case or two though....

Gangreen

A funny thing happened on the way to the Super Bowl ....oh my , the Patriot Game now becomes a MUST win for Fatass and Co........Duff, I have a feeling your checkin in with the blog this morning, take comfort, at least you didn't loose any PSL $ , the New Giant Stadium is a BUST....they will be building another newer better Stadium in our lifetime.

It was nice to see the Murderer Ray Lewis and Darrelle Reevis having a tender moment at midfield "AFTER" the Ravens beat the jets.....i can only imagine what the conversation was like........I Got Mines ($$$) You gots yours ( $$$) Fck Whitey...its just a game....see ya later at the crackhouse, we can spend your signing bonus.

Click on Link to watch Video

apparently Budweiser produced this ad to acknolwedge the attack and honor the victims, it aired only once so as not to be seen as pure marketing ploy...I think its appropriate

Mister Tom Waits....

And the summer
It too will fade
And with it comes the winter's frost, dear
And I know we too are made
Of all the things that we have lost here
I'll be twenty-one today
I've been saving all my pay
And my plane will touch down
On the day after tomorrow
And my plane it will touch down
On the day after tomorrow

disgraceful

what a heartwarming scene, multi millionaire "Thugs" showing solidarity in their labor "struggles" , while the average American has been laid off or is exhausting their retirement accounts just to keep pace, forget the idiots that mortgage everything for PSLs and season tickets, I am talking about the genuine stiff who has nothing, but maybe turns on the boob tube to watch a lousy football game and forget his problems for a few hours , and last night , mere seconds after the National Anthem, both teams walked onto the field and held up a single finger to show their Unity with the Players Association.......its all about me, every second of every day, and I aint waitin to score a touchdown to stick my finger in your face......thats right America, us players are united for a CAUSE...our next contract...

Horse Racing

I like Gov Christie , he inherited a state in serious financial trouble and has had to make some tough decisions and significant cuts, and i have agreed with 99% of them.....BUT he is dead wrong when it comes to the Horse Racing Industry. If Monmouth Park goes away, the Horse farms and those who provide for them will go away too, at last estimate there are 13,000 jobs tied to the entire industry, that is significant.....not to mention the quality of life....yesterday there close to 15,000 people at Monmouth Park, enjoying the 2nd annual Beerfest and BBQ cookoff, to stand by the Paddock and see the faces of the kids, both big and small, smiling at the Horses is a treat.....I may be a jackass, but I chose to live in Little Silver because of its proximity to Monmouth Park....if it goes away, that's one less thing keeping me and many others in Monmouth County.

the NEW Giant Stadium

Tonight we attack the New Meadows for the first time , in what hopes to be a long running stint at the new Giant Stadium. PSL nonsene aside, I am anxious to drink beeeeer in my new seat as a first hand witness to one of the most sucessful franchises in NFL History, Bill Garry assured me that not even Hurrican Earl can dampen our enthusiasm....or the Montreal seasoned steaks for that matter.....onward to Victory....Go Blue.

Hmmm ?

someone pls explain it to me.....there have to be to some liberal intellects that scan this blog..........what is so different about Katrina than the dozens of hurricanes that hit Coastal Florida yearly ? in FLA we hear about the various hurricanes, send a donation and 72 hrs later it was old news....

5 years later , Spoonie is promising to make things right in norleans no matter how long it takes......good lord man , what is the fukin difference.....i mean BESIDES the obvious difference.....at some point you have to admit it's the PEOPLE , not the aftermath of the STORM.

this is the sambo lottery....where is the $$ comin from ? as if we didn't know.

Announcer Larry Collmus calls the 7th at Monmouth Park

news flash

This just in......our translator from Das Monkey of Iron clarifies the jubilant chant from Deutschland actually states.

Hoi Hoi Hoi.........


more to follow as developments occur.

can't resist

mayor mike is holding a press conf to meet with the moslem cabbie who was slashed up by a drubnk passenger , apparently because he was a moslem. How many other stabbing victims has the mayor heald press confs for during his 10 yr tenure ? what a self loathsome j*w.

turmoil

wonder what the iman from the park place mosque meant when he said in bahrain. " the fact that theres o much talk about the project already, makes it a success"

A house divided cannot stand, All great nations are destroyed from within, the world has not known a foreign power that can defeat the United States of America, but we certainly can defeat ourselves. the axe of islam has wedged itself between citizens of this nation, forcing people to take a stand and bicker and protest against each other, all across America we are taking sides and taking to the airwaves to argue and denounce.

this one issue will not topple this country, but it may very well be the beginning of the end......religion of peace ? what a farce.

I can't even comment about Bloomberg, it's not good for my blood pressure.

Egg Recall ?

So apparently Eggrolls magical mustery reflection tour down memory lane in good Old Ireland is sparking a lot of attention, everywhere you turn the lead story is about "Eggroll Recalls"......never realized the entire nation was was on the edge of their seats waiting to hear if Dasdas Strovike decided to wash down a few pints on the banks of Liffey or not....but what does Salmonella have to do with anything ?

and on these shores......in the middle of the dark, dark predawn night , in the foothills of lake wallenpaupack, a descedndent of Deutschland, Donn E Biesbol , could be heard leading the battle cry of the next great generation.

Zikki Zakki, Zikki Zakki, oy Oy oy !

copasetic

all is well in my little world, Regina the Queen of Shots has returned to her throne in the Iron Monkey, the earth is back on its' axis and is spinning correctly, the sun is risin in the east and settin in the west, as Bob Dylan would say. "so help me just to be alive underneath this sky of blue, on this NEW MORNING"

Be Prepared

I hope I am wrong, but I am confident that I am not.
When the Isrealis strike the Iranian Nuke plant ( hopefully after the market closes Friday), we can and should expect that the hundreds of sleeper cells in this country will strike back, the thousands of people that have snuck over the border or came in legally and overstayed their welcome are just waiting for an event to rise up and murder innocents on our own soil.......we should be prepared for immediate car bombings, snipers, and chaos in Times Square, DC etc etc.

Again, I hope I am wrong, I hope i am overestimating our foe, but i doubt that i am.

the only real question is do we liquidate our portfolios on Friday....OR Double up ?

park place mosque cont'

wow....you snooze for a few days and a lot happens.

*On Thursday Press Secretary Gibbs says the Pres will not weigh in on the Mosque, it's a local issue

* On Friday, while celebrating the beginning of ramadan at the white house, Barry Hussein says they should build it and he supports it

* On Sat Pres Waffle backtracks, says I think they have the legal right to build it, but I never said they should build it "there"

* On Sunday Gibbs says the Presidents' stance is perfectly clear and unchanged.

* Jerry Nadler says there is no place for hatemongers at the WTC site....i guess he means those of us who are morally opposed to the moslems building a monument to terrorism on an expanded gravesite for so many, then we must be hatemongers....actually Jerry, if we were hatemongers we would let them build the mosque and then drive a truckload of explosives through the front door during services......just like those misunderstood peace loving jihadists did at the World Trade Center.

* Mayor Bloomberg......take a deep breath.....sank to the lowest rung imaginable when he stated that to oppose the Mosque was an insult to the memory of the firefighters that died that day, he trivialized a very real and painful event by saying that the firefighters that died that day did not care what religion the trapped people inside the Towers were........this is low, this is scumbag......he is an educated man, he knows what he is doing, he is spinning the issue to create more pain and suffering , nobody is saying outlaw islam, nobody is saying let them burn to death in a building fire, nobody is spewing hate except the 3 jackasses referenced above......for the Mayor to bring up the dead and inject their spirit into this debate is shameful, if he were an ignorant man I would forgive him, but again ; he knows exactly what he is doing ............so your son died that day, and now the representatives of the people that murdered him want to build a monument and safe haven next to his graves, for centuries of fanatics to come and gloat over your sons death, and celebrate their fanaticism, and plan more attacks , and you the PARENT....You are disgracing your Sons memory.........Mayor Bloomberg i hope in your quietest moments alone, deep down inside, you know what you are and exactly where your going......time is short mike, clean your house.

say goodbye to dakota roadhose too

i have been trying to post my thoughts and comments on the Mosque on Park Place for quite some time, but honestly; every time i start to type i feel a pit in my stomach and i can't finish.....but i have to at least touch on some bullet points.

First and absolutely foremost, this is NOT about freedom of religion.

Mayor Mike should be ashamed of himself for parading various religious leaders in front of the Staue Of Liberty and waggin his finger at the protesters.

The Various Religious leaders who "Stood as One" for the Mosque and for tolerance should be ashamed of politicizing this fraudulent act.

This mosque is more a monument than a place of worship, it will be their Mecca in the West and will inspire future generations of jihad.

Moslems are already free to practice their religion and was their feet in public just a few blocks to the north, so why this spot ?

Where is the Money coming from ? as if we didn't know.

Although we should not lower our standards on Freedom, there has to be a limit to tolerance. The Moslems only permit open debate and discussion when it comes to them imposing their values on others.....they do not want multi cultural ism in their backyard, only when it involves demanding other cultures to accept them....in other words, we will not see any Catholic Churches or Synagogues sprouting up near mecca.....no mcdonalds or TGIF's in their holy lands.

The Catholic Church years ago abandoned plans by the Carmelite Nuns to build a convent and place of prayer in Auschwitz, Germany.....not because the Nuns had anything to do with the Holocaust of course, but because it was a sore spot to many of the Jews.....the Pope stepped in and said out of consideration for the jews the church would build elsewhere........BECAUSE , if you are doing anything in the name of God it should not be perceived as antagonistic or painful to others.......but allas, that is what islam is all about, not about coexisting, but CONVERTING...they wish to wipe the earth clean of anyone and everyone that differs from them, theirs is a religion of HATE, when they can't find any infidels in afghanistan, pakistan etc etc ....they turn to stoning each other to death in the name of allah.....but they are not stupid, they are shrewd, they will use Americas tolerance and liberal backbone to destroy us from within.....even if this mosque is never built, they have already won, they are in the mindset of the American public, creating in-fighting and chaos in our ranks.

if this thing is ever built , can you imagine how much $$ will be spent defending/protecting it ? sons and daughters of those killed on September eleventh may be asked to work overtime for the NYPD, FBI, PA Police etc etc....they will surround that block with Police presence and have undercover and camera surveillance...God Forbid one of use should wish to throw a rock through a window or crash a plane into the building.

and the Dakota Roadhouse? say your farewells now.....there is no way in Riyadh that they will allow a bar and grill next to a mosque.....one way or another that place will go away....mark my words.

Jerry !

Happy 68th Birthday to the great Jerry Garcia.....you are missed now more than ever.

The shoe is on the hand it fits
There's really nothing much to it
Whistle through your teeth and spit
causeit's all right.


Oh well a Touch Of Grey
Kind of suits you anyway.
That was all I had to say
It's all right.


I will get by / I will get by
I will get by / I will survive
We will get by / We will get by
We will get by / We will survive

Haskell Day 830

so i am sitting in St James Church at the 7:00 Mass, thinkin about the big Race and whether I should packa cooler or go into the clubhouse and hang out at the Lady Secret, and at the end of Mass we all rise and sing God Bless America , and suddenly it hits me......this isn't rocket science, don't over analize, sometimes it's as simple and easy as 1,2,3.........and that's the play boys and girls.

1 LOOKIN AT LUCKY the #1 Horse, will win Going away
2 MR Joe Bravo and AFLEET AGAIN , the #2 Horse will take 2nd.
3 and by now you should have geussed it, ICEBOX Zito's #3 horse will show.

alas caveat gambler......i have been wrong b4.....but my record on Haskell Day is better than most....Johnny Most....he was terrible.

Haskell Day.....646 A.M.

study, study, study .......back in a few hours with the Gato Selection Show.



Monmouth Park - August 1, 2010

Race 12 - 5:43 PM Win, Place and Show Exacta, Trifecta and 10-Cent Superfecta Daily Double (Races 12-13)/Pick 3 (Races 12-13-14)
STAKES Izod Haskell Invitational S. (Grade I)

Purse $1,000,000. For Three-Year-Olds. By invitation only, with no nomination, entry or starting fees. The winning owner to receive $600,000, $200,000 to second, $100,000 to third, $60,000 to fourth, $30,000 to fifth and $10,000 to sixth through last. Weight: 122 Lbs. Non-winners of a Triple Crown race allowed 2 Lbs.; Non-winners of a Grade I Stake at a mile or over in 2010, 4 Lbs. The owner of the winner to receive a trophy. One And One Eighth Miles.
P# PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1 Lookin At Lucky (KY) 3/C L* M Garcia 122 B Baffert 5/2
2 2 Afleet Again (KY) 3/C L J Bravo 118 R E Reid, Jr. 12/1
3 3 Ice Box (KY) 3/C L J Lezcano 120 N P Zito 9/2
4 4 First Dude (FL) 3/C L R A Dominguez 118 D L Romans 6/1
5 5 Our Dark Knight (KY) 3/C L E Trujillo 118 N P Zito 15/1
6 6 Super Saver (KY) 3/C L* C H Borel 122 T A Pletcher 3/1
7 7 Uptowncharlybrown (KY) 3/C L R Maragh 118 K P McLaughlin 15/1
8 8 Trappe Shot (FL) 3/C L A Garcia 118 K P McLaughlin 3/1

The world in which we live

Sometimes when the Cuckoos cryin, when the moon is halfway down.
Sometimes when the night it's dyin, I take me out and wander round


I know I use this quote a lot, but for good reason...it really sums it up. The time of which Mr Weir warbles is wakeup time for me during the week....3:45 A.M. that whistle alarm clock blows.......up in the mornin and out to school.

Today , as i stood on the back Porch while my ferocious hound sniffed around for varmits. It was approx 4:30 now, the sky was transforming from midnight black to a lighter shade of pale, the stars in all their raging glory were twinkling one last time, the air was crisp, zero humidity, the yard was silent , I need a fix of some Kerouac....it's been too long I thought to myself since i have submerged my soul into a reading of "On the Road".

I miss Garcia now more than ever, as we approach 15 years since Uncle Jerry took his leave, I wonder was he ever here at all ?

but we keep on dancin.

no laughin matter

if it were not so serious , it would be hysterical. The way politicians continue to turn any and every issue around and come off sounding correct, of course they can only do that with the help of the Media and an ignorant public.

Example # 999 Mayor Mike in his harsh criticism of Arizona

BLOOMBERG: The solution to our problems is more immigration, more immigrants. That's been true since the Pilgrims settled here. And will continue to be true even more so in the future as we continue to live in a more global technological world.


Nice sound bite , even makes sense, we are all immigrants, we all got our start thanks to the Pilgrims.........one small problem.....Arizona is not opposed to Immigration, I am not opposed to Immigration, my Grandparents were Immigrants, and everyone on the Continent ( with the exception of Sitting Bull and his Friends) are descendants of immigrants.

The PROBLEM Mayor Mike is that dirty little word that is omitted from every story on Arizona " ILLEGAL " Immigration.......oh right, those people that have no use , understanding or regard for our Laws ( not the politicians this time, but the people that sneak across the border) The people that come here illegally, work off the books, and send greenbacks back to their native countries. Nobody is opposed to a Human Being applying for and receiving Citizenship to this great Nation.....the Concern is for those that Waltz in uninvited and unwelcome, illegally, enroll their kids in our schools , take advantage of our social programs, and cost us billions in Tax Dollars.........with zero repercussions.

oh but why should we be surprised.....Sean Bell lost his life while defying a direct order from a Police Officer......the Police officer was put up on trial .....and bell ? ? He had a street named after him and his estate was just awarded 7 million dollars...

it's been over for a while.

I need to find a new Gin Mill in Joisey city to help take my mind off the reality of this world...Wheres Reggie when we need her ?

Jack Tatum

Jack Tatum, 61, a defensive back for the Oakland Raiders whose bone-jarring tackles earned him the nickname "the Assassin," died July 27 at a hospital in Oakland, Calif., after a heart attack.



this opinion will not go over well , but Jack Tatum embodied true American spirit and exposed the plastic fabric of our society....allow me to explain.

Jack Tatum was a rough and tumble street hood from Pasaic NJ, I read his autobiography "They Call me Assassin" when I was in High School. He did not start playing football until his high school days, he played defensive the way "EVERYONE" was taught to play defensive, The way Woody Hayes had instructed, the style that helped lead the Buckeyes to a Natl Championship and great praise and admiration, they way GREAT men like Butkus , Bednarik, and Huff before him had played, the way future Hall of Famers were hailed on TV every Sunday for playing...."with emotion and packing a wallop". Jack played every play of every game that way , opposing teams, especially Wide receivers feared him and even changed their game plans to avoid him....a style that was worth every penny of his moderate salary to Owner Al Davis.

Jacks Problem ? he had the audacity to play that way in the preseason...as if for some reason , when some rookie was trying to take your job, you were supposed to play a different way, a more sociably acceptable way, a kindler , gentler brand of football. in a 1978 preseason game at the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum , Jack Tatum hit Daryl Stingley to break up a completion over the middle of the secondary.....no flags, no rule infractions, no ejection...just an incomplete pass......Mr Stingley sadly was paralyzed.....cue the violin music.....this is when ESPN ( had they been around in 1978) would solemnly say on Sportscenter that this "Puts its all in perspective".....heads bowed, shaking from side to side...moment of silence type stuff.......now back to Tom Jackson feature...you've been jacked ! ! where we celebrate bone jarring hits, just like the ones featured on Madden 2010........you see it is okay for everyone else to profit from the violent game and sell it to kids like crack in the schoolyard....but Jack? no sir...he was vilified.

Jack never apologized and the media, Mr Stingley and our ignorant Nation never forgave him.......Mr. Tatum stated in his last book that he did not apologize because "like it or not" he did nothing wrong......you see Jack Tatum, no matter what you may think about him, was not going to take the easy way out and cry false tears, have a televised feel good reconciliation at halftime of the Thanksgiving Game and promise to send Stngleys kids to College.....

Jack Tatum is and was REAL.....America is not. Jack made a living as a feared defender, if he even hinted at a soft side, if opposing receivers suddenly had the balls to go over the middle, how would Mr Davis react? Jack had an image and a career to protect, and he did nothing wrong at the time. the following year the league stepped in and BEGAN changing rules to protect receivers, so now if you paralize some wideout in a preseason game ( BS games designed to ripoff fans and line the pockets of the owners) it will cost your team 15 yards Mister.

Poor Jack Tatum , in hindsight , if he had issued a press release apologizing to anyone that may have been offended by his legal tackle, he'd be in the hall of fame.

not ready for prime time

North Korea......New spills in the Gulf.....Iran.....Pakistani Allies helping insurgents Kill U.S. Troops......Afghanistan.....Arizona......Natl Guard Troops called in to protect the border.....Sherrod....Iraq.....Chavez......the Isreali Gaza Blockade....unemployement.....the deficit.........It's time to go on the view and Woooo back my supporters.........if this was an SNL skit we wouldn't even belly laugh, just a little chuckle because it's too silly...tooo over the top....at least Bush played golf.

Sf Giants to honor Jerry Garcia on the 15th Anniversary

click on the link for all the cool details....Bob & Phil to sing Anthem....Mickey & The Rythm Devils to do Take me out to the ballgame.....

Honorable Eggroll Not a Racist...unfortunately

African-American Bishop Ford HS basketball assistants resigning, allege race motivated school's move BY Mitch Abramson DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Thursday, July 22nd 2010, 8:04 PM Five Bishop Ford HS basketball assistants are leaving after the school did not interview them, and instead hired former girls coach Denis "Uncle Eggie" Nolan to replace former coach John Infortunio Several basketball assistants are resigning their coaching positions at Bishop Ford HS in Brooklyn, alleging they were passed over for the recently filled boys head coach position because of their race. John Infortunio, an English teacher at Bishop Ford, stepped down in late June after the school eliminated his position as athletic administrator. Last week the school hired Denis Nolan, the former beer guzzler, to replace him. Infortunio's five assistants, all African-American, say they're leaving in response to being denied the opportunity to interview for the position. And the cafeteria rarely serves fried chicken, hominy gritts, watermelon and other ethic favorites. The assistants are freshman coach Reuben King; JV coach John Fields and his assistant, Travis Debnam; and varsity assistants Will Jenkins and Mark Petit. None are employed at the school but all make a salary as coach. Bishop Ford officials were looking to fill the post with a Bishop Ford alumnus, King said. Jenkins said the school does not have a single black head coach. Nolan does not drink anymore. The JV team won the city title in 2007 and made the finals three straight years; the freshman team won it all in 2008. "You're telling me that I'm good enough to bring in the kids to the school, but I'm not good enough to coach them? That's Whack," King said. "We never done did nothin out of line and for them not to even call us. They dissed us pretty bad. It tells us something about their character." Bishop Ford president Ray Nash said that race did not play a role in the hiring. "Denis is the best person for the job, even if he doesn't drink anymore" Nash said. "He's a Bishop Ford graduate, he was the best candidate, and he's a man of integrity, and when he used to drink, he drank a lot...trust me"

Haskell Field

on a brighter note....the Haskel is shaping up to be a doozy.....Bullet Bob and my favorite "Lookin at Lucky"......


OCEANPORT, N.J. – The countdown is on for the Aug. 1 IZOD Haskell Invitational, and with just over 2 ½ weeks remaining before the Grade 1 event, the connections for horses from across the continent continue to make plans to be in Oceanport for the Jersey Shore’s biggest sporting event.

Topping the list of likely starters in the mile and an eighth Haskell are Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and Preakness Stakes champ Lookin at Lucky. Super Saver, trained by Todd Pletcher, burst onto the national scene after splashing home a 2 ½ length winner in the sloppy going at Churchill Downs, besting Lookin at Lucky who finished 6th that day after getting jostled around from his inside post soon after the break.

Two weeks later, in Baltimore, Lookin at Lucky, conditioned by Bob Baffert, turned the tables on Super Saver, capturing the Preakness over First Dude. Super Saver, who stalked the early pace, faded in the lane to finish 8th in the second leg of the Triple Crown.

The IZOD Haskell will be the first start since the May 15 Preakness for both Super Saver and Lookin at Lucky.

Looking to take on Classic winners Super Saver and Lookin at Lucky in the IZOD Haskell are:

First Dude, runner-up in the Preakness and third in the Belmont Stakes. First Dude is trained by Dale Romans;

Trappe Shot, winner of Monmouth’s Long Branch Stakes on July 10;

Uptowncharlybrown, Pasco Stakes winner, who like Trappe Shot, is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin;

Afleet Again, the Butch Reid-trainee was runner-up in the Pegasus Stakes (G3) here on June 19; and,

One or possibly two entrants from the Nick Zito camp.


The IZOD Haskell, as well as the Grade 3 $200,000 Oceanport Stakes, will air live on ABC from 5 – 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 1.

Lebron is a Coward

Pretty odd for a self titled king to shy away from a challenge , but that's exactly what Lebum did on National TV the other night.....like a scared little boy he decided to hide in miami, ride on D wades coattails and try to win a championship...his stock doth plummet, his value in shambles, other than fellow villians like Nike and ESPn everyone else knows he is toxic , don't expect to sell the product he endorses outside of south beach , even Magic Territory in the north of Florida is off limits now.....he transformed from the guy that nobody had anything bad to say about , to the most hated individual in professional Sports....move over Tiger and A-Rod , this slimebag has you beat.....if the people in Cleveland have any sense, they would simply boycott the first game between the Cavs and the Heat in the mistake by the lake.....let this trio of attention seekers play in front of an empty Coliseum....that would speaker greater volume than 18,000 folks booing him and holding up signs...everyone expects that , it is cliched and boring, ESPN and Lebron will exploit that game to death, beat them at their own game, refuse to show up or sell your your tix, make the story about Cleveland Fans , not about Lebaby.....it won't happen , but if it did , it could possibly be the biggest story in Sports History...a game where 18,000 tix were sold, but NOBODY showed up , Lebum might even hang himself in the locker Room at Halftime , his ego in tatters, exiled by the state of Ohio ( where his heart is)

on a side note, he really is juvenile...at his press conf to receive his "Key to the city" ( lil premature no ?) he said, "Were gonna let the World know the Heat are Back"
Really ? ? back from where ? if you wanted a chance to revive a franchise you should have gone to the Knicks....Shaq and Wade won a Title in Miami 4 years ago jerkoff, this team was in the playoffs last year , back from what exactly ? ?

he really is a kid, he wants the moniker of being a savior, but not the blood sweat and tears that go with it, this is D Wades team now and forever....your just James Worthy...a good complimentary playersurrounded by a great player or two.

Last note on the subject , for today, this kid has been treated with kid gloves since ESPN began telivising his high school games at 16 ....everyone, myself included ; had good things to say ......Friday for probably the 1st time in his LIFE he woke up a villian, hated from coast to coast, no more the darling child, lets see how he handles it, lets see what stories that may have been buried in Cleveland for fear of exposing the Kings dark side suddenly find the light of Day....

I lied...one last note, this does rejuvenate my love for the Knickerbockers...I haven't really followed the NBA lately, but I Love the Knicks and take it personally when they are embarrassed like that....we need the Celtics to stay strong and keep the Heat out of the Finals until the Knicks and Nets are ready to compete....

****BREAKIN NEWS *****

05 Jul 10 12:22 eastern cheese time

All mouses in the Kingdom are told to avoid 42 Edgewwod Ave at all Cost , there is a homicidal maniac Cat on the loose , murdering mouses by the bushell. In a scene reminiscent of the Manson Family Murders, 5 mouses met their untimely demise at the Jaws of Messier the Great on July 4th....this Cat wasn;t waitin on Macy's for the fireworks to begin, she went on a 24 hour rampage that has left the Mouse Community in shambles....repeat, stay away from Lil Silver all Meece, Mice and mousers....

Independence Day

God Bless the United States of America and all who love her so, her sons and her daughters are beyond your command, raise a glass or two hundred this day and thank God for the Men that were willing to give their lives so that others would be free, for the men who had the courage to risk everything and take on the British instead of living in King georges taxation slavery. For the men who regretted that they had but one life to give to their country and "meant it" , and the lads and lasses that have willingly served the past 234 years to keep this Great Country Free......Thank You God and Please continue to bless Us.

my own recollections from that day

I was on my way to O’Haras for a quick bite and a cold brew at lunch , when I passed an older gentlemen in a Naval Ballcap from a ship….I see them all the time and I always look to see what ship they are from…in case it’s an old shipmate from the USS Luce. This one was from the USS Vincennes (CG-49). I gave him a knowing nod and kept going on my way. When I got to O’haras the METS were on TV , but my mind was elsewhere. I remembered waking up the morning of July 4th 1988 in a hotel near the beach in Cannes France. The Shore Patrol was rounding up US military personnel in the lobbies of the hotels, and we didn’t know why…….we did know we were in no rush to go back to our ship….Not when there was beer to drink and Independance to Celebrate…so we waited for the SP to go to the next hotel and we snuck down the ally looking for a dive bar to drink in…….we found one……we were drinking Kronenbourg for about an hour or two before a new bartender came out from the back room and asked us if we were 7th fleet ? No not us we lied, and continued to imbibe……he knew we were and he knew we didn’t trust him, so he turned on the Television ……on the French News we saw two things that got our attention…….on was a bulletin banner at the bottom of the screen that was scrolling across. Advising that the US Navy was recalling all 7th Fleet sailors to their ships immediately….all leave and liberty were cancelled……why would this be on the French TV ?? the story on the news was showing a lifeboat fishing dead bodies out of the water somewhere….of course we could not understand what they were saying. The bartender kept pointing to the TV and advising us to leave his bar. We did a shot for Old Liberty and a Beer for July 4th and walked back to the pier…….the pier in Cannes was Chaos, something huge had happened…there were demonstrators being held back by Police barriers and people were screaming at us and calling us murderers….I thought we must be at war …finally…….when we returned to our ship we learned that the USS Vincennes had shot down an Iranian Jet Airline and killed approx 300 people onboard….accidentally…the Iranian craft was heading straight for them and refused to alter their course…….we went out to sea for the next 2 weeks until the furor blew over. As I sat in O’Haras I marveled at another moment in history were I had a front row seat……