Twenty degrees of solitude

 twenty degrees in all

All the dancing kings and wives assembled in the hall
Lost is the long and loneliest time, fairy Sybil flying 
All along the, all along the mountains of the moon (Hunter-Garcia)

woke up to the Ipod alarm playing the above referenced gem this morning at 3:45.....brought back some incredible memories of seeing the Dead perform at the Nassau Coliseum.....specifically remember being high as a kite on wonderful hallucinogens'....maybe shrooms or mescaline or good old jelly bean acid....and in a trance i left my body and went walking on the rafters on the inside roof of the old barn....i walked the steal beam until i was just above the band and i looked down on them with a wide grin...such a great place to watch the show....just hanging around on the roof until i was dramatically brought back into my body and being terrified when i thought that Jerry knew what i was doing or had just done....i didn't want Mr Garcia to mad at me ever .

so i had an excuse or explanation....i was on powerful drugs......what the F was Bidens'  excuse for last night ?  I watched it this morning and even i was a little surprised at how old and confused he seemed.....not juts a deer in the headlights , but a heavily sedated deer.....the look of bewilderment he showed while Trump was rambling on at 100 miles a minute was priceless.....i hope Ebay is selling 8x10 snapshots of clueless Joe...i might have to buy a keepsake or two.

lots of good points made by Trump , but i think one of the keys was pointing out that all of bidens stats on the economy were "Bounce Back" jobs for a nation coming out of the pandemic....."you can't take credit for that Joe".....a lot of simpletons in this country need to be reminded of that.......and early on when Biden stumbled and mumbled and concluded with a confusing statement " We beat Medicaid"......Trump pounced......"Your right you did beat medicaid, you beat it to death Joe "............a week of seclusion and 16 advisors can't teach that NY quickness and schoolyard art of arguing.

I think the biggest point Trump made was about abortion........we didn't outlaw it he said , we gave it back to the states.....and his reminder about radical left insistence on abortion right up to the point of birth and in some cases AFTER birth should resonate with everyone with a soul or conscience......it absolutely helps the SCOTUS approved the abortion pill mifepristone...calming the nerves of people who believe he wants to outlaw abortion at the Federal level.

there were points that it felt like a boxing match gone wrong....there was a feeling that the towel may get tossed into the ring at any moment.....there was certainly a few No Mas moments....

i fully expect dementia Joe to step down on the 4th of July....and the Dems will go forward with a Harris-Newsome ticket , or they will let the candidate be chosen on the floor of the convention......but at this point it can't be Joe.

Hey, Tom Banjo
It's time to matter
The earth will see you on through this time
The earth will see you on through this time
Down by the water, the marsh king's daughter, did you know
Clothed in tatters, always will be, Tom where did you go?

I went home with a waitress

 the way I always do

How was I to know she was with the Russians, too?  (Warren Zevon)

well, i did my part to spread the message / campaign promise of Donald Trump to stop taxing tips on service workers....a brilliant plan.......fighting fire with fire......if dementia joe wants to promise to forgive billions in student loan debt to woo college grads......surely Trump can go after the bartenders, waiters and coffee barristas..........you can help too......just write on your bill next to the tip section "NO TAX ON TIPS ? VOTE TRUMP 2024".........i did this everywhere i went while on vacation and i will continue right up until election day......it's free advertisement.....and if nothing else it will get the service industry talking about somewthing the MSM doesn't want then to even know about.

hey don't look now......but the time is right for our adversaries to test the water or even launch an attack......Joe's asleep and the college interns and obama are afraid to do anything before the Convention/Election.

China sent about 60 fighter Jets into Taiwan airspace over the weekend.........routine exercise ? or preparing to invade ?

Iranian fighters are supposedly being prepped to join Hezbollah and attack Israel from the north.....Israel has been fighting in Ghaza for 9 months......they are probably growing weary...and the US is slowing down or flat out withholding weapons' support  and Military aid to our ally.

side note.....Bob Dylan has been playing a robust setlist lately as part of the Outlaw music tour.....dusting off gems like Highway 61....Ballad of a thin Man.....I'll be your Baby tonight....Love Sick and Shooting Star.....and apparently he's playing the Harp....and covering GD tunes like Stella Blue .......sadly Willie Nelson is a question mark for this Sundays show at the PNC as he has been battling health issues.......God Speed Willie....91 and still rockin.

and tonight is the night.......one way or another.......whether it's a blowout or Double OT......someone will grasp Lord Stanley's Chalice and raise it in triumph in Sunrise Fla.....i hope it's a gem......i'm still pulling for the Cats....but if the Oilers pull off this impossible comeback, i will gladly tip my Cap to their achievement.

I'm hiding in honduras, I'm a desperate man
Send lawyers, guns, and money
The shit has hit the fan

You lock the door

 And throw away the key

There's someone in my head but it's not me.
And if the cloud bursts, thunder in your ear
You shout and no one seems to hear. (Waters)

If the Panthers complete the biggest collapse in finals history, I sb a foot note on the story and share some of the blame…..allow me to explain….. last night I found myself in the National Harbor across the Potomac from Alexandria VA…..you’ve heard of the land of the midnight sun ? Well this place was cloaked in darkness at mid day……this was a modern day planet of the apes……every friggin bar and restaurant was staffed by africants……and 80% of the customers shared their heritage……we had driven 6 hours from Wilmington NC ( a beautiful, BEAUTIFUL city) and we were looking for a place to rest our weary bones, enjoy a dozen or two cold beers and watch the Hockey game……we checked into the hotel at 3:00 and went bar hopping……first thing we noticed were the signs on every corner alerting everyone to a youth curfew in effect for the summer…..no unaccompanied minors were allowed in the harbor after 6:00….hmm….bad sign….it got worse……every bartender looked like Patrick Ewing was a cross dresser…….complete with nose rings and belly shirts….after 5 bars we gave up and went back to the hotel…..for safety reasons the hotel locked the front doors at 8:00…..we got back around 7:55……..as I sat in the room and watched the National Anthem, I said to myself that this incredible hockey season could not end with me being sequestered in a hotel that looked like the set of the WIRE …i knew Edmonton was pushing 7...…..thankfully I am home now and I will watch game 7 in the yard or Club Gato…with a proper supply of ice cold beer and no visible signs of Cornelius or Dr Zaius...…apologies to the Cats if I ruined your post season.

And if the band you're in starts playing different tunes
I'll see you on the dark side of the moon

so there i was at the bar

 just me and the Delaware destroyers  (G. Thorogood)

well....actually the destroyers weren't with me....but last night i was slinging back icey old pints of Yuengling in a Bar called the Twisted Penguin in North Myrtle Beach....i was poised to watch the Florida Panthers win their first Stanley Cup, but alas; it was not to be. I was taking in my surroundings in great detail with the hopes of sharing this anecdote somewhere down the road....the cast of interesting characters, the bartenders, the bingo game that seemed to be a big hit on the patio....the only person on the scene missing was Lord Stanley's Chalice.

probably just as well they didn't win......story would have had to be enhanced a la sleepy joe bidens fake recollections.....because the Twisted Penguin closes at 11:00 on Tuesdays'.....so we had to retreat to the condo on the beach to watch the third period....what the heck kind of story is that....anyway...rest in peace Uncle Bosie and Go Cats Go.........next shot Friday Night ......happy kwanza to all who celebrate juneteenth........don't forget to watch Roots in reverse ....so it has a happy ending.

He said the clock on the wall
Say three o'clock
Last call for alcohol
So what you need?

One bourbon, one scotch, one beer

Time is an ocean

 But it ends at the shore 

You may not see me here tomorrow (Dylan) 

Truer words may never have been spoken…and you won’t see me here tomorrow, I’m bound for the great state of South Carolina, quite possibly my final refuge in a 60 year storm….. the hardest part of knowing so many great, interesting characters of the night…..is watching so many of them die……most of my close friends are also the youngest in their family like me…and so naturally we hung out and around older cool cats…….. I remember in the days, weeks and months after the world trade….not wanting to answer the phone or read a text , it felt like a never ending parade of bad news……these days feel similar ….. but I still wouldn’t trade my lifetime of experiences and all the characters that played a role for all the tea in CHIna…..

We grew up together
From the cradle to the grave
We died and were reborn
And then, mysteriously saved

Before you accuse me

 Take a look at yourself ( Clapton)

The guilty conscience of the demonrats is on full display…they continue to lash out and accuse Trump and the Republicans of all the things they are actually guilty of…..

AOC, Rachel mad cow and others say they think Trump will throw them in jail if he’s elected……when in truth they are trying to throw him in jail to stop his campaign.

They blame Trump for the border and inflation, when in fact both were under control when Biden took the reins.

And the other day Brandon lamented that the only reason poor Hunter was on trial was because sleepy Joe was running for President……this accusation is very telling….Hunter Biden was under investigation for a litany of reasons…..the DOJ let the statute of limitations expire on the most serious charges and they struck a sweetheart plea deal that gave Hunter unparalleled immunity going forward ……one lone judge asked a few questions about this bizarre deal and it crumbled under the light of day……

Now let’s look at the other side……The statute of limitations had already expired on Trump’s offenses ….multiple prosecutors had passed on the case because there was no THERE there………and then…..Trump announced he was running……and now we are learning that prosecutors from multiple jurisdictions were summoned to the White House…..Fat Alvin fm NY and counterparts from Georgia and Colorado……And Fat Alvin even took DC based DOJ all star Colangelo back to NY…….they revived the statute of limitations and got an indictment………indictments soon followed around the country for anything from election interference to document handling……..Joe Biden’s dementia brain said the quiet stuff out loud …..but he couldn’t help but make himself the victim……the truth is that the DOJ is not going after the biden’s because he is running….but it was a coordinated effort to go after Trump in the days following his campaign announcement ….

PC’s Monmouth park trip tomorrow….giddy up

How did the Germans invade Poland?

 They marched in backwards and said they were leaving.

That’s a true story as Brandon would say……not quite as funny is the fact that 8 terrorist with ties to ISIS strolled across our southern border and were setting up shop in the good old USA ……just what they planned to do we will never know….. but I don’t like my odds of surviving another major attack….. I feel like Kerouac…running for my life while being pursued by the shrouded traveler on a camel or charger….

Homeland Security insists these terrorists were vetted….. I guess the vetting process is basically one question….Are you a Bad Guy ??

Alvarez if you are reading this and you ever get stopped at the border in Panama City Florida….admit nothing 

As you enjoy your morning coffee, you should know that Russian warships and nuclear subs are gathered in Cuba for some war games……all sharks smell blood in the water.

2+3 can also equal doom

Senor, Senor ?

 let’s disconnect these cables

Overturn these tables
This place don’t make sense to me no more (Dylan)

nothing new, but there sure are some egregious abuses of power in this country lately.

Kathy hochul waits until the midnight hour before congestion pricing went into effect to finally take the temperature and read the room, and then abruptly pulls the plug.....she continues to mock and scold the MTA for bemoaning the loss of billions that they were promised.....but where was she all along in this process?  

I oppose congestion pricing, it would be the final nail on the NYC coffin....it is an unfair tax on the other 4 boroughs, New Jersey and all Manhattan businesses that receive deliveries of any kind. So although i am glad it is dead, i am appalled that the Gov supported it at first, then remained quiet as they had charade hearings to gauge the public opinion and then signed off as  they spent $500 million installing tolls. Last week she must've finally seen some polls that showed more voters opposed than supported  , and so she and she alone pulled the plug.............i envision the day where the polls show that more people support the extermination of isreal....ol kathy probably has a few palestinian flags in her garage in Buffalo.......she also proposed a new tax on Manhattan business's to make up for the money the MTA was counting on......so let's keep Manhattan on life support so we can continue to milk cash out of every living thing through taxes.

Joe biden has been trying to buy the young vote for 3 years of student loan reassignment ...it's not forgiveness, it doesn't go away......other people get to pay the loans off......even though SCOTUS ruled against him, he was immediately back at it......all for a few votes.

and now.....as we draw closer to the lection....the White House said that they are preparing to negotiate directly with Hamas....a terrorist organization....to get the American citizens being held hostage freed. My concerns are what is he offering them and what authority does he have to do any of it ?

if nothing else comes from the next administration, i at least hope they shrink the Govt and pass new legislation to reduce and restrict the power of POTUS....and when they do i will sell you the deed for the Brooklyn Bridge.....2+3=BEEER

Can you tell me what we’re waiting for, señor?

Maybe the Beach Boys

 have got you now

With those waves singing "Caroline"
(Oh "Caroline, No")
Rolling down that empty ocean road
Getting to the surf on time (N. Young)

Bayridge is a community that i am very proud to be a member. I know there are many splendid hamlets in this nation and around the world, I know the heartlands of America are chock full of good people , but i will put 11209 up there with any of them.

This past Saturday was one of those days....not sure what the final headcount was at the Salty Dog but it was hard to find a name or two that were missing.

The Rohl family gave our friend Hari the sendoff that he deserved , the photos and sports memorabilia were a walk down a familiar lane  , the toast was spot on and of course Mr. Mike Mclaughlin kicking it off with long May you run was heart stirring....i freely admit that i had a tear in my eye and chill on my spine, the harmonica was hauntingly perfect. It felt like the cocktail hour of a wedding, and all your friends were there, they just kept rolling in the big front door, i was dizzy Sunday morning thinking of all the people i hadn't seen in years, all gathered in one place for one reason....Bayridge may have lost a hall of famer but at least we didn't let him go without a fight.......God Speed Hari....Fare well and Following seas.

Long may you run, long may you run
Although these changes have come
With your chrome heart shining in the sun
Long may you run

The traffic lights

 they turn blue tomorrow

And shine their emptiness down on my bed
The tiny island sags downstream
'Cause the life that lived is dead ( Jimi)

will the world ever unite again like it did on this date in history,80 years ago today ?

will young teenagers lie about their age, so they could join the fight and storm the beaches far away in distant lands to fight an enemy they didn't know and save the lives of people they never met.? Will planet earth ever spawn a generation as great as the one that landed in Normandy ?

I won't waste your time, the answer is NO.

when the dust settles after man has destroyed this planet, or space aliens finally arrive and put an end to this experiment....when the historians gather in another galaxy to review our history, i think it is safe to say that June 6th 1944 will be the consensus as the Pinnacle of the Human existence on Earth.

Will the wind ever remember
The names it has blown in the past?
And with this crutch
Its old age and its wisdom
It whispers, "No, this will be the last"
And the wind cries
"Mary"

Everyday brings change

and the world puts on a new face

Sudden things rearrange, and this whole world seems like a new place (Marvelettes) 

I heard something the other day i had to double check to ensure it was accurate.

Did you know that the Federal Election Regulators fined the Clinton Campaign back in 2022 for disclosing the money they spent on the Russia Dirt on Trump , aka the Steele Dossier; as a legal expense instead of opposition research ?  i had not heard that, but i confirmed it on CNN of all places....I guess all accounting errors are not created equally.

Also interesting is the DOJ case against Hunter Biden and his lying on a gun permit revolves around the information and photos found on the infamous laptop. A lot of Intelligence Committee members, politicians and the Democratic nominee for President at the time ( Joe Biden) made public statements and signed letters insisting that the laptop was fake....Russian disinformation. Those statements were made to convince voters that Trump was up to some dirty tricks with Putin, and that the loveable Biden Family was still squeaky clean, go out and vote for Scranton Joe, he's a good egg and his son doesn't smoke crack and screw his widowed sister-in-law. Those statements now have been proven to be false.

I don't have to remind anyone that President Trump was convicted for a 34 count felony for an accounting error that Fat Alvin says rose to the level of hiding facts from the public in order to influence an election.

so Hillary gets a fine and Comey, Biden & Company get a free pass......remind me again who the threat to democracy is..............2+3=BEEER....i'm glad Alvarez isn't her to see this .

What's this whole world comin' to
Things just ain't the same
Any time the HUNTER gets captured by the game

Living is easy with eyes closed

misunderstanding all you see

it's getting hard to be someone, but it all works out

doesn't really matter much to me  (Lennon-Mcartney)

I don't know why i became so emotional watching the Darryl Strawberry jersey retirement ceremony....but i did. I had been working around the house and yard all morning and i was exhausted....i finally threw a 30 pack on ice and settled into the yard to watch what i thought would be a fun lighthearted ceremony followed by a meaningless game and then a bonfire for the Rangers.

I was first taken aback by the emptiness of Citifield. ( i looked it up, the announced attendance was 30,000) i don't know why i expected a sold-out stadium, but i did. i remember when they first announced that they were retiring #18 i thought about going...i figured i would have to scalp in the secondary market and i was sad to see that the upper tier was half empty and the start of the ceremony....i suppose there are a few theories as to why.....it has been 38 years since Darryl, Doc and Keith won that World series.....that's difficult to wrap my head around.....it wasn't yesterday.....a lot of the people that flocked to Shea during the Strawberry era are now deceased or living in Florida or both. Probably half of the current season ticketholders weren't even born in 1986. It doesn't help that the current team is a miserable gang of overpaid underachievers , but for me if i had gone....i would have left by the 3rd inning.....i only wanted to go to give Darryl one more standing Ovation...

another theory, confirmed by one or two friends; is that some Met faithful turned on Darryl because of the way he left and then he returned to NY to help the Yankees win a few World Series.....i guess i wasn't thrilled by that either....but time has a way of healing those wounds......i still remember going to see him when he returned to Shea with the SF Giants in the summer of 94, and i was absolutely rooting for him to hit a homer against the Mets ...so i don't think i was ever part of the mob that turned against him........but it was hard seeing him, Doc, and Cone wearing pinstripes in the Bronx...being coached by the Mets former Manager Joe Torre....that Yankee dynasty had a lot of Dodger Blue and Giant Orange in their bloodstream.

Keith Hernandez reminded everyone that if Darry doesn't hit that home run off Noland Ryan in the pivotal game 5 against the Astros, that the Mets probably do not advance to the 86 series.

My personal favorite moment was when he homered in game 7 against the Sox....I was in the Lief that Night and after screaming, everyone exhaled...it was a little more breathing room and some reassurance that we were going to win the dam Series.... 

In any event i had a few tears in my eyes when the speech began, and they increased as he went through his life and career and then he said  from the bottom of his heart how Sorry he was for ever leaving the Mets....i sat there drinking my beer and remembering the Magic of the Strawberry years and how much fun we all had in the 80's......he talked about his struggles with substance abuse and how he admired Mookie and Gary Carter for being MEN....good family men ...straight and narrow..he said they were both religious men, but that they never held his shortcomings against him.......he talked about the massive heart attack he had 3 months ago and how he knew when he was undergoing surgery it would be God's decision if he were to live or die.....he talked about his Mom and his children and you couldn't help but root for this man......i was moved.....i suggest anyone that missed it ,  to search on youtube and give it a listen....it was pure honest emotion.

i'm almost 60....i'm cranky.....i pretty much hate all of today's athletes....but i am grateful to have lived when i did.....the 86 Mets...Parcells era Giants....the 94 Rangers.....good times to have been alive.

Let me take you down, cos I'm going to

 Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever