Rehearsal dinner

Not that I need to rehearse when it comes to drinking.....but I follow the rules..... beautiful restaurant... literally on Zuma Beach.

You can take us out of Brooklyn

But you can't teach a man to fish....or lead a horse to water.....or drink like a fish....yes I'll have another....2 birds are worth more than a few stones...ah...you can never take Brooklyn out of US.

What a beautiful morning.

think I'll go outside a while, and jus smile ( Felix cavaliere )......up at 5:00.....1 mile walk along ocean to diner , nice breakfast..chorizo & avocado w mozzarella omelette..... another walk along pier.....dip in the hotel pool and a few beers before 9:00...ah vacation.... sweet California.

Santa Monica

The Promised Land

I feel like Chuck Berry...who left his home in Norfolk Virginia on a jet to the promised land....and now I'm here..... CALIFORNIA.....the end of the continent....no more land to traverse....the great Pacific Ocean....I walked down the Santa Monica incline and thought of Spencer Tracy and it's a mad mad world....but I didn't find the BIG W.....I sat on the pier and sipped GOLDEN ROAD IPA and looked up the coast to Malibu.... reunited with my darling wife who just flew in from Newark ( and yes , her arms are tired).....had lunch with my Godson and his lovely wife , walked the beach took it all in...my journey is already a success....I remember my niece worrying that I might not make it to the wedding if it was in California, but it was never in doubt.... that's what family is all about.....no hill too high to climb.....no bridge too far....big day tomorrow....The Coliseum, Griffiths Observation, Santa Anita and los dodgers estadium...

Raton

I accidentally deleted the Raton pics FM yesterday.

Well the sun went down in honey

And the moon came up in wine, the Stars were dancing dizzy and the band kept us so busy, we forgot about the time.....yes , there is a Dead lyric for everything

3 days in the saddle, you my body hurt

And I tried to wash off some of that dusty dirt..... I have a newfound appreciation for the lyrics to all those cowboy dirges that mister Weir has been singing all these years....." Clouds so low, the eagles fill the sky.....this rode from Raton into Arizona is vast and unforgiving....you could probably hide here for 100 years and nobody would know....here are a few shots of new Mexico and Arizona.....I walked around Albuquerque and bought a bottle of local wine..... haven't seen any grapes though.... maybe it's cactus juice.

The Ranch store has it all

yer darn tooting it does.....why just look at the sign... whether you need a PLOW or a COFFIN you can get one in Raton, New Mexico.....I even found the White House saloon....sadly it was closed.....no rattlesnakes MN thank God...but this is a scene out of the 1800's or the Gold RUsh days.... thankfully these scenes from Americana remain unchanged.

The road to Acapulco is very hard indeed, and it isn't any better if you haven't any weed.

Well....I'm not quite like the New Riders heading to Acapulco in a pickup truck with Henry at the wheel.....but I did leave Denver at 5:00 a.m. on a greyhound bus headed to Raton, New Mexico to make my connection with the Amtrak Southwest Chief....still very much in awe of this country... I have seen the pictures, but they do not do reality justice.....this is Pikes Peak in Colorado springs.

Things to do in Denver

So day two brought a bus tour to Red Rocks amphitheatre and the foothills of the Rockies..... breathtaking.....ours is a blessed land..... America has so much fertile land and beauty...and I had the best burger of my life in the Chophouse &. Brewery... across FM Coors Field.... bartender told me she worked the Broncos team private party after they won the Super bowl....so I asked if the Avalanche had a team party there after they won the Stanley Cup....she didn't know...she was only 3years old when they won....boy do I feel old....but alas I must be fair to my readers of this blog.....all 3 of you.... although I may have added one or two with this travel journal.....for you new readers.... anything sexist, racist or politically incorrect was written by Valerie or Gravey..... but I digress....the Thorny side to this Denver Rose , and it pains me to admit....but the homeless hobos are loosing their fucking minds with this legal...POTENT marijuana.....every street corner has wackos screaming at the sky, or curled up sleeping in urine or vomit....they can't handle it....the bartender in Grimaldi's tonight (Courtney) told me drug overdoses are skyrocketing and EMS calls to deal with people freaking out are taxing the system beyond its means.......it was very strange to walk down the street and smell really fine weed being smoked practically EVERYWHERE..... can't wait to come back when I'm retired or hit the lotto.

Denver

I always had an inkling to visit Denver....from my teenage years reading Kerouac and on the road....his tales of Larimer Street and the search for Neal Cassadys dad....the railway station, the freight train bums coming from SF or headed to NYC....and then the Grateful Dead establishing a home away from home in the Red Rocks amphitheatre....all the tapes, the stories.....I feared slightly as the train pulled in that this gem in the foothills of the Rockies may not live up to my expectations......no worries.... Denver blew me away....what an amazing city.... according to my Fitbit I logged 29,000 steps.....and I ain't done.....I visited a bar where Kerouac and Cassidy used to hang out...I went to Coors Field, had a bison burger, drank Breckenridge and wynkoop beer... gazed at the Rockie Mountains and took it all in....met some cool people, restored some of my faith in this nation.... overall....a total success...God is Almighty....to see these Mountains reminds you how powerful our Lord is.

Da Curtis

Strange little hotel in downtown Denver, not sure who this lady is on the wall ....Audrey Hepburn maybe ? ...room overlooks the pool bar...nice.

The sun also rises

Interesting evening.....strange occurrences in the pitch black Nebraska sky..... lighting ? Aliens ? Nuclear testing ? Not really sure....two million tiny white lights in the sky too..... could they be stars ? ...... anyway the night refused to pass, it went on for eternity...... finally and thankfully as we rolled into Colorado the sin began to peak over the horizon behind us......it's gonna be a great day.

Hot. As hell

First major bump in the road.... Rolling across Nebraska and my sleeper car seems to have a malfunctioning air conditioner.....it's bloody hot in here..... waiting on a conductor.... drinking wine and sweating bullets.

Sunday afternoon in Chicago

So I had a few hours to kill in the Windy city and I made a bee line to Paddy O'Fegans......had a nice lunch and a few cocktails..... Nice tribute to the military on the wall.....all sorts of photos of local folks in their uniforms or in action.....then I walked along the river , stopped by Old Saint Patrick's cathedral and walked around the Sears Tower.....back on the iron horse now....next stop is Denver.

South Bend

Just like that.....the darkness, gloom and despair of Ohio fades away and the sun drenched fields of Indiana emerge.....a little slice of Americana here......you can almost hear the faint chords jack & Diane in the background.

Holy Toledo

As the late great Billy King (radio voice of the Oakland Raiders) would say......Ohio has seen better days my friend.....as my train limps through a depressing foggy sundry morn.... the Lord's day , but it would seem that even Jesus has turned his back on Toledo these days....you can learn a lot about a city by looking at its train station........ actually, that's bullshit , but it sounds profound......if you want to learn about a city....you have explore the gin mills, local pubs and honkey tonks...... sadly....or perhaps luckily......we but a short sojourn in Toledo..... barely time to stretch ones legs.....I'll sit this one out.....3 hours out FM Chicago...my kinda town.

Penelope pitstop....circa Albany

Oh sweet mother of Jesus..... Albany was the first location that the conductor GEORGE told me we would have enough of a layover to stretch our legs.......he saw I brought 18 pints in a cooler so he really meant stretch your liver.....and in Albany there ain't much....even on Travers DAY......but I found this gem across the street....June's place.....and as luck would have it.....June was tending bar.....along with 87 fruit flies......not quite the salty dog, but it is a converted firehouse.....I ordered a PBR because I didn't want to appear to be an aristocrat.....but I still got snide look's and dirty stares.......June was lovely though....45 going on 60 or somewhere in between.....but pleasant.....I rifled down 2 PBR's and left a $3 tip..... everyone was glued to the TV......no.....not a real TV.....but a quick draw machine.....there were no real TVs......but a radio was on the bar listening to the GIANTS pre game....... well hello and goodbye to Albany.....as the summer dies quietly on the other side of this hill , June fights on .....she probably was a looker in the first Clinton administration.....she still ain't half bad........ever wonder what happens in the small corners of the world that don't touch NYC ?

Genesis

And so it begins.....one man's journey from coast to coast and back again....stay tuned right here for all the lunacy that Facebook won't tolerate or deserve to be shared.

As heads is tail's

just call me Lucifer, cause I'm in need of some restraint........... Poor Doc Gooden.....at one time he could've been the Champion of the World........now he resorts to lashing out at Darryl Strawberry....his direct quote.." Strawberry is trying to create distractions cause he's lying to everyone and cheating on his wife...he's LUCIFER , that's who he is "......... I remember the 86 parade down the canyon of heroes....I remember hearing that Strawberry was AWOL.....it was actually DOC that was in a crack den and missed the parade, but back then nobody would believe it........ My personal favorite memory of Doc was a Friday night in September of 84 ( September 8th 1984... I had to look it up )the Cubs were in first place, leading the Mets by 6 or 7 games....this was opening night of a 3 game series and Shea was literally standing room only.......right from the start you could tell that Doc was on fire.... mowing the cubbies down to the delight of the long starved faithful..... myself, Eddie Griffin, Donnie Hoff, Tom Daley, Jimmy Holland were definitely there....not quite sure who else..... and the offense supplied runs right away..... George Foster and Darryl homered....and soon a quiet buzz started in the upper tier.....is tonight the night ?......in the 5th inning Keith Moreland ( I had to look that up) hit a high chop down the third base line....Ray Knight charged in , fielded on a short hop and never threw to first base......base hit.....and what proved to be the only Cubs hit....Doc threw a complete game shutout , striking out 11 Cubs..and in the afterglow of a pennant race in September of 1984 the world appeared to be Dwight Goodens oyster..he gave us real hope for once....real belief that a dynasty was forming....and I can't speak for all Mets fans , but I loved him....and Darryl , Darling, Keith , Wally, Mookie ....Kid Carter every member of that 86 team.....and I was happy when he pitched his no hitter for the Yankees and helped them to the 96 World Series.... I feel bad for him now.... I hope somehow he puts it together..... when I think of Doc it's always September of 1984.

The land of Cotton

In case you missed it, the University of Mississippi has prohibited the school band from playing "Dixie" at halftime.....a silly tradition that only dates back to 1948.....yes...that's right....68 years of tradition.....fathers, sons. Grandfather's and great grandsons all sipped sweat tea and listened to the band honor the Southern Heritage at the School that carries the nickname "Ole Miss Rebels"...... quietly a few years ago they retired the Mascot GENERAL REBEL....an old Confederate GENERAL with a grey beard who carried a cane ( me sans the cane...for now) because they said he looked like a plantation owner.....and now they have criminalized a fucking song.....the truth shall set you free ? ....not in Mississippi.....those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.......what about those that whitewash history and hide it in the closet ? What happens to those bastards ??. If I were a season ticket holder I would start a new tradition....as soon as the band takes the field the entire stadium should sing an Acapella version of Dixie.... Old times there apparently will soon be forgotten......shame Mississippi.

Taught to resist

Story on the news about a Newark youth that was just shootin hoops by his garage when the Police pulled up.... naturally stymie ran down the alley and a chase ensued......mammy went on the tv news to complain because the Police drew their weapons..... wouldn't everyone ? Police said he fit the description of a bank robbery suspect that was apprehended 2 blacks away later that same day..... nobody was hurt thankfully.....channels 2,5 and 7 each reported the story......all showered stymie with empathy....how frightened this young man must've been...... agreed......one question.....why was his first instinct to run ? ? And no....I am not suggesting he had done anything wrong..... I am pointing a guilty finger at the parents.....they taught this young man to distrust Police and when on doubt.....RUN........that's a good way to get shot. If Eric Garner had put his hands behind his back he would be alive....same with the cat in Louisiana or any other Police shooting ..... If you listen to Police and comply with their instructions....your life expectancy increases.......hands up baby.... listen to the man

Turkey or Notre Dame ?

who goes under the microscope this Sunday afternoon as I quaff a few pints in the yard to slake my thirst ? I turn to my wise canine friend Matteau , but he thinks we are talking sandwiches and votes emphatically for Turkey. Alas we discuss the fighting Irish of Notre Dame, the Golden Dome , the shining light at the top of the hill, the school that wouldn't lower their academic standards for Urban Meyer and yet welcomed the murderous lech Brian Kelley with open arms......last night was ugly in South Bend.....4 scholar athletes from the football program arrested when a routine traffic stop turned up marijuana and firearms.......not to be outshined by his mates.....a fifth player under mister Kelley's guidance got into a physical altercation with an Indiana State Police Officer and was arrested for assaulting the officer. Let's lead a cheer for filthy criminals.....rah rah ree.

I can feel it coming

Maybe not in the air tonight , but sadly someday soon.....our enemies and our questionable allies are testing out military and soon , one of them will strike..... We have a lame duck pussy in the blackhaus .....he's more concerned about cementing his legacy.....as if he will be remembered for anything other than a total failure.....he won't fight back.....his father was a Shiite moslem....he is in bed with Iran and Russia.....I fear a major attack on our forces is coming..... possibly even an attack here at home on a major scale......and I fear our forces are Ill prepared, weary and broken down......a recipe for disaster.......let's hope I am wrong.

Any excuse to riot.

So a black police officer attempts to stop a known felon with a loaded weapon in Milwaukee Saturday evening....but this young African American Dad ( news outlets proclaim that his Facebook page had pics of him doting over his toddler son) decided he ain't going to jail today... maybe he was rushing home to change diapers......sadly this young man lost his life.....one less wannabe doctor or lawyer in the great state of Wisconsin......end of story ? Hardly.......it's riot time.....why should Baltimore and Ferguson have all the fun.....6 businesses burnt to the ground.. as the white mayor was pleading with parents to get their children off the streets......2 black elected alderman were warning the rest of the city that they were next " we are one day away from torching this whole city " was the exact quote........ president Osama was briefed on the situation from his 3 week hideaway on Martha's vineyard.

Strange timing

So.....one day after our Iranian friend was executed.....wait.....you don't know who I am talking about ??....he was an Iranian spy for the United States.....and Hillary talked about him in emails on her private server that was hacked....well.... somehow his cover was blown and Iran executed him.... strange coincidence..... anyway....as he was dangling from a rope in town square Tehran......50 former National Security Officers signed an open letter to the country warning about how Donald Trump will be bad for national security.....no mention of the Hilary state Dept years or the plethora of sensitive information that was hacked from her private server.

Police and thieves in the street.

Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition (junior Murvin ) You would think that you'd be safe in a bodega in the Bronx at 1:00 A.M. on a Tuesday morning.......no such luck....seems our 30 year old suspect wandered in ( probably just looking for milk for his offsprings cereal in the morn ) and for some bizarre reason he started acted irrationally and demanded a cellphone ( maybe He just wanted to check with the baby momma's around town to see if they needed anything else) anyway he was asked to leave the establishment..... luckily for him , the competing bodega across the street was also open at 1:00 A.M.......hard working communities often need eggs, yogurt and FUNYUNS at all hours.....well our suspect went in , and sadly trouble ensued.....the other customers ( at 1:00 fuckin a.m.) quickly called 911....why ? I wonder....... certainly we don't need any honky police coming into the Hood to settle our disputes...... certainly the Black Lives matter movement has setup a toll Free number for people of color to call when in trouble.... certainly there must be an alternative to the murderous police by now......a clerk in the bodega ran into the street and flagged down a patrol car..... again i ask WHY ? Surely somewhere in this favored land on a mantle, over a fireplace in the den , there is a picture of our suspect in a maroon cap and gown graduating from middle school with dreams of becoming a doctor......why would anyone call the cops on this good egg ? Well the Police arrived and presumably gave our suspect the benefit of the doubt.... can't rush to judge....he's probably a good kid and the customers who called 911 where rebel Rouser's that overreacted.... shockingly our suspect grabbed a policeman's gun and shot and killed the store clerk..... The Police shot and wounded our suspect......just another graveyard shift in the sleepy Bronx....#justabodegaclerk. #hislifeDONTmatter .

Why ordinary Americans despise the establishment

Let's take that filthy communist, treasonous bitch Lynn Stewart.....in case you forgot , she is the vile pig lawyer that helped Abdel Rahman pass messages to his Al queda buddies from his federal lockup in Colorado.....she was tried and convicted and her fat ass was sent to prison , but a liberal judge granted her compassionate release because she had cancer and only 18 months to live.......that was 31 months ago.

Add it up......add it up

As the violent femmes once sang..... The day is in my sights... when I take a bow and say goodnight. Sooooooo.....an unmarked cargo plane carrying 400 million in Euros and Swiss francs from the United States govt flew to Iran after midnight, hours before the Iranians released 4 prisoners back in January.....the white House told nobody and now insists that this was not a ransom and instead was the first payment for the 1.7 BILLION nuclear arms deal.....and that it's coincidence that both events occurred on the same day.......if that's true, why the secrecy ?

If you're keeping score at home

Our NATO ally Turkey has detained approx 15,000 of its citizens, dishonorably discharged 1,700 military personnel, mainly generals....fired 3,000 judges .shut 131 media outlets, arrested scores of journalists and academics....and mister Erdogan granted himself the sweeping reform powers tgat the Turkish Parliamentdenied him last November.........but enough of that....let's talk about Michelle's dress.

Even if the sun don't shine

Well it's all right, we're going to the end of the line ( traveling willbury's )............some might say we are already there......for two years I read legal experts on fox news, MSNBC, and the Wall Street Journal websites state that ignorance of the law is not a defense and prosecutors do not have to prove intent in cases of mishandling classified information........until of course the FBI says it is ......I personally give up for now....and America deserves whatever it gets if they choose Hilary in November.....................side bar question.....why is it not okay for a PRIVATE golf club like Augusta to have an all male membership.........but it is okay to have WOMEN only swim times in a PUBLIC pool in Williamsburg ??

We can't go on together

Sing it Elvis......we cant build our dreams with suspicious minds......I know my readers are skeptical.....I know there are doubts....but the worm has turned......even the liberal news outlets are starting to report the ugly truth about Hillary......the first 8 minutes of good morning America was dedicated to Hillary, the emails, Benghazi and Bills visit to sweet Loretta ......the even trotted out liberal hagg Martha raditz.....and she had the nerve to admit on the air that, and I quote " even many Hillary supporters don't trust her ".......that would never have aired this time last year....her most ardent protectors, the liberal media, are preparing to debark her sinking ship......the indictment is coming.......ya gotta believe.

Humorous, if not so sad.

So last night ( pretty much any night) there was a lost, confused and bewildered colored gentleman who got on the wrong train.....par for the course really.....they habitually get on the wrong train, blame anyone and everyone for THEIR mistake and usually create a 15 minute disturbance for everyone around them........ this particular bloke was quite amusing.....he wanted metropark, but the train of course doesn't stop there, so he was told the closest stop was Woodbridge.......he got on the phone with a baby mama and his 2 or 3 minute diatribe should have been recorded and preserved in the Smithsonian for future generations....... hysterical......he took quite delight in telling her " the MAN said if I don't get off in Woodbridge I'm goin DOWN THE SHORE".......which is true, but it seemed to crack him up....he kept repeating it and laughing.....as negroes go , he was rather pleasant....a good natured chap who made a mistake.....no cursing or complaining, he was amused by his own gaffe....... DOWN THE SHORE.....he kept laughing........,.............but it also reminded me that practically every hiccup we encounter as a society usually orbits around a shine.......they could fuck up the greatest society......how wonderful would this country be if our forefathers said NO to the slave trade on day 1.........we would be a well oiled machine, with all the hardworking European immigrants and all the technological advancement we brought to the world..... picture this country without the weight of the negro.......a second coming and mix of the best of Germany, the UK , Norway , Ireland and Italy......sad.........at least.....on rare occasions......they do make us laugh.

Oh blah dee , oh blah da

Life goes on....... another day, another attack.....this shows Isis is desperate, says John Kerry, this strengthens our resolve to defeat Isis says Mrs Clinton , what difference does it make? ........my post reports today that Isis attacks have claimed the lives of 1,500 people since 2014........thank God it's just the JV and not the varsity.

Springtime for Hitler

Ole spoonjiah tried taking a page out of the books of Adolph, Stalin, Kim Jong Un etc etc.......the very same day we discussed trusting the Govt, our dear leader tried to censor the 911 call transcripts from Omar mateen...Barry went to his soap box to mock and ridicule anyone who tried to link the Orlando shooting with Islamic fanatics........told us this is a gun control issue and it is the new norm....... sadly for him , his fellow jihadist called 911 to pledge allegiance to ISIS......that doesn't sit well with Barry....so he wanted that part deleted..........what scare me most is that the Govt is brazen enough to do these shenanigans in the light of day.....their arrogance and attitude of superior intellect knows no bounds.....after all we are too stupid to understand how great his health plan is....

Gun control / no fly list

I'll be brief.....I don't own a gun and I never will, but the current debate and today's vote are misleading.,........the Democratic premise is that people who are on the NO FLY list should not be able to buy a gun........ sounds simple.......until you stop to wonder who is on the NO FLY list......my thought is that if the government thinks you are too dangerous to fly on an airplane, then there should also be a warrant for your arrest and you should not be living freely in this country ........I mean seriously who is on the list and why......who decides to add or remove names......far be it for me to suggest our dear leader is a corrupt, vindictive piece of SHIITE.......but we know the IRS targeted Conservative organizations.......what's to stop the next dictator from placing all his adversaries on the no fly list ? Thus disarming the very people that would otherwise keep him or her in check.......as Roger Waters asked the lyrical question 35 years ago" Mother should I trust the Government"?.......Amy Winehouse gave us the answer.....No , No , Nooooo

Sweater night images

God Bless this Mess

On Tuesday June 14th 2016 , we said our final goodbye to a true Brooklyn girl.Rescued at birth in Sunset from a short life on the streets, her Mom was an alley cat without a family or a home....we took her and raised her in the comfortable surrounding of Bayridge.....we brought her home on January 18th 1996..... The Messiahs birthday, and so she was named Messier......she would live out her golden years in Monmouth county ...she loved life, and she loved turkey....she had feline siblings in Fuzzy and Jedmo (ortmeyer)...a canine sister and linemate FM the 94 team GRAVES ( aka Gravey)...and for the past 18 months a crazy little brother that she adored in MATTEAU MATTEAU ( he guarded her body on the couch when she fell ill and barely let me get close enough to pet her....he sits by the window at night waiting for her to come home). she was named after the greatest Ranger of them All and she died on the anniversary of his crowning achievement, and Flag Day and the day I got engaged......she didn't have a mean bone in her body, but she also didn't tolerate any mouses in her houses....she made us smile everyday, she only ever asked for a bowl of food and a lap to lay on....we miss her terribly already....God bless this Mess.....12/4/95 - 6/14/16.

Prayers for MESSIER

We've been down this road many times in the last 20 years, I've said goodbye to my ferocious Cat more times than I remember....and each time she has roared back to life..... unfazed and unscathed.....today she faces a serious challenge as we await the rests on some x-rays and tests from the emergency vet visit last night.......it felt like business as usual this morning as she raised her head to sniff coffee brewing and carried on a meowing conversation with me....but she has lost power in her legs and can't seem to support herself.....if it's time, I just pray she goes peacefully without stress.

The Greatest of All time

No.....not that draft dodger....but the truth sports king of my lifetime....he put an exclamation point on his career 43 years ago today with the most dominating performance on the biggest stage. On June 9th 1973..... SECRETARIAT blew away the field by 31 lengths, set a track and world record that still stand today and picked up the Triple Crown for good measure.

Primary day

I threw my two cents into the ring, I performed my civil duty at 6:01.....first in to line to vote.....I'll keep my vote to myself, but I hope that I played a part in Making America Great Again.... Hillary makes history , that's what the news is reporting....first female to win the presidential nomination for a major party.......let's hope she becomes the first presidential candidate to be indicted before the election......fatty Arbuckle was in town this weekend.....I'll know soon enough if he reads the blog or not.....we know Duff's reading.

The Ace of spades

Let's call it what it is......you may be glad (like I am) that Mamadou Diablo beat that piece of trash wannabe rapist to death in the elevator.....but it's manslaughter.......the Deceased dirt bag was not threatening Diallo, he was trying to flee the building.......Diallo came home with blood on his mind , and even if that stranger heard the news, he wasn't escaping a beating .........would it be different if Diallo came home after the rapist left, and then went out and found him down the street?? I am not saying he should be convicted, but he needs to be charged.....how often ( Everytime) are the police grilled when they use deadly force about whether they were in imminent danger? ......Diallo wasn't in danger, it was a hostile, aggressive reaction, albeit an understandable one; to a crime..... revenge took over, he wasn't protecting his family, he was avenging them.....I am okay with changing the laws to allow for some forms of vengeance, but until they do....papa new guinea needs to be at least arrested and run through the system.....just like every one of US would.....#black olives matter .

Gemelli's

On the train, a memory just came flooding back.....I was in Gemelli's with Pat Garry ( Italian restaurant and bar on street level at 4 world trade) .....it was late August 2000.... we were waiting for Rocco who worked a few blocks away....we were taking the subway out to Shea for the Mets v Cardinals game..... anyway we were drinking away and the guy next to us recognized me, it was Mike Buhse , he was with his older brother ( Tommy I think) and they were waiting on their brother Pat ( my friend since kindergarten).....Rocco came in , Pat Buhse came in and now we had s party......rounds of drinks, probably some shots and a lot of catching up before we left.... Good time..... turned out Pat worked for Cantor in tower 1 and lived in Middletown NJ...... I told him I worked for Instinet , also in tower 1 and that I was in the process of moving to Little Silver.....we laughed at the irony and said goodbye, that was the last time I ever saw him......not sure what made me think of that today.

USS Stark

So...29 years ago yesterday the USS Stark was struck by 2 (French made) Exocet missiles fired by our IRAQ allies while on patrol in the Persian Gulf....37 men were killed ....before the sun would set , Saddam had the pilots beheaded for their mistake....OR was it to silence The men and prevent them from telling the World it was not a mistake and that they were carrying out orders ( even then we had our fuckin heads in the sand ) I was in Mayport Florida onboard the USS Luce...we were on deck to replace the Starks battle group in Spring of 88 in the Gulf....we new the Stark well, they were homeported in Mayport just like us.....they used to tie up alongside us while we both were in Port......but I really knew the STARK.......you see when I was leaving Diego Garcia in October of 1986 I got to choose my next duty assignment.....so I was on long distance call with my detailer in Washington DC and I asked for a ship out of Florida.......he said to me " I have 2 ships....a Frigate and a Destroyer....the Luce or the Stark".... now I had only been in the Navy for a year and I didn't know shit from shinola ...so I asked my Senior Chief in the Post Office...PCCS Vernon Uhle..which ship should I take.....he said " take the Destroyer, you'll eat better " .....and so I told the detailer to give me the Destroyer, whichever one that is......he replied " congratulations O'Dowd, your now officially on the Luce".........so by the grace of God, or good luck or whatever I was spared being on that ship that day....I did review the list of the Deceased, and the guy who filled that empty billet that I didn't take was named PC3 Shippe , and he did survive....I saw him in the Base club in 89 before I got out , but I didn't dare ask him what it was like .....I think we bought him and his fellow Stark guys a shot , shook their hands and left them alone......they fought the fires for 24 hours and almost capsized twice.....they had to flood the ship to stay afloat.....I read a book a few years ago called MISSILE INBOUND..... about that attack..... powerful stuff................ anyway.....Rest in Peace lads....fare well and Following Seas.

Anybody Remember hockey ?

Not getting ahead of ourselves, there is a lot of Hockey to play.....but if we are lucky enough to get Tampa Bay and San Jose in finals ( never thought I would ever say that) we could have the fastest NHL final ever......both of these teams FLY......I will enjoy seeing those teams get at it for 6 or 7 games......I believe the Lightning are Destined to win .............what does this have to do with sir spoon of Malaysia, Hellary or THE DON ?

The Shame of Rutgers!

Imagine if you were the parent of one of the graduating seniors this past weekend at Rutgers. Worse still, imagine if you and your 40k in loans were graduating. After 4,5 or 6 years of hard work you were receiving a degree and to help you celebrate, the President of the United States was coming to give the commencement address for the 250th graduating class. What pearls of wisdom would the leader of the free world share ?…............. . Imagine your disappointment when Sir Shine of Malaysia reverted back to a street Nigga y'all.....talking trash about Trump and yukking it up at a level High School Seniors would find immature..... It was nice of outgoing spoon in chief to get on the soap box and preach tolerance to his liberal minions , when he scolded them for not allowing Condeleeza Rice to give the commencement address last year...... I'm sorry...that never happened...sticking up for a black female ain't cool either.... Cool clock Ahmed.

Take the bad with the good

A young autistic boy in Clarksville TN was not allowed to bring his 24 year old sister to his junior prom because she was too old..........the young man wanted to Go to Prom but was afraid of being bullied, so he asked his sister to go with him......he was in tears when school officials refused to allow her in because of her age......I am sure there is well intentioned rule on the books, but this is a case that deserved an exception..... Why is everyone seemingly afraid to exercise common sense and bend the rules ? I weep for this nation.....and I feel awful for this poor kid.....further scarred for life..... Already dealt a bad hand in life and now scarred and humiliated.........poor kid.....should have just asked to use the ladies transgender bathrooms.... They would have rolled out the Red Carpet.

Derby rant 142

I woke on Derby day to SUDDENBREAKINGNEWS from TROJAN NATION that MY MAN SAM, the CREATOR of LANI and other OSCAR NOMINATED works; was down at the bar with WHITMORE drinking shots SHAGAF and DANZING CANDY. Now I'm no EXAGGERATOR when I declare TOM'S READY, nobody will OUTWORK or outdrink MO TOM....so I ordered a pitcher of GUN RUNNERs and a MAJESTO chaser...the barkeeper was pushing a bottle of NYQUIST, but that's just BRODY'S CAUSE not mine I shouted to everyone in the tavern....you see MOR SPIRIT is DESTIN to get nosed by MOHAYMEN at the wire....... . . That's my call.....14-17 exacta........and those two up top with a bottom of the triple being 4, 15,&13. Don't forget to play birthdays, addresses, and anniversaries.....if Nyquist misfires....the payouts will be huge.

I don't understand The World today.

that was the rambling of the great Tom Petty ( not to be confused with the winner of the upcoming 142 Kentucky Derby TOM'S READY)......but Mr. Petty's musings ring true today more than ever. . . Seriously...... What in God's name is going on around here ? . Sundays NY Post ran one of the saddest stories that I have read in a long time....it was an expose about the 9/11 memorials that have sprung up across the country and how a great many of them have been vandalized or fallen into disrepair.... How can this happen.... Many of the memorials were built in 2002-04 with salvaged steel from the Towers, and in 10 plus years we have collectively FORGOTTEN...... Or stopped caring.....those of you that know me and read this blog know that I very seldom speak of my experiences that day , and when I do it's because I was questioned by someone or aided by large consumption of alcohol..... Unfortunately I Can't turn it off.....once I really start to speak about that Day , it stays with me for a long time....the memories flood back and the dreams/nightmares return....I won't go into detail, but I have one horrible dream that follows the same pattern over and over and over..and has haunted me for 15 years......I will share one minor detail.... I was in the NAVY ....I have a great appreciation for those who served....especially the war Vets....can't fathom what that must be like..... I always stop and read plaques on memorials... If some one took the time to erect a statue, placque or memorial of some sort, then I can find the time to read it, contemplate it and say a prayer.... In the two years before September 11th , I worked on the 13th floor of 1 World Trade.....I often walked through Battery Park City and around Castle Clinton..... There are 25 foot high slabs of Granite with thousands of names carved on them, listed by Branch of Service and memorialising NYC war Dead through WWI and WWII..... I always stopped and picked out a name or two and talked directly to their spirit , and thanked them. ( I unequivocally believe the spirits are with us , how else would Tyree catch that ball)......after the Towers fell, and another hour later the asbestos fog dissipated and I could see.....I found myself amongst those slabs of concrete with Kevin Monahan.... We climbed a fence and jumped onto a Coast Guard tugboat that took us to Ellis Island ( that's a story in it self) , but as I boarded that tugboat I turned and looked at the memorials, I felt relief for the first time and thanked the spirits and I got choked up as I thought to myself.... "I'm NOT gonna die today " , I'm not going to have my name carved in stone for this day............ How awful a society we must be if we can't protect and maintain our own memorials.

Tin soldiers and stoned roosters coming

what in the world is going on in Ohio ? Neil young sung of their peril @ Kent State over 40 years ago , but not even day 9 coverage of Princes Death could top this story.....8 members of the extended Rhoden family shot to death execution style On their compound between colombus and Cincinnati...... Police found hundreds of professionally harvested marijuana plants and what appeared to be a cockfighting ring.......this summer I hear the drumming.......8 Dead in Ohio.....let's hope they were killed by illegal Mexicans..... It could give Trump the election. .....,...... . . .incidentally Charlie Higgins did what the flyers, bruins and lightning could not....he dethroned the Blackhawks ....simply by picking them in the Big Hockey pool......their fate was sealed when when Charlie selected that little piece of paper that said CHICAGO.

I read the post today.....oh boy

article in the post today...house burned down on Windsor terrace....started when a memorial candle the owner lit for her deceased dog ignited the house.....woman thinks the dogs ghost started the fire to kill her 24 year old Cat.....apparently they had a contentious relationship..... Lady says the dog is trying to tell her something from the grave.....you think she's loosing sleep over a Nuclear Iran like I am ???..........you think she has ageda from the Russians buzzing a Navy destroyer in the Baltic....and they Navy does nothing ? ?.......you think she's worried about Hillary, North Korea, Moslem refuges, transgender bathrooms, taxes, the deficit or any other pressing issues ???........I can't wait until I am drunk enough or senile enough to stop caring....I can't believe her cat is 24 ....I better leave Messier some coinage in my will......I sure hope Gravey finds a less violent way to get a message to me.

We are family

Leslie Van Houten was finally paroled from prison and was immediately greeted by The lovely Lynnette Squeaky Fromme and her body guard...sweater nights very own Jack Duffy...... " all we need now is the release of Miss Krenwinkel and we can put the band back together again " Duff was heard to tell childhood Pal Steve McEvoy. Finally some good news on TV Dan Woods was rumored to have told a sparse gathering at the shuttered Yellow Hook bar and grill..... I've been drinking in this building my whole life the Woodman was heard to say......back when it was Lentos and I was just a pup......I'll drink here till they knock it down.