Being Antiphilosophic?

Happy Saturday Morning – our one day ‘cold’ snap did just that, lasted a single day and then back into the seventies. My watch gave me a good sleep rating; it too knows what I will accept and what I won’t. Too much negativity from that timepiece and it’ll realize that my messy-stuff drawer is just a step or two away. Comprende?

I’ve finished my early coffee. Now, ready to pour another one I’ll get Marcia’s ready since I hear stirrings.

Last week I mentioned that mid week I had plans to attend a performance by StringSource (a four-person string quartet) playing at the Norman chapel at Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum. Immediately after posting I went to order a ticket and discovered it had Sold Out. That’s the bad news.

Now the good news. They are also playing in Washington Park (across from Music Hall in Over the Rhine) at the end of the month. No fixed numbers of seats in the park, and if the weather is decent enough Marcia thinks she could make it too (especially since I’ll bring a pair of bag chairs).

Fingers crossed.

Edmund Burke – Edmund Burke (1729–1797) in his 1790 book titled “Reflections on the Revolution in France” has a line I quoted below. He was objectively regarded as the philosophical father of modern conservatism, he championed traditional institutions, constitutional liberty, and gradual political reform. A standout thinker during his time; “an antiphilosophic philosopher and an influential statesman skeptical of what states can do.” (Hertog Foundation)

“People will not look forward to posterity, who never look backward to their ancestors”

Keep that line from Burke in mind as we view the current riots in Europe as their youth in partnership with those of their massive influx of recent immigrants, all rampantly are ruining anything of value – historically or financially.

We too are on the cusp considering the mid-term elections here as our youth’s negative look at things such as Ai; all especially if we turn the spotlight on today’s educational lack of direction in subjects such as history, civics, economics, and such.

Black Monday – this past week, way back in 1987 the stock market’s bottom dropped out when the Stock Market’s Dow fell 22.6% in that one single day. For those of you not in ‘tune’, no, it absolutely was NOT an orchestrated event to occur exactly on a special day previously called Black Monday!

Best Monday – What a great start to the week! Marcia had a final visit with her soon-retiring endocrinologist. He said that all her blood work numbers were exactly where they should be. He was delighted! We, likewise, were just as excited.

From there it was off to our nearby county Board of Elections where we voted early. The process couldn’t have gone smoother, even when it took both of us to get our address verification question right (smiley face).

Then, off to the Quatman Café for dinner; burgers as good as they come. Celebrating her great medical news, Marcia had her first draught in 10-months – a Yuengling Lager. Me? I had my first (a favorite) bowl of Mock Turtle Soup also a first in 10-months – this soup was served at President Lincoln’s first inauguration dinner.

Cheffery – As some of you know, these days I am spending more time in the kitchen. While I do think I have some semblance of a ‘feel’ for mixing and blending spices and herbs, for most of the other stuff when preparing a meal, I am a hack.

Having said that, I am not averse to learning something new now and then.

Earlier this week it was a soup and sandwich combo. The sandwich I had selected required fried bacon, and here is where I tried a truly unusual way I had read about a while back. Totally a novel method. And it worked!

According to the instructions I took my half pack of bacon slices and kept them in their folded store sleeve – then rinsed the whole thing under hot water.

Then I took about five sheets of kitchen toweling, scrunched these up under that same hot water. Carefully straightened out the sopping wet toweling, laid the bacon package at one end and rolled it all into a neatly wrapped package. Placed it on the edge of the turning plate inside a microwave and turned it on.

I set the microwave for 4 minutes. When I unwrapped the steaming pack it was a ‘voila’ perfectly fried, straight, bacon strip moment; and NO grease splattering all over the place.

Give it a try unless you dislike bacon, then try it with something like, oh say, Kale.

Me? I think 100% of my three readers will be trying this bacon frying method.

This week’s Interlude – A quick re-read and I discovered that there are a few ‘dark’ spots on this week’s Ramblings. Hence, here are two lines from this week’s Interlude piece’s lyrics:

I’d like to keep my issues drawn
It’s always darkest before the dawn

Good luck, I know you’ll get it right! The answer is below, and remember, no cheating on the answer.

Enjoy!

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk
BONUS POINTS:

Personally I do not know of one acquaintance who does not like Arthur Conan Doyle’s tales of Sherlock Holmes. Throughout the stories there is quite a list of characters, many of whom show up in multiple stories.
Sir Doyle did not operate in a vacuum. In fact, he invented Sherlock after a real person. From the following list of characters, one is not a ‘cast’ member but is the real person who was his Sherlock character’s model and this is one of the names below.

Next week I’ll divulge who that individual was – see if you can deduce the correct answer – Sherlock style.

1. Dr. John H. Watson
2. Joseph Bell
3. Mary Morstan
4. Mycroft Holmes
5. Inspector G. Lestrade
6. Irene Adler
7. Professor James Moriarty
8. Mrs. Hudson
9. Sherlock Holmes
10. Colonel Sebastian Moran
11. Tobias Gregson & Stanley Hopkins

Last week’s Bonus Points answer – #6
Answer, this week’s Interlude: Florence and the Machine “Shake it Out”

Really? Playing Ove

Happy Saturday Morning – Okay, is it just me getting old and curmudgeonly or is it a new generation which, by and large, doesn’t give a hoot?

Back a few years there was a Swedish movie with the name ‘Ove’ in it. Ove, an older character obsessed with wanting to keep his housing project, as the expression goes; “the best that it can be.”

Maybe if one can see themselves as being like an Ove character from a movie – then the answer is sitting front and center. Possibly my middle name should be, “Dirk Ove P.”.

Now once posted I best enjoy my coffee while I am sitting back a bit with a smile still curling in the corners. Afterwards I’ll start my next Condo roundabout.

Meanwhile I’ll ponder the critical thinking of Oscar Wilde:

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”

Family members P. & J. & their son Pete – Just asking you to keep Pete in your prayers and thoughts. I understand that in life we witness and experience a wide array of turmoil, troubles, sickness, etc. However, every so often we witness a life where out of the blue, they’re experiencing an almost impossible “tough row to hoe.” With the diagnosis of Functional Neurologic Disorder – young Pete is in such a shape and the very best in medical knowledge is at wits end.

Thanks for keeping them front and center!

Isn’t it interesting that the more we believe that we’re about to ‘jump’ another hurdle that it appears we’re facing multiple more? Isn’t it fascinating when you realize that notwithstanding all the medical advancements we’re witnessing how much more there is to exploere?

Best of Blink – A little over a century ago as the fall bird migrations got underway there was one bird which darkened the skies and where millions of them flew by on for hundreds of miles. It was claimed that that bird, the passenger Pigeon, was the most pervasive species on earth. Hunters shot them, shooters just for shooting, and there were natural issues. Then on September 1st, 1914, the world’s last surviving of her species, a passenger Pigeon affectionally known as “Martha” (honoring First Lady Martha Washington), died at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens.

During the 19th century our nation deemed John James Audubon (1785-1851) as the preeminent Painter of birds. The 20th century, similarly, had that spot taken by Cincinnati’s own, John A. Ruthven (1924-2020) – quickly labeled as his century’s Audubon.

Ruthven created a painting of “Martha” which he gifted the Cincinnati Zoo (it hangs in the Zoo’s boardroom). It gets better, in 2013 he created a vast (seven story building) mural in downtown Cincinnati; “Martha, the Last Passenger Pigeon.”

For Blink the large building displaying the Ruthven mural of “Martha” was brought to life at BLINK 2026 with a nighttime light and projection animation. Thus, animating Ruthven’s mural across the whole side of the building.

StringSource – We are very lucky to be walking distance from the amazing Cemetery and Botanical Garden, Spring Grove, and the wonderful lineup of year-round activities and events. This coming Thursday my plan is to attend the hour and a half string concert playing music from the 1970’s and 1980’s this string quartet will perform – violins, viola, and chello. Looking forward to attending.

This week’s Interlude – There are a myriad of artists and groups who seem to come out of nowhere with a number that both sticks with their audience and seem to be everywhere. I guess the label; “One Hit Wonder” is accurate. This week’s piece you’ll mumble; “I’ve heard that before”, and you probably have.

Good luck, I know you’ll get it right! Remember, no cheating on the answer.

Enjoy!

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk
BONUS POINTS:

With our first Fall small temperature dip it also means that winter will be here sooner rather than later. A hundred years ago getting ready for winter was an all-consuming chore. Massive amounts of firewood and coal had to be garnered. Food was an issue. Even the newly popular automobile required serious care. In fact, many car owners would simply put their auto up on blocks and just store the ‘contraption’.

Which of the following (ONE) was actually popularly used to manage their wheels during winter:

1. Whiskey poured into the radiator
2. Let their dogs sleep in the garage with the cab’s doors open
3. Rig light bulbs in and under the car lit at night
4. Hang old blankets behind garage doors and windows
5. Place a thick layer of sawdust on the garage floor
6. Place boxes of Baking Soda inside the car’s cab.

Last week’s Bonus Points answer – #3
Answer, this week’s Interlude: 4 Non Blondes, “What’s Up” (1893) – lead vocals by Linda Perry

It was Brilliant

Happy Saturday Morning – Back in town. Back to enjoying the town’s Blink. Back to not driving on a leaky tire. Back the battery having recharged – vehicle and body!

Having said all that, the one piece of the ‘puzzle’ that stayed constant was the coffee. Lovely, or as the Brits and Canadians would say, brilliant!

Ben Hur – While in Canada I started to read Ben Hur, a book written by then local Union Major General L. Wallace (the same one who saved my city of Cincinnati from being overrun during the Civil War). I loved Wallace’s opening dedication for his book, so here it is and used by me as my quotation for this week:

“to THE WIFE OF MY YOUTH
who
still abides with me”

Northern Comfort – Our little cabin, Northern Comfort, up north has been sitting idle for way too long. Keep it that way for too long and Mother Nature begins to take ownership. The Dutch have a saying for that situation. I don’t think that there’s a need to translate, it’s pretty obvious.

My lake neighbor said that this winter there had been an inordinate amount of snow. As the melt got underway it reached a point where snow (not sure how many feet, but feet it was) finally slid off the roof. That caused a massive smash onto the stairs that connect yard and deck. The force caused the deck-screws attaching the stairs to the deck to snap.

The fix was a reset and in place of deck screws, four 6” Carriage Bolts took over the task.
Fixed!

Then, I ended up playing lumberjack by cutting 3 growing Pine trees, two of those were right against the cabin.
Fixed!

But there’s more. The snow and winter weather had decimated the tarps which were supposed to protect our SeaNymph fishing boat and the Pontoon.
Fixed!

Screenshot

Plumbers are Great – I hadn’t been up north a day before the call came in. Back home the ladies were experiencing an overflowing toilet. They called our plumber but were advised they could not respond unless the owner ordered the call. So, from the depths of the forest I got a hold of our plumbers. By two o’clock they were on site and unleashed a massive snake on the issue – 60’ to the main line.
Fixed!

And thus it was how I spent a few short days in camp. Truth be told, it could easily have been weeks. Can’t forget, the color was glorious!

Blink – is a big event for our town. What is it? Blink is an internationally celebrated immersive light and art event. Two years ago, it drew interest from artists from here and around the world, with 944 total submissions from artists in 65 countries. That year’s festival featured 37 projection mapping projects, 31 light-based installations, and 19 permanent murals.

This year it extends to 30 city blocks (2.5 miles). The art runs across many mediums including projection mapping, light-based sculpture, interactive installations, and mural works. The only issue is coping with the many, many thousands of fellow ‘gawkers’.

Adrianne, Vai, and I went to the opening which was a drone show, and we then went into Washington Park to see how Music Hall was done up. I shot the video below showing two of the several variations of displays on the building. I loved it!

PS. Do yourself a favor and up the volume a tad.

Bellingham Church – the little church, in nearby to the cabin in Kynoch (a four-house widening in the road), had a celebration for an event almost impossible to repeat. Their church member and their organist, Margaret Reed, had passed earlier this year after being the organist in her church for SEVENTY years (yes, that’s 70). That’s Guiness World record stuff!

Mid way the last century it was Marcia’s dad and my father-in-law, a preacher who would on occasion lead the service at Bellingham United Church while vacationing in the area. Just think, a then young, Margaret Reed could have already been the organist. Wow!

It was a lovely service. At one point a bronze plaque in her remembrance and recognition was unveiled. That, along with a tasty luncheon afterwards – especially so for me during my solo stint.

This week’s Interlude – There was a time in the mid-20th century where in clubs and on radio segregation was the norm. Today’s musical interlude began as a black R&B number. Through a whole series of convolutions, the song became a pop song in England and eventually a college Marching Band number. In time, several decades later it became an official U S State’s R&R track.

Good luck, I know you’ll get it right! Remember, no cheating on the answer.

Enjoy!

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk
BONUS POINTS:

Yesterday was the day that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded. Over the years many names have been submitted. Which of these names listed below is the one name actually selected as the winner over the years. The actual award is awarded on the day of Alfred Nobel‘s death, the 10th of December since 1901.

1. FIFA
2. Castro
3. Pillay
4. Putin
5. Jackson
6. Hitler
7. Mussolini

Last week’s Bonus Points answer – # 1
Answer, this week’s Interlude: Hang on Sloopy, McCoys

¡Ah, eres tú!

Happy Saturday Morning – welcome to the autumnal (fall) equinox. Like clockwork, the temperature dropping changeover was almost to the exact hour – Monday shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, Tuesday it was long pants. Pairs of shorts have now been seasonally ‘parked’ and long pants pulled from their hangers. Let the annual ‘leg-whitening’ begin.

Anniversary – Wow! Today, 56 years ago, Marcia and I vowed to our future together. Now, over all those years what to plan for today. I have two thoughts.

1. Here one thought is to regale Marcia with the verses from Genesis 18:11-14 “11 Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?” And so forth.
2. This one is another regaling. That I entertain her with a retelling of the happening 56 years ago where Marcia and I drove to Toronto and from there rode the train to Quebec City. Once there we were escorted to our room at the spectacular Le Château Frontenac. Aside from hunting through side streets for a bakery selling the perfect Baguette; then sitting in the middle of our room properly tearing and eating our perfectly sourced baguette. Afterwards exploring the Plains of Abraham by the St. Lawrence River.

Why exactly this inordinate focus on Abraham?

Happy Anniversary Marcia, much love!

Our anniversary today is a major item, but as the QVC overnight TV shopping sales guy would say; “but wait, there’s more!” Two very important ladies in my life have given to their country by awarding two years of their lives to a needy foreign country. Marcia as an early Peace Corps volunteer taught girl’s physical education in  Venezuela. Adrianne in the South Pacific nation of Tonga (where she snagged a wonderful husband – Tevita).

Here is the ‘more’; this week back in 1961 was when the Peace Corps’ was formally authorized by Congress and this week celebrated its 65th anniversary.

Now best sip my coffee before it gets cold.

The Shurs – We’d been living on Red Bud only a short while before I spotted a mature woman standing in our yard with her arms wrapped around one of our large trees. This is how we first met Fanchon Shur.

Fanchon was the neighborhood’s ‘tour de force’. No block neighborhood event or Fanchon had immediately organized a group dance, or poetry writing, anything to get group participation. She was a lovely master.

Meantime I’d see her husband, Bonia, on his walkabout singing in Hebrew and arms swinging, directing an orchestra only visible in his mind.

Soon I learned that in the Reform Jewish Movement community, during this time, Bonia had created over 300 compositions and was the musical backbone of the movement. His compositions were used in Synagogues world-wide.

Cincinnati is also the home of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (every Reform rabbi has come through this school). Bonia was its Director of Liturgical Arts (Emeritus). We knew Bonia for a short 7 years before he passed in 2012.

Some time after his passing a service honoring him was held at the downtown Plum St Temple (renamed the Isaac M. Wise Temple. Aside from being designated a National Historic Landmark, it is probably the best example of a near Civil War built (1866-68) Byzantine-Moorish style structure in the Western World.

For the service Marin and I represented our family and we both were mesmerized by the singing of Bonia’s works by cantors who’d flown in from around the world. Arriving, we were greeted by Fanchon and I mentioned to her that since I was with a young Marin I’d grab a seat in the rear. “Absolutely not” was what I heard coming from Fanchon as she marched us to the front. Then quietly she advised me that there was no better place to keep a youngster engaged than being front and center, right where the action is.

That was what kind of neighbors Bonia and Fanchon were.

So, why all this background about a long dead neighbor you ask?

Last Saturday at our neighborhood block party I got to talk with another long-term neighbor and the Shurs became part of the talk.

Dirk, he said, were you aware that Bonia was born in Latvia? No, I wasn’t.
Did you know that as a teenager he fled East from the invading Nazis at the beginning of World War II? No, I didn’t.
Did you know that he then fought in the Russian army throughout most of the war? No, I didn’t have a clue. Nor did I then know that he managed to get out of Russia and got to Israel.

After all of this I was told that he’d kept a daily Journal throughout all those years. And, apparent when one of his sons asked where the Journal was since he’d never seen it; he got the rest of the story.
Bonia answered that had he been stopped and searched trying to leave Russia with such a Journal in his possession he would have been shot on the spot.

Bonia’s solution was to memorize every piece, every scrap of that Journal before destroying it. He had memorized it day by day, the name of every person, every incidence, down to train schedules and weather conditions.

Now here is the AMAZING part. The Journal dictated to by Bonia, translated to English, and typed up by his sons is available to you and me for FREE on Kindle. I’ve got my copy and it’s a not to be put down piece of literature.

Click here and it’ll link you directly to the corresponding Amazon page

Diary of Bonia Shur 1941-1945: Life Lessons from Behind the Eastern Front

Time Flies – Other than packing a bit, this weekend will be a quiet one. If I had any smarts, I’d climb on the radio dial and hunt for a “Riders Radio Theater” segment and it’s ‘Riders in the Sky’ comedy cowboy trio – FYI, it’s a cult classic.

Which reminds me:

Next Saturday there will be NO Ramblings; I’ll be securing the cabin for its winter hiatus.

On my trip north I should heed Yogi Berra’s words: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

This week’s Interlude – For a total of 10 years on both sides of 1990 this week’s group set the theme for something we now refer to as (hint here) the Outlaw Country movement. Listen to the attached clip, then name the song and name the group. If you feel like you’re on a roll, go ahead and name the singers who comprise this group.

Good luck, I know you’ll get it right! Remember, no cheating on the answer.

As soon as I post, next on my platter is to get a batch of Sauerkraut started. I found a ‘just-right’ head of lettuce doing some shopping (it was an impulse thing). If I get the pickling started now, it’ll mean a head start on the 4-week pickling process.

I guess my appreciation for the stuff dates to early days going to the corner grocer with my mother. By the place’s front door was a barrel with a wooden lid which held the best fresh Sauerkraut. The grocer, seeing me, would make a small cone from some butcher paper and with a long fork spear some of it into it. Maybe not perfection, but close!

Enjoy!

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk
BONUS POINTS:

A Constitutional Convention completion and farewell dinner by our founding fathers in 1787 was held at the Philadelphia City Tavern. The Inn kept meticulous records and shows the drink tab for George Washington and his 54 guests to be as follows; 54 bottles madeira wine, 60 bottles claret wine, 8 of cider, 22 of porter, 12 bottles of beer, plus 7 large bowls of punch.

Aside from setting an example this ‘fest’ must have set into motion a drinking continuum by our citizenry which eventually let on to something labeled as ‘Prohibition’. The question for you, my dear readers, now is; how many years did Prohibition last?

1. 13
2. 5
3. 17
4. 14
5. 21
6. 9
7. 11

Last week’s Bonus Points answer – # 2
Answer, this week’s Interlude: The Highway Men; Johny Cash, Wilie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings. “The Road Goes On Forever”

The Constant is Change

Happy Saturday Morning – Not certain what is hotter, my coffee or the weather. Maybe it’s
all equal – having said that I’d prefer the hot coffee.

These days I am taking care of all those annual ‘wellness’ checkups. This week it was time with my Dermatologist. Every time I have that appointment and the lights turn bright in the little exam room I am reminded of what it must be like to be a ‘star’ under the bright lights.

This year as the Nitro spray gun came out, I was ready to suggest that it would be easier on both her, the Doctor and me, the patient, if they just made the event a walk-through, car wash like. A Cryotherapy tunnel dousing me with Nitro spray; I think the idea is brilliant.

“We are what we believe we are.” – C.S. Lewis, Irish British author, literary scholar and theologian (1898—1963)

Finally, this week, the last of any signs that our side-street was, until recently, shaded by a wealth of blooming Bradford pear trees. I’ll hold my breath waiting to see how the road will be restored “to its former glory” as the old saw (pun) goes.

Round and About – Also, this week there came another first. Thursday, across from our balcony sat a Waymo self-driving car. Until that sighting, I was unaware that Waymo had any vehicles in the ‘Nati.

Jason told me that they’re hanging about getting ‘acquainted’ with the various neighborhoods.

Next, I now hope to spot a self-driving Tesla Cybercab. Our Kirstin informs me that she’s already seen them driving in and around Austin. The Cybercab seats two, with no steering wheel, no pedals, and minimal cargo space it’s quite small but sleek looking. I saw two guys using one and taping the experience driving from the outskirts of Austin into the city – it accomplished the drive with nary a hiccup.

Mentioning “Round and About”, unless you’re my age, very few f you will a clue as to the purpose of this item. I actually had one, loved the accompanying humming noise it made, but, by and large, thought it fairly useless.

The answer as to what that item is will be at the very end of this ‘Ramblings’; phew, it’s getting busy down there.

Crossing the Ocean – the Atlantic Ocean that is. It was the summer of 1957, and a young Dirk (he of these Ramblings) was on his way to spend the summer with his namesake grandfather.

The trip began on an old little British 4 engine prop Vickers Viscount – Toronto to Montreal. Then a bus ride to their international airport. There began the Montreal to Amsterdam event, it was on a KLM DC6. Again 4 prop engines, with refueling stops in St. John Newfoundland and Prestwick Scotland where at each stop I and my 64 fellow passengers had to disembark for an hour plus while our ‘ship’ was refueled.

Just under 14 hours of this and it was safe landing at Schiphol, Amsterdam.

Should you think this was all ridiculous you’d be so wrong. We were fed and the crew kept us occupied with chats and cabin wide paper and pencil games. I even had an in-flight visit in the cockpit.

“So”, you ask, “where is all this heading?” Let me tell you. This week I watched an in-depth video of Charles Lindberg and his first non-stop solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in the Spirit of St. Louis.

It took him 33 hours in a plane with no forward-facing windshield (he did have a rudimentary periscope out the side window). Tiringly painful, nonstop hands on the controls, three sandwiches and some water all the while stuck in miserably cramped quarters.

That world shaking event had taken place exactly 30 years prior to my flight.

Do take a look at this professionally made video, you won’t be disappointed.

Then, 30 years after my flight later my brother and I flew nonstop from the USA to Tokyo on a Pan Am Boeing 747 – well over 200 passengers, 2 decks, and dinner service where roast beef was sliced seat side.

So, here is the promised answer. Can we even imagine what things will be like thirty years from now?

The thinking came about because of a conversation I had with my granddaughter. Vaioleti. Attending University of Cincinnati and I was driving her to school. Her class was a freshman offering which, in part, explores future career options. On this short bit of travel, I pointed out to her that since I graduated there are now literally hundreds of vocations which we couldn’t have even imagined when I graduated.

This week’s Interlude – This week it’s a joy to listen to (not only my clip, but the whole piece). Marcia and I were at a concert where the original artist performed this very number, and I watched Marcia jump up in pure ecstasy. And I think that I can predict that a vast majority of you all would have a similar reaction.

Hint: the piece’s writer saw it explode in popularity by another performer.

To make it interesting here performing that iconic piece is the “la Orquesta Metropolitana de Madrid” plus the voices of Coro Talía. I am attaching the link to their performance at the end of these Ramblings all in tiny print. The visuals and the music will make watching it worth your while.

Good luck, I know you’ll get it right! Remember, no cheating on the answer.

This evening both Marcia and I will scurry on over to our neighborhood’s annual Block Party. These events are always a good time. Again, this year one of the side streets will be blocked off to traffic and then like magic tables and chairs appear. Street chalk for the little ones shows up as well as a Big wheel or two. And one of the driveways is filled with oversized grills. Then a chair plus music stand emerges. Let the good times roll!

Enjoy!

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

In Pennsylvania’s Amish Country is a Smorgasbord buffet restaurant. Like many food related success stories, this one started as a small roadside ‘veggie’ stall. Today their main food table is 200 feet long. The food both in quality and variety is highly rated. Today it’s not uncommon to see a tour bus come rolling into the parking lot.

Here is a list of numbers. The first is the number of guests on a good day, the second is the number of employees working in the dishwashing area. Only one pair of numbers is correct. The answer will be in next week’s Ramblings along with the name of the place.

1. 1500 — 12
2. 11,000 — 40
3. 8,500 — 17
4. 4,800 — 17
5. 6750 — 21
6. 1875 — 9
7. 14,000 — 50

Last week Bonus Points answer – # 4
Answer, this week’s Interlude piece: is John Fogerty‘s “Proud Mary“, popularized by Tina Turner. https://tinyurl.com/235ne2o4

The photo is of a ‘dynamo’ a bicycle generator to power a front light.

SuperAging

SuperAgers – “SuperAgers” are defined as adults over age 80 who have the memory abilities at least at the level of individuals 20-30 years younger.”

More on ‘SuperAger’ below – just keep the quote in your mind for now

Now that September is here and the NCAA and NFL are in full swing, I thought I’d start it all off with one of my favorite ‘sports’ one liners:
Quotation – “What in the wide, wide world of sports is going on here?!” ? Slim Pickens in his role as Taggart, a henchman in Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles (1974)

Happy Saturday Morning – It’s almost a scary thing. Wake up with the streetlights still on, and there parked out front, is a car I’d not seen before in all its glittering Nitro-Blue glory. It’s almost too much.

There now, with coffee in hand I can slide more quietly into Fall. Last Sunday evening the city bade farewell to summer with a stunning display of fireworks. Even on my way home, I believe my ribcage was still vibrating. ”Quite the spectacle it was”, as Joda would say.

Words – Seeing a photo of a passenger duct taped to his seat I glanced at the accompanying TMZ article:

“Our sources tell us the man was screaming about Jesus and going to hell, prompting a Black flight attendant to walk over and attempt to calm the situation.
We’re told the man called the flight attendant the n-word and (he) also hurled anti-gay remarks using the f-word. Our sources say the man’s behavior became more intense and violent as he hit the passenger next to him….”

I am certain that 9 out of my 3 readers have seen this article, however, I have a bit of an add-on spin on the matter.

Reading this TMZ piece I began to wonder how long it’ll be before substitute letters used as place holders for the actual word will be outlawed. How will the news articles manage writing an article where writing the ‘f-word’ or ‘n-word’ too will be deemed so inappropriate, so offensive, each causing such microaggressions so as to not being allowed in print?

See the path we’ve embarked upon?

As an aside, realize that the complete ‘n-word’ itself is perfectly appropriate when used in much of today’s Rap music. Bizarre, isn’t it?

Quotation – “Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.” anonymous

A Symposium – Sure, it took planning, but Thursday at the Oasis center in nearby Loveland I attended a Symposium – mostly professionals who needed their professional credit hours, I was one of a small cadre of plain folk seeking to learn a bit.

Symposiun for Elder Care Professionals & Our Community

A total and wonderful surprise came prior to the start of the event. Coffee in hand, I made the rounds looking at each of the 57 exhibitors’ tables at the event. Then, looking up, there was my daughter-in-law Cathy. Seeing her in her work environment and the chats here and there we had during the event absolutely made my day!

Several highlights filled the day, each with a keynote style address and Breakout sessions.

A. A legal session dealing with the representation of those with diminished capacity. Creating awareness of all the little nooks and crannies to maneuver through the various trip points when it comes to individual and family desires and the law.
B. Dealt primarily with a guide to Dementia management. This became a realistic resource for people living with dementia and their caregivers.
C. This was a highlight by a Dr. Molly Mather, PhD. She discussed a 25-year ongoing long style research study on who exactly are the “SuperAgers” and what lessons are we learning. Should you want to dig a little more, here is the link at Northwestern University
D. As a late selection I choose a Breakout to gain insight into the offerings of the Pace Association. It’s primarily for those who want to stay in their home. Who with some assistance are able to stave off a residential facility. Pace is all over the nation and if of interest just search Pace Association in your system’s search bar.

So, what did I learn? I learned that it’s never too late to stick with healthy habits, explore the new, stay active (sweat a little), keep on learning, eat healthy, stay engaged, stay involved, and do what I struggle with – get enough sleep.

In other words, for us wondering how best to move along the elder path we need to continue to love our brain!

As Maya Angelou once said; “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

This week’s Interlude – Will be a ‘Yes’ moment when you realize the name of the piece. It was released in 1969 (the golden age of Rock) and it was difficult to not enjoy a bit of sing-along whenever it popped up on my car’s little AM radio. When you click on the attached audio snippet is that very popular song as performed by Maynard Ferguson with Jazz Horn.

Hint: The original group to record the piece was West Coast American and helped to introduce mainstream audiences to writers such as Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, Paul Williams. Still stuck? A desperation Hint: The name of the group references staying warm on a cold night.

Good luck, I know you’ll get it right!

If you want to see and listen to this wonderful number, copy the answer below and place it onto the YouTube or Spotify search bar. Remember, no cheating on the answer.

The photo below I took at the last Sunday Riverfest finale and thought it would be good visual close for this week’s Ramblings.

Enjoy!

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk
BONUS POINTS:

Almost 100% of our population deems Education as being important for quality of life as overall welfare, and I could go on. Recently all our 50 states were ranked by WalletHub. The ranking considered academic ranking relating to student performance, funding, safety, class size, and instructor credentials.

It might be interesting to ‘fish’ which State is the lowest ranking in their nation’s education rankings.

1. “Oklahoma”
2. “North Dakota”
3. “Alabama”
4. “Maine”
5. “Alaska”
6. ”New Mexico”
7. “Florida”
8. “Hawaii”

Last week Bonus Points answer – # 4
Answer, this week’s Interlude: Maynard Ferguson: “Eli’s Comin” released by Three Dog Night in 1969

Pyrotechnics All Over

Happy Saturday Morning – ‘Ach du Lieber’, another week, another month. The Association for Psychological Science has looked at “The Fluidity of Time.” As they wrote, and as we all understand; “time flies when we’re having fun. It drags when we’re bored. Sometimes it’s on our side; other times it’s racing against us.”

This week my brother George had a very momentous (should I say somber?) ‘0’ ending birthday. I am certain he’s beginning to experience that for us geezers, time is not on our side. Luckily our coffee machine has switched its ‘Regular’ – ‘Bold’ setting with a ‘Slow’ – ‘Fast’ button (no, not really).

As I lift my fast-percolated, steaming, mug of java; Cheers.

School’s on – and as we hear that, especially in our high schools and college campuses, our kids’ actual learning programs are buried inside a load of Woke and ‘Progressive’ drivel. It’s surprising then that islands of common sense can still be found. One such campus is Tuskegee. Tuskegee University President Dr. Mark Brown, Air Force major general retired, stated; “Raise the bar, students will reach it.” Yes, raise the bar! This almost sounds like a bad afterthought from some forgotten generation.

Dr. Brown continued by explaining that “banning durags and bonnets in classrooms is part of a broader push for student success and job readiness.” Yes, at Tuskegee proper business attire in the classroom is a requirement.

If nothing else, those simple mandates by Dr. Brown change the whole tenor of and preparedness attributes to all their school endeavors. Yes, raise the bar! Even though today this almost seems like a bad afterthought.

Quotation – “My [physician assistant] reminds me that although I have a PhD in physics, women should remain a mystery.” ? Dr.Stephen Hawking, arguably the most recognized physicist of the last century and author of ‘A Brief History of Time’, passed of a motor neuron disease in 2018.

The Crave – Yesterday, Friday, was one of those days. On the surface it was absolutely quiet. Behind that facade there was a bit more of a hubbub. Back up to Wednesday evening, I was at Walgreen’s. Leaving the place I climbed back into our trusty Corolla beater – key in – and nothing. Thankfully Adrianne swung by with her car; it was in the mid-nineties, A/C on wheels was wonderful. Soon AAA was at the scene. Ruling that the battery was just fine, the verdict was to tow it to my garage. Thankfully, AAA handled it all. I gave the guy the name of my garage and he hid the car’s key somewhere while organizing the tow online. At 9:30, at home, I was texted that the car was placed safely at the garage.

Fast forward to Thursday. The original factory installed starter was deemed ‘kaput’. They’d start work later in the day.

Fast forward to Friday. The phone rang and I answered; “Dirk, were there other issues with the car? Me; “no, why?” Garage, “the cable connecting the shifter is busted!”

Huh?

So, yesterday late afternoon all was good again with our little Corolla beater. That plus a few other things had me suggest to Marcia that rather than whirlwind through the kitchen I’d drive down the street to the nearby White Castle and quickly settle both our craving. Marcia jumped on it and I wasn’t opposed either.

Dinner was a sack of Cheese sliders and for good measure a batch of Onion Rings. This was our first White Castle visit since early last Fall and it tasted pretty good!

Fun Fact: Did you know that White Castle is the first fast-food chain to be installed with robotic fryers? Early model was the ‘Flippi’ it’s since advanced to the ‘Flippi 2’. Eventually these will be in the 350 White Castle locations. Perfect fries without a break has advanced Miso Robotics maker of the Flippi 2 to gain a foothold in the fast-food business.

Pyrotechnics – I think I have it worked out where I can go to the Riverbank tomorrow evening. I am told if I go, I’ll be with about half a million of my new friends. Sunday evening is the town’s Labor Day Fireworks show started by WEBN Radio 50 years ago. Because of the nation’s 250th and this event 50th it’s going to be all out.

The Western Southern/WEBN (102.7 FM) Fireworks show by local specialists Rozzi Fireworks, the pyrotechnic displays will last 50 minutes rather than last year’s 30 – all accompanied to a themed musical soundtrack broadcast on WEBN. Former company President Art Rozzi is one of my brother’s best friends – I’ve always had a soft spot for their magical shows.

Here’s what we’re in for aside from the extra 20 minutes of the extravaganza. Past years they’ve shot from 3-barges mid river, this year it’s from 6-barges. The show will be 360 degrees around, along from the barges there will be land locations both in Kentucky and Ohio, plus also from two of the Ohio River bridges.

Additionally, they’ve got a person dedicated to the grand finale piece and we’re being touted that this finale will be the largest ever in the nation. Add a Drone show and it’ll be HUGE. I love this stuff!

PS, wanna hear the accompanying soundtrack wherever you are? Climb on the iHeart radio app and load 102.7 WEBN at 9:00 PM Eastern Time,

This week’s Interlude – This week’s ‘Interlude’ exposes a bit of a secret like of mine, Outlaw Country. The singer careened around somewhat until he was in his thirties when he lost a marriage and both parents due to drugs and alcohol.

Hint; it was the short lived phenom guitarist, Stevie Ray Vaughan, who first took him to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Now, still playing with his son as the lead guitarist he just released a new album.

Enjoy this small piece of one of his better-known songs. I am looking for you to successfully provide the singer’s name and the song title – no cheating!

If you want to see and listen to this wonderful number, copy the answer below and place it onto the YouTube or Spotify search bar. Remember, no cheating on the answer.

Enjoy!

And finally, the heat wave is breaking. Yesterday as it’s been the whole week, the Real-Feel temp climbed past the 100-degree mark. Today it’s dropping down into the upper eighties. Just thought you’d want to know.

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

Any astronomers in the house? For years now the Hubble telescope has functioned and observed the heavens above. It’d even been repaired in space. A few years ago the James Webb telescope was sent a million miles out and since then been busy at work exploring the far outer reaches of the universe. A week ago, a 27engine Space X Falcon Heavy launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

Between those telescopes and various satellites we keep researching our nearby planets. Building on earlier findings at Saturn’s north pole we’ve now discovered an unusual wave pattern in clouds above Saturn’s poles.

From AP Science: “Scientists have discovered an enormous ‘XX’-sided wave pattern in the icy ammonia clouds over Saturn’s south pole.” These are wave pattern possibilities, which one is correct

1. 17 sided north pole and 8 sided south pole
2. 12 sided north pole and 10 sided south pole
3. 3 sided north pole and 7 sided south pole
4. 6 sided north pole and 10 sided south pole
5. 4 sided north pole and 4 sided south pole

Last week Bonus Points answer – # 6
Answer, this week’s Interlude: Ray Wylie Hubbard; “Mother Blues”

Endings & Beginnings

Happy Saturday Morning – Last Sunday I wished several of my new friends, a great Autumn, a great Winter, and a super Spring. Then that we’d all catch up at the start of the 2027 Cincinnati Open. So, this morning with my morning Saturday coffee perking I’m plodding away on the Ramblings. We’re back on track.

In the meantime, it was a lovely sunset on this year’s Open.

With the 2026 Cincinnati Open the numbers are in; 330,000 people through the gates. These came from all 50 States and from 50 countries.

It was such a privilege to be involved in the Club level area of the Tournament. Hence, as I walked out the door for the final time of the 2026 Cincinnati Open and we said our goodbyes I was asked one question, “you’ll be back next year, won’t you?”

As my Appalachian neighbors are wont to say when I describe my week’s activities, I was “busier than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest”. Even so, will I return next year? “Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise”, YES!

Next? – Isn’t it amazing how quickly it’s possible to jump into something new. Tuesday it was driving Vai to her first day at the University of Cincinnati. Early in the drive I had some discussion on a style of music with her and mentioned how brilliant the virtu sound of the strings on the radio.

Vai, deep in thought about what she was about to face heard me only partially and instead misinterpreted my use of ‘virtu’ as me putting on my Dutch accent and came back with; “Opa, you do know we’re heading for the Blue Ash campus.”

A Foundation – The place at the Open where I volunteered was a suite which was primarily made available each day for a dedicated entity. One night it was for use by 5/3rd Bank. Another it was about 150 invitees from Merrill Lynch brokerage. However, my favorite was a smaller group; the Cincinnati Cancer Foundation Inc. That group is part of the continuum in the fight against Cancer, especially one of reducing the burden caused by cancer to individuals and their families.

One of the keys in their work is facilitating second opinions – providing platinum-level, highly comprehensive consultation at no charge whatsoever.

Talking with key members of this team I was given a copy of the Journal of Cancer Education. The item in the copy was our group’s keynote article:
“A New Approach to Cancer Second Opinions: Overcoming the Challenges of Conventional Oncology Practice by Providing Education to Patients and Physicians”

It was a huge honor to assist helping this group ensure that a grand time was had by all.

Fighting Ai? – Ai is on almost every tongue. What’s interesting is just how many young folk aside from plain concerns about loss of jobs are majorly opposed to this new technology, while the older generation is primarily accepting.

Without drawing lines pro or con, and there is plenty for both, I just want to showcase this YouTube from Musk’s Neuralink. Any of you who remember news bits with Stephen Hawkins, the late English theoretical astrophysicist, cosmologist, and author who came down with ALS (a neurodegenerative disease).

I remember just how uncomfortable it was to watch him try to communicate as he dealt with his disease. Now look at the video of this gentleman. The disease is just as debilitating and just as horrible, that hasn’t changed. But watch how Neuralink using Ai has given abilities not possible a handful of years ago.

Celebrating – The last week of August is full of Birthdays. Last evening we were seated in the private room at Sorrento’s Italian Joint – a mainstay food jewel in nearby Norwood since 1959 to celebrate this cadre of family birthdays. We even had the pianist and staff gather to sing Happy Birthday.

So, Happy Birthday to Adrianne, Vaioleti, Pete, Sandy, and George next week. Then cheers to my mother who would have turned 125 this coming Tuesday.

By the entryway to Sorrento’s sits an old Italian mini car; an Autobianchi-Bianchina, just thought you’d appreciate knowing what it is.

Quotation – “If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader.” ? Dolly Parton

This week’s Interlude – This week as the flags of the nation have announced we as a nation lost a star; Dolly Parton. The ‘Interlude’ this week is a duet where she casually strolled on stage. As a hint, it was performed in Portland Memorial Coliseum April 1985 – a time without over-the-top staging, no auto tune, and straight-on musical magic.

Question, who was the other singer forming this duet with Dolly? And this surprise performance had her come out where they sang what song? Again, name the singer and the song title.

If you want to see and listen to this wonderful number, copy the answer below and place it onto the YouTube search bar. Remember, no cheating on the answer.

This coming week we’re advised that the heat index will approach 100. I am ready

Enjoy!

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

Thursday morning the so-called “Treasure of Villena” was stolen from a museum in Villena Spain. Four minutes is all it took, starting at 5:20 in the morning, to heist their whole $3-million Bronze Age collection.

To occupy the local gendarmes the robbers did what? While reading the possibilities you’re not allowed to envision a scene with Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau of the Pink Panther fame.

1. “started a family ruckus at a house”
2. “Rolled a loud Gypsy horse drawn wagon into town”
3. “got all the traffic lights in town to stick on red”
4. “blocked a creek to cause flooding”
5. “hired ‘ladies of the night’ to walk about town ‘en masse’”
6. ”lured police to a nearby Sports Center”

Last week Bonus Points answer – # 4
Answer, this week’s Interlude: Kenny Rodgers & Dolly Parton duet: “We Got Tonight – 1985”

What a Week

Happy Saturday Morning – If I wasn’t having such a blast, this week would have been a chore and a massive drain. It begins with the happy sounds of Marcia getting up with the words; “I smelled the coffee.” That was after a short night which began with my sleeping not long after midnight.

Some days it was another happy moment, driving Vaioleti to her job at the Cincinnati Zoo. She’s taking driving lessons with mom and dad but still requires some time with a teaching ‘Pro’. This short trip is our ‘happy-chat’ time together. There is nothing like one-on-one time with grandkids.

Today, midafternoon it’s off to Mason Ohio and start another shift of my volunteer stint with the 2026 Cincinnati Open (today it’s the Semifinals). To make it all easier on Marcia and the kids, Marcia gets dinner a bit early and then all is squared away till I roll back home after my gig.

Actually, I might leave a bit early and make a short swing past Costco (having Oat Milk in the house is important).

The Venue – all week has been my work with the Hospitality Suites group, in the tower 4th floor, which houses the center’s premium venue. Most evening it’s been a corporate purchase of the suite for the evening. Playing host to 150 – 175 people all hoping for a wonderful time of tennis, food, and some adult beverage. And I am delighted playing the role of greeter, host, and problem solver.

Doing everything including escorting a doctor who received a phone call requiring him to rush out. The elevators happened to be backed up, and I was able to help him down a set of stairs and past non-public area.

Thursday evening our Bank had the space for their event. When I arrived, I introduced myself to the Bank’s VP in charge of the gathering. I assured him we’d work our butts off to ensure that everyone would have a great time – with one condition. “Huh?” was his response.

With a straight face I informed him that I had promised my wife that I’d demand that the Bank would not even consider closing their St. Bernard branch.
Me – big Smile
He (name of Nate) – A laugh, and after that it quickly became the ‘Dirk-and-Nate’ show for the rest of the evening.
He did confide that he’d never had such a request.
And yes, our guests all had a great time!

Dinner for me I’ve organized at about eight o’clock on the venue’s green. Here I can eat and listen to an array of singers and bands – what a joy!

Studying the Game – I’ve now been around tennis enough where I’m seeing styles of play. The style that I believe to be very effective I especially noticed with a game between Tirante (Argentina) and Fils (France). The winner played a game of attrition with long rallies. No fancy slams trying to outmaneuver the opponent.

Instead, it was a game of keeping the play going thereby both tiring the opponent out and waiting patiently for the other to make a mistake. Keep the rally going at all cost.

Now that he’s aging it seems to me that Djokovic (Serbia) plays in a manner as I just described.

This tennis thing is a lovely gig. Watching the sport made up of very ‘limber’ guys and gals. All with names I can’t pronounce. Names such as Bouzkova, Swiatek, Nakashima, Gauff, Zaballos, and so forth.

The Shuttle – is only maybe a 20-minute ride between parking and the tennis venue. Just enough time for some discovery. The other day I sat next to a chef from the Jeff Ruby restaurant group – nationally rated steak house. Having said that, the fellow I sat next to is their fish guy – placed on ice the fish is brought ashore, in short order is aboard a freight aircraft and early in the morning arrives at the restaurant. Quite the process, quite the business.

Even more interesting was Thursday evening when I sat next to another volunteer who happened to be from Dayton. For a number of years he worked for the commercial side of the industrial Kodak 3-d printing business.

Then it got better.

Currently he works for a business which runs three labs, 3 shifts a day. By now you’re wondering; “okay Dirk what is that lab doing?”

Body parts!

Cadavers arrive. Skin is taken and processed to be sent to hospitals treating people with severe burns etc. Bones are finely ground up and processed to be used as filler in pockets as filler bone after surgery. And so forth. It’s a whole side of life and work I was oblivious of.

Fascinating!

Quotation – “Don’t think about the start of the race, think about the ending.” Usain Bolt, eight-time Olympic Gold Medalist sprinter.

This week’s Interlude – Mid week 57 years ago – it was August 17, 1969 that Woodstock actually got on the music map. That day a psychedelic Rock masterpiece was unleashed. A musical piece that still has people crank up the volume even today.

The voice and the piece’s sound are so distinct that you’ll figure it out in an instant – this 1-minute clip makes you’re guess super easy. What you’ll want to answer is the name of the singer and the name of the song.

Remember, no cheating on the answer.

Enjoy!

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

In recent memory it was the golden age of comedy. The Catskill Mountains region of the Adirondacks was known as The Borscht Belt and here Jewish comedians honed their craft and perfected new routines. All of the one liners below were used by these entertainers. However, only one was uttered by Jonathan Winters.

The question this week is to select the one line uttered by Winters:

1. “I’ve had great success being a total idiot.”
2. “I’m at an age now where just putting my cigar in its holder is a thrill”
3. “If you can see the handwriting on the wall… you’re on the toilet.”
4. “If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it.”
5. “You know you’re old if they have discontinued your blood type.”
6. “Who picks your clothes – Stevie Wonder?”
7. “Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.”
8. ”When I was a kid my parents moved a lot, but I always found them.”

Last week Bonus Points answer – # 1 (President Clinton)
Answer, this week’s Interlude: Grace Slick, with the band, Jefferson Airplane: “White Rabbit”

The Magic Plumbers

Happy Saturday Morning – it’s another busy one after the frenetic days of last weekend – thanks for joining in with today’s Ramblings. Happy Saturday. Now a second cup of coffee. Finish up The Ramblings, post it all, and head for The Open.

Whoops. First I best get the laundry started.

The Open – This afternoon I’ll begin my 2026 Cincinnati Open volunteer gig.
Again, this year I’ll be part of the Hospitality Suites team. I’ll be one tiny (very, very tiny) cog in a lineup of over 1,600 volunteers, spread through 30 unique committees – such as Marshals, ushers, guest hospitality, transportation, and tournament operations. I am absolutely psyched!

Condo life – parts one and two, both on the same day. The day after both the winds and the rains came and more than 130,000 of my fellow citizens lost power.

Part one, our bathroom ceiling had started dripping. No visible leak upstairs I was told. Nevertheless, they called a plumber who checked things out and arranged for a two-man team to come this past Wednesday morning. Upon arrival it took about an hour before they discovered that their tub’s drain toggle switch had been installed upside down. All this is ‘magic’ to me.

Apparently, there is a large plumbing supply house somewhere in town which still carried components for 45-year-old plumbing fixtures. By noon they were done.

Now the opening they carved into our ceiling will stay open for a couple of weeks to ensure that the repair is total.

Which leads to part two.

That previous day, Tuesday afternoon, I required something from our furnace/water heater room. Stepping in it quickly became apparent that my feet were immediately quite wet. Sopping around with towels I took note that the stack pipe where our AC condensation drains was plugged up and overflowing. I shut our AC off, but the units above ours still had their running and everything goes into the same pipe. Grrrr!

It didn’t take long before I figured out that a basin I was able to work under the drain’s ‘gooseneck’ needed to be emptied about every 20 minutes.

I remembered that I had about seven feet of rubber fuel line. By placing the fuel line into the stack and a bucket on the floor next to it, and applying a little suction – voila – I now only required a water dump every hour and a half.

And that is how I went to bed Tuesday night. Every hour and twenty minutes I got up to empty a bucket of water.

I should point out that my scheme was very tiresome on multiple fronts.

When the two plumbers arrived at 8:30 on Wednesday morning it was a bleary, red-eyed, Dirk who hit them up before they even started heading upstairs.

After their upstairs repair, it was my turn and they ended up trying to snake the pipe from the top and from the basement back up. No success.

Eventually they cut the copper pipe adjacent to the ‘gooseneck’, cleaned the blockage, and placed a cuff in case it ever blocked again. Then blew hot water straight from the water heater through it all – this worked beautifully.

What a royal pain! Today I am almost back to normal.

Without Capitalism? – Of late the media’s push appears to highlight a new prominence of folk who have sprung up from nowhere and are doing it with fervor and glee. Had you heard of people such as Zohran Kwame Mamdani, or Abdul El-Sayed who are now being touted as masterfully “progressive” but in fact are far out Socialist?

While that is where the headlines are, people such as Thomas Sowell and Steve Forbes get an inch on page 13 (using old newspaper parlance).

While ‘singing’ the Progressive songbook pushing a heavy handed government, there is no mention of the absolute failure wherever Socialism and Communism is being implemented.

Probably the clearest counterpoint of all comes from a Ludwig von Mises (1881-1973, economist and historian) wrote and published a paper in 1920. Even then it was little noticed, in fact it took decades before it resurfaced. Here is a small piece referencing Mises’ writing, it’s not mine and I do not have the author’s name, but it is about the most precise piece rebutting all of today’s claptrap that I have seen:

“The argument was precise. Mises showed that without private ownership of the means of production, there are no real prices for capital goods. Without prices, you cannot calculate profit and loss. Without profit and loss, economic planners have no way of knowing whether they are creating value or destroying it. They are flying blind, spending real resources with no feedback mechanism telling them whether the factory, the railway, or the grain depot was worth building. Every allocation becomes a guess dressed up as a decree. “

Quotation – “It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.” ? Gabriel García Márquez (1927 – 2014) Colombian, novelist & Nobel Laureate.

This week’s Interlude – Today’s singer turned 79 earlier this week and a founding member of a band founded in England in the mid-sixties. Starting with one instrument he changed over to another musical instrument. That changeover established the defining sound of the band. Your challenge is to name the artist, the instrument played, and if you can – the name of the song.

If I go on with another line or two this will stop being a contest but become a gift. Okay, one tip then – the ‘defining’ instrument is heard at the end of this clip – a clip with a very unusual start. Have a listen to these few bars and then check the answer below so you can congratulate yourself with your musical knowledge and brilliance.

Remember, no cheating on the answer.

Enjoy!

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

Worried about the possibility of an Iranian drone attempt on Air Force One as the President was leaving Turkey, a subterfuge plan was set into motion. Boarding Air Force One in full view, and staff and journalists kept unaware, the President was spirited off the plane in a catering delivery vehicle. He then departed on a military plane. Both flights landed in the UK for a refuel stop and President Trump reboarded the big baby-blue Boeing 747.

The question this week is to select the correct other year such a subterfuge plan was put into play:

1. 2000
2. 2011
3. 1986
4. 1995
5. 2021
6. 1964
7. 1946

Last week Bonus Points answer – # 4 & 5
Answer, this week’s Interlude: Ian Anderson, with the band, Jethro Tull: “Thick as a Brick”