What the __________?

Either it is this city or my age or this neighborhood but things seem like they move too fast here.  I am worried that one day I am going to be witness to a horrendous crash at some intersection near me as motorists drive too fast on city streets.  As a pedestrian I was almost hit by a Lorrie's Airport Shuttle Van recently that was coming up Leavenworth too fast.  Fortunately I was able to jump out of the way and fortunately he stopped but unfortunately the driver was an asshole who just grinned at me as if it was a big game.  He offered no words of apology or regret of anything.  Now I wish I had had the foresight to take down the van number and report him. 

And that is the way it is here in San Francisco...everyone does their own thing and to hell with anyone else.
Sometimes I wished I lived somewhere else but it is a little easier dealing with the weather here (no extremes of heat or cold) but the damn hills are wearing me down physically, that and the incessant fog and wind.

Even this apartment building is too much at times.  I realize that the poor construction ("paper thin floors and walls") permits sounds to leak into adjacent units (even adjacent buildings) but is there any reason why it can be so quiet up until about 10 or 11 PM when  bada-boom, bada-boom starts which makes it difficult to sleep.  What's with people these days?  One of the most restful nights I have spent recently was in a small village Northern Thailand where all I could hear were the crickets.  Oh, if only that were the case here but then I grew up in an apartment house near Boston in which one could not hear their neighbors.  Too bad they don't build them like that anymore and too bad people don't respect their neighbors anymore.  As for music, well, those were the days of Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Vaughn Monroe, etc. so there were no loud crashing sounds emanating from stereo systems.  In fact, those things did not exist either.

Am I living in the past?  Well no but it was a damn sight easier to get along with people then and I have many fond memories of that era.

Would I like to return to the Boston area?  Yes and no.  Yes if only to experience the seasons once again and warm weather in July and August when it supposed to be warm.  No because I no longer know anyone there and family, such as it was, has either passed away or moved and I was never close to them anyway.

The logistics of moving are almost insurmountable now.  Too much stuff to move for one thing. 

Well, Scotty, beam me up or over or wherever including this apartment and everything in it.  Or, maybe I should do like my mother and step-father used to do.  Just move and sell the furniture and buy new stuff at my destination.  That would simplify some things.

On another matter, the Supreme Court did the right thing this week by upholding the current health care law but I fear that the Supreme Jerk of the House of Representatives, John Boehner, will try everything in his power to rescind the law.  And why should he care? As an elected member of Congress he has a great salary and great health care coverage so he apparently has no problem saying: "Let them eat cake".   He has already said publicly, "Let them die".  WHAT A COMPLETE ASSHOLE!

Arab Holocaust

President Bashar al-Assad of Syria has got to be the modern equivalent of Adolph Hitler as he slaughters his own people and is showing no mercy despite pleas from the world community.  How much longer will the holocaust go on?  Some people are calling for the U.S. to arm the rebels.  That sounds nice but would probably be the one event to push the country into total civil war.   And as the U.S. pulls out of Iraq, this would be the last thing we need at this time.

The solution, if there is one, is a total commitment from our Allies but how to get war weary countries to intervene is a vexing problem and in this case Russia is not on our side in this conflict which exacerbates the problem.

It is this sort of thing which makes watching the news on TV so depressing.   I used to be a news junkie but now most of the news seems bad and that includes the violence in the U.S. with murders, single and multiple, on the increase.

Where will this all end?

March Madness

I hate basketball especially when it pre-empts many of my favorite TV programs and especially so soon after having many of those programs in re-rerun status.  Whoever thought of this plan must have been mad.  Even my two movies from Netflix last night were re-runs.  Gawd, I am jinxed!

Return and research

Having been back home a few days I am puzzled by my research on-line today concerning the climate in Thailand as well as other matters I already know about.  Haven't I had enough for now?  I really need to think about going somewhere else next year.  That would be easier if I had a partner who shared the same values I do but that does not seem possible now.  Jeff, who was the party guy, and Richard, the intellectual, were soul-mates who cannot be replaced, especially at my advanced age.  LOL

Morning after the day after

Well, my head is still in a fog, so to speak, and I am still finding it difficult to do everything needed to get back on a normal footing at home.  I wonder how entertainers who are always on the road handle these sort of situations.  This almost makes me want to never go on vacation again.  I guess short ones will be the order of the day in the future, that is, if I am to retain whatever sanity I have left.  At least I got my suitcase back in the closet plus an older and smaller one out (for eventual donation).  My laundry basket is full and the stack of financial paperwork is overwhelming.  Winning the lottery about now would be great.  LOL

Home Alone

Well, after 10 plus grueling hours in the air, I arrived home, tired, but not sleepy.  It is now 9:35 PM PDT and I am ready to got out to see what has changed but of course I won't do that until tomorrow. My ears are still popping but hopefully this White Zinfandel and a good night's sleep will rectify that situation.  And thanks Tim, for your message.

Night all...

Downtown Blues

Guess I just find downtown SF too depressing lately.  For one thing, it is too crowded...too many people in too small a space, etc.  Hopefully my fourteen days in Thailand soon will help in unwinding and getting my act together.  This is my favorite wintertime vacation place but nine hour flights are getting very tiresome, at least in coach.  First class or business class might be better but who the hell can afford those fares?

New projects of interest here in the city are the extension of the T-line Muni Metro line into the Central Subway,  the completion of the remodeling of the Metreon with the opening of Target later this year and closer to home will be Trader Joe's and CVS Pharmacy's move into the old Cala Foods building at Hyde and California.  BTW, that Central Subway project is in its earliest phases of construction but tunneling may actually begin by the end of the year.

Then there is the new stadium for the San Francisco 49ers to be built in Santa Clara.  SF sure screwed up on that one especially with so much land available at Hunter's Point including access to the Bay for which ferry service could be launched for games as it is for the SF Giants at AT&T Park.  Also, with the new Muni T-line running down Third Street to a point fairly close, it could have been extended into Hunter's Point for access to and from the games.

Sometimes I think that officials do not look at the big picture here.  Are district elections the reason with each supervisor involved with his or her own fiefdom.  If so, let us go back to citywide elections ASAP.

Oh, this is too much to think of early Sunday morning.

BFN

Life in the City of San Francisco

I have grown very tired of this city during the past 37 years of living here.  It used to be a neat city and it still is in many ways but after traveling the world and seeing other things and how life could be if the government had a spine and would enforce its laws, I get very frustrated with this mess of a city.  The benevolent dictatorship of Singapore is a perfect example of a very well run city...no filth and garbage on the streets, a well run and efficient mass transit system, people not standing in doorways and or on corners smoking pot, no stinky and smelly homeless and beggars on the corners looking for a handout.  Even in the less efficiently run city of Bangkok I do not find such problems either.

Guess I have just burned out on this place but I am too old to move anywhere else now and could not afford it anyway.  Moving across town is hard enough but moving across the country or to another country would be next to impossible.  Oh well, at least I have enjoyed my stay here and have many fond memories and now must make the best of a bad situation here.

Still here...

Haven't done much with this site recently as there have been too many other things on my mind.  Guess part of it is due to sheer laziness but after a ten day trip to Singapore I am reminded of what a chaotic and dirty city San Francisco is, as if I needed to be reminded, and now I am home again to bums, beggars, homeless people, and doing the "poop-shuffle" as I avoid stepping in or on dog or even human excrement.  Harvey Milk's "pooper-scooper" law has done little good.

Sure, this city has its charms, but street life is not one of them.  Public transportation if greatly lacking also.  There is also modern and innovative architectural designs which the NIMBYS in this town would never allow so most everything is rather dull.  NYC is much more interesting in that regard.

Then there is the crime rate.  While it may not be statistically any worse than many U.S. Cities, one does not feel safe anymore here especially at night.  Unfortunately city officials are too timid to do anything about it and all sorts of people from the "hood" (wherever it is located) come into the city to rob, steal, and cause mayhem.
Guess I would prefer to go back to the idyllic life of my childhood if possible.

And now we have the Republidiots conducting debates on who to have as their presidential candidate.
There should be a national primary and a direct vote but those controlling the purse strings in Washington are not about to let that happen.

So what is one to do?   Certainly there will be no changes in this country in the near future and perhaps not in the distant future also.  It's very discouraging to say the least.

This could drive a person to drink and probably has on more than one occasion. 

KA - BOOM

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Numerology

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Wednesday 25 October 2011

I am really getting tired of these protesters. First we have the smelly scroungy homeless people occupying the streets of San Francisco and now we have the occupy Wall Street protesters taking up the remaining good space of the area around Justin Hermann Plaza. This city city has become a garbage dump and I have no idea why tourists want to come here any longer. Sure, there are nice places but they are getting fewer and farther between.  Even Oakland has its problem with protesters who are now marching back to City Hall so for this senior citizen life in the Bay Area gets very discouraging. I have also given up trying to vote as it doesn't do any good.

One thought that's been very pleasant to me recently has been the thought of moving back to my hometown of Boston but leaving this rent-controlled apartment would be very difficult relocating to another space. Oh, what to do, what to do, what to do?

I have thought during the past year that my next visit to Thailand, currently scheduled for January 2012, would be my last.  Now the more I read about the government's inability to coordinate efforts to handle the flood conditions leaves me very discouraged that Ms. Shinawatra will be able to anything useful.  Now I read that some residents are climbing onto flood barriers to disassemble them for their own personal reasons, political or otherwise, which leaves me with a feeling of hopelessness in this matter.  The King is too old and frail now to do much and the government is in disarray so I see very little hope for that country now.  I have been there ten times since January 2003 and I guess that is enough.  Now I must return to my roots in the Boston area for awhile.  I will miss my Thai friends but as they say in France, c'est la vie.

Well, Ain't this a Fine Kettle of Fish.  After trying for years to get a friend here in San Francisco to meet me in Thailand when I am there on vacation, and his inability or refusal to do so, I am now in the position that I might have to cancel my trip there even though he has finally agreed to meet me there.  The amount of water there from the flooding seems to be an insurmountable barrier to an enjoyable vacation most anywhere.  And now I am angered at officials for not knowing what to do or when to do it..  Even the new Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra did not want to declare a State of Emergency which it clearly is and why is the country being left to defend itself.  I certainly have not heard of any other country offering aid of any type.  Looking of the positive side, that trip is not scheduled until the second week of January and things could change for the better by the.  I hope so!

I love this quote from Gov. Jerry Brown on the subject of ski helmets for children:  "While I appreciate the value of wearing a ski helmet, I am concerned about the continuing and seemingly inexorable transfer of authority from parents to the state. Not every human problem deserves a law."  I think that last sentence should be posted on very large signs within both houses of the California legislature as the nanny state continues to grow and grow and grow while doing nothing to fix the financial problems of the state.

To blog or not to blog, that is the question.   While I seem to have many opinions and complaints about many things these days, this site has languished due, in part, to laziness I guess.  In fact, I have even considered terminating this account.  Don't really want to do that so I guess I will plod along. 

Anyway, tonight was a heavy night as I watched the movie "Downfall" on DVD which is about the last days of Hitler.  Very well done but depressing.  It was nominated for some Oscars but I do not remember when or in what categories now.  Should go to IMDB.com to check on that.

Anyway, I feel rather numb after watching the movie so I am having a glass of Merlot before retiring.  Hopefully tomorrow will be a good day.  Have to go to Best Buy for a computer program and may stop in at the Civic Center for part or all of a free concert by the SF Symphony at 11:30 AM.   I apparently will not be as warm as today which was gorgeous.  There is only one thing I ask. TURN OFF THE DAMN WIND.  That has ruined many days here which otherwise would have been very nice.

Oh well, time to drift off into dreamland.   Zzzzzzzz.......

Oh no, not again

Now we have another religious nut case governor from Texas considering a run for the White House...just what we don't need. Wasn't George W. Bush enough? This country, this world is living in perilous times and too many people think they have the answers when they don't really know what they are talking about but they sure are quick to try to impose their solutions on the rest of us.

Republicans

I do not know how you could possibly think that John Boehner and his henchman would actually do the right thing but as of this moment it looks as if I will not receive any Social Security in August. Fortunately I can pull money from my regular savings for the month but if the jackasses in Congress do not solve the problems soon I will have to dig into "deep savings". Those isolationist racist pigs don't care about anything or anyone else. Why should they? They have it made while in Congress with good pay and benefits. Well, it they can say f--- you, then I will say the say thing back to them and they can all go to hell. They are so thick headed that they do not realize that a U.S. default will bring the whole worlds economy down and would they do this if Obama were white? I think not!

There are some people in this country who do not realize the gravity of this problem and some appear to be living out there in la-la land where everything is pink and rosy and where nothing ever goes wrong. Those people need to get real.

What the hell?????

Sometime between bedtime (approx. 10:30 PM Saturday) and waking up this morning (approx. 8 AM) some critter, varmint or whatever, made a mess of my computer by deleting everything inside my Libraries folder on this Windows 7 computer which has a large hard drive and lots of memory. What is even weirder is that the information has just been moved around. It would be as if someone took all the city streets you are familiar with and moved them to other locations in your city. Also, my Robo Form program is now blank as the 200+ passwords have disappeared and when I try to start entering them into the program new, I receive the error message that i needs a browser in which to save or fill forms. Well, what is the matter with this one, the one I am using right now????

At least I apparently have not lost anything especially my photos from many vacations going back a number of years but how and why did this happen?

Update as of 11-July-2011

Just as mysteriously as did those files and folders disappear from the Libraries folder then they reappeared a few days ago. This is great but I still do not know what happened to make those links disappear nor just just suddenly reappear. Strange...very strange indeed...

Election in Thailand

Editorial from The Bangkok Post

Many fear that today's election could herald a new round of violence in the country. Over the past few years, Thailand has been plagued by political unrest. In 2008, anti-Thaksin yellow shirt demonstrators blocked the entrance to parliament to prevent the administration of Somchai Wongsawat from entering to read its policy statement. The demonstration turned violent and two protesters were killed and hundreds more injured. That was followed by the immensely damaging takeover of Bangkok's two airports.

During March to May last year, the pro-Thaksin red shirts staged protests against the Abhisit administration. The rallies turned bloody and at least 92 people were killed.

The divisions remain and if the results of today's elections are not respected they could worsen as the two major parties are far apart on how the new government should be formed.

The only way to avoid further conflict is for all parties to respect the principle of the election serving as a means to end rifts.

What has occurred in recent years has caused Thailand to lose many opportunities. Since 2006, governments have wasted too much time dealing with divisiveness instead of helping the country to cope with a rapidly changing world.

Fortunately, Thailand survived the so-called "hamburger crisis" caused by turmoil in the US financial system. But there is no end in sight to the world's economic problems. The financial crisis in the European Union prevails, leaving it perilously close to collapse; the nuclear radiation risk in Japan is far from over.

Then there is the fact that Asean is to become the Asean Economic Community in 2015, but Thailand, even though a founder of the regional grouping, appears to be doing little to prepare for it.

Add to that the relentless daily killings in the three southernmost provinces and the seemingly intractable conflict over the 4.6 square kilometre area near the Preah Vihear temple with Cambodia that forced Thailand to withdraw from Unesco's World Heritage Convention.

The next government needs to pay utmost attention to these problems. So, no matter which party leads the next government, let it get on with the job.

---

Pattnapong Chantranontwong is the editor of the Bangkok Post

Pocket full of dust...

Haven't done much lately here even though there are many thoughts on my mind at times. But then too, there are times when my mind seems to be blank. Also, some events just cry out for a comment while others are ho-hum in nature and either I could care less or find the situations to be beyond help by anyone in this city or state.

Other problems are of a personal and medical nature and seem unsolvable at this time. Sometimes I feel like just saying, "Shoot me". Also, to everyone out there, DON'T GROW OLD as you are going to have a whole bunch of problems that will make life less worth living. At least that is the way it has been in my family's history.

My life has been full of diseases which have taken their toll: Alzheimer's (mother), dementia (father), lung cancer (step-father and one uncle), stomach cancer (sister), pancreatic cancer (a friend) and colon cancer (an even closer friend). Now my problems are still being evaluated.

Is life worth living? Of course religious people are going to say so, or, what's the alternative. Well, at age 73 I don't give a rats ass about the alternative if my health is not going to be good. I have had a full plate, as they say, for many years, so now it is time to let go. I am not needed here nor is there anything here that I really need.

Oh, I can just hear some people in religion crowing, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and have life eternal", or words to the effect. Damn, I could of nothing more cruel. These 73 years have been enough. Who the hell would want more? Even in perfect health, that would be cruel. There is only so much that a human being can deal with, mentally, physically, or emotionally.

As some wise person said a long long time ago, there is a time to love, a time to hate, a time to live, a time to die, etc., etc. Well, you get the picture or should anyway.

Am I depressed? Maybe, maybe not. Just tired would be more like it. Right now I just desire better health and while my friend Richard cannot be replaced, a new friend of similar intellect and compatibility would be nice. It has been a lonely life since he died in January 2010 but how does one meet and make new friends at my age? Most everyone I know, even casually, are somewhat feeble, physically or mentally or both, and let's face it, at this age we are too set in our ways anyway. Aint' nothing gonna change me or any other ol' fart out there.

It is really a helluva dilemma when I can't identify with people of my own age or with the younger generation either. There MUST be a solution to this but I sure can't think of one right now.

Well, I am tired now and need to figure out what to do with myself the rest of the day. If tomorrow comes I will have to start all over again but for now I will leave that problem alone.

Spare me, spare me

First we have to endure Sarah Palin. Now Donald Trump is spouting ridiculous claims. He says that Obama is the worst president ever. Certainly he is old enough to remember Jimmy Carter and I am sure there were terrible presidents in the 19th Century of which he probably has no knowledge. He also says we are the laughing stock of the world. HA! Only in his mind. Damn...why does we have to endure such fools as the Palins and Trumps of the world. He is a complete asshole.

SICK SICK SICK

This is a good example of everything that is wrong with this country.

(04-02) 04:08 PDT Lansing, Mich. (AP) --

Police have arrested two Michigan parents they say beat a 73-year-old school crossing guard after he tried to break up a fight between their son and another 7-year-old boy.

Lt. Noel Garcia tells the Lansing State Journal the boys were involved in an altercation at Lyons Elementary School on Wednesday. Garcia says the next morning the parents drove to the area, let out their son and told him to beat the other boy.

Garcia says the couple's 7-year-old punched the other child, knocking him to the ground. When the crossing guard intervened, Garcia says the couple attacked him.

The State Journal says the parents were arrested Friday and are expected to be arraigned Monday on charges of assault or assault and battery and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Money problems...

"America is not broke. Not by a long shot. The country is awash in wealth and cash. It's just that it’s not in your hands. It has been transferred, in the greatest heist in history, from the workers and consumers to the banks and the portfolios of the uber-rich ... The only thing that's broke is the moral compass of the rulers. And we aim to fix that compass and steer the ship ourselves from now on." – Michael Moore in Madison, Wisconsin on March 5, 2011

Bad English

Another person has failed English 101A. At CNN it was reported "that the pilot had lost control of the aircraft by unknown reasons." That should be "for unknown reasons". This should not be worth complaining about except that I see and hear far too many grammatical errors from adults these days. We seem to be raising a village of idiots.

Another war...

And once again this country gets involved in yet another war while the poor people get poorer and the not so poor get poorer because of cuts to social security and medicare and other important programs that this country can no longer afford. FDR mus be rolling over in his grave about now. At the rate this country is going there will be no more middle class left in a few years.

Seattle's Weather???

Since Seattle is one of the wettest cities in the 48, I wonder if our seemingly endless supply of storms here in San Francisco are those which normally would have hit them? Has the jet stream sagged to the south? Are they now in very dry period? This is getting to be too much. In checking the extended forecast on AccuWeather.com it appears we will be in a rainy period right through the first of April. Enough already! Please!

On the plus side, my noisy neighbor, whoever he is, was not so noisy last night. In fact, I hardly heard a thump or beep or explosion from his sound system.

On the negative side, my kitchen sink drain is falling apart and maintenance in this building usually leaves everything to be desired. So far two phone calls and one e-mail to the property management company have produced no responses of any kind. Guess I will be eating frozen dinners a lot as well as eating out until the situation is fixed.

Stormy Weather

Last night's sleep was interrupted by noise from #301 once again. I do not know what time it started but I awoke about 3:00 AM and the noises continued and even got louder as the five o'clock hour approached when they finally ended. By that time I could not get back to sleep so I have had a long day. Now it is 10:35 PM and I AGAIN heard SOME of the same sounds a few minutes ago. If this continues I will have to have a talk with my doctor and a lawyer regarding sleep deprivation and the problems it can cause. I would also like to get a restraining order on the noise maker who does not seem to know or care that this building, the Sally Stanford Memorial Motel, has paper thin walls and floors and that ALL sounds carry throughout the building every easily.

If and when I get some debts paid off and can raise my income level as a result, I would move out of here post haste. As is, I am stuck here apparently from now until something short of eternity. Grrrrrrr.......

Don't leter Congress pull the plug...

Subject: Tell Congress: Don't pull the plug on NPR and PBS!

Dear Friend,

In a budget proposal made public on Wednesday, House Republicans announced plans to zero out all funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the nonprofit responsible for funding public media including NPR, PBS, Pacifica and more.

If the Republicans are successful, it would be a tremendous blow to the entire public interest media sector.

We cannot allow Republicans to destroy public media.

I just signed a petition telling Congress to fully fund NPR and defend public service media. You should too. Click below to take action.

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/dont_defund_npr/?r_by=17581-3889530-lU2QUpx&rc=paste1

Priceless comment

I love this comment in the SF Gate comments section this morning:

We can't say no to the dictators of the middle east because they have all the oil and we can't say no to the autocrats of China because we have to buy all our Walmart crap from them and we can't say no to our own plutocrats because they've sucked up all the money from the middle class. Priceless!

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/06/MN561I50EQ.DTL#ixzz1G1U96ubl

Don't destroy Social Security

Subject: Tell Senate Democrats: Support the Social Security Protection Act of 2011
Dear Friend,


We need to take Social Security off the table as a bargaining chip in talks about the budget deficit and federal spending.

Social Security is one of the greatest anti-poverty programs in our country's history and is wildly popular. In addition, despite fearmongering to the contrary, Social Security is currently running a surplus, is fully solvent for decades, and is prohibited by law from adding to the deficit.

In fact, the only crisis facing Social Security is caused by opponents of the program who are crying wolf about a crisis in order to justify undermining one of the most popular social programs in our history.

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has recently introduced a bill called the Social Security Protection Act of 2011. The bill would take Social Security off the chopping block by requiring a two-thirds super majority to reduce benefits, raise the retirement age or privatize the program.

I just signed a petition in support of this bill, and I hope you will too.

You can find out more information and easily take action at the link below.


http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/sspa2011/?r_by=-3889530-vkX8cQx&rc=paste1

Crazy City

I don't know whether to cry of laugh after reading this: "The annals of crime: Mission Station Capt. Greg Corrales reports that a would-be thief approached three people at 24th and Douglass streets and demanded their cell phones. But he refused one because it was "old- fashioned." "He then drew a gun and demanded all their property," the report continued. "When told by another of the victims that what he was doing was wrong, the gunman turned around and walked away."

A bend in the road

A problem for a trolley or tram, not in SF, but in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Golf Ball??

No, this is Mimas, one of Saturn's moons.

Discouraging World

What the heck is there to write about? The more I think about conditions in this city, this state, and the world, the more discouraging it gets and I just want to jump into a hole an pull it in on top of myself. What's the use? We get screwed by the government(s) and big business completes the process in their quest for more and more profits. Same goes for the big insurance companies who don't care about helping people - only what they can get for their bottom line.

"Scotty, beam me up".

Keith Olbermann

I really should watch Keith Olbermann on a regular basis. I used to watch him when at a friends house and found him to be very intelligent, informative, AND entertaining. It would also be better than watching some of the idiotic dramatic shows on TV these days.

Progress

Sure glad to see the Republicans and Demoncrats working together during the past couple of weeks. Oops. that should read Democrats, of which I am one. Could that be a Freudian slip? Anyway, all the recent passed legislation seemed to come out of nowhere as I was not expecting any of it. I wonder if the new Congress will do as well?

Senate GOP pledges to block all bills until tax dispute resolved - CNN.com

Senate GOP pledges to block all bills until tax dispute resolved - CNN.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

I say that we should give those Republicans all the rope they need to hang themselves. Extend the tax cuts and then see what a mess they make out of things in 2011. They no more have any ideas than the Democrats so I say "put up or shut up".

Good idea

I love this comment from a Chronicle reader in Napa: Regarding the air travel pat-down controversy, I'd rather be felt up than blown up.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/25/EDHU1GH4KH.DTL#ixzz16P7o2HA7

Train to nowhere

While Alaska has its bridge to nowhere we are now about to get our railroad to nowhere. Don't these dummies in California and the USA realize that these high speed trains must be built between areas of high density population, not somewhere in the boondocks. This plan will doom the entire project to failure. WHAT IDIOTS!!!!!!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/25/BAMP1GH4FV.DTL

Presidental Race - 2012

I see on the news today that Sarah Palin is weighing her options for running for president in 2012. What??? Please spare me. She is in no way qualified for that office no matter what you think about her political stand on the issues of the day. She would be even more embarrassing that George W. Bush. If she runs and wins the nomination of her party I could only hope that the Democrats have a super strong candidate to run against her. If not and should she win, I know that it would finally be time to move to another country.

Palin

I wonder how much Sarah Palin's mother is paying ABC-TV to keep her daughter on the program?????????????????

Punks in the Haight

I certainly agree with this comment:

"The Haight punks may not be able to afford rent, but that is because they choose to do no work and mooch off those who do. Further, they are not looking for housing. They have no intention of settling down in San Francisco or anywhere else. The affordability or unaffordability of rent is thus irrelevant to their condition."

That comment from Heather Mac Donald, of the New York-based City Journal, a quarterly magazine about urban affairs, writing about San Francisco's sit/lie debate. Unfortunately, given the far left leanings of this city I doubt that much can be done.

Boy stabbed repeatedly in New York restaurant - CNN.com

Boy stabbed repeatedly in New York restaurant - CNN.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

This is a good example of the sick society we live in today. This planet apparently needs "outside" help.

How about a walk?

Why oh why did the Giants batter, with the game tied, only one out, and with the bases loaded, why did he have to even swing at the ball. A walk would have forced in the winning run and I think the odds of that happening were quite good. But no, he has to swing at the ball and hits into a double-play thus ending the chances for a Giants win at that point. DAMN DAMN DAMN

Even if he had struck out perhaps the next batter could have walked in the winning run. Since the errant batter is one of the teams better players, I won't even mention his name here.

Gate fixed

Mr. Fixit returned and now our old gate is good as new as they say and it has even been re-hung so it opens outward. This would seem to be better from a security standpoint.

Yesterday the Blue Angles "surveyed" the city and today there will be practice runs which will sound the same as the ones yesterday.

Tim Lincecum pitched superbly yesterday as the Giants beat the Braves 1-0. Today Matt Cain will be on the mound.

Want to see the movie "The Town" but not sure when I am going to find time for it.

Mr. Fixit

What's with Mr. Fixit here at this apartment building? There were two guys here on Monday fixing, or trying to fix the front gate. Now the job remains unfinished and the gate is leaning against a post in the courtyard and nothing is protecting the building from intruders. What is going on? Doesn't anyone know how to fix a security gate? How long will this project go on anyway?

A check of the items thirty minutes later reveals that someone has moved the items to a slightly different location curbside...next to a microwave oven that someone else had placed curbside earlier in the week. Hmmm...I wonder how this will all work out.

Junk pick-up

For the first time ever I have placed a bunch of stuff curbside for pick-up in the morning by Recology, a division of Golden Gate Disposal. I just hope that the local scavengers don't run off with the stuff. Two items are absolutely no good (no power cord) the the other two items are falling apart. I realize that strange things happen late at night but it is literally out of my hands now as I have followed their instructions and it is up to them to pick things up.

Smoke

I would like to thank Patricia of San Francisco for her excellent letter to the editor this morning"

"You can't separate marijuana smoke from cigarette and cigar smoke.

For health reasons, we have smoke-free offices, restaurants and apartment buildings, but healthy people still have to walk through a gauntlet of smokers, including pot smokers, wherever they go, especially in the business district.

Cigarette butt trash litters our sidewalks, bus stops and beaches. Second-hand smoke kills many people every year. It's pretty scary that potheads can actually vote for their right to expose healthy people to the sickening stench of marijuana smoke wherever they go. Marijuana smoke is just as deadly as cigarette and cigar smoke, and healthy people have the right to smoke-free air. It's even more frightening that politicians are pushing taxing a toxic substance as a source of revenue."

Unrest and wars

I love the internet and the access it provides to news of the world but I can't help but be a little bit concerned by all the headlines which could be grouped under the heading: "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet." [Matthew 24:6] Well, that is somewhat of a relief. Ha! So the burning question is: How long must we endure? Should I move to another country and if so, which one? Perhaps the space station might be the safest place to be in the future.

Question

Is "CouponSuzy.com" the former "Chapstick Suzie"?

No new nut cases?

Where have all the religious nut cases gone? Seems like this past week or two has been rather quiet. One real nut case and a dangerous one however, is President Mahmoud Ahmadinejak of Iran who visited the U.N. this week for another vitriolic speech. That guy is sick sick sick.

Confusion reigns

Hold on there...not so fast. Who has said what and to whom? Pastor Jones is now backing off somewhat and the Imam in NYC does not seem to know what is going on here.

Pastor nixes Quran-burning, claims NYC mosque deal - Yahoo! News

Pastor nixes Quran-burning, claims NYC mosque deal - Yahoo! News: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Thank you Pastor Jones for coming to your senses and working with the imam in this delicate matter.

The Voice of Hate

The Voice of Hate in America. I wonder how he would feel if someone burned a stack of Bibles or his church? Has he forgotten about the Christian Crusades and all the pain and suffering those caused? Why is it that small minded evangelicals from small churches offer up so much hate in this country?

Hate filled world

Fred Phelps hates gays ("God Hates Fags") and Terry Jones hates Muslims. What is this world coming to anyway? If there is any burning to do, Mr. Phelps and Mr. Jones should be burned at the stake.

End of summer??

Well, this is the weekend that traditionally tourists go home, or at least thin out. It is also the time when the weather improves here in San Francisco. That is, the fog lessens and the average temperature goes up, or at least that is the way it usually happens. With the changes caused by global warming there is no telling what will happens anymore. The past two days have been wonderful but a cooling trend is predicted and things may be below normal by Wednesday and so it goes. It has been very much of a roller coaster ride the past few weeks.

Fall is here with the schools opening and the opera and symphony seasons resuming once again. It is one of my favorite times in this city.

My gray matter is not working too well tonight so that will all for now.

Roller Coasters

I've never like roller coasters and our roller coaster ride in the temperature department here in SF is getting a bit tiresome. Why can't we be bored to death with the same temperatures all week? Oh well, guess we would find something to complain about no matter what.

The wind has been bothersome to me also but had coffee with a friend at Blue Bottle Cafe at the SF MOMA today. We sat in a sunny corner where we were protected from the wind so it was a very pleasant afternoon.

Not sure what I will do tomorrow or will be able to do as we will be out late tonight for the coronation of Mr. & Ms. GAPA 2010 at Shangri-La.

Somebody told me today that there once was a cross-eyed teacher who could not control his pupils. Hmmmm....

Bye y'all

A pocketful of dust and one note

After an absence of one year or more, I returned to the gym this week. Am slightly sore but not as much as I expected to be. Of course, I did not try to lift or push the same weight loads as when I left but I will work up to that and hopefully beyond in the coming months.

Clipboards

I can certainly agree wholeheartedly with the letter to a local newspaper:

"Over the years I have often complained about the panhandlers and homeless intruding on my space and asking me for money, sometimes aggressively. Now I would give anything to see them instead of those clipboard-wielding touts that harass me sometimes several times throughout my walk down Fillmore Street, shoving their clipboards and their opinions at me. At least the homeless really need the money."

And this reminds me that it was so pleasant during my recent visit to Boston not to see newspapers and other trash all over the streets and not to to be panhandled at every turn. Only once in seven days was I panhandled. In SF once in 24 hours would be a welcome relief and minor miracle.

Aaron Pekin as Mayor

BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID (even if only for a short time).

Shocker, more of the same, when the next batch of loons take power and implement more of the same lunacy that makes SF a laughing stock to the world, the same clowns that ushered the new set of lunatics in will authentically be puzzled as to why things remain as screwed up as they are, whats that about the definition of insanity being when one tries the same thing over and over again, yet expects a different result, sums up SF to a T.

The above comments are reader comments from SF Gate this morning and I agree 1000%.

Pathetic country that we live in...

When I get up in the morning and read stories like this "9 dead in Connecticut workplace shooting" and "Masked gunman shoots 8 at party", I just want to head for the hills for the rest of my life. When I was growing up in the forties and fifties headlines like that were rare if at all. What has happened to the USA? Of course part of the answer here is the same as in Mexico, Brazil, and other countries - DRUGS, the curse of mankind. Everyone either wants to get high or get rich quickly, or both. I am so tired of it all!

Inconsiderate 25-something neighbors...

The “kids” who live near me are hopeless. I am not even sure those roaming around here at the moment live here. Anyway, the noise has been unbearable at times and is about to push me over the edge. So, unless something changes I will HAVE to move but I can’t really afford it. That is, the higher rent, so I will have to compromise and cut way back on everything by seeking out a compatible roommate. I don’t want to do that but it may be necessary to save my sanity.

STOP - THIEF

Oh great...now someone has stolen the key to the building from the USPS lock box out front. Now they will have to re-key the entire building. I wonder how long that will take? Know what? This neighborhood sucks!

Things that go bump in the night...

Well, in this case it was more like "tap tap tap tap". I could not not tell where this sound originated but it sounded like upstairs or next to me, either of which would have been good guesses for unexplained noises. Apparently this was not the case and I need to talk with the resident building manager now as I saw her standing in the courtyard about six o'clock this morning (I could not get back to sleep.) and I heard several male voices and other sounds. When I looked out the second time I saw what appeared to be fireman taking something (or someone???) out. All I could see was the bottom of black pants with some florescent green markings near the bottom. I never heard any sirens or two way radios so this is a mystery at the moment

This building is such that unidentified sounds are liable to originate anywhere at any time of the day or night. The ghost of Sally Stanford??? Well, her SF bordello did occupy this site until it was torn down in the fifties. Was that an unhappy event for her and how did the current owner's late husband come to acquire the property?

More San Francisco follies

Recently there has been discussions about cell phone towers in the city vis-a-vis health concerns. Well, I for one, am sick and tired of these NIMBYs especially when nothing has been proved one way or the other.

I especially liked some of the comments made on the SF Gate website regarding this matter.

Comments such as:

"You gotta love Bugaboo Nation. They won't get their kids vaccinated but they're worried about cell phone towers."

"Glad I don't live in SF with all the nutcases. They complain when they can't get cell service but then become NIMBY's when the cell phone companies try to install new antennas. And let's not forget there have been no studies showing any harmful links between cell phone radiation and personal health."

"Do you really need another reason to convince visitors and conventioneers to go elsewhere?"

I am really ready to go somewhere else to get away from some of these people.

Oh no...

This is ridiculous! How many more enemies are we going to create by acts such as this in an unwindable war to begin with? Won't the USA ever learn?

Dumb Ass Smart Meters

I don't want any electric meter so connected to P.G. & E. or any other utility that it can tell the company when to turn power on or off in my residence. That is something like Big Brother telling me what I can or cannot do. To hell with P.G. & E. and their freakin Smart Meters.

Quiet 4th

Although some of the rowdies apparently returned in the wee hours of this morning I did not hear them but I did hear some familiar voices around 8:30 AM.

Today was a rather quiet day all around. Went to the 11 AM Eucharistic Service at Grace Cathedral again. The Rodgers electronic organ in the gallery sounds great, probably a lot better than the gallery division of the pipe organ. The organ restoration project is supposed to be completed by late this fall.

It was quiet at home today which was a blessing after the very noisy Friday and Saturday which almost had me calling my shrink for help. LOL

Now I am hearing the noise of the fireworks from the Bay. All week the weathermen and women have been predicting a fog free 4th. Ha! At 6 PM a cold wind was blowing and bringing in the fog as usual. As for those weather people - they are all herby FIRED.

What should I do tomorrow? The kitchen and bathroom floors need mopping. Yuck...
I have been putting that off too long so if it is a chilly windy day perhaps I can get myself moving and do that.

Noisy Neighbors

How does one deal with young neighbors who are very noisy and act like the whole building is theirs? Their playpen so to speak. From the sounds of things they either must be crazy or drunk or both. Certainly no normal person could make this much noise and sound the way they do. This has gotten to be a ghetto on Nob Hill as the only thing the owners care about it getting their money. The owners don't seem to give a damn about anything else so it seems that these immature adults can make all the noise they want as long as they don't destroy things or hurt somebody. Their screaming and loud talking however leads me to believe there could be trouble ahead. I am not even sure that the culprits live here. It almost seems like they might be friends of people who do. One big question in my mind is this. With all the changes in tenants recently why do the noisy ones end up on my side of the building and next door to me. I sure do not hear such noise coming from units in the front of the building.

Is there some sinister plot by S.C. Properties Management to either drive me crazy or drive me out of the building, or both. I have been here 17 years and because of rent control I am not paying "market rent". Perhaps the very rich person who owns the building has decided that she doesn't have enough money and would like to get me out so that she can have even more.

Well, frankly I would like to move, oh gawd, how I would like to but I cannot afford it. If I could I would be gone so fast that all you would see would be a blur.
----------------------------
Footnote to the above: As I write this at 11:00 PM, the perps just left. I wonder if they will return when the bars close and be just as noisy???????

Foreigners - STAY HOME

Why are foreign nationals suddenly going to other countries to cause problems? First we have the Brit and the Aussie who joined the Red Shirts in Bangkok to deliver incendiary speeches from the Red Shirts' stage during the riots there. Now we have a Swiss National in Singapore vandalizing subway train cars. The graffiti is also reminiscent of what we would see in the NYC in the 60's and 70's. Don't these people have anything productive and positive to do?

California Voters

Let's us not screw this one up. Vote NO on Proposition 16 tomorrow. The misinformation on this proposition is mind boggling but if you want to give P.G. & E. even more power, then you would vote yes as passage of this proposition would be make it more difficult for other energy companies to do business here.

Uncertain future

What lies ahead for Thailand? Will they be able to meet the future peacefully or not? If I had never gone there ten years ago and on other occasions and gotten to know people there, the country's problem would just be a minor blip to me on the six o'clock news but now I know people, very nice people, who just want to live their lives in a peaceful manner, have a job, and not have to worry about politics, wars, or whatever. Now Thailand is on the verge of a very unstable future. I am saddened by recent events but also angered as none of this need to have happened. I can only hope that a solution will be found before it is too late.

What would YOUR government do about this?

Somehow I don't think your government, or mine, would act with such restraint for such a long period of time.

Troubles in USA

If anyone wonders what is wrong with the USA, all they have to do is watch Judge Judy on TV for awhile to see how stupid some people are in this country.

Sadness and anger...

...that is what I feel regarding the on-going violence and lawlessness in Bangkok. What used to be one of my favorite cities to visit each winter is now under the influence of mob rule by the poor and uneducated from the northern provinces of Thailand. The saddest part of this is that this lawless band does not even realize what they are doing to the country and of course they don't care as they are being paid by Thaksin Shinawatra to carry out his dastardly deeds. They are also taking advantage of the King's age and poor health. In the past he would have spoken out and his moral authority would have put and end to this squabbling but now he is too ill to do so.

There is one big question on my mind regarding this sad state of affairs. Why haven't the ring leaders and others who disobey the law, been arrested and put in jail? Don't these acts constitute treason?

Hopeless case?

I have visited Bangkok and other cities in Thailand many times during the past ten years or so and have enjoyed every minute of it. Now, unfortunately, I cannot return due to the increasing social and political instability. Most of that is due to one man who does not even live there any longer and that person is Thaksin Shinawatra, a former Prime Minister, who is one of the richest people from that country, and one of the most corrupt. Now he directs his minions from the safety of another country.

I have hope that the situation will improve but each morning when I get up and read the news and go on-line, it seems that it has only gotten worse overnight. I now have friends there, Thai citizens as well as ex-pats from the USA, and I worry about them although I am sure they will know how to stay out of harm's way but I will miss them.

This also leaves me without a vacation spot in the midst of winter here at home. It was so nice to go to a warm climate for a few weeks and to be with people I know but that seems to have come to an end.

So sad, so sad...

Damn Tea Party

There were several excellent letters to the editor in the SF Chronicle this morning. This is my favorite:

"The disconnect between Tea Party slogans and reality is stunning ("Don't believe smears, come see for yourself," Open Forum, April 15).

They speak of cutting "liberty-squelching, job-killing taxes." What does that mean? Tax rates on income, capital gains, estates are at historic lows. What would they cut?

They embrace "conservative" principles and freedom. Yet government can dictate who can marry and what a woman can do with her body?

They rail about "government-run" health care. How is it government-run? Because everyone is required to buy health insurance? We're already required to buy car insurance. How are those mandates different?

They hate the bank bailout. Me too. But imagine how hard it would be to get a mortgage if the government let AIG, Citi and BofA fail.

Don't bail out the auto companies! But didn't that save jobs, not kill jobs? Besides, aren't conservatives the ones who scream "Buy American"?

Government spending is "out of control." I agree. Cut our obscene defense budget. But that's un-American!

Get real, Tea Partiers. You can't have it both ways. And until Sarah Palin stops sticking her gun in my face, you still look like an angry mob."

Voice Mail

It would be great if various businesses would get away from automated phone menus. There are too many times that I go around in circles trying to get to the right person. For example: Today I tried dialing Verizon customer service regarding re-setting my voice mail password. When it didn't work I ended up in an endless loop going no where so at the end of the message I quickly dialed several zeros and actually go connected with a live person who helped me with my problem several times in the earlier process I was continually referred to the previous number that I had dialed. Yesterday I had the same problem with Dell technical support. Each time I had to re-enter my express service code and start all over again. In the end I got disconnected and had to start all over again this morning. Fortunately, in both cases, the problems have been resolved but...
I HATE AUTOMATED VOICE MAIL IN WHICH IT IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO REACH A LIVE PERSON.
That is not good customer service at all. No ifs, ands, or buts.

Dreary Weather

The rainy season here on the West Coast generally winds down and ends in April however today seems more like January. It has been raining all day and the temperature is 48° resulting in a totally boring day. We are supposed to have sunny skies Tuesday through Friday but more rain next weekend. Bummer...

The SF Giants are currently under rain delay for their game against the Atlanta Braves. There was to be a reunion of players from the past including Barry Bonds but I guess they will all now go their separate ways the public won't get to see any of them.

And to make things worse, I am hungry. It is too early to eat dinner so what to do...

And to make things worse (part 2) there aren't any interesting movies in the cinemas and I don't have any DVDs of interest right now and this apartment is getting colder by the minute. Oh well, I least I can turn up the heat. Wish I could turn off the rain.

I am seeing Red

This is getting so tiresome and I worry about my friends there. I would like to return to Chiang Mai in January but I am now wondering what shape the country of Thailand will be in by that time. These stubborn Red Shirts who only want one thing and that is the return of Thaksin Shinawatra as Prime Minister. Well, my friends, that ain't gonna happen, so what would happen if the current P.M. dissolved parliament and actually did call for new elections as the Red Shirts have been demanding? Would they accept the outcome of that election? I doubt it. And then there if the matter of the frail and elderly King. How much longer will he last? I am hoping for the best however it is a very precarious situation to say the least.

By the way, if you want to get some good background on the Royal Family and Royal Succession and the problems involved, check out the articles at The Economist.

Impossible Airline

Airlines continue to make flying more and more difficult but Spirit Airlines has taken things to a new low with their charges and they don't even allow a camera to be carried on board. So, everyone be warned - DON'T FLY SPIRIT AIRLINES.

Caltrain ponders return to commute-only service

That would be sad if it comes to pass. They would lose additional riders and find it even more difficult to recover after the economy recovers. Also, what would Giants fans from the peninsula do on game days? And one other thing. The timing of this announcement is a little strange as only a few weeks ago they announced that they would begin a study to electrify the entire line from San Francisco to Gilroy. No need to that if they are only going to be part-time or non-existent.

See: Caltrain ponders return to commute-only service

Down in Flames

It was once thought that Archbishop Levada (and former Arch-Bishop of San Francisco), now Cardinal Levada and now right hand man to the Pope could be the first American Pope. Well, that whole regime is going down in flames. Not only has Ratzinger's actions, or lack thereof, made it difficult or impossible for another German Pope in the near future but for an American one as well.

The Church needs to turn to the East, the Far East, as there were one or two Asian Cardinals amongst the preferiti during the last election for Pope. The church needs to get away from Europe and I am not sure one of the arch-conservative Cardinals from Africa will fill the bill either.

Bad English

Here is a movie review written by a high school drop out. It says in part: Rocketing from one bobby-trapped and treacherous site to the next... I thought that was always "booby-trapped" unless British "bobby's" have somehow gotten into the war. Also, Spun by operatives with intersection agendas which I believe should read "intersecting agendas". Duh.... No wonder kids have such a problem with the English language these days.

One of the most irritating expressions these days by teens is "such and such is so fun". What ever happened to so much fun. This just grates on my nerves to no end.

Great Sale

Oh, I love this special for a messenger bag posted on ThinkGeek.com today. A messenger bag originally $49.99, now on sale for, gasp...$49.99. Sorry guys but that does not compute. hehehe

Mobile Home?

It gets so disgusting to walk around San Francisco these days when one encounters so many homeless people and their myriad belongings crammed into stolen shopping cards. About the only place they are not seen is on Nob Hill. Guess it is too difficult to push that stuff UP the hill. They do make a mess of flat areas of the city however as exhibited by this "train" of stuff on the otherwise lovely Embarcadero.

Progressive?

I wish some people in San Francisco would stop referring to progressive ideas or politics in this city as there is nothing progressive about any part of this city. It is a failed city which is going down the drain to obscurity. And we are also burdened with Aaron Peskin, a former city supervisor, who seems to be to San Francisco politics what Thaksin Shinawatra (the former PM of Thailand) is to Thai politics. Neither person knows when or how to let go and let the city (and the country) move forward.

Message to Linda

Yes, I can believe you are 70 years old. heh heh heh God how I hate some TV commercials.

"Smart Phones"?

I just need one that can complete calls as dialed and with good voice quality. I DO NOT need to surf the web/download apps and talk at the same time and my Verizon phone has done just that in California, Nevada, New York, Virginia, and D.C.

Buzz? I do not need a social networking app in my g-mail. That is private, or at least as private as things can be on the world wide web I guess. For social networking I will stick with Facebook, or Twitter if I can ever figure out how to use that site.

Windows 8? Those folks up in Redmond still don't get it. They need an OS that works well with few if any bugs before they decide to re-invent the wheel again.

I remember many years ago when the slogan for General Electric was "Quality is our Most Important Product". Well, that apparently does not currently apply to a lot of businesses in the USA. The bottom line seems to be the only important product for a number of companies these days.

Re: Highrises

This city could drive me to drinking and probably already has. The latest move by some members of the Board of Stupidvisors is a good example as reported in this morning's SF Chronicle.

"Again, another short-sighted, reactionary measure from the Board of Supervisors to "fix" a problem that isn't a problem. And due to the lack of voters in June's election, this will probably pass as a result of an ill informed public and left wing progressives. (Who wouldn't vote to save SUNLIGHT?!?) It seems many don't realize that these buildings may only cast small slivers of shadows on certain parks at certain times during the year (like in the winter), and they'd be stopped with this ballot measure. SF should be encouraging smart development like Transbay Terminal and Hunters Point, which would create more jobs and grow our tax base. This is also a power grab by the Board of Supervisors. I'd rather let PLANNING decisions be left to the professionals at the Planning Department and Planning Commission. Don't politicize the development process even further by giving more power over the the Board."

Sometimes I think some residents would return the city to the log cabin days of past centuries. San Francisco Progressives are NOT progressive, they are ill-informed and backwards in a lot of their thinking, if they think at all.

Vacation & Security

Well, my most recent flights to and from Thailand were no different than any other however Homeland Security at SFO has resumed, after a one year layoff, of giving me an extra screening upon return. My friends who travel through LAX say they have never had that experience even when traveling to and from Thailand. The screener at SFO this time implied that it had something to do with a person traveling alone to that country. Not sure what that meant but after a number of trips there they know, or should know that I do not bring back illegal substances, weapons, or contraband of any sort. It gets frustrating and somewhat discouraging. Maybe that is what they are trying to do...discourage me from traveling there. Well, Thailand is officially one of our Allies and since I can be stubborn, I am not going to let someone who thinks they are not a friendly country, stop me from vacationing there.

Sad end to this vacation however. My friend Richard who was very ill with cancer, took a sudden turn for the worse and I had to cut my time short by one week but still did not make it back to the USA in time. I returned to San Francisco the evening of January 19th but he died (in his sleep) that morning.

Now it is time to make some changes in my symphony and opera subscriptions. I need to reduce my expenses so I may terminate one subscription and cut back on the other. I just don't know yet as I need to examine all of my options. Also, I am very tired of the maniacs who populate Van Ness Avenue after dark especially on the weekends which makes travel home after a concert or the opera very unpleasant at times. Even if I manage to catch the #47 or 49 bus, passengers can be unruly. While I am physically able to walk home, that is becoming less and less of an option with all the crazies out there. Even the short walk from California and Van Ness home can be unpleasant. Because of this I am going to have to switch to matinee performances if I continue to attend the symphony or opera.

What I would like to do is live near Columbus Circle or Lincoln Center in New York City and be close to all the concerts and operas without the hassle of SF's temper tantrums. That ain't gonna happen unless I win the lottery as I could never afford NYC rents.

At least they weren't people...

This is an unusual method of venting one's frustrations.

A belated Happy New Year

Question: Do you know any flibbertigibbets?

Well, I am still here but barely. That is, after logging onto this site for the first time in awhile, I am preparing to take off on what has become my annual winter vacation in Thailand. This time it will be only for two weeks and one city (Chiang Mai) instead of three weeks in two or more cities.

In recent months my duties as caregiver for a friend who is seriously ill with cancer has taken up a lot of time and I have not been able to focus on this site. He is slowly getting weaker, or so it seems, and is taking a lot of different medications now in addition to his chemotherapy treatments. I alternate for a week or two with his three siblings.

So now I will get to see some of my friends in Chiang Mai for the first time in several years plus one or more ex-pats from San Francisco who live there now. I am battling my mid-winter cough here however. It took last winter off but when present sounds a lot worse than it is.. The only thing that will knock it out is warmer weather which is what I am sure headed for on Monday. The problem is the 9+ hours of flight time on chilly airplanes. Hope that does not exacerbate the problem.

As I prepare for this trip I wonder how the new security regulations, if any, will impact me. I guess outbound from the U.S. won't be too much different but the return could get interesting. Just hope I will have access to the rest room during that final hour of flight. After all, when you gotta go, you gotta go.

Greasy Burger

Tried the new Best-O-Burger in One Market Plaza today and it really should be called Worst-Of-the Greasiest Burgers on the Planet. And I ordered the 1/3 lb. cheeseburger which got lost in the already small bun which was falling apart due to all the grease from the meat and the sauce. There were not even any fries nor were any suggested or offered. Also, the pickle which was posted on the menu board was not included either. WHAT A RIP OFF JOINT! And I got a stomach ache to boot ten minutes after I left the place. Never will I got there again.

Possible answers...

It is late at night in the Florida home of Tiger Woods and his wife. They have a violent argument. She goes after him with a golf club in hand. He runs out of the house barefoot (The FHP said he was driving in bare feet.), jumps in the car and tries to get away and in his panic crashes into a tree and fire hydrant. His wife catches up with the now stopped car, smashes a window, and gets Tiger onto the pavement and hits him with the club so that when the local police arrive he is drifting in and out of conscientiousness as reported by the authorities. It's possible.

Questions

Where was Tiger Woods going at 2:30 AM? Why was he driving so fast as to cause such significant damage to his car? Why did his wife have to break a window with a golf club to gain access? Didn't she have a spare set of key? And where did she get the golf club? Was she in the habit of walking around the house or vicinity with golf club in hand in the wee hours of the night or was she attacking someone in the car...Tiger or someone else???

Sound philosophy...

I love this comment that Virgil Earp, a nephew of Wyatt, made in 1958: Virgil said: "A woman was safer in the Wild West than she would be today in midtown Manhattan. In the old days, there was no such thing as juvenile delinquency, no house robberies and no organized government. There was just good men and bad men - and the policy was a life for a life."

Of course that was before the days of drugs, automatic weapons and street gangs that would extract revenge for even the most minor of offenses. We live in a different world from that of Wyatt Earp and there is much good to say about "life in the old days" and how people treated people however I am not advocating a return to those days. For me, the good old days were in the forties and fifties.