My Comments about Some Stories in the News - April 25, 2024

• The situations in Israel and Gaza are tragic.  Hamas started the conflict by killing 1200 Israeli civilians and holding over 200 hostages.  At least 100 are still held by Hamas.  I support Israel but believe that they went too far in killing over 34,000 Palestinians in their attempt to destroy Hamas.  The best solution would be for Hamas to release the hostages and acknowledge Israel's right to exist.  Then Israel would stop the hostilities.  It is easier said than done.
• Pro-Palestinian protests have been held at prestigious universities such as Columbia, NYU, Harvard, and Yale.  Students have a right to protest, but it must be done peacefully and without disrupting the university's academic mission.  It reminds me of my time as a student when there were protests against American involvement in the Vietnam War.
• The situation in Ukraine is also tragic.  The Russians don't seem to want to give up.
• A sitting or former president is not above the law.  The Supreme Court is hearing testimony to determine if Trump has immunity since the crimes he allegedly committed were while he was President.
• It would be a worldwide tragedy if Trump was re-elected President.  I don't understand why anybody wants to vote for him after what he has said and done over the years.

 

Random Thoughts of the Day - April 24, 2024

• Watching the TV news every day is depressing.  I watch both national and local newscasts.  The situation in the Middle East is tragic.  I support Israel, but the deaths of civilians in Gaza sadden me.  The protests at college campuses today remind me of those opposing the Vietnam War when I was a student in the late 1960s.
• I wish I didn't have such a good autobiographical memory.  I often have flashbacks to unpleasant experiences of the distant past as I often second-guess myself.  I can't change what happened in the past.
• This Journal is approaching 5000 entries since October 2005. It is a vanity press for me.
• I am working on a newsletter for the Casey Stengel Chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research.

 

Mercy Me (The Ecology) by Marvin Gaye - An Appropriate Song for Earth Day

 

Sunday is My 75th Birthday, but I don't Feel So Old

 

I am thinking of what makes me feel young:

• Listening to the hits of the 1950s, 1960s, and the 1970s
• Watching baseball
• Watching Jeopardy and playing trivia games
• Hanging out with my son, Lee
• Trying to interpret Bob Dylan songs

In other words, I enjoy doing the same things today that I did when I was much younger.

Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now.

With that thought in mind, My Back Pages is the song for my birthday.  There are many versions, but I'll post the Byrd's version.

The Bob Dylan Dickie Betts Connection

 It was reported today that Dickie Betts of the Allman Brothers passed away at age 80.  In the video seen below Otis Gibbs talks about Dickie's opinion of Bob Dylan.  He is reading from Pledging My Time: Conversations with Bob Dylan Band Members by RayPadgett.

Below you can hear Bob Dylan and Dickie Betts singing Ramblin' Man in 1995 in Tampa.

Tuesday Afternoon Trivia at the Older Adult Center

 

On most Tuesday afternoons there is a one-hour trivia session at the older adult center in Bayside.  It is one activity when I don't have to hear anyone complain or monopolize the conversation.  Most questions are relatively easy as the social worker picks them from a nostalgia book.  I gave her some cards from a Jeopardy game I had at home.

Women predominate in all the activities at the older adult centers.  Demographically there are more older women alive than men. Few men are attracted to the activities offered there.  I don't ask personal questions of the attendees, but I assume most are widowed.  Couples just don't need to be there.

Mets Beat the KC Royals 2-1 after the Ceremony to Retire Doc Gooden's #16

 

Before the game, there was a ceremony to retire Doc Gooden's #16.  He played most of his career with the Mets as his best year was in 1985 when his record was 24-4 with an ERA of 1.53.  He led the Mets to the World Championship in 1986.  His family and teammates from the 1980s were at the ceremony.  He last pitched for the Mets in 1994.  Most of the fans in the stands likely never saw him pitch.

Doc Gooden's Statistics from Baseball-Reference

Doc Gooden's Biography from SABR's Bio Project

After a short rain delay, the game began and became a pitcher's duel between Jose Butto and Cole Ragans.  It was a scoreless tie until the bottom of the eighth inning when the Mets scored two runs on 4 walks and an infield single off relief pitcher Chris Stratton.  Edwin Diaz came in the 9th inning but gave up a home run to Vinnie Pasquintino.  The Mets held on for a 2-1 victory.

Box Score