I am Glad to See There Will Be Enforcement on Violations by Delivery Workers on E-Bikes

 

I have mentioned the issue of bicycle safety in this Journal at least twice:

• Bicycle Safety Should Be Taken Seriously
• Cyclists Should Respect Pedestrians

I was pleased to read in The Gothamist that 45 peace officers will be hired to issue violations and enforce commercial cycling laws against businesses.  This is good news, but it does not go far enough since recreational cyclists are just as guilty as the deliverymen.  It bothers me the most when I see cyclists on the sidewalk when a few feet away, there is a bike path.

Let's hope for the best.

Yankees 6 Mets 4 in Subway Series Finale

 

My 20-game package included this afternoon's game between the Mets and Yankees.  It was Yankee standout Max Fried starting vs the Mets' bullpen. The numerous injuries to starting pitchers have compelled the Mets to use several relievers in this game.  Chris Devenski started for the Mets and pitched well for two innings. The Yankees scored runs off the subsequent relievers, Zach Pop, Brandon Waddell, and Huascar Brazoban.  The highlights were home runs by Austin Wells and Aaron Judge.  Another highlight was a shoestring catch by Cody Bellinger in left field.  He then made a throw to first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who doubled off Francisco Lindor.

The Subway Series ended in a 3-3 tie. There are now 6 games before the All-Star break.  After that we will see what trades will be made by contending teams.

Game Recap

Random Oldie of the Day - Walking My Cat Named Dog by Norma Tanega

 

I remember hearing this for the first time in 1966 on Dick Clark's American Bandstand.  I reached #22 on the Billboard chart, but it was the only record that charted for Norma Tanega, who passed away in 2019 at age 80.  I requested it last night on Bob Radil's 60s 70s show.

Mets 7 Brewers 3 - Hopefully the Mets Losing Ways are Over

 

Last night's game was part of our 20-game package, so we were there to root for the Mets. Manager Carlos Mendoza shuffled the lineup as Brandon Nimmo batted leadoff while Francisco Lindor was dropped to the #2 slot.  The move paid off in the second inning when Nimmo hit a grand slam home run, while Lindor followed it up with a solo shot.  That yielded a 5-0 lead that held up until the 6th inning when Christian Yellich and Jackson Chourio hit back-to-back homers off Blade Tidwell to make the score 5-3.  The Mets added tacked-on runs in the 6th and 8th innings to win 7-3.

Hopefully, this victory will mark the end of the Mets' 14 losses out of 17.  As of this writing the Mets are two games behind the Phillies in the NL East. There are 75 games to go in the season.

Box Score

Random Thought of the Day - July 1, 2025

• It is hard to believe that 2025 is half over.  Where does all this time go?
• If it is July 1, it is Bobby Bonilla Day. He will collect a check for $1,193,248.20 from the New York Mets, as he has and will every July 1 from 2011 through 2035. His contract was restructured as the Mets had financial problems during the Wilpon era
• The Mets have lost 13 out of their last 16 games, but are only two games behind Philadelphia in the NL East.  Hopefully, they will turn things around soon.
• It is July 1, and NJ Transit is raising its fares 3%.  When I feel blue, I am grateful I never have to ride any of their trains again.
• Yesterday, I received yet another chat request on Telegram from a young lady.  She was offering me the chance to make a lot of money working from home.  The first sign of a scam is that if it is too good to be true, it is.  There are too many scams on social networking sites.  I politely told her I wasn't interested, but she was persistent.  This time, I ghosted her.  How come only younger women try to contact me?

 

Three Definitions of Catfish with a Bob Dylan Reference (of course)

 

Catfish are a diverse group of ray-finned fish known for their prominent barbels (whiskers).

Jim "Catfish" Hunter was a major league pitcher for the Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees.

• SABR Biography
• Statistics from Baseball-Reference

Here is the Bob Dylan reference.  Catfish Hunter was the only baseball player who was the subject of a Dylan song.

Catfishing refers to the creation of a fictitious online persona, or fake identity (typically on social networking platforms), with the intent of deception, usually to mislead a victim into an online romantic relationship or to commit financial fraud.  When I meet new people online these days, I don't know if they are real or catfishing.  In any event, they turn into ghosts within a few days.

What Happens When a Nice Jewish Girl from Brooklyn Meets a Nobel Laureate from Minnesota

 

Barbra Streisand released a new album titled “The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two,” is that breath. It's a cozy, comforting audible hug from a parade of familiar friends, including Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Josh Groban, Sting, Ariana Grande, and Mariah Carey. Even Bob Dylan hopped aboard this love train.

Dylan and Streisand sang The Very Thought of You, a duet with Streisand and Dylan.

The song was first recorded by Ray Noble and His Orchestra with Al Bowlly on vocals for His Master's Voice in England in April 1934.  I am surprised they chose an adult standard rather than a Dylan composition.  For more information on this song, please visit Wikipedia.