New York Rocks My Radio written by Alan Stark and Performed by Gerry Diffenbach

I highly recommend my radio friends listen to this.  I vaguely remember Pete Fornatale played this on his Mixed Bag show years ago.

Idle Hands Have Contributed to the Rioting Protesting the Death of George Floyd

The death of George Floyd is tragic to say the least.  It was criminal for former police officer Derek Chauvin to press his foot on his neck for over 8 minutes while he was handcuffed on the ground.  The other police officers on the scene did nothing to stop Chauvin who was rightfully arrested and charged with third-degree murder.

There is a right to protest in American society guaranteed by the constitution.  However, it must peaceful and not infringe on the rights of others.  I was aghast to watch the nightly news and observe the violent protests in Brooklyn.  The protesters were obviously venting at the NYPD who had nothing to do with the crime in Minneapolis.  Protests there and in other cities have resulted in the destruction of businesses owned by people with no connection to the murder.

These last few months have created much unhappiness for all as recreational, and cultural activities were stopped by the COVID-19 crisis.  The protesters in Brooklyn and in other cities had nothing to do and used the situation to vent their frustrations.  The cliché “Idle hands make for devil’s workshop” applies here.  The protests about the Eric Garner murder were much less violent.

I certainly hope that justice will prevail here.  In 1999 Amadou Diallo was murdered as 4 police officers shot him 43 times.  The trial was moved from the Bronx to Albany and the cops were acquitted.  The Eric Garner case dragged on for 5 years as the cop involved was not criminally charged and was only fired from the NYPD.

I hope Derek Chauvin’s trial will be held in a timely manner and in the community where the crime happened.  He should be convicted and given the maximum sentence for third-degree murder.

Hopefully Greed Will Not Kill the 2020 Baseball Season

The following statement on Twitter by Max Scherzer is very disturbing: "After discussing the latest developments with the rest of the players there’s no reason to engage with MLB in any further compensation reductions,”

Since the current proposal by MLB is to play 82 games, the players are willing to take half their salary.  However, since playing in empty stadiums would greatly reduce income for the owners, players are being asked to take further reductions in compensation.  I read somewhere that a baseball team would lose $640,000 for each game played in an empty stadium.

Max Scherzer's salary calls for $191 Million over 7 years.  Can he afford to take a reduction so that games can go on?  The lack of professional sports over the last 10 weeks has caused much unhappiness among Americans.  Let Scherzer and other multi-millionaire ballplayers observe all the people waiting in line for food.

These professional athletes are making millions for playing a boy's game.  They can take a cut in salary for one season.  Hopefully, greed will not kill the 2020 season.

More Random Thoughts

Yesterday morning in Cunningham Park in Queens there were several police officers giving out masks.  Out of three people, one took the mask and wore it while the other two took the masks and held it in their hands.  I have observed about 80-90% of all people wear masks.  I just hate it when it fogs up my glasses. 

When I pass by an elementary school in my neighborhood in the morning there are two crossing guards just standing around.  Why are they need when there is no school? res It is just a waste of money.  Can they at least be repurposed to do something constructive?

Public and university libraries have been closed since mid-March.  Certainly, many but not all resources are available electronically.  In the past 2 months I have used several electronic books and sent them to my Kindle.  Not all books are available electronically, and many seniors (not me) are not tech-savvy and can't access those resources.  Here is a suggestion - Library users can locate print books through the online catalog and state which library they can pick up the book.  The branch would need to be open only a few hours a day and require masks and social distancing for their employees and patrons coming in to pick up books.

Which Version of I Heard it Through the Grapevine is Your Favorite

There are 3 excellent and distinctive versions of I Heard it Through the Grapevine:

• Gladys Knight and Pips
• Marvin Gaye
• Creedence Clearwater Revival

Please vote for your favorite

May 24, 2020 - Saluting Bob Dylan on His 79th Birthday

At age 79 Bob Dylan has passed the test of time with flying colors.  There are very few entertainers who appeared in the early 1960s and are still performing.  The Never Ending Tour started in 1988 but unfortunately the Coronavirus pandemic put it on hold.  I am listing my favorite song from each decade.  I hope he enjoys his birthday wherever he is.

• The 1960s - Maggies Farm
• The 1970s  - Forever Young
• The 1980s - Neighborhood Bully
• The 1990s- Not Dark Yet
• The 2000s -  Summer Days
• The 2010s - Duquense Whistle
• The 2020s - I Contain Multitudes

Random Thoughts about the Coronavirus Situation

I sense that people are getting more and more restless about the "Pause" inactivity due to the Coronavirus.  It is a "drag" to have to go outside wearing a mask, but we must do it to stop the spread of this dreadful disease.  Thankfully, the numbers of hospitalizations and deaths are going down, but it will not go down to zero until there is a vaccine.  Once a vaccine is developed, it will take a long time to mass-produce it and distribute it to billions.

I tend to doubt there will be a baseball season in 2020.  There are two many medical complications in protecting the players, managers, coaches, trainers, and others from the dreadful virus.  Many players are complaining about getting less money.  They are greedy as they are making millions by playing a boy's game.  Owners feel that they will lose more money if games are played in front of empty stadiums.

I don't think that basketball and hockey should resume their seasons.  All, but the diehard fans have likely lost interest.

There is also a question about professional football where there is the most body contact and likelihood to spread the virus.  Would they have to play in empty or partially-filled stadiums?