ON PURELY CHASTE, PRISTINE, AND RANDOM THOUGHTS XXXIX

August 1, 2026

August 1, 2026

Six months have passed so here we go again. There are 25 of my random, scattered thoughts below about nothing in particular.

  1. Haven’t visited an OTB parlor in over a year.
  2. Lost another two friends; sad, but a part of life.
  3. Pari-mutual betting on thoroughbred racing is doomed to failure, especially here in New York where operations are run by the incompetent New York Racing Association (NYRA). More on this in my September article.
  4. Broke out even betting on hockey. Got clobbered in college and pro football. Things are even worse for baseball this season.
  5. The Queen suffered for over two months with severe neck pains, which was followed by me suffering the same ailment. Would this be defined as sympathy pain?
  6. Some outfit caught a group plagiarizing numerous technical books. Included in the class action suite were nearly 40 of my publications. I’m hoping to get lucky in the near future.
  7. It was a really harsh winter. Maybe its old age, but it seemed more so than usual. It was also a particularly cool spring.
  8. I don’t remember Joe DiMaggio, Duke Snider, Stan Musial, Hank Aaron, etc., ever getting hurt and I never remember any of my heroes of yesteryear asking for or given a day off to rest. . . even with back-to-back doubleheaders during some brutally hot days. What’s happened with today’s athletes?
  9. Traveled (ugh!) to Austin, TX for the annual environmental meeting. My paper on geothermal energy went well. Food was good but you can’t beat Greek and Italian food here at home.
  10. I maintain that Brian O’Connell is the best Division I basketball referee.
  11. Treated to a wrestling match in the NBA finals. What happened to the basketball we grew up with? Brunson was absolutely unbelievable, but the refs hurt San Antonio.
  12. The connections of Golden Tempo (particularly trainer Cherie DeVaux) should be banned from racing after they deprived their horse of an opportunity of a triple crown following the Derby win. The competition was woefully weak, as demonstrated by a 28-second final quarter in the Belmont Stakes.
  13. I can’t believe how many professional baseball players swing at pitches in the ground and / or two feet outside the plate.
  14. Hanging in there. Turned 92 in April. But I’m still the luckiest guy in the world.
  15. The Mets are truly a disaster. Highest payroll in baseball. They impress me as an above-average minor league team. Rookies in the outfield and on the pitching staff may later solve their problems, e.g., Stearns and Cohen.
  16. Purchased another geothermal stock. ORA at $125. Went up to 145 and is now at 100. NOV has done well (21) purchased at $12.25.
  17. Also purchased FERVO. It went public (IPO) at $27. I got in at $38.75 and $28, and is currently under $20. This company is also sure to be a winner in the future.
  18. You want traditional Greek food at a reasonable price? Try Stamatis in Astoria. You won’t be disappointed.
  19. I had token save bets on the Knicks the last two years. Not a dime this year. Ouch!
  20. I live in East Williston. The school taxes are bad enough, but now Village taxes have also taken off. Fortunately, the leadership at the Town (Jennifer DeSena) and County levels (Bruce Blakeman) have put a lid on increases; not so at our Village level.
  21. Oldest grandkid (attending Yale) is doing a great job as Alder (man) in New Haven.
  22. Another grandchild is headed to Yale.
  23. One of my latest books titled Design of Air Pollution Content Equipment, was recently published.
  24. Geothermal Energy: Principles and Calculations will be my next publication; I’ve got high hopes for this one.
  25. I still believe that “The Hambones” – featuring the multi-talented Puerto Rican phenom John Kouri and “Hell or High Water” with the dynamic Tom Wiff – are the two top bands in this area. I can’t fathom why these two bands have yet to make the big time and bigger venues.

Stay tuned.

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NEXT POSTINGS

SEPTEMBER 1;    On Doomed to Failure

OCTOBER 1:         On Winnie

NOVEMBER 1:     On Goodbye Baseball, Hello Basketball

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ON LILA’S GEM

December 31, 2025

January 1, 2026

This one is personal. Very personal. I rarely talk about our grandkids (there are three) but every now and then, something comes up that catches my fancy.

Five years ago, at age 11, our granddaughter Lila Theodore wrote the following essay for class where she was asked to “reflect on a time when you were intellectually challenged, inspired, or took an intellectual risk – inside or outside the classroom. How has that experience shaped you?”

Her essay follows:

“Do you want to co-author a book?” my grandpa asked.

On a sunny June afternoon during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was lounging on my grandparents’ red brick patio. We had just finished a meal, our weekly pandemic tradition. My grandfather had retired from his job as a professor many years ago, but instead of fully retiring, he continued writing books on topics that he is interested in (although not always an expert), which range from chemical engineering to basketball. He had grown interested in infectious diseases and wanted to put together a reference guide on pharmaceutical companies.

I said yes to co-authoring this book without fully realizing how much of an intellectual challenge I had just taken on. This was something outside of  my comfort zone, especially since I had never done research on that scale, and I was only eleven years old. It was intimidating that my writing would be published and distributed, especially on a topic that I knew little to nothing about. I also wondered if I really wanted to spend a good chunk of my summer researching the very thing that was making my life miserable:  infectious diseases! Still, it was an amazing opportunity. I was in the midst of a quarantine, but there wasn’t much else to do. So, I accepted.

While I had always enjoyed writing, this was a major new challenge: there was a huge amount of work, there were hard deadlines, and in the end my work would be published. The thought of anybody being able to read this book with my writing in it was a bit scary. My part of the book was to research pharmaceutical companies and write short company profiles. At first this research seemed a little bit boring, and after my first few pharmaceutical companies, I wondered how I would get through the dreadfully long list.

After I had gotten into the flow of it, though, I started to enjoy it. In the beginning I thought of pharmaceutical companies as being these abstract anonymous things, and I knew my audience might think that way as well. As I worked my way through the list, I became interested in all of the individual stories of people who did research, invested things, started companies, went bankrupt, profited from unethical practices, and so on. I knew that my writing challenge would be to make my readers aware of the fascinating and sometimes shocking history of pharmaceutical research.

There was also something empowering about this work: being able to plan out a large project, stretch my writing skills, and making the deadline made me proud, even if I did hit a few bumps along the way. And, it gave me the opportunity to better understand some of the aspects of the disease that seemed to completely dominate my life at the time. The risk I took when I was eleven years old helped me become a better much more organized and responsible researcher and writer.

*****

NOTE: The book “Virus Contacts: Agencies and Organizations” was published by Amazon. It serves as a research guide for the practitioner and traveler.

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NEXT POSTINGS

FEBRUARY 1:          On Purely Chaste, Pristine and Random Thoughts XXXVIII

MARCH 1:                 On the Ultimate Quiz

APRIL 1:                    On Dining Out

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On A Paradise Lost

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Memories! It often wakes after years of sleep. Fleeting time can occur with amazing speed and describe the present in a new light. For many, it is both inaccurate and selective but cunningly wise during various time periods in its travels.

It was the Spring of 1974. Over a half century ago! We decided to vacation in Sarasota, Florida with our two girls (2 and 4) … Patrick had yet to arrive. Why Sarasota? Two local dog tracks and a nearby thoroughbred racetrack (Tampa Bay Downs). Three years later, we found what was to become our home away from home – the beautiful Sandcastle Hotel on Lido Beach. It was due west and adjacent to Armand’s Circle and downtown Sarasota.

We fell in love with the place. The kids really fell in love with the place. And then, the grandkids really, really fell in love with the place. It was originally run by the Sheraton in the 1970s. Then it was Leona Hemsley. And most recently (over a decade ago), it was purchased by Ocean Properties, which also owns the Lido Beach Resort. Through it all, the Sandcastle remained to us the most beautiful resort in the world. Mary (as a travel agent) kept sending her clients. Tim Hunter, the hotel’s manager, became a close friend. It was boom times. Things could not have been better.

And then a decision was made to transform our paradise into a luxury 304 room contemporary resort. This was followed by Helene that absolutely destroyed the hotel and its surroundings. It was as if we had been struck by a dagger. A total of 50 years (less one for Covid) of our vacationing away from home had come to an end.

And what about the Sandcastle, you ask? I’ve seen reviews that bellowed: “a dump … damp, sandy carpets…. the toilet didn’t work … the safe was jammed … etc.,” Really? Here’s my take. You would walk out of our rooms and step into sand facing 600 feet of the Gulf of America; the other door directly faced the pool. Our housekeeper was always Rose. The breakfast buffet was our family’s favorite with Zoe as our server. (My breakfast consisted of two containers of coffee while facing the Gulf). The hamburgers and sandwiches with fries for lunch were absolutely delicious. If dinner wasn’t takeout on the beach facing a breathtaking sunset, it was at The Chart House, The Salty Dog, Columbian, Crab & Finn early bird, etc., and occasionally Tony’s Pizza. Ice cream was also on the Circle at Kilwin’s (the family’s absolute favorite) or Olaf’s (my favorite). Of course, there was always the beautiful Sandcastle cocktail lounge for late-night entertainment with the incomparable Earl Lewis of the Flamingos (I have one of his tapes). And Easter, with Bartender Missy as the Easter Bunny was always a great show.

And what about Leona, you ask? No discourse on the Sandcastle would be complete without (at least) a paragraph on the Queen of Mean. Alan Dershowitz, one of the all-time great con men, claimed he knew a waiter who begged not to be fired after spilling a couple of drops of water. I can tell you this – everybody was on their best behavior when she was there … and this includes both employees and patrons. She and Harry were usually very quiet and standoffish. I did run into her in Vegas soon after Harry died; she was alone at a roulette table. Her Maltese dog, named Trouble, wound up inherited it all. The most beautiful resort in the world.

Although Helene had destroyed almost all of Lido Beach and some of the Circle, the Sarasota tradition had to continue. The kids settled on the aforementioned Lido Beach Resort. Exit Tim Hunter and enter Chase. We were starting anew. Quite frankly, it was not the same for me, but everyone else loved our new vacation home. Perhaps a new paradise had arrived on the scene.

Perhaps. But the memories of a Paradise lost remain despite the relentless passage of time.

Farewell Sandcastle. RIP.

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NEXT POSTINGS

AUGUST 1:                On the Ultimate Quiz IX

SEPTEMBER 1:         On Geothermal Energy

OCTOBER 1:             On the Massive Rip-off

NOVEMBER 1:         Hello Basketball, Goodbye Baseball

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ON MY KEYS TO LONGEVITY

January 1, 2025

January 1, 2025

I’m now in the last decade before officially becoming a centenarian. A host of people have questioned my secrets on longevity. (Webster simply defines longevity as: “length of life.”) Could it be genes? Maybe. But, then again, maybe not. If not, what then?

Here are my half-dozen keys to longevity. This is followed by a host of other “minor” suggestions that one might consider.

  1. WALK! This is the most important of my 6 keys. Up until this year, I walked a mile at a leisurely pace in the morning (on awakening) and at night (following dinner). It’s now down to the morning walk and a 1/8 to 1/4 mile at night. I also do a few deep knee bends and seven pushups in the morning. I also try to walk 25 to 100 feet several times in between these walks. If you choose to run, don’t run too far, and don’t overexert. The important thing is to get all parts of your body moving without putting any excessive pressure on other parts of your body. Don’t bypass this key; as I indicated above, I believe it is the most important suggestion you will find in this article.
  2. DRINK WATER. Lots of it! Water is the common name for the liquid state of the hydrogen – oxygen compound H2O. It is the major constituent of all living matter. Approximately 75% of the weight of living organisms is water. It plays an important role in the metabolic breakdown of protein and carbohydrates in our system and has been defined by many as the “universal solvent.” Did I say drink lots of it? Well, if you’re not feeling well, I suggest you drink even more of it. I believe that it helps flush out the evil demons within us when ill. Colleague and former student John McConway suggests drinking the water at ambient temperature (no ice) and with a glass (not a bottle) to reduce the resistance to flow. A good idea. Remember, it’s water – not coffee, tea, soda, etc.
  3. DON’T SMOKE, DRINK ALCOHOL OR TAKE DRUGS. I smoked for one year during my mid-twenties. You will be spared of the tales of the effects of smoking on some of my friends. I drank alcoholic beverages for approximately 25 years but haven’t had a drink since 1977. And I don’t miss it. I guess alcohol in moderation would be okay, but given a choice, I wouldn’t drink. As you might suppose, I have never done drugs in any manner or form. I think those that do are playing with fire.
  4. TAKE DEEP BREATHS. I do just this on awakening and prior to going to sleep. Oxygen is the most abundant of all the elements known to man. It composes 23% by weight of the atmosphere, 86% of the oceans (98% of pure water is oxygen); and, as a constituent of most rocks and minerals, 47% of the solid crust of the earth. Oxygen comprises 60% of the human body. It is a constituent of all living tissues; almost all plants and animals, including all humans, require oxygen to maintain life. Oxygen is administered medicinally to patients whose respiratory functioning is impaired and is supplied to individuals in aircraft flying at high altitudes where the concentration of oxygen is insufficient to support the normal respiratory process. I suggest the aforementioned deep breaths be taken through the nose. You might also consider doing it during the middle of the day.
  5. MAKE OTHERS HAPPY. Since the mid-1970s when I survived a fierce battle with depression, I have attempted to make someone happy every day of the year. How, you ask? By saying thank you whenever the occasion arises. By complimenting people. By overtipping the waiter and commenting on the services. By tipping the bus boy. By tipping anybody who has gone out of their way for me, etc., etc. It really is a good feeling.
  6. MAINTAIN TIES WITH IMPORTANT RESOURCES. The resources would, of course, include your physician(s), dentist, psychiatrist, hospital, etc., at the medical level. But also maintain ties and surround yourself with individuals (and things) that are happy, smart, kind, positive, and (most importantly) funny. There are few things that beat a good laugh.

As you might suppose, there are other things that you should consider doing. Some of my other “favorites” are listed below.

  • Read.
  • Get educated.
  • Try writing or painting. I don’t paint. But I did get educated to a point where I have written 117 books…plus nearly 200 articles for my monthly newsletter.
  • Drive defensively.
  • Vacation occasionally. A change of pace is good but there is nothing like home.
  • Slow down and get rid of that protruding belly.
  • I’ve been successful in minimizing sugar and salt intake.
  • Expose yourself to extreme temperatures on a regular basis; cold during the winter and heat during the summer.
  • Stay away from snacks. I guess a small snack on occasion is ok.
  • Wed later rather than earlier in life. I got lucky. Girls didn’t want to know me. Then – and I still can’t believe it – I hit the jackpot.
  • Don’t overextend exercising. On the other hand, Mary does just the opposite.
  • Do puzzles. Newsday provides a crossword puzzle, a Jumble, and 2 crypto quotes.
  • I’ve been on a diet the last 13 years. It consists of 600 – 800 calories one day per week.

Back to longevity. Lifespan is the length of time that embraces all the events of one’s life, from conception to death. The maximum lifespan for humans has not changed significantly in the last several centuries. The average lifespan, however, has increased greatly for persons living in industrialized countries. The average lifespan has risen from nearly 40 years of age at the end of the 18th century to about twice that age today. And, the average lifespan of American women now exceeds that of American men by approximately seven years. Interestingly, humans have the longest average lifespan of almost all mammals. The longest living animal is the giant tortoise, which is believed to attain a maximum age of about 200 years. Some plants, such as trees, however, live much longer than any animal; redwoods, for example, may live for more than 3000 years!

How about you in the reading audience? Any comments? Any contribution(s)? I’d appreciate some help here.

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

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Note:   I will be presenting an encore (by popular request) seminar tutorial on gambling (particularly dice) based on my book Winning at Casinos on February 5 at the Village of East Williston Library, 2 Prospect Street, East Williston, at 7:00pm.  Entry is free and refreshments will be served.

NEXT POSTINGS

FEBRUARY 1:          On Sleep Apnea III

MARCH 1      :           On Purely Chaste, Pristine and Random Thoughts XXXVII

APRIL 1:                    On Great Eats VI: Hamburgers

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On A dozen No-No’s

August 1, 2024

August 1, 2024

Who was it that said: “The dumbest person I ever met was my father. But when I got older, and had married and had kids, my father suddenly got smarter.” But what about a guy like me? My wife claims I’m both a father (3) and grandfather (3). Maybe the time had come for me to offer some advice to the kids; after all, I’ve been around nearly a century. After some deliberation, I realized it was too late to offer anything to our kids, so I sat the three grandkids down one day and told them about my dozen no-no’s. These no-no’s were very simple grandfatherly suggestions. Their reaction appeared to be positive.

It has been 2 months since our chat and there’s been no feedback. So, I thought I might jot down my suggestions (as best as I can remember) for safe keeping. Here they are with the #1 No-No the most important to observe, and the #12 No-No the least important.

No-No 1:         No sexual activity that can result in a pregnancy.

            2:         No drinking and driving.

            3:         No drugs. These should only be used for treatment or prevention of disease. Stay away from barbiturates, sedatives, hypnotics, stimulants, hallucinogens, opioids, etc. Shame on Willie Nelson’s attempts to publicize drug use.

            4:         No carrying of weapons. It was knives, razors, and chains in my day.

            5:         No drinking to excess. The Queen and I haven’t had a drink in about half century.

            6:         No smoking (or vaping).

            7:         No tattoos. Tattooing is a method of “decorating” the skin by inserting colored substances under the surface. This irreversible action is both stupid and insane. I wear no jewelry. If one of my kids came home with a tattoo, it would be a major disappointment.

8:         No gambling to excess. This is a tough one for me since I’ve been gambling all my life. The key here is to gamble only with money you can afford to lose.

9:         No hard political or religious positions. Sorry, but I can’t help myself here with the former.

            10:       No shortcutting your education. It is absolutely imperative that you be communicate orally and in writing.

            11:       No physical or mental abuse of others.

            12:       No physical altercation(s) with others.

I hope some of the above helps a couple of my readers.

Note: The opening “quote” has been attributed to Mark Twain. However, this has been disputed in recent years.

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NEXT POSTINGS

SEPTEMBER 1:         On Vertigo

OCTOBER 1:             On My Wish List

NOVEMBER 1:         On Hello Basketball, Goodbye Baseball

DECEMBER 1:          On the Results

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On Purely Chaste, Pristine, and Random Thoughts XXXIV

July 1, 2024

July 1, 2024

We’re off again – this time our 34th. Here are over two dozen of my random thoughts that really don’t amount to much.

  • Thank God I don’t stand alone; I have a host of people to fall back on.
  • I still maintain that the most corrupt organization known to mankind is the NCAA.
  • My latest book, Gambling at Casinos: The Definitive Guide, has gotten some decent reviews. I’m really shocked how few people know what’s going on with dice (or what the industry refers to as “craps”).
  • I have two books in the works – one on hydrogen energy and another on air pollution control equipment. Work on the former has been a nightmare; the latter is a second edition of a 1981 book.
  • Mary and the family threw a gala bash to celebrate my 90th several months ago. Over 80 attended the festivities.
  • I got 90 in. Now hoping for another 5 years, but I’m not nearly as optimistic as I was 5 years ago.
  • I was scheduled to present a paper in Calgary on the air pollution book in late June, but the air fare and hotel rates were prohibitive.
  • Air travel continues to worsen.
  • Sports authorities have yet to figure out that defense is the key to winning basketball games.
  • Sports authorities have yet to figure out the disastrous effects of walks on the results of baseball games.
  • The geniuses that run NYRA have successfully dismantled Belmont Park – the most beautiful racetrack in the world.
  • We vacationed at the beautiful Sandcastle Resort in Sarasota, Florida this past Spring. The bad news? Our 46th year stay at the hotel will end, replaced by a high-rise condominium.
  • Finished reading Willie Nelson’s autobiography. A great read.
  • The recent eclipse? I stayed up all night to see where the sun went and then it suddenly dawned on me.
  • The DOJ? For me, it’s become Droves of Jerks or is it Judges? Apologies to my dear FBI hero, Ernie Haridopolos, who is no longer with us.
  • Seems to me that most doctors attack the effect and not the cause of our problems.
  • Someone once said: “I want to live my life like a light bulb – burn brightly my entire life, and then suddenly burn out.”
  • I believe the key to human longevity is walking and drinking water.
  • My thoughts often return to the first responders during the COVID pandemic.
  • We face a lot of problems in the future. Hopefully, technology will provide the solution(s).
  • I still cannot understand the hatred some people have for Trump.
  • Recently had dinner at the new Greek restaurant Plori in Carle Place. A great experience. I guess it’s the Greek in me since lamb and pastitsio are still my favorites.
  • Survived the last winter but it gets more difficult with each passing year.
  • I still diet one day a week.
  • My two patents on potable water have gone nowhere.
  • It’s amazing how often the media attempts to rewrite history.
  • Had the house painted. Ugh. The money and the clutter.
  • I continue to ask my friends for money instead of taking me out to dinner.
  • Old age may be closing in around me but I still walk a mile a day, bet horses on a nearly daily basis, write books, write these articles, and dine out on a regular basis.
  • We love dining out and listening to the music of two bands: Hambones and Hell or High Water.
  • Had a $10 saver bet on the Panthers at 9 to 1.

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NEXT POSTINGS

AUGUST 1:                On Sleep Apnea II

SEPTEMBER 1:         On Vertigo

NOVEMBER 1:         On Hello Basketball, Goodbye Baseball

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ON THE THEODORE COVID-19 VACCINE DISTRIBUTION PLAN

February 28, 2021

March 1, 2021

The distribution process for the COVID-19 vaccine is obviously significantly flawed. Who is at fault? It depends on who you talk to but it really doesn’t matter. For sure, there has to be a better way of handling this situation. Here are my comments followed by my vaccine distribution approach.

Three questions first need to be addressed before proceeding.

  1. How should the number and timing of vaccines be maximized?
  2. Who should decide who gets the vaccine and when?
  3. How should the vaccines for the recipients be distributed?

The answer to question (1) is simply this: the federal government should subsidize the creation / discovery and preparation of the vaccine supplies with generous bonuses for timely deliveries. This apparently did occur. Anyone or any group – other than the CDC or WHO – should determine the answer to questions (2). Why not me, even though there must be a host of others who could better provide an answer. Obviously (3) is the key question. Both questions (2) and (3) should be dynamic and vary with individual states, counties, locales, etc. In any event, here is what I propose.

The prioritization (high priority to low priority) is presented in terms of 6 categories. Categories include:

  1. Healthcare workers
  2. Infrastructure personnel (police, firefighters, etc.)
  3. Senior citizens
  4. High risk groups
  5. Children
  6. Others not included in A-D

My prioritization follows. Note that there are 20 groups.

A1.   Employed healthcare workers

B1.   Policemen and firefighters

C1.   Citizens 90 and over

D1.   Citizens with cancer, lung, liver, or heart disease

C2.   Citizens 85-90

A2.   Unemployed healthcare workers

C3    Citizens 75-85

D2.   Citizens with flu or pneumonia

C4.   Employed citizens 60-75

D3    Citizens with any past lung, liver, or heart disease

C5.   Parents with 3 or more children

D2.   Other employed infrastructure personnel

D3.   Other unemployed infrastructure personnel

E1.    Children under 1

C6.   Employed citizens 18-60

C7.   Unemployed citizens 18-60

E2.    Children 1-18

F1.    Used car salesmen, realtors, and dentists

F2.    Lawyers, elected officials, and government personnel

F3.    School teachers, college professors, and veterinarians

I believe the first four groups (A1-D1) in any order – should receive the vaccine first. The last three groups should receive the least consideration.

The assignment of any of the priorities above is not based on any solid scientific or medical data and information. It is simply a gut feeling drawn from my limited experience. As is the case with this sort of judgement, this prioritization will vary with both the individual and time. But for me, the key would be to have as little impact as possible from the government and bureaucrats.

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NEXT POSTINGS:

APRIL 1:                     On Hofstra’s 2020-21 Basketball Season

MAY 1:                       On Great Eats VI

JUNE 1:                      On Technical Writing

———————————————————————————————————————

Here are this month’s three offensive suggestions from the upcoming second edition of my “BASKETBALL COACHING 101” book.

  1. Practice inbounding the ball at various locations on the court when the opposing team is pressing.
  2. The player nearest to the ball should take it out immediately after a basket or foul shot and pass it to the first open man.
  3. Do not leave the foul line after the first of two (or three) free throws, and do not slap / shake the hand of a fellow teammate.

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ON PURELY, CHASTE, PRISTINE AND RANDOM THOUGHTS XXIX

August 1, 2020

 

August 1, 2020

 

Here’s a couple for you to think about.

  1. It’s baseball time. The Mets are going to have a tough time with their division but I still bet on them.
  2. When are baseball batters going to wake up and figure out to go the other way when the shift is on?
  3. I could never function effectively today without Mary holding my hand in this high tech society.
  4. My new book on “Water Management” arrived earlier this year. It could be doing better.
  5. Our second edition of the classic 1950 chemical engineering book “Process Heat Transfer” by the legendary Donald O. Kern is surprisingly doing well. I say surprisingly because all my books have one thing in common – they don’t sell.
  6. There’s a great local Italian restaurant named The Sicilian. It’s connected and a tough place. A really tough place. The hat-check girl’s name is Angelo and their special featured dish on Friday night is broken leg of lamb.
  7. Another tough winter. They keep getting tougher and tougher. Really appreciated the move to spring and summer.
  8. Dear friend and noted sports historian Arthur Lovely gave me two new-gems: The two most important words in the English language are “love” and “thanks”.
  9. Finally make contact and had a great conversation with Patricia Pyke, an old flame who (at that time) didn’t know I existed. We reminisced about growing up in Hell’s Kitchen during the Depression, World War II, and several subsequent years.
  10. The highlight for me during the winters is my trip to West Palm Beach and visiting my superstar guard (once the face of Playboy Magazine) Richie Bennett, Cooper Union classmate Arnie Weiss, and first cousin (paternal-side) Nora.
  11. Despite the claims of the environmentalists, air quality has never been better.
  12. I loved growing up in New York City (especially Astoria) because that was where the action was. Sorry to say that it is no longer true.
  13. Still love doing crossword puzzles, Jumbo, and cryptograms. I think it’s the “aha”, “gotcha”, and “eureka” moments that make them exciting.
  14. If you have money, which I don’t, invest in sports book stocks. Bought some William Hill and immediately went down.
  15. Biological terrorism has become a major concern and is apparently here to stay.
  16. Have yet to make it to “6” at Jones Beach. Ouch!
  17. Hoping to do a book on viruses (that I know nothing about). The invisible kingdom and reactions of bacteria and viruses may ultimately destroy civilization as we know it. Hopefully, the CDC and WHO will be displaced and replaced by competent agencies and individuals.
  18. Here is a given from 9 months ago: Biden will NOT debate Trump.
  19. Cuomo seems hell-bent on rewinding the tape of history. After sending the 6200 COVID patients to senior care facilities resulting in thousands of deaths, he is now bragging about his accomplishments and blaming others for his failures. What a guy. I’m also convinced Cuomo is an idiot. Not as dumb as Biden, but close.
  20. The term “peaceful protests” has disappeared from the English language.
  21. How about the teachers, who have forever claimed their dedication to students. Unlike our health care workers, they are now balking at going back to work because of safety concerns.  What a disappointing and parasitic group of non-professionals.
  22. Democrats, liberals, anarchists, socialists…call them what you may, appear hell-bent on personally humiliating Trump, irrespective of the negative political fallout on our nation. They are all traitors whose conduct is disgusting, e.g., Obama’s speech at Lewis’ memorial. Bottom line: Trump is fighting alone for America without the help of the Republican Party and the enemy are fighting Trump.
  23. My neighbor claims that if vandalism arrives at your door, it will be a white kid-with a rich father-attending an Ivy college where a professor has assured him that it is appropriate and proper to loot, maim, and destroy.
  24. Recently saw a TV program on The Battle of Midway (WW2-South Pacific). I wonder if these Bernie thugs and anarchists appreciate the sacrifices Americans made to help ensure our present way of life for those of us who truly love our country.
  25. Never underestimate the stupidity of the electorate: nearly half plan to vote for Biden along with Pelosi, Schumer, and Bernie’s thugs.

 

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

or

Basketball Coaching 101 (Facebook)

NEXT POSTINGS:

 

SEPTEMBER 1:         On Four Issues II: The New York Racing Association (NYRA)

OCTOBER 1:              On the Ultimate Quiz III

NOVEMBER 1:          On Election Time

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Here are this month’s three offensive suggestions from the upcoming second edition of my “BASKETBALL COACHING 101” book.

 

  1. Practice putting the ball in play; there should be several options available (and known) without the need to take a time out.
  2. Always run on offense; the only exceptions being if:

a. The bench is weak, and

b.  A key player is in foul trouble (shorten the game).

3. Motion offense is a must, otherwise your grandmother                    can  guard you.

Leave a Comment » | Barack Obama, East Williston, Education, Health, Politics, Sports | Permalink
Posted by The Theodore Newsletter

ON THE CORONAVIRUS II

July 1, 2020

July 1, 2020

 

Four months ago, I put forth an article concerned with the coronavirus. This is a follow-up piece that details my thoughts on some of the major players in the field.

 

Two things have occurred in the interim. I am now planning on writing a book on viruses (even though I know nothing about the subject) titled “Virus Contact Agencies and Organizations: A Resource Guide”, and secondly, the virus pandemic has been ebbing at this time. Nonetheless, here are my thoughts on seven of the aforementioned players in the field.

 

  1. Mayor DeBlasio. Ouch! Is this guy dumb or is he an anarchist? He apparently has his priorities on the police and rioters reversed. How in the world could anyone vote for him?
  2. Governor Cuomo. Here is another wimp whose only positive position is that he hates DeBlasio. He is still desperately trying to act presidential during daily press conferences while bragging about his accomplishments and at the same time attempting to rewrite history. His idiotic blunder on the nursing home patients and failure to purchase ventilators cost at least a thousand lives and will forever haunt him. He, like DeBlasio and NYC, is destroying our state — which may explain, in part, why he appears to be losing his mind. What a loser.
  3. President Trump. The Donald just can’t seem to do anything wrong. He guessed right on the early travel ban, approached the pandemic problem as only a competent non-bureaucratic individual would, and set us on the right path to rid ourselves of this menace. Furthermore, the economy (including the stock market) seems headed to bigger and better things. And to top this, it now appears with a high degree of certainty that Barack Hussein Obama and his henchmen in the FBI and DOJ did attempt a coup, an act (if proven) is punishable by death; these guys are really in hot water.
  4. The Media. Many of them belong in jail. I just can’t believe the blatant lies and distortions on CNBC (or what Hannity justifiably refers to as CDNC) and CNN. Their accusations regarding Trump and the pandemic are, at times, actually unbelievable. Their hatred for Trump just simply doesn’t make sense.
  5. The New York Times. Once a great newspaper. Still a great paper except for their coverage of the news and their raw hatred for Trump. I ask the reader to just read the headlines on the first page each day. No fair and learned individual could possibly claim that they are neutral and objective.
  6. Fauci. A fraud. A legitimate fraud who the Donald flushed out early in the pandemic. In March, Fauci proclaimed during a news conference that face masks serve no useful purpose. In April, he revised his position from March, claiming that the masks protect people around you. Then finally in May, he was back on TV telling us that masks were essential. With the coronavirus around for years, how could a so-called expert not know what was going on? His projections, based on poor data and faulty models, also failed us. I’ve written two books on and taught statistics and can assure even the novice or anyone who has taken a high school stat course would have known better. We now know he was wrong – flat out wrong – and should have not extrapolated the models. His advice was anything but science. In addition, he was no doubt attempting to protect the standard and traditional protocol of his profession and also help insure additional so called “critical” tests on oxychloroquine. Write this guy off!
  7. The Center for Disease Control (CDC). They are no different than any other bureaucratic organization… looking to survive and prosper, irrespective of the impact on us. It was founded in 1946 with a 10 million dollar budget. Its budget today is 1500 times larger and is manned with thousands of government employees. It advertises itself as “commitment to excellence”, the “premiere health prevention and preparedness agency”, and (get this) “protect America from health, safety, and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S.” I’ve taught numerous courses titled “Emergency Planning and Response” and “Risk Assessment” (and associated calculations). Firemen take similar courses and can no doubt better attend to this issue than the CDC. In any event, one needs to answer two questions.
  8. Did the CDC do a good job (not ever excellent) of preventing and controlling this virus?
  9. Was the CDC prepared for this once in a decade (or is it century?) the pandemic?

They obviously failed miserably on both counts. This pandemic has made it clear that a significant part of the bureaucracy failed us. Fortunately, we Americans always respond to a crises.

We have been taught a painful and expensive lesson. Has the bureaucracy? I doubt it; they’re still employed, collecting checks, and attempting to dictate national policy. Bottom line: The CDC is a typical failed and useless bureaucratic organization.

 

Enough already. Let me know what you think.

 

Note: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or publisher. Opposing views are welcomed.

 

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

or

Basketball Coaching 101 (Facebook)

 

NEXT POSTINGS:

 

AUGUST 1:                On Four Issues II: The New York Racing Association (NYRA)

SEPTEMBER 1:         On the Ultimate Quiz III

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Next month’s article will contain three defensive suggestions (from a total of 59) from the upcoming second edition of my “BASKETBALL COACHING 101” book.

 

2 Comments | East Williston, Health, Politics, Uncategorized, Views from Others | Permalink
Posted by The Theodore Newsletter