Blast from the past-- August Heat Wave 2009

Had a heat wave (of course!) in August 2009..

This was also back when because of the urging of a friend of mine I also did political posts. He said he wanted to see them to make sure I was not "going soft" in my old age.

As time went by, I decided I wasn't all that interested in doing political posts. I had had enough of all the rants I read on Facebook, for instance.

So here is August 2009-- I had just started the blog the previous February

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Late August Street Fair

The torpor of a Sunday in late August seems ideal for yet another NY street fair...

Summer dresses and other items that haven't sold all season are still around, plus the usual food merchants.

Saw only one clothing display for men-- a rack of rather cheap looking polyester ties. Very few people outside of the hard core business types are wearing suits and ties in late August. What you mostly notice is the variety of gym bags and knapsacks.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Time for Democrats to Fight

I have grown sick and tired of the relentless campaign by rabid right wing radio, insurance companies, oil companies and the usual suspects to sabotage completely all attempts at social reform in American society.

I accept capitalism as our economic system, but Karl Marx and others were exactly right about capitalism's pitfalls. We have to reform our system, to insure a just and humane country that gets its priorities straight and is concerned about the decent treatment of the great number of Americans who are getting swindled and bamboozled by rapacious special interests.

It is typical that the tycoon who owned a lot of hospitals and was fined a billion dollars for all kinds of malfeasance now funds the most rabid anti-health-care reform group.

Insurance companies published their "game plan" about health reform a long time ago-- pretend to approve of it, and then whittle away and obstruct it as much as possible, playing on people's worst fears of "socialized medicine" and "government bureaucrats.'

It is high time President Obama and other progressive leaders realized that the Republican party is not seriously interested in bi-partisanship and negotiation but is bought like the proverbial sack of potatoes by Big Money and special interests...and will know no limits to play on people's worst fears.

The moronic Sarah Palin and her palaver about " death panels" is a great example of this.

I intend to write to Obama and other elected officials and tell them of the need to stand firm against the right wing onslaught that has always triumphed over every attempt to make sane policies for this country-- including their opposition to clean and renewable energy, for instance.

It is easy to be cynical about the Democratic Party, but it is the only party that can effectively fight for real social change for the better in this country.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

My August Malaise

Meant this posting to be about re-reading James Joyce's  "Dubliners,"...

but August malaise has got me. Heat wave here has been terrible.

My blogging of course has been crippled by having a fractured wrist and my inability to move around and take pictures.

For instance, there was just a tremendous storm which savaged Central Park--hundreds of trees destroyed-- and ordinarily I would have  run an article on that, with photos of devastation and clean-up activities.

Today my Physical Therapy session resulted in my wrist feeling something like "normal" for the very first time.. still stiff, but it is finally coming back.

Just started swimming at the 14th Street Y here... unfortunately, pool is mobbed by people trying to escape the heat and swimming conditions are far from optimal ( I don't like freezing water,but why is the water in the pool so warm?). Also, the last time I swam it made my wrist hurt a lot--as opposed to swimming in the ocean, which was soothing,

In nine days time I am leaving to visit an old friend at his family's summer place on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire... will be able to get photos and story of that.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Dog Days In New York

The depth of summer has arrived and the city is steaming...

There's that old saying, " It's not the heat, it's the humidity." In Manhattan these days it's both...

You have to go out very early for errands or very late or you will suffer the misery of these "dog days."

Hard to think Labor Day isn't that far off...

Looking forward to escaping to New Hampshire at the end of August. Meanwhile, just try to stay cool!

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Vacation in Cape Cod

Finally got a vacation outside of  New York City...

Visiting my sister  and  her family at their summer house on Buzzards Bay on Cape Cod ( Falmouth).

House is right across road from bay...beautiful 1920's Arts and Crafts place with a three storey atrium and period details.

Went swimming a lot and just generally enjoyed being with whole family.

Temperatures on Cape were almost same as NYC but felt about 20 degrees cooler...sea breezes versus city pollution?

Bus ride was semi-enjoyable....rode up sitting next to man who lives with wife on Cape and commutes into NYC every week.  He had an i-phone gadget that showed maps and details of traffic jams we are in. Receives satellite signals.

He is IT guy... sometimes didn't understand what he was talking about in terms of his work!

Traffic extremely heavy on Cape-- has that in common with NYC. Got caught in traffic jam near Bourne Bridge that seemed endless.

Feels weird to come home from my sister's cool, immaculate house to my cluttered, hotbox apartment!

Hope to start on Physical Therapy for my wrist SOON.