Neither a borrower nor a lender be,
For loan oft loses both itself and friend
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry (economy)
Polonius giving advice to his son as he goes off to
school.
Hamlet Act 1, Scene III
Monday, May 7, 2007
Friday, April 6, 2007
Friday After School & Snow
My first real job was teaching English at Long Beach High School on Long Island. The older male teachers were friendly and welcoming. After school on Friday, we would meet to have a few beers in a local bar. I remember one Friday afternoon in particular.
My ex-wife and I planned to take the train into NYC and then a bus to Pennsylvania to spend the February break at her parents' house. I thought it wouldn't hurt to stop off for a few beers and then drive home. It is one of very few times when things went awry. I have always tried to avoid awry, but this is one of the few times I failed.
My first problem was I had a few beers very quickly. Then it started to snow. After a few beers, the snow seemed like it would be no problem. I finally headed home in my 1964 Oldmobile Dynamic 88. The traffic was slow. No problem. I would take a short cut. Then I had to urinate. No problem. I'd stop at the next gas station. No problem.
Then I looked at my gas gauge. No gas. I was stuck in traffic. I really had to go to the bathroom. I had to get gas. I had to get out of this traffic. It was snowing harder. It was cold.
My car ran out of gas. I walked and hitched home, arriving home very late. I had lost my keys. My car was on the side of the road. My ex-wife was genuinely concered.
My Uncle Bob lived a few miles away. I called him and he said he was sorry, but he couldn't help. My ex-wife and I walked in the snow storm over to his house. I guess guilt got the better of him because he drove us to where the car was, we put some gas in it and finally, the car was home and so were my ex-wife and I.
We did take the bus to her parents. I think of this event every time I have a Heineken, because that was the beer Jim McKay kept buying me. It was all his fault!
My ex-wife and I planned to take the train into NYC and then a bus to Pennsylvania to spend the February break at her parents' house. I thought it wouldn't hurt to stop off for a few beers and then drive home. It is one of very few times when things went awry. I have always tried to avoid awry, but this is one of the few times I failed.
My first problem was I had a few beers very quickly. Then it started to snow. After a few beers, the snow seemed like it would be no problem. I finally headed home in my 1964 Oldmobile Dynamic 88. The traffic was slow. No problem. I would take a short cut. Then I had to urinate. No problem. I'd stop at the next gas station. No problem.
Then I looked at my gas gauge. No gas. I was stuck in traffic. I really had to go to the bathroom. I had to get gas. I had to get out of this traffic. It was snowing harder. It was cold.
My car ran out of gas. I walked and hitched home, arriving home very late. I had lost my keys. My car was on the side of the road. My ex-wife was genuinely concered.
My Uncle Bob lived a few miles away. I called him and he said he was sorry, but he couldn't help. My ex-wife and I walked in the snow storm over to his house. I guess guilt got the better of him because he drove us to where the car was, we put some gas in it and finally, the car was home and so were my ex-wife and I.
We did take the bus to her parents. I think of this event every time I have a Heineken, because that was the beer Jim McKay kept buying me. It was all his fault!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Top Ten Mystery Movies, TV Series and/or Stories.
1. And then There Were None (also know as Ten Little Indians) with Barry Fitzgerald. Based on the novel by Agatha Christie. This is the first mystery movie I remember seeing and it made a big impression on me. The book and movie have different endings.
2. The Hound of the Baskerville's with Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce. Based on the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Although the Mystery! version is more true to the book, this one is my favorite.
3. Poirot, the TV series, on MYSTERY! (PBS), with David Suchet as Hercule Poirot. Based on the stories of Agatha Christie.
4. Morse, the Chief Inspector Morse TV series, on MYSTERY! (PBS) with John Thaw as Chief Inspector Morse. Based on the novels of Colin Dexter. Like Alfred Hitchcock, Colin Dexter makes an uncredited appearance in each episode in a very minor role.
5. Sherlock Holmes, the three different series on MYSTERY! (PBS) with Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes. Based on the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. So far, Jeremy Brett the is the definitive Holmes, in my opinion.
6. Miss Marple, on MYSTERY! (PBS), with Joan Hickson as Miss Marple. Based on Agatha Christie's writings. Unfortunately, the new series is, as a whole, not as good, although some individual episodes are equal to or better that this first series.
7. Sleuth with Laurence Olivier and Michael Cane.
8. Murder on the Orient Express with Albert Finney as Hercule Poirot.
9. Sleepy Hollow with Johnny Depp
10. The Murder in the Rue Morge by Edgar Allen Poe. The origin of the mystery story.
In reviewing this list, I notice that the majority are all British. Edgar Allen Poe was an American. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Conan_Doyle) was born in Scotland. I think the British are the masters of this genre.
2. The Hound of the Baskerville's with Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce. Based on the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Although the Mystery! version is more true to the book, this one is my favorite.
3. Poirot, the TV series, on MYSTERY! (PBS), with David Suchet as Hercule Poirot. Based on the stories of Agatha Christie.
4. Morse, the Chief Inspector Morse TV series, on MYSTERY! (PBS) with John Thaw as Chief Inspector Morse. Based on the novels of Colin Dexter. Like Alfred Hitchcock, Colin Dexter makes an uncredited appearance in each episode in a very minor role.
5. Sherlock Holmes, the three different series on MYSTERY! (PBS) with Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes. Based on the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. So far, Jeremy Brett the is the definitive Holmes, in my opinion.
6. Miss Marple, on MYSTERY! (PBS), with Joan Hickson as Miss Marple. Based on Agatha Christie's writings. Unfortunately, the new series is, as a whole, not as good, although some individual episodes are equal to or better that this first series.
7. Sleuth with Laurence Olivier and Michael Cane.
8. Murder on the Orient Express with Albert Finney as Hercule Poirot.
9. Sleepy Hollow with Johnny Depp
10. The Murder in the Rue Morge by Edgar Allen Poe. The origin of the mystery story.
In reviewing this list, I notice that the majority are all British. Edgar Allen Poe was an American. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Conan_Doyle) was born in Scotland. I think the British are the masters of this genre.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
4th Generation
I am a fourth generation Irishman whose great-grandfather came from Ireland, via Scotland, to New York City, and settled in Hoboken, N.J. My last name is most commonly found on the West Coast of Ireland.
My great-grandfather was an only child, and his son was an only child, who grew up in Hoboken. He always wanted a son of his to go to the engineering college on the hill, right on the Hudson river, looking over to New York City.
My grandfather had three sons and his oldest son did go to Steven's Institute of Technology. He graduated near the top of his class and went to work for a company that would hire Catholics. That was in 1945. Not all companies would hire Catholics at that time.
He was very successful and ended up being the CEO of a number of corporations. All were in the general area of the chemical industry. He served for 25 years on the Board of Trustees at Stevens, and the gymnasium is named after him. He once told me how much he enjoyed playing intramural basketball when he was a student.
His son, my older brother, also went there.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
General Class License Manual
ARRL's General Class License Manual seems to be well written, comprehensive and very interesting.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
SKYWARN
National SKYWARN Homepage
www.skywarn.net
Palm Beach County SKYWARN
www.pbcskywarn.dakehome.com
Natonal Weather Service Miami
www.weather.gov/miami
National Severe Storms Laboratory
www.nssl.noaa.gov
From SKYWARN Storm Spotters training session Feb 2007
www.skywarn.net
Palm Beach County SKYWARN
www.pbcskywarn.dakehome.com
Natonal Weather Service Miami
www.weather.gov/miami
National Severe Storms Laboratory
www.nssl.noaa.gov
From SKYWARN Storm Spotters training session Feb 2007
Mallory Creek
Yesterday I got a postcard in the mail about a new community in Abacoa. It is called Mallory Creek. I went to the sales office and it seems pretty good.
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