"Happy New Year"

            Happy New Year everybody...Please don't drink and drive...

"America Is Not Country Anymore"

"America is not a country anymore, its a business". That is the last line in the movie, "Killing Them Softly" starring Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta and James Gandolfini and a few other unknown actors. At least I don't know who they are. The moral of the story is, if you are a dumb ass, don't rob a high stakes, back room poker game filled with mobsters. The underlying message in this movie is big business, Lawyers, Obama and George Bush have turned the United States into a commercial infested, bankrupt nation that is slowly being flushed down the drain by greed and a population of citizens that are like instant gratification clones. When I heard Mr. Pitt say that line it all made sense to me. Like any big business mired in greed, debt and corruption, it will fail. Its only a matter of time. This movie reminded me that what I have been saying all along is true but I am not alone with what I am thinking. The writers and producers of this movie cleverly inserted Obama and McCain TV campaign messages in the background during their gangster meetings in bar rooms and offices and if you think about what is going on these days, it is flash back of accurate statements. Oh, the movie? Its a fair action, hit man movie with a few other underlying messages. Check it out...

Its true. We are not living in a Nation or a Country. We have become part of a huge business machine that is out of control. We are being programed everyday to spend and buy buy buy, not thinking of the consequences. The perfect example is the picture below....Anybody want to buy an old post office? This one is for sale in Norwich Conn.

"Its Count your Blessings Wednesday"

This is, I don’t have anything to say Wednesday. The weather report said its going to be gray and cold with rain or sleet on the shore line this afternoon and tonight and that alone doesn’t help at all. I am not going to let this get me down so I think I will count my blessings here. I am healthy and feel great. I have a beautiful girlfriend who really cares about me. Willie is content and purring. In this economy I don’t owe anyone a red cent and that’s just the important stuff. I have a great apartment and take air conditioning and heat for granted. My Mustang is running well and so is my bike. I don’t have to report to a job or worry about whether or not I am going to be late. I can help people and feel great because I have long term experience and people even listen to me. Except the bully cops in Old Saybrook of coarse. I know what to do if they don’t and when I drive down the street people wave at me. Every day I make it a point to make someone smile. I try and even go out of my way to help someone who needs it. I try not to cross boundaries and again, I know what to do if I do. I never forget to say I’m sorry if I mess things up and we all know I do that on occasion. I always say to keep a low profile so today that’s exactly what I am going to do. Those are my blessings and now I have to thank someone because if you think I did all this all on my own you are wrong. Something or someone is really watching over me.

"Seasons Greetings"

                       Merry Christmas Everybody!!!

UPDATE "Old Saybrook Ct. Police Dept."

Please realize I know this happened 7 years ago.. Did you ever hear the saying "Keep it green" .. and yes this really pissed me off.. However I am just keeping it green and just maybe someone will avoid getting stopped by these inappropriate assholes.... Yes, I am still angry they did this to me....When I told him I was going to write about the way he treated me, he laughed...

The Old Saybrook Police Department in Connecticut with their lack of social skills, common sense, understanding and compassion have desensitized themselves to the level of common thugs with a badge...Read on....

On Monday October 15, 2012 something unexpected happened to me. Something so totally outrageous and unfair it was... but wait let me start at the beginning and I will tell you what happened… The day started for me as it has for the past 3 years with me driving South, down Route 95 from Niantic Connecticut to Clinton Connecticut where I have been going faithfully for 3 years to a breakfast meeting with my friends. Retired people do these things...The meeting went very well and after I went on my way as I usually do, staying away from Route 95 by taking the slow way home driving North on Route 1 heading through Clinton and then on to Westbrook Connecticut...I have been doing this for 3 years and am very familiar with the road with all its pot holes, ruts and the manhole covers that are 2 inches below the surface of the road. With front end work being expensive on my Mustang I am very careful to try to avoid these things as much as I possible can. I have been doing this for many years and I will never stop doing what I was doing that day as I'm sure many of you do also. It just makes sense. This is the part where its gets interesting... I could go into a lengthy explanation but I won't....Here is the short version... Instead of minding his own business a wanna-be police officer from Connecticut's Department of Environmental Protection was behind me and called the Old Saybrook Connecticut Police Department and reported that I was driving erratically. He couldn't figure out that all I was doing was avoiding bumps in the road.. They caught up to me in the parking lot of the Guilford Savings bank in Old Saybrook on Main st. Route 1 where I went in to buy quarters for the laundromat. I came out of the bank and when they confronted me with what he said I was doing I had no idea what they were talking about....However, after gathering my thoughts, I remembered and I gave them a reasonable explanation of what I was doing. I even offered them proof..The Sergeant of these 2 brave officers with the sadistic glint in his eye like a middle school bully, accused me of lying, called me names and put me through the embarrassment of treating me like common criminal. Now, who do you think drove up and stood by while they humiliated me? Right, the inexperienced wanna-be DEP officer who didn't mind his own business. There are many more details, one of which is, I did lose my temper after 45 minutes of being threatened, disrespected, bullied, detained, dehumanized and insulted by the Old Saybrook officers...It was at this point that I told the DEP guy in a loud voice while pointing my finger at him, that he  F__KED UP...

The bottom line here is that Wednesday 12/19/2012  I pleaded (((NOT GUILTY))) to the ticket they gave me and the State Prosecutor Nollied it when I told her what I was doing. I also told her that those 2 brave Old Saybrook cops that gave me the ticket didn't see me do what that guy from Connecticut's Department of Environmental Protection, I'm raising my voice here said I did and that HE F__KED UP" ....I think he should stick to counting seagulls or what ever it is he is supposed to do...

There is a very simple explanation for what happened and this is what should have happened.... After a visual look over and a few questions they should have apologized for stopping me and given me the "Benefit of the doubt"..None of this would have happened....Their stupidity just added to the insanity of this world......Its no wonder things are like they are today...

"Take a Breath"

Written on February 11, 2009 ....I wonder how Stephanie feels now almost 5 years later and does she still work there?

An Easthampton Massachusetts car wash employee had the scare of her short life yesterday morning when her scarf got caught in that (the way I understand it) “Big spinning wheel“. Being a scarf wearer myself I am aware of the, loose clothing rule. For example, never wear a scarf while checking a running fan belt on the engine of a car. The results of getting caught in the belt can be devastating. I guess for 19 year old Stephanie Carpluk (not making that up) of Chicopee Mass. the same rule applies when walking through the bay of a windy, noisy car wash to do whatever they do in that dangerous place. It seemed that her scarf got caught in that big spinning wheel that cleans the grill, hood, top, and rear of the car. The wind and turbulence this causes, must have suddenly caught her scarf in that wheel and pulled her up. It was strangling her. I can only imagine the helplessness, desperation and sudden fear of feeling that thick tightness griping tighter and tighter around her neck. She must have tried to get it off but didn’t have time. The surprise of that sudden pulling jolt and then her feet leaving the ground and being so helpless only moments later feeling herself passing out. All this happened in seconds with no time to even think of what to do. Stephanie hung there until a fast thinking John O’Leary cut her down with his knife. He administered mouth to mouth recitation till Stephanie came back while another customer called 911. The eternally grateful Stephanie was released from the hospital with deep red marks around her neck and dark bruises around her eyes and face. That is one kid that is going to wake up very sore but with a new out look on life. I love stories like that…Its like something out of a horror movie…I don’t know why Stephanie was in that bay like that but if she keeps that job I would suggest that she turn off the main breaker to stop all moving parts before trying to fix anything…I am sure she learned a thing or two or three....

"On Becoming a Vegetarian"

Update....So far so good..I have been successful in changing my diet. I have not eaten steroid or hormone injected beef or pork since the beginning of December. I very seldom go to a fast food restaurant but I haven't been in one of those places for 3 weeks. I still eat eggs but only the ones that are for sale on the street where I live. I can actually see the free roaming chickens that lay those eggs roaming around the back yard. They are not mass produced in a place where they torture the chickens by confining them in small cages and feeding them chemically enhanced food and I will not eat the chicken sold in any of the Supermarkets... Did you know Pizza without meat is delicious? The only hard part about this diet is knowing what meals to fix...My girlfriend helps me with that with her ideas.. She a really special person.. I feel better just knowing I choose what is in the food that I eat..On the cost, granted at times it is a little more expensive but I've discovered that there is always a sale on food in the freezer case for vegetarians.

On the cell phone charging.... I am still using last years model. The one that only maybe needs charging every three days... So here we go with another day in this very dangerous country. ...God bless all the kids going to school today... Now, where did I put that bullet proof vest?

"NY Giants vs the Atlanta Falcons"

                         
       NY Giants vs. the Atlanta Falcons today at 1 o'clock on Fox

I suppose I have to say something about this... Even after the 52-27 beating the Giants gave the New Orleans Saints last week they are underdogs in this one by 1.5 points...I think it has to do with home field advantage...You know I'm going to pick the Giants to win but this time I'm not going to say by how much...Even though a lot of key Giant players are hurt.... I just got a feeling.....GO GIANTS...

"Yesterday in Newtown"

Just a little about the horrible event that took place in Connecticut yesterday...I was eating lunch at Mystic Pizza with my girlfriend when we first heard the news about those innocent little kids. Newtown is 66 miles from where I live. My first thought was, Who would do something like this and what is going on? Why is this happening? The merciless killing in this country never seems to stop. Its like we are at war with ourselves. There are no words that can describe the pain the parents are feeling or the lives that are ruined forever not to mention the effect this is having on millions of people. The State should go into mourning and cancel Christmas, stop spending and return all their presents ....Its a time when you want to say, God bless them but its a little late for that...

"More Random Thoughts"

When I was working at the airport we used to have a guy that made homemade Italian Pasta Vasul. God, do I miss that. I like saying that…….Pasta Vasul……

I wonder if the Shuttle crew can see things blowing up in Afghanistan?

I’ll never understand how or why a guy will wear his pants around the bottom of his bottom. I’m sure you have seen that…someone told me they are called “Wanna-be’s. Whatever that is. I think its some sort of club. Someone should tell them it doesn’t help if they need to run for their life. It would be unmanly to run pulling up your pants.

My dad use to say, “Lorenzo behave yourself I don’t want to see any "monkey shines” I have no idea what a monkey shine is……. I looked it up on Wikipedia and I’m not sure I like the definition.

I think my Dad had a thing for monkeys…..At times when I would copy something or do things that other youngsters would do He would say, “Lorenzo, monkey see monkey do“……It could be why I like monkeys today……

My grandfather, father and grand mother called me Lorenzo. My mother called me Lawrence. My aunt hung the moniker Larry on me…today most people call me Lar… Like life, even your name gets shorter.

Every once and a while when I was young I would be upset over something trivial. My dad would say, “Lorenzo don’t make a mountain out of a mole hill”.

When I was young…Somewhere around 3rd or 4th grade. I was the victim of a bully. I’m sure there are many of us that have had that kind of trauma happen….I came home crying and my dad explained very carefully what to do when confronted with this behavior…..Keep in mind I was a shy quiet kid and found it very difficult and painful to be in that situation as I’m sure many of us were. My dad took me aside and told me when this bully started to pick on me and push me around to pretend to run away and when he chased me to turn quick and punch him in the nose…..He said, “The force of the punch with him running into my fist would cause his nose to bleed“. He told me that he would never pick on me again. I never got a chance to do that. The bully died 6 months later of a brain tumor. Years later I worked with his dad in the same building. It just happened to be in the building where the guy made the Pasta Vasul. I never mentioned that incident to his dad…..I’ll bet he thought of his son when he seen me……We were the same age…..

Quote…..“I've had enough of being led by the nose by this whole population which is destroying us, (and) destroying our country by imposing their ways." Actress Brigitte Bardot talking about the Muslims after her arrest in 2006.. She is an animal activist who protested how the Muslims kill animals. I'm afraid to ask...France is home to Europe's largest Muslim community, estimated at five million people.

Comment....Brigitte baby, you ain't seen nothing yet.

"Giants Holiday eCard"

 

                                    Comment...... Link for Video....

                                       http://holiday.giants.com/

" I Went Back to My Old Phone"

I have a cordless vacuum cleaner that I use every day and only have to charge it once a week. ..  If they can do that, what about a cell phone?  I got tired of constantly plugging my phone into a charger so I did it... I went back to my old, well not really that old, cell phone...I reinstalled the Sim card and picture card and now I don't have to charge it every morning, afternoon and night.. They never tell you that you need to carry a charger with you all day long...To start with, here are the other things I'd like to warn you about. The WiFi in restaurants, coffee shops and fast food places is a prime place for those greedy, slimy advertiser's and I'm being very nice calling them that, to hack into your account password and use your name to sent boring trash to other people who think it is coming from you. The only safe place to use the WiFi is at your local public library and sometimes I wonder about that. I think that hack stuff happens because those phones have that password save on it and also because you have to click accept to get into their system. I had the famous Android phone and I admit with the 4G it was fast with very few problems except for the constant drain on the battery. I tried to remove or stop all the things that would drain the battery (running programs) and even went to the local cell phone technician who when I told her what I wanted, she laughed and said, "good luck with that". She tried her best and she did delete some stuff but I think she made it worse than when brought it to her... Heather has always been very nice to me and has been doing her job for a long time so I trust her. She is very knowledgeable when it comes to these things. The phone I use now has Internet if I want it but no WiFi. So far Its been 2 days since I charged it. This old phone also has a much better camera with a faster shutter speed and a radio that you don't have to pay for. It has better ring tones and its easy to handle. I think its less droppable. If you know what I mean? The screen is a smidgen smaller but I can do all the things I did with the other phone...Except WiFi of coarse. However, I can turn on the Internet and pay for it but I very seldom do if ever...So the now the old phone is my primary phone and the new phone is shut off and in the closet and I'm glad...

"Giants - Saints"

Comment ....... Here we go again ... Is that what you are thinking? ... Well, I don't know about this afternoons game .. I can only speculate...There are a few if's ... If they are over that embarrassing ONE point loss last week to the Redskins .. If the injury's aren't that bad. If they can get motivated after that ONE point loss last week. Did I say that already?  Oh, sorry about that .. If Manning can find a receiver that will NOT DROP the ball.. If the field goal kicker can kick a field goal longer than 40 yards once and a while... If he made that field goal last week in the first quarter they wouldn't have lost the game by ONE point ....They would have won by TWO ...... Seriously ... Today if the Giants win, it won't be by much. The Saints have a good team ...  Giants 17 - Saints 14.....C'mon now, you didn't expect me to pick the Saints now did you?

"Lorenzo Mind Your Own Business"

 I was thinking about how people care and the TV that I don't watch... I mean do we really care? With me I think that comes from a long time ago when there were less people in this country and we all knew what each of us thought about certain things. Almost like a group opinion... We knew as a group that we wouldn’t care about what happened in another town, what the neighbors thought, the earthquake, the flood, the fire or the mass murder. We wouldn’t have known about any of that stuff so we would‘t have cared. It just makes sense, .…..Hence the advice from my mom… ”Lorenzo mind your own business"… That sentence is engraved into my mind.…Today, although I try to do that and I am successful most of the time, I feel like I should be caring more than I do. TV always tries to put you on a guilt trip with the buying things we don't need, the send money ads and the sympathy dripping commercials…..I half care at times but pretend I don’t. I care a lot at times but pretend I only half care. One of the reasons the news or commercials have no effect on me is because I really don’t care about what happens to other people in other towns or countries because I was taught not to. (TV networks and channels sell time to sponsors by having the most outrageous news) Its always about the money. The criminals and morons don’t realize that when they screw up or get caught someone makes money. In some weird way its like the criminals work for the local news channels but they don't know that. From there I get, its OK to mind my own business. Its like they have the problem and its up to me to learn by their bad experience not to do the same thing…Its just that there is so much going on and as the population grows, the more copycats want to be on TV. I mean what else could it be? I guess when you get older and wiser you have a tendency to snub your nose at negative behavior and think, what an ass he or she is and they should have known better. At least that’s what I do and its OK to do that……. I have certain people that I will help and will go to any length to help them…To others, I will care somewhat but I will sit by and learn by their bad experience not to put myself in the same position they are in…..There is so much insanity I won’t even pray for them.……I’ve got to go now… Damn, where did I put that bullet proof vest?

"Animals Feel Pain"

This all started four weeks ago when we went out to dinner one night. My new girlfriend is a Vegetarian and I ate what she had instead of my usual and it was delicious. ..Note ... I have been thinking about this for a long time and now is the time to start. I just needed the incentive. So with the help, guidance and cookbook of my beautiful girlfriend I have decided to become a Vegetarian. Not totally at first but just a little at a time. I've heard all the stories and even witnessed some of the mistreatment of these poor creatures. With all the things these humans, if you can call them that do to the animals we eat. Beef, Pork, Chickens and Turkeys are injected with steroids, hormones and drugs. Fish is on that list also. Do you think the Gulf of Mexico will ever return to what it was? The Oceans around the world and the Gulf will never be the same? .. I wonder if that is reason for all the heart problems and fat people in this country. I mean they inject the animals with steroids, hormones and drugs that make them grow fatter and faster and have more meat. You eat that stuff. It just makes sense. Not only that, it is what they do to the animals and how they are mistreated and tortured. The screaming and crying when they butcher them is beyond belief. Believe me when I say this. Animals have brains and do feel fear and pain...The farms of today are not called farms. They are called processing plants and have literally become torture chambers..The people that work in these places are worse than the guards in the German concentration camps. I'm not going to preach this stuff do the research yourself.....I will not be part of that inhumanity, insanity and greed....

"Giants - Redskins - UPDATE"

I wrote this on 12/4/2012......Read the link below to see what happened to this guy.

I said on 12/4 that one of announcers on the ESPN Giant game said that this guy "R2D2" (Griffin III) would change the game of football forever!"  I have been watching Pro-Football for years. (Giants) I said in that post that It won't take long for someone to create a Defense to stop this crazy fullback/quarterback. All that running that game (you had to see it to really understand) and The Giants only lost by (1)......Then I said that R2D2 won't make to the end of season...Someone will hit him so hard he won't remember his name ...Whatever that is....

Bleacher Report said......"His injury worse than originally thought. Redskin rookie quarterback R. Griffin completed reconstructive surgery for ACL and LCL tears. Recovery projection: 6-8 months" ....This season is not over yet...

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1474660-robert-griffin-iii-reportedly-set-to-undergo-knee-surgery?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=nfl


Today's comment.... YOU HEARD IT FROM ME FIRST.....

“I Could Have Been a Rock Star”

 If I knew, just some of what I know now when I was a young man I would have become a Rock Star…Wait, don’t say anything yet or “Jump to conclusions.” Dad used to say that last part… I did play the electric guitar for a while when I was in my late teens and early 20s. I started to get good until I had finger problems. I had and still have Raynaud's Disease, a circulatory problem and because of ulcerated finger tips I had to stop playing. Two major operations, two weeks in intensive care, two months in the hospital and a year later my disease was under control but I couldn’t play anymore. My finger tips were healing and very tender. The calluses were gone. I was afraid if I tried, the finger problem would return and I didn’t want to go through all that hospital stuff again or risk losing a finger or two…These days I always enjoy thinking that if I threw caution to the wind, made different decisions and worked really hard at overcoming the finger problems I could have been a success at playing with a band. I did have two friends who were singer musicians and they had hit records. If I only put myself in the right place with these guys at the right time and really had the guts and determination to pursue this line of work. I mean it would have been a job after all. I think and I am almost sure I could have played for a major Rock Band. Today when I hear the lead guitar for Guns N’ Roses, Journey, The Stones or of the any the big name groups from a few years ago. I get goose bumps. I know the cords and beat, the strumming technique and the timing. I can feel the energy of the crowd. I can actually feel myself playing lead or back up guitar with the crowd roaring…Its like I’m there…. Its an unbelievable feeling… I could cry when I think of what I could have done if I stayed healthy…..

Comment ....I wrote this piece on September 3, 2011 for LiveJournal and reread it just the other day. Yesterday morning I was talking to someone about what they call "a series of events". Like what would I be doing now if I did this or that. What if I made the decision to talk to someone or not talk to someone..What happens when I make the decision not to go somewhere or to go somewhere..Like the right choices or the wrong choices...Each decision we make through out our lives could change the coarse of our lives...Knowingly or unknowingly we could, without the proper guidance, "live or die"...Well, I guess I made the right decisions, some questionable but for the most part the right choices through out my life....But what if I went in the other direction? What if one of my friends pulled some strings and I landed a job as a guitar player for a rock group. Where would I be today? Would drugs have taken over my life? We won't know that but what really prompted me to go in a different direction? I was just over (cured) of a serious illness but I was a defiant young man. Sort of a risk taker....Was it fate? What is fate? What was guiding me? Do you think my fate was predetermined? Through the years I have often wondered why I am still healthy and why I am really here.Today I no longer ask that question. I just go along in life with what ever is asked of me...I know,  I know you want a Dad quote...Lorenzo sometimes you have to just  "Grin and bear it"....

"Giants and the Redskins"

Just a note for today...

The Giants are playing in Washington against the Redskins on Monday night football. The Game will be televised on ESPN at 8:30 PM...If the Giants play like they did last week against the Packers there is no way Washington can win this game.......GO GIANTS....