Yosemite Valley has been evacuated due to smoke from wild fires surrounding the park, and to allow the valley to be used to stage fire-fighting efforts. It’s sad. Yosemite is among the most beautiful places I’ve ever been, and I was lucky enough to go back last May. I know fires are a natural part of the ecosystem in that area. Still, I hope the park isn’t badly damaged and that nobody is hurt or killed fighting the blazes.
Professional writers who ply their trade in the English language really need to learn to write. From today’s article about Serena Williams on the NY Post’s website: “Williams returned to competition this season after missing more than a year while pregnant.” I was going to say, “Poor girl,” but she’s 36, so poor woman. No human being is pregnant for more than a year.
The NY Daily News’ parent company, Tronc, announced it is laying off half its editorial staff including cutting the sports department by more than 70 percent. I don’t have access to reader surveys, but I’m guessing that before this week, more people read the Daily News for its sports section and comics than for its news coverage and editorials. Unfortunately, I don’t think the Daily News is long for this world.
The NY Mets announced that left fielder Yoenes Cespedes needs surgery on both heels and recovery will take at least 8-10 months. This issue developed after Cespedes returned for one game after two months on the disabled list. Having established a new category of MLB roster, the one-day abled list, one wonders why Cespedes and the Mets haven’t taken care of this mess much earlier. Apparently, he’s had heel problems since before the Mets acquired him years ago.
If you are a man who wears suits, when someone takes your picture, you should button the suit jacket. Leaving it unbuttoned will make you look heavier than you are. If nobody has, someone ought to tell President Trump that. If someone has told him that, it wouldn’t be the only advice he’s received and subsequently ignored that it would be good for him to pay attention to.
It strikes me as somewhat ironic that the Food Network’s show “Good Eats” runs occasional commercials within the show for Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
July 11th, was the anniversary of my discharge from the US Army. That day was for a little over five months, the happiest day of my life. It was superseded by Christmas Eve that same year, when Saint Karen (who must be a saint to put up with me) agreed to marry me.
Obviously if the 11th was the anniversary of my Army discharge, the 12th was the anniversary of the day I went into the Army. When I got home from basic training, my girlfriend (later to be canonized) walked right past me on the railroad station platform. She didn’t recognize me because I had lost 42 pounds in the two months I was away. I’m sure she’ll recognize me this September, because there’s no way I’m going to lose 42 pounds this year.
I spent a lot of second full weeks in July in Boy Scout camp. I don’t do that anymore, but I occasionally miss it. I don’t miss the food. Nobody goes to Boy Scout camp for the cuisine. I do miss the kids, the activities and the other adults though. If I miss it, why did I stop going? I really can’t sleep on those cots or on the ground anymore.