Entertainment for Seniors

Homo Sapiens takes on Sciuridae

OK - I Googled it. Squirrels belong to a species known as Sciuridae. I am the one in the Homo Sapiens group (and so are you) - specifically that subgroup who now find themselves north of the age equator.

Many retired people prefer to spend their time on something other than cell phones and social media. I am also one of those - not sure if we have a special name. One of my pastimes - taking after my retired father may he rest in peace - is to design and make a bird feeder from scraps, that is squirrel proof. It is a battle of wits and superior grey matter. So far the score is something like Sciuridae: 5; Homo Sapiens: 0.

My only saving grace is that I will probably outlive the little bastards. Also today I broke down and bought the cheapest squirrel proof feeder I could find. Two hours later I was watching a black squirrel stuffing himself while clinging to it.

This wouldn't be so humbling if I didn't get the feeling that a virtual Madison Square Gardens (my yard) is sitting in their seats laughing at me. In their midst are: birds; racoons; skunks; rabbits; chipmunks; possums; ground hogs; and worst of all - other squirrels. I think I posted about this once before but in my subgroup - we sometimes don't remember such details (but search for "Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder, January 1, 2021). A squirrel's tail is a vital part of its agility and balance but I believe my residents are constantly hiking theirs to moon me.

I also enjoy writing verse so here is one depicting the entire saga. I call it:

Spartacus vs. Chatterbox Maximus

There are famous battles, recorded throughout time,
I offer one to head the list, in this my humble rhyme.

Wellington/Napoleon, Spiderman and Joker,
Churchill vs. Hitler, and even world class poker.

We call them heroes and villains, depending on one's view.
This will go down in history as Brewster's Waterloo.

My yard is full of critters that walk and hop and fly.
The trees have grown for decades and reach unto the sky.

They form a Colisseum - my tall trees in the round,
Offer ring side viewing, and quadraphonic sound.

They come to see the fighting, with wife and kids in toe.
I host daily bouts you see as most of them all know.

Way up high in every one you'll find a squirrel's nest.
Compared to those for miles around mine are Nature's best.

They come and stay for they all know this hotel is renowned.
The menu that I offer is the best for miles around.

It is intended for my birds as in the trees they shelter,
And when the squirrels do battle - it sounds like Helter-skelter.

That is not the main event, in fact it's amateur.
They want to see them battle me - a Super Bowl for sure.

The seats are always taken, standing room maxed out,
And you should hear the ruckus when they begin to shout.

Sometimes they will throw things and call out for my head,
The clever little rodents flash their butts at me instead.

And with my entrance to the ring a grand applause is heard,
With precious nuts upon the line but not one grateful bird.

The Artful Dodger makes his move and jumps towards the cage.
And with one tiny toe hangs on - it fills me full of rage.

I take two paces forward, and clap my hands to scare.
Instead he keeps on eating just as though I was not there.

Another jumps into the ring - a tag team I now face.
The partner then jumps straight at me and I flee in disgrace.

And then I hit upon a thought that was not in my plans.
I'll go inside and pop some corn and sell it to the fans.

Then they would help finance, the little critter's glut,
The least that they could do as they all watch him whip my butt.

Some day I know I will prevail and triumph o'er their best.
And I can brag to all the world "Squirrel Buster" on my chest!

#thebrewsterblock

Ten Streetwise Proverbs

If I'd Only Known Back Then

1. Look out for number one. None of the other number ones will.
2. Do unto others before they do unto you.
3. That bird in the hand? Ask why the other 10 won't let him into the bush.
4. Don't count your cookies before they hatch. Wait...no...That's the way the chickens crumble. Oh hell...don't drink!
5. If you really want to feel good - do something nice for someone. Start with yourself.
6. Always check for the paper before you sit down!
7. Better late than pregnant.
8. The importance of a will is all relative.
9. If you want someone to keep a secret, don't tell them.
10. Behind every successful man are many daggers.

11. Size doesn't matter. Right.

#thebrewsterblock

#AmericanRevolution - The Sequel

Be Doubly Careful What You Wish For  - the SECOND Time

A lot of people throughout the world will never understand why many people in America or anywhere else refuse to be vaccinated. It is what it is. Even more people throughout the world will never understand America's gun mentality.

However those two pale in magnitude when compared to the overwhelming dismay of those non-Americans and Americans over the prospect of Donald Trump EVER becoming elected a second time. If he does he will try to stay there forever and America will exist no more. The "experiment" will fail.

It seems that many scholars and patriots alike believe that there will indeed be another internal war in America. This humble scribe also believes it is inevitable if nothing is done and done quickly. It is a no-win situation. If Trump actually does appear to win there will be another rising to get rid of him, either from within or externally. If Biden or another Democrat actually wins again, there will be a second January 6th that will make the first one look like a school yard brawl.

In either case there will indeed be cheating - on the part of the Republicans. It has already happened before any next election, at the state level. They also tried in 2020 but failed. It was not the Democratic donkeys (Jack Asses?) but the Republican elephants (Dumbos?) who tried to cheat. Those who think otherwise simply believe every word issued by some of the worst liars on the face of the planet.

Will it be called an "American Revolution?" It should have a new name since the original has already been done and this one would be totally foolish and unnecessary. How about "The Disunited States Revolution?"; "The American Disappearing Act of 2024?; "The Dump Trump Uprising?". "Yanky Hanky Panky?" In any case history will record it as the birth of The American Dictatorship. In my opinion some day red ties will clash with either black or brown shirts and red ball caps will never be taken seriously.

This is cutting off a foot to cure an ingrown toenail. Severe ingrown toenails are very painful and very much a problem that must be dealt with. They can become infected. They hamper every attempt at progress. You can no longer function. They must be removed by specialists - but not the entire foot. Enough metaphor.

America you will never be happy with a wannabe dictator. Eventually they all tumble. This is not a game. Here "Trump" should not take all. Just don't go there. Do everything you have to in order to prevent it - the American way - through a LEGITMATE voting process.

Please - for the rest of the world you used to lead.

#thebrewsterblock

Will a Big Bang also destroy Life on Earth?

The Destiny of Planet Earth

I am a layperson not a scientist, or priest. Still I have always seen the ultimate demise of our planet coming in one of three ways. To me they involve simple common sense.

The first two involve the same appreciation of the universe or cosmos as I have expressed in the past when addressing life on other planets. The number of heavenly bodies is so huge we can't even appreciate it. If you can grasp in your mind what trillions of trillions means you are ahead of me - by light years!

My simple view is that any other heavenly bodies we have viewed via telescopes always seem to be round and desolate. Let's ignore asteroids and meteorites. Our planets and more distant bodies all look spherical with barren surfaces of possibly rock or dust, usually marked by lots of craters. I am not aware of any that are a cube or any other geometric shape. This alone indicates to me that they all had a similar beginning, whether big bang or something else.

If this is true then I have to assume that many if not all of them also have a similar structure to Earth's including a core of molten lava under extreme pressure.

So here comes catastrophe number one. Look at what happens to surrounding lands when a volcano erupts for a long time. Molten lava covers everything in its path. Volcanic dust does something similar. The result looks like the surfaces of the other planets. Could life and vegetation have existed under their dust and rock prior to the big one? If Earth's core finally exploded in many places over a short period we would all be buried in ash and water. Earth would now resemble the moon or Mars.

The second is very similar. It is already generally accepted that a huge collision with Earth occurred millions of years ago which wiped out the dinosaurs and many other forms of life. That could certainly happen again, and if the fracture of Earth's crust were severe enough, the result would be the first scenario - buried in lava, dust, and water in addition to the effect of the shock.

We can not do anything about either of these. Sorry, but prayers won't save us. This is also why the third demise is even more tragic - no pathetic.

Yes folks, in this one we destroy ourselves. Transgression number 1: The atmosphere and the environment are indeed changing. Much of the existing habitable land will be under water. This is the same land we need to grow food.

This adds to Transgression number 2. The population is forever growing and there will be fewer places to live. History surely proves to us that in such a situation there will be war and genocide on a massive scale. It's is pure survival of the fittest or might is right. People will literally be fighting for their lives. When the war becomes international, the nuclear option will be used. That will lead to a different but still  uninhabitable world for man. Maybe the dinosaurs will return hundreds of millions of years thereafter.

We can do something about the self destruction. When are we going to start?

Hopefully today's youth are a lot wiser than their ancestors.

#thebrewsterblock

Ghislaine Maxwell Verdict the Right One

There's Hope for American Justice Yet!

There have been a few crucial trials in America this year that seem to have gone the right way. The trial of Jeffrey Epstein's girlfriend / spouse / ally was one of them. Most of their major trials turn into the Jerry Springer show and I think they are a joke. O.J. was a prime example.

I didn't really follow it but have to admit I felt she was guilty of something for sure. How could she possibly been as close to Epstein and part of his inner circle without knowing that something very, very wrong was going on? If she did then she had a duty to report it to someone at a minimum.

Try Googling "Prominent American Sex Offenders". Then try "Prominent American Political Sex Offenders" - the list is long on both sides of the aisle. Many have to do with children. You can insert "Global", "Celebrity", "Religious", "Coaches" and other filters but you will still find lots of offenders.

You tend to think of ancient societies and empires when it comes to depravity - British Kings and Queens; the Roman Orgies; Chinese Dynasties, and even the
Church to name a few. It turns out you don't have to look very far to see that sex, pornography, and child abuse are still with us. Unfortunately they always will be.
Apparently it is always there just below the surface.

So much for moral codes and religious dogma. Many of these people - especially the politicians and leaders, cultivate a public image of being good churchgoing people. You have to wonder if any such offenders have children of their own. Are they abusing their own children?

There is some speculation that Epstein was murdered in prison. Isn't it ironic that it takes some of the most hard core criminals to finally administer true punishment when it comes to men who abuse children and often women?

Perhaps Maxwell will suffer the same fate.

#thebrewsterblock

Kim Potter and other Big Mistakes

Is "Guilty" Justified?

There are many who feel that the guilty verdict for Kim Potter is just, while many others disagree. This is a tough one but it raises a larger point. Take it up to the 10,000 foot level and view the forest rather than the trees.

I think most would agree that Kim was horrified at what she did. The act itself was a mistake - an accident. Let's ignore other factors like fellow officers not detaining Daunte away from the open car door. The focus here is on Kim.

She had years of training. We know about carrying tasers on the opposite side from a firearm, the different color and weight of a taser etc. We also know that the Wright family will be without Daunte forever. None of that can be changed.

It would be more clear cut if, for example, Kim did not carry her Taser on the opposite side. Another remote example would be if any officer intended to draw their firearm but accidently fired it killing a bystander because they triggered their finger too soon before taking aim. In that case they clearly would have neglected an established procedure. Here it seems to have been an accident. Society is weighing a life against an accident, preventable or not.

So I am going to invent a different scenario to make my point. Let us say that an Air Traffic Controller with many years of experience makes an innocent mistake and hundreds of people die. Perhaps there was a situation like 9/11 and under extreme pressure with immense air traffic and they mistook one plane for another or misunderstood a pilot's words. Should they spend decades in prison because they were supposed to be able to handle it?

There is a big difference between "should have known" or "should have been able to" and negligence. People seem to have an overwhelming need for blame or retribution when someone else has suffered. It is worse in America where filing huge lawsuits is almost a distinct career path. That has yet to come in this case.

From what I heard and saw Kim followed procedure, especially if she thought Daunte might be going for a weapon. There is no question she should have been immediately dismissed because she caved under pressure. But how much of this was to satisfy a thirst for revenge or to satisfy a whole group who would have seen an acquittal as another injustice for a black man?

I hope no-one ever trips and falls on my property resulting in an injury. I am too old to go to prison.

#thebrewsterblock  

History's Greatest Death Mongers vs COVID-19

Real Life Doctors of  Death

According to the following website, the men (no women) outlined are leaders and tyrants responsible for over 160 million deaths. The total time span covers many decades. Read the article to see just how little these butchers cared about their fellow humans.

8 World Leaders With The Highest Death Tolls (whatculture.com)

On the other hand the following website outlines the horror of 10 known pandemics and their death tolls since 165 AD. The total was over 310 million - about twice the above number. The time span is many centuries.

Outbreak: 10 of the Worst Pandemics in History - MPH Online

HIV/AIDS (2005 - 2012) killed 36 million. The 1918 flu death total was estimated to be 20 - 50 million; the Black Death (Bubonic Plague) 1348-1353 killed 75 - 200 million and is the largest in the article.

COVID-19 is estimated to have killed just over 5 million people in less than two years. This number already surpasses four of those pandemics listed in the above article. We don't know how bad it will get.

We have every right to be worried about these pandemics but there is little we can do to prevent them. We are spending billions to minimize their effects, including the rapid development of vaccination technology.

But the biggest take away is that for the limited timeframe involved, man is his own worst virus. The atrocities committed by some of the men mentioned above are just as horrible to the victims as the worst of any pandemic. I am assuming a virus really does not know what it is doing. Men on the other hand, do. We are worried about a tiny group of molecules and meantime, mankind is destroying the planet on which we live and will probably initiate wars which will kill millions more. In a few decades - mere seconds in the continuum of time - man will probably destroy this planet - and all men and microscopic bugs on it.

According to some, COVID-19 was created by men and many other of the bugs that have killed millions. This makes the case against us even worse.

Let me say it again - man is his own worst virus. That greedy, selfish, look out for number one now and who cares after I am dead man, should be worried about himself.

I am not a great believer in Holy books. The problem is that they were written by - you guessed it - men. But one quote is worth all of the books combined: The actual quote from the Bible is from Luke 6:31, “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” The Golden Rule.

#thebrewsterblock

The Origin of Human Beings, COVID-19, et al.

So God Created Man...

So God created man they say,
Those men who wrote the books.
Doubters are subjected,
To some pious frowns and looks.

If you believe the holy books
You can't just pick and choose.
Accepting lessons that you like,
While others you refuse.

True believers must commit
For their entire life.
Never to betray yourself,
Your children, or your wife.

Can you find such saintly ones
In politics or church?
Very few my friends and mine
Has been a lifelong search.

To Atheists there is no God,
A stance both stark and bland.
Agnostics say mere human beings
Could never understand.

Myself I am an Atheist-
Agnostic to be sure,
But there are many faiths to choose
And all of them endure.

It makes me wonder though
When I hear COVID news each day.
Why the God who formed the things
Won't make them go away.

You need electron microscopes
To see them move about.
Did God make them as well back then?
I must confess some doubt.

If mystic powers created Earth
And the whole universe,
Then we had best clean up our act
Before their final curse.

********************

Just think about it. Man has still not mastered the atom. Sure we can blow apart the entire globe but that is hardly mastery. Yet here this miniscule thing consisting of a few molecules and without our superior brain or any brain at all can bring us to our knees by controlling a few vital molecules we need to live. 

Merry Christmas

Have a Great New Year

Get vaccinated.

#thebrewsterblock

 

Time to Remember at This Special Time of Year

This Season Remember Those Who Just Lost Everything They Own

Some people pray and some people not.
Some have a little and some have a lot.
If you believe that your troubles are many,
Remember some soles just lost every penny.

Maybe it's time to forego that vacation.
Maybe instead make a welcomed donation.
Nature just ravaged the lives of so many.
Remember with gifts to those without any.

Thank those on high for being alive.
Thank everyone who helps you survive.
If you still have a roof o'er your head,
Remember the ones who lost even their bed.

A person of faith to some is a fool.
A God who loves would not be so cruel.
If you're depressed and don't know what to do,
Remember your fate is determined by you.

When you celebrate with laughter and joy,
When you watch your kids unwrap a new toy,
While some are wondering why did I survive,
Remember to hope there are some still alive.

Because you still can, have a great Holiday Season.

#thebrewsterblock

Top 10 Selfish Habits of People

Peoples' Bad Habits Continued

The last post was about lazy people. This is about selfish ones. Many of the examples overlap and involve both characteristics. You could do a list of selfish ones from driving habits or cell phone use alone so I include just a few here.

What do you think of people who (no particular order):

- Don't give a damn about other drivers. They won't let you in. They don't thank you if you let them in. They take 2 parking spots to protect their special baby. We need "Bone Head Onboard" stickers for their back windows. The previous post cited  people who are too lazy to correct their bad parking. This one is about those who take 2 spots deliberately.

- Queue jumpers in any situation. I call them out whenever I can. If you don't queue it's like watching seagulls or pigeons being fed in a parking lot!

- People who pee or defecate on a toilet seat then walk away. Others plug the toilet with paper towels they used to avoid any skin contact. Covering the seat is OK but please put paper towels in the trash. To protect their ass hole they are acting like one.

- With COVID-19 there is an entire class on its own - the unvaccinated. No need to expand on this one except for one point: in this case selfishness kills!

- Golfers who take 6 practice swings/putts holding up every other golfer on the course. Sometimes it is a foursome and they all do it. Then they miss the fairway or cup entirely.

- Those who stop dead in the middle of an aisle or at the bottom of an escalator with no thought that there might be others around them. Try this while driving. OOPS. Many already do.

- This one will get a reaction for sure. How about people who can't leave their phone alone the moment it makes a sound in the middle of a conversation. Also those who use it while talking in a very loud voice in public. Which came first - diagnoses of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or Cell Phones?

- Once again phone users who still persist in using their phone while driving. This can and does have fatal consequences. Nothing less than hands free is acceptable, even at a red light. You might as well drive with a blindfold on, ear protectors, and your hands tied.

- People who filled their carts with toilet paper, hand sanitizer, masks etc. when COVID-19 hit. This has passed but it will return for sure. Thankfully some retailers took action to quell this trend. Do these folks keep their seat on a bus/subway when a 95 year old senior with 2 crutches gets tossed around in front of them? Probably (maybe they are too busy on their cell phone.)

- Guests at a dinner for Christmas etc. who, after their plates are full, start to eat before everyone is served, especially the hosts. Good hosts will probably say to go ahead but it is polite to wait just the same.

As usual, please comment with your own.

It is great to be so perfect!!

#thebrewsterblock