THURSDAY--Another Edition of----

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon

NOBODY ASKED ME BUT.......

1)                I wonder if it is age or that people are getting less civil.  Why would a person ask another player in a tennis game to leave because a better player came along ( in the middle of a game)?  The person did not leave, the better player would not have it and joined us.  Bravo for civility and manners.  Interestingly, the discourteous fellow wrote a book (which he sold me--I have a tough time saying "no") about his  wonderful life in America (he is an emigre).  The book was unreadable and I suppose he thought that Americans are crass.  While it is not in the library I did donate it to the paper recycling program.

2)                 That was a nice interview on WNYC w/ Lenny Lopate (I believe) where an economist pointed out—among other things---that some years back a CEO earned about 30 times that of a worker.  Now the ratio is 650 to 1.   It does say something about the values we place on work and “pomp and circumstance”.  The interview was much deeper than that.

3)                What a wonderful finale to the U S Open (Tennis) this year.  Federer made things look easy but Murray and Djokovek did not and I still cannot fathom how the human body can take the punishment.  Bravo to both and cheers for Murray (my favorite in this)

4)                Sorry to read the reviews for “Chaplin” since I do know the musical arranger.  He has done some great work on things like Spamalot, Book of Mormon among others.  

5)                One does not have to be a conservative fanatic, right wing believer, or plain old Liberal to truly say that enough is enough with the outrageous reactions of the “great unwashed” (to quote from an old novel) to people indulging themselves in their rights of speech—which they translate to murder.  Pres. Obama never apologized,  Secty. Clinton laid it on the line, and Romney keeps trying to make political hay with his fictions---presented in the most boring way.

6)                Demographics and I do not seem compatible.   I wonder why the TV news spends so much time on Baseball and Football and just a slight nod (timewise) to tennis.  The answer I believe is—demographics.  Recently I heard some people in a barber shop talking of how boring tennis is---the owner is a wonderful player.  Baseball is the true, to me, definition of boredom.

7)                Why is it that the BritComs, the Sitcoms, and the Law & Orders (not to mention Homicide) of yore are still better than anything done today?   Surely that must have something to do with the writers and the network’s focus on “crap”.

8)                A shame when a good restaurant gets sold and the new mgmt. makes some great physical improvements and then raises the prices and serves lousy food and stale bread (an Italian restaurant).   A disappointing lunch with a great view.   I am still digesting the view and hoping the food does the same painlessly.

9)                I wish I could be at The Acoustic Cafe on Sept. 23 for what promises to be a terrific show with Brother Sun---2 PM

10)        There is now an iPhone 5 (probably another one due in about 20 minutes) that is considered a “smart phone”.  I have a dumb phone---it just makes phone calls. 

11)        But while thinking to myself how so many folks at that restaurant were with companions and each one is staring at their “smart phones” and not each other or even speaking I got up to leave and a lady ran right into me because she was busy staring down on her phone and writing (texting---new word).  Glad she was not driving.