Over 60 ... And Getting Younger: February 9, 2012

Teamwork

Our wonderful NY Giants have defeated the big bad boys from New England under Tom Brady and Bill Belichick on Sunday, Feb. 5, in Indianapolis. When questioned by the media, (television and radio) the Giants all used one word to reply  how they accomplished this difficult task. The word they repeated was “teamwork.”

The offensive and defensive players on the Giants kept repeating this phrase. It was certainly a compliment to Tom Coughlin and his staff of coaches that brought this praise.

The game was back and forth with both teams having the lead for short periods. When Mario Manningham made that impossible and miraculous catch and kept both feet in bounds late in the game the Giants fans grew hopeful. A field goal at that point would have resulted in a one point lead. But the passing of Eli Manning and the slashing running of Jacobs and Bradshaw worked for a touchdown and a 21-17 final score.

Over 60 ... And Getting Younger: February 2, 2012

Persistence

Persistence takes many forms.

Not all persistent behavior is human or mortal!

Three days ago, I readjusted a picture in the bathroom. It was a present from my cousin, Maury the artist, and it kept tipping over until it was askew. It would disturb my equilibrium every time I encountered it. Just a little tip at the bottom right edge would align it properly. But three days later it was obstinately crooked again. Was I fighting an unknown devil who was trying to torture me?

Speaking of constant, dogged forces, I must declare the will of my grandchild Alexander. Even though he is two-and-a-half years old, when he takes your hand and wants to direct you someplace, you had better go. He will not release your hand until you follow him to his destination. He is very strong for his age and he will win out eventually.

A Bird’s Eye View: February 2, 2012

Avian Feast at the Celery Fields  

The Celery Fields in Sarasota are 300 acres of water and wetlands that are a birding “hotspot.” Last winter they were undergoing extensive renovation, making some areas inaccessible. However there was a huge flooded area where my wife and I found an avian feast.

Late one February afternoon, I bring our car to a halt on the side of an empty road there and whisper to my wife that there’s a large raptor unusually close to us. A red-shouldered hawk is on a post about 25 feet away. It takes all our stealth to get out of the car and take our binoculars from the trunk without scaring off the bird. Using the car as cover we settle down to watch the hawk.

The red-shouldered looks at us through one large eye, determines that we are no threat and looks away. It’s exciting to be this close to a bird that we don’t often see. The added tension that it may fly at any moment makes us drink in its features. The deeply hooked bill is bright yellow at the base; the breast a pale rust; and the belly is darker with broader reddish streaks over white. The red-shoulder is red/brown and looks like it’s made from shoe polish. The dark back seems to be layered in sections. The long tail has alternating black and white bands. The legs are thick and yellow. Three times the red-shoulder flies to the ground pawing at something, first with its right foot, then its left. There’s something in these acts, which transforms the raptor into something of a comic figure.

Over 60 ... And Getting Younger: January 26, 2012

Clear the Decks!

Fourteen people are coming to our house to watch the football game. Can everybody fit into our tiny den? Can everybody see the screen? Can everybody get his/her own seat?

How about food and drink for the crowd? Beer and soda go well with football. Maybe I can make that Sangria with lemons and apples. That should be a hit for the crowd.

Salsa dip and crackers go a long way. So do assorted nuts and potato chips. Some guys like the spicy olives and some like the smooth guacamole. Everybody loves shrimp and cocktail sauce.

Everyone in the room has to get as comfortable as they can. Make sure not to block anyone’s view of the action. Find a spot where you can eat and drink without causing a good accident. Game time is approaching – don’t get nervous.

From the desk of Senator Kemp Hannon: January 26, 2012

Senate Passes Three Major Vehicle Safety Bills

Senator Kemp Hannon informs residents of three new pieces of legislation passed by the Senate that deal with motor vehicle safety and the unsafe operation of a vehicle.

“We passed three new bills to crack down on wrong way and reckless drivers, added tougher DUI legislation, and legislation to curb illegal high-speed racing,” said Hannon. “We need to let those who might engage in unsafe and illegal activities that there will be severe consequences for their actions.”

“Michelle and Jordan’s Law,” (S.2938) will increase penalties for unlawful high-speed car racing. The legislation is named for a 17-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy whose deaths were caused by crashes stemming from suspected drag racing at excessive speeds. The bill will create stiffer penalties, which should help prevent high-speed vehicle racing and raise awareness of the risks posed by this dangerous activity.

A Bird’s Eye View: January 19, 2012

Florida Birding Class Gets a Bonanza

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Twice before dawn, I peer out the window into darkness–no rain and no palm tree leaves swaying. Lookin’ good. My birding class, which I teach at the Longboat Key Education Center in Florida, has their first field trip scheduled in a few hours on a beach across the street. When I go out to the beach at 7:40 a.m. the wind is gusting at near 20 mph and temperature is in the low 50s. There isn’t a bird to be seen. The walk is untenable. This is the first birding class I’ve taught and the retired college professor in me knows this is no way to begin.

We literally go to Plan B, a nearby 32-acre tidal wetlands, Durante Park. There, almost immediately, is a great egret in a tidal pond, which flies but gives us a good view. A few starlings are perched on a tree. Feeding in Sarasota Bay is a wood stork, which is on the endangered species list. Encouraging.

Over 60 ... And Getting Younger: January 19, 2012

Dr. Gary S. Greene

How do you say “goodbye” to a person you have known for 57 years? My good friend and colleague Gary passed away last week. His passing is a great loss to me and to the world.

We met as entering freshmen in New York University College of Dentistry in 1955. They seated you and called your name in alphabetical order. He was Greene and I was Greenberg and so we spent four years of dental school side by side.

Gary was neat and self-contained but I was a “wild one” from the Bronx. We got on famously. In his sophomore year Gary married a dark, long-haired, vivacious beauty named Sue. I was an usher at the wedding at the Diplomat Hotel (now extinct).

Letter: With Care, Fracking Can Work in NY

While it is true that the issues related to hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” are not simple we should not be influenced by much of the misinformation that has been disseminated and we should base our decisions on the facts and develop a regulatory regime which can assure safety and environmental sensitivity.

It is ironic that natural gas development, which can reduce carbon emissions by a third compared to oil and a half compared to coal, is caught in an emotional debate over environmental impacts. As businessman and publisher Mortimer Zuckerman pointed out in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, using data from the U.S. Energy Information Agency, this abundant new gas source has reduced our oil imports from 60 percent in 2005 to 47 percent today. Recent events in the Middle East should reinforce the need for a U.S. energy policy based on domestic natural gas.

Over 60 ... And Getting Younger: January 12, 2012

Cabinets

It was like a dagger in the heart.

“Your kitchen is so dated,” was the remark that belittled the Greenberg kitchen. It was true that we were living with the original cabinetry from the builder when we moved into our new home on April 3, 1983. How do you get outdated so quickly?

The cabinet doors still close well and they still manage to hold our spices and cans of tomato soup. The wine cabinets and the varied types of glasses are ensconced comfortably. Vitamins and fish oil fit comfortably into their space. The knives and forks and spoons all lie in their spots.

Letter: Still Skeptical About NCPD Forensic Evidence Bureau

Unfortunately, there is little reason to believe that the new (and improved?) Nassau County Police Department’s Forensic Evidence Bureau will be any better than its old, inadequate, incompetent crime lab.

Considering that from September 2005 until February 2010, nothing was done about its “systematic failure”— under the leadership(?) of two different police commissioners— how can the public have any faith that now, things will finally change for the better? Especially since not one person has been fired for their dereliction of duty; no one has had to forfeit the salary they were paid for jobs they clearly weren’t doing (at least not properly); and nobody has been arrested, prosecuted, or imprisoned for their failures to do their part in keeping the lab “compliant with state law,” which seem to me like “crimes” (whether of commission or omission.)