R.I.P. Jack Jones

October 24, 2024, at home

R.I.P. Jack Jones, January 14, 1938 – October 23, 2024 (singer of the theme song of the "The Love Boat" TV series)

Today Is ...

October 23, 2024, at home

Today is National Mole Day !!!

I certainly remember Avogadro's Number from my studies of chemistry in high school and at university. ("The number 6.02214076×10^23 was chosen so that the mass of one mole of a chemical compound in grams is numerically equal, for most practical purposes, to the average mass of one molecule of the compound in daltons.")

While I ultimately became a journalist instead of my planned medical researcher or bench chemist, I was quite fortunate in the 1990s to land a job in New York City where I could indulge my love of a topic that has interested me since I was a young kid in the 1960s playing with my chemistry set. From 1992 to 1996, I was a Reporter, Writer, Editor, and Researcher for an international weekly magazine on the financial and technical aspects of the chemical industry. This included agriculture chemicals, petrochemicals (aromatics and aliphatics), pharmaceuticals, flavors, fragrances, plastics, paints, coatings, oils, fats, waxes, surfactants, and more.

Yes, I'm a nerd ... and proud of it.

I am honored to have worked for one of the oldest publications in the United States. The magazine, initially titled "Oil, Paint, and Drug Reporter" and titled "Chemical Marketing Reporter" ("CMR") when I worked there, was first published in 1871. It was again renamed "Chemical Market Report" shortly after I left for a job as a writer for a wire service covering commodities trading (futures and options).

I still laugh at the title of my first position at "CMR": Oils, Fats, and Waxes Editor. It was my job to cover such products as castor oil, grease (both yellow AND white), carnauba wax, and much more from an industrial standpoint. I soon made the lateral move to Flavors and Fragrances Editor, then promoted to Heavy and Agriculture Chemicals Editor, and then majorly promoted to Market Research Editor.

I rank this job as my most favorite job since I became a journalist in 1982 partly because, as I still jokingly say, it made me appear smarter than I actually was. Also, my groundbreaking story on tung oil as a natural industrial lubricant in its infancy was cited in USDA and EPA governmental reports. My writings were also cited in the thesis of a university student.

While I was working for CMR, I sent a copy of the magazine to my former university chemistry teacher from the early 1980s to let him know that I never lost interested in this subject and that chemistry was my professional life at that time. He wrote back, thanking me. He told me that a teacher usually doesn't know how far his influence on his students will go. He also mentioned that he had never heard of tung oil.

UPDATE: The graphic is misleading. The number is 6.02 × 10²³, which is 6.02 times 10 to the 23 power (in other words, 6.02 times 10 multiplied by 10  twenty-three times.)

October 23, 2024, at home

While I don't really like the yellow cake, there is enough other stuff going on to distract me, so I enjoy it as a whole. I do like Boston Cream donuts, one of which I ate this morning.

October 23, 2024, at home

Today is TV Talk Show Host Day. My favorite talk show host is Joe Franklin. He is credited for inventing the talk show format.

I often watched his show. It was a relaxing and interesting show. "The Joe Franklin Show" was broadcast on TV from 1950 to 1993. I often watched it during the late 1970s and the 1980s.

October 23, 2024, at home

For many years, I thought Capistrano was in Italy or Spain. It's in California.

It Has To Be Odd

October 23, 2024, at home

Do you do this? I do sometimes similar.

I MUST have the TV volume as an odd number. Also, when having a beverage, I must have an odd number of ice cubes, usually 3 or 5, but never 4. When I was a young kid in the 1960s, some other kid called me "odd," so I decided to use odd numbers whenever I could.

R.I.P. Fernando Valenzuela

October 22, 2024, at home (date I posted this on Facebook and YouTube)

R.I.P. Fernando Valenzuela (November 1, 1960 – October 22, 2024)

Rxs

October 22, 2024, at home

This is the medication I took just today:

October 22, 2024

12:12 pm Furosemide

12:13 pm Entresto

12:14 pm Carvedilol

12:17 pm Tresiba

6:17 pm Furosemide

9:24 pm Entresto

9:26 pm Carvedilol

9:27 pm Spironolactone

9:28 pm Doxycycline

9:29 pm Breo

10:50 pm Fluticasone

(Albuterol throughout the day)

Today Is ...

October 22, 2024, at home

My favorite nut for taste is filbert (hazelnut). My favorite nut for texture is cashew. Also, due to my Italian and Austrian heritages / upbringing, I love roasted chestnuts. I call them by their Austrian name: Maroni. In Italian, they are called castagne arrostite or marroni. What is your favorite nut?

October 22, 2024, at home

My favorite color is dark purple. What is your favorite color?

Today Is ...

October 21, 2024, at home

When I was a kid sometime between 1972 to 1974 (between the ages of 11 and 13), I had two pet chameleons in a terrarium. At one point, they weren't eating their regular food (live mealworms) for weeks, so I caught a bunch of monarch butterflies and put them in with the chameleons. Nothing happened. My dad suggested that I give my chameleons to my dear friend Dave who lived several houses down the street, which I did. I think my dad just wanted them out of the house ... or maybe it was mom. I'll have to ask her. Months later, I found out from a book in a pet shop that chameleons sometimes go for weeks without eating. LOL ... (In the comment section below is an online photo of the type of chameleon I had as pets. The reptile in the main photo is also considered to be a chameleon.)

October 21, 2024, at home

I like Witch Hazel: the scented astringent and the Warner Bros. cartoon character. She's the green-skinned witch that Bugs Bunny encounters. For a short time, I splashed witch hazel on my face after shaving my face. It burned, but then softened. I soon switched to bay rum, which still burned and softened my face, but it smelled better. (You can see the cartoon character Witch Hazel in the comment section below.)

October 21, 2024, at home

I am not a huge fan of cheesecake, but I will occasionally eat it. I do like my mom's famous pumpkin cake (chocolate chips and walnuts with a sugar glaze). I like pumpkin pie during the Christmas season, but as per a decades-old personal tradition started when I was a young kid in the 1960s, I never, EVER eat it on Thanksgiving Day. Any other day during the year is OK.
October 21, 2024, at home

I like apples in all forms, except raw. I like apple cider, apple juice, apple sauce, baked apples, apple strudel, apple pie, apple crumb cake, apple crisp, apple butter, apple rugelach, Apple Jacks cereal, even dried apples, but give me a raw apple, and I will see how far I can throw it. It's probably because I hate the texture of a raw apple, and it's definitely because I absolutely HATE that "CRUNCH" sound when eating it. It's like fingernails on a chalkboard. So, if you eat an apple near me, don't be offended when I run away. LOL ... I do like eating raw pears. Go figure.

My favorite apple is the Granny Smith because it is sour and more importantly, it adorns many Beatles records.

United States Grand Prix

October 20, 2024, at home

I am watching live coverage of the nineteenth race of the 2024 Formula 1 racing season. The United States Grand Prix is being broadcast on WABC-TV (from a feed from ESPN from a feed from Sky Sports F1). The race started at 2 p.m. local time (3 p.m. Eastern Time in the United States).

Below is a diagram of the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. Almost all of the races are on actual circuits (tracks), so this street circuit is relatively rare. Each circuit around the world has a different configuration, therefore a different dynamic, regarding turns and elevation fluctuations. As you can see, this circuit is particularly challenging.

This season's 24-race schedule is as follows: Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Japan, China, Miami, Italy, Monaco, Canada, Spain, Austria, Great Britain, Hungary, Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy (different circuit), Azerbaijan, Singapore, Austin, Mexico, Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.

The first two races this season (in Bahrain and in Saudi Arabia) were held on Saturdays due to the Islamic observance of Ramadan. All other races will be held on Sundays, as usual, except for the Las Vegas Grand Prix which will also be held on Saturday.

Before each race, there are two days of practice/qualifying. The races run every week or every other week from March into December.

In Formula 1 racing, there are 20 (male) drivers, with one driver from the United States. There are 10 teams (with two drivers on each team), so not only do drivers compete against their rivals, but they also compete against their teammates. There are two championships: one for the drivers and one for the constructor teams.

This season, as with last season, there are three races in the United States. In fairly recent years, there were no drivers from the United States and no races in the United States.

Formula 1 racing is the only sport that I actively follow. I have been a fan for decades. I watched my first F1 race decades ago on television at the home of one of my many Austrian cousins while on vacation in Austria.

October 20, 2024, at home

Although I am originally a northerner, I do like chicken and waffles.

October 20, 2024, at home

I don't think that I have ever eaten brandied fruit. However, I have eaten rum fruitcake.

Yankees Win The Pennant !!!

October 20, 2024, 12:30 a.m., at home

The New York Yankees win the pennant !!! American League Champions !!! They beat the Cleveland Indians, uh, Guardians 5-2 in 10 innings to win the American League Championship Series (ALCS) 4 games to 1. The Yanks are headed to the World Series against the Brooklyn, uh, Los Angeles Dodgers or the New York Metropolitans, uh, Mets.

Knödelsuppe (Knoedelsuppe)

October 19, 2024, at home

This afternoon, my wonderful wife made this big pot of Knödelsuppe (Knoedelsuppe). She brought a big container of it to my mother, the amount of which is not shown in this photo.

Trivia: The company "College In" makes broths and stocks by boiling the "collagen" out of animal bones. College In and collagen sound about the same.

Seafood Bisque Day

October 19, 2024, at home

I particularly like lobster bisque.

Yankees Win !!!

October 18, 2024, at home

Yankees win !!!

Best Piece Of Cake

October 18, 2024, at home

B ... It has a little extra frosting, while it allows me to be empathetic because I will know how everybody else is realizing the cake experience.

World Menopause Day

October 18, 2024, at home

You mean, like celebrating? No. I'm not doing anything special. 🙂 Actually, what WOULD anyone do today?

Cupcakes & Leggings

October 18, 2024, at home

I don't really like cake, but I do like frosting.

Pasta & Mulligans

October 17, 2024, at home

My favorite pasta is Bucatini. What is your favorite pasta?

October 17, 2024, at home

"In golf, a mulligan happens when a player gets a second chance to perform a specific move or action. The day offers an opportunity for giving yourself a second chance or, as some people call it, a 'do-over.'" - daycalendar.com

Personal Trivia: During the summer of 1981 at age 20, I was a golf instructor at a golf school in Southern Pines, North Carolina.

Chili

October 16, 2024, at home

My wonderful wife made this pot of chili this early evening.

Today Is ...

October 16, 2024, at home

My absolute favorite liqueur is Campari when it's mixed with orange juice (my alcoholic drink of choice). My other favorite liqueurs are Anisette, Amaretto, and Frangelico. Back in the 1980s, I occasionally liked a splash of Sambuca, sometimes Kahlúa, in my coffee. I liked Galliano during my Harvey Wallbanger phase; Triple Sec during my Kamikaze phase; and Baileys Irish Cream during my White Baron phase. I also like Austrian schnaps, especially Marille, Williams, Subirer, Obstler, and Kirsch, but that's a different category. One of my many Austrian cousin's wife's family owns and operates the famous Freihof Distillery in Lustenau, Austria, and yes, long ago, I was given a personal tour. (I know far too much about this subject for someone who barely ever drank and still doesn't drink alcoholic beverages. Hey, I guess I really DID indulge in my younger days.)

October 16, 2024, at home

When I was a young kid in the early 1970s, one of my English teachers got angry with our entire class. As "punishment," he told us to open our dictionaries and start copying it into our notebooks. I asked him on which page to start. He said "Anywhere" and stormed out of the room. He returned about 10 minutes later, apologized to the class, and we were back to normal.

October 16, 2024, at home

During my time as a journalist (1982-2017), after I moved to Florida in 1998, I was a hardware salesman at Sears; and a haberdasher (men's clothes and accessories) and a textiles salesman at Macy's. For about a couple of weeks at Macy's, I sold maternity clothes and kids' toys.

October 16, 2024, at home

The only sport that I actively follow is Formula 1 auto racing.

Nietzschean Birthday

October 15, 2024, at home

Happy Birthday to one of my favorite philosophers. I read many of Nietzsche's books and aphorisms in the 1980s.

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (October 15, 1844 - August 25, 1900) was a German philosopher and cultural critic who published intensively in the 1870s and 1880s.

Here is one of his more famous aphorisms ...

Today Is ...

October 15, 2024, at home

This is definitely a day for me.

October 15, 2024, at home

I like cheese curds, especially in poutine.

October 15, 2024, at home

On October 15, 1951, the first episode of "I Love Lucy" aired on American television.

October 15, 2024, at home

I am 100 percent pro-life.

Hated Words, Phrases

October 15, 2024, at home

What are the words and phrases that you dislike/hate? Here are some of mine. My basic reasons are because they are used incorrectly, are overly used, and just sound stupid. Tell me if you disagree with any of mine. (I was inspired to create this post after seeing a similar post on Facebook.)

gratuitous ... It's overused.

disingenuous ... It's overused.

In the 1990s, I hated the word "ersatz" because it was overused. It doesn't seem to be used much anymore.

serendipity/serendipitous ... (annoying)

titular ... It is so overused. I think people just like saying it.

Don't say "chomping at the bit." The phrase is "champing at the bit."

Don't say "nip it in the butt." The phrase is "nip it in the bud."

Don't say "cut the mustard." The phrase is "cut the muster."

PLEASE don't say "at the end of the day" unless you are talking about something that happened at the end of the day. It doesn't mean "when all is said and done." Don't use that either.

"Have a nice one." Have a nice what?

Using the year to justify bad behavior. "It's 2024." So? It worked perfectly well for hundreds of years. The current year doesn't mean it must be changed.

"Tell me you are an idiot without telling me you are an idiot" or whatever is your word of choice. It's used in response to something with which someone disagrees.

incel ... It means "involuntarily celibate." Feminists and other toxic women think it's an insult (it's not), and it is overused. Oh, I also don't like toxic because it is overused.

ADDITION: I forgot to mention the most important one: "real man." Every man is real.

Today Is ...

October 14, 2024, at home

It is definitely a day for me. To my fellow baldies: It's time to celebrate, my follically challenged chums !!! ... or is it follicly ???

October 14, 2024, at home

Today is National Dessert Day.

What is your favorite dessert and your least favorite dessert?

MY FAVORITE DESSERT is an Austrian cake called "Mohr im Hemd," which is made with chocolate, almonds, and red wine. Translated from German, it means "black man wearing a shirt" because that's what it looks like on the plate. (See online photo below.)

MY LEAST FAVORITE DESSERT is "Strawberry Shortcake." It's absolutely horrible. I hate strawberries. I hate that yellow pound cake. I hate whipped cream.

October 14, 2024, at home

I always use real sugar and avoid all artificial sweeteners.

For about 14 months from mid-1996 to late 1997, I covered commodities trading, specifically the futures and options trading of "Softs" (coffee, sugar, cocoa, cotton, and orange juice) in the New York City bureau of Futures World News, a wire service that was broadcast via satellite to our special computer terminals in companies and homes in 93 countries. I covered those five markets at the same time in real time, writing 13 to 16 news stories every day, plus one weekly feature story. I occasionally covered whole milk futures and options, but nothing much ever happened. I mean, three trades in a day was huge for that market. Also, every three weeks, I covered the weekly money supply meetings at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Trivia: Almost all of the sugar in the world comes from sugar beets, not sugar cane, with Russia as the largest grower of sugar beets.

Canadian Thanksgiving Day

October 14, 2024, at home

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving Day !!! My wonderful wife is from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, so we celebrate both Thanksgivings.

Happy Columbus Day

October 14, 2024, at home

Happy Columbus Day !!! (I'm half Italian.)