Archives for 2023

Some more promising news in the field of environmentalism: In a “very surprising” discovery, scientists have located several microbes in the Alps and the Arctic that can digest plastic at low temperatures — a potential game-changer in globally decreasing plastic waste. “These organisms could help to reduce the costs and environmental burden of an enzymatic recycling process for plastic.” 

Let’s be thankful the Alps are not made of plastic.  Now that would be an environmental disaster.  Where would we ski if there was no Gstaad?

Happy Anniversary to the Angel that was sent to save me!

Full Disclosure: This may not be our most recent picture
but the new cameras are so unreliable…

Researchers have found that understanding dark humor requires greater mental acuity.  So if you find these jokes funny you may possess above average intelligence. 

But what is dark humor, exactly? Psychologists have defined it as “humor that treats sinister subjects like death, disease, deformity, handicap or warfare with bitter amusement and presents such tragic, distressing or morbid topics in humorous terms.”  
Let’s test:

1. What has four legs and one arm?  A Pitbull.
2. Why won’t cannibals eat clowns?  They taste funny.
3. Trump

The last one may be the biggest joke of all if it wasn’t also frightening.

If you were watching TV in the 1950’s and early 1960’s you would know it’s a Timex Watch hawked by newsman, reporter and gameshow host John Cameron Swayze.  If you are a Millennial you probably think the answer is a masochistic poodle with Tourette syndrome.
Seriously, how do I come up with stupid stuff like that?  I am seriously worried about me.

A Ladino Saying:
Djente de piron – (DJEN-te de pee-ROAN)
Meaning: The One Percent (i.e. The Rich)
The 1% as a descriptive of the super wealthy has been with us for centuries.

Judeo-Spanish, also known as Ladino, is a Romance language developed by the Sephardic Jews of Spain and spread to other countries when they were banished from Spain at the end of the fifteenth century.  Ladino preserves many words and grammar that has been lost in modern Spanish.  It also has a more conservative sound system—for example g sounds still occur where modern Spanish has an h (not pronounced);  Ladino agora versus Spanish ahora.

The literal translation of Djente de piron is: “People of the fork”: owning a fork (and not just a spoon) was once a sign of high-class status.  America’s ruling class masks the ever-widening economic gap by distracting the masses with phony threats of border horrors and imaginary attacks on gun ownership.  The poor get poorer, the class gap widens, the rich get richer and less empathetic toward those in need.

The good news is eating utensils are plentiful and the one-percenters are seeing to it that the less fortunate get completely forked!

And yet I feel so joyous and hopeful.

Baby steps!

A smoke-free Sweden is becoming a reality.

“As the World Health Organization marked “World No Tobacco Day” last Wednesday, Sweden, which has the lowest rate of smoking in the Europe Union, is close to declaring itself “smoke free” — defined as having fewer than 5% daily smokers in the population.”

Sweden has banned smoking in almost every public venue in the country.  It is estimated only 6.4% of Swedes smoke on a regular basis and they are working toward reducing that to where they can be declared a smoke-free country.  To put it in perspective the average amount of the population that smokes in the other 27 European nations is 18.5%.

Soon the only people Smokin’ in Sweden will be the Blonds!

A recent survey found that the greatest fear of us old geezers is not death but first, loneliness and second, becoming a burden to our children.  I think the second is rather ironic considering the percentage of adult children that move back in with their parents is at an all-time high.

Also to be noted are those who believe in a literal heaven and hell; that think awaiting us once we cross the bar is either a fluffy cloud with a 24 hour all-you-can-eat buffet or eternal agony in a 100,000 degree fire pit (but I hear it’s a dry heat).  They have another level of fear that zooms off the charts.

Personally my fears don’t extend beyond this life.  I have a recurring nightmare that circumstances force me to move to either Texas or Florida…YIKES!

A beautiful thought about the power of positivity from a unique comic genius.
But conversely you must always look down, my brothers, when zipping up after using the urinal, for the dangers of getting snagged are many and very real.

 A story for another time perhaps?   TMI?

This Buddhist proverb emphasizes the idea that contentment and satisfaction come from appreciating what we already have, and not always seeking more.  We should aim to cultivate inner peace and contentment through acceptance and gratitude for what we already have.

I get it.  The recipe for happiness; inner peace, contentment, acceptance, gratitude.  But consider the proverbial icing on the cake:  winning a lottery jackpot.  Isn’t that what life is really all about?