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I never knew any of my grandparents, but I was fortunate enough to know my great-uncle, who was my grandfather’s brother. My grandfather, Alfonso, arrived with his brother Francesco in New York around 1900. The brothers were born in Cava de’ Tirrini, a city in the Campagna region of southern Italy. The brothers didn’t take to American life; one example would be never really learning English.

My grandfather Alfonso died soon after the Depression, and his brother Francesco became my surrogate grandpa. Zio “Cheech,” as we called him along with Grandpa. He lived in Corona, New York, lived to be 86, and died in 1964, when I was ten. My memories are fading with age. However, I do vividly recall his basement in Corona. The walls were decked with the Sunday comics from The Daily News, “Terry and the Pirates, and “Gasoline Alley.” The old guy never understood the text of the comics; he loved the colors, and they were everywhere.

He had a modest garden of tomatoes, herbs, peaches and grape vines. He also made his own wine. One memory I will always remember was his smell; he smoked DiNapli cigars, short smokes we called “Guinea Stinkers,” and he wore the same old, grey sweater.

My parents would visit every Sunday for dinner in Corona. As soon as we arrived, he took me down to the cellar. I was the youngest and clearly his favorite. He showed me the latest edition of Sunday comics, and he always smiled. Then he’d sit me down and pour me some home-made wine. I was eight back then. He would slice a piece of peach and put it in our wine glasses. The wine was so strong in alcohol that it had to be cut with the sweetness of the peach. The “Godfather” scene at the end depicts Cheech in a tee, peach, and gray sweater.

He would serve wine in Flintstone jelly jars. I had a serious crush on Wilma until I was twelve.

What I would give for one more visit down his cellar, drinking wine and smelling those nasty cigars.

I can across a company called “United Wholesale Mortgage.” Has anyone heard of them?

Two women talking: “How did you meet your husband?” The other woman replies, “When I was working in the pharmacy, he came and asked for condoms, size XXXXXX. I didn’t realize until we were married that he stuttered.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKc3j8GMqGo

Another message from the one and only, Kevin DeLory. Thank you Kevin, for sharing

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UoBnF48RWU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0hP-LT0TZs

Is the bird flu really here, or is it COVID-19 in disguise? The strain is HSN1, another flu strain, and each year they are getting worse, or are they really? In 2013, 900 people contracted the bird flu, and more than half died. Is this enough to be a pandemic?

Farmer workers and ranchers are at the highest risk of coming down with HSN1. I was unable to find where the 900 people got sick. I’m almost certain they worked on farms and ranches that lacked regular monitoring. Mostly found in meat and dairy, bird flu arrives and, voila, the price of eggs goes up, which has happened in the past few years.

I was amazed at the death statistics for flu deaths during COVID; there weren’t as many as previous years. I think all the flu stats were compiled together with COVID to make COVID worse. Thousands of people die of the flu each year, but not during COVID years. It was once called Trump’s flu.

With the election this November what will this flu be called, will CDC call it a pandemic? Or will it be a political stratagem? Biden Bird Flu, Biden Goodbye Flu, Trump’s Flu II. Both parties will cause chaos and come to the rescue, too bad the public will suffer.

It’s time to stock up on toilet paper and common sense.

Gov. Ron DiSantis just passed a law in Florida, forbidding the release of balloons. The balloons are a danger to the wildlife along the beaches. So, if you have a beach party and lease balloons to celebrate you may be arrested or fineD. However, people under 6 years old are exempt from this law. What do the police do when a child’s age is questionable? “Hey pal pull over and show me your ID.”

What is the consequences by the CFPB and state and federal regulators if a NMLS Licensed loan officer gets caught giving or receiving referral fees and kickback.

I write many posts and I am beginning to realize that AI lacks a sense of humor. I know someone will answer me with an AI response explaining what AI is, I am ready. Can AI tell me a joke to make me laugh, or just explain what a joke is?

Have you seen the commercials for HIMs and HERS? I must be missing something; I thought we were sensitive to the non-binary society? When pronouns are used like XIR or MX, I’m in a fog. Is it a certain code that only non-binary people get? Everyone wants to be identified as something. We wear T-shirts that have a message: we want to be labeled as someone unique. Why? Aren’t we happy being what God intended? How is it that today, when a child is born, the parents can name them non-brinary? Is this predestined?

I know I can rant and rave about genders; my question would be, “What does the non-binary person, {I can use person, right, I’m not offending anyone, am I?}

What happens if a HIMS takes a HERS? Or a HERS takes a HIMS? Hair growth, stronger sexual desire?

Will there be a THEMS or an ITS? Please help!

Precious metals are the best investments today. Here’s Fake President Biden’s zero cent coins from the U.S. TREASURY MINT.

I grew up in a concrete jungle, with buildings everywhere and playgrounds of cement. There are always rules regarding playgrounds: no jumping from slides or see-saws, etc. Beyond those rules, there are street, unspoken rules that must be followed. The inner city game is basketball. I’ve played on many teams and coached my son through elementary school and into high school. We had park rules and home court rules. I was never that good a basketball player; I had white man’s disease; and I can’t jump. On a good day, I could touch the rim. The first rule was that whoever was on the court first had to play in every game until they lost. I’d get there early to call “home court,” hoping the guys that should be up were good and I could continue my possession of the court. Even if you played in the South Bronx or Harlem, these rules were adhered to.

Greenwich Village has a main subway stop: West 4th Street. The cross street is 6th Avenue.

One block south is West 3rd Street, where there is a basketball court. Guys, professional players would travel downtown to play ball. I remember Dick Barnet of the Knicks, and Kareem Abdul Jabar was a local boy named Lew Alcindor. He went to Power Memorial Academy High School.

I tried my strategy early one Saturday morning on the West 3rd Street courts. Everything went fine the first few games; our team won the first two games, and that was it. When the big boys arrived, we were wiped off the court. To this day, the Saturday basketball games are a tourist attraction. They have also formed a league, “West 3rd Street Basketball League.” Teams have sponsors: Nike and Pepsi. I would have to wake up pretty early to play in that league.

Former Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan, aged 60, was sentenced to three years in prison followed by one and a half years of probation after being convicted of two felony charges: aiding a felon and intimidating a witness. Lujan was found guilty of helping a former Española City Councilor evade police after a high-speed chase in 2017 and directing a deputy to conceal his actions. This conviction followed a retrial after an initial jury failed to reach a verdict. Lujan resigned from his position shortly after the conviction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP4gie6zVUA

“Extending professional courtesy” on a traffic stop typically refers to law enforcement officers giving leniency to other officers or individuals in related professions when stopped for traffic violations. This practice is somewhat controversial and varies widely depending on jurisdiction and individual officer discretion. Here are some key points regarding this practice:

What It Involves

Reasons for Extending Courtesy

• Professional Respect: Officers may feel a sense of camaraderie or mutual respect towards fellow officers.
• Understanding of Job Challenges: An appreciation of the stresses and risks associated with law enforcement might lead to more lenient treatment.
• Internal Policies: Some departments might have unwritten policies or cultural norms encouraging such leniency.

Ethical and Legal Considerations

• Fairness: Critics argue that this practice can undermine public trust in law enforcement by creating a perception of bias or unequal treatment under the law.
• Department Policies: Some departments explicitly prohibit extending professional courtesy to ensure all individuals are treated equally.
• Legal Implications: There can be legal risks if leniency leads to subsequent incidents or if it’s viewed as official misconduct.

Examples of Guidelines

Public Perception and Trust

• Transparency: To maintain public trust, many departments stress the importance of transparency and equal treatment in all enforcement actions.
• Accountability: Ensuring that all officers are held to the same standards as the public can help build community trust and accountability.

While extending professional courtesy is a practice rooted in respect among officers, it faces significant scrutiny due to concerns about fairness and public trust. Law enforcement agencies often strive to balance professional camaraderie with the need to uphold the law impartially. For more detailed information on this topic, you can refer to the guidelines and policies of specific police departments or legal analyses from reputable sources like legal journals and law enforcement ethics publications.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTcpAa1K4Ws

Cars in general depreciate. Mass produced cars such as sedans, pickups, mini-vans, SUVs, convertibles, and daily drivers will lose up to 30% to 40% of its value the minute they leave the dealership. From there on cars will depreciate and in about ten years it will be worthless. Some decked out pick up trucks and sports utility vehicles can surpass the $100,000 mark. A Dodge RAM TRX and Ford Raptor fully loaded can cost over $110,000 brand new. However, after five years, these luxury trucks will be worth less than half of their MSRP. After ten years, these trucks will be worth $20,000 or less. On the other hand, there are limited edition exotic cars like some Ferrari’s and older vintage vehicles that are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. A Ferrari Testarossa sold for $50,000 price range in early 2000s all day long. Ferrari Testarossa was mass produced so the price was stagnant for over a decade and was not budging. However, today, Ferrari Testarossa is selling for close to $200,000. Same with older Ferrari’s such as the Ferrari Dino and the Ferrari Boxer. The Lamborghini Miura is selling over a million dollars. The Ferrari Lusso is a multi-million dollar car. The Mopar muscle cars are selling over six figures and some that has been restored in the mid to upper six figures. So what type of vehicles can you get for an investment. So what cars are the next winners? I say the Ferrari 599 GTB, the Ferrari 812 Superfast, the Lamborghini LP 640 hard top and convertible, Lamborghini Diablo Roadster, and the 1968 to 1973 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible.

A tree grows not just in Brooklyn but also in New Jersey. I’m nothing special, just a 60-year-old apple tree in Northern New Jersey, yes, the Garden State. The owner of the house planted me in memory of his dad, who was an apple farmer. My Golden Delicious apples are wonderful! Local folks know of my history and travel each fall to pick my beautiful orbs of sunshine.

Cider, apple pie, you name it, I can make it. I came up from a seed, just like my parents and grandparents. My great-grandfather led the way back in the 1930s. He and his siblings had the only producing orchard during the Great Depression. They were generous with their fruit as they gave to anyone who was hungry, not like that Wizard of Oz apple tree, grumpy and cheap. They fed everyone! I was planted as a reminder of when times were difficult.

Back in those days, the highlight of the week’s work was topped off by a fresh apple pie for Sunday dinner. When I was a lad, a seedling, too young to produce a crop, I was the playground for the kids in the neighborhood. As I aged, they would climb me, tie old rubber tires from my branches and make swings. I was loved and cherished. I can’t begin to tell you the satisfaction I had watching these kids grow up. Youth was innocent. Although dirt-poor, the joys of a simple existence may be gone in today’s culture. The anticipation all week of a hot fresh apple pie gave hope on Sunday as much as going to church.

At one time, the owner’s dad had a huge orchard, but as years went on during the Depression, he lost much of it. Bank foreclosures, unable to hire workers or till the land himself, his farm shrunk, and worries of feeding his family grew overwhelmingly. When the owner’s son planted me was no longer a farmer, he became a builder, swearing never to farm for a living after seeing what his dad experienced. However, I was planted as a symbol as to not to forget.

As the years ticked away, and I was a sapling nearing the juvenile stage of my life, I gave shade for summer picnics. I also gave shelter from the storms and allowed all birds to nest in my branches and give birth to new life. My roots never faltered, and I stored water when It rained.

My crop increased every year, and soon I was producing more apples than any other apple tree. I was a great landlord, never evicting anyone. They could come and go as they pleased. Sooner or later, most would return with their families and tell of my wonderful living conditions.

Soon after my sapling period, I’m not sure when though, kids started carving their names on my trunk. I hated this, destroying my beautiful bark with crude initials. The owner’s five-year-old daughter was the first to etch into me with her initials, DM. She was barely a sapling herself when she borrowed her older brother’s pocket knife. Boy, did she get a whooping! Her DM was carved so low on my trunk that it was hardly one foot above the ground. At first, I despised this, but in time I grew fond of the daughter and felt almost honored for her to “tag” me.

I aged quite nicely during my adult years, and each year my harvest increased, and suddenly I saw an increase in carved initials. DM’s etching led the way for many other kids. DM was now three feet above the ground, and below her were her four siblings and neighboring children.

My adult years were very fruitful, but old age is rapidly approaching. I turned 50 last spring, and I am showing signs of decline. I am considered an elderly tree. My apple crop, although tasty, is less and less each year. DM’s initials are now twelve feet above the ground, and she is nearing 50 years old. The owner who planted me passed away last summer, and I am beginning to feel useless. DM’s youngest brother is 35; PA tagged me when he was 10. He is a builder just like his dad. He now owns the house that has been passed on through the generations. I am now in the autumn of my years and reaching the snag phase of a tree; I’m near death.

He wants to replant the orchard! Wow! I didn’t see that coming, but he wants to chop me down! I do not understand why? The day has come, and I am being razed. It doesn’t seem to hurt. The owner chops me down, but my roots are saved. My root bulbs will be planted throughout the new orchard; I will live longer and prosper once again.

When they cut me down, they were extremely careful not to disturb the first 12 feet of bark. The bark was gently removed, planed, and sanded down. The 20 or so initials carved into my bark created a bench. Every child’s initials since 1950 can be seen on the backing off the bench.

An engraved metal plaque also reads, “You were there when we needed you, and your roots are now our future.”

There are a lot of scums of this Earth people in existence today. There are selfish people, liars, thieves, and people with no morals who are willing to take advantage of you any chance they can. However, the world 🌎 is not all bad. There are kind people who are not selfish with a good heart. Here’s a short video clip about generosity and kind hearted ♥️ people:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/qyV4z4c42VZEPafk/?mibextid=Ls6BEq

Had a memorable great lunch with my two son’s Kristian (32 years old) and Tim (30 years) at Iron Age Korean Steak Restaurant for Father’s Day 2024. Tim called me last week extend an invitation for today at 11:30 am with Kristian. Iron Age Korean Steak House was near the corner of Lake Avenue and Milwaukee Avenue in Glenview, Illinois, an area I grew up but have not been there in decades. Had a great duper memorable lunch. Tons of food, great food, had a few drinks, smiles, and tons of good ole fashing laughs and more laughs. Busted Timothy’s chops and had a great time. Love you Kristian, and Tim. Missed my oldest daughter Monica but got a text from her. Monica lives 5 hours north. North of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Need to find time to go visit Monica and my new grandson, Alex. Thanks again, boys. Love you and had a great time and enjoyed every minute of it. Love you tons. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday and have fun and be safe. Talk to you, soon. Tim, send me video clips of your two cats. The cats you taught how to play fetch, bark, and act like a dog. Lol. @Chotime @Kristian

https://maps.app.goo.gl/g6fJQfMPDfPjHCGs5?g_st=i

Google suggests using a non-toxic glue to make cheese stick to pizza. That’s SLOP, the new SPAM. Yesterday’s article in the New York Times by Benjamin Hoffman writes how SLOB appears out of no where and looks legit. Tech companies are looking for new AI search engines. When you start a search the AI will give you, what it thinks you want. Overall its being represented as a bug that inverts what you are searching. You don’t know what’s real or not, they appear in emails and messages. Be careful of SLOP, you never know when it happens, is this post SLOP?

The two days out of the year when suddenly NO ONE is confused about what a man and woman is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPBuOtUdm30

Kamala Harris, is it racism?

Who is Kamala Harris? A vice president who hasn’t achieved much. She is a heartbeat away from being president. If Biden doesn’t run in November, she may be running in his stead. Every time I look up information on her, all I find is the following: The first female African American to hold the office of vice president That’s her claim to fame, and I take issue with that claim. Also, what is she? Her mother, Kamil, is from India, which makes her Asian; her father, Donald, is, get this, Afro-Jamaican with Irish ancestry. I will assume she is a woman. Why isn’t she the first Irish-Jamaican-Asian? You list the adjective first: I’m Italian American. An American by birth, a Native American is what I am. Granted, she was born in Oakland, California, apparently of many different ancestors. Why does Africa come first? She’s barely African; has she been there? I’ve been to Italy many times. I don’t play it up; it’s obvious I’m Italian. My wife’s DNA states she is 2% Polynesian; she can’t relate to that; she’s Ukrainian and Slovak. Would my wife be Polish or Polynesian? My DNA says I’m 20% Greek. Southern Italians and Greeks have been screwing around with each other for a long time. Africa is just 30 miles from Sicily. I have black cousins! Are we Afro-Italianos? Everyone here is from elsewhere. The party plays the female race ticket; just give them a minority, and they will vote them into office.Kamala Harris, is it racism?

Who is Kamala Harris? A vice president who hasn’t achieved much. She is a heartbeat away from being president. If Biden doesn’t run in November, she may be running in his stead. Every time I look up information on her, all I find is the following: The first female African American to hold the office of vice president That’s her claim to fame, and I take issue with that claim. Also, what is she? Her mother, Kamil, is from India, which makes her Asian; her father, Donald, is, get this, Afro-Jamaican with Irish ancestry. I will assume she is a woman. Why isn’t she the first Irish-Jamaican-Asian? You list the adjective first: I’m Italian American. An American by birth, a Native American is what I am. Granted, she was born in Oakland, California, apparently of many different ancestors. Why does Africa come first? She’s barely African; has she been there? I’ve been to Italy many times. I don’t play it up; it’s obvious I’m Italian. My wife’s DNA states she is 2% Polynesian; she can’t relate to that; she’s Ukrainian and Slovak. Would my wife be Polish or Polynesian? My DNA says I’m 20% Greek. Southern Italians and Greeks have been screwing around with each other for a long time. Africa is just 30 miles from Sicily. I have black cousins! Are we Afro-Italianos? Everyone here is from elsewhere. The party plays the female race ticket; just give them a minority, and they will vote them into office.

Did your human give you half a treat and tell you it was a whole one?

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The weather in Florida has been 90 degrees everyday for the past two weeks. The good thing about it being so hot, that there is no one in the back seat of you car waiting to attack you.

The Mafia and LGBT

I am proud of my Greenwich Village and my heritage. Just before summer kicked in early June 1969, the Stonewall Inn riots occurred. I’m not sure how many LGBTs know of this riot on Sheridan Square in Greenwich Village. The cops had enough of the gays and decided to raid the gay bar. This was the beginning of the gay movement.

This was actually a big mistake by the local police precinct; the “boys” owned the bar. When I refer to the “boys,” I mean the Mafia. They owned all the gay bars in the village. Gays were an everyday, matter of fact, occurrence in the village. The Italians paid them no mind; they didn’t hurt anyone. Tea Roooms, as they were called, sprung up, “Black Rabbit,” “One Potato,” where I actually worked a couple of bar shifts; it’s a long story how I wound up working there. The manager’s name was Bunny. He was gay and connected to the “boys.” My sisters had gay friends in elementary school. Everything was kept quiet, all behind closed doors, until that night in June, when 1,000 protesters came out of the closet and supported the Stonewall Inn. Not all were gay; many straight Villagers joined the protest.

The cops were brutal with their batons. This was long before “The Gay Officers Action League” was born. The cops and the “boys” always got along until that night. I guess there was a “sit down” between the two, and as expected, the “boys” won the battle. When it comes to money, don’t fuck with them. I suppose the Mafia helped the Gay Rights Movement.

I have always enjoyed the Italian traditions passed down through the generations. Meatless Fridays is a Catholic tradition the Italians practiced. I still try and adhere to the meatless Fridays whenever I can, except during Lent, when there is no meat at all.

Fish was the usual choice on Fridays, and I’ve eaten a lot of good pizza on Fridays. The Campagna Region of Italy, where this dish originated, has abundant fish and lots of great pizza. I’m sharing my recipe for Bucatini Aioli e Olio, with hot honey-seared scallops.

Aioli means garlic and oil. Olio is also oil.

Cook your pasta al dente.

Add garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper.

Season according to preference

Cast iron pan Heat a little canola or peanut oil, not olive oil.

When the pan is hot, place dried sea scallops in the pan

Salt and pepper lightly.

Sear scallops for three minutes each side.

Serve along with the pasta on a bed of spinach

Two-ounce ramekins of hot honey on the side for dipping

Don’t worry if a little honey mixes with the pasta.

This creates an amazing by-flavor.

New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are dry and loaded with lemon and grapefruit flavors.

The acidity will call the hot honey a little, if not a beer.I have always enjoyed the Italian traditions passed down through the generations. Meatless Fridays is a Catholic tradition the Italians practiced. I still try and adhere to the meatless Fridays whenever I can, except during Lent, when there is no meat at all.

Fish was the usual choice on Fridays, and I’ve eaten a lot of good pizza on Fridays. The Campagna Region of Italy, where this dish originated, has abundant fish and lots of great pizza. I’m sharing my recipe for Bucatini Aioli e Olio, with hot honey-seared scallops.

Aioli means garlic and oil. Olio is also oil.

Cook your pasta al dente.

Add garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper.

Season according to preference

Cast iron pan Heat a little canola or peanut oil, not olive oil.

When the pan is hot, place dried sea scallops in the pan

Salt and pepper lightly.

Sear scallops for three minutes each side.

Serve along with the pasta on a bed of spinach

Two-ounce ramekins of hot honey on the side for dipping

Don’t worry if a little honey mixes with the pasta.

This creates an amazing by-flavor.

New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are dry and loaded with lemon and grapefruit flavors.

The acidity will call the hot honey a little, if not a beer.

This subforum is directed to my friend Johnny Joe @RPE . Stay positive, stay away from negative energy, if there’s a will there’s a will, believe in yourself and your allies, you are not selling but rather offering, work smart vs hard, believe in yourself and success prevails. Never forget how you got to the top.

https://www.facebook.com/share/uYe3yanAzXHDq7Gq/?mibextid=xfxF2i

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Back in the day, Stallone was a struggling actor in every definition. At some point, he got so broke that he stole his wife’s jewelry and sold it. Things got so bad that he even ended up homeless....

Books that were never written:

“Running to the Outhouse”

by Willie Makit Illustrations by Betty Wont