Marcal Paper Plant Off I-80 in New Jersey Burns to the Ground

Some sad news today here in New Jersey.

The Marcal Paper Company, with the iconic MARCAL sign that was clearly visible to passersby as they passed Elmwood Park on Interstate 80, literally burned down yesterday.

I remember this plant, and that sign, since basically as young as I can remember. My family lived in nearby Lodi, so we passed that plant, and that sign, countless times. We still passed it, and I still pass it, every now and then, when going that way, although none of us have lived in Lodi now for a very long time.

So yes, sad news from New Jersey today. Hopefully, those who worked there and relied on their paychecks will find a way to get by, until the plant presumably reopens, or they find jobs elsewhere.

Here is the link to this local Jersey news story:

Why the now-destroyed Marcal Paper sign was so iconic Daniel Sforza, North Jersey Record Published 10:21 p.m. ET Jan. 30, 2019:

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/elmwood-park/2019/01/30/marcal-paper-fire-why-now-destroyed-sign-off-rt-80-so-iconic/2728661002/

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/elmwood-park/2019/01/30/marcal-paper-fire-why-now-destroyed-sign-off-rt-80-so-iconic/2728661002/

https://www.northjersey.com/?fbclid=IwAR1qDaz1gwLztiqRuDf1y8tBX9JLMXoIzrgyrGUlKJuImFjGYE-rP2OfqIE

Strange Weather Lately!

No, I am not actively trying to rip off the title of a piece written by Kurt Vonnegut, one of my favorite authors.

Indeed, this is just an observation. Recently, parts of Australia have seen record heat, which is saying something for that country, which is generally known to be hot.

Yet, here in the United States, we are experiencing record cold temperatures not seen in decades. Chicago experienced such severe cold temperatures, the the U.S. Postal Service, which has in it's motto that not cold nor snow, among other things, will keep them from their appointed grounds, nevertheless grounded all mail due to the dangerously cold temperatures. People have been encouraged to stay indoors as much as possible, because skin freezes within five minutes in temperatures as brutally cold as that. A day or two ago, it was colder in Chicago than it was in Antarctica, Siberia, Alaska or Mount Everest. And it was colder than that in other parts of the Midwest, particularly in Minnesota!

That cold streak has spread to the majority of the country. Right now, in suburban New Jersey, it is well below freezing in terms of temperatures, and the wind chill factor makes it feel even colder still. Indeed, it is below freezing in roughly three-fourths of the country, including parts of Florida and Louisiana, which are not known for extremely cold temperatures, obviously.

Now, here's the real kicker: we are expecting to get a complete reversal in just a couple of days. By Super Bowl Sunday, we are going to have temperatures well above the normal for this season, and there will be days early next week that will feel positively like spring.

Plus, there's more. There were record heat spells in other hot areas in recent years, including Australia (a year or two ago)and on the Arabian peninsula - another area known to have experienced extremely hot temperatures with regularity - in 2010. They had more records broken in 2015 on the Arabian peninsula. And in the American southwest desert last summer, once again in an area that knows extreme heat very well, they experienced record hot temperatures unlike anything that they had experienced before. I read somewhere that it was so hot out, that you could feel your eyes drying up almost as soon as you stepped outside.

Yet, last winter, Europe - I mean literally ever European nation - experienced record cold temperatures. We here in North America have seen similar trends in recent years, as we have grown used to hearing about something called the "polar vortex," which is something that, I can tell you, most of us had never heard anything about even a decade ago. Now, it seems that we hear about it every winter, as we experience incredibly frigid temperatures.

So, yes, I mean it when I say strange weather lately.

I also mean it when I say that this is not natural. It is nothing like anything we have ever experienced before.

Maybe we should start paying attention to scientists who argue that these weather extremes around the globe are the clear symptoms of climate change?

Nah! Our president assures us that climate change is a big hoax, and he would never lie to us, right? 

Right?

U.S. Midwest Freezes, Australia Burns: This Is the Age of Weather Extremes  by Somini Sengupta,  Jan. 29, 2019:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/29/climate/global-warming-extreme-weather.html?emc=edit_th_190130&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=605238850130&fbclid=IwAR04CjSdnAmPaSzzg3zjPduVcsayg6vbMAv0TX6IKWBDCCO8EW5t9cXIgds

Ivan Lendl Still Having Impact on Men's Tennis

In the last few days, I have written quite a bit about the "Big Four," and especially the "Big Three,": with a particular focus on Novak Djokovic, as he just won a record seventh Australian Open title in very convincing fashion.

Inevitably, there are questions regarding when the longstanding domination of the "Big Three" can possibly last. After all, Federer is 37 years old, and may be showing signs of aging. My father watched him in a match at Melbourne, and said that he looked like a shadow of his old self. Murray said that he is wrapping up his career after this year's Wimbledon. Clearly, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic are still playing at an optimal level, but how long can they keep it up? Nadal is 32, and Djokovic is 31. While that is still relatively young, it is getting up there for a professional athlete.

The thing is, there are no obvious heir apparent seemingly ready to take over. I remember the same issue was brought up as the careers of Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras were at their tail end in the late 1990's and early 2000's, right up through until that time when each man won their last Grand Slam championships in late 2002 and early 2003.

There is one man, however, who may be leading the pack. That would be Alexander Zverev, although he clearly needs to catch up in order to be on that level, as he failed to even reach the semifinal, or even the quarterfinal, at the Australian Open. In fact, he has only gone as far as the quarterfinal in one Grand Slam, and that was last year, at the French Open.

Still, he is consistently ranked in the top ten since he enjoyed a breakout year in 2017, and he is the youngest player on that list. He was in the top five from beginning to end in 2018.

One thing that is interesting is that there is something familiar with him. That would be the coach, who was a tennis legend in his own right" Ivan Lendl. For many years, Lendl enjoyed the unique distinction of having qualified for the most Grand Slam finals of any man, with 19, one more than Sampras, who made it to 18. But with Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic having taken over, the impressive 19 Grand Slam finals mark is already a distant fourth.

However, he has enjoyed success as coach, which he was with Andy Murray. And now, he is coaching this young, rising star Zverev. It does not look like he is quite ready to take over, although some people were grumbling in the early 2000's that young guns, including Roger Federer, were not yet emerging. But once he did, he clearly took over. Boy, did he ever!

So, let's see what happens. Should be interesting, at the very least!

The Ivan Lendl effect on Alexander Zverev is no laughing matter Nov 18, 2018 Simon Cambers

http://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/25313054/atp-world-tour-finals-ivan-lendl-effect-alexander-zverev-no-laughing-matter

The Beatles Rooftop Show 50th Anniversary

Photo by Luiz Fernando Reis (Bealtes cor 36 on Flickr) 

Creative Commons License -https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Image courtesy of niteprowl3r Flickr page -  beatles: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sreichenbach/3025971406/in/photolist-5BoTSN-6Kp6DG-9oQPyZ-6Kp8vw-6Kp9oJ-6KjXm4-6KoV2S-6KjVca-eC4tTE-6Kp3Qm-6Kp3hq-6KoWdy-6KjLZg-6Kp5yf-6KjUgt-6Kp6TN-6KjXdM-6Kp45N-6Kp1WY-6KoUGs-6KoVYG-6KoUx9-6Kp153-6KoX3q-6KoZUu-6KjLoH-6KoVv9-6KoXvh-4vA8mP-6Kp4SW-6KjWq6-6Kp4xm-6KjVXZ-6Kp4hS-6Kk1G6-6KkdtD-6KjMRH-6KoVS5-r1ZqRn-6KjZfx-6KjMrx-6KjZue-6KjYzt-6Kp7D9-bCr2k3-aWjPYX-6KvxqP-6Kp7R7-aUXW5n-6KjZW8

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

It was on this day, exactly half a century ago, that the Beatles made their last ever public appearance together as a band.

The funny thing about what became such a historical, iconic moment in the history of a band that set so many of the standards of what was still then the relatively new rock genre, and which many people still consider to be the greatest rock band in history, is that it seemed like no particularly big deal at the time for a few people who happened to be there. That is true of Ken Mansfield, the former American manager for Apple Records, who recalled in a recent Rolling Stone article:

“It was another day at the office,” Ken Mansfield says, recalling the Beatles’ impromptu rooftop concert in January 1969. There’s not even a hint of sarcasm in his voice. The group staged the gig atop Apple Records’ London office at 3 Savile Row, 50 years ago today, with the intention of shooting the ending for what would become their Let It Be film. It was an item on a checklist. Mansfield, who was born in Idaho, was the label’s U.S. manager at the time. “Some of the people in the Apple office didn’t even try to come up, because it was just another day.” 

Just another day at the office, indeed! As it turns out, Mansfield would actually write a book, with the simple yet revealing title, "The Roof," about that particular day, which some had dismissed as "just another day at the office." 

The story continues:

Mansfield was invited to watch the historic performance, the Beatles’ last live gig, at the urging of the band’s roadie, Mal Evans. “I think Mal just liked to take care of me, so he made sure I was up there,” he says. When he found out about the afternoon gig, Mansfield ran out and bought a white raincoat, since it was in the low 40s outside, and huddled on a bench with Yoko Ono, Ringo’s then-wife Maureen Starkey and Apple staffer Chris O’Dell to watch the quartet perform nine songs, including multiple retakes of “Get Back.” “George had me light some cigarettes for him for a few minutes just so he could hold the tips of his fingers up against the coals so he could feel his strings,” Mansfield recalls. “And I know John was really complaining about it, about the cold and how he couldn’t feel his hands.” 

“I just happened to be working in the offices that week,” he says. “And Mal just happened to say,

‘Hey, come on, Ken, we’re going up in 15 minutes.’ I said, ‘What do you mean?’ He said, ‘We’re going on the roof, and so come on.'” The rest, he says, is history."

And so, a kind of spur of the moment thing became one of the most famous episodes in the history of one of the most storied bands in music history! This was when John Lennon made that now legendary comment about hoping to pass the audition.

It all happened exactly 50 years ago, on this day, that the Beatles performed as a band in public for one final time.

Below is a kind of disjointed video that, nevertheless, purports to be able to show you the entire concert, from beginning to end. Enjoy!

Below are links to the articles that I used in writing this particular blog entry, particularly the Rolling Stone article:

The Beatles’ Final Concert: An Eyewitness Looks Back Ken Mansfield, former U.S. manager for Apple Records, recalls watching the momentous 1969 rooftop performance mere feet from the Fab Four  By KORY GROW, January 30, 2019:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/beatles-last-concert-rooftop-ken-mansfield-interview-783884/

By JIM AXELROD CBS NEWS January 30, 2019, 6:56 PM The Beatles' historic final concert held on rooftop 50 years ago

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-beatles-historic-final-concert-anniversary-2019-01-30/

Eric Trump Betrays His Staggering Levels of Hypocrisy

A couple of years ago, I saw a quote from Eric Trump that just blew me away with the blatant stupidity and blindness that it revealed.

The man was clearly offended about all of the voices of opposition to his father, who had just taken over as president months before. Knowing that such a public figure in not just a major public office, but the largest public office in the world, will always draw controversy and criticism, you might think that the Trumps would have gotten thicker skin.

Clearly, they have not. Instead, they showed themselves to be exactly the kind of melting snowflakes that they and their supporters always accuse others of having. 

Look at what Eric Trump - Donald Trump's son - said about Democrats who were not reluctant to go on the attack against his father:

"I've never seen hatred like this. To me, they're not even people. It's so, so sad. I mean, morality is just gone. Morals have flown out the window. We deserve so much better than this as a country. You know it's so sad. You see the Democratic Party. They're imploding. They're imploding. They have no message. You see the head of the DNC, who is a total whack job. There's no leadership there. And so what do they do? They become obstructionists because they have no message of their own. They have no solid candidates of their own. They lost the election that they should have won because they spent seven times the amount of money that my father spent. They have no message, so what do they try and do? They try and obstruct a great man, they try and obstruct his family, they come after us viciously, and it's truly, truly horrible."

He is saying that these Democrats are not even people. He is saying that he has never seen such hatred, even though his own father specializes in hatred. 

Much like his father, Eric Trump grew up as a spoiled rich brat. He never had to worry about his next meal or anything. And he and his father, and his entire family, presume to tell the rest of us how we should live, and how much they know what is best for the country.

What dark times, and what a disgraceful family to have at the head of the country! Someday, let this country, and indeed this world, attain a level of wisdom to recognize such levels of stupidity and hypocrisy for what it is, and leave it firmly behind us. That's how to make this world a better place!

Eric Trump on Democrats: 'They're not even people' Jessica Estepa, USA TODAY Published 12:16 p.m. ET June 7, 2017

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2017/06/07/eric-trump-democrats-theyre-not-even-people/102588850/

Novak Djokovic Surprised Even Himself With Recent Success

Photo courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr Page - Novak Djokovic: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/5763317762

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

It is scary to see just how good Novak Djokovic looks right now. To win the semifinal match while conceding all of six games, and then to beat Nadal as convincingly as he did, in straight sets, makes him look head and shoulders ahead of everyone else right about now. Frankly, it makes him look right where he now belongs: in serious discussions about just who the greatest men's tennis player is. It seems fair to mention that the main other players in that discussion are likely his biggest rivals, and both still active players: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

What amazes me is how humble and genuinely likable all three guys seem to be, although that may be particularly true in the case of Djokovic. He often is now quite the crowd favorite in the instant way that Federer and Nadal are, and that surprises me a bit, too. There is something about Djokovic that I find particularly friendly, charming, and even wise. He blew me away shortly after losing the 2015 French Open final to Stan Wawrinka - and remember, that was a devastating loss, as he had just finally knocked out Nadal on the clay courts of Roland-Garros, only to then lose to Wawrinka and be denied the career Grand Slam. Somehow, I misplaced the quote somewhere, but he posted it on Facebook, and yes, there was true wisdom and inner power reflected in that quote. It was not the  usual, often mindless motivational stuff that other athletes use to either motivate themselves, or to overcome a professional disappointment. Rather, it seemed to reflect a different view of the world, and an enlightened one at that. It transcended sports or professional disappointments, and it was from that point onward that I began to pay particular attention to Djokovic and what he has managed to accomplish.

Remember, this guy grew up practicing tennis on courts that had been bombed out, due to the war in the former Yugoslavia. He knew some hardships, and knows something about personal suffering, as well as being in a nation that is suffering. That helped to build his character, and is the reason that he seems especially genuine and likable, despite all of his success. Plus, he has a great sense of humor, and seems to truly know just how lucky, how privileged, he is to be in the position that he is in. He remembers where he came from.

Plus, he has overcome some professional adversity. First of all, let's face it: he came on the scene just as Federer and Nadal were clearly establishing themselves as the two premier tennis players in the world. I remember him first in 2007, when he began to reach the semi-finals at Grand Slams with regularity, and when he was looking like a young and emerging, rising star in his own right. He was pretty funny, too. Watch this:

As I mentioned earlier, he seems genuinely appreciative of his success, and the life that professional tennis has allowed him to enjoy to the degree that he can now enjoy it. And he is back on top of that tennis world, overcoming serious injury issues and working very hard to do so. Here is what he offered in reflecting about how he came to end last year as, once again, the top-ranked men's player in the world:

"If someone told me (I would end the year as No. 1) at that time, it was looking quite improbable," he told reporters afterwards. "Not just ranking-wise, I wasn't playing even close to where I wanted to be at in terms of (the) level of tennis.   

"No one likes to lose, and I've just come off court, but you see things a bit differently. All the positive things that I have to reflect on and also take from this season, especially the last six months."

Nobody deserves it more than Djokovic does right now. He deserves the respect that he has earned on the court. And he has done this while overcoming adversity, both on and off the court, and from a young age, right up to the present. We should all be proud to have such a champion on top in the tennis world.






Below is the article that I used to write this particular blog entry, as well as where I got all of the quotes from Djokovic which I used above:

Djokovic still upbeat despite Finals loss by Reuters, November 19, 2018:

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/djokovic-still-upbeat-despite-finals-loss

🍁 🍁 🍁 Canada Ranks as Top Nation in the World in Terms of Overall Quality of Life 🍁 🍁 🍁

Photo courtesy of waferboard's Flickr page - Canadian flag: https://www.flickr.com/photos/waferboard/5653240459

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Some years ago, when I was still hoping to move to Canada (not that I would reject it now, if the opportunity presented itself), I followed the news, which then seemed to be that Canada earned the distinction of ranking as the best place in the world to live in, year after year. 

It has not dominated that category so systematically in recent years, although it still nevertheless always ranks very high - and significantly higher than the United States. It is one of those things that Americans allow themselves the convenient conceit to ignore. But when you look at Canada's far superior and fairer healthcare system, as well as the strength of their democratic institutions, compared to some nagging signs that the overall standard of living in the United States has been in a steady decline for decades, it has the costliest healthcare system in the world, which is far less fair than it is in Canada and many other developed nations, and where democratic institutions certainly seem to be eroding.

According to the poll, Canada was ranked third best country in the world overall. It ranked third overall in education, and third overall for women. It was also ranked the second best nation in the world to serve as corporate headquarters. Overall, Canada ranked as the best country in the world in terms of overall Quality of Life.

The study was conducted by the US News and World Report, in partnership with the Y and R's BAV and Wharton. They looked at 80 nations, and examined numerous elements that affected the overall quality of life in each country. There are dozens of factors that the study takes into consideration. According to this article by Daily Hive Staff, they:

"broke down 80 countries’ overall rankings based “on 75 different metrics.”  Each of those metrics was then placed into one of nine subcategories that included:  A good job market Affordability Economic stability Family friendly Income equality Politically stable Safety Well-developed public health system Well-developed public education system Canada beat out Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, and Finland, which all finished in the Quality of Life top five."

That other category of best country in the world also took in numerous factors, and is supposed to determine which nation ranks best overall on average with the combined categories. Canada ranked high, coming in at third overall, behind top-ranked Switzerland, and then Japan, which ranked number two. This was followed by Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Australia, and the United States, which came in at eighth overall. Norway and then France rounded out the top ten list.

Once again, I feel that Americans could use this as an example of what their own nation could be, if Americans allowed it to happen. But one of the major things that prevents that from happening is the generally accepted, and in fact, usually unquestioned, belief that the United States is the greatest nation in the world. It is a line that many politicians and other famous people keep saying, time and time again, ad nausea. Whenever something seems to contradict or undermine this claim, it is generally ignored, which is the reason that so many Americans remain ignorant of this kind of news story. It is also the reason why so many Americans believe only the worst notions about things like  a universal, single-payer healthcare system, even though literally every other industrialized nation in the world has such a system in place. I would be willing to bet almost anything that this story will not ever reach so much as a blip on the major American media radar. 

Frankly, I believe it is because it might generate too many questions. Surely, many Americans (maybe even most) would systematically dismiss it as frankly unbelievable. When you have been fed a line like you are the greatest and freest country in the world for so long, it takes a lot to shake that faith, especially when such news items as this rarely ever reach the American people at large. But for those who would believe it, it might force certain question to arise, and it behooves those in power who have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo in the United States to keep Americans generally ignorant of the realities in the rest of the world, both in terms of the damage that American foreign policy has rendered in many underdeveloped nations, as well as the generally better standard of living that many in other advanced nations enjoy.

Below are the two links that I used in writing this particular blog entry, including the specific statistics and rankings for each nation.

Canada ranked #1 country in the world for Quality of Life by Daily Hive Staff, Jan 22, 2019:

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canada-ranked-best-country-quality-life-2019?fbclid=IwAR3qomvd9n_QkStbrUJ5c9SZShyMHKsjASe970nysAn-FFMJEC35XPlSM8E

Study ranks Canada #1 in the world for quality of life This is the country’s fourth year in a row in the ranking’s top spot Elana Shepert / Vancouver is Awesome JANUARY 23, 2019:

https://www.vancourier.com/news/study-ranks-canada-1-in-the-world-for-quality-of-life-1.23609916


And here is the link to the US News and World Reports findings:

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries

Climate Change Will Alter Ratio of Births Between Genders

The old button from the Environmental Club days which I just happened to find on Earth Day! It is a little beat up (particularly the ends of the ribbon), but no worse for the wear, I think. And it is one of the few items that I have left from those days, so it carries a lot of great memories for me! Nothing Changes Until You Do!

Here is a picture of a very similar logo, with the same message, that was on the t-shirt that I purchased from the BCC Environmental Club and, if memory serves me correctly, may even have helped to make. There were a few projects like that which club members, myself included, were regularly involved with. It has been so long, however, that I no longer recall specifically if I actually helped to make these or not, although I do believe so, since I remember seeing the process of the t-shirts being dyed. In any case, I loved this t-shirt, and have kept it ever since, even if I do not regularly wear it. Since it was part of my experience with the BCC Environmental Club days, as well as more generally having an environmental theme, it seemed appropriate to share it here. 

"Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed."

~Mahatma Gandhi

"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."

  

~John F. Kennedy  

Earlier today, I posted something about Trump disparaging the "global warming theory" and then getting owned by someone who is actually scientifically literate, unlike himself. I always marvel at how detractors of the validity of climate change get so wrapped up with the unfortunately misleading name that it was originally known by: global warming. So many detractors do not bother digging any deeper than the name itself, and feel that global warming means that the planet should apparently just get warmer and warmer all of the time, and that a cold day, especially one with ice and snow, automatically serves as proof that the whole "global warming theory" is some kind of hoax or scam.

Unfortunately, it is all too real, and their petty little squabbles and hang-ups with the name are making matters worse and getting in the way of progress. Yes, climate change is real, and it will have, and possibly already has had, some serious detrimental impacts.

In fact, I just learned about one of them very recently.

Now, this came as a real shock to me!

Personally, I had never thought that climate change might actually impact the ratio of the sex of children brought into this world. According to recent findings by scientists, however, it very well might!

Clearly, this is not natural. Indeed, detractors (and they are particularly numerous and stubborn here in the United States, funded by corporate special interests as they are) have long suggested that the Earth's climate is always changing, always fluctuating. But it has not changed as radically or as quickly as it has in modern human history, and this clearly is parallel to increases and human technological advances. 

It is scary to see how much this world seems to be changing, and mostly for the worse. But it is even scarier to see just how seemingly indifferent and unconcerned so many people seem to be about this particular issue. That is particularly true, unfortunately, here in the United States, the nation that has contributed far and away more than any other nation to putting harmful gases into the atmosphere that contribute to human-made climate change.  And since many Americans (although according to recent polls, far from a majority of them) liken climate change to higher taxes and measures that are harmful to business, it is clear that Americans are going to be the ones dragging their feet the most on this particular issue. That is how we get a complete scientific illiterate in the White House, and plenty of them populating Congress, which makes meaningful and constructive discussion, let alone action, on this subject virtually impossible.

Still, those of us who still believe that facts matter need to remain immune from this great distraction, from the ridiculous circus sideshow that the Trump administration, and our current Congress, for that matter, have become. The dots connect, and we cannot forget that. Nor can we ignore all of these clear warnings of what human-made climate change is actually leading to. It is our responsibility, and we need to take this seriously, even if - or really perhaps especially if - a large segment of our population lacks and maturity or intelligence to do so themselves.

Below is the link to the article that I got this sad and scary news from:

Climate change will affect gender ratio among newborns, scientists say CNN Digital Expansion 2016 Susan Scutti  By Susan Scutti, CNN  Updated 9:28 AM ET, Thu January 24, 2019

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/23/health/climate-change-infant-sex-ratio-intl/index.html

Trump Proudly Shows Off His Scientific Illiteracy & General Ignorance Yet Again

The old button from the Environmental Club days which I just happened to find on Earth Day! It is a little beat up (particularly the ends of the ribbon), but no worse for the wear, I think. And it is one of the few items that I have left from those days, so it carries a lot of great memories for me! Nothing Changes Until You Do!

Here is a picture of a very similar logo, with the same message, that was on the t-shirt that I purchased from the BCC Environmental Club and, if memory serves me correctly, may even have helped to make. There were a few projects like that which club members, myself included, were regularly involved with. It has been so long, however, that I no longer recall specifically if I actually helped to make these or not, although I do believe so, since I remember seeing the process of the t-shirts being dyed. In any case, I loved this t-shirt, and have kept it ever since, even if I do not regularly wear it. Since it was part of my experience with the BCC Environmental Club days, as well as more generally having an environmental theme, it seemed appropriate to share it here. 

"Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed."

~Mahatma Gandhi

"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."

  

~John F. Kennedy  

Temperatures are going to be frigid in most of the United States this week, and they are already especially cold in the Midwest, even by their standards. Chicago will be colder today than areas generally known for their incredibly cold temperatures, including the Siberia, Antarctica, and Mount Everest.

So naturally, needing to add his opinion on everything, regardless of whether or not he is actually qualified to do so, Trump had to chime in, and try to cast shade on the "global warming theory" that he has made clear he feels is a hoax. Yesterday, he tweeted:

"In the beautiful Midwest, windchill temperatures are reaching minus 60 degrees, the coldest ever recorded. In coming days, expected to get even colder,” Trump wrote. “People can’t last outside even for minutes. What the hell is going on with Global Waming? Please come back fast, we need you!”
92.7K 9:28 PM - Jan 28, 2019

Yes, by the way, that is how he spelled the word "waming."

There were quick responses, including plenty from Trump fans who, like him, tried to spread shade on the "global warming theory."

But there were other responses that called the president, and his supporters, out on their ignorance. And one of them, from someone calling themselves A Science Enthusiast, had such a strong response, that it has gone viral Here is how A Science Enthusiast responded:

A Science Enthusiast  🚀 ‏   @aSciEnthusiast  7h7 hours ago More Replying to @realDonaldTrump Glad you asked! The polar vortex is supposed to stay at the north pole but dwindling sea ice (from climate change) has caused the vortex to split in three places, and that's why it's cold down here. Polar vortex splits like this will become more common as climate change worsens.  95 replies 439 retweets 2,810 likes Reply 95   Retweet 439   Like 2.8K

Indeed, these are grim times. The winter can feel glum and depressing, especially when it seems to drag on and get incredibly cold temperatures like this. And seeing someone like Trump represent this country as it's elected leader, as the official face and voice of this nation, for all intents and purposes, is even more depressing.

But it is nice to see that some people are still fighting the good fight, regardless of the dark and the intense cold out there (and I am not referring to the weather). It is enough to warm you up, and allow you to feel a bit of sunshine on a gloomy day!

Trump basically got owned. However, my guess is that he is too limited in terms of intelligence to even realize it. Surely, we will hear from his ignorant ass on this, and many other subjects, again soon enough. But it sure is nice to know that he does not speak for everyone in this nation.

It reminds me of that famous saying which is attributed to both Mark Twain and Abraham Lincoln:

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt."

You might think that Trump would have learned that lesson by now, after over seven decades of proving that age does not necessarily bring wisdom. 

Below are the articles used in writing this blog entry, including both of the tweets. On the very bottom is a link to just how brutally cold the temperatures in the Midwest are, as Chicago will be incredibly cold today:

Trump mocks global warming in tweet amid Midwest chill By Joe Tacopino January 28, 2019:

https://nypost.com/2019/01/28/trump-mocks-global-warming-in-tweet-amid-midwest-chill/

Internet goes nuts over Trump's global warming tweet India Blooms News Service | @indiablooms | 29 Jan 2019:

https://www.indiablooms.com/world-details/USN/18475/internet-goes-nuts-over-trump-s-global-warming-tweet.html





Chicago Will Be Colder Than Mount Everest, Antarctica, And Siberia On Wednesday reported by CBS News, January 28, 2019:


https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2019/01/28/chicago-colder-than-siberia-antarcitca-mount-everest/

Novak Djokovic Looks Virtually Unbeatable Following Australian Open Win

Photo courtesy of Marianne Bevis's Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mariannebevis/5972100998/in/photolist-a6JzyA-csctLm-cscsEm-csctrw-csct17-f4CWUn-nWz24z-a6Jzhy-a6JzGq-a6JyPu-a6FHJc-9ZEUDd-ohz8qG-ox2Nmj-bPFs5a-5uzT4n-a6FHgX-f52W2j-2KSf8f-f4MHoM-cJrFYL-cJrGqo-f4MDDe-a3t6Ga-cscu3h-f4MESB-f4MJya-bALMj9-a3vX3q-bALMws-a3t6Sv-bPFshK-cJrFKY-nnjmG7-a3t6yv-cJrGd9-vUQeNJ-f4MCVT-cJrFxj-a3vXjs-np5my3-nnjiL7-npmV3n-npmS96-nr8qnZ-bPFr3t-bPFqaF-bPFsDg-f52X2j-bALPWo

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Novak Djokovic entered the Australian Open as clearly the man to beat. He had overcome nagging issues with injuries to win the prior two Grand Slam championships, capturing Wimbledon and then the U.S. Open, which helped him to win the number one ranking by the end of 2018. He still had that, and tons of momentum, entering the Australian Open. Plus, the Australian Open has historically been Djokovic's specialty, as he was tied with rival Roger Federer and Roy Emerson, but his 7th overall title made him the most successful Australian Open champion ever.

Now, after winning the Australian Open for a record 7th time overall, some tennis experts feel that Djokovic is enjoying one of the greatest runs of any men's tennis player in history. Among those who feel this way are Eurosport commentator Pat Cash, who himself enjoyed some considerable success in men's tennis, winning the 1987 Wimbledon title and reaching the Australian Open final two years in a row. He also made it to two straight Wimbledon finals in doubles play.

In reviewing just what Djokovic's win, and his current overall run, means, Cash clearly was more than a little impressed with what Djokovic has managed to do. He stated that nobody in men's tennis right now can really compete on the level that Djokovic is playing at. Here is some more of what Cash said:

“We all wanted a five-set match or a good grind, but in my opinion that was great value for money.

“I’ve run in to a few tennis players today, and they’ve all said they’ve never seen a tennis ball hit like that in their lives.

“Novak can do that, it was just absolutely mind blowing tennis. He never let Rafa settle, he hit it harder and crisper than ever, he pretty much did what he wanted to on the court, at some points he was toying with Rafa, which is a pretty dangerous thing to do.

“There’s no doubt that Rafa was off today, whether that was forced by Novak or not, he was missing a lot of shots today. 

“He will have to look at the stats after this match and face the facts, we know he will because he’s a great champion and always wants to get better.

“He did nothing on Novak’s serve, the first serve ok because he can hit a big first serve, but the second serve, he didn’t capitalise on it well at all today.

“I don’t think anybody can challenge Novak right now, the way he’s playing, he’s favourite for the French Open, I was thinking during the match, how Rafa could even beat him on clay…”

Indeed, I agree with him. As of right now, if Djokovic manages to stay healthy, and to keep on playing as strongly as he has been playing in the last seven to eight months, he should be on top in this sport for a long, long time to come! And that is a scary thought for the other elites like Federer and Nadal, as well as other top contenders in men's tennis right now. 

All of the quotes from Pat Cash were taken from the following article (see link below):

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal receive Novak Djokovic warning after Australian Open win NOBODY in tennis can live with Novak Djokovic’s ability to play “mind-blowing tennis”. By Uche Amako PUBLISHED: 13:35, Sun, Jan 27, 2019 | UPDATED: 13:36, Sun, Jan 27, 2019

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/tennis/1078492/Roger-Federer-Rafael-Nadal-Novak-Djokovic-Australian-Open-win

Andre the Giant: Honoring Memory on the Anniversary of His Death

The anniversary of Andre the Giant's death was yesterday.  And although I did not quite get around to publishing anything about it on the day itself (in my defense, I have been extremely busy and, admittedly, stressed), I thought it would be good to remedy that.

So, here are just a couple of old video clips of Andre the Giant. The first is when he was on Good Morning America, promoting the then new movie, "The Princess Bride." It would not do well in the movie theaters, but would become a cult classic, the myth of which lives on until this day! It is one of my top 20 favorite movies of all time, most likely!

The second clip is a video of his legendary appetite for both food and drink.

Enjoy!

Good Morning America interview with Andre the Giant and Mandy Patinkin about their new movie, now cult classic, "The Princess Bride, from September 30, 1987

Australia Day (Belated)

January 26 - Australia Day

It was on this day in 1788 that 11 British ships commanded by Governor Arthur Phillip, and carrying convicts, arrived on the banks of Port Jackson in New South Wales. Phillip also raised the Union Jack, and the beginnings of what is now modern-day Australia came to be.

Initially, Australia was designed as a penal colony, as an agricultural working camp for British convicts.

It was rough going early on, but the colony eventually managed to survive.

In 1818, January 26th was honored as the anniversary of the founding of Australia. Once Australia gained independence, this date was recognized as "Australia Day", a national holiday honoring the arrival of Phillip and the British.

Understandably, this holiday is recognized in different ways, particularly along the color lines. While whites in Australia generally celebrate in a similar manner as Americans celebrate Independence Day and the French Celebrate Bastille Day, Aborigines generally recognize it as a day of mourning, not all that dissimilar to native Americans regarding Thanksgiving. For them, the day marks the beginning of the end of their traditional way of life, as the British began the process of spreading out across the continent.

Anniversary of the Republic of India (Belated)

Today marks the 69th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of India on January 26, 1950. The constitution went into effect, which qualified India as the world's biggest democracy in terms of population. 

It was a struggle to come up with a solution, and unfortunately, Gandhi was not successful in keeping the peace in the region. While he was successful in using methods of nonviolent activism to gain India's independence from Great Britain, Pakistan soon broke off, and religious tensions remained very strong, even militant. 

Yet, this is a date that should be recognized, as one of the world's biggest countries (projected to become the biggest in a few decades) and already the biggest democracy celebrates 66 years since the Republic of India was established on this date. 

Big Three in Men's Tennis Still Adding To Their Legacies

Image courtesy of rainycat's Flickr page - Federer: 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/28225297@N02/2646405198/in/photolist-52Rw4Q-p8Qke2-pNeLZo-p8MKnE-fzF6Q7-dYw2XY-SvonJ3-pN9NF8-oge4WN-6YEX2f-8Y3Z7B-oi1vsT-21HsED-21HpeZ-21MPiS-21MNsJ-21HrV4-fzF6HS-5WT5AT-pNbVjo-3eaJ9S-fzF6Cq-boLJRd-q3tTQb-pNibFc-ayd9P9-WAkczv-aydaeb-7wRh3X-oYxvJ3-q5HgUu-pNibBe-i9xmA-q3tT3Q-dj1Krc-5WXjyo-5WXjFY-akEtDk-akHp2S-6YAY1e-fEwXe7-3d7da-i9xmz-ayatJV-dYqjhx-8gLAZs-ayayK6-8gHnc6-aydcLS-ayarye

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Photo courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr Page - Rafael Nadal: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/5756335239

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Photo courtesy of Marianne Bevis's Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mariannebevis/5972100998/in/photolist-a6JzyA-csctLm-cscsEm-csctrw-csct17-f4CWUn-nWz24z-a6Jzhy-a6JzGq-a6JyPu-a6FHJc-9ZEUDd-ohz8qG-ox2Nmj-bPFs5a-5uzT4n-a6FHgX-f52W2j-2KSf8f-f4MHoM-cJrFYL-cJrGqo-f4MDDe-a3t6Ga-cscu3h-f4MESB-f4MJya-bALMj9-a3vX3q-bALMws-a3t6Sv-bPFshK-cJrFKY-nnjmG7-a3t6yv-cJrGd9-vUQeNJ-f4MCVT-cJrFxj-a3vXjs-np5my3-nnjiL7-npmV3n-npmS96-nr8qnZ-bPFr3t-bPFqaF-bPFsDg-f52X2j-bALPWo

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/

With his Australian Open tennis championship win this weekend, Novak Djokovic finally eclipsed Pete Sampras to become the third most decorated man in terms of Grand Slam championships and success. Now it is official: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Djokovic are the three most decorated men in the Grand Slam era. Djokovic's win assures that the domination of the "big three" men's players continues well into 2019, even though all of them are now well into their thirties. Djokovic is 31, Nadal is 32, and Federer is 37, respectively. 

Still, these three men have completely dominated the last nine Grand Slams on the men's side. Federer and Nadal took turns, almost literally, winning each of the first six Grand Slams during that period. Federer won the big showdown between him and Nadal at the Australian Open final in 2017. Nadal then won the French Open. Federer won Wimbledon in 2017, then Nadal took the U.S. Open to close out 2017 as the number one ranked man in tennis. Federer won the Australian again to start off 2018, and Nadal then won the French Open again. But Djokovic, now recovered from a nagging injury, took the Wimbledon title, and followed that up by winning the U.S. Open, erasing any lingering doubts about his recovery, or any suggestions (not that I heard anyone hinting at such a suggestion) that the Wimbledon title was some kind of a fluke or one-time thing.

And now, Djokovic and Nadal were battling in the Australian Open Men's final, assuring the continued dominance - at least for the time being - of the "Big Three." The number one ranked player, Djokovic, won, defeating world number two Nadal. It should be noted that Federer is still ranked at number three. And again, keep in mind, that all three men are well into their thirties. Federer is 37, so he will be pushing 40 fairly soon.

Before 2017, Federer already had won more Grand Slam titles than any other man in history, and Nadal was tied with Sampras for second on that list, with 14. Now, Federer has won 20 Grand Slam titles, which is still more than any other man in history. Nadal stands alone (at least for now) with 17 Grand Slam titles. Djokovic, with the recent runs at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and the Australian Open, now has 15 Grand Slam titles to his name, and broke the tie with Sampras for third on the all-time list on the men's side with 14 overall Grand Slam titles. So, these three men have managed to win more Grand Slam titles than any other men in history, and they did it, somewhat paradoxically, while competing against one another. It could probably be argued that they brought out the best in one another. Perhaps it could not have been otherwise.

I think an argument can be made that the three best men's tennis players in history are all playing at the same time, right now. Each of them has achieved things that the other two have not, are allow them to stand on their own. Federer has won more career Grand Slams than the other two, and has also spent more time as the number one ranked man than anyone else in history. He also had one of the most amazing years of any man in history in 2005, compiling an 81-4 record overall. Federer also was the oldest man to ever hold the number one ranking earlier this year. Nadal has dominated one surface, clay, more completely than any man has dominated any surface. He also stands alone among the three as the only one to have won the career Golden Slam (the four Grand Slam titles, as well as an Olympic Gold Medal in single's tennis play). Nadal is the oldest man to ever have finished a year as the number one ranked man, and seems on the verge of clinching a second straight year atop the rankings. Djokovic has a winning record against both of the other two men (at least for now). He enjoyed one of the most dominant years that any man has ever had in 2011, with Sampras suggesting it was the finest year that he had ever seen, and Nadal saying that he had never seen anyone play quite on that level before. Djokovic also managed to hold all four Grand Slams at once, when he won the 2015 Wimbledon and U.S. Open titles, and then followed that up by winning the 2016 Australian and French Open titles. 

Combined, these three men have dominated the sport for an incredibly long time, and with a historical level of thoroughness. Think about this: since Federer first broke through with his first ever Grand Slam title in 2003, these three men have won the vast majority of Grand Slam titles during that time. They have won a combined 52 Grand Slams, while all the rest of the men's field during that same time period won a total of 11 Grand Slam titles since then. With a brief period of time when the number one ranking went to Andy Murray (who has traditionally been seen as the other player in the class of the "Big Four"), either Federer, Nadal, or Djokovic has been the number one ranked man since early in 2004. Federer finished as the number one ranked man from 2004-2007, and then ended 2009 as number one. Nadal finished number one in 2008, 2010, 2013, and 2017. And Djokovic has ended number one in 2011-2012, as well as 2014-2015, and achieved the year end number one ranking last year, as well. Other than Murray, no other man has managed to reach the number one ranking during this time, which now basically spans a decade and a half.

Think about that. A decade and a half of dominance. By three men in particular.

Simply unreal! And they are all class acts, or at least all seem to be. I think it is a privilege as a tennis fan to be able to witness this era. We should enjoy it while we still have it. 

I have said this before, but will say it again: I believe that it is a privilege as a tennis fan to be able to witness this era, with three of the greatest tennis champions of all time competing against one another. Most likely, we will not see anything quite like this again. Already, Andy Murray has effectively dropped out of the race for greatness, announcing that he will be retiring this year. Meanwhile, Federer finally looks like age might be catching up with him just a bit.

Yet, we still have Nadal and Djokovic, and they are both clearly on top of their games. Two of the greatest champs in tennis history squaring off on Sunday. We should enjoy it while we still have it. 

One chart shows how much the Big 3 have dominated men's tennis over the last 15 years Cork Gaines and Shayanne Gal, September 10, 2018:

https://www.businessinsider.com/big-3-dominate-mens-tennis-federer-djokovic-nadal-2018-9

Djokovic & Osaka Win at the Australian Open

Photo courtesy of Marianne Bevis's Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mariannebevis/5972100998/in/photolist-a6JzyA-csctLm-cscsEm-csctrw-csct17-f4CWUn-nWz24z-a6Jzhy-a6JzGq-a6JyPu-a6FHJc-9ZEUDd-ohz8qG-ox2Nmj-bPFs5a-5uzT4n-a6FHgX-f52W2j-2KSf8f-f4MHoM-cJrFYL-cJrGqo-f4MDDe-a3t6Ga-cscu3h-f4MESB-f4MJya-bALMj9-a3vX3q-bALMws-a3t6Sv-bPFshK-cJrFKY-nnjmG7-a3t6yv-cJrGd9-vUQeNJ-f4MCVT-cJrFxj-a3vXjs-np5my3-nnjiL7-npmV3n-npmS96-nr8qnZ-bPFr3t-bPFqaF-bPFsDg-f52X2j-bALPWo

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/

The 2019 Australian Open tennis championship is now over.

On the women's side, Naomi Osaka followed up her first ever Grand Slam championship at the U.S. Open late last year with another Grand Slam title early this year. Osaka outlasted Petra Kvitová, the winner of the 2011 and 2014 Wimbledon women's singles titles, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-4. Kvitová had managed to get to the final by staging a stunning comeback against Serena Williams, coming back from a 5-1 deficit in the third set to survive.

Osaka, however, proved too much for her. Osaka's power and precision proved a bit too much, as she now has won two straight Grand Slam titles. Also, with the win, Osaka has ascended to the number one ranking in women's tennis.

Over on the men's side, we had far more familiar faces, both of whom have been well-known to tennis fans for well over a decade now. The 31-year old Serbian, Novak Djokovic, who currently holds the number one ranked man in tennis, had looked incredible coming into the final, having completely dominated and quickly dispatched 28th seeded Frenchman Lucas Pouille 6-0, 6-2, 6-2, in the semifinal. He picked up where he left off, with a surprisingly easy win over Rafael Nadal, who is normally one of the toughest, grittiest players on the men's side.

Nadal, the world's number two ranked man, was seeking his second ever Australian Open title, having won it once before back in 2009. He has made it to the final three times before prior to this tournament, and had fallen short each time, but had hoped to overcome all obstacles and win this particular Grand Slam title again, to become the first man in many decades to have won the career Grand Slam twice over (multiple wins in each Grand Slam championship).

Alas, Djokovic simply proved too much today. Djokovic was on point, playing perhaps his best tennis, and earning a third straight Grand Slam title in as many events. He defeated Nadal in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. With the win, Djokovic moves ahead of Pete Sampras on the all-time list, having earned his 15th career Grand Slam title. he is now only two behind Nadal himself for second most ever, and five behind Roger Federer, who leads the men's side historically, with 20 Grand Slams championships to his name.

Nadal reached his 25th career Grand Slam final here at the Australian Open, second only to Roger Federer, who has been to 30 Grand Slam finals on the men's side. Nadal has won 17 of those previous finals, but this was the 8th loss that he has suffered in a Grand Slam final.

Djokovic was playing in his 24th Grand Slam final, and has now won 15 Grand Slam titles in all, with seven of them coming at the Australian Open. His win here today broke a tie with Federer, as both men had each won six Australian Open titles. He is the only men's player in recent decades to have held all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously, as he won four straight Grand Slams from July of 2015 until he was eliminated at Wimbledon in July of 2016. Federer had won the two previous Australian Open titles, but it should be noted that Djokovic was battling through an injury, and not playing at his best. Clearly, he has overcome those limitations, and stormed back to the very top of the tennis world, clinching the number one ranking late last year and finishing 2018 as the world's number one, the fifth time that he has achieved the year end number one ranking in his career, which ties him with Federer for second most. Currently, Pete Sampras still holds the record for most years ended with the number one ranking, with six. Obviously, this Australian Open championship is a great start for Djokovic in his pursuit of another number one ranking for this year, as well.

I have said this before, but will say it again: I believe that it is a privilege as a tennis fan to be able to witness this era, with three of the greatest tennis champions of all time competing against one another. Most likely, we will not see anything quite like this again. Already, Andy Murray has effectively dropped out of the race for greatness, announcing that he will be retiring this year. Meanwhile, Federer finally looks like age might be catching up with him just a bit.

Yet, we still have Nadal and Djokovic, and they are both clearly on top of their games. Two of the greatest champs in tennis history squaring off on Sunday. We should enjoy it while we still have it. 

One chart shows how much the Big 3 have dominated men's tennis over the last 15 years Cork Gaines and Shayanne Gal, September 10, 2018:

Alas, Djokovic simply proved too much today. Djokovic was on point, playing perhaps his best tennis, and earning a third straight Grand Slam title in as many events. He defeated Nadal in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. With the win, Djokovic moves ahead of Pete Sampras on the all-time list, having earned his 15th career Grand Slam title. he is now only two behind Nadal himself for second most ever, and five behind Roger Federer, who leads the men's side historically, with 20 Grand Slams championships to his name.