Sunday, May 9, 2010

Sunday - HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!


I am what I am, who I am and where I am because of you, Ruby - my Muse, my Teacher, my Mentor, my Role-Model ... my Mother. I am now, and forevermore will be, your loving and devoted Son.


Peace and Love!!


Bill

Friday, May 7, 2010

The Times Square Bomber - Questions????

During the height of the Cold War I was stationed in Washington DC as a Special Agent with the US Army Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC), with a Top Secret clearance. What I learned and experienced then has never left me, even after all of these years.


Because of this background I have to share with you my thoughts on the Times Square Bomber, and it is this ... something doesn’t ring true about this entire scenario. It fails the “smell” test. Now, I am not about to go “conspiracy theorist” on you, but ... I have the gut feeling that the entire matter was not a plot to kill people in Times Square, this time, but rather it was a plot to uncover the scope of the counter-terrorism programs in place in NYC in order to prepare for the “real” terror event to come later.


It was as if Faisal Shahzad was waiving a flag saying ... “Here I am. Catch me now.” This guy is an educated person. Where is his family? Why back in Pakistan, how convenient. And, what does he do when he is captured? Why he waives all of his rights and begins “cooperating” and spilling his guts, telling everything he “knows.” Is he setting the stage for a plea bargain? Remember, no one was injured in his “foiled” plot. And, all of this has been helped by the government and media releasing all of the details of the investigative techniques employed.


Oh, and where have terrorist groups been most successful in recruiting converts? Why, in prisons.


You could make the argument that Shahzad was successful in giving his life to fight the infidels, only it didn’t require him to lose his life.


I could go on and on, but you get my point ... think about it.


Just remember where you read it first.


Bill

Monday, May 3, 2010

Billi Pod’s April 2010 Entertainment Stats.

Hello my loyal and faithful readers. I have just finished collecting the stats for the month of April, and, once again, it was an awesome month activity-wise despite some really ugly, nasty and rainy days.










Of course the highlight of the month was Billi Pod turning the big 76 and the adventure that I was able to successfully complete on my birthday, April 23rd. What am I talking about those of you who don’t follow this blog as faithfully as others are asking? Well, in summary - on that day I walked from my apartment on 42nd Street up 9th Avenue 76 blocks to 118th Street and then later that evening walked an additional 24 blocks to and from the theater, making it a total of 100+ blocks, or at least 5.0 miles. Not bad for a 76 year old guy, not bad at all. Several days later General Manager Scott Reed treated me to a wonderful birthday dinner at his trendy Lower East Side restaurant/bar Los Feliz.


Now, on to the stats. In checking my daily log (log, not diary - real guys don’t keep diaries), I find that during the month I saw/attended/did the following:


3 Broadway shows (Enron; Collected Stories; and, Sondheim on Sondheim); 13 Off Broadway shows; 1 opera (Madam Butterfly); 2 New York Philharmonic concerts; 3 movies (Hot Tub Time Machine; Date Night; and, Kick-Ass); and 4 Yankee baseball games, including the Opening Day Ceremony - their record for those games - 4 wins and 0 losses. Go Yankees!!


Had a wonderful Easter Dinner with Dennis Dohman and Michael Pederson and their friends, and was able to have face-time twice with student/general manager Scott Reed and once with Dade County Circuit Judge Gisela Cardonne-Ely.


Posted almost daily on my Facebook Wall.


On my health issues - finished up the physical therapy sessions and that is good. My right forearm feels fine. I am faithfully doing a series of twice-weekly at-home exercises. Hepatitis B is gone (Thank You Higher Power) but the liver function test results were not good enough to permit me to schedule the cataract surgery for my right eye, dammit!! NOTE: I have blood work scheduled on Wednesday, May 5, and, assuming the results are OK, the cataract surgery is scheduled for Thursday, May 20th. Keep you fingers crossed for me, please!! Bottom line is: Billi Pod feels fine mentally and physically

As I wrote, the weather for a good part of the month was pretty nasty and rainy, but despite this, there were only 4 days/nights where Billi Pod stayed in apartment PHC without attending some entertainment event, which I humbly think is not bad for a 76 year old guy, but, it is up to you loyal and faithful readers to determine because ...


I only report - you decide.


Go Yankees!!


Billi Pod

“Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.”


PS: Alex and Chris - you guys know that I am standing beside you - now and forever. Love!!