What is the newest installment of 'Random Thoughts' on Physics Forums?

[WWGD]

But I see you're member #689. Maybe you were a pf er since its beginning in 2001?

 

[Hornbein]

The summer of my sophomore year of high school, I worked for a then famous horse racing track - Hollywood Park. One of the many interesting jobs I had was to wait for the end of the races at night. Then I had to drive like a maniac to get a video tape copy of the races to the ABC, NBC, and CBS newsrooms, in Los Angeles, in time for the 10 PM news. There was only one tape so I had to wait for the sports reporter at each station to make a copy, then rush to the next newsroom. I had a chance to meet most of our local news anchors and reporters. Years later, the most famous of those was Connie Chung.

The rest of the story of my days at Hollywood Park are not something I should get into in family forum. But suffice it to say that many years later it all came into focus. I learned that back when I was working at Hollywood Part, it was run by the mob. They were trying to recruit me. Eventually I realized something was terribly wrong and got the heck out of there. But for a time I thought I had the coolest job in the world - with the coolest perks anyone my age had ever seen.

I read the autobiography of a man who was recruited in this way. (Let me note that I don't necessarily believe everything he said.) He ended up killing over a hundred men, including Jimmy Hoffa. He was too clever to get caught so the police framed him. His plan B was to be a respected old-timer in the clink but that didn't work out. To save his a** he made a deal to confess it all in exchange for protection.

He was proud of having risen to the top of his profession and boasted of his deeds. I learned a lot about male psychology from that.

By the way, I play along with that Low Rider vid every day. I know a great groove when I hear it.

 

[WWGD]

I read the autobiography of a man who was recruited in this way. (Let me note that I don't necessarily believe everything he said.) He ended up killing over a hundred men, including Jimmy Hoffa. He was too clever to get caught so the police framed him. His plan B was to be a respected old-timer in the clink but that didn't work out. To save his a** he made a deal to confess it all in exchange for protection.

He was proud of having risen to the top of his profession and boasted of his deeds. I learned a lot about male psychology from that.

By the way, I play along with that Low Rider vid every day. I know a great groove when I hear it.

They used to play ' Low Rider' in the George Lopez show/sitcom.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

But I see you're member #689. Maybe you were a pf er since its beginning in 2001?

I was aware of PF in 2001 and looked in from time to time. But I didn't join until 2003.

 

[Klystron]

Whenever I think of a major fire, I think of the catastrophic fire in and around Paradise Ca., where something around 80 people were burned alive in their cars on the road out, or in their homes. {snip}

Despite the distance from wildfires, Las Vegas valley awoke today to thick smoky haze. While the air appears gray, sunlight takes on an orange hue. Reflections off the pool bottom appear red.

After several hours exercise despite wearing masks and a cotton bandana outside the pool, lungs and throat burn. Good workout, though.

He was standing next to his automobile getting ready to ride off on his bike. He could have been visiting as a tourist.

When I lived in Scott's Valley, I rode my bicycle everywhere except south into Santa Cruz. Traffic and tourists made it easier to drive into Santa Cruz, park locally and ride a bike, bus or walk.

I know "M.A.S.H." from Altman's great movie which led me to read Richard Hooker's novels. I think the same actor played Radar on the TV show. Someone to nod to, say howdy passing on a trail.

 

[BillTre]

Here is a link to a map of fires, air quality, and smoke plumes.
Click the box on the upper right for controls of what you see.
The smoke plumes can obscure other features.
It works like many maps and can zoom out to show all of North America.

This may illuminate some of your air based experiences.

 

[Klystron]

Here is a link to a map of fires, air quality, and smoke plumes.
Click the box on the upper right for controls of what you see.
The smoke plumes can obscure other features.
It works like many maps and can zoom out to show all of North America.

This may illuminate some of your air based experiences.

My valley posted mostly purple: extremely unhealthy. Living in the southwest corner the air quality read red: unhealthy. Sunlight currently reminds me of the prelude to a total eclipse of the sun. Shadows appear red.

 

[BillTre]

We had a lot of that kind of thing last year, for it seemed like a long time.
Much less, so far, this year. We have been upwind of a lot of the fires, so far.
Here's a map for winds. Not much wind here right now.

Here is the best fire map I've found. It shows the vast areas burnt out but larger fires, along with neighboring evacuation zones. This was important around here, last year, when fires were closer to cities.
Layers has lots of options, including weather, and earthquakes.
It also shows which roads are open, which is handy if you are going near a fire.
I used this a lot for some long eyebank trips.
The eyebank gave us really good particle masks for the smoke ().

 

[fresh_42]

My valley posted mostly purple: extremely unhealthy. Living in the southwest corner the air quality read red: unhealthy. Sunlight currently reminds me of the prelude to a total eclipse of the sun. Shadows appear red.

The same in Italy, Greece, and Turkey. Orange skies all over the place. And in Siberia where also 250+ fires are reported.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I read the autobiography of a man who was recruited in this way. (Let me note that I don't necessarily believe everything he said.) He ended up killing over a hundred men, including Jimmy Hoffa.

I didn't make it that far.

I had never been surrounded by wealth before. I was only 16 years old. At first I was thinking that this was just a perk of working around wealthy people. But then one day my boss's boss offered me an easy $5000 for a special job that would only take a few hours, or something like that. Finally the alarms went off. I pretended to be interested and never went back. And perhaps by a huge stroke of luck, we suddenly moved to Northern California a few months later. My parents saw what was happening all around us and decided to get out.

The early history of the track ownership was quite the list of who's who

The track was opened on June 10, 1938 by the Hollywood Turf Club[3] the racetrack was designed by noted racetrack architect Arthur Froehlich. Its chairman was Jack L. Warner[3] of the Warner Bros. film studio. Prominent shareholders included Jack Warner's brother and fellow Warner Bros. executive Harry, Hollywood studio executives Walt Disney, Samuel Goldwyn, Darryl Zanuck, actors Al Jolson, Bing Crosby, Joan Blondell, George Jessel, Ronald Colman and Ralph Bellamy. In addition to being shareholders film directors Raoul Walsh and Mervyn LeRoy were also founding members of the track's Board of Directors with Jack and Harry Warner and Al Jolson.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Park_Racetrack

 

[Ivan Seeking]

On a somewhat related note, I knew my GFs father did some serious hobnobbing but eeeeeeesh. Last night she was telling me that she has met 5 billionaires, including meeting Elon Musk at a party.

 

[WWGD]

Would be ironic if Alex Honnold slipped on his kitchen and had an accident. Amazing stuff he does.

 

[Hornbein]

On a somewhat related note, I knew my GFs father did some serious hobnobbing but eeeeeeesh. Last night she was telling me that she has met 5 billionaires, including meeting Elon Musk at a party.

I had an in-law. He was a dentist in Washington DC and his name was Kennedy. One day he went to a dinner and was seated with the famous Kennedys. They were saying, Jack, he can be President. Teddy doesn't have much on the ball, we'll stick him in the Senate where he can't do much harm.

 

[fresh_42]

Nature documentaries become far more exciting if you pretend to be an alien watching this exotic planet!

 

[WWGD]

Nature documentaries become far more exciting if you pretend to be an alien watching this exotic planet!

You mean you're not one yourself...er..yes, I agree.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Nature documentaries become far more exciting if you pretend to be an alien watching this exotic planet!

Pretend?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I had an in-law. He was a dentist in Washington DC and his name was Kennedy. One day he went to a dinner and was seated with the famous Kennedys. They were saying, Jack, he can be President. Teddy doesn't have much on the ball, we'll stick him in the Senate where he can't do much harm.

My ex wife rode in a car with Teddy Kennedy when she was a child. Nothing happened.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Nature documentaries become far more exciting if you pretend to be an alien watching this exotic planet!

Alien 1 to Alien 2: Mork, now I understand why they make machines that release ancient carbon into the atmosphere - they like fire!

 

[fresh_42]

My ex wife rode in a car with Teddy Kennedy when she was a child. Nothing happened.

I have been driven by the guy who drove Andrei Andreyevich Gromyko. Does this count?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I have been driven by the guy who drove Andrei Andreyevich Gromyko. Does this count?

I've give you 3 out of 5.

 

[fresh_42]

I've give you 3 out of 5.

How about: "I got drunk with a guy who owned a vodka distillery."?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

How about: "I got drunk with a guy who owned a vodka distillery."?

Who hasn't?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

You have heard of people being abducted by aliens and experiencing missing time? That happened to me... sort of. I got drunk with some illegal aliens and forgot where I parked my car. My watch was in my car...

 

[fresh_42]

Who hasn't?

I smuggled so many bottles in my suitcase that it is a miracle that I got away uncontrolled. The side effect was, that I cannot drink vodka anymore 'cause now I know how it does have to taste, and what you can buy here does not.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I smuggled so many bottles in my suitcase that it is a miracle that I got away uncontrolled. The side effect was, that I cannot drink vodka anymore 'cause now I know how it does have to taste, and what you can buy here does not.

So your life of crime backfired. See, your mother warned you didn't she?

 

[fresh_42]

So your life of crime backfired. See, your mother warned you didn't she?

... yeah ...

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I smuggled so many bottles in my suitcase that it is a miracle that I got away uncontrolled. The side effect was, that I cannot drink vodka anymore 'cause now I know how it does have to taste, and what you can buy here does not.

When I went to Peru for work, I brought back some cigars for one of my business allies. I declared them in customs and they never said anything. But I didn't realize it was illegal to bring back cigars from Cuba, from Peru. Whoops! My buddy was most appreciative. LOL!

 

[WWGD]

I've give you 3 out of 5.

With possibility of parole with good conduct.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Speaking of the Kennedy family, right before John F Kennedy banned imports from Cuba, he loaded up on Cuban cigars.

 

[fresh_42]

When I went to Peru for work, I brought back some cigars for one of my business allies. I declared them in customs and they never said anything. But I didn't realize it was illegal to bring back cigars from Cuba, from Peru. Whoops! My buddy was most appreciative. LOL!

From my knowledge from American tv series, it seems to be more a kind of sport to get Cuban cigars than it is a crime.

I agree that endangered animals and trophies are illegal, but to pay duty on anything else for private use is ridiculous. I am a fan of free trade. I wonder whether I could sue my country at the WTO.

 

[WWGD]

From my knowledge from American tv series, it seems to be more a kind of sport to get Cuban cigars than it is a crime.

I agree that endangered animals and trophies are illegal, but to pay duty on anything else for private use is ridiculous. I am a fan of free trade. I wonder whether I could sue my country at the WTO.

I understand today many go for Dominican cigars. Popular in Miami, I hear.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Here is a big one I had almost forgotten. Up until the 8th grade I attended a Catholic school. The Monsignor for our church somehow knew Mother Teresa. When she was in the US she sometimes came to visit our school. And we didn't have the entire school go to the auditorium. She went to all 8 classrooms, one by one, so she could interact with us directly. It was a big deal then but she gained far more fame later. I clearly remember that we all liked her and looked forward to her rare visits.

 

[WWGD]

Here is a big one I had almost forgotten. Up until the 8th grade I attended a Catholic school. The Monsignor for our church somehow knew Mother Teresa. When she was in the US she sometimes came to visit our school. And we didn't have the entire school go to the auditorium. She went to all 8 classrooms, one by one, so she could interact with us directly. It was a big deal then but she gained far more fame later. I clearly remember that we all liked her and looked forward to her rare visits.

I understand her hotel was close to the school. She came straight out of Compton.;).

 

[Hornbein]

Nature documentaries become far more exciting if you pretend to be an alien watching this exotic planet!

Politics becomes wholly amusing.

 

[Hornbein]

My ex wife rode in a car with Teddy Kennedy when she was a child. Nothing happened.

My older sister slept with Richard Gere before he was famous. In the same room but not in the same bed.

We were all in the same theater troupe with Tommy Hulce, who later earned fame as the lead in the film Amadeus.

I dated Sooni Taraporevela. She later was listed as one of the Ten Most Famous Parsees, along with Zubin Mehta and Freddie Mercury. (I didn't date Freddie.)

NBA star Jerry Stackhouse said hello to me in the streets of Japan. We went to school together and I'd watch him practice so he may have recognized me. Or maybe not.

Tonya Sampson suspected me of being a stalker. She's not that famous but was once featured on the front page of USA Today.

Richard Ebright is in the news these days as an epidemic expert. He defeated me in my game of Battlefleet Mars, so badly it made me feel stupid. I thought, "he's extremely bright."

I got a permit for a private rafting trip down the Grand Canyon. By a series of coincidences we discovered the wreckage of a private plane that had gone down years ago. That made the national news.

For a few months I played in a band with Ron Asheton, who holds #60 on Rolling Stone's silly list of 100 Greatest Guitarists. We got along pretty well, but I left to go back to college.