Henry Cohen

John, I really thought I remembered that, I do apologize if your were falsely maligned and I, in the words of some famous politicians, misremembered. 

Jerry Ochs

Jerry Ochs

The climate affects all of us.  Here is an interesting link to the national overview, state of the climate in January

https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/national/201701

Philip Spiess

Jerry:  Thanks for the Theodore Roosevelt quote; I did not know it.  Teddy has been my hero for many years (my first hero, ca. 1951, was General Douglas MacArthur), long before I played Teddy Roosevelt Brewster in WHHS's 1963 performance of Arsenic and Old Lace (see pictures on my Profile page).  Roosevelt was both a true Republican of the Lincoln-Roosevelt-Robert Taft-Eisenhower mind-set (none exist now, except perhaps for me) and a true Progressive-Conservative of his era (again, none exist now, except perhaps for me; it is part of my Cincinnati Taft Republican heritage).  Alas, all who claim to be either Republicans or Conservatives today have never read either Alexander Hamilton's or Edmund Burke's writings, and are mere reactionaries or frauds.   

Henry Cohen

Phil, not only are people often less than educated, but it seems that generally speaking  all too often the best and the brightest have eschewed government for other occupational pursuits and the people who have filled in the blanks are many times of a caliber that shall we say is less than desirable. I find it particularly laughable that Trump has bragged that he has assembled the highest IQ group in history. Just his presence brings that average down considerably. 

John Osher

Henry - Thank you for correcting that. I always considered you a friend as certainly would've giving you answers for free if I had them.  Hope you're doing well. John 

Nelson Abanto

Henry, Rick Perry is in that high IQ group.  That means there are a couple of others in the group with IQ's over 300.  Which one of the high IQ  guys misspelled the word "too" on the inauguration poster?

On another note, I noticed this in the Times today:

Bobby Freeman, whose “Do You Want to Dance” climbed the pop charts in 1958 and endured long afterward in covers by the Beach Boys, the Ramones, Bette Midler and others, died on Jan. 23 at his home in Daly City, Calif. He was 76.
The cause was a heart attack, his son Robert Freeman Jr. said on Monday. The death had not been widely reported.

I am going to miss him, but I bet Ricky is going to be happy to see him.

Henry Cohen

Nelson, I shudder to think that the likes of Rick Perry would be chosen for anything. It is delicious irony that he has been tapped to head the very organization he "oops" on several years back. My take is that one unknown person in that basketful of deplorables has an IQ of 400, and the rest are tipping in at the 105 mark. Our ADD in chief President can't concentrate long enough to fully read and understand any complex information and those who can, give him the Cliff notes versions so that he can make a decision. In his words : SAD.

Henry Cohen

Is there anyone else out there who has noticed the unbelievable hypocracy demonstrated by Congress today? The same zealots who didn't want to let go of the Benghazi mess after multiple investigations, now want to move on after the Flynn fiasco ( see Collins). This is what sticks in the craw of the independents and should in rationale party members on both sides ,when the same suspect behavior is villified by one party, but overlooked or excused by the other and vice versa because of affiliation. Wrong is wrong no matter what and wrong doers should be excoriated and held accountable by all. Also is anyone so naive as to believe the Flynn escapades were not known and authorized by President Clueless? It will be very interesting to see if Flynn maintains his fall on his sword posture or tries to spread the blame to other parties. One can only hope this ultimately has Watergate ramifications.

Philip Spiess

In the days of Hollywood actor Errol Flynn, the phrase was "In like Flynn," implying his famous luck with the ladies (shall we say).  Perhaps after this week, the slogan may become "Out like Flynn" -- for different reasons.

Henry Cohen

Do you think we are now older than Mr. Varrelman was when he was the dean of the gym teachers? He appeared stone age then. Do you think Mr. Bass gave eloqution lessons on the side?

Philip Spiess

Jeezus, Henry, in my six years in WHHS PE class, and four of them in Swimming (all of which I hated, because I'm not physically inclined -- my great exercise these days is occasionally playing the piano at high volume -- uh, but yes, I enjoy swimming, just not with Whitey Davis -- see the two cartoons on my WHHS Profiles page), I had Whitey Davis for literally every one of my PE classes.  Therefore I often wondered what the hell those other gym instructors did -- I assumed that they must have been involved in sports teams of which I had no knowledge or interest.  (But, of course, other teachers, such as social studies teachers -- Mr. Meredith comes to mind -- and certain math teachers were also coaches; so what were the guys in the gym department really doing?  Not passing out towels; that was left to a doofus who liked to ogle naked teenage boys).  Are you telling me that they were paid to do nothing?

Jerry Ochs

I was helping a classmate take photographs through the keyhole of a locked door to the girls' showers when Whitey Davis caught us in the act.  He threatened to punish us by unlocking the door and throwing us into the showers with a bunch of naked girls. 

Henry Cohen

Jerry, great Briar Patch story, hopefully you took him up on it. One year I had a Dr excuse for not doing swimming for a half year. Really got good at battleships at that time.

Henry Cohen

Other Fine Tuned Machines in History: 1 The Titanic--iceberg is FAKE NEWS 2. Custer's Surveillance Devices 3. Edsel 4. To be continued

Philip Spiess

Uh-oh, Henry!  You've staggered into Spiess's "I love it!" territory!  (1)  Last words uttered to a steward in the 1st Class bar on the Titanic:  "Hey!  Could we get some more damn ice over here?"; (2)  True story:  in 1976, when I was still head of research at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, at our annual meeting (for which I was responsible for the program), one of our speakers was the chairman of the Native American Bicentennial Commission, who said (and I quote), "Just prior to the Battle of Little Big Horn, when General Custer left the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington, he told them, "Don't do anything until I get back!'" and so . . . !; (3) the Edsel story I cannot tell on the Forum, because it is (as some would think) obscene, but I told it to Jeff Daum on the "Private Message" in October, so, if you really want to know it, tell me, and I'll repeat it privately ('nuff said!). 

Henry Cohen

Brain teaser. Does anybody know with around 95% certainty how to tell which side of a car the gas tank will be onwithout looking at the sides of the car itself or without getting any in dash clues or asking anyone?

David M. Schneider

Nelson, please don't forget Mr. Freeman's other two hits: "Betty Lou Got a New Pair of Shoes" and "C'mon and Swim", a dance started in San Francisco that I would guess many of us have performed.  As for the brain teaser I'll venture a guess that American cars on the right and European and Asian cars on the left?

Jeff Daum

I'll take a stab Henry to your "95% certainty how to tell which side of a car the gas tank will be."  I'd wager that the gas tank will more than likely be closer to the filler door, and hence, if the filler door is on the left, odds are the tank is either on the left or the access to get to the tank was easier from the left side (do to structure, exhaust pipes, etc.).

However, in fact gas tank location is also dictated by design history on the make of car.  For example, my Caddy XTS has it on the right rear (as did all of my prior Caddilacs to my recolection), my Corvette has it on the left rear, my Porsche had it on the right front, my Rolls on the right rear, my Volvo on the right rear.  An to further complicate the response, my Corvette actually has two gas tanks, one on each side with a central connecting pipe.

Jerry Ochs

Tank is in middle of car?

Jeff Daum

While logic would seem to dictate that the tank be centered for weight distribution purposes Jerry, that is not always the case.  In addition to situations like my Corvette with 'saddle' tanks, other OEMs have the tank somewhat offset depending on the structural limitations, etc.  All modern gas tanks are baffled so that centering the tank isn't critical.

Henry Cohen

To clarify, I meant to refer to the filler door, how can you tell without looking at the sides or inside?

Jerry Ochs

Jeff,

If, as you say, all modern gas tanks are baffled, does that mean even THEY don't know which side of the car the filler door is on?

Jeff Daum

OK Henry.  I can say with 95% confidence level (a two tailed test) that if I get out of the car and the filler door is not on the side I am on, it is on the opposite side.  The only exception (which is why it's not 100% confidence level is if the car is among the few percent that are pure electric and  doesn't technically have a filler door. 

Jeff Daum

Good catch Jerry.  Yup, the tank has absolutely no idea (similar to many owners)