Fogarty's Musings

My dad was one of the only men I knew who went through life with the nickname “Pinky” and no one ever questioned it. He has moved on to whatever God had in store for his next phase but , he deposited everlasting memories in the recesses of my mind while he was here with me. I was reminded last week of a true story about his ability to handle common situations with uncommon actions.

He was a “dart shooter” in my early years. I recall being set up at a table in a local hall with chips and a glass of birch beer so I could watch the locals shoot a game of darts. I truly enjoyed those days. And, I still enjoy the memories. Anyway, there was a game being played with local “talents” and it came down to my Dad and his friend shooting with the last opportunity to win the game. {and a few dollars they could ill afford to lose}. My Dad had to score 3 triples in order to secure the win. Possible but, improbable I would say. Dad threw the first dart…….triple. Dad threw the second dart…..triple. Men moved from the bar to the area where the game was being played. Noise increased. Side bets were announced. People called for quiet. And my Dad walked up to the line with the final dart in hand. He quietly placed his toe on the line ensuring complete legality. …………Then, he stepped back. Placed the dart on a table and went to the men’s room………….much to the dismay of the loud crowd who had gathered for the shot. A couple minutes later he returned…….picked up the dart ….quickly toed the line and shot the third triple. Game over! Gotta love that man…haha. He later shared with me that he was a bit nervous so he took a walk. hahahha

Sometimes it is much better to be nice than it is to prove your are right…

Our minds have not adjusted properly to the manipulative power of the national media, social media, and the incredible volume of “bullshit” that attacks our senses every day.

We evolved and learned to put “people” in perspective after a short evaluation period of interaction with them. We have not moved along as fast with the social news, national news and constant bombardment of “undocumented” crap we get daily through our cell phones, laptops, and public broadcasts. As a result, we don’t do as well sifting through the volumes of information. We don’t know what to believe and are “played” into believing many things that are just plain “bullshit”. My friends………you are not in Kansas anymore! Speed up your evaluation process and don’t jump to conclusions.

Good morning Bernie Sanders!….Bernie woke up this week to a reality that seemed to escape him. He said $15.00/hr was the minimum wage he believes in. { called it a livable wage}. But, he is not paying his own workers that rate. He says “healthcare” is a right, but then told his workers they would have to increase their contribution if he raised their hourly rate. In response to the challenge he reduced their hours and may have reduced his workforce in addition to restricting additional hiring.

I believe minimum wage is designed to give “entry level” positions a good starting point to enter the workforce… prove yourself worthy of promotion…and then move on to a higher paying position either with the original employer or another employer. It’s called building a resume. Don’t make it your life plan to stay in the minimum wage job!!

Hmmmmmmm….it seems he is now awakening to the issues businesses face if his policies are adopted by government. Good morning Bernie!

Do more people get hit with foul ball in MLB stadiums because of attention to cell phones during the game? Or are we that incapable of catching or moving out of the way of the ball??? Jus thinking….

My children are tired of hearing me. I don’t blame them. I’ll try howling at this moon for a bit.