Mattes's Musings by KC2GIK

For the second year in a row the American Legion Post 147 in Elmwood Park graciously hosted the ALPCA Garden State Region for a day filled with friends laughter and trading tin. 48 members from six states and a few guests filled tables shortly before 8:00 and by the time the official start came around, the trading floor was busy.  Fred Shreeve traveled out from Missouri to join in the excitement.   Once again Steve "16 Lizards" Benson made the trek out from Arizona  to show just how much ALPCA members are dedicated to  the regional meet.  Among the other guests Rich Dragon from Rhode Island , Dave Kuehn,  Adam Garstka  and Joe Wasielewski from Connecticut.  Paul Rosenberg drove up from  Atlantic  City. John Willard ALPCA #909  was the most senior member in attendance and Rob Maitner  ALPCA#11935 was the newest member to join our ranks! Same except ional plates where spotted inside the hall including a NJ US Se...

I belong to a group a Billy Joel Facebook page and there was a challenge to make up songs starting with the first letter of your name. This was child's play because of my Baby Name Poem project (insert your eye roll.)  However it' s a writing exercise I thought would be nice to put on Mattes's Madness . J ust the way you are U ptown Girl S cenes from Italian Resturant T he Longest Time I nnocent Man N o Mans Land M y Life A ll About Soul T he Entertainer T he Stranger E veryone Has A Dream S he's Always a Woman.

I decided to weigh in on the Ebola debate after reading Kaci Hickox's account of what happened to her when she reentered the United States after treating patients in Africa. Her story is publish in the Dallas News: http://www.dallasnews.com/ebola/headlines/20141025-uta-grad-isolated-at-new-jersey-hospital-as-part-of-ebola-quarantine.ece If we didn't have enough to deal with in this countrry now we have an Ebola problem. I'm not talking about an outbreak nor am I really worried, but this recent Kaci Hickox story has once again made me stop and wonder that so maNy people in this country or dying. Why travel to Africa? There's a greater risk  of not getting the proper healthcare if the nurses and doctors themselves get sick. That should  have been her number one concern when she reentered the country. She's claiming her reward for helping people in a third world country was to be treated like a common criminal. Hickox, who currently isn't showing signs of Ebola...

It's October and we're in the midst of the political season which means endless phone calls, fliers and of course TV and Internet ads.  Every one hates them although like the horrific car accidents, you can't help but watch. There's always at  least  one ad that has everyone talking and this year Texas governor candidate Wendy Davis  found herself in hot water.  Davis is running against Greg Abbott, who is in a wheelchair due to a tree accident that left him paralyzed from the waste down. Being a Texas Republican, Abbott is of course a strong supporter of tort reform. The ad was designed to highlight Abbott's hypocrisy on the subject but like all provocative ads, it backfired and even Davis supporters gave the ad an "F". It's not everyday you have liberals and conservatives basically agree, and it's downright toxic to have it be in the  middle of the election season. That's the damage the ad did, it brought both sides together, but for the wron...

This is the second year I have written something about World Cerebral Palsy Day. Last year I wrote about World CP Day . The need for more research, better oversight of doctors in the delivery room along with more explanations. I also tipped my hat to Ellen Seidman author of Love That Max , about  her 12-year-old son Max who has CP. Even though we haven't met yet, every time I read one of Ellen's posts I feel I know Max,He's also a fire buff and I have encouraged Ellen to get Max into patch collecting. Ellen encouraged parents to submit stories about their children. I decided to  jot down a few notes for Max as he gets older   Recognize other people have CP - while everyone is an individual there are commons themes that folks that only have CP can g et. Never compare yourself to other people but learn from their experiences  and share your experiences with other kids One minute you think you're on to of the world, the next minute it come crashing down CP has a fu...

The hive hanging on the branch. It has been haunting Congress Street for weeks1!Everytime someone walked under it they say a little prayer they wouldn't disturb the occupants. I imagine folks who blocked our driveway should have gotten stung a few times, but no such luck. I also at times wished for a flamethrower but I would like to keep myself on the Cape May  FD's good side! After a few reminders from my mother and people on the street eyeing this insect haven every time they passed, my father called the town, who immediately inform him he wouls need to take care of it himself. He finally broke down and callled a pest control  company yesterday.When the extermination team arrived, a van and a truck, they blocked the sidewalk off with cones and the whole nine yards. The guys shot chemicals at the hive then used saws to cut the branch down, it wa People walking on the other side of the street snappeds pictures with their cell phones so I decide to get in on the action. ...

The riots in St Louis about the shooting of a teenager sparked this status update on Facebook. I am not here to  judge nor to  defend actions. However  I posted the status bel=ow and got a huge number of  "likes". Just a thought.... I have been discriminated against at times in my life, been called names I KNEW were lies, have seen hate in a man's eyes because I was different. YET I have NEVER felt the urge to destory the town I live in. I hated people that occupied the local school, yet NEVER thought about taking their lives. RIOTS destroy where YOU live and are NOT the answer. While I would never preach "give peace a chance" I question the destruction of one's "hometown" as a method of expressing one's dissatisfaction in the environment they occupy........Just a thought — in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.