Sports talk will appear and be identified!!
So Anna sent me a video with Neil Diamond singing Adam Sandler's Hanukkah song. I like Sandler's version better. The magazine Heeb (which is a real hoot) has critiques of the Christmas albums of Mr. Dylan and Mr. Diamond--both members of my tribe and both with forthcoming terrible Christmas CD's. The critiques are hilarious.
Now to the real stuff. I tried watching Olberman last night but the first section was on the Health Care bill or what is left of it. Howard Dean was on and was livid. Basically and clearly told the Dems to vote against what is left of it because there is no reform in it. I immediately shut the TV off feeling very dispirited. My take is they ought to vote on it right now and let it die if that is what happens and put all the naysayers on notice that they will be accountable in the next election. It has taken up too much time and too much energy and now there is no vestige of a public option, medicare option, or cost controls. It is a monumental victory for both the insurance companies and the right wing. And it is ugly.
We should all vow right now to work for Joe Lieberman's defeat in 2012. I read today that he may decide to run as a republican--who cares? He already votes like one and is totally beholden to all those tall insurance buildings in Hartford. We have passed them regularly on our trips on 84 West to Scranton. They have more meaning for me now. He cloaks himself in seriousness and more than a bit of piousness. But I am embarrassed by him and angered that one person right now could kill this whole bill. And I don't believe a bad bill is better than no bill.
SPORTS TALK SECTION
I just don't understand how Tiger's 10 or 15 or whatever number of mistresses were silent until now--how did they all keep their mouths shut until he had a car accident. I don't get it and I don't get how all this stuff about performance enhancing drugs also just coincidentally comes out. Though I have to say that since I always believe the worst of our prominent public figures, I am inclined to believe most of these stories. But it is almost as if all these secrets were in the car with him and when his wife smashed the window, they all flew out--like Pandora's box.
Did anyone see Randy Moss this past Sunday. I have already told this to my friend Charles but Peter King of SI called his performance "canine". I hope we learn that he has been playing with a broken leg or something. Otherwise it was very pathetic. Bob Ryan of the Globe (one of my favorites) is usually calm but today even he was ballistic. Used words which almost seem like a mental health diagnosis. Shaughnessy was already on the ledge but he resides there--he happened to take a few shots at Theo last week just to remind us that he (Dan) is really the GM. If I were a Red Sox fan I would be writing letters to that guy daily.
Mr. Brady and the boys are in deep doo doo and likely have to win out cuz those stupid dolphins (and any team with Parcells involved I consider stupid--Sorry Abe) or those stupid Jets (and any team called NY which plays in fact in NJ is stupid) could catch them.
Hope Hannukah/Christmas is joyous for you. Have a peaceful and healthy New year.
Sayonara
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
I Have Crossed Over to the Dark Side
Go down Columbus Avenue and make a right onto Malcolm X Boulevard. You can get anything you want on Malcolm X Boulevard (You could sing that last sentence to the tune of Alice's Restaurant--but that's not the point). Right across from the Post Office sits (drum roll please) the Social Security Office. Yup, I am a member of the group which promises to bankrupt the system as long as we get ours first.
The good news is that I got there early (5 minutes after opening) and took a number just like at my supermarket deli. I got number 41 which means in 5 minutes, 40 people were ahead of me. They were on 18 and it took an hour to get to 41. The good news is that all the workers were nice and pleasant once you reached them. The bad news is that there were just 3 of them, they yakked to each other and to other unseen people, and the security guard's main job (aside from completing his crossword puzzle and chatting with his friends ) was to press the buzzer for the bathroom. I had a 5 minute conversation with the first person who told me I needed to see a second person but that I was first in line. 45 minutes later, I got to see the second person. 45 minutes after that I was done. Oh, by the way, I was the only white person amidst a room full of Africans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanic Americans. All of whom seemed like they just finished a pack of cigarettes outside and brought the smell inside with them. Kids of course--especially young ones. I felt as if I was dropped back into a Welfare Office in the 60's. I don't know what I was thinking but the magazine I brought to read was Hadassah--a therapist or someone more socially astute than me would have a field day with that choice.
Way back in those same 60's, Hialeah Race Track, was the jewel of thoroughbred racing in South Florida. The home of winter racing and a bazillion flamingos. I never had a car in high school but some of my friends did. We somehow ended up in a high school with shifts with Seniors starting at 7:15 and Juniors at 8:15. which meant we got out fairly early. The friends with the cars took off to Hialeah (usually) and Tropical Park (less usually). You could get in for free for the last few races and make a few very small bets. That's when I fell for horse racing. Hialeah eventually closed due to competition over racing dates and Gulfstream up there in Broward County ultimately became the big cheese of tracks. But within the last month Hialeah reopened not as a thoroughbred track but as a quarterhorse track--kind of a Jack in the Box compared to a Burger King. But it is open nonetheless--I have yet to see a flamingo.
Obama's Afghan speech was pretty predictable and predictably made a lot of people angry. My feeling is that it was to be expected and if he wants to be re elected something will happen in 2011. I'm not sure I agree with the decision but none of us should have been surprised.
SPORTS TALK COMING UP
Speaking of South Florida, Mr. Brady and the boys have a big one down in Miamah this weekend. I think they can run the table and win all 5 but they have been so inconsistent, I worry. Of interest to a few of us is that they are tearing down the Orange Bowl and the University is building a stadium on their campus in Coral Gables. The site of the Orange Bowl will be used for a new baseball only stadium for the Marlins. I sold programs (as I got older and smarter) and initially soda (when I was younger and dumber) at the Orange bowl. A group of us including my friend Charles concocted many plans to steal a football during warm ups--never worked but it was a visionary plan.
DONE WITH SPORTS
Hope no one over ate and all of you enjoyed the holiday.
Sayonara
The good news is that I got there early (5 minutes after opening) and took a number just like at my supermarket deli. I got number 41 which means in 5 minutes, 40 people were ahead of me. They were on 18 and it took an hour to get to 41. The good news is that all the workers were nice and pleasant once you reached them. The bad news is that there were just 3 of them, they yakked to each other and to other unseen people, and the security guard's main job (aside from completing his crossword puzzle and chatting with his friends ) was to press the buzzer for the bathroom. I had a 5 minute conversation with the first person who told me I needed to see a second person but that I was first in line. 45 minutes later, I got to see the second person. 45 minutes after that I was done. Oh, by the way, I was the only white person amidst a room full of Africans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanic Americans. All of whom seemed like they just finished a pack of cigarettes outside and brought the smell inside with them. Kids of course--especially young ones. I felt as if I was dropped back into a Welfare Office in the 60's. I don't know what I was thinking but the magazine I brought to read was Hadassah--a therapist or someone more socially astute than me would have a field day with that choice.
Way back in those same 60's, Hialeah Race Track, was the jewel of thoroughbred racing in South Florida. The home of winter racing and a bazillion flamingos. I never had a car in high school but some of my friends did. We somehow ended up in a high school with shifts with Seniors starting at 7:15 and Juniors at 8:15. which meant we got out fairly early. The friends with the cars took off to Hialeah (usually) and Tropical Park (less usually). You could get in for free for the last few races and make a few very small bets. That's when I fell for horse racing. Hialeah eventually closed due to competition over racing dates and Gulfstream up there in Broward County ultimately became the big cheese of tracks. But within the last month Hialeah reopened not as a thoroughbred track but as a quarterhorse track--kind of a Jack in the Box compared to a Burger King. But it is open nonetheless--I have yet to see a flamingo.
Obama's Afghan speech was pretty predictable and predictably made a lot of people angry. My feeling is that it was to be expected and if he wants to be re elected something will happen in 2011. I'm not sure I agree with the decision but none of us should have been surprised.
SPORTS TALK COMING UP
Speaking of South Florida, Mr. Brady and the boys have a big one down in Miamah this weekend. I think they can run the table and win all 5 but they have been so inconsistent, I worry. Of interest to a few of us is that they are tearing down the Orange Bowl and the University is building a stadium on their campus in Coral Gables. The site of the Orange Bowl will be used for a new baseball only stadium for the Marlins. I sold programs (as I got older and smarter) and initially soda (when I was younger and dumber) at the Orange bowl. A group of us including my friend Charles concocted many plans to steal a football during warm ups--never worked but it was a visionary plan.
DONE WITH SPORTS
Hope no one over ate and all of you enjoyed the holiday.
Sayonara
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