It came to pass and the abyss has grabbed us. THEIR anger won. This guy will be worse than we expect. The DC bright guys in the suits better have something figured out otherwise November will be uglier.
Sayonara
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Precipice
Without becoming either too poetic or too melodramatic, those of us here in the Bay Sate are teetering on the edge of a deep precipice. As I sit here late on election day, I (and many others) are facing the prospect of having Ted Kennedy's seat filled by a guy (Scott Brown) who is in the Dick Cheney wing of the Republican party. He is against abortion, against the Health Care bill, does not believe in climate change, and once posed 90% nude for Cosmopolitan. If Martha Coakley loses, she will be finished (and I will be furious that she ran such a lousy campaign--and angry at myself because now I am thinking Capuano who lost in the primary would have eaten Brown for lunch and I did not vote for him) but we all will be losers. Listening close to the man/woman street interviews, all I heard was anger at everything in general and nothing specific. The stimulus did not affect/help ME. Health Care will take MY benefits away. Some folks had in fact lost jobs and homes--ok I get that. But it is the generalized anger aimed at the generalized THEM that really gets me. The THEM is partly Barack--this is a way for people to get at him without getting at him directly. They will reject her in his stead. Let me just say that I hope the bright lights down there in DC have a back up plan when they face the fact of only having 59 votes--one of whom is my man Joe Lieberman who is as sturdy as a twig. There is a musical group whose music I don't know but whose name is "Rage Against the Machine". Those words are on an endless loop in my head and in my belly.
Then there is this: two more Democrats will retire from the Senate. Dorgan from North Dakota and Dodd from Connecticut. A Republican cow could beat a Democrat in North Dakota though prospects of replacing Dodd with a Democrat are much better. Many pieces of important legislation are in peril--and that's without me having a clue about any other election issues in other states. Then we have my old home state of Florida (competing mightily with Texas to see who can execute the most people in a year) where the governor (Crist) is running against a real tea bagger (Rubio). One of Crist's biggest problems is a video showing him hugging Obama and thanking him for the stimulus money Florida got. Rubio's take on it: better to have laid off teachers. Crist is not black and white enough for these other Republicans and has not taken a blood oath on a number of real right wing (a la Rush Limbaugh) issues.
There is hope though in a recent New Yorker article about Sonia Sotamayor. A great article which showed her to be much more articulate and on target than was revealed in those dumb hearings. While it is not clear how "liberal" she really is, one thing is already true--she will not be passive and has consistently asked more questions than any of the other justices.
Feels like buffalo around here what with two straight days of seemingly continuous snow flurries. Speaking of SPORTS (fooled some of you, huh?)--worse game I have ever seen the Patriots play. I'm hoping Brady was injured as gruesome as that sounds--otherwise he looked tired and perhaps a bit over the hill. Holly, a friend, is really finished with Belichik and I am starting to wonder about him myself after listening to her. Too arrogant and too confident about his brilliance which I guess is close to the same thing as arrogant. The Celtics will start to look ok according to me and Bob Ryan of the Globe) as soon as all the pieces are in place especially Mr. Garnett. The Bruins season is ready to be flushed.
Had a great weekend in NYC. Via a very close relative, got to see the Tim Burton exhibit at MOMA. How prolific/how varied. I am convinced he took copious amounts of illegal substances in the fabulous sixties. But the guy came out on the other side and is a genius. Also saw other friends, ate very well (thanks to that same relative), and saw a fine play about a Nigerian musician (name of Fela).
All my digits are crossed though I am committed to watching the returns soberly. I am obviously not optimistic. Mind you, there are people all over the place wishing us ill. I think it is ugly.
Sayonara
Then there is this: two more Democrats will retire from the Senate. Dorgan from North Dakota and Dodd from Connecticut. A Republican cow could beat a Democrat in North Dakota though prospects of replacing Dodd with a Democrat are much better. Many pieces of important legislation are in peril--and that's without me having a clue about any other election issues in other states. Then we have my old home state of Florida (competing mightily with Texas to see who can execute the most people in a year) where the governor (Crist) is running against a real tea bagger (Rubio). One of Crist's biggest problems is a video showing him hugging Obama and thanking him for the stimulus money Florida got. Rubio's take on it: better to have laid off teachers. Crist is not black and white enough for these other Republicans and has not taken a blood oath on a number of real right wing (a la Rush Limbaugh) issues.
There is hope though in a recent New Yorker article about Sonia Sotamayor. A great article which showed her to be much more articulate and on target than was revealed in those dumb hearings. While it is not clear how "liberal" she really is, one thing is already true--she will not be passive and has consistently asked more questions than any of the other justices.
Feels like buffalo around here what with two straight days of seemingly continuous snow flurries. Speaking of SPORTS (fooled some of you, huh?)--worse game I have ever seen the Patriots play. I'm hoping Brady was injured as gruesome as that sounds--otherwise he looked tired and perhaps a bit over the hill. Holly, a friend, is really finished with Belichik and I am starting to wonder about him myself after listening to her. Too arrogant and too confident about his brilliance which I guess is close to the same thing as arrogant. The Celtics will start to look ok according to me and Bob Ryan of the Globe) as soon as all the pieces are in place especially Mr. Garnett. The Bruins season is ready to be flushed.
Had a great weekend in NYC. Via a very close relative, got to see the Tim Burton exhibit at MOMA. How prolific/how varied. I am convinced he took copious amounts of illegal substances in the fabulous sixties. But the guy came out on the other side and is a genius. Also saw other friends, ate very well (thanks to that same relative), and saw a fine play about a Nigerian musician (name of Fela).
All my digits are crossed though I am committed to watching the returns soberly. I am obviously not optimistic. Mind you, there are people all over the place wishing us ill. I think it is ugly.
Sayonara
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
A New Year
One of my resolutions was to attempt to achieve a better attitude about what is going on around me. But, as you will see, I have already failed. I blame this totally on what IS going on around me and the impossibility of having a good attitude about it. I also blame Keith Olberman and Jon Stewart--they both returned from vacations last night full of piss and vinegar--got me all worked up. Then poof--my resolution bit the dust. so here goes.
I always knew i hated Whole Foods but it was one of my visceral dislikes--based not much on facts or any information (both prized by certain members if not all members of my immediate family). I admit to the fact that I shopped there when we lived in Brookline--their meat was better than the chains. (An aside: since moving to JP, I have not been there once since Roche Brothers has a butcher shop just as good). After reading a recent article in the New Yorker, i now have facts for my dislike--irrefutable facts I might add. Hurray for me. The guy who founded it is a fool though a wealthy one. Which makes him very dangerous. Turns out he hates unions, is a follower of Ayn Rand, believes if only corporations were unfettered to do "good" , the world would be a better place, and despises any talk of health care reform. They also stack their fruit in a way that makes you think there are gazillions more underneath but they are simply layered on a frame. my oh my. Turns out also he wrote some op ed piece which was so anti health care and anti obama that he has since been forced to give up his ceo role and now is just chairman. Finally, and this is a real HA HA, turns out Wal Mart sells more organic food than Whole Foods. I love that bit of irony.
The NY Times runs a brief interview each sunday in their magazine. this weeks celeb was John Yoo who is scarier than anyone thought. Has two psychiatrists for parents and essentially said he did not know what they did because he never paid attention. That probably sent his parents back to the couch immediately for thier own help. Also was not sure about the difference between psychoanalysis and psychiatry--this from a fully tenured UC Berkeley professor. An awful man totally unapologetic and full of criticisms about Berkeley itself. Needs to be kicked to the curb.
So Dick Cheyney and the rest of those guys are after obama again because of that airline terror incident. Should have come back from Hawaii sooner, did not use the word terrorist enough, is making us less safe--both Keith and Jon fortunately did not let this pass and repeatedly showed video of Cheyney and others singing a much different tune in support of President Bush. He is simply an attack dog who needs to zip it up and wont.
Condo life: We have little people (mostly men) who do all the shovelling and come inside our gate to shovel a path to our door--then salt it. oh how i love that especially when i pass 284 and see their cars hemmed in by piles of the white stuff. it is worth every penny of the monthly fee.
So the race to replace ted kennedy just got interesting. the republican announced he supports water boarding right after this recent terrorist episode. the democrat does not. these elections get me very worried since turnout will be low--just gotta believe/hope every woman in the state will vote for martha, the democrat.
SPORTS Chatter
Ugly video of Welker's injury. I think the Pats beat the Ravens but then if they face either Rivers or Manning, it will be over. The defense just does not make enough big plays. The celtics will be ok once the injured return. they are very deep with their full line up. The
Bruins are in deep doo doo. No big scoring threat and now Bergeron is hurt. Lucic's return will help but no depth on this team.
Please tell me you werent surprised at that texas tech coach and what he did to that player. i hate college sports because they have become bigger than the schools and bigger than the athletes. any florida grad who saw those thugs from florida beat cincinnati should resign from the florida alumni association. it looked like the world wrestling federation. But the coaches are the real villains in this semi drama.
Look forward to your thoughts/comments.
Sayonara
I always knew i hated Whole Foods but it was one of my visceral dislikes--based not much on facts or any information (both prized by certain members if not all members of my immediate family). I admit to the fact that I shopped there when we lived in Brookline--their meat was better than the chains. (An aside: since moving to JP, I have not been there once since Roche Brothers has a butcher shop just as good). After reading a recent article in the New Yorker, i now have facts for my dislike--irrefutable facts I might add. Hurray for me. The guy who founded it is a fool though a wealthy one. Which makes him very dangerous. Turns out he hates unions, is a follower of Ayn Rand, believes if only corporations were unfettered to do "good" , the world would be a better place, and despises any talk of health care reform. They also stack their fruit in a way that makes you think there are gazillions more underneath but they are simply layered on a frame. my oh my. Turns out also he wrote some op ed piece which was so anti health care and anti obama that he has since been forced to give up his ceo role and now is just chairman. Finally, and this is a real HA HA, turns out Wal Mart sells more organic food than Whole Foods. I love that bit of irony.
The NY Times runs a brief interview each sunday in their magazine. this weeks celeb was John Yoo who is scarier than anyone thought. Has two psychiatrists for parents and essentially said he did not know what they did because he never paid attention. That probably sent his parents back to the couch immediately for thier own help. Also was not sure about the difference between psychoanalysis and psychiatry--this from a fully tenured UC Berkeley professor. An awful man totally unapologetic and full of criticisms about Berkeley itself. Needs to be kicked to the curb.
So Dick Cheyney and the rest of those guys are after obama again because of that airline terror incident. Should have come back from Hawaii sooner, did not use the word terrorist enough, is making us less safe--both Keith and Jon fortunately did not let this pass and repeatedly showed video of Cheyney and others singing a much different tune in support of President Bush. He is simply an attack dog who needs to zip it up and wont.
Condo life: We have little people (mostly men) who do all the shovelling and come inside our gate to shovel a path to our door--then salt it. oh how i love that especially when i pass 284 and see their cars hemmed in by piles of the white stuff. it is worth every penny of the monthly fee.
So the race to replace ted kennedy just got interesting. the republican announced he supports water boarding right after this recent terrorist episode. the democrat does not. these elections get me very worried since turnout will be low--just gotta believe/hope every woman in the state will vote for martha, the democrat.
SPORTS Chatter
Ugly video of Welker's injury. I think the Pats beat the Ravens but then if they face either Rivers or Manning, it will be over. The defense just does not make enough big plays. The celtics will be ok once the injured return. they are very deep with their full line up. The
Bruins are in deep doo doo. No big scoring threat and now Bergeron is hurt. Lucic's return will help but no depth on this team.
Please tell me you werent surprised at that texas tech coach and what he did to that player. i hate college sports because they have become bigger than the schools and bigger than the athletes. any florida grad who saw those thugs from florida beat cincinnati should resign from the florida alumni association. it looked like the world wrestling federation. But the coaches are the real villains in this semi drama.
Look forward to your thoughts/comments.
Sayonara
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)