I am so thankful that we elected Scott Brown to be our second Senator. He along with the two female senators from Maine and two retiring senators were the only Republicans voting on a procedural matter in support of the jobs bill. Of course, he immediately was trashed by the right who now threaten him (ah, the sweet poetic justice)with fielding an opponent in the primary. Which of course is only 3 years away.
I cannot decide if Barack made the right choice about going down the Health Care road again. I am beginning to believe that it only makes sense if he is willing to go that reconciliation route (which I only understand in the sense that you only need 51 votes not 60). Otherwise, McConnell, Cantor, and the boys will just say no again. Assuming there is no public option, there are a number of things which are important to me. First, costs are a big issue. We are learning that in the Bay State where, increasingly, the cost of health care is busting the state budget.
Mandates that folks get insurance are ok as long as the ones that cannot afford it are supported in some fashion. Medicaid flexibility is another must--it gives states the ability to use those dollars in a way that meets the specific needs of each state. Yet, I also wonder why he did not just leave it alone and let the Republicans stew in their own juices come September.
I had avoided Olberman for a week or so to watch the Olympics--saw him again last night and realize that his show (and The Daily show with Jon Stewart which really is my best source for news) are the ones that really get me worked up. So we have the CPACers voting in a straw poll that Ron Paul is their candidate in 2012--he is 70, older than McCain was, and would demolish government. I then heard another speaker bemoan (in very ugly terms) the invitation extended to Gay and Lesbian Conservatives to attend the conference. Then, Mr. Beck got up there with a blackboard to discuss revolution (that would be the bad thing) and evolution (I think that would be a good thing except for those folks who don't believe in it!!). It is beginning to smell a lot like the fabulous 60's for me--I'm way out of touch/don't even know these people. They hate so much and are so fearful--I believe some of this is still related to losing the White House to an African American who actually thinks in very complicated, yet honest, ways. He talks up to us and not down to us. These folks want to be children again and have the father figure (think Reagan) back up there in power.
Then we have Amy Bishop who murdered those folks in Alabama. In Massachusetts, all we care about is what she did here twenty years ago and whose fault it was that she was not arrested--not much to say about what she did in Huntsville. Enough--she should be kicked to the curb and so should her crazy husband. Forget about history and think about the families in Huntsville.
WHAT FOLLOWS IS SEMI SPORTS RELATED
Could have U.S./Canada ice hockey finals for both men and women. I have to say I love the women's game and do love my U.S.A. sisters. They are wonderful skaters and without all the shoving, pulling, and fighting of the men's game--they do some wonderful things with their skills (as do the Canadian women for that matter)--passing, stick work, positioning without forcing a penalty. It is just lovely to watch. Now about curling--a great quote from Sam Allis in the Globe. He said he likes to watch it but feels like he did watching his daughters play field hockey--the game is over before you can ever understand the rules. I felt the same way with Anna--loved to watch but to this day have no clue why the whistle blew every l0 seconds.
OTHER NEWS
Key West in 10 days where the weather is not so hot. Cabinets being delivered today with much trepidation as to color. Wish us luck. Great meal at Scampos Saturday night--it is in the Liberty Hotel which originally was the infamous Charles Street Jail. What a renovation--spectacular. Good food also.
Sayonara.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
"Images and Assorted Facts"
The title is an approximate quote from a Dylan song. Just felt like it fit since what follows is not all tied together.
This is a semi-sport/semi-political factoid. I have oh so firmly landed on the side of the Saints in the Super Bowl. Has nothing to do with the cities (though come on New Orleans vs. Indianapolis?). Has nothing to do with the teams (though come on, how can you not hate Peyton Manning). Has to do with Scott Fujita. He is a linebacker for the Saints and one of the Globe writers down there for the game (and it seems like they have dozens) wrote about him this week. Turns out he was born to a 15 year old Caucasian woman who gave him up for adoption. He was adopted by an American born Asian-American couple. I forget where he was raised but he went to college at UCal Berkley. Four items in the article pushed me into the Saints column:
a. He was adopted.
b. He completely supports gay marriage and offered it up in the interview.
c. He loves it when people stigmatize (his word) him for coming from Berkley. Says he loved it there--all the diversity etc.
d. He is totally committed to the culture he was raised in (Japanese) and to the adoptive parents.
So let's go Saints.
Then we have the picture of Scott Brown and his newscaster wife (in full length leather coat) going to DC and filling Ted Kennedy's seat. I was settling in with all this and then last night watched both Keith Olberman and Jon Stewart. He was described by one of Keith's guest as a combative pushy addition to the 40 other Just Say No Republicans. He is likely to be number 41 on 90-100% of their issues. He will be worse than even I had already thought.
Then there is the sweeping oratory of Obama--I love to listen to him speak. I loved his interaction with the Republican Senators. He is just a sweet yet forceful talker who has a firm grasp of the facts. Unfortunately,I am beginning to think he is confusing oratory with winning votes--because those same Republicans are killing his initiatives. The Republicans left the room and will likely begin voting against even more of those initiatives given Scott Brown's arrival. I have consistently wished and hoped for more aggressiveness, more initiative (and less reactivity), and a willingness to stand behind something consistently--not start waffling when Mitch McConnell gets up and bloviates. Wishes and hopes (his or mine) wont make anything happen. The down side of the Olberman show was that all the lefty guests were right on with their comments--but it will change nothing and begins to sound like whining. Somehow, the military (including Secretaries Gates and Powell)ares starting to sound sane with their comments on "Don't ask, Don't tell".
The lottery has incorporated the Powerball game into its array of tickets. This is a multi state game which ends up having hundreds of millions of dollars in prizes. This too will support local cities and towns. Not a peep from the anti gambling folks about the money coming to their town or the addition of this new game. But mention casinos and everyone gets excited (even some of you, kind readers) and starts frothing at the mouth. But there has got to be another source of state revenue and given the anger out there, it likely will not be through taxes--though I for one would hike the tax on tobacco and alcohol anytime in the next five minutes. So if we can have Powerball and all the rest of the Lottery, whats up with the opposition to casinos? And I don't just mean slots--the odds of winning at a slot machine are about as bad as Powerball. I mean casinos as in card games and the rest.
Been looking at studs (as in wall construction!!) for the better part of two weeks. We have killed a few tress what with all the paper plates we have used. But the kitchen is halfway done and the messier parts are over. No very fancy meals for any of you visitors for a month or so.
SPORTS TALK
I was right on (slap me on the back) about the Bruins. They cannot score--miss open nets, miss penalty shots, miss shootout shots. They invariably lose if they don't score 3 or more. They may squeeze into the playoffs but they are already cooked. If they play their cards right, they could end up with 2 picks in the top 10 of the draft--their own if they continue their slow downfall and Toronto's. I am a might worried about the Celtics. They are very inconsistent and I am beginning not to like Paul Pierce with the ball at the end of a quarter, the half, or the game. He forces it too much and thinks he can beat anyone--runs the clock way down and seems to never deliver. I actually thought they played better without him in their recent Miami victory.
Thats all folks. Happy Valentines Day and Sayonara.
This is a semi-sport/semi-political factoid. I have oh so firmly landed on the side of the Saints in the Super Bowl. Has nothing to do with the cities (though come on New Orleans vs. Indianapolis?). Has nothing to do with the teams (though come on, how can you not hate Peyton Manning). Has to do with Scott Fujita. He is a linebacker for the Saints and one of the Globe writers down there for the game (and it seems like they have dozens) wrote about him this week. Turns out he was born to a 15 year old Caucasian woman who gave him up for adoption. He was adopted by an American born Asian-American couple. I forget where he was raised but he went to college at UCal Berkley. Four items in the article pushed me into the Saints column:
a. He was adopted.
b. He completely supports gay marriage and offered it up in the interview.
c. He loves it when people stigmatize (his word) him for coming from Berkley. Says he loved it there--all the diversity etc.
d. He is totally committed to the culture he was raised in (Japanese) and to the adoptive parents.
So let's go Saints.
Then we have the picture of Scott Brown and his newscaster wife (in full length leather coat) going to DC and filling Ted Kennedy's seat. I was settling in with all this and then last night watched both Keith Olberman and Jon Stewart. He was described by one of Keith's guest as a combative pushy addition to the 40 other Just Say No Republicans. He is likely to be number 41 on 90-100% of their issues. He will be worse than even I had already thought.
Then there is the sweeping oratory of Obama--I love to listen to him speak. I loved his interaction with the Republican Senators. He is just a sweet yet forceful talker who has a firm grasp of the facts. Unfortunately,I am beginning to think he is confusing oratory with winning votes--because those same Republicans are killing his initiatives. The Republicans left the room and will likely begin voting against even more of those initiatives given Scott Brown's arrival. I have consistently wished and hoped for more aggressiveness, more initiative (and less reactivity), and a willingness to stand behind something consistently--not start waffling when Mitch McConnell gets up and bloviates. Wishes and hopes (his or mine) wont make anything happen. The down side of the Olberman show was that all the lefty guests were right on with their comments--but it will change nothing and begins to sound like whining. Somehow, the military (including Secretaries Gates and Powell)ares starting to sound sane with their comments on "Don't ask, Don't tell".
The lottery has incorporated the Powerball game into its array of tickets. This is a multi state game which ends up having hundreds of millions of dollars in prizes. This too will support local cities and towns. Not a peep from the anti gambling folks about the money coming to their town or the addition of this new game. But mention casinos and everyone gets excited (even some of you, kind readers) and starts frothing at the mouth. But there has got to be another source of state revenue and given the anger out there, it likely will not be through taxes--though I for one would hike the tax on tobacco and alcohol anytime in the next five minutes. So if we can have Powerball and all the rest of the Lottery, whats up with the opposition to casinos? And I don't just mean slots--the odds of winning at a slot machine are about as bad as Powerball. I mean casinos as in card games and the rest.
Been looking at studs (as in wall construction!!) for the better part of two weeks. We have killed a few tress what with all the paper plates we have used. But the kitchen is halfway done and the messier parts are over. No very fancy meals for any of you visitors for a month or so.
SPORTS TALK
I was right on (slap me on the back) about the Bruins. They cannot score--miss open nets, miss penalty shots, miss shootout shots. They invariably lose if they don't score 3 or more. They may squeeze into the playoffs but they are already cooked. If they play their cards right, they could end up with 2 picks in the top 10 of the draft--their own if they continue their slow downfall and Toronto's. I am a might worried about the Celtics. They are very inconsistent and I am beginning not to like Paul Pierce with the ball at the end of a quarter, the half, or the game. He forces it too much and thinks he can beat anyone--runs the clock way down and seems to never deliver. I actually thought they played better without him in their recent Miami victory.
Thats all folks. Happy Valentines Day and Sayonara.
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