The contest to increase readership was a smashing success--well almost. I now have over 70 readers and looking for more. The winner of the contest in a close race was Fuzzie--he has already received his fantabulous award. A word of caution to all you newbies: This little project started because someone I love dearly and live with told me she did not want to hear me rant, rave, scream incoherently, and generally rage against the machine--so why didn't I just start a blog, she asked? Abracadabra, with much help from the young woman in the Lone Star state, here it is. You may wish to comment and may in fact disagree. But this is not truly a two way street since I am invariably right and you are not. So buckle up and hopefully at least enjoy--here goes.
Assorted Items of Interest:
The two Ric's (that would be Santorum and Perry) have decided that the Boy Scouts will be destroyed if they decide to include Gay leaders and Gay Scouts. They just don't get it--by the end of the week, the Illinois State Senate passed a gay marriage bill. These guys lost the Republican nomination but still feel obligated to share their vile opinions. Kick 'em to the curb.
Staying in Pennsylvania, Mrs. Paterno "got ill" from all the bad stuff said about her husband. Well I think she ought to go back in bed and put her blinders back on--she was not sexually abused; the children were and they will have long term problems. Who cares if she is ill--this is about damage done to children; it is about them. And the family's report which contradicted Freeh's report is a basket of BS. This happened and the culture created by Joe Pa allowed it to flourish.
Eric Cantor (he who is a member of my tribe) is back in the news with all sorts of "non -partisan" proposals. He is just reshuffling the deck and calling out the Prez for not being responsive to the middle class. Another one to kick to the curb (which is getting pretty full). Two quotes about these guys. Paul Krugman refers to them as the "ignorance caucus". And I am pretty sure it is Hilary after she left office who referred to them as folks "who don't live in the evidence based world".
Staying in the so called political world. I just want to send Mitch McConnell back to the tobacco fields in Kentucky. After the state of the union speech, this brilliant leader said: "He's gotten all the revenue he is going to get. Been there, done that". Real helpful and very respectful. Any room left on the curb? The 2/5 Globe carried a great Doonesbury strip about Elizabeth Warren and her new staff member who is (ahem) a Senior Citizen. Elizabeth gets "that the elderly are people too". And of course the gutless legislators won't go near any gun legislation. Everyone was all excited about getting some limits after Newtown but, if you have noticed, its back to business as usual. I have to hand it to those NRA assholes--they really are savvy in both a PR and a political sense. Chuck Hagel anyone?
And now to Israel. Police detained women including the Rabbi/sister of comedienne Sarah Silverman because they were praying at the Wailing Wall. These are the same zealots (not the police but the ultra Orthodox Rabbis who oversee the activity at the Wall) who are involved with the illegal settlements but don't want their boys to fight in the IDF. And yup those were Israeli jets destroying a convoy in Syria carrying arms to Lebanon. And OOPS--they also managed to destroy an arms depot which at first was denied. Lebanon, which was the destination of the convoy, is controlled by Hezbollah and is a mess--so I get what the Israelis were up to. But they best be careful about how many of their neighbors they can afford to offend. They are increasingly getting more isolated ---and just became the first country to ever refuse to allow the UN to review the country's Human Rights practices.
So Scottie is now on Fox News--I am guessing some of his truer colors will come out sooner or later.
What scares me is that he will appear to be "normal" compared to Palin. On the other hand, Jon Stewart who may have the best writers and researchers in the world (ditto Rachel Maddow) eviscerated Dick Cheyney who came out of hiding long enough to grant his first interview and blast Obama. Stewart dug up all sorts of old tape and just exposed Cheyney for the fool he is--onto the curb too.
SPORTS TALK
Did not watch one play of the Super Bowl--my protest to no one about the pathetic performance of the Pats. No points in the second half--are you kidding me? Greg Bedard may be the best pro football analyst in America. His positions ratings both during and after the season were terrific. If you want to read a really good sports media critic, you have to read Richard Deitsch in SI.Com. The man writes real well and has great sources.
Any of you know or care about the romance between Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse? It is a NASCAR story which means it hits a wall at the Mason Dixon line. I mean who cares what happens at Talledega?. Much more interested in this whole saga in South Africa with Oscar and his now murdered girl friend. And anyone care about ARod--of course he took those banned substances. He should shut up and go stand on top of those other curb dwellers.
I am one of those who believe the Celtics are better off without Rondo. Three reasons: he is a drama queen; he plays out of control too often; and he falls down like a soccer player if he is breathed on too hard.
I hate players who hold their hand up wanting the ball while they are in a game. They often get it and fuck up. Play the game--don't stand around waving and then sulking when you don't get it.
The goalie for Juventus is a spitting image of Bowser the lead singer for Sha Na Na--you need to be of a certain age to remember that factoid.
Hope you are both feeling better, Peter and Ashok. Happy Belated Valentine's Day to all
Sayonara
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Friday, February 1, 2013
TWENTY MILLION FOLLOWERS!!!!!!
Read somewhere that a woman who publishes this wedding blog has 20 million followers. I'm trying to get to 100. Cannot fathom how that happens. Or how you can fit all the names into that little "TO" box. Anyhow I have a secret but special reward for the first one of you who sends me 5 email addresses of folks who actually might enjoy this screed. Kind of like a contest. I cannot be categorized but I can hopefully be interesting.
So I loved the speech at the Inauguration. Now I know nothing may come of it but the language and the message was terrific. "Seneca Falls and Selma and Stonewall". First of all, it is beautifully alliterative which is amazing. Second, in a few short words he made history acknowledging women, African Americans, and, for the first time ever, Gay men and women. Even if nothing else happens, he "came out" on these issues and on immigration. The line "do not confuse absolutism with principles"--another terrific use of language and a slap at the Tea Partiers without naming them and thus egging them on. Speaking of slaps, Ryan and Romney must still have red faces from the slaps they got. And that fool Romney is probably still at the Convention Center counting his firecrackers--what a baby not showing for the Inaugural.
OK, so you live in Bethel, Maine and are likely the only Hispanic gay man within a bazillion miles. On the other hand, you happen to be a poet and you get a call sometime after the election and are asked to write a poem for the Inauguration--hello!! I would have headed straight to bed--no, first to the liquor cabinet for the Scotch, then the freezer for the ice, and then bed--but this guy Blanco came up with a beauty under gigantic pressure. The symbolism of his remarks means something to the Immigrants who came before and the ones that will come again. And it blasted away at the homophobes already freaked out by the Stonewall reference.
On a somewhat lighter note, my old hometown (that would be Brookline--though I have a few others) is being overrun by wild turkeys. Front page of the Globe had pix of these critters and all sorts of crazed residents who "cannot leave their houses"; a mailman who had to enter someones home to escape attack (there is a joke there, right?); and children afraid of going to school. The next time there is an absence of an animal story on either the front page of the Globe or the front page of the Metro section of the paper, please notify me immediately. One day last week we learned about insects.
So I am in a fairly legit kind of men's room--not a sleazoid place on the side of a highway. If some of you are not aware of this, there are now urinals for little guys about half the size of the ones for us manly guys. So two urinals down, there is a grown up manly guy using the kid's urinal and reading the paper. He is also peeing all over his shoe because it is a longer shot--does not notice a thing. Flushes and of course walks out without washing his hands--does leave a good size puddle. Un fucking believable.
Before the Israeli election, David Remnick had a New Yorker article about the rise of the secular (as opposed to the religious) right and how rigid they are about the Palestinians. It was very depressing. Surprise--they got crunched in the election and the center of the populace--in other words, those who might actually favor a two state solution--came out big. I like Remnick a lot but he really blew it this time. Then recently Jon Lee Anderson (another writer in the mag who I like a lot) wrote a great piece about Hugo Chavez who is likely dying in Havana. What he is likely to leave behind in Venezuela will not be pretty. Two days later, a prison riot killed a bunch of guards and inmates in that country.
Scotty will not run so I am not sure which Republican will go after Kerry's seat. I hate to admit it but Weld would be better than most. Also would fit in better what with his WASPY noblesse oblige style. Yuk however to the need for another two elections--a special one this summer and then the regular one.
You all do know there is a website called "Christian Mingle", right?
SPORTS TALK
Don't believe ARod and don't believe Teo and believe Ray Lewis is a thug who should have been in jail 10 years ago. And I don't believe him either. I do believe someone on the Pats coaching staff should be kicked someplace for how they managed to get ZERO points in the second half. Sure, Brady stunk and there were injuries but no points--pathetic. Greg Bedard, in the Globe, has been great all season writing about the Pats. His analysis of this game was excellent. I will not be watching the super bowl at all. Going out to din din and watching Downton.
Phil Mickelson has the shit eatingest grin of anyone on the face of the earth. and he is upset because his taxes are so high he could not buy into the Padres. Kick him to the curb or at least into a sand trap.
Don't forget the contest.
Sayonara.
So I loved the speech at the Inauguration. Now I know nothing may come of it but the language and the message was terrific. "Seneca Falls and Selma and Stonewall". First of all, it is beautifully alliterative which is amazing. Second, in a few short words he made history acknowledging women, African Americans, and, for the first time ever, Gay men and women. Even if nothing else happens, he "came out" on these issues and on immigration. The line "do not confuse absolutism with principles"--another terrific use of language and a slap at the Tea Partiers without naming them and thus egging them on. Speaking of slaps, Ryan and Romney must still have red faces from the slaps they got. And that fool Romney is probably still at the Convention Center counting his firecrackers--what a baby not showing for the Inaugural.
OK, so you live in Bethel, Maine and are likely the only Hispanic gay man within a bazillion miles. On the other hand, you happen to be a poet and you get a call sometime after the election and are asked to write a poem for the Inauguration--hello!! I would have headed straight to bed--no, first to the liquor cabinet for the Scotch, then the freezer for the ice, and then bed--but this guy Blanco came up with a beauty under gigantic pressure. The symbolism of his remarks means something to the Immigrants who came before and the ones that will come again. And it blasted away at the homophobes already freaked out by the Stonewall reference.
On a somewhat lighter note, my old hometown (that would be Brookline--though I have a few others) is being overrun by wild turkeys. Front page of the Globe had pix of these critters and all sorts of crazed residents who "cannot leave their houses"; a mailman who had to enter someones home to escape attack (there is a joke there, right?); and children afraid of going to school. The next time there is an absence of an animal story on either the front page of the Globe or the front page of the Metro section of the paper, please notify me immediately. One day last week we learned about insects.
So I am in a fairly legit kind of men's room--not a sleazoid place on the side of a highway. If some of you are not aware of this, there are now urinals for little guys about half the size of the ones for us manly guys. So two urinals down, there is a grown up manly guy using the kid's urinal and reading the paper. He is also peeing all over his shoe because it is a longer shot--does not notice a thing. Flushes and of course walks out without washing his hands--does leave a good size puddle. Un fucking believable.
Before the Israeli election, David Remnick had a New Yorker article about the rise of the secular (as opposed to the religious) right and how rigid they are about the Palestinians. It was very depressing. Surprise--they got crunched in the election and the center of the populace--in other words, those who might actually favor a two state solution--came out big. I like Remnick a lot but he really blew it this time. Then recently Jon Lee Anderson (another writer in the mag who I like a lot) wrote a great piece about Hugo Chavez who is likely dying in Havana. What he is likely to leave behind in Venezuela will not be pretty. Two days later, a prison riot killed a bunch of guards and inmates in that country.
Scotty will not run so I am not sure which Republican will go after Kerry's seat. I hate to admit it but Weld would be better than most. Also would fit in better what with his WASPY noblesse oblige style. Yuk however to the need for another two elections--a special one this summer and then the regular one.
You all do know there is a website called "Christian Mingle", right?
SPORTS TALK
Don't believe ARod and don't believe Teo and believe Ray Lewis is a thug who should have been in jail 10 years ago. And I don't believe him either. I do believe someone on the Pats coaching staff should be kicked someplace for how they managed to get ZERO points in the second half. Sure, Brady stunk and there were injuries but no points--pathetic. Greg Bedard, in the Globe, has been great all season writing about the Pats. His analysis of this game was excellent. I will not be watching the super bowl at all. Going out to din din and watching Downton.
Phil Mickelson has the shit eatingest grin of anyone on the face of the earth. and he is upset because his taxes are so high he could not buy into the Padres. Kick him to the curb or at least into a sand trap.
Don't forget the contest.
Sayonara.
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