For those mono-linguists among you (as opposed to moi) those are the first two lines of the French version of the Canadian national anthem. The English translation is: "O Canada, our home and native land; true patriot love in all thy sons command". Which is my way of saying that all I cared about in terms of the Olympics (and this is not about sports!!!) was ice hockey--both men and women. And of course our brethren from north of the border took gold in both. I happen to believe the men were lucky (just squeaking by Latvia) but those women were very very good. Moving south of the border.....
Maybe Georgia should secede once they formally approve their new license plates which display the confederate flag. Ditto for Mississippi where students at Ole Miss hung a noose on the neck of the campus statue of James Meredith. Both those states just seem to yearn for the good old days. And Arizona whose Governor vetoed that horrific law which would have allowed businesses to refuse to serve gay and/or lesbian customers. Not that she did it because it was morally right to do it--no, she did it because it was bad for business. They would have lost the upcoming Super Bowl for one thing. My favorite talking sports head happens to be Jewish and he said something along the following lines--"how will those stores know who is gay or lesbian? My people have been through something like that when we had to wear yellow stars". Really it all makes you wonder what century we live in.
Odds and ends:
-Bruce is playing at Mohegan Sun Casino. Such a disappointment for me. Seems like the wrong place for The Boss.
-Partners Health Care got its ass justifiably handed to it as it tried to buy yet another hospital. Their argument, more or less, is that bigger is better--better for service and more financially efficient. Which ain't necessarily so. But some sort of health review panel said nope--go back to first year calculus and show us the money.
-I do not believe for a second that the mess of bullying in the Dolphin locker room is isolated. It happens in other places where macho men do their work.
-Children are dying all over the world and I am just not sure how to wrap my mind around it let alone what to do.
--Ukraine, Syria, Iraq,Thailand--all in some sort of major upheavals with all sorts of people dying. At least Obama is sticking to his guns (so far) and getting us out of Afghanistan. Now if he could just reach across those 90 miles to Havana.
-Ted Nugent is a big fat asshole who no longer is even a good musician.
-Are there any tailors left in the former Eastern bloc countries? I mean those suits worn by the male coaches were so nasty, I could do better with a needle and thread.
-Roger Angell, age 93, has written for the New Yorker for nearly 70 years. He had a very small piece last week about aging and how it feels--other than requiring him to have a daily evening scotch!!
-Go visit Austin but skip the Ric Perry part of the tour. Go to the great restaurants, the food trucks, the natural sites and tell Anna we sent you. Hah.
SPORTS TALK
-Can anyone really tell the difference between ice dancing and pairs skating. The women in all the ice skating events looked like they had on breakable masks and plastered on smiles. Yuk.
-Bode Miller, Shani Davis, Shaun White--all over rated and way too hyped by the media in America.
--The $60 million dollar stadium for the Allen High School team is closed indefinitely due to structural cracks--they probably will play in the Cowboys stadium now. Hope it falls apart with no one inside.
Be strong Norma.
Sayonara
Friday, February 28, 2014
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
I KNOW, I KNOW, IT'S NOT THE 15TH
You probably had 2/15 circled in your calendar in anticipation of receiving these words. But, alas and alack, here I am in all my written glory and 3 days early. Seems I am going to be in Rick Perry's neck of the woods for a few days making sure all is well in the South.
Now, one of my favorite whiniest/complainingest readers has insisted I lead with the following. A Rod is an asshole and that is not a sports story. He deserves the suspension and I deserve (as do most of you) not to hear his name for another year. So the squeakiest wheel did get the grease.
Another item which seems like sports but which is really a spectacle is Sochi. Can we stop raggin on the Russians and how they did or did not prepare for this? While, meanwhile, down there in Brazil, entire favelas are being plowed under as they prepare for the World Cup. So Sochi has palm trees and is a winter venue on the shores of a gigantic salt water sea. And the water is orange and cannot be drunk nor can you use it on your face. And the locks do not work. But, as far as I know, unlike Salt Lake City, there are no Mormons--pick your poison, I say.
And yet a third sports item but not really. Michael Sam has come out of the closet though in fact he outed himself to his Missouri coaches and teammates last summer. He wanted to "own" his own narrative. Good for him. Now enter the clowns especially the anonymous ones. Attributable quotes have all been positive except for one (more on that later). Anonymous ones all involve men showering--hello I thought it was about football. These are the same guys who drive drunk, use guns, and sometimes are charged with murder. The one attributable quote (unfortunately) belongs to the kid's father who decided he would not want to play football with his son. Terrific support there, pop.
Three experiences/observations from the hood (that would be Centre Street): In a second hand store waiting patiently. A guy rushes up to the corner holding a book with stains on it he calls blood. He wants verification because he does not want to catch hepatitis. The book has probably been there for 50 years and the clerk does not look to me like an epidemiologist--and for sure she has no microscope or white coat; she does have a mess of piercings and tattoos. Second, again very patiently, I wait in line at a bakery while the guy in front of me and the clerk discuss flushing out your colon which this guy has just done and together they are deciding which bread would be best now that he is "cleansed". And, finally, never get behind a person sending some nasty looking vial to some nasty third world country who is trying (again patiently) to explain its properties to clerks who actually look like they would like to run and hide. All true, I swear.
Our great Congress people cannot pass an immigration but did pass a farm bill which cuts food stamps and it gets signed. Eric Cantor (he who is a member of my tribe) broke his silence with an attack on Obamacare which he claims will cost us 2 million jobs. He apparently skimmed a gigantic analysis from the Congressional Budget Office. Obviously he skipped the good parts because Paul Krugman in the Times did not skim and promptly ran over Eric. The good news is that Doonesbury has one of his characters working for Elizabeth Warren.
Saw a picture of some Ultra Orthodox black hatted men (of course, not a woman among them) fighting with Israeli soldiers (who do include women). Not over some more settlements they would like to build in some Palestinian's back yard but because they do not want to serve in the Army and Israel is going to make them do just that. Love to see them in helmets and flak jackets.
Spectacular Chevy ads during what little I have seen of the Olympics. Referring to their cars as "family" cars, they proceed to show us families. Guess what--some are White, some Hispanic, some African American, some with a single parent and (TA Da) some with two male parents and some with two female parents. My mouth fell open.
Dogs with sweaters and feet pads have to go. Maybe they could be sent to Miami Beach.
SPORTS TALK
Seguin has 24 goals, Kessel has 31 goals, and Thornton has 48 assists. Balanced scoring is wonderful unless you need a really big goal and Chris Kelly is out there patrolling the wing.
Very powerful message for the Bruins allowing Chara to miss two games so he could carry his country's flag in Sochi. Bruins said he has done a lot for the team and this was important. Whoa. Sends a great message to free agents and those now on the team.
Did not watch one play of the super bowl. I hear smilin Pete and his boys won. Too bad Wes
Sayonara
Now, one of my favorite whiniest/complainingest readers has insisted I lead with the following. A Rod is an asshole and that is not a sports story. He deserves the suspension and I deserve (as do most of you) not to hear his name for another year. So the squeakiest wheel did get the grease.
Another item which seems like sports but which is really a spectacle is Sochi. Can we stop raggin on the Russians and how they did or did not prepare for this? While, meanwhile, down there in Brazil, entire favelas are being plowed under as they prepare for the World Cup. So Sochi has palm trees and is a winter venue on the shores of a gigantic salt water sea. And the water is orange and cannot be drunk nor can you use it on your face. And the locks do not work. But, as far as I know, unlike Salt Lake City, there are no Mormons--pick your poison, I say.
And yet a third sports item but not really. Michael Sam has come out of the closet though in fact he outed himself to his Missouri coaches and teammates last summer. He wanted to "own" his own narrative. Good for him. Now enter the clowns especially the anonymous ones. Attributable quotes have all been positive except for one (more on that later). Anonymous ones all involve men showering--hello I thought it was about football. These are the same guys who drive drunk, use guns, and sometimes are charged with murder. The one attributable quote (unfortunately) belongs to the kid's father who decided he would not want to play football with his son. Terrific support there, pop.
Three experiences/observations from the hood (that would be Centre Street): In a second hand store waiting patiently. A guy rushes up to the corner holding a book with stains on it he calls blood. He wants verification because he does not want to catch hepatitis. The book has probably been there for 50 years and the clerk does not look to me like an epidemiologist--and for sure she has no microscope or white coat; she does have a mess of piercings and tattoos. Second, again very patiently, I wait in line at a bakery while the guy in front of me and the clerk discuss flushing out your colon which this guy has just done and together they are deciding which bread would be best now that he is "cleansed". And, finally, never get behind a person sending some nasty looking vial to some nasty third world country who is trying (again patiently) to explain its properties to clerks who actually look like they would like to run and hide. All true, I swear.
Our great Congress people cannot pass an immigration but did pass a farm bill which cuts food stamps and it gets signed. Eric Cantor (he who is a member of my tribe) broke his silence with an attack on Obamacare which he claims will cost us 2 million jobs. He apparently skimmed a gigantic analysis from the Congressional Budget Office. Obviously he skipped the good parts because Paul Krugman in the Times did not skim and promptly ran over Eric. The good news is that Doonesbury has one of his characters working for Elizabeth Warren.
Saw a picture of some Ultra Orthodox black hatted men (of course, not a woman among them) fighting with Israeli soldiers (who do include women). Not over some more settlements they would like to build in some Palestinian's back yard but because they do not want to serve in the Army and Israel is going to make them do just that. Love to see them in helmets and flak jackets.
Spectacular Chevy ads during what little I have seen of the Olympics. Referring to their cars as "family" cars, they proceed to show us families. Guess what--some are White, some Hispanic, some African American, some with a single parent and (TA Da) some with two male parents and some with two female parents. My mouth fell open.
Dogs with sweaters and feet pads have to go. Maybe they could be sent to Miami Beach.
SPORTS TALK
Seguin has 24 goals, Kessel has 31 goals, and Thornton has 48 assists. Balanced scoring is wonderful unless you need a really big goal and Chris Kelly is out there patrolling the wing.
Very powerful message for the Bruins allowing Chara to miss two games so he could carry his country's flag in Sochi. Bruins said he has done a lot for the team and this was important. Whoa. Sends a great message to free agents and those now on the team.
Did not watch one play of the super bowl. I hear smilin Pete and his boys won. Too bad Wes
Sayonara
Saturday, February 1, 2014
GOING TO FRIDAY NIGHT SERVICES IN MY PJ'S
Not exactly which is like so much else in this screed. Turns out the synagogue I belong to streams its Friday night religious services. Which, for me, raises the questions of what it means to "go to services". I suppose (as someone near and dear to me suggests) it is another effort to reach out to folks who either don't, can't, or won't actually go to the services in person. But what if one night (kind of like one of those pop up thingys) we all decided not to show--would there be a service? It is all kind of too convenient. Enough.
Let's move onto other items of note:
--Henry and Samantha have Scott back which is terrific. Fortunately for me, I have not know any men or women who were in the military and served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Then Scott got called up right after Henry's birth. What a relief to know that they have been reunited.
--OK, no cruises for me. I already was soured on them because of having to eat at the Captain's table and wear a jacket and tie. But now you take your bowels in your hand if you hit the high seas with one of those ships. Nope.
--Cardinal O'Malley has been castigated by his right wing brethren for receiving some sort of blessing from an Episcopal minister who lo and behold was a woman. Can you imagine? They probably think he has to go to the mikvah to cleanse himself.
--I would like to add the Wahlbergs and their foolish but large family to the list of things I no longer give a fuck about and don't want to hear about. They join those folks on the Scituate waterfront who have continued to whine about winter storms--I may have to go down there in the summer to be sure none of them are bathing 2 feet from their front door since they seem so upset at the water coming over the wall.
I will check up on them for your reflection and thoughts.
--If Whitey Bulger did not exist, Keven Cullen of the Globe would have to either invent him or find a real job. Really, 3/4 of his columns are about Whitey or his girlfriend or the victims or on something related. Who cares anymore except for old farts in Southie?
--Speaking of which, the saga continues in terms of who can march in that drunken mess called the St. Patrick's day parade. Too much diversity is not a good thing and we still hate busing over there in Andrews Square.
--The Globe did have a terrific article about Southie and the recent election and the role of the new arrivals--and by that I mean the "yuppies" who have started to gentrify the neighborhood. Some folks are mighty upset at their presence. And still hate busing.
--When Obama delivered the State of the Union speech, each head-on shot of him showed both Biden and Boehner (he who has a perpetual tan). Biden looked like a man in need of some serious tranquilizers while Boehner looked ready to puke at any minute. Had a hard time figuring out how to put his hands together in order to clap.
--David Remnick had a terrific but long article about Obama in the recent New Yorker. Despite all the crap thrown at Obama, there are some major accomplishments that are forgotten. However, I do wish he closed gitmo and reopened a relationship with Cuba.
--It is time folks to get rid of those wreaths on your doors. 6 weeks since the holiday and it is time. We know who you are and I am pretty sure you are not watching the live streaming of Friday night services just for the hell of it.
--Why do we all of a sudden name winter storms. It is so stupid and meaningless. Must be those boys and girls at the Weather Channel have to figure out things to do at every staff meeting to enhance our experience.
--Stumbled upon a great Springsteen documentary on Showtime. Called "Springsteen and I", it used footage from fans who had unique experiences at concerts--like the woman who got pulled up to dance with him and the guy who got pulled up to play guitar. Used their words, their video--and of course his great music. Though I am not sold on the new album.
--And finally there is this--I knew no one growing up who had cancer or who had a family member with cancer. Heart attacks for sure. Yet now, it seems as if every other person has cancer or has someone in their family who has it. What's up with that?
--DCF has to be blown up and we have to start over. All these committees and outside evaluations and investigations will leave us in the same position. Without serious prevention efforts, piss poor parenting will continue to lead to children dying.
--Where indeed have all the flowers gone. Pete Seeger is no longer with us. Just a major loss and a link to some very ugly political times which should not be forgotten.
SPORTS TALK
--Did I tell you the Pats could not afford to fall behind? I did but even so, if Brady hits Edelman and if Talib does not get injured--well "ifs" are worthless. I do have one further thought. Both Welker and the guy who took out Gronkowski could have delivered their hits (which were legal I should add) anywhere but both purposely went for knees. Not to maim perhaps but let's not be naive. Knees are risky business.
--I am beginning to hate Rondo. Another article today about he might test free agency. I never thought I would say this but now I am thinking he should be traded--he is a big baby. And so is Big Papi except bigger and I would not add one dime or one year to his contract--live with it, big guy.
Sayonara
Let's move onto other items of note:
--Henry and Samantha have Scott back which is terrific. Fortunately for me, I have not know any men or women who were in the military and served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Then Scott got called up right after Henry's birth. What a relief to know that they have been reunited.
--OK, no cruises for me. I already was soured on them because of having to eat at the Captain's table and wear a jacket and tie. But now you take your bowels in your hand if you hit the high seas with one of those ships. Nope.
--Cardinal O'Malley has been castigated by his right wing brethren for receiving some sort of blessing from an Episcopal minister who lo and behold was a woman. Can you imagine? They probably think he has to go to the mikvah to cleanse himself.
--I would like to add the Wahlbergs and their foolish but large family to the list of things I no longer give a fuck about and don't want to hear about. They join those folks on the Scituate waterfront who have continued to whine about winter storms--I may have to go down there in the summer to be sure none of them are bathing 2 feet from their front door since they seem so upset at the water coming over the wall.
I will check up on them for your reflection and thoughts.
--If Whitey Bulger did not exist, Keven Cullen of the Globe would have to either invent him or find a real job. Really, 3/4 of his columns are about Whitey or his girlfriend or the victims or on something related. Who cares anymore except for old farts in Southie?
--Speaking of which, the saga continues in terms of who can march in that drunken mess called the St. Patrick's day parade. Too much diversity is not a good thing and we still hate busing over there in Andrews Square.
--The Globe did have a terrific article about Southie and the recent election and the role of the new arrivals--and by that I mean the "yuppies" who have started to gentrify the neighborhood. Some folks are mighty upset at their presence. And still hate busing.
--When Obama delivered the State of the Union speech, each head-on shot of him showed both Biden and Boehner (he who has a perpetual tan). Biden looked like a man in need of some serious tranquilizers while Boehner looked ready to puke at any minute. Had a hard time figuring out how to put his hands together in order to clap.
--David Remnick had a terrific but long article about Obama in the recent New Yorker. Despite all the crap thrown at Obama, there are some major accomplishments that are forgotten. However, I do wish he closed gitmo and reopened a relationship with Cuba.
--It is time folks to get rid of those wreaths on your doors. 6 weeks since the holiday and it is time. We know who you are and I am pretty sure you are not watching the live streaming of Friday night services just for the hell of it.
--Why do we all of a sudden name winter storms. It is so stupid and meaningless. Must be those boys and girls at the Weather Channel have to figure out things to do at every staff meeting to enhance our experience.
--Stumbled upon a great Springsteen documentary on Showtime. Called "Springsteen and I", it used footage from fans who had unique experiences at concerts--like the woman who got pulled up to dance with him and the guy who got pulled up to play guitar. Used their words, their video--and of course his great music. Though I am not sold on the new album.
--And finally there is this--I knew no one growing up who had cancer or who had a family member with cancer. Heart attacks for sure. Yet now, it seems as if every other person has cancer or has someone in their family who has it. What's up with that?
--DCF has to be blown up and we have to start over. All these committees and outside evaluations and investigations will leave us in the same position. Without serious prevention efforts, piss poor parenting will continue to lead to children dying.
--Where indeed have all the flowers gone. Pete Seeger is no longer with us. Just a major loss and a link to some very ugly political times which should not be forgotten.
SPORTS TALK
--Did I tell you the Pats could not afford to fall behind? I did but even so, if Brady hits Edelman and if Talib does not get injured--well "ifs" are worthless. I do have one further thought. Both Welker and the guy who took out Gronkowski could have delivered their hits (which were legal I should add) anywhere but both purposely went for knees. Not to maim perhaps but let's not be naive. Knees are risky business.
--I am beginning to hate Rondo. Another article today about he might test free agency. I never thought I would say this but now I am thinking he should be traded--he is a big baby. And so is Big Papi except bigger and I would not add one dime or one year to his contract--live with it, big guy.
Sayonara
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