"BUT IS HE REALLY AN AMERICAN"

The weather on Marathon Day was gorgeous--warm and sunny as if the powers that be were paying us back for last year's awful bombing.  I watched the ending and admit to taking some serious pride as an American won the race and held off those terrific African runners from both Ethiopia and Kenya.  Then I settled in to do my exercise which is way less than "marathonic" in length.  I surf the tube when I do this and usually end up watching a game or horse racing.  Less frequently I end up watching and listening to talking heads as they discuss sports.  So on Marathon Day, I caught a piece of one of these talking heads wondering out loud if Meb was a real American.  This guy has a name ending in a vowel--I would bet either his parents or his grandparents came from the old country and were not invited to be on the Mayflower. It was totally pathetic, embarrassing, and repugnant.  These idiots are bad enough when they stir up the sports pot--but for them to discuss issues of citizenship is really beyond the pale. Meb's father walked from the Sudan to Ethiopia (or Eritrea, I forget and it does not matter since it was 600 miles in any case), got to Italy, and then to America as a legal entrant to this fine country--and we are being asked if this man's child is really an American.

Now bear with me as I move on to a lengthy list of ends and odds.
--Let's start with anti-semitism which seems like a smooth if not sensitive transition.  The shooter in Overland, Kansas tried to kill Jews but missed and killed other innocent people; but he picked Jewish venues and his history clearly shows us all what he stands for.  Then, locally, we have all sorts of anti semitic graffiti appearing in the schools of Burlington, Ma.  In both elementary and secondary schools.  Leaders are doing all the right things--but really more of this shit?  Finally, in a place that I am not surprised to find it, leaflets in Ukraine urge Jews to register themselves with their city/town--just like you know who as a prelude to the death camps. And no I do not consider myself paranoid.  Just fucking angry.
--But then my tribe has to absorb the message of one of our members named  Donald Sterling, the NBA owner, who is flat out a racist pig.
--Speaking of smooth transitions, it is quite eerie watching the TV show "The Americans" and watching the news involving the Ukraine.  Putin really is taking us back except there are nukes all over the fucking place and a lunatic like Putin has some of them--as do the Europeans and us upstanding Americans..  And no I do not consider this paranoia either.
--I think our new Mayor is doing a fine job but he is mucking around in the casino business and insuring that we may never see a casino in the eastern part of the state.  Meanwhile, he is silent on the new $30 lottery ticket which apparently is different than gambling.
--And yet another terrific transition this time to politics.  I guess we just kicked Scotty to the curb in the Granite state--not to the curb permanently.  He is now a New Hampshire home boy running against Jeanne Shaheen--who had the audacity to support Obamacare.  He has picked another woman to do battle with who is smarter than he is.  I just hope Jeanne puts her brass knuckles on and kicks the shit out of him.
--Our child welfare agency is truly on the ropes with yet more children dying.  Their oversight of cases seems totally inconsistent and they actually have the gall to say that if they respond to an "emergency" within 24 hours, they have met a standard of care.  Ask a fireman/woman what would happen to a house fire if that were their definition  of an emergency response.  Why would anyone want that job and if someone does want it, they better be taking a lot of meds.
--Have no words to offer in terms of that South Korean ferry sinking. Too many people keep dying all over the place.  Some words from Iris Dement:  "I'm older now and have no time to cry".
--Georgia (the state not the country) has legalized possession of guns in churches. But what about synagogues--after all fair is fair.
--I will not stop for jaywalkers carrying yoga pads.  Seems a bit incongruent, no?
--The big silver bird is warming up to take me South to my 50th HS reunion--I remain petrified.  Will I need a translator for conversations with some of the good old boys and girls who have never left the South?

SPORTS TALK
--I think the folks who go to the Master's and/or the Kentucky Derby just have a bucket list of places they want to go to and  want to get drunk in the sun. Why are they mostly white?  Sometimes it seems like they are watching NASCAR.
--The good news is that NBC is sending Tara and Johnny from their Olympic coverage team to Louisville to cover the Derby.  They are way cool.
--The Red Wings had me worried but the Bruins inhaled them after Game 1.

Sayonara

YOU PIERCED WHAT?

So, one of those big silver birds delivered us to Turks and Caicos for a week of fun and sun.  I was neither the oldest nor the chubbiest guy on the beach--though it was close on the chubby spectrum.  One of the least comfortable questions consistently asked of me is:  "if you are retired, what do you need a vacation for".  It really leaves me itchy and scratchy and feeling as if I have to explain something which is kind of indefensible. But the truth is that it is different when you are out of your house, sitting on your ass, having a cocktail at 11 in the morning, and not having one fucking errand to run.  So tough; but still uncomfy.  Oh, about the piercings:  one woman had an eyelid pierced and another had the space between her breasts pierced.  No offense, but the first one was especially gross.  We had a great time.  Moving on.

The Globe had a terrific and lengthy story about the Richards family early this week--not so coincidentally, the paper got a Pulitzer for its 2013 Marathon coverage. The Richards were at that Marathon and one of their sons died; their daughter lost a leg; the mother lost an eye; the father lost hearing in one ear; and while the remaining son was virtually uninjured, god only knows what it has done to his mental health.  The article had us in tears. Yesterday's paper came wrapped with a two page picture of the survivors.  Overwhelming.

But then there is this from the same paper.  Their religion writer (who has yet to write one word about religions other than Catholic) had a lot to say about Lent.  And the Globe also had a "feature" about ravens. I look forward to the return of the great white sharks and their front page pictures.

Those of you who read every word of this screed know my driveway empties onto a one way street.  I have gotten very good about anticipating bike riders coming right at me as they ride the wrong way (being that I am a great and flexible human being).  So imagine my surprise to see a SUV coming right at me just like the bike riders--and not even pretending to be on the right side of the road but coming right down the middle.  I pull over and slow down.  As he passes me I give him THE EVIL EYE.  He flips the me his middle finger and motors on.  I remain beyond speechless in the "what the fuck" category.

Other items:
--The mess in the Ukraine is getting messier and messier and I have no clue.
--In Errol Morris' recent film which I have not seen, both Rumsfeld and Cheyney appear and continue to deny any culpability about their lies.  We are very lucky both are gone especially Cheyney who is very scary.
--Republicans, bless their heart, are still fighting the Affordable Care Act.  They also blocked the equal pay bill and the extension of unemployment benefits.  I hope this continues right up to the fall elections.
--Saw two members of the Pussy Riot group on TV.  We just don't know what political bravery is in this country and it is not Rush Limbaugh.  These women are heroines.  Plus parents!!
--Oklahoma passed a state law denying municipalities the right to raise the minimum wage--really who would want to live there.
--Is there any reason adults continue to be called either Butchy or Junior?
--10 days until my reunion--I am loading up on my meds as we speak.  What if one of these unrepentant Southerners wants to discuss Marc Rubio?
--Be strong, Norma.

SPORTS TALK
--Glad the Bruins finished first overall but the Red Wings have me worried.  I was thinking anyone but them.  Any day Jerry York and his hockey team loses is a good day for Boston and America--bye bye you Eagles.  However, the "double" performed by UConn was very special and to think they have done it twice recently.  I don't suppose anyone wants me to summarize the stats of Seguin, Kessel, and Thornton--huh?

Sayonara.