IT'S ALARMING

In the not too distant past, we used to wake up to some serious rock and roll.  Then that station hired a couple of guys who preferred yakking to music and we changed to public radio.  This morning, when the alarm went off, the first thing I heard was that Israel has called up 16,000 more reservists.  I almost ache for the return of the yakkers.

Let me stroll out my bona fide credentials:  I want Israel to survive.  I happen also to believe that there needs to be a Palestinian state and, by having such thoughts, I am not a "bad " Jew.  I also thought "we" (meaning my tribe, the so called chosen people) were better than this.  Children are dying and have died in Gaza. Electricity and water are barely working.  Yes, Israel has the right to defend itself but we are verging into dangerous territory--and I am not just talking about the mounting casualties.  There is an ethical and moral side to this as well.  We are starting to fail the ethical and moral test when schools and UN shelters are bombed either by Israel or by misfired Hamas rockets.  It is alarming.

Ends and Odds
--Our Governor would like to open up a site for the immigrant children who are in detention along the US/Mexican border.  But it is becoming very clear that many of us in this state are not as welcoming as the Governor hoped--including some of our so called leaders.  Two great articles in the Globe about this.  One by a very Irish columnist who wondered how his grandparents would have gotten here during the Irish Potato Famine if not for America opening its borders.  The other was about Chelsea--a relatively poor and very Hispanic city just north of Boston.  This article focused on the school superintendent who made it very clear that her system is there to educate and not wonder about a child's legal status--and yet she acknowledged that there was a high percentage of her students who were not citizens.  BTW, you all do know our armed forces also take that position--don't need to be a citizen to fight for Uncle Sam.
--Two more typical and bizarre Globe stories.  The first about goats being let loose to clean up overgrown lots.  The second  about the Globe's decision to develop and operate a "Catholicism" website called Crux. Come on with all the Catholic stuff.  They are really becoming a paper with a very limited view of religion.
--John Boehner (he who has a perpetual tan) will not support impeachment but will support legislation to sue the President.  This is what we get from Republican leadership.  Oh, am I worried about the midterm elections and what might happen should they get control of the Senate.
--The mayor of New York while in Italy continues to eat pizza with a fork which apparently enrages all sorts of people with nothing else to do.
--Putin gets the Sochi Olympics which run $50 billion dollars over budget and then tells the rest of the world (especially Europe) to fuck off as he supports the Ukrainian separatists.  Terrific.
--Does anyone have or know where Kasey Kasem's body is--I am very worried.
--These two items only sound like sports.  A wonderful article in Sports Illustrated about Roger Angell, the 93 year old baseball writer for the New Yorker.  And there is this from ESPN.  One of their less than bright lights, Stephen A. Smith, said out loud that a certain football player's wife provoked him into abusing her. Fortunately two female sports journalists took him, stomped him so he hurt, and then kicked him to the curb.
--Off to the Berkshires tomorrow.  That young person from Austin will even join us.  You will hear from me again in September.  Hope you don't suffer any withdrawal pangs.
--Thinking a lot about Norma.

SPORTS TALK
--Lester has been traded.  Not a Sox fan but I think Cepedes is worth it.
--According to all the media hypers, the Patriots are guaranteed to be in the Super Bowl.  And according to other players on other teams, they would be foolish not to go after Gronk and try to hit his injured knee.  And you would let your kid play Pop Warner?
--The AL baseball teams are playing for one of the two wild card slots--the AL West will most assuredly have one while the second is what everyone is after.

Sayonara