AW, JEEZ!!!!

The siblings were:  Abe; Hym; Polly; Itie; and Lil.  They have all passed away and are in cemetery plots in Auburn, Maine.  Nearby is the grave of their mother Annie Rachael.  Izzie, a brother, and their father Nathan are buried in Montefiore cemetery in Queens never having made it north.  Among them, these 5 siblings had 9 children.  I am, or was, one of those nine--seven of us are alive.  This set of seven constitute my first cousins but also constitute the family "elders".  I remain uncomfortable playing that role, sitting at the head of the table (instead of someone older like Barbara's father), want to look around, and have someone take my place.  This is by way of saying that Norma died during August. She was one of the 9 first cousins and the second to pass away.  As a friend mentioned after her death, this one confronted me in very direct ways with my own mortality and my own demise--topics I prefer to keep deeply submerged in my psyche.  I still cannot believe I am as old as I apparently am--or that the seven of us still alive will eventually meet the same fate as Norma.  I miss her.

Moving on to items perhaps a bit less depressing:

--A full page ad in the Globe during the last month sponsored by Christians United for Israel.  Withe friends like these--this right wing group may be taking over as Israel's lead support in America.  Ugh.
--A friend sent an excerpt from a book about Israeli High School students who rather consistently and rather sadly exhibit all sorts of racist opinions about the Palestinians.
--The same friend referred me to a NY Times article about the dilemma facing those of us who want Israel to survive, who want a Palestinian state to exist, and yet are appalled by the actions of Hamas.
--Salon had a great article (sent to me by a Texan) about the Black rage in Ferguson.  It was scarily reminiscent of the 60's.  Jon Stewart did a wondrous piece on that community as well.
--The Kurds will continue to be our best ally and the best hope of stymieing that ISIS group.  I am beginning to believe (a little too strongly for my own self opinion) in bombing the shit out of them.
--Went to a wedding in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn--an area which seems like its on the verge of being the next "in" spot.  A converted warehouse venue on the harbor.  While the ceremony was going on, I could see to my left the Statue of Liberty and to my right what is now called 1 World Trade.  A wonderful event, terrific food, and the setting was very special.  Also, thanks to my not really brother-in-law, we were staying a block from a place which is referred to as the best place for Hero sandwiches in NYC.
--Plus this:  we took the subway from Penn Station to Brooklyn and had to change once.  A guy making the same trip virtually led us the whole way, double checked to be sure we knew what he was telling us, and belied all the negatives about the unfriendliness of New Yorkers.
--The economy is better, we are almost out of Afghanistan, we are taking a measured approach to the crazy Middle East and they still hate Obama.  If the Senate goes Republican (including that asshole Scott Brown in NH), hold onto your hats. And I again wish Ruth Bader Ginsburg would resign before Obama is totally crippled.
--A sobering scary piece on Putin and his supporters in Russia in the New Yorker by David Remnick who really has his fingers on the pulse of that ugly beast (the person and the country).

SPORTS TALK
--I think the Yanks loss Sunday to the Jays when they were up 3-0 was the final curtain call.  They will not be a wild card; but they have found some pitchers.
--Don't give a fuck about Mankins being traded.  He is a bull headed cattle farmer from California.  Wouldn't renegotiate; let him see how much fun it is in Tampa.  But don't write me if Brady gets demolished while throwing.

Sayonara.