HENNY PENNY THE SKY IS FALLING

Like Chicken Little, I have landed and am stuck on the side of the glass is half empty.  I continue to hear difficult, if not grim, medical news from friends.  I remember one of Barbara's parents kind of warning us that once you reached a certain age, you went to a lot of funerals and a lot of your friends had major medical problems.  Of course, I just skipped over that insight.  Except it is happening with more and more frequency and I DON'T LIKE IT ONE FUCKING BIT.  Someone has to do something.

But I then move on and get in touch with my anger which nicely, if unhealthily, covers up all that sadness (I mean I was in the mental health field so I do get it sometimes).  Ends and Odds:

--An article in the New Yorker.  Two weeks ago, a piece on the declining influence of AIPAC (the major mainstream Jewish advocacy group). Guys like Kraft, Redstone, and Sheldon Adelson--big Machers--who don't want to hear about a two state solution.  Seems like they are losing their grip on the younger generation of Jews who actually have some sympathy for the idea of a Palestinian state.
--ISIS continues to publicly behead people and I continue to get more and more supportive of military action of some sort.  I am not in favor of a return to Medieval times but don't believe that is enough to make them go away.
--OK, I get it.  Bike lanes for all.  No helmets required.  Pretend you are a car.  Whatever.  But please someone explain the following.  There are great bike paths on an around the Jamaica Way (for you out of towners, that road is a parkway with 2 lanes of traffic in each direction but with no divider.  It is a perfect course for a car race which is how some of us drivers treat it.) Why would any cyclist ride their bike on the road , occupying a whole lane, while cars whiz by going at least 45 mph?  What does it prove--that someone has a death wish?
--Ah, the Globe continues its Catholic outreach effort.  They must really have done a survey or held focus groups because they will now have a special section called "Catholic Crux"--I have no clue what that means but God bless them.
--We had a primary and, while I voted, I really only cared about a couple of races.  My big dilemma will be in November when I have to decide if I can vote for Coakley again (she was the one who lost to Scot Brown after Ted Kennedy died).  She blew it big time in that election.  I am just not sure what to do because the Republican is not so bad.  I will predict that the voters will ban casino gambling.  At this point, I could not care less but then again I don't work at Suffolk Downs (our local race track) which likely will close.  But no one (I repeat no one) has yet told me how the casinos are worse than the lottery.
--If it is "the economy stupid", Obama and the Dems should be heavy favorites in November but my boy Nate Silver has them losing the Senate.
--I can almost understand how this Ebola epidemic in Africa spreads--in a non scientific way.  Given the poverty, given the dearth of medical resources, and given the influence of tradition on many people, folks just cannot keep up with the disease.  And the governments just do not have an infrastructure to fight it.  At least we are sending them troops to help.
--Mitt is making noises like he may run again--that fool.  I do worry about Scottie in NH.  I just hope those wise folks in the Granite State know he is an interloper and, if he loses, he may buy a house in Vermont and run against Bernie Sanders.
--Great seeing you ever so briefly, A.
--Those of you who read no further and are members of my tribe, have a Happy and Healthy New Year.

SPORTS TALK
--If you saw Brady's press conference after their win against the Vikes, you might want to tell him to quit whining.  He is supposed to be a leader and he sounded like a baby.  Yup, the offense is still offensive but he is part of that problem.  If he is only going to pass to two people, it will not get any easier.
--Both Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson should be kicked to the curb and not allowed to play.  I am sick and tired of hearing that a professional player was sentenced to "anger management counselling".  As if that is the answer.  Taking money and the playing field away is a better answer though even that is not a complete answer.

Sayonara.