If you grew up in Miami in the 50's (and I know 3 of us did), you probably watched WTVJ--the CBS affiliate . Weaver the Weatherman joined Jack Cummins and Ralph Renick to form the evening news team. This is only relevant because I was reminded of Weaver the Weatherman last night and today. Temps last night dropped into the 30's and temps today did not get out of the 40's. So, I am about to give you a pass if you wore a wool cap, had gloves on, or put on a winter coat. However, you get nothing but derisive snorts if you wore LL Bean rubber soled boots--there was no rain, no sleet, no snow, and no precipitation in general. Those boots are not to be used as some sort of fashion statement. Wear your fancy leather boots or some other contraption. Keep the Bean boots in the closet until I give you permission to bring them out. I could wait for Weaver's report but I am guessing he is no longer with us.
ODD ENDS
--Two great articles about guns. A piece in the on line version of Rolling Stone and another by Adam Gopnik in the New Yorker. Both written after yet another shooting spree this one in Oregon. The Donald opined that if the teachers had guns, it would not have happened. My thoughtful fantasy: separate the hunters from the NRA and try to convince them they have nothing in common with people who use Saturday night specials or automatic weapons. Isolate the NRA and get them to defend these murderers.
--Obama in his comments on the Oregon murders was positively despondent--mentioned that he had done this 16 times in the almost 8 years of his presidency.
--The Blount County Tennessee Commissioners passed a resolution asking God's forgiveness for the decision on same sex marriage. They probably believe they will get a quick response from him/her (was that politically correct or what?).
--A great video clip from Saturday Night Live with Hilary acting as a bartender and the woman who portrays her on the show acting as a customer in the bar. Hilarious.
--An article in "All You"--a mag I bought with expiring miles--with the following headline: "My pet is my hero" Really how fucking pathetic can that be when so many living human beings deserve that label.
--Our abstemious (look it up!!) Mayor wants to ban alcohol related ads on all public buses. Has also filed yet another suit against the casino. This guy is dangerously pious about these things. At virtually the same time, our state Treasurer proposed to use our lottery to compete with Draft Kings and Fan Duel. Confirming what I believe--the lottery is not really gambling; it is something else.
The migrants continue to cross the Mediterranean, continue to drown, and continue to get stuck in ugly tent cities all over Eastern Europe. The Germans continue to play a lead and act as role models for some the nastier governments like Hungary with its new razor wire fence.
--The mistakes built into the use of drones and/or long range missiles was in full display when we bombed the hospital in Kunduz. With friends like us.....
--Too much "grinding" has forced some fucking school to cancel dances until the prom. Adults are so two faced about this sex stuff. I read somewhere that the Europeans are much more concerned about violence in movies than sex--and we are much more concerned about sex. This grinding business just confirms it.
--Spending time with good friends is to be appreciated and enjoyed. We had a great time with our Toronto contingent and then went to NYC to visit other friends. It is like comfort food for the soul.
--Listen up, spuds. As Mary Travers sang: "Our bags are packed and we're ready to go". We are going to SE Asia this coming weekend. I am totally freaked out and in high anxiety (Where is Mel Brooks when you need him?) about the 16 hour non stop flight we have to take. Also very excited. But, alas and alack, you will not here from me again until just before Thanks giving. So try and manage your withdrawal slowly and safely.
--Continue to get healthy, C.
SPORTS TALK
The Pats beat the Colts but the crazed New England fans wanted a bigger beat down because of Deflategate. The Pats are 5-0 so shut up. That Michigan loss was horrific but the following was worse: the young man who flubbed the punt has been getting death threats. That really is sucky and low. The Bruins lose 3 in a row and the bridges are lined with fans ready to jump. It is an 82 game season assholes. Rooting for the Cubs because of Theo and the Jays because of my friends in the Great White North.
Adios
Monday, October 19, 2015
Thursday, October 1, 2015
"SAY NO TO RUGS"
Hah!! I saw this phrase on a car sticker. It was encircled in red with one of those red lines going through it diagonally. I think it is terrific and only wish I had thought of it so I could be the next millionaire. Legalize all rugs I say or do away with all rugs since I like the look of wooden floors especially those wide board types. Given what goes on in this country with respect to drugs, I might also say the same for them. Legalize them all; get in business with the cartels;, farm those Afghan poppies; and stop sending so many people to jail.
Items:
--A giant shout out to the new Director of Development at the Blanton Museum. You earned it and you got it and you will succeed. You go girl.
--Hungary has its fence, used water cannons, tear gas, and generally tried to make life miserable for the refugees flowing from the South. The Balkan countries and those in Eastern Europe are now squabbling about whose causing the most harm. These people just want to get moving and go further north. They get it--Hungary does not want them. It is despicable--meanwhile we have politicians who would like a wall along our border with Mexico--as if they have not learned one thing. And, oh yeah, the Israelis have built there own but it has not reduced the violence one bit. Does anyone learn anything??
--If I see one more scantily clad female model with a cross hanging between her nearly exposed breasts, I might puke. What would Pope Francis say about that, huh?
--Well there is this Arizona republican who boycotted the Pope's speech to Congress despite being Catholic. Why, you might ask. He does not think it is in the Pope's job description to discuss climate change or our relationship with Cuba or how we should welcome immigrants. This is in a state which is likely to be the next New Mexico--a sate with a minority majority.
--Our child welfare agency continues to mishandle cases. The parents of "Baby Bella" were nabbed and when I saw them, I was not really shocked. Strung out junkies. The mother already had two other children removed and our child welfare workers had been in her home and did not notice anything amiss even after removing the other two. At least our Governor did not create more commissions or investigations--he actually made some changes. And the leader of the Social Workers union actually got up and supported the changes--but he did say something which largely went unnoticed--"children will continue to die" no matter what we do. Until we, as a society, respect children and not treat them as objects, they will die. Until we put more money into prevention, they will die. We know that smoking causes lung cancer and know also that smoking prevention programs have reduced the number of people who smoke and thus have reduced the incidence of lung cancer. We know, at time of birth, babies who are at risk for abuse--parents age at time of birth is a big variable. Parents who abuse drugs or alcohol is another biggie. Parents who have been victims themselves is another. WE KNOW ALL THIS. But continue to put flowers in front of houses where children have been murdered by adult caregivers. Enough.
--The Donald did a whole bunch of crazy stuff but none worse than suggesting vaccines cause autism. Much like climate change, the people who love the Donald do not believe in science and might actually withhold vaccines from their kids.
--Ben Carson, he an African American Republican candidate for President, told NASCAR fans it is ok to bring their Confederate flags to the races. Quite the role model.
--John Boehner is down for the count which is fine except someone worse is just around the corner so I am not too excited--although he did cry during the Pope's speech which is just so human.
--UMass Memorial Hospitals which dominates the middle of the state (and includes a hospital connected to the state's only public medical school) is a non profit with a 54 million dollar surplus. In smaller print you learn that one way they got there was by laying off over 400 staff. How many were doctors would you guess?
--Get better, CP.
SPORTS TALK
--Brady likes the Donald which really forces me to step a bit further away from him. Then he backtracked. But I am telling you, the less we know about the personal lives of our athletic heroes, the better off we are. The Pats look terrific but need some tougher opponents. And yikes, the Yanks are choking big time. Almost time for the puck to drop. So every time Russell Wilson does something like throw a touchdown pass, he points up to heaven and then at press conferences thanks God. After beating the Seahawks a couple of weeks ago, Aaron Rodgers, who is a Cal Berkley grad and has a brain which he actually uses, said he thought it proved that God did not have a favorite NFL team.
Adios
Items:
--A giant shout out to the new Director of Development at the Blanton Museum. You earned it and you got it and you will succeed. You go girl.
--Hungary has its fence, used water cannons, tear gas, and generally tried to make life miserable for the refugees flowing from the South. The Balkan countries and those in Eastern Europe are now squabbling about whose causing the most harm. These people just want to get moving and go further north. They get it--Hungary does not want them. It is despicable--meanwhile we have politicians who would like a wall along our border with Mexico--as if they have not learned one thing. And, oh yeah, the Israelis have built there own but it has not reduced the violence one bit. Does anyone learn anything??
--If I see one more scantily clad female model with a cross hanging between her nearly exposed breasts, I might puke. What would Pope Francis say about that, huh?
--Well there is this Arizona republican who boycotted the Pope's speech to Congress despite being Catholic. Why, you might ask. He does not think it is in the Pope's job description to discuss climate change or our relationship with Cuba or how we should welcome immigrants. This is in a state which is likely to be the next New Mexico--a sate with a minority majority.
--Our child welfare agency continues to mishandle cases. The parents of "Baby Bella" were nabbed and when I saw them, I was not really shocked. Strung out junkies. The mother already had two other children removed and our child welfare workers had been in her home and did not notice anything amiss even after removing the other two. At least our Governor did not create more commissions or investigations--he actually made some changes. And the leader of the Social Workers union actually got up and supported the changes--but he did say something which largely went unnoticed--"children will continue to die" no matter what we do. Until we, as a society, respect children and not treat them as objects, they will die. Until we put more money into prevention, they will die. We know that smoking causes lung cancer and know also that smoking prevention programs have reduced the number of people who smoke and thus have reduced the incidence of lung cancer. We know, at time of birth, babies who are at risk for abuse--parents age at time of birth is a big variable. Parents who abuse drugs or alcohol is another biggie. Parents who have been victims themselves is another. WE KNOW ALL THIS. But continue to put flowers in front of houses where children have been murdered by adult caregivers. Enough.
--The Donald did a whole bunch of crazy stuff but none worse than suggesting vaccines cause autism. Much like climate change, the people who love the Donald do not believe in science and might actually withhold vaccines from their kids.
--Ben Carson, he an African American Republican candidate for President, told NASCAR fans it is ok to bring their Confederate flags to the races. Quite the role model.
--John Boehner is down for the count which is fine except someone worse is just around the corner so I am not too excited--although he did cry during the Pope's speech which is just so human.
--UMass Memorial Hospitals which dominates the middle of the state (and includes a hospital connected to the state's only public medical school) is a non profit with a 54 million dollar surplus. In smaller print you learn that one way they got there was by laying off over 400 staff. How many were doctors would you guess?
--Get better, CP.
SPORTS TALK
--Brady likes the Donald which really forces me to step a bit further away from him. Then he backtracked. But I am telling you, the less we know about the personal lives of our athletic heroes, the better off we are. The Pats look terrific but need some tougher opponents. And yikes, the Yanks are choking big time. Almost time for the puck to drop. So every time Russell Wilson does something like throw a touchdown pass, he points up to heaven and then at press conferences thanks God. After beating the Seahawks a couple of weeks ago, Aaron Rodgers, who is a Cal Berkley grad and has a brain which he actually uses, said he thought it proved that God did not have a favorite NFL team.
Adios
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