"STUCK INSIDE OF MOBILE WITH THE MEMPHIS BLUES AGAIN"

Stolen from Dylan obviously though I remain a bit pissed that he blew off both the Nobel committee and Obama because he was "too busy".  On the other hand I always thought this lyric referred to a mobile--you know the kind a baby has above their crib.  Somehow, I missed the fact/idea that it referred to a city in that god forsaken state of Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide (look it up).  Let's start with the soft and easy--kind of like slow pitch softball.

--The Globe as usual outdid itself this past two weeks with BIG TIME animal stories.  First, an aggressive coyote was spotted in Brookline causing the local gendarmes to suggest that kids travel in groups.  I am surprised the schools were not closed for the duration.  Then, the lead today was about Cod.  This despite the disasters going on all round us.
--Someone, please tell my wonderful Senator Warren that she does not want to run for President.  She needs to stay where she is and continue to be a thorn in every one's side especially the person whose name will not be mentioned.
--A sportswriter in the Times moved over to become the editor of the obituary pages.  Confirming for me that some of the best writers are in the sports sections of papers--sections which tend to be financially strong for the papers.
--Lindsay Schnell of  SI.Com wrote a great piece on the Oklahoma quarterback who sucker punched a woman and is still playing college football.  Defended by the coach.  Football in the South and Southwest is simply a culture un-understood by those of us up here.
--A series on Hulu called "Horace and Pete" started out quite humorously and then moved right into some very dark territory.  The strange thing is that it was written by Louis C.K.  who I do not even like.  He starred in it as well.  Disturbing but excellent.
--Speaking of disturbing, the Netflix movie "13"--about the rise in prison populations especially among young adults of color.  Ugh--and likely to get worse in the coming 4 years.
--Over the last 2-3 weeks, I have had the most touching and intimate conversations with 3 long standing friends/relatives that I can remember.  They strengthened me in terms of the historical ties I have with them.
CN, a friend from kindergarten, and I discussed our childhoods in a way that I could not do with anyone else on the planet.  JC, a cousin, and I wrote and spoke about families in a way that I do not remember doing with other relatives.  RS, a colleague, thanked me for something that I never thought was so important. These three (and my own family) give me the strength if not the courage to deal with the upcoming 4 years.  Which leads me to....
--The increase in anti-semitism and racist behavior is directly attributable to the man whose name will not be mentioned--if only because he does not criticize it.  He who has an Orthodox Jewish son-in law and daughter. It is as if he has given permission to the hate mongers to come out of hiding and join the mainstream.
--His appointment as Israeli ambassador is disgusting.  He opposes a two state solution, he wants to move the capital to Jerusalem, and he is a strong supporter of Netanyahu.
--Dershowitz and his crew were all over John Kerry who, in turn, sharply went after Netanyahu and the whole right wing Israeli government.  The Dersh is an ego maniac with no sense of balance in terms of the Middle East. He was joined by all sorts of American Jews who can hardly wait for the guy whose name will not be mentioned to take over.
--Be careful if you have insurance via the Affordable Care Act.
--I HOPE YOU AND YOURS HAVE A HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND PEACEFUL 2017.

SPORTS TALK
--I knew Michigan would lose last night and can only hope Harbaugh can pull it together next year--but they do not do well against those faster Southern teams.  Mr. Thomas went off for over 50 last night--and yet I was left feeling like they should have blown out Miami but they struggled.  I am of the opinion that home field is important to the Pats and that is why their game tomorrow against the fish is important.

Adios

NOMINEES FOR AMBASSADOR

The following information has been leaked only to me.  I am proud to share this scoop with my readers. First the context.  Back in the olden days (to borrow a line from a close relative), I used to watch TV on Saturdays.  Sky King, Andy Devine, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Tarzan, and that kid on the elephant.  But then came wrestling shows.  So it was with much pleasure and, yes, surprise that I learned the following.  Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant are being nominated for Ambassadorships.  Oh joy, oh bestill my heart.  But, alas and alack, Andre has passed away.  But the Hulk will be the new Drug Czar because, well, he has a lot of experience with drugs.  So share the news especially those of you in my age range who just might have seen these folks way back when.  You do know our almost Commerce Secretary, the wife of the infamous Vince McMahon, was the COO of the WWF.  You knew that, right?  Which totally and completely explains her qualifications.

Then there is this (to steal John Oliver's intro):
--I love Mr. Zimmerman, the winner of this year's Nobel prize for literature.  But who the hell is he to both dis the ceremony and dis Obama in the same month?  C'mon, Bob.
--So Ben Carson, whose main claim to fame is that he is inarticulate, will be the Secretary of something or other as will that fine Texan Ric Perry.  And why not put someone who does not believe in climate change in charge of the EPA? That whole cabinet is dominated by white men who seriously have no experience in the fields they are now managing.  Our Secretary of State will be the former CEO of Exxon Mobil and has no international experience at all except in making oil deals.
--From my Baltimore correspondent:  An article in the Baltimore Business Journal analyzes the success of Obamacare in Maryland.  Success mind you just as the man who shall not be named goes about its reduction if not elimination.
--In the recent NY times mag, an article about the folks who are falling into the gap created by income limits on Obamacare and their states refusal to be flexible with their Medicaid dollars.  Do not ever ever move to Kansas.
--I love love love to read the wedding announcements.  Here is what I learned:  People hire dance instructors to choreograph their first dance.  Really, I guess they have nothing better to do with their money.
--I worry that the Syrian families my synagogue is sponsoring will be victims of the new administration and get stuck in the refugee camps they live in now.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OF YOU.  A WISH FOR A HEALTHY AND PEACEFUL YEAR.


SPORTS TALK
The Red Flops got a great pitcher in Sale and now look like they have 3 dominant starters.  But my Yanks signing of Chapman I am not sure about.  Even though they needed a closer since Betances is not the guy, I think Chapman is over rated and looked hittable in the world series.  Ah, but Mr. Brady wants to play until he is 45.  The other night he was nearly perfecto--and his offensive line is strong and stable unlike last year. They actually looked like Super Bowl material.

See ya.

I,M HAVING VERY UGLY THOUGHTS

And there is no way I'm giving that guy whose name will not be mentioned a break.  I will give him a point for being in touch with the anger of white Americans.  But if those angry folks think his cabinet, made up of a bunch of gazillionaires, cares about their economic woes, they are mistaken.  And don't mention the jobs saved at Carrier.  The state of Indiana made some significant concessions to get Carrier to change their minds about moving to Mexico.  That unnamed guy had diddly squat to do with it.  Do not, furthermore, tell me this had nothing to do with the race of the existing President or the gender of the Democratic candidate. It was just too much for those folks to follow up an African American President with a female President--so they voted for an idiot who lost the popular vote.

Other post-election thoughts:
--In the 11/13 NY Times, the film maker Ethan Coen had a op ed column derisively thanking a bunch of folks for the results.  Almost as sarcastic and nasty as some of my thoughts but not quite.
--A quote from a female West Virginia public sector employee:  "It will be so refreshing to have a classy beautiful dignified first lady back in the White House.  I'm tired of seeing an ape in heels."  Serious shit there.
--The New Yorker last week had 16 brief articles by 16 different people discussing the results.  So depressing.  I'm not super religious but I pray about the Supreme Court daily--especially the health of the 4 liberal justices and Kennedy.  I give up on Scalise's replacement.
--Jeff Sessions, that son of the Confederacy, opposes gay marriage, opposes protection of voting rights, and will be our Attorney General. The Treasury Secretary appointee is just the kind of guy all those angry folks were angry at--a Goldman Sachs Wall Street insider who I believe is a member of my tribe.  The Commerce Secretary is older than me and is a legit billionaire.
--No mas.

El Oriental is the original Boston Cuban restaurant and is in my neighborhood.  After Castro's death, the Globe showed the owner drinking from a bottle of Champagne to celebrate.  I will never ever set foot in that rotten place again.  OK, so Castro was a dictator.  Was he any better or any worse than Batista who he overthrew?  Who was in cahoots with the Mafia and all sorts of disreputable criminals.  Batista gets forgotten and also forgotten is that the peasants in Cuba supported and fought with Fidel.

This from the mouth of a talking head on a local sports talk show:  He calls a Celtic player a word that rhymes with itch and starts with a "B".  He then questions a second Celtic player who chose to skip a game to be with his wife after the birth of their daughter.  And, finally, he believes the man whose name will not be mentioned got elected because these are two good examples of how soft we have become.  He is Mike Felger and he is a prick.  I get stuck watching him when there are no good games on when i exercise--great excuse, huh?

Hope you had a good holiday.


SPORTS TALK
This just in:  Gronk needs back surgery.  Truth be told, I was almost relieved to know he would get a break. That hit on him in the Seattle game was brutal and clean.  Parents:  never let your kids play tackle football. We have two mediocre winter teams in the Celtics and the Bruins.  Could be ugly by the Spring.

Adios

NOT NORMALIZING

Not one fucking thing am I going to normalize.  You don't get to say nasty, viperish, and mean spirited things one day and then ask me to treat you "normally" the next.  Won't do it.  And, oh by the way, more people voted for her than for him.  Don't know what I expected from Barack after his meeting with the man whose name will not be mentioned; but him asking me to be fair and give the guy some space and time was not what I wanted to hear.  OK, I get it--he has to be presidential but get this--I don't.  I get to be really pissed and very worried.  George Packer's article was predictive of what happened a week ago today.  People hate where I live, what I read, what I think, and possibly what my religious beliefs are.  Cannot go on. To quote John Oliver, then there is this:

--Be very focused on his Supreme Court nominees.  Ruthie, Souter, and Kennedy (the even more important swing vote) are all over 80.  Gotta assume his appointment to replace Scalise will be at least as bad if not terrible.  That is why an EMT (some of you may have heard me on this before) needs to be stationed 24/7 with each of them so they do not die while he is in office.  Like gay marriage? Like a woman's right to choose? Like voter rights protection? Like health care?  All at risk.
--Visited two oases in the midst of two red states in the last month.  Austin and Asheville.  They share so much but one has the residence of a certain relative which made it just a smidgen better!!  Austin is bigger but each has tons of youngish people, loads of tats, many dogs with kerchiefs, and bustling food/art scenes.
--But, of course, every bloody flight takes forever to board because of all that crap people insist on bringing on board.  First of all, boarding should be from the rear and from the windows--and people who must cheat should be forced to the back of the line just like in elementary school.  Second, airlines should charge people not for checking bags but for bringing them on board.  God damn.
--To quote another famous person (that would be FV):  "Happy wife, happy life".
--Read a monstrously hysterical book called "A Man Called Ove".  Did not see the recently released movie of the same name but the book is darkly funny.
--Another election thought:  A old CSNY song had a line something like this--almost cut my hair but would not give in an inch to fear.  About the fabulous 60's.  Feel just like that and wonder about all the positive gains which might now be lost.
--Louise Penny is an author we both love.  She had a great piece in a recent issue of the AARP mag about her husband's dementia.  Just powerful and then I learned he had passed away after she wrote the piece.
--Continuing to depress us all--Leonard Cohen and Leon Russell both died.  Loved Leon.
--Give some money (especially now) to Combatants for Peace.  This non profit was founded by former Israeli soldiers and former Palestinian "terrorists".  They will soon open an office in the states and deserve our support as they demand both governments reconcile.
--Finally, a shout out to a resident of Kalamazoo (that would be you JF).  He managed to turn the state of Michigan red and then, almost as bad, managed to allow his Hawkeyes to beat my Wolverines.  Yuk.

SPORTS TALK
Kudos to Theo and a big ha ha to Red Flop owners who kicked him to the curb.  And please do not ask athletes you love what their politics are--you might not like what you hear.  Belichik deserves all sorts of criticism for his play calling when they had 4 downs from Seattle's 2 and could not get a TD.


Adios

A QUICKIE

AWWW--get your filthy minds out of the gutter.  I figured I could drop you this note while the big silver bird warms up outside.  This is brief but it is filled with IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND SOME FACTS.

--First, thanks to Bob the Geek for getting my new printer up and running.  I had no clue.
--Yup, this is a quote from Terry Francona, a baseball manager.  His pitcher needed stitches on his pitching hand and was bleeding when he tried to pitch in the playoffs.  It goes like this:  "I think we've all, at some point or another, had a drone related problem".  Hysterical even if you are not a sports fan.
--Riding on the famous #39 bus at rush hour.  People with all sorts of equipment/paraphernalia.  The woman in front of us has her violin in its case and an enormous bag which occupies a seat while a bunch of standing people stare at her and glare.  The woman behind us is yakking on her phone REALLY LOUD and this is a paraphrase which we all get to hear: Yo, that's bullshit.  I'm ready for the next step in my life.  Never heard what it was but do not believe she should be trusted with top secret information.
--Three white guys got arrested in Kansas just before they tried to blow up an apartment complex occupied by Somali immigrants.  The man whose name will not be mentioned and his fervent supporters have provided the context for this.
--Great article/interview with Leonard Cohen in a recent New Yorker.
--Sitting in one of our favorite local restaurant where the tables are quite close together.  Twice the guy next to me joined the conversation to share his thoughts.  what the fuck?  And, no, I was not talking loud.
--I see where 15,000 lunatics went to see the man whose name will not be mentioned in Tampa.  That and a new legit poll from that sunblind state has gotten me more worried.  Yikes.


SPORTSTALK
Francona and Theo sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g.  John, and Larry can go suck eggs about letting those two go.  The Pats are 6-1 and Mr. Brady is back but the talking heads continue to scream about one thing or another.

Adios

A CORNUCOPIA OF ASSORTED ALMOST ALWAYS FACTS AND OTHER DETRITUS

--I wonder what Mary Pat thinks of her hubby Chris Christie now.  She might want to flee to get away but not try to go over the GW Bridge since they might close some lanes to keep her in the Garden State.
--And Rudy, the angriest apologist in America.  He of the 3 wives.  He who announced his separation from one of them in a public news conference.  Kind of like Gingrich informing his wife of their divorce as she lay dying.  Seriously--who listens to him anyhow?
--A new rule.  I will avoid all restaurants that advertise themselves as "farm to table".  Too special for words and frequently overrated.
--New rule number two.  I want to require that any person who can afford a car costing more than $50,000 must take a driving test.  Plus, as an amendment, they have to see over the steering wheel.  I am tired of driving behind people I cannot see, driving big fat Mercedes', and going too fucking slow.
--Our public transit system, the MBTA, has a back log of repairs to the subways.  Get this:  If it spends $765 million a year for the next 25 years, it can catch up.  Which does not account for future repairs and, of course, there is not enough buckaroos to even do this.  Our "I do not believe in public transit" governor cares more about the money than the passengers.
--I have a new role model.  A colleague's father is 92 1/2 years old.  He recently moved out of his daughter's house to an apartment.  OK, so it is in a complex which offers a bunch of services and he has an aide but HE IS ON HIS OWN.  I want to be like him.
--Kelly Ayotte might still win but letting us all know she thinks the man who will not be named is a good role model for children was crazed.  And of course she walked it back five minutes later telling us what she really meant.  I hate those pseudo apologies.
--Speaking of which, the man who will not be named apologized for his "locker room talk".  And now more women are speaking up.  He is a liar and it is scary to know that he still has a consistent 40% of the vote in all polls. And that apology was a crock.  But still scary.
--Scarier still is that fool of a Governor in my favorite state of Maine.  Said he liked Trump because he might be an authoritarian.  Whoops, he too apologized.  Really meant authoritative.  Kick him down to the curb along with Kelly.
--Does Haiti and its citizens catch any break?  I mean come on.  And the country is so poor, it took weeks for some of the devastated areas to be reached.
--My man, Bobby Zimmerman, won the Nobel.  I love it and I hope it makes a lot of people mad.  Screw 'em.
--And on a more religious note.  To attract worshipers my synagogue offers apps and dessert to congregants on the night before Rosh Hashanah.  And the sanctuaries are still not full.  Maybe financial inducements would help.  But we are moving along with the plan to support two Syrian refugee families.
--Going into the heart of the beast (I'm talking Texas) in a week or so.  See ya in a month.

SPORTS TALK
Want to know about the South and football?  Both UNC and NC State played games last Saturday in monsoons created by hurricane Matthew.  Can't let an itty bitty storm stop us.  Oh my, it was only the Browns but Mr. Brady (and the boys) looked excellent.  Tomorrow will be a bit tougher.  I love Michigan football but that game against Rutgers was too ugly to watch.  But money talks.  Both Rutgers and Maryland joined the Big 10 for the moolah.  Yup, those red flops lost but Ortiz is very special. I'm rooting for Francona and Theo in the world series to send a message to John Henry and his acolytes that they are fools.

Adios

"DR. BERNS' 101 SECRETS TO MENTAL HEALTH"

These secrets are so secret they have been kept secret even from me.  Yet, the title comes from an ad in the Berkshire Eagle--the newspaper of record in Western Mass.  But, alas, I am not a doctor nor am I the idiot who headlined his ad with the phrase. Moving on.

The man whose name will not be mentioned was demolished this past week.  He sniffled, made faces, interrupted, and generally made a nuisance of himself.  All of you undecideds, or third partiers, need to seriously consider what this person might do if elected.  Then, he went on a middle of the night tweeter escapade in which he continued his verbal assault on women in general and Hilary in particular.  Nate's maps in the aftermath of that performance started going blue again.  Don't get me wrong. I do not believe this is over but we did get an insight about his response to pressure and what he might do if Angela suggest that maybe we should take in more refugees.

Speaking of which....I have very many mixed feelings about my synagogue.  Too much back slapping about how great we are and how unique we are and how special we are.  But every so often we are that and more. Once you kind of accept the minimal numbers of Syrian refugees this country will be taking (especially in light of our neighbors to the North), it was kind of neat to attend a meeting at my synagogue to discuss our sponsorship of two Syrian families, with children, who will be arriving here in the next few months.  We, meaning my synagogue, do a great job making our tent very big and inclusive. Was listening to a cd by the Byrds--must be 30 years old--and they are singing even then of the plight of refugees.  This is not new, folks. This country did not want too many Jews to enter during WWII even as they were being annihilated in Europe.

Other Items of Varying Import:
--Send money to democratic senatorial candidates and don't stop just in case you know who wins.  A great article in the recent New Yorker by Jeffrey Toobin (who is just excellent) about how the election of Hilary and a Democratic Senate might actually lead to the first liberal majority on the SCOTUS in a very long time. We will not have to squirm and wait while Justice Kennedy decides which side of the bed to get up on in the morning.
--My local rag of a newspaper does not have one article which does not trash any effort at change--this neighbor is fighting that; this community group does not want that; this issue must be fought.  I believe the horse and carriage will return soon--but then we will at least have horse shit for our organic gardens.
--I get it that utility and other workers who toil on our streets need protection and that is why we have police details.  I may not be sure if that needs to be provided by actual police but I am such a humanitarian, I will go with it (as if).  But please tell me why, when they are on details, they are on their cells, they are talking to the workers, and they doing everything but providing safety.
--That gutsy great Senator from Texas, Ted Cruz, has endorsed the man whose name will not be mentioned.  He is such an ass kisser.  Probably wants a job in the administration.  And Marco makes two--had no employment future and so decided to run again after saying he wouldn't.  And those fools from my former home state will likely elect him.\
--I know not how to react any more to the shootings of African Americans by the police.  I do know this:  No matter what else, I will never know what it is like to stand in their shoes--either the police or the men who have been shot. I am too scared to be a cop and I am not a person of color.  It is just different.
--One definition of retirement is that money does not come in; it only goes out.

SPORTS TALK
So, Phil Mickelson is another idiot and he is way past his prime.  But since he is the great white hype, we all MUST love him.  Me, not so much.  Steve Goodman (he wrote "City of New Orleans"), like a lot of folks, died way too early.  But he was a fanatic Cubs fan and a fanatic baseball fan.  After playing a set at Passim's on a Saturday night way back in the dark ages, he used to invite his audience to meet him on the Cambridge Common for softball on Sunday morning.  Oh, how he would be loving what his Cubs are doing.  Can we get real about BC football?  Wagner last week and Buffalo this week? Real tough.  No one up here gets it about the South and football--BC should have joined some other conference for football--perhaps the conference of the Great White North.  Watch the tv documentary "Last Chance U" to get a sense of what football means down yonder.

Happy New Year to those of you who share my religious persuasion.

Adios

HENNY, PENNY, THE SKY IS FALLING

I may not be chicken little but I am now officially a full time resident of the INSTITUTE FOR THE VERY, VERY, VERY NERVOUS (I stole that from Mel Brooks).  The man whose name will not be mentioned, the man who admires the popularity of Vladimir Putin, the man who seemingly is the fave of every young white man in America--that man is catching Hilary.  He is going to build a wall; he is going to "evict" immigrants and potentially split up families who have children born here; he has a list of 11 white men to nominate to the Supreme Court--that man might win.  What parallel universe am I in?  I am totally going to blame her and then I am going to blame Bernie and then I am going to blame anyone who votes for a third party candidate because they don't like either of the "big" candidates.  The folks who do that will deserve what we all get.  There are big fucking differences and it might not matter here in this state; but if you are in NH, Ohio, or my former home of Florida, voting for a third party candidate could get you (and me and my grandchildren god damn it) this misogynistic insensitive man as the next leader of the free world.  I will move on but I am far from finished.

Ends and Odder things:
--My synagogue continues to slap itself on its back for selecting a woman as its Senior Rabbi.  I guess it is kind of neat; but it seems to me we ought to quit this self congratulatory crap and get on with the business of being a spiritual home.  She might be fine but we are not better people just because we selected her.
--Let me be clear that I have minimal interest and even more minimal skill when it comes to computers/technology.  So I was pleased as punch when I could extend the return date of my library book online.
--I follow 538 and Real Clear Politics websites.  Both confirm everything  about the gap closing.  My man Nates's electoral map is going from deep blues to pinks.  It is ominous though he insists it ain't over til it is over.  Worse yet, senatorial races that were close and had Dems ahead are also getting closer.  Just have to look north to NH to confirm that.
--I am on the verge of needing a hearing aid but will first try to salvage my pride with one of those hearing amplifiers.  Medicare does not cover hearing aids despite being set up for moi and the rest of the elderly.
--So, I get up at the crack of dawn to meet my civic responsibility and serve on a jury.  I get my closest relative/best friend to get me to the subway also too fucking early.  I actually (no lie) was shocked to see that people actually go to work at that hour and could not even get a seat.  BTW, I am now offered seats just like I used to do for OLDER PEOPLE.  Anyhow, I get to the courthouse and find out I did not read the fine print and, given my age, I can choose not to serve.  I thanked the woman and took off and of course, in hindsight, wonder if I should have stayed.
--Why do some bus stops have shelters and some don't.  I now try to wait for buses where they exist but I don't get it.

SPORTS TALK
--I was shocked, shocked I tell you, at the recent win by the Pats.  I figured this was going to be a loss and maybe they would go 2-2 with Brady out.  Now, after what I saw and the next 3 teams they play, they should go 4-0 unless they start choking up.  We can wait on elevating Garrapolo as the world's best.  I may have given up on my Yanks too soon but I still don't think they will make it.  The next four games with the red flops will are key.  One of my birthday gifts last winter will allow me to see the Saturday game with that same relative/best friend.  And the football team in Ann Arbor is looking good.

Adios

READY FOR SCHOOL?

It's almost labor Day and I cannot shake the feeling that I gotta get ready for class.  But, alas and alack, that ain't happening.  But it is kind of weirdly funny that my mind continues to work that way.  As a close relative of mine would say, in the olden days, a group of us would rent motel rooms for Labor Day weekend up there in Sunny Isles, spend a lot of time drinking, spend a lot of times chasing parties if not other adolescents of the female persuasion, and pranking all sorts of people.  Then back to school.  Those memories, unlike the memory of what I ate yesterday, do not fade.

Been out of touch for more than a month and can only say:  USA, USA, USA.  Oops, I forgot about Usain Bolt.  Moving on to even stranger items of interest:

--The man whose name will not be mentioned has tightened the race for the Presidency.  Even my boy Nate has acknowledged this though his odds still give the edge to Hilary by about 3-1.  All digits remain crossed and cause daily discomfort both physically and psychologically.  I wonder:  are there more of us or more of them?  OMG, how can that man represent us with other world leaders (except of course Putin).

--The little money we contribute is going to women running for the Senate against Republicans as a hedge against that man winning.  So, get your checkbooks out because these states have women running who have a good shot at unseating the Republican candidates and putting the senate in the Democrats hands.  They are: NH, NC, Ill., Pa., and Nev.  Those five plus Feingold in Wisconsin and Bayh in Indiana will do it.  As in who gets nominated for the Supreme Court.

--So, the U.S. has taken in 10,000 Syrian refugees and we are supposed to clap bout it.  Of course, compared to our neighbors to the North, that is pathetic.  And compared to the need, it is almost outrageous. The NY Times devoted an entire issue of its Sunday magazine to the refugee crisis and the chaos in the Middle East.  It was stupendous but so depressing.  So, in a country of 300 million, we take in 10,000 and feel smug.  Yikes.

--The Democrats have better speakers than the Republicans.  And they are more diverse.  That's what I learned from those stupid conventions.  That and Bernie finally came around--now he has gotta get out there and get some votes for Hilary. I also hope you saw Sarah Silverman tell off the Bernie supporters--"don't be ridiculous".

--Floods and hurricanes in the South.  But I gotta say they can do their road construction year round.  Unlike you know, those of us up here.  Travelled a lot this summer and rather consistently, on highways and back roads, was held up by road projects.

--Then there is this.  Comcast will switch out my old cable box for a new fangled one--for free.  Ah, but I get charged for the service call.  Ok, so being retired and all, I can schedule it at my convenience since everyone including Comcast assumes I don't have anything else to do.  So, it will be this four hour block (!) or that 4 hour block.  6.5 hours later I get told that the Tech missed our appointment.  Can you (a big communication company) get in touch with the Tech?  Nope.  They really are out of touch and I can only hope FIOS is better because I am there when they arrive.


SPORTS TALK
I have to admit those Red Flops do have a terrifying offense and Ortiz is just plain out of his mind.  Now about that bullpen.  My boys got younger and will be fine next year but will not do much  this year.  Big question of the day:  Will Tommy make nice with Jimmy?  Better question:  Who the fuck gives a shit if they still win 12 games?

Adios

I FEEL LIKE CHICKEN LITTLE

I think Chicken Little was the character from my childhood who always thought the sky was falling.  And even if it was not Chicken Little, it was some dumb character that I feel like right this very minute. As if Nice was not enough, we now have the attempted coup in Turkey.  Now a wise person once told me that the Turkish military was one of the most democratic sectors of that government.   The generals were all apparently trained here and believe, more than the politicians, in a democratic state.  Meanwhile, over the last year, the politicians leading the country (especially Erdogan) have taken a turn into the land of right wing repression. And this from a country which is part of NATO, which wants to be part of the EU, and which is our strongest ally in the area. Internationally, all of this came on the heels of terror attacks in Bangladesh and Iraq. I worry.

Domestically, we have witnessed the killings by police of African American men in Louisiana and Minnesota and the murder of Dallas policemen.  It frequently feels as if things are out of control both here and abroad.
It seems as if both institutionally (i.e. the military/police) and intra-personally (i.e. we the people), there is a belief that the only recourse is violence.  That violence gets fueled by easy access to weapons and mixes with fear of "the other" to deliver a volatile brew. This is not a safe country if you are a young person of color or if you are a cop. I worry.

Items of Note:
--All of the above plays right into the messages of the candidate whose name will not be mentioned.  People want simple answers and he is giving it to them like a good demagogue.  Hilary is way too nuanced and way too complicated for these folks.
--Yet, Nate the Great still believes she wins even though she has slipped after the DOJ investigation and in advance of the Republican convention.
--It took Bernie long enough before he got off his fat ass and endorsed Hilary.  As if he had some other better choice.  Now he just better get moving and motivate all his followers to get off their asses and vote for her.
--Ruthie, my most beloved Supreme, really needs to shut up and be a Justice.  And Mr. Bill needs to stop meeting people on airport tarmacs.  Both of these stupid "foot in the mouth" events play right into that guy whose name won't be mentioned and his already paranoid supporters.
--Saw the Yo Yo Ma documentary about his work as a member of the Silk Road Ensemble.  In the context of all this violence, it was especially reassuring to see these eclectic musicians (who first of all are superb at their craft) playing together in so many different locales--including refugee camps.  And who knew that Yo Yo is virtually a stand up comedian.
--Another great BBC detective show with a leading woman. "Marcella" is more tense than the "Americans" and the lead (Anna Friel) is just terrific.
--Spent a wonderful day in Newport with friends one of whom is a friend from kindergarten.  Very, very comforting.
--You wont have me to kick around until the fall.  Have a great summer.

SPORTS TALK
Brady's case is done and who knows what it means for the Pats.  This is what it means for other fans--Confirmation that the Pats cheat and an opportunity to hate the Pats and Brady some more. Claude Julien is still the Bruins coach and they seem to be bringing in some younger more skilled and less defensive minded players.  Let's see how Claude ruins their careers.  Serena Williams, a la Lebron, is so dominant when she is on that it is almost unfair.  Finally, my suggestion to Brian Cashman:  time to deal and get younger.  Eat some contracts if anyone will take Texeira or even ARod because the Yanks are going nowhere.

Adios

NATE'S BACK AND I'M GLAD HE IS

That would be Nate Silver--he of the 538 blog/website; he whose father was Jewish but not his mother so despite the misleading name, he is not a member of my tribe; he who is "owned by ESPN"; he who nailed the 2012 presidential election getting every state; and, finally, he who got every Senate seat accurately in 2012 except for N. Dakota.  But who ever gets anything right about North Dakota and now that oil and coal prices are depressed, their boom town mentality and resurgence is about to go sideways.  So, right out of the gate, Nate says Hilary has an 80% chance of winning.  He just warms my heart that boy.  But I will not get complacent--I will fight on with words, money, and perhaps some work for Hilary.  Moving on....

--Congrats to ML for the publication of her second novel--a coming of age story set in Philadelphia.
--McCain "misspoke" when he said Obama was responsible for Orlando.  He may be a hero (and he is) but God almighty, blame is cheap.  Thoughtful interactions cost plenty and none of the Republicans pay that price.
--Passing by the Boston Police station after the murders in Orlando, I noticed that they put up, at half mast, the LGBT flag.  What a message even if the violence against the LGBT community is not changed an iota.  A message is sent to the LGBT community in Boston, and God forbid, to members of the force who may be gay or transgendered.  I kinda felt, you know, a bit proud.  BTW, our mayor who has seen two of his staff indicted this week, has been terrific about LGBT issues.
--And even after Orlando, our fine U.S  Senate could not see fit to pass the remotest and most minimal gun control legislation.  So it is quite fine with the NRA for people to own automatic rifles--for no purpose what so ever and don,t even tell me about hunting.
--This is quite ugly and even awkward but bear with me.  The German National soccer team coach was seen on video doing the following:  sticking his hands down the front of his pants and then SMELLING THEM.  Not bad enough?  Then shown sticking his hand down the back of his pants ( I mean way down)  and then SMELLING THEM.  Gross stuff but they keep winning.
--You may want to keep Obama's latest nominee to the Supremes off the court but, come on, how many 4-4 votes can you tolerate.  Speaking of which, they decided 3 cases from Texas (which I am beginning to think is starting to become the worst member of the Confederacy and perhaps the one with the most lawyers with nothing better to do). The court tossed out its restrictive abortion law, supported the used of race in an affirmative action case from UT; and let stand an immigration case which limited Obama's executive right to make certain decisions.  Except for a close relative, that state is so fucked.
--And how could I end this without the following from a Globe headline:  "Firefighters rescue donkey stuck in hole".  Really I could not make this shit up.

SPORTS TALK
--So, Iceland has a total population of about 330,000--fully 10% of them went to France for the Euro soccer championship.  In their last game 98% of the population remaining watched the game on tv.  You go, boys.  Or national soccer team just plain sucks--we need a do over in terms of who is on the team. I just hope Ainge has a big signing in his back pocket--the media and the fans are really all over him.  Truly, he could fully man two NBA teams when you combine his recent draft picks with his existing roster.  The following are the averages more or less for the 3, 4, and 5 hitters in the Yankees line up:  .220, .230, .190.  I cannot even write their names.  But in the rare instances when they have a lead, their bull pen is lights out.

Adios

NATTERING NABOBS OF NEGATIVISM

Depending on your age, you may or may not remember Richard Nixon's first Vice President--Spiro Agnew. He had been the governor of Maryland.  As Veep, he used the words  in the above title to trash and thrash  "liberals" as well as the effete Eastern Media--primarily the NY Times and the Washington Post.  Eventually, he resigned in disgrace.  The point is:  You can draw a straight line from George Wallace (and probably someone earlier) to Agnew and now to the man whose name will not be mentioned.  they in fact are the negative nabobs--having nothing creative or positive to propose. They just spit out venomous/slimy attacks on our core values. Now the man whose name cannot be mentioned has banned the Post from covering his campaign.

And then, there is Orlando.  There are simply no words in my vocabulary though I know a piece of the solution lies in banning the purchase of assault weapons.  I don't want to hear anything from the NRA or the guy whose name will not be mentioned who believes if more folks carried weapons in the nightclub, this would not have happened.  Maybe, maybe not--but it would have happened somewhere else and we will be shocked all over again.  I also know that Canada has a significant number of immigrants but more restrictive gun laws and does not have these "events".  I can write no more.

Items:

--Ken Starr is now just a professor at Baylor (that fine Baptist institution in Waco) having been kicked to the curb and out of the Presidency by the Board.  Probably still makes over 200K.
--My wonderful Senator, Elizabeth Warren, has really stepped to the plate and gone after that guy whose name I will not mention.  she will be the "guy" to Hilary's stateswoman.  I really want her to stay in the Senate and kind of hope Hilary does not pick her for a running mate.  she is such a breadth of fresh air..though the idea of "crooked " Hilary and "Pocahontas" on the same ticket is kind of interesting.
--Give your money to Senate hopefuls in Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Florida, NH, and maybe even Nevada.  There will be key votes on Supreme Court vacancies after the election--and many others.
--This is not sports.  As a casual observer of the European soccer championship, Icannot help but notice the following:  Crowds are predominantly white men and teams (even those from the Scandinavian countries  up there in the North) are about 1/4 to 1/2 composed of men of color/immigrants.  Without them, those teams would be laughable.  Check out the French team if you have the time.
--Seth Mnookin is a Globe writer who had an unpleasant experience at the world's greatest hospital.  He wrote about it in the globe just before that same hospital system announced the closure of two nursing homes--cost too much to operate.  Yuk Yuk.
--Enough with the gorillas.  A terrific column in the Globe of 6/2 by Yvonne Abraham after the gorilla killing in the Cincinnati zoo. The cries of anguish about the gorilla's death out matches how we respond to the death of children from child abuse.  Good  for pointing out that the gorilla is a fucking ANIMAL.  And don't go blaming the mother either.
--Speaking of the globe. A paragraph article was headlined by this:  BLIND MAN SUES FOR RIGHT TO BE SERVED AT DRIVE THROUGH WITHOUT A CAR.  Seriously and you wonder why people hate lawyers--someone took this case.
--Great article in last week's New Yorker about Oberlin College concerning political correctness. Not sure where I land on this. Some students whine a bit much and some had some thoughtful ideas.  But I have to be careful since I am one of the old farts and it is their world.

SPORTS TALK
Getting close to 7/4 when it is time to open the door on my thoughts on the current baseball season. If the Bruins don't learn anything from the Penguins, they are just plain stupid. and can you say Phil Kessel, the leading scorer in the playoffs.  Traded him for the rights to draft dougie--neither are here.

I will say this about Jurgen Klinsman--he has taken some risks (even if only to save his job) and he has put some very very fast, skillful young players into the lineup. They can actually shoot and often can score.

HIS NAME HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY BANNED BY THE MINISTER OF THE BLOG

That would be me and the obvious choice for name banning is the Republican candidate--not so much a brilliant decision but a welcome one for this writer.  The god awful possibility that he may be our President is more than I have words for.  Go ahead--close your eyes and imagine him in the White House as he prepares to meet with "Pocahontas"--oops I mean Elizabeth Warren.  It simply does not compute; it is not imaginable. and yet....

Moving on:

--The computer system recently installed in the Partners system (which includes the "WORLD'S GREATEST HOSPITAL MGH which is an academic teaching hospital of the "WORLD'S GREATEST UNIVERSITY" HARVARD) cost 1.2 billion and is not working properly.  I would guess they will figure out how to recoup some of that in their rate which is already the highest in the state. They will also find a way for their recent penile transplant to get covered.  It took a staff of 50 and 15 hours of surgery to accomplish this REALLY IMPORTANT operation. Now I guess if I am the patient, I am very happy.  But really, shouldn't they be more focused on some kind of community intervention?

--Speaking of insurance companies, I hate them.  When you need them, you cannot find them.  If you find them, you find out how limited your coverage really is.  Then, whatever you can be covered for requires an unhealthy amount of time to get your check.  And Bernie's notion of re-opening Obamacare so that we can have universal health coverage is right on intellectually.  But it puts the whole shebang at risk and is not even worth discussing.

--Speaking of which (get the theme?), Bernie has to shut the fuck up and play nice.  I for one am already prepared to blame him should that Republican candidate win.  Hilary is being forced to focus on Bernie when she needs to focus more on November and her opponent.  She was not totally blasted for her email snafu but it did not help.  Give money to those Dems running for Senate.

--Speaking of which, the Supremes threw out the conviction of an African American man because of how discriminatory the jury selection process was.  It was in one of those lousy southern states.  The vote was 7-1 and you know who dissented--that would be Clarence who clearly has lost his mind.  That Republican guy gave us a list of his possible nominees for the Supremes (which had been vetted by a couple of right wing advocacy groups)--all white men.  No surprise but still scary.

--Baylor is a Baptist university in Waco, Texas.  Their Athletic Department has the most disgusting hideous history of covering up sexual assaults of any place in the country.  So bad, they just fired their football coach and their President.  But I have not heard word one from the Baptists--those staunch purveyors of moral rectitude.

--The Israeli military leadership--both present and former--came out strongly against their new Defense Minister who is a right wing crazy person.  But Netanyahu needs him in the coalition and so we get this guy who wants to invade the West Bank and blow up Iran.  They badly need an election to at least tell us what the voters think.

--If you saw the National Spelling Bee, you know that this is a country of immigrants.  The majority of finalists were kids of color.  Maybe that Republican guy watched but probably not.  If he did, his conclusion would likely be that we need more than one wall.


SPORTS TALK
--My Yanks may have the best bullpen in baseball.  They are likely not to win a damn thing but yesterday I saw a bit of the game and those 3 relievers faced 9 batters and struck out 7--so dominant. Your Red Flops are playing out of their minds but I am not sure their pitching is strong enough.

--Hope Curry wins.  Would love to see him and Lebron on the floor against each other.

Adios.

IF PIGS COULD FLY AND OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES OF THE DAY

If they could, the Globe would be right on top of it with their crack animal investigative team.  This week the Globe reported (in large type) that a pig was euthanized.  You might ask why--and, as usual, I am here to provide answers.  The male bovine attacked his owners seriously enough that they were hospitalized.  Yikes. Big Globe story number two:  "the cost of dog-bite claims continues to rise".  Really?  I have not even scratched the surface and have to hold myself back from making this only about Globe animal stories. Meanwhile, their once excellent sports section does not even carry scores outside of the Eastern time zone.

What I will stop until after Labor Day is writing about the Donald--except of course for this one itsty bitsy tiny item.  Today's front page of the Times features a long piece about his relationship with women.  This was mainly how he both employs them in very visible serious places but, at the same time, de-humanizes them by saying out loud at meetings things about their looks, how hot they are, and how much they weigh.  I quit on this shit until the end of the summer.  By the way, a great piece in last week's times about why "Texas is just so Texas".  A confession while on the topic of the Times:  I cheat on the crossword puzzle but please do not cancel your subscription to this blog.  I cannot help myself.

I cannot stand self congratulatory events.  You know the ones where we all slap each other on the back on account of how wonderful we are and how great it is to work here.  My synagogue just went through this process and I wanted to puke.  We hired a senior Rabbi who happens to be a woman and are saying good bye to the previous person who is retiring.  We are just terrific and are a role model for other synagogues and whoopee do.  Except for the fact that most of the folks who contributed money (oh yeah, there was a fund raising piece to all this shit) never show up at services except for holidays.  Their money apparently is their "observance".  Good luck with that.

Odds and Ends:

--My nervousness has increased about the November election.  We have decided to give money to tight Senate races in hopes that minimally the Dems can take back the Senate.  Among those states are:  NH, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Minnesota.  One can only hope.
--Senator McCain's son is apparently married to an African American woman and has blasted fellow Republican critics who object to bi-racial ads.  These critics have too much idle time to object to every fucking thing.  Good for the Senator's son.
--BTW, there is an Old Navy ad which, among other couples, features two women who are obviously the parents of two gorgeous twins.
--We can all write off NC in the fall because they will all be in bathrooms checking anyone who might be using the wrong one.
--MGH. one of the Partner hospitals and the biggest one in the state, has been roundly defeated recently as it tried to buy up more hospitals in this state.  So, it set its sights north and bought a hospital in NH--live free or die, I always say.  Children's Hospital got in on the buying binge and bought itself a pediatric practice located north of NYC in the burbs.  Each hospital argues that bigger means cheaper care which in most cases simply is not true and in many cases the opposite is true--it ends up costing more.
--The city of Austin is in a pissing match with Uber and Lyft.  A close relative of mine who lives there says it is a complicated situation but even though she uses those services, she felt they were not on the side of the angels on this one.  So a city vote kicked them to the curb.

SPORTS TALK
Ever see Arnoldis Chapman pitch?  I know now why I quit Pony League when I was 14.  I could not hit and was scared shitless of the pitchers.  This Chapman threw 15 pitches when I was watching and none was under 95 mph--a couple were measured at 100.  I would have dug a hole and jumped in.  The NBA lottery is this week--go Celts.

Adios

A LUDDITE MAKES TECHNOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENTS

The Luddite would be moi and the adjustment (based on serious interaction with some serious and expensive consultants) is that I will no longer list all your names and email addresses when I send this out.  You will receive "blind copies" to insure your privacy.  Enough said since otherwise I will get tangled in the poisonous weeds of nerd talk.

Moving on to the Boston Globe which is trying to survive by cutting the number of pages printed and by increasing the number of animal stories and pretending that they are newsworthy.  To wit (and these first two are direct quotes):  "Equine trooper Elliot mourned"; and "beloved Lynn cat missing after theft".  So we have a dead horse and a missing cat.  In the case of the cat, the robbers might have stolen millions but it is the cat which is taking the lead.  The horse business is pathetic since there is a clear implication that this animal is a human. During this same period, the Globe had a story about an escaped calf, one about the introduction of rattlesnakes into state property, and about a seal swimming in the river. We know all of these are real stories since they appeared with journalist's by lines.  Seriously, give me a fucking break.

Bruce is not going to North Carolina and neither am I.  Nor to Georgia or Mississippi.  But Jimmy Buffet is and I will heretofore never buy one of his albums--didn't want to disappoint his fans.  Fuck him.  Ditto to Tennessee and Mississippi.  At least the Governor of Georgia vetoed legislation in that fine state but only because of economic pressure not belief in equity.  I am prepared (as if it matters) to just give the South to the Donald except perhaps for my old stomping grounds of Florida--where Hilary might actually win.

Speaking of which.  I am thinking Hilary will be nominated and also been revising my thoughts about the Donald.  I am getting a bit more worried about him though I continue to believe every woman, every Hispanic voter, every LGBT voter, and every African American voter will be voting for her.  She just gotta get to the Bernie voters and it would help if he (and our terrific senator, Elizabeth Warren) got off their tushes and supported her.  My big worry about her are those damn emails and I expect that when the race really starts, so will the leaks or the formal release of the investigations--and they will not be pretty.  But, oh my, who will he nominate to the Supreme Court? An excellent piece (and not flattering) about her hawkishness in last week's NY Times magazine.

In that same magazine, an very depressing but great article about the police in Chicago.  Rahm Emanuel is in deep doo doo with the citizenry in that city and deservedly so considering his being tone deaf and arrogant.

Simply continue to be out of words for the Donald.  I am also speechless and,, as I mentioned, the worry quotient is increasing.  Am closely following Nate Silver and some very important Senate races--in Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and NH.

This is a serious paragraph about sports but I urge you to consider reading on.  Richard Deitsch writes for SI.Com.  He is , in my mind, the best journalist writing about sports media.  His recent column linked me to a video about two female sportswriters and the hate mail they receive.  But this is how it was filmed.  Men who were friends of the producers (and not the haters) sat across from the women and read the emails and twits to them.  The men were often in tears and apologized profusely for having to read them.  The women were brave and stoic and almost had an attitude of "so what else is new".  Very powerful stuff and if I knew how to link........but that's the luddite business so we have come full circle.

Final word:  Had a great time with my mishpacha (look it up) in the DR.

SPORTS TALK
"It's kind of like training with a weight vest on".  A direct quote from a U.S. woman who is pregnant and an Olympian and is in training for the next Winter Olympics.  Wish I had that strength.  No baseball until July 4th but my boys are already in trouble.  The Bruins just died  at the end and no one can score.  Chiarelli fucked them good both in terms of the cap and in terms of trades (remember Seguin? Hamilton?).  The Celtics are gone also but I loved watching.

Adios

WHAT KIND OF FOOL AM I?

Not the kind that writes a blog on April Fool's Day, so there--BAM!  Moving on to items of utmost seriousness.

--Each year the St. Patrick's Day parade is held in South Boston.  Southie is the neighborhood which had the most virulent anti busing riots when desegregation came to the schools here.  In the olden days (as a close relative of mine refers to it), the period leading up to the parade was always marked by controversy. First, the folks did not want any black people to march; then, there could be no Veterans against the war in Vietnam; and, more recently, the organizers could not tolerate having GLBT people involved.  Litigation followed each of these decisions right up to the date of the event.  This year the route of the parade was to change--right back to court they went. The man who directed the parade was consistently referred to as "Wacko" Hurley (seriously, I could not make it up).  I don't know if that was his real  first name or not--but they have long memories in Southie and might even now prefer covered wagons and candles to cars and electricity.

--50,000 American soldiers died in Vietnam.  But we have normalized relations with them, trade with them, visit each other's country, and generally treat them as a partner.  Vietnam is a dictatorship.  90 miles away lies Cuba--another dictatorship.  The Bay of Pigs was not a war--it was an invasion and it failed miserably. Because of the rabid Cuban Americans (mainly in Miami), we continue to have a blockade/embargo in place against Cuba.  Republicans in Congress are berserk over Obama's visit there.  The same Republicans criticize and want to eliminate the immigrants trying to come here from Central America; but welcome one and all from Cuba. Get over it. Anyone who saw Obama's welcome there knows the Cuban people, despite being so limited because of their politics and our own, love American people. It was a terrific moment in history.

--Cannot continue to go after the Donald but according to polls, he is likely to lose in Wisconsin (as is Hilary).  I do, of course, have to say say something!  Maureen Dowd in the NY Times of 3/20 had an excellent editorial focusing on the Donald and the assault committed by his campaign manager.  More pridefully, the Association of Reformed Rabbis boycotted his speech at the AIPAC conference--for those in the dark, AIPAC is the ultra conservative Jewish group made up of gazillionaires who cannot tolerate a two state solution.  Good for the rabbis.  Another Times editorial by David Brooks excoriated the Donald.

--I am back to following Nate Silver on his 538 blog.  Currently predicting Hilary losing Wisconsin but winning NY, Pa., and Maryland.  Not sure how Bernie will recover from that but he has been resilient.

--The recent 4-4 vote in the Supreme Court is interesting even though I cannot totally explain the case.  The bottom line is that the death of Scalia has really balanced the Supremes--the four liberals can now "win" cases since a tie will support their position.  Btw. this new guy who may never get appointed is also a member of my tribe.  That should send the anti semites into orbit.

--FYI.  I will return from a long period of sunbathing in time for an entry in honor of May Day.

SPORTS TALK
--I need to speak with the person who keeps track of NHL statistics.  It seems impossible for the Bruins to be the second highest scoring team in the league--despite their 6 goals last night. Even though both teams lost, congrats to the Bentley women's BB team and the BC women's hockey team for wonderful seasons. The UConn women look unbeatable and a kerfuffle has arisen over whether or not they are "good" for their sport.  Raised mainly by male writers.  Those writers should just shut up and watch some fine basketball.

Adios

YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS SHIT UP

The Boston Globe, which features an animal story a day, had the following this week:  a horse is being mourned after it drowned in the home's cesspool.  Seriously, the paper is getting thinner and thinner and this is the news that they choose to print.  There was also a kerfuffle that was "news" about rattlesnakes being found in a reservoir near Worcester.  Hope no one is scared.  I recommend that they combine their animal reporter with their religion reporter since that is their other favorite piece of "news".

I must acknowledge that Republicans in this fine state also supported the Donald.  So, I can no longer point fingers North towards the Granite state and complain about them.  Or, unsurprisingly, I can complain about both states and their stupid Republican voters.  Go for it with the Donald and his tanning salon bronzed face. Speaking of which, he just keeps on winning.  That baby faced whiner Rubio could not even win his own state and has dropped out.  That Howdy Doody look-alike (that would be Kasich) is the most normal Republican but I cannot believe he has a shot.  And then there is the Cruzer who, I have to say, has a father who is crazier than he is.  He is still in it and actually scares me more than the Donald.  The Donald's latest quote is that his supporters will riot if he does not get the nomination. And the pundits wonder why there is violence at his rallies. Duh. Bernie has pushed Hilary and that is probably a good thing both in terms of her positions and in terms of preparing her for some ugly fights with whoever is the Republican nominee. I love everything Bernie says but he screeches too much and I worry about two things.  If he should be the nominee, you will here the word socialist every five minutes.  But, worse, you may also hear some serious anti-Semitic language every day.  He does not need to practice his religion to be smeared by those crazy Republican right wingers. Finally, we have mainstream Republicans running scared --but they are as much to blame as the Donald.  Republicans in the Senate and the House have run roughshod over our Democracy ever since the last election.  Now the anger they lit a fire under is coming back to burn them in the form of the Donald.  How can the Donald not be the nominee with Ben Carson, Chris Christie, and perhaps God on his side.

Big breath:  Speaking of music (get the transition?), I was listening to an old Phil Ochs CD (some of you probably don't even know him) and some of his lyrics from 40 years ago remain relevant.

I'm back.  So the person appointed by the Michigan Governor to oversee Flint (after the state took it over much like Detroit) saved some money and totally  fucked up their water supply  Neither of the two big state schools was involved in the research.  It took a Virginia Tech scientist to add two and two.  Both UM and MSU should be embarrassed.

Finally, we have a Supreme Court nominee.  From what I have read he is quite a brilliant judge. Already we have the Mitcher and the Grasser from two underwhelming/underpopulated states (sorry JF) saying nope, they won't do a thing.  More reason than any to be sure Donald stays in Mar a Lago come November.

SPORTS TALK
Injuries have caught up with the Celtics--they will still make the playoffs but I am betting they do not get home court.  I continue to love watching them as opposed to the Bruins who are just painful.  Then we have the great BC men's basketball team which somehow thought they could compete in the ACC--then went winless in the conference.  Whoever thought BC should compete in either football or basketball with all those schools must have been out of their fucking minds--but aha, it was about money not competition.

Adios.

MY NUMERICAL AGE NOW BEGINS WITH A 7

Oh my.  In my head, I am still down there in Miami playing ball at Coral Way Elementary with Charles, Gary, and David.  All of whom shall also be entering their 8th decades in the coming months.  Good luck with that. This past week has shaken me up not because of anything bad happening but because I can see the darkness (not the light) at the end of the tunnel.  My immortality fantasy is just that--fanciful.

 But I have good health.  I have a terrific partner and two strong articulate adult daughters.  I have two gorgeous grandchildren and a mensch of a son-in-law.  I never thought I would be this lucky. I have friends who take me out to lunch after driving 75 miles out of their way on their way to Bernie's state.  I have a brother-in-law who baked a scrumptious low fat cake and a sister-in-law who (along with her husband) will be taking me out for dinner.  Life is good and I have vowed to enjoy it and squeeze it as long as I am able. Enough.

Items of perhaps interest:
--As my granddaughter would say, in the olden days Castro came to power and hundreds of thousands of Cubans came to Miami.  They were welcomed by our country and immediately provided with all sorts of benefits.  This scenario is repeating itself as Cubans stranded in Central America for many years are being welcomed into our country and immediately receive all sorts of benefits.  I do not begrudge their freedom or the benefits they receive..  I do get angry that the "real" Central Americans and the Syrians cannot get into this country and are vilified by Cruz and Rubio who are sons of that first batch of Cuban immigrants.  Oy, and the Donald.
--Campus sexual assaults (those that are reported) are becoming more and more prevalent.  Tennessee, Baylor, and Vanderbilt are just the latest examples of male athletes being accused of sexually assaulting female students.  This is the price we collectively pay for the adulation we have for sports in general and football specifically.  No one up here in the North understands the hold football has on the South.
Friday Night Lights" touched on it a bit but did not even come close. Plus, there is more than a touch of race underlying most of these situations.
--People in the Live Free or Die state (that would be NH) should be embarrassed that they supported the Donald in such large numbers.  But then again, today is Super Tuesday, and he is likely to even beat Rubio in Florida.  After much debate in this household, I voted for Hilary.
--Mitch McConnell, that mealy mouthed Senator, will not let the Senate even hold hearings on the Scalia vacancy and now will not let hearings be held on the closing of Gitmo.  I fear Obama waited too long to close Gitmo but I do not like being held hostage by that McConnell asshole.
--Go figure:  Trump takes on the Pope and there was no outrage even among the Bishops in the United States.
--Ben Carson believes Obama was raised "white".  How can that guy ever have graduated from college let alone Medical School.  He is an absolute idiot.
--Also, go figure:  how can lactose free ice cream have cream?
--Clarence speaks.  In the absence of his mentor, Clarence Thomas asked questions yesterday--literally the first time in a decade.  Real comedian, that Clarence.

SPORTS TALK
It is so much fun watching the Celtics.  They play with energy and each of them wants the ball to take that last shot.  Crowder, Bradley, Thomas, Turner--they all have ice in their veins.  As opposed to the Bruins who barely have blood flowing.  Brady gets signed until he is 42 and the fucking stupid talking heads are not sure it is a good idea.  I think the best idea is for me not to listen.

Adios.

RANDOM THOUGHTS AND A POPURRI OF RANTS

--Justice Ginsburg's opera partner (that would be Justice Scalia) has passed away.  I cannot imagine that she would go with Clarence.  Speaking of whom, what will he do without his shepherd to lead him? Will he dare to speak?
--Ah, but we do have every Republican in the universe smacking the Prez around already--how dare he try to appoint someone to fill the seat.  Really--what is he supposed to do just sit around for the next 10 months because they scare him and think they will win the White House?  I think he should appoint someone of color--preferably a woman--and let the Republicans fight that in an election year.
--Chris Christie has pulled out but not before our Governor endorsed him.  Our Governor is in the enviable position of being able to appoint 4 or perhaps 5 Justices to our state Supreme Court.  Which has a mandatory retirement age--even though those Justices in DC do not.  How can that be the case?  Since he supports gay marriage and abortion, I am not too worried about these appointments.  I do wonder about his commitment to cities specifically urban transportation.  I bet he has never ridden the T and likely has a skewed suburban kind of head set.  But if it is good for business, Charley will support it.
--Speaking of Christie, he used his time here in our environs very well--saw the Boss in Boston on one of his nights off.  Be gone, big guy.
--Umm, I think Gloria and Madeline ought to keep their fucking mouths shut.  Hilary has enough problems without them going off on young women who do not support her.
--Thanks to James Surowiecki (in the New Yorker), I now know that gas prices going down means stocks will go down in tandem.  Even though falling gas prices actually help the economy.  Go figure.
--I rarely agree with David Brooks but he is really very very bright.  He more or less wished that the current group of Republican candidates had the civility, integrity, and thoughtfulness of Obama. And Brooks, in general, is not a big fan of Obama
--The Cruzer and the Donald are really slugging it out--I do hope the Donald sues the Cruzer over his citizenship.  A terrific sideshow though a close relative of mine is very worried that come November we will not like the choices of our fellow Americans. Ezra Klein (a terrific writer) wrote online at a site called "Vox" that he is also very worried about the Donald.  I love Ezra but I am not sure I agree.  I think these bullies are beatable though I am not sure Bernie is the one to do it. After all, he is a socialist.  And, oh by the way, I do not like his near denial of his religion.
--From my Senior north of the border correspondent--When did our society become so focused on celebrity and how pathetic is that?  I have no answer though I suspect that the "new" 24/7 media cycle does not help.  Everything is news and, therefore, I expect cameras down here in the man cave any minute.
--Jill Lepore, a Harvard Professor, wrote an article (also in the New Yorker) about the death of a toddler here in Boston.  A depressing article to be sure--made all the more so because the week it came out, another Boston toddler was abused and died.  It will not stop until someone with awfully big cojones (man or woman) is able to re-order the child welfare system in favor of prevention over tertiary intervention.
--What can I say about the Flint water fiasco?  Those Republicans cut costs any place they can get away with it and public health be damned.  The city has a state appointed overseer who saved a lot of money and jeopardized the health of every person living there.
--The religious powers that be in Israel have agreed to allow women and non Orthodox men to pray at the wailing wall in Jerusalem.  But the right wing religious zealots have gotten enraged and I can only wonder if Netanyahu will cave in and over rule that decision.  His administration depends on the support of those creepy zealots.
--Finally, news you have all been waiting for:  Had my colonoscopy and while not clean as a whistle, I do not have to return for five years.  The place I go to is a fucking factory--already expanded to another floor and lined up with patients.
--The next edition of this fine screed will find me having entered my 8th decade.  Yikes.

SPORTS TALK
I'm actually not sure Isaiah Thomas of the Celtics is an all star but he is loads of fun to watch--I mean he is shorter than me!!  Rick Pitino is up to his neck in an alligator swamp full of hookers and staff soliciting them and all sorts of ugliness.  But Ricky had no knowledge--this from a known control freak.  Marchand may be the hottest scorer in the NHL but the Bruins are tough to watch.

Adios

TRUTH BEING STRANGER THAN FICTION

That is if you believe everything you read in the newspaper.  I believe this one that I will summarize.  Two very bright folks brought some body parts to a Boston medical conference hoping to sell them to the medical researchers.  OOPS--they did not know how to preserve them and the head that they brought was infected. Really.  Seriously.  People are so fucking stupid.

Along with that truth is this one--I am about to enter my 8th decade and will shortly celebrate a big birthday ending in a zero.  (You math whizzes can figure that one out--right, JF?)  I am determined to celebrate it for the next 11 months and already have a number of excellent adventures planned.  But, speaking of truth, it is very weird to think of myself at this age.  It cannot be true--I was just in High School and just turned 18.
Upstairs, in my head, I do not feel old yet my body belies that fantasy.  The obituaries that I read daily do not lie either.  Enough.

Ends and Odds
--Visited LA a while back and I am here to say you can have it.  Except for what might have been the best museum I have ever been in--that would be the Broad.  Eli Broad had a massive collection of the best modern art which he had either in his home, on loan, or in storage.  He tried to negotiate with existing museums to place these works.  But after getting screwed around a bit, he just built his own place--with free admission.  Gorgeous space and right next to the Disney Hall designed by Frank Gehry.  And the art--oh my, so hard to describe.  This is the same guy who donated 100 million to create the Broad Institute in Cambridge to support medical research.  A real mensch. BTW, gas is $2 a gallon more out there
--So let's be clear.  The impact of NH and Iowa in these primaries is disproportionate to their impact in the general election.  I mean, no offense, but no one lives in those places.  So who cares.  Talk to me after Labor Day and after the conventions.
--The news from Israel gets worser and worser.  Settlers in Hebron, with governmental support, have taken over 370 acres formerly belonging to Palestinians.  Palestinians attack Israeli civilians.  Yet more Jews are fleeing France to live there and are just the ones more than likely to support that villainous Netanyahu.
--What state do you think arrests more African Americans than White Americans for not wearing seat belts? It would be in the South of course.  and the "winner" is Florida.  Can they fuck things up any more--I mean the state is sinking and they got a jerky governor who does not believe in climate change and are stuck with Marc Rubio who is is an intellectual wasteland.
--Bully for the old U.S.A.--we have taken in nearly 2,500 Syrian refugees.  Out of hundreds of thousands who have fled that disaster.  And according to the Donald and the Cruiser, those of us not on the Mayflower would not get into America today.
--And if you think the Cruiser is dangerous, check out his father who is absolutely berserk, is campaigning in Iowa, and is a "minister". The Cruiser has managed to collect not one Senate colleague to support him--he is detested by them.  And he is scary mean.
--They saved money in Flint, you betcha.  And now a generation of children may have been intellectually damaged because of the lead in the water.  Michael Moore (who I can only take in small doses) finally opened up his yap and started some sort of drive to support the residents of Flint--after all he is from there.
--Strongly recommend "Straight Outta Compton" mainly because it gets to the social implications behind the music.  In the olden days (as a bright grandchild refers to my past), I took 4 adolescent girls to see NWA and the Beastie Boys with instructions to stay far away--I obeyed but boy was it loud.
--Brian Wilson, with the backing of the Boston Pops, will be playing the entire "Pet Sounds" album at Symphony Hall in June.  Gotta get tickets--it is one of the greatest albums ever made.

SPORTS TALK
I am not into finger pointing--the Pats got their asses kicked and if Mr. Brady is not still in rehab after the beating he took, I would be surprised.  Having said that, I do think the Eagles game and the Dolphins game hurt real bad--because I do believe they win at home.  Home is where the Bruins suck and I am getting tired of watching them.  Not so the Celtics.  I love watching them play because of how they play.

Adios

WHINE, WHINE, WHINE

I re-read my last screed and realized how whiny it sounded.  ENOUGH.  I have to get back in touch with my inner anger which I always thought and still believe has an anger supply which is inexhaustible.  Ready?

--I am sick and tired of PIN numbers and call centers.  I have too many PIN numbers, cannot remember them all, and end up using the same one for everything--which I realize is stupid but is also easy to remember.  Now the call centers are another story.  The most difficult part is that the folks I am speaking with are generally not in this country, do not understand me, and I have a hard time understanding them.  I am aware that this nearly smacks of some sort of racist attitude.  But really, if I am about to spend (let's say)$2,500 on a trip, shouldn't we both understand each other.  Just in case I end up in Mongolia when I wanted to be in Montreal?
--Got some articles from close friend CN about the anti democratic trends in Israel.   Those articles combined with the Frontline documentary on Netanyahu leave me pessimistic about any change in Israel and any two state solution as long as he and his party is in charge. His rigidity and his denigration of the Palestinian people combine to make the situation virtually hopeless.  And he has a lot of support.
--Have not heard one word from those fucking anti immigration Republicans about the Cubans held up in Central America.  They got out of Cuba and ended up stuck in Central America.  They are about to be airlifted here and because of long standing agreements will immediately be issued green cards.  Cruz, Rubio, Trump--not a peep.  I guess because they have escaped from that Communist island.  Syrians are different, don't you know.
--I already miss the humor of Lindsey Graham and the idiocy of Ben Carson.
--A judge in Alabama (I believe on their Supreme Court) has instructed court clerks to issue no licenses for gay marriages.  And you think the South isn't different?
--But then again--the guy who replaced Jindal in Louisiana just signed into law an expansion of Medicaid--something that good ole boy refused to do (well actually he is not really a good ole boy being how he is from a family of Indians--and not the Native American version either).
--Frank Bruni had a great editorial in last week's NY Times about Cruz and Trump and how their language is so hateful.  Speaking of which, I love it that Trump has now decided that Cruz may not qualify for the Presidency because he is not really an American.  Just like Barack?
--The internal politics of my synagogue apparently sunk the candidacy of two candidates for senior Rabbi because they were perceived as too young (they were in their upper 30's).  I am so disaffected that I actually do not give a shit.  But it is kind of pathetic.
--Now we get to the real big issue of the day--the Boston Globe.  It had already become a shell of its old self since it was bought by the owner of the Red Flops.  Have any of you seen it's Saturday edition? If it has 20 pages, it would be a surprise.  Then, to save more money, they changed their home delivery company. And royally screwed things up.  No papers delivered; papers delivered that were early editions so that even scores from the East were not included; reporters sent out in the night to deliver papers; and it continues two weeks after the change.  Get this:  they offer you credits not in the form of subscription reductions but in the form of extensions.  So instead of having a reduced bill, I will get two weeks added if and when I cancel.  I have already informed them that I am finished with exxtensions and will reduce my next payment.  They can cancel me if they want.  Screw 'em.

SPORTS TALK
I worry about the Pats playing the Chiefs.  I am not a believer in the "turn it on when you want" school of thought.  And apparently there is supposed to be a monsoon on Saturday.  While I enjoy the Celtics, they are in a bad funk.  Couple that with the Bruins continued inability to score (and their stupid coach's unwillingness to play younger players) and we have a winter drought of pro team excitement.

Adios.