MY BAD

But bad in a good way.  I underestimated the power of African American people who live in Alabama. Especially African American women.  The turnout among that community was huge and offset the fact that a sexual predator won the votes of a majority of white women.  But African American men and women turned out and over 90% of them voted for Jones.  I celebrated Hanukkah with a close relative of mine last Tuesday night.  And she said something along the lines of "we need another Hanukkah-like miracle".  Lo and behold, it happened in the deepest of the deep South.  Mr. Jones even wished me and members of my tribe a Happy Hanukkah. Meanwhile, those 3 bourbon sipping boys were last seen heading west for the Alabama/Mississippi border looking for another racist, misogynistic, and predatory candidate to support. Likely as not, they might find one in Mississippi.

Other Random Notes of Interest:
--The judge has yet to concede and, according to him, he is awaiting word from God as to the final results. Good luck on that.  I heard that Bannon looks like a disheveled drunk. He actually does not drink--but he sure as hell looks disheveled.
--It is about to be the fourth night of Hanukkah and I cannot help myself--I just love that stupid Hanukkah song of Adam Sandler.  I was reminded of that when watching that "Meyerowitz" movie recently and wondered why Sandler appears in those stupid movies when he clearly can act.
--Speaking of movies, run to the cinema and see that 3 Billboard movie.  Frances McDormand is just wonderful.
--What words can I use to describe Sara Huckabee Sanders without offending?  She really is special.  Perhaps not a liar; but pretty damn close. How about she manipulates the truth? I get that it is her job to support and defend POTUS.  But does she have no shame? She also happens to be like POTUS because she is a bully who disrespects the press/media.  I have to say she is agile on her feet.  Which frequently makes me wish for Sean or the Mooch who tripped over their tongues fairly regularly. She does have lots of pearls.
--And lets shrink the National Parks while we are at it and maybe even do some more drilling in Alaska. Seriously
--Gotcha Mike Flynn.  Been caught lying about conversations with the Russians both before and after the election.  How can those fervent anti Communist Republicans continue to support POTUS is beyond me and likely beyond hope. Putin publicly thinks POTUS has done a great job and only wishes those mean people would stop investigating Russians.  Then POTUS could really succeed.
--If I watch too much MSNBC at night, I sink into despair and often feel quite helpless in the face of each day's astonishing news.  I have found myself, in the face of this, listening to some of the music of the 60's.  I find comfort in it and comfort in my own thoughts about that time period.  It is not being a Luddite to be reminded of that time, the fights that we fought over important changes, the people that were assassinated, and the influence that period has had on this society.  Nothing happened quickly or easily.  But, in my eyes and from a distance of about 50 years, those years mattered.  They mattered then and the memory of them matters now. The Byrds were in the car today as I drove around JP.  My head, however, was back in the 60's and it was good.

No sports but Happy Birthday to LH.

Merry Xmas to some of you and Happy New Year to all. Shalom

I'M SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED

One can only hope that Jared follows the fine role model of his father and ends up in the pokey.  I would love to see him in a perp walk cuffed up.  Can there be more?  Oh, yup, we can have an embarrassment of a POTUS who retweets racist/hateful videos defaming Muslims.  Even the conservative British PM raked him over the coals for that and Parliament members were even more critical.  But, in the end, i ask myself daily, will it matter and who cares.  It feels as if he is teflon and the sexual predatory comments he made prior to his election do not stick to him the way they have stuck to all the other white guys who have recently been outed.  So, you have to be more of an optimist than me to believe anything will change.  Except of course the mid term elections might help.  Moving on.

--Al Franken gets no more or less slack than any of the other men who have groped or raped or fondled or used power to overwhelm women. He may have done some of that prior to being elected but still...
--Another thing I do daily is think of and pray for Ruth to stay alive.
--Please do not wish for Mike Pence to take over or Tom Cotton to replace Tillerson.  They are both maybe mentally healthier but are right wing ideologues who will be welcomed by the Republicans.  The more I read about those two, the more I think (as I may have said before), be careful what we wish for.
--The perfect bully pairing was the tweet battle between POTUS and Levar Ball.  Both are combustible fools who really are PR hacks who glorify in having their names mentioned in public and in fact are not worth our time.  That twitter universe is a big waste of this new world order.
--And, in news that kid of just slips by, POTUS and his boy at interior (?Zinke) are in the process of reducing the size of some significant new National Monuments which of course were approved by Obama.  And don't even ask me about lower level Federal judicial appointees.
--Roy Moore, the pedophile, is in a twitter bout with Jimmy Kimmel which has been kind of funny.  But, beyond his sexual activities, he is an affront to decent people if only because of how he talks about the GLBT community, the Muslim community, and any person who is "different".  Wonder what he thinks of members of my tribe.  I have no faith in the people of Alabama electing his opponent.  I hope I am wrong.
--A side bar:  Did you know that the country of Bosnia Herzegovina has 3 Presidents who do not get along but exist because they represent three distinct groups of the citizenry?  Check it out.
--The Globe outdid itself with a long prominent article about a vet treating a squirrel and becoming attached to it.  Kind of perverse if you ask me.
--Looks like we will be sending some Haitians back to their island since life just suddenly got better there.  Who cares if they are the poorest country in the hemisphere.  We need them to leave so all the unemployed white folks can get jobs the Haitians took.  Seriously?
--I will leave you with this Native American proverb in light of gutless Republicans like McConnell and Ryan:  "When the last tree is cut down, the last fish eaten, and the last stream poisoned, only then will you realize you cannot eat money".
--Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate.

NO SPORTS

Shalom

THEY MOVED!!!

Remember those 3 good ole boys in Louisiana sipping bourbon, smoking, collecting Social Security, insured by Medicare, and complaining about those Eastern elites.  Well, they moved.  Yup, I have been informed that they left Bumfuck, Louisiana.  Where did they go, you might ask (mightn't you?)?  They moved to Where The Hell is That in Alabama.  They moved in order to vote for the Judge.  Let me quote them (more or less accurately) on why they moved:  "We moved just so that sumbitch liberal lawyer did not win and, anyhow, who cares what the Judge did way back when he was young".  Where do the evangelicals go when you really need them.  These are really the sounds of silence.

MORE STUFF:

--Donna Brazile needs to go away, avoid all media requests, and shut up.  We do not need her or anyone else analyzing the 2016 presidential election.  Each one of us knows about it and each one of us every day experiences the results.  We do not need her to remind us.  Nor do we need one more person to be divisive in the advance of the 2018 mid term elections.
--So, POTUS (if I have it right) basically is arguing that Putin said the Russians did not interfere with the 2016 election and, anyhow, how many times can Putin be asked.  This in the face of his Intelligence staff who believe just the opposite.  And, no, he does not need to explain that shit.
--Though he should explain his coziness with Duterte, the Philippines dictator who POTUS even dresses like.
--Proud of this?  Now that Syria signed it and we pulled out, we are the only country on the face of the earth not a signer of the Climate Accord Treaty.  And no, it is not enough to tell me that this is a principled position.  This is another position designed to rip apart anything supported and approved by Obama.
--Oh, this just in,:  the individual mandate which is part of the Affordable Care Act, is eliminated in the newest version of the tax plan.  So, get in line at your nearest ER because that's where uncovered folks will be heading.
--I am sick and tired (to almost accurately quote Chris Rock) of candles and flowers and flags at half masts after yet another killing spree.  And no real talk about gun restrictions.
--After being in Italy, I keep thinking of Mrs. Reynolds, my High School Latin teacher for 3 years.  I was a mediocre Latin student.  She was a frail thing, real tiny, who used to sneak up behind you and smack a ruler into her palm (seemed like it was an inch from your ear) to scare the shit out of you and force you to focus.  But I learned a lot from her and experienced those lessons as I walked through the streets of Venice and was able to loosely translate words.
--Simply stuck on the following:  Travelling through the Balkans I could not figure out if the post-Yugoslavian chaos and war was purely political or (as I suspect) also very religious.  Each time Serbia was mentioned, we were reminded that it is an Eastern Orthodox country.  And Bosnia Herzegovina is a Muslim one.  And Croatia is a Roman Catholic one.  Still not sure how to figure it out. I have figured out that Serbia is not a place I want to visit.
--BTW, bet you did not know that Bosnia /Herzegovina has 3 Presidents.  A long story.

Sports Talk
--I love watching the Celtics.  They are so young and, unlike the Bruin rookies, the Celtic rookies seem to be consistently good.  Still not sure about the Pats and how good they are--but very easily they could go 13 and 3.  Plus I'm thinking that if they can beat the Steelers, and lose just one more, they will have a bye and home field.

Gobble Gobble Happy Turkey Day.

Shalom

I ALSO SPENT OVER $900,000 ON RUGS

And then I went to a men's clothing store and bought  a dozen $5,000 suits.  I deposited all the left over money at my bank--First National Bank of Cyprus.  I am using a Cypriot bank because my good friend Wilmer Ross is on the board and also happens to be the Secretary of Commerce.  This has nothing to do with the White House or POTUS--just a weird series of coincidences.  I have been told to get rid of my rose colored glasses by an excellent center fielder--but each time I take them off, more dirt flies into my face.  So they are back on.

Actually, the amounts of money involved are breathtaking.  But it seems clear that those guys are not even good thieves and could not even figure out a way to cover up the cash trail.  They were working for god awful dictators in countries that are god awful places and clearly had no compunction about the ethics involved in their work.  It boggles the mind. They are simply dangerous assholes.  Moving on.

--I worry that some steam has been lost in the effort to get to POTUS via these investigations.  Certainly, the protests have waned among regular citizens.  Hanging my hat on Mueller seems kind of weak but I am not sure where else to hang it.  Listening to Rachel Maddow has become more difficult as she sounds more and more like my 8th grade civics teacher and her efforts to knit this stuff together starts to sound shakier.
--No, we will not have any new laws to control gun ownership though let's not tell the families of the Las Vegas victims.  Automatic weapons are fine because you could use them for hunting, I guess.  And re-assembling weapons to make them automatic is just an effort on the part of people to sharpen their mechanical skills. The NRA just suffocates Congress and is another reason (Supreme court appointments are the first) why every senate election is crucial.
--Why am I ill at ease with the idea that Corker, Flake, and McCain are heroic. By the way, Arizona is close to being like its neighbor New Mexico--a majority minority state and may have two Senate vacancies.
--So POTUS is slowly dismantling Obamacare by executive order; is possibly getting us out of the Iran nuclear deal; and wants to eliminate the children's health Initiative (CHIP) program.  The ugly vindictiveness of that is embarrassing and more reflective of a third world petty tyrant.
--Then there is Rex Tillerson portrayed in a recent New Yorker article and is so out of touch that it is scary.  Relies more on the military options than on diplomacy even though he heads up the State Department which is supposed to work on diplomacy.
--But at least Sara still has her pearls and is as defensive as she is stupid.
--You must immediately make some reservations and go directly to Ljubljana.  It is the capital of Slovenia and bustles with youth, terrific outdoor markets, and wonderful cafes.  The central core of the city (in Boston think of the Government Center/Haymarket/Fanneuil Market area) is all a pedestrian car free zone.  They add a block each year to expand it.

SPORTS TALK
The Gordon Hayward injury was gruesome.  It has, however, allowed the Celtics to force Tatum into a bigger role and he has responded well.  Still not sure they can beat the Cavs.  The Pats have been winning ugly but winning nonetheless and just traded Jimmy which means they think Brady can play until he is 50.  the Yanks exceeded expectations yet fired Girardi.  The red flops under achieved and fired Farrell.  Go figure.

Shalom and Happy Halloween.

SEE, IT'S AN ISLAND AND THERE IS AN OCEAN, AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT

Honest to god, that lecture in geography from the POTUS, while not a direct quote, is so unimaginably infantile that I have no words for it.  Alec Baldwin and the SNL crew did have a few funny words for it and I must see all of it.  Meanwhile, those bourbon sipping seniors down there in bum fuck Louisiana must love the lesson being taught.  What's the big deal, they might say, we survived Katrina.  Barely.  And, ahem, many people of color did not survive.

Saw the President of the NYC Council on the tube.  She is a Latina originally from Puerto Rico.  She said it out loud:  the racist response of our POTUS to the disaster in Puerto Rico is more than just a bit different than his response to the disasters in Texas and Florida.  He seems to not even know the folks on that island were U.S. citizens. And his battle with the Mayor of San Juan is scary.  In the midst of the disaster, in the midst of losing out on Obamacare repeal, in the midst of a verbal (so far) war with North Korea, and in the midst of being the President, he has time for twitter battles with the Mayor and with NFL players.  To use his language:  "so sad".

Some columnist or other made it clear that Price's firing/resignation was for the wrong reason.  The charters are a sideshow from the fact that he was the losing lead on dismantling health care for poor people.  And I am tired of having to thank John McCain for being heroic.  And what took Susan Collins so long to say she would vote no.  The POTUS and his crew of white appointees seem to have been born without the empathy gene.  Betsy DeVos and Beauregard Sessions want to re-visit Obama regulations on campus sexual assaults because too much emphasis has been place on victims.  Honestly?

Three further random thoughts about POTUS.  His speech at the UN was nothing short of an embarrassment.  Please tell me the man is not my president.  Second, too cute by half his release of a video showing him hitting a golf ball at Hilary. Lastly, don't look now but he is filling the ranks of lower level Federal courts with people who you do not want to know about.

Other points of interest:
--Interior Secretary Zinke is moving ahead to reduce the number of national monuments and wants to open up vast areas of Alaska to drilling.  Hope none of you are caribou.  The new monument in Maine was donated for god's sake and supported both by hunters and environmentalists.  Looking a gift horse straight in the mouth.
--I do not want to hear one more word about Aaron Hernandez.  He was a thug and, yeah, he might have had a diagnosis of CTE--but he was a thug
--What's up with the U.S. embassy in Havana?  All I know is that it seems to be a fine excuse for POTUS to back out of the relationship developed by Obama.
--Non sports sports items:  The FBI did the NCAA's job for them by going after Pitino and other college athletic staffs.  It is totally unsurprising that sex and money are at the heart of recruiting. And what to make of Kraft and other owners (all big supporters of POTUS) who sided with the players in the latest kerfuffle?
--The big silver bird is warming up and will take us East in a week.  See you in November.

SPORTS TALK
My bad thinking Aaron Judge would fade away.  He came on stronger that I expected.  They may get by the Twins but that's it for them.  The Red flops will not make it out of the AL.  Mr. Brady and the boys lucked out last week but should improve today.  Thursday in Tampa Bay should be much tougher.  Good news that hockey is back this week--lace 'em up, boys.

Shalom

"IF YOU ELECT A CLOWN, EXPECT A CIRCUS"

The quote in the title was seen by JF, my Chief Midwestern correspondent, who saw it on a bumper sticker. Perfect.  Oh, and by the way, I have correspondents all over the world in case you are wondering.

Mostly ends and odds in this here edition:

--I was raised in Miami and at some point somewhere around 1950, the roof of our apartment building blew off in a hurricane.  We somehow (I have no clue how) ended up spending the night in the neighborhood bar. I will never forget that the name of the bar was the Knotty Pine.  I am sure my mother was forced to go there--not sure about my father.  Obviously, this comes to mind as I watch the devastation in Florida and throughout the Caribbean.  The islands in the Caribbean (including Cuba) are in some ways in worse shape since they have minimal infrastructure and, even in the best of times, almost everything was imported--like water.  The one thing to add is that the folks on the weather channel were positively jumping out of their chairs as the storm approached almost as if they were getting their jollies off at the spectacle.
--I have no clue what to do about North Korea though having this particular person in the White House (he who does have an impulse problem) makes me very nervous.  I would, however, like the barbers in North Korea to be immediately arrested so we do not have to see those haircuts the men have.  EEK.
--The committee appointed by POTUS and, led by that right wing freak from Kansas, was in NH this week holding "hearings" about the fake news of voter fraud.  Committee is composed of 12 white men.  Just sayin.
--As usual, when I was at trader Joe's, I was clearly the oldest person in the store and, also as usual, I got rammed from behind by another tottering elder.  This time, I uttered no curses so as not to embarrass my partner.
--Why did I never listen to Leonard Cohen?  Just dumb of me, I guess.  But I do listen now and love him.  Got zilch for Bruce on Broadway and really do not want to look on eBay to see disgusting prices for tickets.
--TV recommendations:  Broad City and Better Things.
--Cannot say enough negative things about Sarah Huckabee except to say she needs to get rid of those fucking pearls and I almost wish for Sean to return since we at least could tell he was lying.
--Sara also asked ESPN to fire Jamele Hill for her tweets.  I am wondering if POTUS can be fired for his. Charles Pierce, the former Boston Globe, reporter (now doing freelance) really tore Sara and the White House apart for going after Jamele.  Don't White House staff and POTUS have better things to do than go after individuals especially sports reporters.
--He got rid of DACA and those boys in Louisiana felt much safer whilst drinking their bourbon.  Then he changed his mind after meeting with Charley and Nancy and the boys are now scared again but still drinking.  He is nothing if not changeable.
--Ken Burns is chasing Hilary to see who can be interviewed the most in one week.  The big difference for me is that I can watch the Vietnam doc and not be reminded about POTUS.  You know, the guy whose first pardon was for Sheriff Joe.  Joe, who was convicted of a federal crime--that Joe is now free as a bird.
--Great John Oliver segment in which he spent five minutes discussing WNEP in Scranton and its model train background set.  Hysterical.
--Happy Rosh Hashanah to those of you who celebrate.  Have a healthy and peaceful year.

SPORTS TALK
--Pats sucked last week and I admit to a kernel of worry.  Still feel the jury is out on Aaron Judge in terms of his hitting and yes I do know he hit 2 more yesterday.  Very glad the Bruins ended up paying the big bucks for Pasternak.

Shalom

FARSHTUNKEN UND FARSCHIMMELT

For all you non Yiddish speakers out there, the title roughly translates to:  it smells bad and is rotten.  I no longer have enough English words in my vocabulary to describe the mess in this country being created by POTUS.  He is venomous and hateful.  He cannot even reach out to the victims of Harvey without boasting of himself and the great job he and his team are doing.  He does not have an empathetic bone in his body. And Melania with the spike heels like she is going to a big party!  No words--seriously.  Unless you want to discuss Madam Press Conference herself--that would be Sarah Huckabee Saunders.  Has she yet gotten back to anyone whose questions she does not answer?

Then there is this.  We have to rely on the Generals to tone down his attacks on LGBT folks in the military. We have to depend on another General (Kelly) to keep the crazies under control in the White House.  We have to depend on a former POW (that would be Senator McCain) to confront him about his misunderstanding that Congress does not work for him but for us.

Jewish men and women trapped in their synagogue while the Nazis and white supremacists marched outside. Unsafe to the point that they leave by a rear exit with their Torah.  And then we have to hear a so called balanced message from him about people on "both sides".  There is only one side and someone on that side was murdered.

In the aftermath of Charlottesville, his trade councils imploded with the first gutsiest resignation coming from the Merck CEO.  Then the Arts group blew up in his face and he decided not to attend the Kennedy Center celebration--such a bully who of course cannot take it when folks push him into a corner. A so called feminist daughter who supports the defunding of studies related to pay equity.  She is no friend of women. Anything connected to Obama must go and we must listen to Huckabee tell us Obamacare is failing when that is an outright lie.

Finally, on a brighter note, the Berkshires were wonderful.  I feel very comforted and secure when all my family is literally in one place even if it is for a much too brief period of time.

SPORTS TALK
I like the Kyrie trade despite loving Isaiah.  The loss of Edelman is huge.  The Yanks are in danger of missing out on the wild card as "The Judge" struggles mightily.

Shalom

"HI-DEE-HI-DEE-HI-DEE-HI"

For those who can remember, I thank Cab Calloway for this title.  I also thank Moocher from the movie "Breaking Away".  They were and will continue to be much better moochers than Scaramucci the Mooch. He who is in some sort of bizarro relationship with POTUS--witness the "I love him" comments right off the bat.  Yet he is still not officially hired.  This Mooch must be very special since his wife filed for divorce while pregnant. Don't you wish the toy boy Sean was back especially now that we have to see Huckabee Sanders regularly. Sean at least lied; she talks a lot whilst not answering the question.

Are we to thank John McCain for his vote?  I begrudgingly will because it was such an important vote.  But, no offense, it would not have mattered if not for the consistent bravery of Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski.  Both of them stayed true to values reflective of the citizens of their state.  It is worth noting that both states are humongous geographically but sparse in terms of population.  I believe the moose are deeply appreciative. And now we have that POTUS guy threatening to take away the subsidies.  The venom behind that coupled with the lies that Obamacare is failing--they boggle the mind.  Especially, when none of us knew how complicated health care was.

(A semi-sports side bar:  Do you know that Drone racing is a competitive sport with a circuit and a television contract?  Ditto for building sandcastles--competition, circuit, and television.  Such a screwed up world.)

The economy in this state is apparently going way way up.  We may not know for how long but we know this.  Every vacant lot is being built on and every crane and crane operator must be working.  Anyone beside me see all the construction impeding traffic and pedestrians? Right now Comm Ave. (a rather big and important road with the subway in the middle) is closed at BU so it can be replaced.  We need to move to the South (or not) so this can be a 12 month a year deal.

So let's play pretend like we often do.  Let's pretend I am transgendered and am either in the military or want to be in the military. And I want to fight for out country and kill our enemies.  Sorry to learn that nope I cannot do that any more.  Not that the Generals were involved--in fact, they refused to comply with the tweet until it was an "official" order.  POTUS calls the cabinet room his "board room".  And he believes seemingly that tweets are orders to be carried out.  I am betting that those good ole bourbon sippers down in bum fuck Louisiana (part of his baseless base) loved that tweet and probably marvelled at his boy scout diatribe.

The head of science at the agriculture department is supposed to be a nationally know scientist according to regulation.  But in our new world POTUS' appointment is not a scientist but an anti regulation businessman (goes without saying he is white).

And now for something positive.  In the last month, went to the beach in Revere and to a picnic overlooking the harbor in East Boston.  Who knew?

Finally (whew):  An important article in the  Globe informed us that UConn recently hired two new vets to take care of their husky mascots.  John Henry (owner of the Globe and the Red Flops) must be proud. And, numero duo, the agency i retired from sold a property here in JP for $10 million after I left.  It resold last week for $103 million--less than 10 years later--speaking about the economy.

SPORTS TALK
Very little except the Red Flops are in need of a very good group therapist and Aaron Judge is fading.

See ya in September.  Shalom.

I HAVE TWO HIGH QUALITY DAUGHTERS

And, I might add, they are very transparent.  Okay, anyone who is out there, voted for him, and has children, I have a question. Have you ever described your child as "high quality"?  A toaster oven might be high quality.  A mechanic might be high quality.Even your cat might be a high quality pet.  But a child is a person you love, you care about, you support, you respect, you might even indulge--you do not describe them as high quality.  You just don't.

I have heard and read enough about Donny Jr., Jared, and their Russian friends. Stupidity knows no bounds. But I truly am not sure where it is all going though I am pretty sure it will not go very fast.  And I am also pretty sure POTUS will remain walled off from the worst of it.  Plus those 3 bourbon sippers in bum fuck Louisiana (and the rest of the base) have just about said "who cares about the Russians"--just get rid of health care for poor people.  Quite a turn of the page for those anti Communist Republicans.

MORE ODD ENDS
--When the states of Massachusetts and Mississippi are on the same side of an issue, it must be really a screwed up issue.  Witness the Voter Fraud Commission POTUS created requesting all sorts of info about citizens from the states.  Both states said no way.  Makes you think.
--From my Eastern Liberal Correspondent:  A must read article in a paper call "The Common" informing us about the worsening of income disparity in this country.  Which, of course, will continue to worsen with some of POTUS' plans.
--Speaking of the East, isn't it time for Chris Christie to take his beach chairs and go home.  Oops--he was home and that is why it was ok to go to the beach when all the public beaches were closed while he tried to balance his budget.  Normal citizens baked in 90 plus heat.
--And then we have all those fearful Republicans (including john McCain who faced much worse while in prison) who continue to support a health care bill which can only harm the poor and the disabled.  For very different reasons Senators Paul and Collins at least have the cojones to say no.  Mitch and the other white boys need to be kicked to the curb. It is a colossal failure of moral leadership.
--Well it seems the Japanese and the EU have decided that isolationism is not for them.  They just signed a massive trade deal which leaves us on the sidelines and might hurt our industries even as POTUS says "America first".
--The Ultra Orthodox Jews in Israel continue to intimidate and affect decisions Netanyahu makes.  He had agreed to open up a portion of the Western Wall to women.  Under pressure, he reversed the decision.  The Orthodox do manage to vote in very big numbers.
--On the cover of the BU Alumni magazine, the following question:  "Should Chimps Have Human Rights?"  Really?  Nothing more pressing on the agenda?
--Why do millennials insist on waiting for the pedestrian light to beckon them even when there are no cars coming--and I am not talking about the ones with a stroller or two.  All by their lonesome, they are immobilized.  Yikes.
--My Southwestern correspondent told me to watch "The Keepers" on Netflix but warned me about its intensity.  I recommend it highly but oh boy is it ever intense.
--Finally, another fear for those of us who live near the ocean.  Be careful, there are man of wars in the water. Seriously, a lengthy article in the Globe warned us about this. Where else would they be?  In my bath tub?

SPORTS TALK
July 4th has come and gone. Here are my thoughts on the Yankees.  They have been decimated by injuries (Pineda the latest) and will likely not make the playoffs.  I would not feel too good about the Red Flops but if Price can pitch better, they at least have three strong starters one of whom is immense (Sales).  I love all the business the Celtics just completed.  I was not a big fan of Bradley and would have felt much worse if they traded Smart.  Two weeks until Mr. Brady and the boys return.

Shalom

TWEETY AND SYLVESTER

I hope some of you remember this cartoon from the olden days.  I am thinking it either was on after school or on Saturday mornings.  Whatever, Tweety was a tiny yellow bird (presumably a female canary but who knew). Sylvester was a black and white male cat with a red nose (presumably a big drinker but who knew). Sylvester was always on the prowl trying to capture and eat Tweety.  Tweety, who was wily, was also on the prowl mainly to keep away from getting caught. And here is my point (and you thought I was wandering, huh?):  If we all close our eyes together and imagine Tweety in the color orange, we can pretend Tweety represents POTUS.  Sylvester on the prowl is the elite Eastern media ready to pounce but never quite catching their prey.  Now open those eyes and think about Morning Joe--which I swear I have never watched--and the tweets about them from POTUS.  Come on you folks out there who voted for him--do you like him tweeting?  He is the fucking President of the USA and he is engaged in a media struggle on a personal level?  And the Huckabee woman (who seems to have kicked the toy boy out of the room) and Kelly Anne go on tv and with straight faces defend him.  On the other hand, my three bourbon sipping boys down there in bum fuck Louisiana love it.

Moving on:
--This is not nostalgia talking but a stark contemporary contrast.  Went to see the Boston Pops the other night on what is called Gospel Night.  With a background of an Aaron Copeland composition and a gigantic Gospel choir, an African American  minister spoke the words of JFK.  When you hear those words and compare them to the words of POTUS, you know what we are missing.  More than sad.
--I am not the first one to say this but POTUS is determined to undo anything associated with Obama and not just Health Care.  The most frustrating thing for me (despite perhaps understanding it) is that the former President continues to act presidential when I wish for his anger and his disgust.
--So many of the states which supported POTUS also expanded Medicaid and saw the rates of uninsured drop dramatically.  Apparently, the governors of those states must chat up the Senators from those states and helped convince some of them to defeat the Senate version of Obamacare repeal.  This is not over and folks like Ted Cruz want versions of the bill that are even more draconian to be proposed.  Rand Paul needs to have a chat with the governor of his state (that being Kentucky) whose rate of uninsured was way down.
--I want Jon Osoff to publicly apologize for his pathetic campaign down there in Georgia.  He avoided making it about Trump and decided the issues were about the bureaucracy not the war against the poor. And, omg, his whiny emails.  Yuk.
--Kudos, however, to the guy who climbed El Capitan in Yosemite without any nets, ropes, pitons, helmets-basically just him and his muscles.
--On a very somber note, we buried Aaron last week in Maine next to Norma.  Both terrific people who suffered and struggled in the end.  If I don't grab every minute with gusto and energy, I am just plain stupid.  R.I.P.
--On that note, no sports talk.

Happy new fiscal year.
Shalom

I'VE FALLEN AND I CAN'T GET UP

I have been thinking a lot about those words in the title.  They come from an ad for that lifeline thing.  I used to think they were hysterically funny.  But lately, they have not seemed so hilarious.  For many coincidental reasons, I have been home alone whilst my child bride has been out of town.  I realized at various times that if I did in fact fall, I might be unable to get up and could, therefore, be in some peril.  I don't want to get overly dramatic or overly maudlin.  But it is amazing what happens when you reach a certain age.  So, in spite of being in fighting shape, I do worry.  Moving on.

--As the Republicans secretly dismantle Obamacare, a great quote from somewhere:  "poor people will not stop getting sick".  The point is that without Obamacare, people without heath insurance will head straight for the ER.  They will have to get treated (as they should).  If anyone believes that such treatment is free, they have been spending too much time in the sun.  It costs money to see a doctor or a nurse or to get an x-ray. some way or another we (meaning taxpayers or folks with insurance) will pay.  It simply is not free.

--And speaking of sun, down there in the land of fun and sun (that would be Miami, my home town), POTUS did a fine pandering routine with the Cuban Americans who continue to have fantasies of upending the political structure of Cuba.  It does not matter that their grandchildren and great grandchildren have no such illusions.

--"We thank you for the opportunity and the blessing to serve your agenda".  A direct quote from Reince Priebus at that cabinet meeting led by POTUS.  Without getting way too graphic, my fantasy is that they were all on their knees stroking him.

--Jefferson Beauregard Sessions has a very bad memory or so it seems.  As mentioned before, he is named after two Confederate leaders and is a fine representation of that era.  Too bad it is over 150 years since then.

--I am betting that those 3 old boys sipping bourbon and chewing tobacco down South figure Comey is a liar.  I still don't believe this leads to impeachment and almost wish he would try and fire Mueller.

--Betsy Devos, another cabinet member, is doing her part to undo anything connected to Obama or anything to do with the 21st century.  Her thoughtful comments are to wonder whether LGBT discrimination is a settled issue.  She thinks not.

--Jon Osoff may or may not win that vacant Georgia congressional seat--I hope he does.  However, he has already won the contest for the whiniest pathetic emails looking for money.

--And, furthermore, I think Hilary needs to go away for awhile because she is sounding a bit whiny also.  Bad optics as they say.

--Wonderful to have a friend for 65 years.  Can you imagine?

--I hope Barron is settling into his new bedroom with his blanky and brought along his retinue of suits and ties.  Let alone a full staff of psychiatric aides.

--Thinking of A. Bloom.

SPORTS TALK

--The Yankees are struggling out west but they are not that bad either.  Alternatively, at home they were never that good.  We shall see.  What a pleasure to watch the recent Super Bowl replay knowing who won. I could actually watch with my eyes open.  The best thing for Rick Pitino would be jail--he is a sleazy coach on the same slick ride as Calipari.  Good luck to the Celtics on draft night.

Shalom

"WHO LET THE DOGS OUT"

I urge myself every day to ignore POTUS and I try very hard to live up to my own expectations--and then nearly every day, I fail.  So here I am failing in front of all of you.  We have an environment poisoned by this man and I am not even talking about bailing on the climate change accord.  The message from POTUS has given the neo-Nazi in Portland permission to harass Muslim women and then murder two men who came to their aid.  And then, on his way into court, yell out that it was a patriotic act.  We have the spectre of the world's best basketball player talking articulately not about his game but about the racist graffiti painted on his house.   Go ahead and tell me these things would have happened with or without POTUS--maybe/maybe not.  But in any case, he is setting a dangerous tone both in a narrow way and then in a larger way--like pushing aside the President of Montenegro and dissing the Germans and NATO publicly. Forget the tweets, watch him represent you and me--he is an embarrassment.

Moving on (as if):
--This is gutter level bullying.  Apparently the boy toy (Sean Spicer) is a devout Catholic and yet POTUS decided he could not attend the audience with the Pope.  Jared and Ivanka did attend despite being of a different persuasion.  By the way, their picture with the Pope reminded me of that ad with the two farmers holding pitchforks and looking absolutely glum.
--The Confederate statues have been removed from public view in New Orleans but not without some push back from some folks who act as if a war is still going on.  Maybe they are right.
--And he did announce a short while ago that we will pull out of the Paris accords--because India gets to have coal mines and we should too.  The people in India also burn their loved ones on pyres in the Ganges--can we look forward to that?  And the warm up to the POTUS speech by Pence was very sad (!).  He sounded like the head cheer leader at a HS game--but my guess is that would be too female for the Veep.  Likely, "Mother Pence" would be the cheerleader.
--Sorry B and E, he is likely to roll back all the normalization progress with Cuba including travel.  Hope you get grandfathered in.  All because those fucking Cuba Americans in my home state still believe they will go back some day.  Unfortunately, they are my age and will never see that day plus their children and grandchildren DO NOT CARE and probably voted for Hilary.
--Isn't it the fantasy of every boy to fall in love with and run away with their teacher?  That's all I could think of when I learned that Macron actually married his.  Whoa!
--The cuts to Medicaid are vindictive and represent some more of the Republicans disdain for the poor and those disabled.  Then again, these are the same gutless wonders who utter not a word in protest about POTUS and his actions.  They are aiding and abetting and I am not sure if they are any better than him.
--From Forest Gump:  Stupid is as stupid does.
--Happy beginning of summer.  The sun just reappeared today after a lengthy absence.

SHALOM

NO SPORTS TALK

I'M OVER HERE IN THE HEDGE

Well, not really but then most of what the toy boy and his boss say and do falls into the "not really" category.
There is so much to say but much of it seems redundant except for the comedians who help me make it through the night.  Two hilarious skits on SNL this past Saturday--one with Alec Baldwin by himself and then another with him and Melissa McCarthy.  There are also the two recent Sunday Doonesbury comic strip which are hysterical.    Now, this is not to deny or ignore the so called real world.  But it is to say that humor is very helpful as we face this lunacy.  Moving on.

--It is even more offensive (almost) when one has to see and hear Mitch McConnell reflexively say no special commission--he has got marbles in his mouth or a big chaw.  But he represents what is worse about the Republicans.  They simply cannot or will not stand up to POTUS.  There are a couple of exceptions and Susan Collins is one of them.  But don't go and tell me how wonderful McCain has been or Graham.  I don't buy it.  Not enough.
--That bus ride and photo op celebrating pretty much the repeal of Obamacare was revolting.  All the white boys,and a few white girls, celebrating yet another take away from poor people.  What a spectacle.  One can only hope about the Senate.  Speaking of which, does it bother anyone that Rhode Island has two Senators as does New York?
--The vote in France was welcome news in the face of Brexit and POTUS.  But things are not resolved in France and they have major problems facing up to their own immigrant situation.  Better this than LePen.
--Yates and Clapper were terrific but what difference will it make.  Washington Republicans are moving at the speed of molasses and may never get to really investigating anything. Unless we find his hand in the till, impeachment is a fantasy.
--POTUS fires Comey, admits it was his decision, and denies it has anything to do with Russia.  Just boggles the mind.  He both uses and abuses the press and those 3 good ole boys down there sipping bourbon just love it. They do not listen to or care a fig about Jeffrey Toobin who excoriated POTUS for the firing. I love Toobin but he is preaching to the choir--he should go down to the bayou and talk to the boys.
--Culture alert:  Heard Fred Wiseman in conversation a couple of weeks ago. I can only hope that in my 80's I am as lucid and bright as he is.  Also saw a terrific documentary called "Body and Soul".  About the relationship between Jewish composers/lyricists and Black musicians in the twenties and thirties.  Ever read Alexander McCall Smith?  He writes a number of different series but one I recently read is called "44
Scotland Street".  Very funny.
--Two items of local news.  Apparently last summer, our Mayor decided to close off to vehicles a major downtown shopping area called Newbury Street.  Double apparently, he was criticized for wearing cargo shirts--really.  So sad.  Then the local big time importante Parochial High School may need to go coed to ensure higher enrollment.  But yikes, many complaints from folks very afraid of the boys getting a bit distracted by young women.  Oh my,
--Due to lack of interest the contest is null and void.

SPORTS TALK
A few, not so minor, social distractions at Fenway in the last ten days.  Seems a few of our drunken attendees decided to use the "N" word in verbal attacks on an Oriole player  Happened more than once and with witnesses who in one case really got the attacker evicted.  But still. The Celtics may regret blowing a 5 point lead with 90 seconds to go the other night.  I love Mr. Thomas but he was the villain in that game no matter how many points he scored.  Who will close for the Yanks with Chapman on the DL?  we await word from on high.

Shalom

A VERY COMPETITIVE CONTEST

Not.  Slackers all of you and yes, you have disappointed me--so sad.  If I indulged in fake news, I could say that the meager response to my effort to increase readership was stupendous.  But I refuse to indulge in the same fantasies that POTUS subscribes to (subscribes, get it?).  You have two more weeks so get onto it--and I am calling you out AG.  Bam.

Moving on. A thought or two about the first lady and her husband.  And I am talking about, don't you know, Ivanka and Jared.  He apparently is in charge of half the government if not more.  She is likely in charge of the other half but that's the half that is not important.  Once Jared resolves the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, he is to move on and make the government more efficient.  Ivanka, in her half of the draw, will solve all issues related to day care and then move onto other issues of interest to women--unless they involve Planned Parenthood.  Good for the Berlin crowd who hissed and booed her as she attempted to defend poppa. John Oliver eviscerated them on 4/23.  His bottom line is that neither of them ever earned anything having been given huge responsibilities by daddies.  One of whom is a convicted felon and one of whom is a bully.  You guess.

ENDS AND ODDS
--Sebastian Gorka is leaving the White House but they will likely lie and not say it is because he is virtually a Nazi.  It will be an amicable parting.  He will land in some soft spot in the alt right and keep spewing.
--I do not care one whit about the death of Aaron Hernandez.  He is no loss unless it is to his daughter who will now not have a father figure.  But him being some sort of role model for his daughter is really stretching it.  He was a violent man who shot a bunch of people.  And his lawyers are keeping the fires stoked for god knows what reason.  Publicity is my guess.
--This French election could be a nightmare.  Le Pen is right up there with POTUS in her immigrant bashing and nationalistic rants.
--Please tell me where many of the homeless folks on the corners learned to "god bless me".  I am thinking they believe it will induce me to give them some spare change tho I am already induced and often feel like telling them to shove that god shit.
--I do think little Baron will be in long term psychotherapy.  He is a child who dresses like an adult (I mean have you ever seen him in blue jeans or sneakers?) but by age is a child.  What can he be like in school?
--What to make of "Mother Pence"?  Is that out of Little House on the Prairie or what.  It is too late for her to benefit from therapy.  But be careful of wishing for an impeachment--having Mother and Father in the White House will not be any less ugly.
--Two important congressional races in Montana and Georgia.  The guy in Georgia won the primary mainly because there were about a dozen Republican candidates.  Now there is only one.  The good news is that if he keeps all the folks who voted for him and picks up about 5% of new voters, he can win.  Give whatever you can.
--Breaking news:  POTUS and the boys are after Obamacare again.  POTUS dies not understand why the Civil War kind of could not be negotiated..  Those three good ole boys in Lousiana must love this slavery denial.  Why maybe the Mayor of New Orleans will put those statues back. But his recently passed budget includes no money for the wall but does include money for Planned Parenthood.

SPORTS TALK
--I am not giving them the pennant but I love the youth and exuberance of the Yankees.  And yup the Red Flops miss Big Papi.  Serious baseball talk will not occur until after 7/4.The talking heads of sports radio are at loose ends since they predicted a Celtic loss after two home defeats to the Bulls--and now of course the Wizards will take them out.  Maybe/maybe not.  No one gets by Lebron anyhow.  I go to the BB Hall of fame next week with my Western Mass relative--first visit and am very excited. See ya JC.

Ta Ta

NEWS OF A STARTLING ANNOUNCEMENT

I'm back and have an incredibly exciting offer.  Given the scary and chaotic time we live in, the importance of this screed obviously needs to be read by more widely.And with all humility (or a little), I am offering a reward to the person or persons who sends me the names of the most people I can add as recipients of this blog. The deadline is May 15th and the winner will receive two courtside tickets to the NBA finals between the Celtics and the Warriors---NOT.  The winner will receive something I have yet to identify. Need 75 names to reach an even number. Get busy and use this as a diversion from the red haired leader of the free world and Sean, his boy toy.

Speaking of which:

--The boy toy insists that concentration camps were really "centers" and that Hitler did not use gas on his own people.  I guess he forgot that German Jews were after all his own people.  But you know what--firing will not matter.  someone worse will  just show up.  The Leader has an unending supply.
--Now we return to our favorite trio and play let's imagine.  Let's go visit those good ol boys in Louisiana.  They are still sitting in their rockers sipping that fine bourbon, smoking cigarettes, and lamenting all those people up North causing so much trouble for the Leader.  They agree that they do not use Amtrak; they never listen to public radio; they do not even know where there is a museum (perhaps in that center of pagan behavior New Orleans); white people are dying to work at Arby's for $11/hour; and since they go to the church for lunch, who needs Meals on Wheels.  Good thing to since they are all slated to be cut in the upcoming budget.  And if they need medical care (like say for cirrhosis or lung cancer) they will head to the ER which, as we all know, is free.
--Instead of this blog, don't you wish Jon Stewart was around.  Although I have to say both John Oliver and Samantha Bee are doing excellent jobs.  Not so much for Lawrence O'Donnell on MSNBC--he spends an hour gloating way too much about our Leader.
--Hah, let;'s send Bill O'Reilly off to whatever place Roger Ailes went.  That would the gutter where he got kicked.  And our Leader loves them both and has expressed distrust for what they allegedly did.  But of course we have heard his thoughts about predatory behavior.
--Our new HHS Secretary wants to make vaccines optional--keep the kids home, folks,lest they catch some screwy disease which had been eradicated but now is back because someone decided their kid did not need a booster shot or something.  And our new EPA Director wants out of the Paris accords because, well, the science is not proven,  And salt water is not coming up into the lawns of people living in South Florida.
--Imagine this Part 2:  You are basking the warmth of a fine day by the pool.  The guy on your left is older than you with an equally untight bod.  However, he is wearing the equivalent of a jock strap--except it is black and way tighter so you can see his "business"  Seriously.  Then wouldn't you now it he decides to change out of it by using a towel around his waist but does not have three hands.  But he does a great job and you figure he will put on some really cool shorts--but apparently the guy has an ending supply of these jock straps and proceeds to put another pair on equally revealing.  EEK!!
--Did Congressman Nunes fuck up or what?
--How long will it take for Comey to investigate the Russian link to our Leader and his team?
--The conscious ratcheting up of tension by our Leader and his team is making me very nervous.  Mistakes happen.

SPORTS TALK
The Cavs are a better team  only because of Lebron but that is a big only and the Celtics still need to get through two other series.  I am not counting my chickens.  ditto for the Bruins who, while playing better, are beset by injuries and have to rely on kids who just finished their BU careers.  So I am watching the Yankees last night and Arnoldis comes in as the closer.  Any normal human would throw his bat down and head to the dugout instead of facing 100 mph fast balls.  and he is not necessarily so accurate.  How the batters hang in, especially lefties, is beyond me.  Got totally wiped out in the NCAA pool.  silly me.

 Happy holidays to all.  Don't forget the contest.
Shalom

THIS IS A FACT: I AM 17 NOT 71

I made this discovery during a dream when an angel hovered over my head.  She had a sparkly tiara and kind of looked like tinkerbell.  During her visit, she told me that your real FACTUAL age is the reverse of what you think your age is--got that?  So if you think you are 29, you are really 92 and living in a nursing facility.  Out there in the alternative universe, this is called a fact. A fact, in other words, is anything I say it is.

OTHER ENDS AND ODDS
--The Republican health care replacement bill is kind of like those alternative facts.  We are being told it is better and even though, the Prez loved the CBO during his run for the presidency, now they are stupid and wrong. I am about to say something very unpleasant but here it comes:  rural low income people who voted for him will be disproportionately hurt by this bill.  Let's see how they react to that bit of news. Wonder what those 3 bourbon sipping boys in Louisiana think of that.
--So, one of the wise guys in the House would like those affected by the new health care bill to pick either their cell phone or their health insurance.  What a nice choice suggested by someone who never had to choose between anything in his/her own life except whether to stay in a Marriott or a Hilton.
--The Homeland security guys and gals have an even uglier choice.  If you are caught at the border, go back with your family intact or we will separate your children from the parents.  Because, of course, we have world class (the best) foster care system.  Not likely speaking from experience.
--The Washington Post now has a regular column called "4 star lies".
--He is after the immigrants again and the states are already lined up to fight him.  I'm thinking this will go to the Supreme Court.  And remember this about that group:  A 4-4 tie is very likely which would affirm lower court rulings whatever they may be.
--And, yup, Obama wiretapped the guy while he was in his condo.  Well not exactly since apparently wiretap is a "generic" word covering many sins and was used metaphorically.  He and Sean do not know what a metaphor is and this whole kerfuffle is a planned distraction from the Russian stuff his staff were involved in and all those executive orders which basically dismantle many government oversight functions.  Ugh.
--One of which is this:  Since the steel is already on site, the Keystone pipeline does not need to use American made steel. Even though the Prez promised us it would.  Whoops another make believe moment.
--Then we have the proposed budget cuts.  Since climate change is a fantasy, major cuts are coming to the EPA.  And, despite the generals telling him diplomacy is a positive thing, the State Department will also have major cuts.  Just trying to be fair by making sure every one hates him both internationally and domestically.
--As the number of assaults against the Jewish community rise, I have become OFFICIALLY SCARED.
--To paraphrase John Oliver--and then there is this.  LH hit a home run, got a hat trick, and also made a triple double.  So so proud.  A kvelling moment.
--Be back in a month with a tan.

SPORTSTALK
--None/seems less than irrelevant at the moment.

Shalom

SURPRISE--IT IS VERY COMPLICATED!!

Our leader has discovered that the issue of health insurance is kind of complicated and he was very shocked to learn that.  Now, understand, we elected a person who has no clue except he hates it and will find something he defines as "better".  The more than 20 million people covered by the Affordable Care Act are waiting.  Meanwhile, even Conservative Republicans are jumping ship after experiencing some very tough Town Hall questions.

This is what happens when millions of people without insurance need medical care:  They will go to ER's and we (you and I) pay for it anyway since hospitals pass on that expense in the rates they charge insurance companies.  In turn, guess who the insurance companies pass the cost onto?  Me and you.  Health care is complicated but he should have know that but did not.  Worse than pathetic.

ODDS AND ENDS
--He may or may not be anti Semitic (my vote is yup he is--remember the story about the religion he wanted his accountants to be?) but he sets a tone which allows supporters to phone in bomb threats to JCC 's and desecrate Jewish cemeteries.  And he does not issue any kind of forceful response.  Same goes for the Kansan who murdered two engineers from India whilst telling them to go back to their country.  No moral outrage.  The cultural message there is worse than the political one.
--Did you see his press conference on 2/16?  Ok, even if you are a supporter, weren't you reaching for your meds?  Or at least an aspirin?  He did not answer one question and treated those media folks with such disdain.  Know what I think?  That is like red meat to his people--they hate the media too.  He only confirms what they already believe.  Remember those three old codgers I mentioned in an earlier blog? They love it.
--But Kelly Anne did get kicked to the curb a bit and got put on a hiatus from TV.
--And I like Molly McCarthy more than Sean Spicer who is busy checking every ones phone to see if they are the leakers.  Great job if you can get it.
--Cuts to Medicaid reflect that generalized hatred of the poor while the dilution of transgender rights is just another way of saying, we do not like "the other".  Remember the Kansan--he just took it to an extreme.
--His nominee for Israeli ambassador does not believe in the two state solution and spends much rhetoric on blasting progressive Jewish group who support that effort.
--I believe talk of impeachment is just fantasy island--unless things change in the elections of 2018.
--Ugly:  Jerry Sandusky was the Penn State coach sent to jail for sexually abusing children.  His son just got arrested for doing the same thing.
--Ugly Part 2:  There have been 52 allegations of rape perpetrated by athletes at Baylor in the last 3 years.  And that fine Baptist college covered them all up.
--Hooray for LH and her upcoming big event.

SPORTS TALK
Last nights Celtic's game was a very negative revelation of their weaknesses.  When they cannot shoot well, they are in trouble since they also do not rebound well.  And I have begun to think Horford is a very soft player.

Shalom

THE BOWLING GREEN MASSACRE AND OTHER ADVENTURES IN THE ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE

No that never happened and I wake up every day to other things that never happened but the man whose name will not be mentioned believes they did happen--along with his acolytes:  Bannon, Miller,and Conway. These 3 are especially dangerous because they did not need congressional approval and they are a direct link to that alternative right universe.  Like Massachusetts voters were bused into NH to vote and that's why he lost.  Like he lost the popular vote because of fraud. Miller, this past weekend, flat out stated that some of the Prez's decisions are not reviewable judicially.  The mouth called Sean told State Department employees (especially those protected by Civil Service and therefore not appointed) that if they disagreed with the decisions of the Prez, they should resign.  There are now groups of federal employees from multiple agencies meeting off hours to discuss strategies of resistance.  And, oh by the way, they all got kicked in the privates by those Left coast judges.  I mean "so called judges".  This is scary stuff. Scarier still:  his support has not wavered about his hard core backers.  They buy all of this shit and in their paranoia believe it confirms all too well everything they hate about us.

So we have a Secretary of Education who does not believe in public education.  An EPA Administrator who does not believe in climate change.  A HHS Secretary who wants to destroy Obamacare.  An Attorney General named after Confederate generals who wants to dilute voting rights.  Flynn was forced to resign because of trust not because he got caught being cozy with Vlad and the boys over there in Moscow.  Mitch and Paul have no guts and continue to acquiesce.  So, we end up thinking Lindsey Graham and John McCain are "good" senators.  At least our neighboring Senator from Maine voted against Devos along with her Alaskan colleague.

I do, however, want you to know that I have prayed for Ahh-nold to succeed on the Apprentice--just like the Prez asked me to do.

Money is pouring into the coffers of our states Republican state committee to build up big bucks to defeat Elizabeth.  Problem is they seemingly cannot find anyone to run against her except that fool Curt Schilling. BTW, why did she get censured only to have Mitch let her male colleagues read the same thing?

The Post and the Times are really going strong and their readership has actually ticked up.  But, much like the rest of us, I wonder how this can be sustained.

Enough.

Reading two new (for me) mystery writers from Northern Europe--Sara Blaedel who writes about Copenhagen and Asa Larsson who writes about Stockholm.

SPORTS TALK
I admit I did not see all of the Pats victory.  Missed most the second quarter and half of the third but then was all in.  I am clearly a fair weather fan--when the seas got rough, I went for a walk but obviously, like them, did not sink.  We are so lucky to be the city of victory parades.  Hate, hate, hate Bob, Bill, and Brady (hows that for alliteration?) for their personal side; but oh my they have created quite a franchise.  Goodell and some NFL owners whine anonymously about not liking Kraft's remarks as he hosted the trophy and they did not like the clown T-shirt worn by Matt Patricia.  You know what--tough shit.  Win 5 super bowls and we can talk.

Shalom

THE FIRST "P.S." IN THE BLOG'S HISTORY

P.S.  Too pre-occupied with his immigration nastiness.  But the marches:  here, there, everywhere.  More than at his inauguration--so take that.  BAM.

I HAVE BECOME INARTICULATE

The words do not exist or, more likely, they are not in my vocabulary.  We are barely 10 days in.  By my not so great math skills, we now have 1450 more days with the man who shall not be named (the math: 1460-10).  How can I sustain my rage, my sadness, and my embarrassment?  I know this:  I have few if any readers whose relatives either came over on the Mayflower or are Native Americans.  That means all of us are descended from immigrant families.  I sure am--Russian and German.  Remember where you came from way back when.

On Holocaust Remembrance Day, he issued his nasty immigration executive order. Very clear message for me.  Made me think of the St. Louis being turned away sending its passengers back to a likely death in Europe.  Made me think of Ellis Island and remind myself that I am a first generation American.  Made me think that my father's family was not welcomed here and ended up in Brazil.

Where to go/What to say:
--Do not normalize one fucking thing he does.
--I do not accept alternative facts--as Chuck Todd of NBC said, such "facts" are really just lies in fancy words. Kelly Anne and Steve Bannon are very dangerous and need to be watched. Closely--neither was elected to anything but seem to be in charge of the flaming orange head.
--Read anything written by Charles Blow in the NY Times.  He is another of us Eastern liberals but has a way bigger vocabulary than me. There are other very articulate voices out there--find them.
--Root for Lindsey Graham and/or John McCain to open up their mouths and not just shuffle along behind the emperor.  Ditto for Susan Collins.
--Give money and your time to anything and everything but be sure to conserve your energy--1450 days is a long haul.
--The EPA nominee does not believe in climate change and the HHS nominee wants to gut Obamacare.  Perfect.
--No sports talk this week in spite of the Super Bowl.  However, bless my heart, I do have three disconnected final thoughts.
     1.  Good on those folks who went to JFK airport over the weekend and the lawyers in NYC
          and Boston who went right to court and got temporary stays.
     2.  The Michigan football coach makes about 7 million a year--his two chief assistants just got raises to 1
          million a year.
     3.  In my ongoing effort to ultimately weigh 400 pounds and eat my way out of this bleak landscape , I               have downloaded the Domino's app and the McDonald's app.  Yum.

I am with you all in spirit--Shalom.

THE INCIDENT AT THE FERNANDES BODEGA AND OTHER ITEMS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE

So over the holidays, I ordered an item from LL Bean (before that relative of LL was outed for being a big supporter of the guy whose name will not be mentioned).  Now to be fair (and I am nothing if not fair and open minded), most packages get delivered on time and to the correct unit.  But sometimes there are problems--like finding packages placed on another unit's doorstep or being told the neighboring Inn has a package of ours.  So I go online, track the delivery, and discover it has been delivered--which of course it has not.  I call LL and am told it is at the Fernandes bodega--which of course they believe is in my neighborhood.  Which of course it is not.  LL tells me they will not re-deliver it and I must go to Fernandes and get it.  So I head on out and, sure enough, Fernandes is apparently the drop off point for all if not most of JP for undeliverable packages.  I am into a full on boycott now especially since it was the wrong item anyhow.  Whew--that took longer than getting to Fernandes'.

OTHER ITEMS OF NOTE:
--Jefferson Beauregard Sessions as in the name of the nominee for Attorney General.  Jefferson as in the President of the Confederacy and Beauregard as in one of the Confederate Generals. He will be approved but he will not be safeguarding too many rights or too many people.  And no, he does not get a "see how he does pass".
--The Times front page last week had a picture (and accompanying story) of 3 good ole boys from Covington, Louisiana talking about the election and probably sipping bourbon and spitting tobacco (and yup them's my stereotypes.).  Anyhow, they love the man whose name will not be mentioned and really do not like the Eastern liberals, the Eastern media, and us Eastern whiners.  They probably get both Medicare and Social Security but do not like the Federal government.
--Streep laid him out without mentioning his name and then he tweeted that she was a terrible actress anyhow.
--I could not watch his press conference too long but I have a confession.  There was a moment when I really liked his anger at the media.  I mean they rolled over (with very few exceptions) during the election run up and even that did not win them his respect.  Saw a great line that once he dissed the CNN reporter, the next question should have been:  "Could you please answer the question from the CNN reporter?".  But nope--they just went ahead and asked their own VERY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS so he could then respond with a non answer.
--House Republicans are worse than the man whose name will not be mentioned.  I believe they genuinely hate poor people and especially poor people of color.  Their haste to repeal Obamacare, their desire to support the wall, and their hope to de-fund Planned Parenthood will all impact the poor disproportionately.
--Saw "Fences" and thought the acting was just superb.  In my not so fertile imagination, all I could think of was the symbolism of the fence in the back yard in the film at a time when we are going to build a much larger wall and pretend it solves the problem (whatever the problem is).  Ask the Israelis how that worked out for them.
--Hope some of those corporations stand up to him though I kid of think they are gutless wonders.
--The timing of his inauguration the same week as the MLK holiday is not lost on me.  And probably not lost on Representative Lewis either.

SPORTS TALK
The Pats won ugly last night but did win.  The talking heads will be crazed these week and we should probably put them on suicide watch.  Curiously, I am not so worried.  Brady cannot be that bad again.  It is a great day in America when both Nick Saban and Pete Carroll lose--should be a day off from school or work.  BTW, if you saw the Bama loss, did you see that kid following Saban around with a cup full of something--all game and you want to guess his color?  Ho hum. Isaiah Thomas has the biggest small person chip on his shoulder that I have ever seen--and you know what, he is very good.

Adios