That's an accurate and direct quote from Emma Gonzalez who is a survivor of the Parkland massacre. Beyond its accuracy, it's also quite to the point about how we (as adults) interact with and view children/adolescents. Obey the rules, make us look better, but shut up. I have yet to answer for myself the question of "movement vs. minute". But most of the heroes in this story are kids of school age and most of the gutless ones are adults most of whom are beholden to the NRA. And those adults were voted into office by us.
Florida is in my head a lot these days. Part of this is due to the fact that I grew up there. Part of it is due to the bizarro things that happen there. Parkland. Alligators in canals. A city (Miami) which is really a county (Dade) and folks who live in South Dade are almost closer to Key Largo than they are to downtown Miami if such a place still exists. Move on, I say.
Three literary recommendations:
--One of the best pieces of journalism I have ever read was in the March 4th NY Times.
It was written by a guy whose last name is Weiser and it was about a homeless woman.
The Times started it on page one and then it spread over two whole pages inside. Just
stupendous and has to be read. The Globe continues to be an impostor paper focused
more on animal stories.
--John Hodgman's book called "Vacationland" is a hoot especially if you have spent any
time in Maine.
--Speaking of Maine, Amy Bass has written a book about the Lewiston HS boys soccer team
which is mainly composed of Africans most of whom are from Somalia. How these kids
showed the adults (back to that again) in Lewiston how to "play nicely" together is wonderful.
That Nunberg had quite a day for himself and whoever asked if he was drunk was being brutally honest which I guess is what we want (?) journalists to be. Bye bye Rex and Hope. Seems like you might have some company pretty soon. And if Sessions fires that FBI guy who now is two days away from his pension, it will be a brutal gesture from a small man.
But hello Stormy!! Should be fun listening to the talking heads try to chat about her without saying anything naughty. But let's be clear about one thing: saying she is a adult film star is being kind. Helen Mirren is an adult film star. Stormy is a full on multi faceted porn star. Bam.
Lawrence O'Donnell from MSNBC is from Dorchester and John Kelly (Chief of Staff to POTUS) is from Brighton--both places are neighborhoods in Boston. I really believe Lawrence is blasting him so much because of some ugly neighborhood feud--apart from how big a disappointment he is.
Did you know that the guy in Pennsylvania who won the special election won because he is kind of like a Republican according to POTUS and Speaker Ryan. I wish the November elections were tomorrow.
SPORTS TALK
No one can explain to me what Belichik is doing to the Patriots roster. No one.
Happy Passover and Easter.
Shalom
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thursday, March 1, 2018
BREAK OUT THE BEER AND THE BRATS
It's time to join the celebration with those folks up there next to Lake Superior. I'm talking the fine residents of Duluth. The American men won gold in Curling which is now my favorite sport though i have to take a language course in order to fully understand what the hell is going on. But the Duluthians know that language and love their brats and beer so I am excited to join them. Most of those curling guys are from that area. The only other Olympic note is that except for these men, the women Olympians from the USA out performed the men--and if that is not related to Title IX, nothing is. Moving on to other items of major import.
--Went to see on of my favorite doctors a couple of weeks ago. He is from India, his Resident is from Eritrea, the receptionists wore hajibs and were from Muslim countries, and the blood tech was from the Caribbean. The obvious point is all of them are immigrants as many staff are in the hospital. Now that it is clear that we (as a country) are not so welcoming, I am sure we will see POTUS supporters lining up to do those jobs--especially the more menial ones.
--Those memos released by both Democrats and Republicans were a lot of verbiage over nothing.
--The continuation of the demeaning of the poor remains a depressing feature of this Congress. Food stamps will be reduced if not eliminated and something like Blue Apron will end up on your doorstep. Don't want those folks showing up in the store and actually picking out their own food. Plus the lines they create. So sad.
--The Boston Globe's recent animal feature: A local teen had a rooster as a "comfort" animal due to her psychiatric history. The town she lives has banned it. A big spread in the paper also. What if you were flying to LA and the teen bought a seat for her rooster--oh my. I do wonder if that bird is toilet trained. And, if so, my boys in Louisiana do not want him in the men's room.
--Collusion or Obstruction--I will leave that decision to smarter people than me. But the Russian business gets me more and more scared. 70,000 votes in Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania determined the election. Maybe POTUS still would have won but don't tell me the Russian influence was not a factor. You know, that old "where there is more, there is fire" business.
--And Jared has got to go. He is old before his time and maybe he can be like his father the felon.
--So a porn star and a Playboy bunny get paid off by lawyers for POTUS and Congress does not even say anything let alone say anything. You cannot make this shit up. It is so embarrassing.
--Lebron should not shut up just because Laura Ingraham decided players should not have opinions. As he said, who is she anyway?
--A close relative asked: "Is this a moment or a movement?" Referring to the Parkland massacre. I worry that it is a moment but I wish it were a movement. Hard to imagine POTUS being more outspoken than Congress. But remember, Paul Ryan leads with his ass and not his brain.
SPORTS TALK
The Pats lost and now we have drama about next year. I will not spend a minute on listening and will not care until it is kickoff time in the fall. Mainly I am loving the Celtics and the Bruins--both young teams and very athletic.
Shalom
--Went to see on of my favorite doctors a couple of weeks ago. He is from India, his Resident is from Eritrea, the receptionists wore hajibs and were from Muslim countries, and the blood tech was from the Caribbean. The obvious point is all of them are immigrants as many staff are in the hospital. Now that it is clear that we (as a country) are not so welcoming, I am sure we will see POTUS supporters lining up to do those jobs--especially the more menial ones.
--Those memos released by both Democrats and Republicans were a lot of verbiage over nothing.
--The continuation of the demeaning of the poor remains a depressing feature of this Congress. Food stamps will be reduced if not eliminated and something like Blue Apron will end up on your doorstep. Don't want those folks showing up in the store and actually picking out their own food. Plus the lines they create. So sad.
--The Boston Globe's recent animal feature: A local teen had a rooster as a "comfort" animal due to her psychiatric history. The town she lives has banned it. A big spread in the paper also. What if you were flying to LA and the teen bought a seat for her rooster--oh my. I do wonder if that bird is toilet trained. And, if so, my boys in Louisiana do not want him in the men's room.
--Collusion or Obstruction--I will leave that decision to smarter people than me. But the Russian business gets me more and more scared. 70,000 votes in Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania determined the election. Maybe POTUS still would have won but don't tell me the Russian influence was not a factor. You know, that old "where there is more, there is fire" business.
--And Jared has got to go. He is old before his time and maybe he can be like his father the felon.
--So a porn star and a Playboy bunny get paid off by lawyers for POTUS and Congress does not even say anything let alone say anything. You cannot make this shit up. It is so embarrassing.
--Lebron should not shut up just because Laura Ingraham decided players should not have opinions. As he said, who is she anyway?
--A close relative asked: "Is this a moment or a movement?" Referring to the Parkland massacre. I worry that it is a moment but I wish it were a movement. Hard to imagine POTUS being more outspoken than Congress. But remember, Paul Ryan leads with his ass and not his brain.
SPORTS TALK
The Pats lost and now we have drama about next year. I will not spend a minute on listening and will not care until it is kickoff time in the fall. Mainly I am loving the Celtics and the Bruins--both young teams and very athletic.
Shalom
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