LIVE FROM WHITE SETTLEMENT, TEXAS, IT'S THE CRAB

Ask yourself this:  How can there be a town with a name like that?  Seriously--and do not tell me about the tortured history of its name.  I wonder who lives there and if kids, when applying for jobs/colleges, put that on applications.  "you're from where?"  EEK!!  I intend to get to the bottom of this mystery as soon as I can.

But let's first chat about a quote from the Rabbi at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.  In the aftermath of the shootings in Jersey City and the machete attack in Monsey, he wondered if it was open season on Jews.  I wonder how secure my synagogue is and wonder why politicians (except for Governor Cuomo) are silent in the face of these attacks. POTUS has a daughter and her family who are members of my tribe and his mouth remains closed.  He opened it during Greta's visit to the UN so he could bully an adolescent.  but he is silent in the face of anti-semitic terror. But I now know I am part of a nationality--not just a religion.  What the fuck does that mean?

Ends and Odds:
--Is AG Barr the worst example of an AG in our lifetime or what?  He is a toady at the beck and call of a miserable SOB of a boss.
--Rudy is till loose even though he has been documented interfering in our foreign policy as a private citizen.  He needs to be in a butterfly night and given some serious meds.
--Adam Driver, who I like, has been all over the place recently.  Home alone, I saw him in a movie called "The Report".  It is based on an expose of the CIA's use of torture after 9/11.  Anyone who watches MSNBC has seen John Brennan pontificating about the current Administration and its decisions.  Turns out he supported the toruture of prisoners and cokes away from the movie as no angel.  Driver was terrific.
--You do know that we will not let children in those "immigrant" detention facilities receive flu shots.  You know that right?  I mean Stephen Miller must know a lot about medicine, right?  what does that say about us as a nation?
--Did you further know that Thailand has taken in more immigrants than we have--even though we are nearly 6 times bigger and certainly wealthier?  It as embarrassing to hear about this on our recent trip.
--During the recent impeachment hearings, 13 more Federal judges were rammed through by Mitch and POTUS.  Lifetime appointments.  You bet senate elections are important.
--Robert Kraft went to the White House to celebrate Hanukkah.  He has no shame.

IT'S BEEN AWHILE

But here I am in living color or some such.  The big silver bird took me back and forth from SE Asia. The Thais and Cambodians both live under repressive dictatorships.  Three generals over see the Thai government having staged a coup after a "fair" election.  The Cambodian dictator is an individual who, almost ironically, was a member of the Khmer Rouge. On top of that, each country ha a monarchy!!

Those facts are beside the point--almost.  The point is that despite the dictators, the people we interacted with were warm, friendly, and spoke lovingly of their countries.  Thailand is a country of 60 million people.  Bangkok is enormous and is bigger than NYC.  Also, full of traffic congestion and crazed scooter drivers. It is way more advanced than its neighbor Cambodia.  An example: the rice in Cambodia is still farmed by hand without any machinery.  Thailand's rice is harvested by machinery with people helping. The Thais, btw, have taken in more than 2 million refugees from Myanmar.  Steven Miller be damned.

Finally, it is important to note that the Khmer Rouge literally forced the evacuation of Phnom Penh and other cities.  Emptied them in order to force the residents to work on farms so that they could be re-educated.  2 million died out of a country which at that time had a population of 10 million--20 %.
It does much more than simply boggle the mind.

A side benefit of the trip was that I watched no TV.  POTUS did not intrude.  A respite I enjoyed.  Saw not a minute of the House hearings and continue to believe he will not be leaving office unless he loses the election.  BTW, if you want to read about his supporters, Maureen Dowd turned her column over to her brother in yesterday's NY Times.  It is scary to read and made me very nervous about POTUS winning next November.

Most of my toes and fingers continue to be crossed hoping RBG survives this medical crisis and can
last for 11 months.

Looking out at the first snow of the year and "weathering" (get it?) the hysteria of the weather people.

SPORTS TALK
He looked old yesterday.  That would be Mr. Brady.  I think Edelman should take next week off and force Brady to throw to the other receivers.  He has put all the other receivers in a sort of purgatory.
But at least, up here, the Celtics are fun again without Kyrie and the Bruins are winning.  I can live with that.

Hope you had a good holiday.  See you in a month.

BETCHA THOUGHT I FORGOT

Nope.  I am screeching even as the great silver bird is warming up on the runway.  I look forward to a 15 hour flight with 300 of my best friends nearly all of whom will have toilet paper stuck to the bottom of their shoes as they return to their seats.  Close your eyes and imagine what the toilets look like after 15 hours.  Ugly.  Now onto other matters some of which are equally ugly:

--Like:  I really am longing for Sean Spicer to return as spokesman for POTUS.  The current spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, has been quoted as referring to POTUS as a genius.  Seriously, we can disagree on a lot of things but does anyone really believe that?
--The only way I can understand how conservatives (law and order types) love this guy is that they are solely focussed on the elimination of abortion rights via the appointment of judges.  POTUS can do anything else he wants as long as conservative judges are appointed to gut a woman's right to choose.
--You all do know that these current cases (about impeachment, about POTUS, about immigration) will ultimately get heard and decided by the SCOTUS.  That means a lot of us will be depending on Justice Roberts to do the right thing.  Don't ever forget that Mitch and his friends sabotaged Merritt's ascension to the high court when Barack was the Prez.  That's one reason we are in this fucking mess.
--Apparently our soldiers cannot protect the Kurds but can protect the Iraqi oil fields.  Property over people. I guess from the perspective of a real estate tycoon, it makes sense.
--Recent language used by the leader of the free world seems to indicate he is being persecuted and at the same time is tone deaf.  Check these words out:  civil war, coup, lynching.  Language is important Language sends messages and people get it.  Supporters and detractors understand code words when they read them.
--Did ya know the Ukraine phone call was perfect and incredible.  A kerfuffle over nothing.
--Frontline episode all about Steven Miller was scary. He is a nasty man.  And, oh so sadly, he is a member of my tribe.
--So is Chaim Bloom!!
--The fewer Dems in the race, the better.  There are still too many as of this morning.
--I'm a Boomer and am wondering what I have not "gotten" today. I know everything we did (back in the day) was and is wrong.
--Love Bob Seger and tried to get tickets to see him but all they had were $400 seats.  Only for the Boss.
--Before I go out and crunch a few acorns, a note or two about sports.


--Tonight's Pats game is the first one all year that I am worried about.
--Good for the Nats;  but Strasburg just opted out which is not good.
--The Bruins first line has got to be watched to be appreciated.
--Chaim, mentioned above, is the new head of operations for the Red Flops. Likes gefilte fish.  Look it up.

Shalom

IT'S BEEN AWHILE

But here I am leading off (get it? a baseball reference in honor of the MLB playoffs).  Important things first: namely, the pigs and the sharks. And not a sequel to West Side Story. The Globe, in its zeal to provide readers with up to date info on all manner of animals, gave us the following:  pigs escaped from their enclosure on a Vermont farm.  Police were called, a chase ensued, and some of the porcine critters were never caught.  Unless, of course, someone up there in the Green Mountain state has a bunch of pork belly in their freezer.  Can only assume the Globe will follow up.  Much like their well documented followup on beach closures.  During the height of the Cape's shark hysteria, the Globe created a special "shark" section.  Seriously?  This country is teetering on its edge and we get a special shark column.  Have to move on.

Truth be told, the change in the frequency of these screeds was partially due to me being sick and tired of me being sick and tired.  How much more can I say about POTUS.  Apparently a little more like:

--Corey Lewandusky's performance in front of a national tv audience was the perfect working definition of arrogance/petulance.  I hope he goes down with the ship.
--Do you feel more comfy cozy knowing Mike Pompeo keeps a bible on his desk and references it during meetings?   I suppose Mike needs all the  help he can get.  And oh, btw, he was in the room and perhaps even on the phone during the now famous POTUS calls with the Ukrainian president.
--We have lost the man who combined the perfect mustache with the best  81/2x14 yellow pads I have ever seen.  Bolton has now taken to criticizing POTUS which really means no good deed goes unpunished.
--I am not really sure how this will end up but I don't think POTUS will leave office unless he is not elected next November.  But I do believe Madam Pelosi has out maneuvered him in terms of being patient and then hitting the gas quickly and heavily when POTUS stepped on his tongue again.  I also think putting Adam Schiff in the lead over Nadler was brilliant if only because of the optics.  Poor Jerry just does not come across so well.
--I am feeling rage that Seven Miller made sure none of the Bahamians from the island of Abaco
were given TPS status.  Let them live on an island that is now totally flattened. He needs to find his way to the exit.
--Three people POTUS admires:  Putin, Boris, and the president of Brazil.  Make little rocket man the fourth.  All dictators no one should admire.
--Betsy Devos who will fight any effort to allow forgiveness for loans should use the same door as Miller.
--In the midst of all this shit, i saw a flyer asking for support to fight the closure of Doyles.  That being a very old timey "Irish" bar.  Its food was awful but all sorts of local and national politicians needed to have their picture taken there.  Putting aside what it means to be an "Irish" bar, do we need to raise money to keep it open when the owner just sold the liquor license for 400K?  It might be better to save some immigrants from deportation.

SPORTS TALK
That famous carnival huckster and coach of the Pats Mr. Bill deserves all the criticism he gets for bringing on Antonio.  And don't even give me a maybe on that.  I was wrong about the Yankees (they are in) and the rd flops (they are out).  My bad.

If you are fasting next week, have an easy one.
Shalom

IT'S THEREABOUTS

Close readers of this screed will know that I promised a new post on Labor day or thereabouts--so fulfilling my promise to you, it is now officially "thereabouts".  On a very somber note, AM passed away this past weekend.  I had not been a good friend to him over these last years--not seeing him; not contacting him or his partner.  But guilt is not helpful.  As I said to a close relative, the word "centered" is way overused and misapplied.  Except in this case.  If you were to look up the definition of centered, AM's picture would appear.  YB used to tell me that, as she got older, at least once a week she attended a funeral.  I am not there yet; but I can see that on the horizon.

Here are some other, rather less important, thoughts and factoids:
--In light of that first paragraph, a great column by Kevin Cullen in the Globe (and not about animals).  He writes about all of a sudden he is attending more wakes than funerals.  This aging business does seem to come crashing down quickly.
--Speaking of the Globe's fixation on animals, they are overboard (!) with the sharks.  They update us daily on which beaches have to close and what we are supposed to do in response to the appearance of the great whites.  I still don't get it--it is the ocean and they are wild animals.  Maybe, POTUS will build a wall to keep them out.
--Speaking of which (yet again), POTUS is taking Pentagon money and using it to build more of the wall on our southern border.  I am not sure I care about the Pentagon having less money but please don't tell me it is an emergency.  The detainees are in emergency conditions as are their children.  But the physical wall is not an emergency.
--Children legally admitted to the states because they have precarious medical conditions--this group is the new target and one wonders how Stephen Miller can sleep at night. POTUS is not smart enough to have thought of this on his own.  Miller is and is a member of my tribe to boot. This administration
and its core group of acolytes despises kids, poor people, people of color, and any combination of those.
--Barr pridefully announced he knew the names of the 5 inmates to be executed once the Feds decided to pull the switch.  No shame.
--Can this be true--POTUS played golf while Dorian put millions at risk?
--Mother Pence, her hubby, and his Mama stayed at a hotel owned by POTUS 150 miles from the site
of his meetings.
--Not enough words for Mr. Epstein--am glad he is no longer with us.
--Will be publishing once a month from now on/hope you don't get anxious in the meantime.

Sports Talk
--Going to Fenway Sunday night to relive the glory days of the Red Sox/Yankees.

Shalom and to some of my readers, Have a happy and healthy New Year.

FOOLED YA

I thought I could withstand the pressure from you readers but due to overwhelming demand, I am dropping this in mid-July and swear you won't hear from me again until Labor Day or thereabouts.   That demand thingy in the previous sentence was fake news.  But, in terms of real news, I am starting with some soft serves.

If any of you doubted or continue to doubt the impact of Title IX on women's sports, I present to you the world champion U.S. women's soccer team.  Virtually beat all of your Europe's best and please do not tell me how much better European teams have gotten.  Perhaps they are better but then the Americans have also improved.  The penalty resulting in a penalty kick was iffy; but Rose crunched a goal off her left foot and that was enough.

A BIT OF SPORTS TALK (Skip on down if you must):
--Since we are two weeks beyond the 4th of July, I promised some baseball thoughts.  The red Flops bullpen is in tatters but I still think in the end they will be a playoff team.  Just too many excellent hitters.  My Yanks are playing out of their minds but my translation of that is that they are also playing way over their heads with thin starters but a very deep bullpen.  A Labor Day update is in the cards. That baseball game in London was stupid and both teams stunk.

Now lets get serious.  More or less two exact quotes from our crack team of Border Patrol agents on the Southern border:
    --"You can just look into their eyes and know they are or will be gang members".
    --"Immigrant children can just leave the shelters even if they are just 10".
On top of which, we have the discovery of all those racist emails on some sort of secret website used by the agents.  OK, fine not all of them.  But enough so that the culture is infected.  A positive culture depends on shared values and respect for the "customers" being served--in these cases the immigrants. A culture requires a leader who can define those values and who can enforce adherence to them.  We have seen no such leadership.
--Some Congressmen/women visited some of the shelters where sleeping apparently has to be done in shifts because there is no horizontal room for laying down.  They were appalled.  Pence went and prayed on it and wished we could talk more civilly.  Wonder what Mother Pence says/thinks.
--OOOH, Kelly Anne wants to know the ethnicity of a reporter.  What is that about although already being on edge, I can guess she wanted to slime him.  Glad he refused to answer.
--POTUS really believes he was a super genius at Wharton. And has no racist bones in his body.
--I do love the "squad" but I worry POTUS will distract us with attacks on them.
--Listen up, Spuds:  You can draw a direct solid line from POTUS to 3 southern governors.  Wallace of Ala., Maddox of Ga, and Barnett of Miss.  Back in the day, they also appealed to white nationalists and eventually faded away.  I worry this guy will not--not with the support of those silent Republicans and the evangelical Christians.  It's just about the judiciary which in turn is about overturning Roe V. Wade.
--I missed the parade--did I miss anything other than bombers in the air and tanks on the ground?
--And then a suburban synagogue north of Boston was leafletted with fascist slogans aka "make America great again".
--Some of my most consistent readers believe we should "do something" about the Great White sharks.  Besides getting the fuck out of the water, what is that we should do?  Maybe kill all the seals so the sharks starve or relocate them?  It is called wildlife for a reason--it is wild and such is life.
--More to come, god willing, in September.

Shalom

IN OLDEN TIMES

In the fabulous 60's, some of us chose to join VISTA as a way to delay our exposure to the draft.  I will avoid a discussion of the implications of that.  But, as a volunteer, you were an actual employee of the Federal government.  The good news about that was that we regularly opened our mailbox and found a check!!  We also ate a lot of surplus Velveeta cheese.  But, here comes the point:  we were also subject to the Hatch Act.  You know that law which restricts federal employees from using their employee status to advocate for or against political candidates.  You know that law that Kelly Anne
just got busted for and that POTUS will certainly ignore.  No surprise--the unpleasant entanglements posed by existing laws like the Hatch Act need not be followed.  Moving on.

--The continuation of the war against people of color and/or poor people is undiminished.  SNAP, which essentially is what we used to call the food stamp program, has been under attack.  Stores like 7/11 do not want to follow regulations which tend to support healthy food choices.  It is basically too much trouble.  Now many of those stores are in low income neighborhoods whose residents have no access to supermarkets.  So let the folks buy cigarettes and liquor but not bananas.
--Does anyone else look at Jared and believe he is old before his time?  Does he ever wear a T shirt or go without a tie? We all know he would have been hated in High School.
--So excited when I was recently on our North Shore--I actually saw a Dairy Queen and a Sonic.  While seeing all those ads (especially the Sonic one with the 2 knuckleheads sitting in a car), I was dying to figure out where they were located.  Don't go West young man; just go North.
--Nate "the great" Silver sent me an email urging me to send money to a number of candidates.  Nate is the same guy who lulled me into believing Hillary would win.  Now these might be good people to support, but why should I believe Nate?
--Speaking of which, I am ignoring all polls predicting an election 16 months from now.  I am also refusing to watch the Democratic debates--there are too many candidates and I am worried Joltin' Joe might actually get nominated.  Say it aint so, Joe!! Call me when it is "mano v (wo)mano".
--From the fine pages of the Boston Globe:  A picture of a bulldog undergoing surgery for swallowing a disgusting number of pacifiers.  And we saw his iv's too.  Then our crack but corrupt State Police
rescued 12 ducklings from a sewer.
--Mitch and his wife really do need to be kicked to the curb.  She has now been revealed to be a double dipping thief.  We know marble mouth Mitch just wants to appoint right wing judges.
--Between "nasty women" and the loser who is mayor of London, POTUS has had a great time calling people names but not doing a fucking thing except almost bombing Iran.  I said almost.
-- The high temperature range in Austin this coming week:  between 93 and 100.  Get that AC going now. I will be heading in that direction for an important/happy celebration.

--And a reminder.  I won't be bothering you again until the fall.  Have a good summer and a good Shabbos.

Shalom

I'M BACK

I know I have been missed because of all the questions I received about where I was going and when and why. A glorious 4 days to Maine and Ipswich, Ma.  Maine continues to be in my list of top 5 states.  Rhode Island just got demoted because of the RI Bishop's nasty message to parishioners about LGBT Catholics.

In other news:
--Bear in mind that the following people were not elected:  John Bolton, Stephen Miller, Kelly Anne Conway, William Barr, Jared, whats her face, and those two new guys on the supreme Court.  Don't tell me that one prerogative of the President is to select his staff.  I Get it.  But picking stupid ideologues for key positions is also his prerogative.  But when these unelected people start making decisions that POTUS is unable or unwilling to make, we are all at their mercy.  Miller, for example is behind the new plan to set high tariffs on Mexico.  He is a member of my tribe and I am both embarrassed and horrified at his words and messages.
--Bolton wants more troops sent to the Middle East to "counter" what appears to be a trumped (!!) up fantasy about the dangers of Iran.
--Kushner continues to work on a Mid-East peace plan which no doubt will empower Israel even more.  But with Netanyahu in trouble, his plan is likely going to be focused on supporting Bibi and giving bubkas to the Palestinians.  Kushner is a man old before his time.
--A great New Yorker cartoon cover showing POTUS having his shoes shined by Lindsay, Mitch, and Barr.  All pathetically important acolytes.
--I am in the weird position of rooting for John Roberts who now seems to be the swing vote on SCOTUS.  If these new batch of anti abortion/anti women laws reach the court, he is now the key.  Him and the continued health of RBG.
--Additionally, we have to thank our lucky stars that there are still other Federal judges appointed either by Clinton or Obama who are overturning some of these ugly ugly state laws and POTUS policies. The abortion fight is a reminder to me that things we fought for in the fabulous 60's and thought were resolved are back on the table--especially down in the old South.
--Fifteen billion dollars was found to compensate farmers which is fine by me--but that money was lost to them because of these nationalist tariffs not because it makes any fiscal sense.  When will some of those POTUS supporters who are conservative begin to worry about the trade deficit and how these tariffs will worsen it?
--Btw, we continue to separate kids from their families and in some cases put them on planes and send them to who knows where.  Just sayin.
--In the latest episode of Animal Kingdom (otherwise know as the Boston Globe), I share the following:  Pictures appeared with big headlines about a squirrel who was on a subway and was being fed by passengers.  There were also ducks rescued from a sewer.  Just inform me when the Orange line cars are finally replaced not when animals are along for the ride.
--AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF MONUMENTAL IMPORT:  I will be sending another screed out on or about 6/20.  Then, summertime and the living is easy according to Ray Charles.  So you won't be bothered (at least by me) again until the fall.
--GO BRUINS!!

Shalom

ALABAMA AND GEORGIA ARE DIFFERENT

Don't tell me that Atlanta and Birmingham are open minded cities that make up for the rural narrow mindedness of the rest of those states.  A while back, a reader asked me to be mindful about referring to those 3 old guys down in bumfuck Louisiana.  I was asked, gently, to be careful about using southern stereotypes.  I agreed though I did have some basis for my thoughts/comments being a child of the segregated south.  Now we get to see the great legislative bodies of those states pass laws which are so bad that even Pat Roberson (!!) thinks they have gone too far.  Women who have been raped and impregnated can no longer have abortions.  Doctors can be sent to jail for murder.  They are different and not in a good way.  They want us to go back to the good ole days of horses and carriages.  Lets get those confederate flags out of the attic and fly them proudly.

The context of all this is that, wink, wink, we are going to make America great again.  The war against the poor, the immigrants, the Muslims, and others has been given tacit approval.  POTUS goes to the panhandle of Florida (quaintly known to all of us as the redneck riviera) and someone yells out that we should shoot the immigrants as they attempt to enter our southern border.  A chance for POTUS to stand up and maybe say nah.  But, nope, he laughs and does not confront the hate.  My birth state also just passed a law allowing teachers to be armed because that will make schools safer.  Think those kids in a Colorado middle school would have been saved if their teachers were armed?  We won't ban assault weapons (like New Zealand just did) but we will arm teachers.  Moving on.

--Right after getting scared by a New Yorker article about John Bolton, I read that he and some of his cronies think Iran is up to no good and decide to send all sorts of ships to the area.  The guy and his yellow pad are in cahoots with Stephen Miller and taking us to dangerous places.
--To say nothing about their contempt of Congress--which actually is contempt for us since at least Congress was elected while Bolton and his crew were not.
--POTUS did have some bright insights into the Kentucky Derby and shared them with us.  Also hosted the Red Sox except he forgot how to spell Sox.  He also forgot that only the white half of the team showed up.  The Puerto Rican manager and the players of color stayed away.
--Very quietly and away from the spotlight, the war against the poor continues.  Rules governing food stamps are tightened while rules governing disasters ike the Deepwater Horizon are eased.  Betsy DeVos is taking an ax to school programs which primarily serve low income kids.
--Josh Rosen is a football player who just got traded.  The big complaint about him has nothing to do with skills.  Apparently, he has opinions.  In the follow up to his trade, he put the trade into perspective by saying (more or less):  at least I am not a child soldier in Darfur.  I guess that would be worse than being traded.
--Culture:
    1.."The Fifth Risk" by Michael Lewis looks at three Federal Agencies and how they transitioned after the election.  My takeaway:  Thank god for the civil servants still working.  Otherwise the political appointees might really be wrecking things.  They are inexperienced idiots.
    2.  The documentary about Larry Nasser, USA Gymnastics, and Michigan State is sad and the number of young women who he abused is impossible to comprehend.
    3.  A filmmaker followed 4 never before congressional candidates as they ran in the 2018 election. Most luckily, one of them was AOC.  It turns out she was the only victorious one.
--Within the week here in my "perfect little bubble", an attempt was made to burn down a rabbi's house and two school systems in affluent communities were dealing with swastikas.

Cannot write another depressing word tho I can say I don't give a shit about Kyrie Irving.

shalom

DON'T TELL ME NOT TO WORRY

As the saying goes:  Just because you are paranoid does not mean they are NOT out to get you.  Another Shabbat and another assault at a synagogue.  Six months to the day of the Pittsburgh murders.  I am sure my synagogue has all sorts of precautions and security measures in place.  But when I am there, all I can think about is what would I do if a vigilante attacked.  My children and grandchildren are there regularly. "They" are out there and they don't like me.  They have access to automatic/assault weapons.  The NRA believes that rather than banning those weapons, we all should arm ourselves. Yup., lets make the synagogue an armed camp with all the clergy carrying weapons.  Makes sense, right?  Only if you want to pray in an armed camp.

POTUS SECTION
--In response to the shooting, POTUS did manage to call it a hate crime and did manage to express sympathy.  These comments came at the tail end of POTUS telling us about a round of golf he just played with the Japanese Prime Minister.  He's got his priorities straight, huh?
--He is still after Obamacare.  He promises a better plan in its place but has no plan or any details.  He truly has no clue how complicated this is.  Kind of like when he got surprised that Puerto Rico was an island which made recovery more complicated.  Let's see what happens to the base when he attempts to take their coverage away.
--He is not even sure what he thinks about the measles vaccine.  I do--tell all those anti science folks (including some who are my co-religionists) to back off. Or keep your kids away from my kids.
--One country that POTUS is enamored with is Saudi Arabia.  Perfect, they continue to execute their own citizens without trials.  The man is in love with any leader with a whiff of being a despot.  Loves that man child Kim.
--As he boarded a plane to take him to Mar A Lago, we learned that he was cutting federal funds which support food subsidies for low income people.  He hates the poor and now they could have no health insurance and not enough to eat.  But he charges us for all those fights. Seriously.
--The same day the Chabad shul was attacked, he went to Green Bay and began his attack on abortion, on Biden, and on Mueller.  Did not cancel the gig; just fanned the flames of the virtually all
white audience.  He is a direct descendent of George Wallace. Let those fine citizens use axes on the harbor ice and not rely on the Coast Guard to keep it open in the winter.  Can live without the feds, huh?
--Finally, he wants to "charge" fees for anyone seeking asylum.  My mother would have been refused "admission" because I know she did not have any money--just send her back.

Moving on:
--MGH (AKA, the world's greatest hospital) is always bitching and moaning about their rates.  Yet they are in the midst of a capital campaign which will raise billions and just received a gift of 200 million dollars as part of the campaign.  Maybe they should just shut up and quit whining or not load their rates with all their Harvard academic affiliation.
--Mueller caught Sara Sanders lying multiple times and documented it in his report.  I will now call her called lyin' Sara.
--My Commonwealth has issued a one pager called "turkey tips".  Seems my fellow citizens need help in dealing with the birds.  Unless they mean the kind of tips we eat.
--Great hockey name:  Pierre Luc Dubois.  Plays for Columbus.
--Even I admit that I had too much faith in Mueller.  But, I trust and believe him more than I do Barr.
--Good luck, CN.  BTW, Bob Cerv was the left fielder.

No sports talk for a while.

Shalom

BARR(ING) MUELLER

I may have (and I actually think I did) put too much faith in what the Mueller investigation would produce.  My distrust of POTUS and his ugly pronouncements contributed to my over the top faith in the report.  Now it appears we are to see the "redacted" version of the report this week.  I get it--some things likely need to be kept secret.  But I'm in an even less trusting mood about this shit given that Barr, selected by POTUS, will be the redacter-in-charge.  I believe that Cuomo guy wondered why we should even trust Barr since you know who picked him. A fair question.  Moving on.

--Speaking of POTUS:  He is closing the border;  he is building a wall that Mexico will pay for; and he wants to totally eliminate Obamacare because he has a better plan known only to him.  What does this say about us?
--I'm so far ahead of the curve.  Flew a couple of times in the last week and wondered on each fight about this:  terrific technology allows planes to use radar and other gizmos to fly "blindly".  Why is it so hard to figure out the passenger loading process.  It is a mess on virtually all flights on all airlines.
Then in this weekend's NYT travel section--a whole article on how specific airlines board passengers.  You must be glad you heard it here almost first.
--Only in Florida item:  a Cassowary (a bird native to Australia) killed its owner down there in the sunshine state.  The man fell and the bird pounced on him for lunch or dinner or just a snack.
--How's this for a seamless transition?  From the Globe:
   1.  A bear killed a horse someplace in my fine state.
   2.  A wild turkey attacked a woman in Cambridge and she was "scared".
   3.  Twenty pets and one resident escaped a fire.
All of this was considered vital news by the fine editors at the Globe. Notice in item 3, how the pets preceded the person.
--The National Football League is frequently called the No Fun League (NFL--get it?).  I'm now ready to call Boston the NFC--the No Fun City.  Legislators have nothing better to do than trying to limit the number of restaurants that want to have beer patios.  They also screamed loud and often
about the TV show SMILF for its brutally honest portrayal of a single mother in Southie.  And they totally screwed up the stupid casino regulations.  EECH.
--In the dark ages I worked for non profits providing services to children, adolescents, and their families.  It is so disheartening to read articles now that document the same problems we struggled with 10 and 20 years ago--e.g.  the foster care system is a mess and kids languish in ER's for lack of beds in residential programs.  And I do not believe money is necessarily the answer.
--Now, some wonderful stuff.  SD was on the Today show using acupuncture on Al Roker.  Her parents have been kvelling.
--Our Governor gets worse hair cuts than me.
--Our VP, who is as stupid as a rock, believes South Bend Mayor Buttigeg is attacking his faith.  I never thought we might be better off with Pence taking over.
--The last episodes of Broad City were tear jerkers--the Jewesses (and those are their words) have left us kind of bereft.
--Iris Dement sings that it is too hard for things to be easy.
--If you celebrate either Passover or Easter, have good holidays.

Shalom.

COURAGE COMES IN MANY DIFFERENT COLORS

Went to the Boston Public Library yesterday (its recent renovation/addition is simply spectacular) to see five brief films made by and made about immigrants in the Metro Boston area.  The subjects were from:  India, Bhutan, Uganda, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.  One had been in a refugee camp with his family for 17 years before coming to America.  One was a DACA child and is now a college graduate.  One left his country because the national religion was Muslim and he was a practicing Christian.  Both the filmmakers and their subjects have more courage than me and, unlike me, they still believe in the "American dream".  Work hard and your social/financial/emotional rewards will follow.  But you have to get here first   And POTUS and his slap happy crew are doing everything they can to make sure fewer get here. Better stock up on abodes in case the border is shut. Any of you claiming to be a Mayflower descendant?  Native American?

Moving on:

--Oh that Boston Globe.  A headline:  "2 dogs, a cat, and some people".  Turns out all survived but check out the order!!
--On the other hand a great column in the Globe by Yvonne Abraham.  Her focus was on New Zealand and how their Prime Minister responded to the murders of Muslims praying.  She wrote it as a letter to the Prime Minister asking her for citizenship.
--Climate change is a hoax and no need for vaccinations.  Some imaginary ideas from science non-believers.
--Mike Pompeo believes "God sent Trump to us".  While in the Holy Land our Secretary of State came up with that brilliant thought.  He is an ugly embarrassment.
--Speaking of which, Betsy DeVos wants to cut the Special Olympics.  Seriously--let's just pick on another group that we can  step on.  Leadership is not what this POTUS and crew are about.
--POTUS remains obsessed with Hilary and McCain.  Continues to go after them.  Claims he is responsible for approving use of the National Cathedral for McCain's funeral service.  The Cathedral's religious leaders promptly reply that is not true.  But no retraction just more gibberish from POTUS.
--"Womb Cleaning and Connection Ceremony".  That is the title of a hand out I picked up in my neighborhood last week.  I am trying to be open minded here and not offend too many people but I have no clue what this is about and I am kind of thinking I don't want to know.
--If I hear one more word from defenders of Robert Kraft that inform me of his wife and his religion and how they guide his 
life, I will puke.  I have no clue why he is fighting this charge but if it prolongs his stay in the gutter, then that's fine by me.
--Are we supposed to understand Felicity Huffman and the other Hollywoodites who used bribes to get their kids into Ivy League schools?
--Watching Belmont play Temple in an early NCAA game was eerie.  I did not know there were any teams in the 
tourney that were both all white and tattoo-less.  That's Belmont.
--Speaking of which, a very much younger relative (OH) of mine was doing better than me in selecting winners.  I just got 
wiped out.  But Zion is positively a handful.
--Federal judges continue to block POTUS and his attempts to drill in Alaska.  Another reason to say my nightly prayer for RBG.
-- Going to Beto's home state on a big silver bird. Hoping for some barby.

Sayonara

I WANT TO BE IMPORTANT TOO

Oh, that Roger Stone guy.  I'm so interested in, and want to see, the tattoo of Nixon on his back.  His hair is so perfect--I'm kind of glad his trial will be in the fall since it means we will have him to kick around for awhile. I hope Corsi stays with us for a while as well even though he is more stupid and less photogenic than Stone.

ITEMS
--"Dude, we're on, we'll have a blast".  If you are ever near someone (as in some adult) yakking like this, head for the hills.  This is adolescent language and does not  fit anyone over the age of say 15.
--If the 12 Republicans who supported the legislation critical of the "emergency" at our borders also vote to override the veto, then I will offer some praise.  But they get absolutely no points for doing their job knowing full well that it was an easy vote given the expected veto.  Nada.
--First of all, why would someone like Kraft go to that sleazy spa when all he had to do is pick up the phone and dial 1-800 escort and get some person to come to his place?  He has the money to do that.  All I can come up with is that he gets off on the sleaze.  How is it possible that the owner of the spa and POTUS watched the NFL playoffs together.? How bad are things when purveyors of human trafficking have such access to the President of the USA?
--Not sure what to make of comments made by the Muslim Congresswoman from Minnesota.  I get what she intended even if she used more than a few anti Semitic words.  That language plays into the hands of the right wing Nazis in our midst.  AOC and this woman are convenient scapegoats and targets for the POTUS and his so called base.  On the other hand the words scare me.
--And (to steal some words from John Oliver) now this.  Animal stories recently in the Boston Globe:
      -There are already meetings on the Cape to discuss the shark problem.  I guess the topic
        is how to get them out of the water.
       -In the lead paragraph of what was actually a burglary story, we are informed that a puppy
       was stabbed.
       -Finally, in a car accident story, we are told it was caused by a turkey crashing into the car's
         windshield.
  This would all be hysterical if the city was in perfect shape.  But with problems all around, it is not          funny that that the Globe devotes time and space to animals.
--Two movie recommendations:  "A Tuba to Cuba" follows the Preservation Hall Jazz Band as it returns to its roots in Havana.  It is just lovely.  Then there is "First Solo".  This is a documentary about the guy who climbed El Capitan in Yosemite without ropes/pitons/ equipment of any sort.  Even though we know that the guy made it and survived, it is so fucking scary that there were gasps in the audience.  The climber is a bit off personality wise but then again so are the camera folks who used ropes to climb with him and get incredible shots.
--I hope Manafort dies in jail but believe he will get a pardon.
--Please do not ask me to understand why a normal human being would carry their pet dog in a papoose like a baby.  It's just stupid time.
--And a brief anecdote:  A mother told her son to quit complaining about helping her with her computer since she had helped him to learn how to use a spoon.  That does resonate.
--The local neighborhood paper initiated a conversation about high top tables and how that discriminates against I don't know what.  But it was a big hit generating all sorts of letters to the editors. Bet the next step will be lawyers getting involved.
--Lastly, let's be clear that the language frequently used by POTUS is dangerous and appeals to the worst in us.
--Kudos to that fine hockey player from Wyoming DN. Keep on skating, brother.

Shalom
   

OLDER AND ORNERIER THAN EVAH

Please note the last word in the title which identifies me as a real Bostonian.  Just sayin'.  did have a recent birthday which was celebrated with those near and dear.  Very weird being of a certain age that I never thought I would be and feeling like I don't mind it.  Even stopped reading the obits.  I'm still full of piss and vinegar so here goes.

--I unsubscribed from all of Senator Warren's emails for two reasons.  First of all, I love her remaining my Senator.  Second, there are too many Dems running and some of them need to start dropping out.  If, in a year, there are still 20 or so screaming at each other or if, god forbid, one of them decides to run as an independent, we are looking at 4 more years.  That's ugly.
--Two close allies of POTUS got nailed for being too clumsy.  Netanyahu is being indicted for corruption by his own Justice Department.  Not good enough to just act like a blustering dictator--had to cheat as well.  And our own Bobby Kraft got caught with his zipper down in a place that was being investigated for being part of an international human trafficking investigation.  The PR hit to him is unimaginable.  Wonder if any of his sons knew and wonder where his gal pal Ricki was.  Do believe Myra is turning in her grave.
--POTUS was touting summary executions as something to be admired.  It just keeps getting worse.  Wants drug smugglers caught in the act to be executed on the spot.  Does he even know what the means? No shame/no empathy.
--POTUS has also announced that we will be having a big celebration in DC on July 4th.  Maybe we can have the military show off a few missiles like Russia and North Korea.  He must not have gotten the memo telling him there has always been a celebration in DC on July 4th.  Fucking idiot.
--And Jared, who is busy solving the problems in the mid East, has a security clearance that all the intelligence agencies don't think he should have.  I'd love to see him in jail so we can say he is a chip off the old block.
--Remember the kid with the MAGA hat who was busy messing with the Native American in DC a few weeks back?  His parents are suing somebody for how those in the media treated their son.  You
gotta love lawyers!!
--Speaking of kids:  as I write this at least 245 children remain separated from their parents.  We should be ashamed and embarrassed.
--My fine town is now screwing around with the licensing of beer gardens.  Seems some folks are enjoying themselves and having fun so the Legislature would like to slow that down and retain our image as a no fun city.  We also have a gigantic casino opening right next door but those in charge of that license cannot seem to remember about the JOBS created and are still engaged in a legal battle
with Steve Wynn.  You gotta love lawyers!!
--Saw a nice heartwarming story on ESPN(?) about a High School football coach who has no arms or legs.  I have no such courage.

SPORTS TALK
--Did not know Nick Cafardo the baseball writer for the Boston Globe.  Died suddenly last week (at 62!!).  I read him every Sunday and will miss his work.  From the eulogies I read, he seemed like a
decent guy.

Shalom

ALMOST A NATIONAL EMERGENCY

I was getting lazy and nearly postponed this issue.  But, I then realized its absence in your life might have been an emergency of national proportions--kind of like that wall thingy.  So, here goes.

--When forced to choose between POTUS and his belief that there is a crisis at our southern border and, on the other hand, the reports from multiple news outlets that there is no crisis I'm with the reporters.  No surprise there.  But, listen carefully to the words of POTUS.  He uses words as weapons when he calls the emigres "aliens".  He is venomous and stoking the worst  fears among certain Americans.  Did you see the crowd behind him in El Paso?  Smiling and laughing as he lobbied demeaning words after demeaning words. The attack on the BBC cameraman followed.
--Mitch refuses to allow a vote on making Election Day a National holiday because it is a ploy by Democrats to increase participation.  Isn't it a sign of a healthy country when more people vote?  Not according to the Mitcher.  He also set a fine example to his constituents and his fellow Republican Senators when he agreed to support this National emergency bullshit.  Great role models we have in DC.
--Oh and Susan Collins is a bit upset that people actually remember her vote in support of Kavanaugh now that he has cast his first anti abortion vote.  Oh my, woe is me.
--Remember Ronny Jackson?  He almost got to run the VA.  But rumors swirled and he bailed.  POTUS decided he would be a fine primary care doctor.  So, now he is the PCP of our President.  I would not trust him to check my cuticles
--Bad optics for the Dems to get all flustered about Howard Schultz maybe running for President.  Sure, I get it that as an Independent, he will siphon off votes and if the goal is to get rid of POTUS, then his running is an issue.  But, really, figure some response out that does not include whining.

Then there are the items:
--Doonesbury this past Sunday was hysterical and sad.  Makes the silence of Republican Senators  quite nasty.
--I still miss Al Franken and believe he quit too soon.
--Why would anyone need an app to reach the company that fixes broken windshields.?  How many
times would you need to use it.  I just don't get it.
--Leave it to the Globe:  A horse named George (really?) was returned to its owner after 13 years.  Who knew this was news?
--Two excellent Japanese films.  The first is "Shoplifters" which forces you to re-think how families can be very different and still be emotionally strong.  The second "Ramen" leaves you starving but has a great ending.


SPORTS TALK
Felger at the local level and Kellerman at the national/ESPN level are ratings driven and do not care how offensive they have become.  Get off it, man. ESPN on line did have a great article about Bob Costa and why he left or was fired from NBC--had to do with his being outspoken about concussions in the NFL.  BC's football and basketball teams are bottom feeders in the ACC. Every once and a while, they may move off the bottom--but, in general, they are in it for the money not because they can ever compete in those two sports with lets say Duke.  And, yup, finally--The Pats won so all you haters can just be silent until the fall.

Shalom

GOD WANTED ME TO WRITE THESE BLOGS

And Sarah even told me so.  I have a number of questions about this God business.  How did he/she communicate this information to Sarah--in writing, verbally, telepathically?  And how is she so sure it came from God?  Perhaps POTUS whispered sweet nothings into her ear and mentioned that God spoke to him.

Listen, I get that the Christian faithful only care about judicial appointments and are in a very happy mood about all the conservative judges who now populate the Federal judiciary.  But, I honestly do not understand how they can tolerate God being used as a weapon to fend off the likes of me.  They have already tolerated all sorts of POTUS indiscretions and now God is speaking to Sarah.  And, before I get too crazed, how many sets of pearls does she own and are they real?  I need answers.

Moving on:
--The silence of Republican Senators continues.  In the face of lies and outright rubbish comments made by POTUS, these folks zip it up for fear of offending his base.
--Roger Stone is a true caricature.  His "V's" a la Nixon are hilarious.  Hope he can take a few of his suits to the pokey.  I want to see him in court or testifying.  A show it would be.
--No one asked me but the ban on transgendered people in the military its another brick in the wall of terrifying his base about the "other".  I personally would appreciate any person of any gender who gave up their life to protect me.
--A Go Fund Me campaign raised 268K to pay for the search for the body of a soccer player presumed dead in a plane crash.  So many other things go wanting and money pours in for this.
--Max Kellerman (I believe he was/is a college friend of a reader) is a sports talking head and appears with Stephen A. Smith daily on ESPN.  Does not like Tom Brady--fine.  But the two of them together are simpletons who (as simpletons do) oversimplify everything.  No gray in their world.  Loud mouths both.  And Max went to Yale!
--A quote from Doonesbury which sums up my thoughts:  "The creaky voices--the way everyone under 40 sounds like they're over 80".  He is taking about the NPR commentators.  I'm with you, bro.
--More yucky Boston Globe stories--a big feature about the best way to move your dog when you change abodes..  The world is falling apart (jPOTUS just cancelled a nuclear arms treaty) and the Globe gives us pap.
--On the other hand, a great article about the Boston Public School valedictorians and what has happened to them.  Not much in the way of good news.
--Maureen Dowd in the Times of 1/20 wrote an excellent piece.
--Do not watch the weather channel unless you have seat belts on your coach.  Everything is critical and dangerous.  Yikes.

Shalom.

SPORTS TALK
I am confirming that we need to restrict ourselves to what happens between the lines, on the ice, and on the court.  I fight any urge to find out tan athlete's opinions about anything.  The latest from Kyrie Irving who is an astonishing bb player.  He also believes the earth is flat and supposedly has us all worried about his impending free agency.  You know what, please do go to the Knicks.

I am narrowly optimistic about the Pats in the Super Bowl.

THE STORY OF THE FROZEN GOOSE

Honestly, there are too any things that are impossible to make up.  My favorite newspaper (the Globe, of course) had a by lined lead about a wild goose that was rescued by a suburban Boston fire department.  Seems the goose was just moseying around a pond which somehow turned very rapidly to ice.  The goose got cooked--hah, I mean the goose got caught in the ice and could not move.  Fortunately, an alert citizen called 911 and the fire department arrived on the scene with a sharp ax and freed the goose.  It's pathetic that with what is going on in the world, that goose becomes a story.  The line to adopt this animal must be a mile long.

And then there are these items:
--The national champion Clemson football team visited the White House and met POTUS.  Had to eat fast food because the kitchen staff is on furlough!  Then POTUS tweeted about the visit and informed us that they young men ate "hamberders".  He cannot be a Russian spy because he is too stupid.
--Read the Doonesbury cartoon on 1/13.  And while you are at  it, read the editorials in the 1/13 NY Times by these 3:  Leonhardt, Weissman, and Dowd.  Doonesbury is hysterical and the editorials are both well written and insightful.
--The Globe did find the time to spare a reporter who wrote a terrific article about the dual diagnosis of poverty and poor health.
--On January 1, I saw a picture (cannot remember where) of newly elected judges in Harris County, Texas.  All were women and 18 were either African American or Hispanic. That diversity is what we are supposed to be afraid of as opposed to being proud of.
--No points for the Republicans for censuring Steve King.  First of all, he has been a bigot for a long time and the Dems would have gone after him anyhow.  If I lived in that Iowa District that elected him, I would be embarrassed.
--Romney gets no points for his editorial either.  He is a talker--let's see if he can walk the walk.
--Ruth Ginsburg is not well and I am very worried.  Need to double up my prayers.
--Ms. Ocasio is not shy and she will be a handful for the Speaker of the House since I don't think she will take kindly to being managed.
--Reading mysteries written by Martin Walker and am totally in awe of the courageous partisans who fought the Nazis in France during WWII.
--OOPS, what will the Brits do now that Brexit was defeated in Parliament.  A big pile of poop has just dropped on their doorstep.
--AW passed away and my thoughts are with JW.
--But congrats to A and A on their upcoming nuptials.

SPORTS TALK
It is a good day in America and not just in the sports world when both the Cowboys and Bama lose.  Nick Saban is a twin of Mr. Belichik--and I do not mean that is not a compliment.  However, what Mr. Brady and the boys did to the Chargers was quite the thing.  Brady, for one, did not look 41.

Shalom

GILLENBRAND, HARRIS, BOOKER, WARREN

Ok, it is really quite nice that these early 2020 presidential candidates represent the diversity of this country. Beto would have made it even more representative.  I love it.  But, when I close my eyes and attempt to envision one of them debating POTUS, I cringe.  I cringe even further (is that even a thing?) when I close my eyes and think of POTUS voters in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania who might be willing to support someone other than the current President.  It does not compute. Don't get me wrong.  These four senators are excellent right where they are--in the Senate offending Mitch at every possible opportunity. Keeping my eyes closed, I imagine/fantasize POTUS in jail and little Baron in a juvenile delinquent facility. Perfecto.

ODDS AND ENDS
--"Get ready for an influx of sadness".  A direct quote from, of course, the animal's favorite newspaper--the Globe.  Because, despite murder and mayhem all around, they have decided to write about pet euthanasia in the closing days of 2018.  Seriously!
--That same day in the comics, a resounding critique of POTUS in Doonesbury.  So it would seem I should be heading to the comic section if I want some serious issues raised.  And nope, don't tell me about how some people get attached to their pets because I have also heard this:  pets getting organ transplants from other pets.  What would the victims of the Yemeni civil war think of that as they starve to death?
--I am nothing if not consistent.  Somewhere in that same paper, an article about a fire in someone's home during which the pet was saved (yippee) but a human tenant died.  This from a paper that has no permanent correspondents in DC.
--Do you know anyone who wears cuff links?  I sure don't.
--An article in a recent Huff Post by a terrific writer (LS) who blasts away at Susan Collins.  Collins deserves our anger and if, in the next two years, I hear one more story about how conflicted she is about a vote, I will puke.  It is her job to have courage.  She needs to quit whining and either fight POTUS or toss her cards into the discard pile.
--So 15,000 children are still separated from their parents.  Two have died.  And before he could utter a words of sympathy, POTUS decided he had to blame someone.  The kids died because the Dems did not approve his wall.
--Do not tell me how great the wall in Israel is--it is repugnant and the killing of a Palestinian medic at that wall is worse.  Keep the bad people out.  Ask the Germans how that worked out in Berlin.
--Mattis and Kelly resign and we now have Stephen Miller (yup, a member of my tribe) in charge of foreign policy along with Bolton.  That should scare and piss off all of us.
--Have a happy, healthy 2019.

SPORTS TALK
Just sayin', Boston is now home to 3 of the most inconsistent teams in the NHL, the NBA, and the NFL.   I cannot figure them out.

Shalom