"OFFICIALS THINK BEAR SWAM TO CAPE"

I have a plethora of journalistic thoughts but will start with what is really sticking in my craw.  I am sick to shit of Brian McGrory trying to figure out what % of Elizabeth Warren's genetic make up is Native American.  And how she got her academic appointments.  Today, she finally sent out an email in which she at least starts kicking back.  This is a non fucking issue unrelated to the votes Scottie has made or the politics of DC.  It boggles the mind that there is so much stuff that is important and the media (especially this guy) are preoccupied with this.  Perhaps this is the Globe's way of trying to be balanced.  Let McGrory run amok to balance their editorials which generally support her. It sucks and Menino cannot yet endorse anyone.  He is a joke who fixes potholes which I guess is what people care about.

Our week in Philadelphia was great though I swear my geography gets totally turned upside down when I am there.  Fortunately, I did not have to drive too much because I thought east was west and west was east; but I also thought my grandchildren were terrific.  I read to Lilli's class and picked up Oliver a few times and got to see them both at play and at home.  The gender stuff is amazing.  What Lilli is into as opposed to Oliver.  I am not smart enough to figure that out.  But it is testimony to Jess and Steffen that they have two great kids who actually like to spend time with me and Barbara.  For me, it is an experience I never had.

Since coming back, I have been thinking a lot about the burdens we carry from childhood.  Burdens I carry which in turn created some burdens that Anna and Jess carry and now presumably are being transmitted silently or otherwise to Oliver and Lilli.  Barbara does not like it when I use history as an explanation for some ugliness of mine in the present.  But there is something about what I do now that has a direct line to what I saw or learned or heard when I was 4 and 8 like my grandchildren. 

I suppose there are some positives that get transmitted on down the line as well--at least i can see (or hope I see) some of them in the lives of both Anna and Jessica.  But it is the negative ones that stick---as in, I am with my father for one of our weekly visitations driving down Biscayne Boulevard in Miami. He is both high and drunk and rear ends the guy in front of us.  To top it off, he decides the guy is wrong and starts a big verbal spat.  I have nowhere to hide and start slinking down in the front seat.  What did that teach me or show me and did I then transmit something to my kids?  UGH--best repressed I think.

Speaking of UGH (and back to journalism 101), the Globe now runs stories under headlines like the title of this blog.  Poof journalism I call it.  There is so much going on in the world and we get to think about a bear swimming in salt water.  They have cut so many staff and depend on stringers and wire services (cheaper because there are no hires and no salaries and no benefits) that they end up with these poof stories.  Amazing that they have won two Pulitzers in the last two years.  I think their sports pages are still strong because those are live and real events and you cannot have a wire service reporter from Omaha doing the writing from his den.  Further UGH--the New Orleans Times Picayune and two other Newhouse newspapers (including the Ann Arbor News) have gone to 4 day a week printing.  The other 3 days , they only offer on line editions.  Cutting everywhere and I think it is a reflection of the younger generation being so tech savvy and the pressure to make money.

Speaking of money, the bright light running JP Morgan is everyone's friend and so no one wants to really go after him.  Plus JP apparently has a bazillion dollars in the bank.  But this Dimon guy (who I am betting is a member of my tribe) lost 2 billion in one of his divisions and is still seen as one of the best.  Anyone else in any other field would have been kicked to the curb.  This is just a small irritant and none of the talking heads even blinked.

The crazy lady sitting in front of the Bank of America on Centre Street is back.  I wonder if the Prez of the bank knows she is there.  She drives up in her car which has a phony Aruba license plate that they sell in tourista shops and sells yard sale crap at the bank front door.  Like it was original art. Its crap and she chats up everyone and has a big flowing gown on and makes it look like she is an Arteest. 

Not enough jobs were created in May and the unemployment went up a tick which is horrendous news for Obama.  Plus the stupid stock market went into the tubes on that news.  This after I was feeling a bit optimistic about his chances in November.  The gay marriage thing plus some good economic news even had polls looking up--now this.

I will continue to watch it but I am finished "liking" Girls on HBO.  It is such a show about privilege that I am not sure  what to do with it.  I watch it because it has given me some insight into the life of all these young folks living in Brookliyn and barely making ends meet.  I am thinking I know a person who fits the target demographics of the show.  But I did see a terrific on demand movie--"Polisse" about the Child Protection Unit of the Paris police.  Very disturbing but also eye opening and based on factual cases of child abuse though it is a drama.

A line stolen from Andy Borowitz:  "Trump could help Romney win the elusive billionaire asshole vote".  Trump who still yaks about where Obama was born.

The nuns are coming, the nuns are coming (as opposed to the Russians with Ernie Kovacs).  They are in open revolt against the Vatican.  I figure they will get squashed perhaps led by Cardinal Law who is still lurking over there.

SPORTS

Bob Ryan, who gets my vote for the best basketball writer in America, is retiring.  He reminded us last week that the Celtics are playing with house money.  That most of us including me never thought they would get this far.  And that Rondo's 53 minute effort two nights ago was unconscious.  They lose tonight and it is over.

Tim Thomas may not play next year.  good--let the Bruins use his salary (5 million) and sign a scorer or two.  He can go the world tea party headquarters and lick envelopes.

I don't get women's softball.  First of all I could not get close to hitting any of those pitches.  But they have meetings after every out, they all look alike (and there are far too few kids of color probably because they are all on the bb court), and the umpires have this habit of waiting a beat or two before calling strikes.  just don't get it.

Happy 43rd Babs.
Sayonara