Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Racism in America!


Jon Stewart had a great piece last night on the rich tapestry of Racism in America.

He showed the L.A. Clippers owner, Donald Sterling, (soon to be ex-owner if the NBA has its way) saying to his girlfriend:

“You can sleep with them, you can bring them in, you can do whatever you want.”

He then showed two Klansmen being interviewed.  One says:

“I do believe that when it comes to layin’ down with them, that we should be separate.”

So as to Racism in America, we run the gamut from: 

“You can fuck them.  Just don’t be seen with them.”

To:

“You can be seen with them.  Just don’t fuck them.”

Monday, April 28, 2014

Random Thoughts!

I noticed that I wasn’t eager to watch “12 Years a Slave,” highly acclaimed best picture, etc.  Figured it would be well done and very disturbing.  I watched it last night and I was right.  Well done and very disturbing.

Coming on the heels of a week in which racism was in the news, maybe I should have put off confronting “12 Years.”  I think the racist rancher in Nevada and the racist owner of the LA Clippers should be given a public service award for their comments.  They just said out loud what the silent racists think but won’t say.  Black president or no, racism is alive and well in the good old U.S. of A.

It was also a good week for Putin.  Verbally and militarily escalating the crisis in Ukraine while the US and Europe tut tut and threaten but can’t/won’t do anything to counter the Russian dictator.

Obama’s trip to Asia was underwhelming.  Didn’t get a trade agreement in Japan.  Went to South Korea and said the North Koreans were bad boys.  Said the right words about human rights in Malaysia, but brushed off a Malaysian human rights activist and made nice with the leaders in power.  Now off to the Philippines.  Have a nice trip.

Yesterday was a big day at St. Peters.  Four popes together for the first time.  That two were dead didn’t dampen the festivities.  I noticed that one of the newly sainted was a miracle short of the two miracles that are usually required.  Doesn’t matter.  Give him a pass.  Don’t be fussy about the requirements.  If they can do it in Sumo (Kakuryu was promoted to Yokozuna after only one championship) they can do it at the Vatican with God on their side.

Most distressing event of the week – Chelsea beat Liverpool.  Now Manchester City must drop points or the title will be theirs.

Have a nice day!

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Big Surprise!

That Manchester United has fired David Moyes.  What was that Alex Ferguson said to the crowd last year – “Support your new manager.”

That NetFlix is opposed to the Comcast/Time Warner merger.  And oh, by the way, says NetFlix, we’ll soon be raising our prices.

That the Supreme Court has upheld Michigan’s ban on affirmative action.

That Russia is lying about what it is doing in Ukraine.

That officials in 17 federal agencies are prohibited from speaking to the press about intelligence-related but unclassified issues without permission.

That the Boy Scouts have revoked the charter of a church-related troop for refusing to get rid of a gay scoutmaster.

That Korean crewmembers on the ferry that sank chose to save themselves rather than their passengers.

That rockets into Israel from Gaza led to Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.

That Assad will go ahead with elections in Syria next month.  Hello?  You’re in the middle of a bloody civil war.

That the U.S. refuses to give a visa to an Iranian diplomat because he provided translation services when the Iranians took over our embassy in 1979.  Childish petulance.

Have a nice day!

Friday, April 18, 2014

Promises!

Which of these promises have been kept?

Guantanamo will be closed.
Immigration reform will be passed.
ObamaCare will be repealed/implemented.
Gay marriage will be made legal/kept illegal.
Taxes will be raised/lowered.
Income inequality will be reduced.
More jobs will be created.
Poverty in the U.S. will decrease.
Education in the U.S. will improve.
Climate change issues will be addressed.
More students will be able to afford college.
The U.S. will adopt an energy policy.
Equality for women will become a reality.
The increasing influence of money in politics will be reduced.
Recurring slaughters will lead to some controls on guns.
Returned veterans will receive the benefits they deserve.

Broken promises are ubiquitous.  They are not limited to one political party.  They are not limited to one interest group.  Until people call promise makers to account for their broken promises nothing will change.

Wednesday, April 09, 2014

In Case You Missed It!

In Pakistan, a 9-month old boy has been charged with attempted murder.  In court he stopped crying after he was given his bottle.  He’s now in hiding.  How did this happen?  Don’t ask.

In San Francisco, Shrimp Boy Chow’s lawyer says the FBI entrapped his client.  I wonder if Shrimp Boy’s co-defendant, State Senator Yee, will make the same claim.

Separatist movements seem to be in vogue – in Quebec, Spain, Ukraine, Morocco, Nigeria, Somalia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Iraq, Italy, and many more – most of which you’ve never heard of.

The Navy, Coast Guard and California Air National Guard won’t seek reimbursement for rescuing a family on a broken-down sailboat 900 miles off the coast of Mexico.  The family included two kids, 1 and 3 years old.  It’s fine to rescue for free.  It’s not fine for two parents to take toddlers on a long sea journey.  How about charging them with criminal endangerment – or something?

The Secret Service guys who were drunk while in the Netherlands to protect Obama (one was found passed out in a hotel hallway) have been reassigned.  Nice for Obama; not nice for the next person they’re supposed to protect.  I wonder what it takes to get fired from that job.

Al Sharpton says the story that he was an FBI informer in the 80’s is old news.  Right.  Still juicy though.  Seeing the righteous get outed is fun – old or new.

There is a great recipe for carciofi all giudia (fried artichokes Jewish Roman style) in today’s New York Times.  Check it out.

Have a nice day! 

Tuesday, April 01, 2014

April Fools!

The Israelis and Palestinians will agree to a two-state solution.
Putin will modify his dream that Mother Russia get her way – about everything.
The Republicans will put the needs of the country above partisanship.
The Democrats will put the needs of the country above partisanship.
Money will stop being the dominant force in American politics.
A common sense approach to immigration reform will win the day.
The Giants will win the 2014 World Series.
Iraqis will stop blowing each other up.
Syrians will stop killing each other.
Egypt will become a functioning democracy.
The gap between the rich and poor in the U.S. will lessen.
The gap between the rich and poor around the world will lessen.
The global climate change disaster will be confronted and turned around.
Equality for women will become a reality in the 21st century.

A cynical list on this Fools Day?  Yes it is.

Have a nice day.