The Color of Obama

Barach Obama handled the attack on him based upon Rev. Wright's rediculous conspiratorial and racist comments very well.
~
I wouldn't want to be judged by the way that some Catholic priests have acted.
~
Obama is a complex individual - brought up in Hawaii by white grandparents, attending school at Harvard and Columbia, seeking roots and community in the Black church in Chicago.
~
It's time to discuss race in America. We've all seen racism and the effects of a society whose economic and social basis had slavery at its core when it was born only 300 odd years ago.
~
Huge strides have been made, but the scar tissue and the recurring nightmares are clearly evident. Maybe we are mature enough to confront these.
~
We have intellectually defeated racism in America.... the leader in Democratic Presidential delegates is an African American, the Governor's of MA and NY are African American, the sport of priviledged countryclubs is dominated by an African American.
~
But the "forgive and forget" process is still to be played out for a few generations.

Piscatelli said...

In that veign, Happy St. Joseph's Day to all my paisans on the Hill in East Haven - there will be shell fish and asparagus zuppa come Sunday. Celebrate diversity! Up with everything!

Its important to have a president who knows a lot about race. Forget minding the shop otherwise. I can forgo my job so long as we have a good understanding that human nature leads us to select based on similarities and aligned interests. And we can overcompensate to change that on a case by case basis. And we can pay for study groups and giving a helping hand to those less something than me with part of my salary. So long as everyone feels good about themselves. Isn't life grand?

This world is ruled by violence
your family comes first
and then you are on you own.

But together, we can!

I live in a small village.

Piscawhatsinitforme

A Great Series

I was right. The HBO series "John Adams" is masterful and addictive. Excellently depicted in it's historical detail, it captures the culture and uncertainty of the period.
~
How people had the guts to rebel from the brutal British Empire, which had the most powerful military resources on earth, is still amazing to me. Adams, to this time, has had a tough go with his reputation by historians, and is often characterized as petty and jealous. He was not a striking physical person, and he was impetuous and impatient as a politician.
~
But his correspondence with his wife, Abigail, which has survived virtually intact reveals a deeply sincere patriot, whose persistence and self-sacrifice was crucial to the formulaion of the country.
~
His relationship with Thomas Jefferson was most intriguing. Jefferson was a southern plantation slave owner, and Adams was vehemently anti-slavery. Adams was open and forthright, while Jefferson operated behind the scenes with subtefuge and manipulation. They became openly opposed politically after the Revolution, Adams being the 2nd President and Jefferson the 3rd.
~
In their elderly years, the two vigorously corresponded with each other, sending letters back and forth between Massachusetts and Virginia.
~
On July 4, 1826, they were both on their deathbeds, exactly 50 years after they had both signed the Declaration of Independence. Adams' last words on that day were, "Thomas Jefferson Survives." Ironically, Jefferson had expired earlier that same day.
~
I think that's pretty freaky.

Tuna Lips said...

O I wonders, if we dug deep enough, wuldnt we find out ole Johnny do good was not prancing around with jefferson, having a go at it with the ladies behind the wood pile? Its genetically dischargeable to all politico types. You can looks it up in any medicating journal.

Other Dory Progress

Mac Houtz of Newport News, VA is constructing a Marblehead Chamberlain Gunning Dory and had the courtesy of sending this photo of his progress.
~
Looks like he did a good job constructing the frames and the stem.
~
I told him my excuse for not working on my Dory this winter was the weather and business, which is valid enough, but I still feel a little remorse for not advancing the project even a little.

Irish Whiskey Evaluation

I decided by considerable trial and error over the St. Patrick's Day celebration, that I prefer Jameson's over Bushmill's. Though not by much.
~
Irish whiskey is definitely different than Scotch. It would be interesting someday to research why this is so.
~
Lagavulin is still the King! And it is still good for automatic POTW.

Powerless Predicament

So I get some lip from one of you ungrateful Peeps who says doesn't she want to be a Peep of the Week.
~
Do you think you have a choice????
~
You have absolutely no say in this at all.
~
Either you accept the honor/disgrace with appropriate pride/shame or you don't. It doesn't matter what your pathetic opinion is.... the POTW selections are larger than any of us, and we are powerless to resist.

Go to the Heights

Joanne made a boiled corned beef and cabbage dinner, and we had the Peabody's over for St. Patrick's Day dinner.
~
Andrew, the talented hockey goalie at St. Paul's School, who is also their son is being wooed by Babson and Boston College.
~
I'm trying my best to get them leaning to BC.
~
I mean... would you rather go to Wellesley or the Silvio Conte Arena to see a hockey game???
~
My point exactly. Plus the kid could use a good Jesuit education. BC is the logical choice.

Erin Go Bragh

Happy St. Pat's Day.
~
Celebrate carefully.
~

Sláinte !

High Water Mark

20.53 miles on the Cybex today says that the old body might be getting there. Willing to pay the price, to look at pain and spit right back at it.
~
OK, maybe that's a little bit over the top, but I was pretty happy with my workout. A new high water mark in this march to the October Marine Corps Marathon.

Feeling the Excitement

Are you as psyched as I am about the new HBO Mini Series entitled "John Adams" starring Paul Giamatti as Adams and Laura Linney as his wife Abigail?
~
No????
~
Well Screw You. It's gonna be the Balls.

Tuna Lips said...

Glad to see the vitriolics is strong in you. Them Choctaws seen it in the likes of Me and Shoo Fly as well, steer clear of us knowdin whats was good for em. Paid cash on the barrel for theys hooch. threw in a squaw now and agin.

My kith had much to do with the revolution, scrounging scrap and playing both sides of the blockade, shifty-like. So I am going to be spectatin tonite, cable courtesy of a splice off the line from the ethnics across the way. Shoo Fly, for all the voltage they run through him at the nut house, is fire resistant to electrification of all sorts. Handy.

Dont tread on TL.

Unbelieveable

Another cold and rainy Saturday. Kill me.
~
I went down to River Head Beach landing and the driving wind and rain made it uncomfortable to hang around the harbor.
~
If it wasn't for taxes, I wouldn't have anything fun to do this weekend.

Maine Coast

Another ride up the coast of Maine today to further the cause and glory of Nanepashemet Telecom. Maine is nice, but it's freaking big! Lots of miles between here and there.
~
The Maine coast is spectacular, and I really like the period homes in places like Damariscotta, Wiscasset and Thomaston.
~
The original Colonial Saltboxes, Federalists, Greek Revivals, and Victorians abound and they make the modern Capes, Ranches and Split Levels pale in comparison. There are some real diamonds in the rough. Too bad they are so freaking far away.
~
And there are a lot of "Men from Maine" style properties - complete with rusted autos in the front yard, Tyvek for siding and piles of shit everywhere.
~
You want to steer clear of those.
~
My dream home would be a modest and comfortable, period home, with extensions to a large oversized barn. The house would have to have a water view as well as access by pier or beach to the ocean. Joanne would want a pool in the back yard, and I'd probably have to fit that in.
~
Naturally, a range of beautiful cedar strip pulling and sailing boats would be built and launched right from the premises.
~
Which means I'll have to hump a little harder to get some returns from Nanepashemet Telecom soon.

Revisionist History

Man... What a freaking day!!!
~
I just found out from a good friend of mine how facts can be twisted and revised to meet the self interest of the pretenders.
~
Something that could have been great was too threatening to those whose best output is mediocrity and deception. They had to sabotage it, then lie about it.
~
Don't see how people can live that way.