Nobody # 799

Friday, January 1, 2010
Nobody # 799

Nobody Asked Me But:

LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW!

Our brief post-Christmas trip to Reno to share the holiday with Greg and Marie was wonderful. We flew in Sunday, as did Elizabeth a few hours later. That night we celebrated with presents and laughter. The nest afternoon we saw “Up In The Air.” (Excellent!) That evening M&G took us to the Grand Sierra, where we had their usual excellent buffet dinner. Then, as an added holiday bonus, our hosts arranged a weather treat. When we walked to the car after the dinner, it was snowing. The car was covered with about an inch of white beauty. But that was nothing compared to the next morning when the Reno world was truly a winter wonderland.

We missed seeing our grandchildren open their presents this Christmas season – a lot – but our trip to Nevada was, as Mary Poppins would say, “practically perfect in every way.”<<<

IN MY UTOPIA – 2010 WISH LIST

Upgrading airline safety from terrorist attacks will not be “evolutionary” and set to the crawling pace of politics, but will be immediate.

Everyone will boycott the Dodgers until they get an owner who cares about winning enough to spend the necessary money.

Athletes who posture after a good play, even when their team is losing, will have to repeat the phrase “there is no I in team” one million times.

Sports writers will not overestimate the value of or make large judgments about any single game, contest or match unless it marks the end of competition for a team.

Offensive players in the NBA who initiate contact by jumping into their defenders will be “awarded” an offensive foul or a no call instead of a trip to the foul line.

A basketball coach will not take a hot shooter out of the game until he misses two consecutive shots – or as broadcasters like to say, two consecutive shots in a row.

The custom of pouring ice water or Gatorade on a winning football coach, no matter how cold the weather, will be reasoned out of its misery.

AND NOW TO MY BEST AND WORST OF THE YEAR AND THE DECADE.

2009 BEST

Sporting News Today – It arrives very morning in my e-box: A wonderful multi-page summary of the previous day in sports, and opinions about the latest happenings. It has become an important part of my required reading ritual every morning.

Most enjoyable book by any author not named Larsson - “Nine Dragons” by Michael Connelly.

Best TV not mentioned on my decade list (coming Sunday) – “Glee.”

Movie – I have yet to see most of the top films, which, as usual, were released last week. I will try to remedy that soon. In the meantime, my favorites so far have been:

Up In The Air
Up
An Education

Man of the year – President Barack Obama. He has had the most active inaugural year since Harry Truman. He has dominated the news. I find it impossible to understand why he has not dominated all the lists.

Women of year – Michelle Obama, Hillary Nancy Pelosi and Sonia Sotomayor

Most interesting pricing - The third season of Mad Men $49.98. The third season of Mad Men (Blue-Ray) $49.99. (Seen in a Reno ad)

Bill of the Year

The health care bill making its way through the tangles and mazes of our legislative system is both great and a disgrace. Great because passing any reforming social legislation is a milestone in national morality. A disgrace because so many legislators have tried and, in too many cases, succeeded in holding it hostage to flawed ideology or pork barrel selfishness.

2009 DOWNS

Most inanely stupid group – the “Birthers,” with Tea Party a close second.

Bitter man of the year – John (“Losing makes me nasty”) McCain.

Poor taste remark of the year “I am hot for Jesus.” Michele Bachmann.

Saints deserve us - If the Nazi supporting, Jew hating Pius the XII deserves sainthood, can Hitler be far behind? Actually Benedict the XVI, who is pushing for Pius doesn’t seem to like Jews much himself.

Most Frustrating moment – Barbara and I spent the better part of the year turning the television on and off. Up to 3 days to turn it on and two for off. We thought our set had a serious flaw. As it turned out, the flaw was in our brain. Time/Warner gave us a new remote and turned forever into instantaneous.

The big lie of the year: That Obama hasn’t tried bipartisanship. The Republican idea of bipartisanship in 2009 can be summarized in one word – NO!

The hell and a hard place award - goes this year to the GOOD people of Southern Arizona who are trapped between Mexican drug lords and Tea Party nuts.

The Man Can Actually Serve Two Masters Award – goes to Joe Lieberman for his perfect allegiance to Israel and to health insurance companies.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Perhaps all Gaul was divided into three parts but all gall is the exclusive home of the Republican Party. How can these hypocrites look themselves in the mirror after their recent criticism of President Obama for the terrorist attempt on Christmas Day?

Didn’t 9/11 occur while they were in power?

Didn’t the Bush administration ignore Clinton administration warnings about Al Queda because they were already focusing on protecting American oil supplies from Saddam?

Haven’t they dragged their feet on spending the necessary funds to improve airport security?

A TALE OF TWO PARTIES

When the “shoe bomber,” Richard Reid, made his attempt eight years ago, President Bush, on vacation, waited SIX days before responding. There were virtually no complaints from Democrats about his lack of response. Instead, they followed tradition and rallied behind the President during this time of national crisis.

Contrast that with the way that many Republicans have lashed out against President Obama since the Christmas Day incident.

Nigerian extremist Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, who tried to blow up Northwest Flight 253 on Christmas day was a crazy, evil man. Was he also a vampire? Apparently so says the NY Daily News who labeled him a “blood-thirsty extremist.”<<<

CNN question: Would you be willing to undergo an airport "full body scan"?
Yes - 72%

No - 28%

I voted yes. How about you?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!