Happy Easter Everyone:
It's time for my annual appeal to the Pope if he could find some way some how to make Easter either the first or second Sunday in April. I can't stand when it's in the end of March, or here at the end of April. This Lent seemed a lot longer than the six weeks that it actually was.
According to the website TimeandDate.com...
Easter falls on the first Sunday after the Full Moon date, based on mathematical calculations, that falls on or after March 21. If the Full Moon is on a Sunday, Easter is celebrated on the following Sunday
- March 21 is the church's date of the March equinox, regardless of the time zone, while the actual date of the equinox varies between March 19 and March 22, and the date depends on the time zone.
Look folks, I'm a traditionalist and that sometimes gets me in trouble (more on that later in this broadcast) but really THIS is how the most important day in Christianity is determined? I mean, they came up with this hare-brained (seewhatididthere?) scheme in 323 AD, about 1500 years or so before electricity. I think it might be time to update this policy as well.
I mean I realize there are few organizations in the world as a$$-backwards as the Catholic Church, but they have at certain points gotten with the times. (Vatican II comes to mind) and they've changed the Order of the Mass from time to time. They let girls be altar servers. Hell, the 11th Commandment is Thou Shalt Not Let Your Cellphone go off during Mass.
This can be done.
And I know some of you might say they have bigger fish to fry, such as fighting sexual abuse in the ranks. No question about that either. But this is something I think wouldn't require a ton of effort and I'm sure would make life easier for myself and my fellow Christians worldwide. I don't think St. Peter's Basilica has a suggestion box, but (and I should have thought of this when I was in Italy last summer) if any of you are headed to Rome anytime soon, let me know and I'll send you with a copy of this e-mail.
POLITICS: The Mueller Report
I wasn't going to comment on this because of the fact that I really haven't read it. I happened to be off from work on Thursday when the report was released, and I watched as several talking heads were putting their $0.02 in just minutes after the thing came out. Either they were super speed readers or they were fudging it. So I may as well do the same thing.
It really is mind boggling how people can look at the exact same thing and come away with two different opinions. I was watching CNN and of course they were like "So they are saying that they can't say Trump obstructed justice, but they're not saying he didn't obstruct justice." Fox News was saying "See, we told you he didn't obstruct justice."
The highlight for Timmy, who otherwise found this whole thing boring, was the part when Trump, upon hearing that a special counsel had been appointed, said "That's the end of my Presidency, I'm f-cked." Of course that line was referenced several times on Thursday and Friday and never failed to get a guffaw or two out of my kid. Just like 20 years ago, when Bill Clinton/Ken Starr introduced a nation of kids to blowjobs and spluge-stained cocktail dresses, Donald Trump/Robert Mueller has introduced our kids to the notion of getting f-cked. (Or fooked as they say in Ireland)
Of course the question is, if Trump didn't do anything wrong, why did he react that way. Why did he try to have Mueller fired? Why did he give Jeff Sessions such a hard time? On the other hand, if Mueller had all this information, why couldn't he make a stronger case?
Maybe I should just suck it up and read the report. But it's like George Carlin once said..... "Some people look at things and ask why. Others look at things that never were and ask why not. The rest of us have to go to work, and don't have time for any of that sh-t. "
RACISM- Kate Smith
For someone who has been dead for 33 years, Kate Smith had a pretty crappy week.
Both the Yankees, and more importantly, the Flyers, have banned the use of Smith's version of God Bless America after the teams had it brought to their attention that Smith sang at least two songs that contained "offensive lyrics."
The first song, her version of a 1931 song called That's Why Darkies Were Born. The other was a jingle called Pickaninny Heaven which contained the words "colored children."
The Yanks have played Smith's version of God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch at the Stadium since the 9/11 attacks.
The Flyers, back in the 70's, played Smith's version of God Bless America before playoff games. Their record at home during the playoffs was something ridiculous. Before Game 6 of the 1974 Stanley Cup Finals against the Bruins, she appeared live and sang it in front of 18,000 raucous Flyers fans at the Spectrum. Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito were so convinced she was the Flyers good luck charm, they went over and shook her hand, hoping some of the luck would rub off. It didn't.
So here are my questions....
1) Who was it that brought these lyrics to the attention of the Yankees?
2) If these songs have been around for 80 years, why are people now getting offended?
3) Is there any other proof that Smith was a racist?
I'm sorry folks, but this is a classic example of overreaction.
First of all, That's Why Darkies Were Born was considered satire according to many music historians. Civil Rights leader Paul Robeson did a version of this song. To me this is like banning Blazing Saddles for it's use of the N-word, even though the point of the movie was how stupid racism is.
But mostly, I think one can enjoy God Bless America and realize that "colored" is a totally unacceptable way to refer to African Americans.
I know people are going to say to me "Put yourself in the position of someone who would be offended. You're not African-American, that's why you don't care."
Bullsh-t.
It was a different time. People spoke different, thought different. We've learned. We've grown. We try to be better. Most of us do anyway. I try to. But trying to erase the past is not the way to go here.
And again, we have real problems today. Terrorism, climate change, REAL racism. That's what we should be focusing on. Yes, we have to keep working of improving race relations, accepting people who are different than we are. That's a fight that must keep going. I'm all for that.
I'm just not for fighting that battle against a woman who died in 1986.
That's pointless.
You wanna be pissed at someone, I'll give you someone to be pissed at..
THE IDIOT OF THE WEEK GOES TO....
Maureen Walsh, a state senator from Walla Walla, Washington, is getting her chops broken over this asinine statement
“By putting these types of mandates on a critical access hospital that literally serves a handful of individuals, I would submit to you those nurses probably do get breaks. They probably play cards for a considerable amount of the day.”
She was arguing against a bill working its way through the Washington state legislature that would guarantee uninterrupted meal breaks for nurses.
I can't tell you how many times Tara has come home from work with the lunch she packed because she didn't get a chance to eat it.
And this idiot senator should know better, because she suffered a heart attack in 2017.
I know the doctor saved my life in 2015, I also know he couldn't have done it without the nurses that were in the room that night. And the ones who took care of me as I recovered. I can assure you, they weren't sitting around playing cards.
It reminded me of a funny story from a few years ago.... I was dropping Tara off at LIJ one Saturday morning, and we were telling Timmy that he was going to be playing soccer later on that day. He kind of garbled the message because he said "Mommy you're going to play soccer?"
"No Timmy, I'm going to work. You're going to play soccer. "
After Tara went in, I stopped to get Timmy a roll at the Tulip Avenue Bakery in Floral Park. The ladies behind the counter loved him (Though they insisted on calling him Tommy). " So Tommy, where is Mommy?
"She's at work, he replied. She's playing soccer."
Timmy was 3 at the time. What's this lady's excuse?
There a petition going around to have Walsh shadow a nurse on a 12 hour shift. I'd like to see that happen.
HOCKEY- Big Upsets
The Islanders sending Cindy Crosby and the Penguins packing was considered by some to be an upset. (I didn't-though the sweep was a surprise)
No, the big upsets were completed elsewhere..
First out west, where the number 1 seed Calgary Flames were extinguished (har har) by the 8 seed Colorado Avalanche. I'd be less than honest if I told you I had a lot of details about this series. The Flames finished with 17 more points than the Avs. On paper, Calgary should have won this series.
But that was nothing compared to what happened here in the East. The Tampa Bay Lightning tied the NHL record for most wins in the regular season with 62. The Columbus Blue Jackets squeaked in, barely holding off Montreal for the last spot in the East. 30 points separated these two teams. It was a David v Goliath match if ever there was one.
And Columbus not only won, they dominated.
8's beating 1's happens in hockey more often than other sports. But even by NHL standards this one was a shocker.
And you know what? The Islanders have a shot here. And as much as it pains me to say that, I'm not sure if I can root for anybody else in the east.
I won't root for the Caps, they're as bad as rooting for the Penguins. The Blue Jackets? John Tortorella winning another Cup not in NY? No thanks. Carolina? The former Hartford Whalers? Nope. Toronto? Can't root for Tavares, besides I want them to lose a few more years so that their drought runs to 55 years. Boston? Hasn't that godforsaken city won enough? Screw Boston, no more titles for them.
So I mean, that leaves the Fishsticks right? Well if it makes my fellow Ranger fans feel better, teams I root for generally lose. If you want to lay money down, bet the Leafs. Of all the above teams they are the ones I want out the most. Then Boston, then Washington, then CBJ. If the Caines win, I can probably live with that.
I hope everyone had an awesome Easter. Despite my rantings tonight, I really had a good one too. Very blessed to have the family that I do.
Take Care,
and Have a Great Week
No comments:
Post a Comment