FANTASY FOOTBALL....RUNNING....OTHER THINGS

I have been limited in my writing on "THOUGHTS" this week due to work constraints, however that doesn't mean I went "brain dead".........

A Boston Globe poll released today called the Governor's race a virtual tie between Charlie Baker  and Deval Patrick.I never trust the "leftist " Globe.......didn't that paper have a poll a week or so before the special election that came up with the conclusion that Martha Coakley had a 15% lead ......If they are admitting that it is close.....it probably means Baker in a landslide........

However.....let's get to the real "stuff"..........

Maria Rowen "sucked it up"this morning and jumped into the ocean of  Hull Beach....and thereafter biked and ran herself to a completion of the Nantasket Beach Sprint Triathlon.How to go Maria.......Nothing like getting the first one over with......

On Saturday, I ran the Witch Half Marathon in a time of two hours which was ok.....while running partner Brenda Lewin left me behind by about 15 minutes......It was a great morning for a run  down Lafayette St,Salem to Marblehead Neck and back.............the views are as pretty as it gets.........

If anyone gets the urge and wants to train for an event such as a half marathon or sprint tri next spring/summer get in touch.....and we will talk about it......

Finally but not least the Crushers of CBS FANTASY FOOTBALL are on the verge of its second win
in as many weeks......Norm Sherwood has joined the administration as co-owner and one the teams defeated was the defending Champion Heat........The Crushers have a  QB CONTROVERSY.....Deciding whether to play Tom Brady or Michael Vick.....can be tough.....I welcome your opinion each week.....

CHRISTINE ODONNELL.......HOW FAR BACK?????

It is obvious that the Democrats and Republicans are concerned about "Tea Party"candidate O Donnell. She is a conservative who is anti abortion and has also opposed pre marital sex which includes not taking things into your own hands "if you know what I mean"....I saw the video that has surfaced on that issue and it appears that she was in college at the time.

THe latest one on witchcraft was when she was in high school and according to her was 17 years old at the time......What was the President interested in when he was that age.My memory is that Hillary Clinton was a Republican at that time in her life......"Pre-Bill "

The other issues include the amount of time it took for her to graduate from College and paying taxes late.Her general remarks are that she was from a middle income background and she had large education loans and bills to pay.She stated that the rich may not relate to her circumstances.....

Stay tuned for more..........

JIMMY CARTER VS. TED KENNEDY.......THE BATTLE STILL RAGES....

Carter and Kennedy "squared off' against each other in the 1980 Presidential Primary....in which Carter won...... only to be defeated by Ronald Regan.......That was a really good thing........During the Carter Presidency we had "out of control" interest rate and gas prices.....along with the Iran Hostage Crisis..........The economic instability and lack of consumer confidence was not much different than today......but that discussion is for another day......

Jimmy Carter and his former staff members have been saying for years that they could have passed a compromise health bill during his White House tenure.........if Ted Kennedy had not been vindictive and continued to oppose the bill due to his dislike of Carter........Jimmy Carter has brought the issue up again......Is he right ?

If that is true........Where does that leave the Legacy of Ted Kennedy.......? and the press and the stories of Kennedy being the "Great Compromiser" and champion of national health care......

BRADY......ANTHONY KENNEDY SHRIVER......

I cannot believe all the heat that Tom Brady has gotten over the Audi.....and the fact that a non profit gave him and six of his lineman vehicles.Many of the pro athletes in Boston get cars and have for as many years as I can remember.......Remember the "shelf"life of stars is limited and they might as well take advantage of it while they have the ability to do so..........

On the other hand Anthony Shriver and Joe Kennedy appear to hold themselves out as "shining knights working for the common good "while at the same time taking salaries and in Shriver's case a $97,000 Audi from non profits.

I believe that their should be a further definition of whether an entity is a non profit or an actual charity.This could be defined by the percentage of money spent on administrative and advertising costs......It would help the average person decide whether their donation is being spent in a meaningful manner.......

WICKED............

I saw the play WICKED yesterday in Boston and it brought the Wizard of Oz story
full circle for me.
Margo who was the subject of yesterday's Blog took me to the theatre as a special treat to see the "OZ"movie and like many children I left at the end completely terrified of the "wicked witch"of the west and her flying monkeys.........

Well......for those who have not seen the play or read the book ......their is redemption
And a whole other side to this story.....

It is full of hope......and doing the right thing.

IF you can do it,get your tickets.....and give yourself a treat.

MARGO ROWE.........9/12/2001

"Margo" Rowe is a difficult person to forget.She passed on to the "Greater life " nine years ago which  was one day after the 9/11/2001 massacre at the World Trade Center...... her time was close due to illness.....but I sometimes think it was not coincidental and  her time was hastened to assist the 3,000 people both young, old,rich,poor,educated,uneducated,known and unknown who were "yanked without warning"to see their Maker....She truly had no prejudice in her heart........and wished the "best " for all...

Margo's life was spent helping people by leadership,example and prayer every day of her life........and it is fitting that she would be with those souls on that Day........

Margo is my Mother......and I am sure most of the people that "crossed paths "with her would agree with my above thoughts......She believed that everything whether good or bad was God's Will.....and Faith would make everything sustainable......

I do not write this in sorrow....but in the hope that  family and friends and acquaintances that knew her will carry on her legacy.....and qualities that have made this a better World........

TOM BRADY......

I am relieved that Tom Brady was not injured in the accident yesterday....after the alleged serial "looking for an accident"driver allegedly ran the red light and allegedly slammed into his Audi........I am happy that the "Hubby" of Gisele is ok for many reasons.....not the least of that he is the Starting QB for the CBS Fantasy League Crushers.......Norm Sherwood and myself are  Co-GM'S of the Team and a lot is riding on his performance this year.We dumped Randy Moss and in turn picked up Brady and Ray Rice of the Ravens.....It looks good on paper.......but who knows.........

By the way.......I think most people would "skip"out of work if involved in an accident .....such as the one at the corner of Comm. Ave and Gloucester St.,Boston,Ma. yesterday........unless your employer had the deal  of  4years, $ 58 million, $ 48 million guaranteed........ sitting on a desk in Foxboro to be signed........as
alleged (again)............

I do not know this from experience.......but..........

ROSH HASHANAH......2010...

My prior blog touched on two religious entities apparently forgetting the "spirit of the heart"in earthly pursuits to prove that the can do what is legal ......even though not necessarily right..........

Rosh Hashanah on the other hand shows how many times religions are more similar than not.......
The Catholics have Confession and the Jews have Tasikh.......They are of repentance and
acceptance of a "Day of Judgement "......each in it's own form.

Tasikh is the placing of bread crumbs into flowing water that symbolizes the casting away of sins such as  Confession which has the same effect.

Rosh Hashanah has the Tasikh and it is also their New Year........

Happy New Year........and good luck with all those resolutions......I assume the rate of success or failure is not different for any creed.....If I am incorrect let me know........

WHAT'S LEGAL....AND WHAT'S RIGHT...........?

So we have the Muslims building their place of worship in a former Burlington Coat Factory in the area of "Ground Zero " and a Minister in Florida along with his congregation of 50 planning to use their place of worship to burn "books" that are the the equivalent of the Bible and the Word of Mohamed........to the Muslims........

Both of these actions are legal in the sense that they are protected by the First Amendment which says in part;
   "Congress shall make no law.......abridging the freedom of speech......

A few words that speak volumes of case law and legislative acts by both the Federal and State Courts that in summary say you can build churches, temples and burn books......with a few exceptions........

That being said.......Is it right.......I say no.......The Muslims should have their places of Worship.....however , they could pick a location that doesn't effect the sensitivities of Americans whose lives and destinies were changed at the "World Trade Center Slaughter ".............

Concerning the "Book Burners"......same to them.....I assume they call themselves Christians......but they certainly are not acting that way.....It is wrong........

Laws can legislate behavior..........however love and respect of each other comes from our heart and spirit..........

PROBATION.......COMMUNITY SERVICE........MY BROTHERS TABLE

My Brother's Table needed volunteers for the "labor day" weekend and the Lewin Family of Swampscott
answered the bell by showing up and doing a great job.Brenda & Richard Lewin along with her parents, Herb & Felice and friend, Darlene were exceptional and performed like seasoned veterans..........

Another story from yesterday's dinner was a young woman who was there as a "forced volunteer ".........
I am not sure I can give out her name due to privacy rules.......but let me tell you my observations......
She was ordered to be there because of her doing Community Service arising more than likely from an order of the Court and the Probation Department.......She has been doing it for awhile and was very knowledgeable of how the food serving is done at the "Table"........

In fact, She ran the operation.She gave the volunteers tips on how to be efficient in the various assignments and at the same time met and greeted the guests with warmness and acceptance.........

I do not know what got her to where she is at the moment, however she has leadership ability along with energy and communication skills.........If she needs a reference relative to my thoughts of today she 's got it.

SEE ....Once again the bad brings out the best......many times.

DOMINO'S PIZZA......AND TRAGEDY.....

Two Domino Pizza deliveryman were pronounced dead this week in separate incidents.....

The first was a 64 year old man who was working the job in order to raise funds to relocate to Florida.
He was involved in a motor vehicle accident in which the other driver was involved in a high speed chase in which he was trying to avoid apprehension by the Chelsea Police.

The second man was sent to an address to deliver Pizza which turned out to be a "bogus"address and the "perps" stole his money and took his life in a brutal murder........

Two hard working individuals who had their lives" snuffed" out by persons who made the decision that their problems were more important than the lives of the ones they endangered and killed........

I wish I new the answer to ending these senseless actions.........

PRESIDENT OBAMA.....AND "LEFT HAND COMPLIMENT "

The President decided to end the Iraq war last night, but  50,000 troops will remain for the time being....and he gave a timetable for those troops and when they will be leaving......This scenario has made the unstable Government anxious and worried while the enemy is ecstatic and telling  Iraq citizens that their support of this US backed Government will be dealt with after the final troops depart..........

The timing and message as delivered by the President did not seem helpful to the Iraq situation......but the believers of "peace at all cost" are happy and have their own assumptions of the future........

I was bothered by Obama's remarks concerning former President George W. Bush.......He did call him a Patriot and Great American.......I do not think many Americans have issue with that.......but why did not Barack give Bush credit for doing "what he thought was right "after 9/11 and specifically his ordering of the "surge"................ "He could have said many things concerning the courage of convictions without compromising his own positions........Someday he will hope one of his Successors will remember him in that fashion.



You would think that the President understands the pressure of his position and in reflection give credit where credit is due.......His above remark was what I always referred to as a "left handed compliment"..........


It appears that Barack Obama and his "ego"would not let him ever publicly admit that another view other than his might be right.....even once in awhile......