See You Later Alligator

Wave jumping.  (Photo/Peter S. Corr, III)

Once again, my giant clan is heading to the beach.

While we're there, although the inter-net's  not out of reach,

Dr. Seussilitis symptoms do not manifest;

Ocean views and breezes give my fevered brain a rest.

Hope that your vacations are all equally as nice.

If you're staying with large groups, then here is my advice

(If that group has teenagers along you'll understand)

Keep your coolers fully stocked - with extra booze on hand.

Dear NRA... So Much For That

 

So much for the argument that "good guys" toting guns

Is the way that we'll protect our daughters and our sons.

Tell that to Sybrina Fulton; go tell Trayvon's dad.

Jury didn't seem to think George Zimmerman was bad...

Just a guy who tried to help protect his neighborhood.

Volunteered his time; believed that he was doing good.

Just a guy out in his car - patrolling - packing heat.

That's the guy who gunned an unarmed child down in the street.

If George had no gun then things would not have gone so far;

Would have done as he was told and sat tight in his car.

But he felt like Dirty Harry, caught up in the chase.

Gun gave him the courage to get in a scared boy's face.

You don't have to be a lunatic for kids to die,

All you need's a weapon and a tense, untrained "good guy."

Think the NRA and LaPierre will now recant?

Let's ask Trayvon Martin what he thinks...  Oh, right.  We can't.

Sincerest Apologies to My Future Team-Mates

I will be stinking up the course at Stowe Country Club, VT  soon.

It's been like a sauna for weeks.

At times, seemed the sky had sprung leaks.

It thundered and stormed,

Some tornadoes formed,

With flooding near rivers and creeks.

Some may play in this; I do not.

No fun when the weather's this hot.

Give me the canned air,

Have not been out there.

My golf game has suffered...  A lot.

But soon we'll be up North with friends;

(I think we all know how this ends)

My swing will be bad.

When team-mates get mad;

Buy drinks at 19 - make amends.

Adios Immigration Reform

"No."  Speaker Boehner won't allow the Senate's bill on immigration reform to come to a vote in the House of Representatives because a small majority of Republicans are opposed. (Photo/Metro.US)

Once again, the People's Will gets to the House and dies

And another opportunity slips by those guys.

"No," said Speaker Boehner.  "Senate's Bill won't get a vote."

Says there are provisions in it that will never float.

Boehner says that House Republicans are gonna write

Their own version of a bill...  Its future isn't bright.

GOP is fine with longer fences, extra guards;

But a path to citizenship isn't in the cards.

Democrats insist that path has got to be a part

Of an Immigration Bill, so it's doomed from the start.

Speaker Boehner's stance on this has made the outlook grim.

Wish he'd give the Senate's Bill a chance to sink or swim.

When Hell Freezes

I hope college students had their loans all set to go;

Locked in rates at 3.4...  They've doubled since, you know.

Now the rate is 6.8 to take a college loan.

Meanwhile, Congress only seems to bicker, bitch and moan.

Students will already spend a fortune for degrees.

They need help from Senators but I fear hell will freeze

Before there is compromise from Members on the Hill;

That's when we'll see action out of Congress...  Not until.

Egypt - When is a Coup Not a Coup?

The riddle of the Sphinx -When is a coup not a coup?

I go on vacation - the Egyptians have a coup...

Not the 1st time this has happened, either. This makes 2.

Last time that it happened Morsi led one of his own.

This time it was him the military's overthrown.

No one's seen the President. The Muslim Brotherhood's

Started leading protests throughout Egypt's neighborhoods.

They say they're prepared to die if Morsi's not restored.

Civil war is one thing that Egyptians can't afford.

Neither can America 'cause Egypt is the key;

Central to the Middle East throughout its history.

Which is why we're being careful - watching what we say.

U.S. law is black and white but Egypt's shades of gray.

We are not allowed to give a country foreign aid

If there's been a military coup.  Bills don't get paid.

Egypt wants another chance to get its problems solved;

Thus, we've called it something else so we can stay involved.

Summertime, and This Living Ain't Easy

In the summer, other things preoccupy my mind;

Then this Dr. Seussilitis blog becomes a grind.

Seems a rhyme about the news won't come as easily

When I've gone to parties and awaken queasily.

Posts become sporadic with vacation almost here...

(We're returning to The Lookout, where we stayed last year.)

Boys are home, we're busy, and tomorrow is the 4th,

Then we're in a tournament with golfing friends up North.

Looking back, I see this current trend is nothing new.

Last year, in the summer, I had other things to do.

Thus, I make no promises that I'll be up to date

Or that rhymes I do get to are gonna be that great.

Hope that you'll bear with me 'cause my record also proves

In the Fall, when life slips into its accustomed grooves,

I'll get back to politics - for me they're like a drug -

But, in summer, my brain starts behaving like a slug.

King Rat of Southie - Whitey Bulger

Whitey Bulger on trial. (Art/LiveWire.WCVB)

Boston's less than favorite son is currently on trial.

Whitey Bulger managed to stay on the lam a while.

On the run for 16 years until the FBI

Tracked down Whitey's girlfriend, followed her, and found the guy.

If you aren't from Boston then you may be unaware

Just who Whitey Bulger is and I would say that's fair.

Even those who knew him at the time made that  mistake.

Never realizing Whitey Bulger was a fake.

If you haven't ever met a person from The Dot;

If you aren't from Southie (a confession - I am not)

You may not know how effective Irish charm can be;

May not understand how he suborned John Connolly.

Whitey turned informant - selling out Italian mobs.

On the side he still committed criminal side-jobs...

Jobs that left a trail of bodies lying in his wake.

Now Bulger's insisting that he wasn't on the take.

Wants to shape his reputation now that he's been caught

And "King Rat of Southie"'s not the sobriquet he sought.

But, though it's the least part of the monster that he was,

Whitey's stuck with that name now, no matter what he does.