Now is the time I really get excited about basketball with the NCAA "March Madness" in full swing. And all the more reason this year with our local Fort Myers-based Florida Gulf Coast Eagles flying through the tournament. Whether they can keep it up, who knows? But they have given us locals---and a large part of the basketball nation---reason to celebrate with their verve and audacity.
They are an anachronism in this age of sports egos---a team that refuses to emphasize individual stars and stresses team play. And what play, pure macho, go for it, keep attacking, don't play it safe! Their dunks get the crowd screaming. They have a coach in Andy Enfield whose great inspiration is his confidence in them and allowing them to freewheel as they do. Of course, they have some exceptional talent: Brett Comer, the point guard, according to Enfield, sees the court and sets things up as well as any N.B.A. point guard. Sherwood Brown is good cream, rising to the top when needed, and the inspirational captain and driving force of their team will.
And all this from a college only founded in 1991 and only eligible for the NCAA this year. What a way to leave your mark. Win or lose next game, they are already winners ---and such fun to have around.
With three Florida teams in the "sweet sixteen", we are excited here. We are especially anxious to see if the Eagles can claw the Gators!
Monday, March 25, 2013
Thursday, March 14, 2013
VIVA FRANCISCO!!!
Congratulations on the Papal council making a relatively quick decision to elect Francis I, the first non-European pope in 1200 years. As a priest and Bishop in Argentina, he was noted for his piety and humilty, often visiting the slums in Argentina's cities and expressing care for the poor. He was also the first Jesuit chosen, quite interesting as the Jesuits have always been the mavericks, fighting the old boy network in Rome on many occasions. At least the old boy network has broken the mould!
At 76, he does not fulfill the wishes of many Catholics for a younger, more vigorous pope. He has suffered some health problems and only has one lung. As a non-Roman Catholic (we Episcopalians are considered Anglo-Catholics with many similarities in liturgy to the Roman church but doctrinal differences, such as not accepting the infallibility of the pope and with less emphasis on the Virgin Mary), I am skeptical if he will rock the boat and make many changes to the basic tenets of the church; for example, celibacy, allowing priests to marry and ordaining women. "Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished", in the words of the Bard of Stratford-on-Avon, but not likely.
American Catholics are, on the whole, fed up with the whole mess of sex and pedophile scandals and even the celibacy issue. My wife and I had drinks yesterday with a couple from my small hometown in Ohio, daughter and son-in-law of old friends. The husband is from a devout Roman Catholic family, while the daughter was born Episcopal. She has never fought the church and has gone along with raising the children as Catholics and even attending Catholic schools, although she has not converted to Catholicism. This couple went to our Episcopal church with her parents last Sunday, and the daughter's husband was wowed by the eloquence and devotion of our dynamic woman priest. I'm sure he, like many other Catholics, must be wondering about the future with a shortage of male priests, and seeing the power of an extraordinary priest who happens to be a woman must have given him pause.
It is my hope, as an outsider looking in, that Catholicism can go through a renaissance or epihany with this new pope. Maybe he can look into the future and see the need for the Roman church to become more relevant to its congregations and to our age.
I wish him well in such an endeavor.
At 76, he does not fulfill the wishes of many Catholics for a younger, more vigorous pope. He has suffered some health problems and only has one lung. As a non-Roman Catholic (we Episcopalians are considered Anglo-Catholics with many similarities in liturgy to the Roman church but doctrinal differences, such as not accepting the infallibility of the pope and with less emphasis on the Virgin Mary), I am skeptical if he will rock the boat and make many changes to the basic tenets of the church; for example, celibacy, allowing priests to marry and ordaining women. "Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished", in the words of the Bard of Stratford-on-Avon, but not likely.
American Catholics are, on the whole, fed up with the whole mess of sex and pedophile scandals and even the celibacy issue. My wife and I had drinks yesterday with a couple from my small hometown in Ohio, daughter and son-in-law of old friends. The husband is from a devout Roman Catholic family, while the daughter was born Episcopal. She has never fought the church and has gone along with raising the children as Catholics and even attending Catholic schools, although she has not converted to Catholicism. This couple went to our Episcopal church with her parents last Sunday, and the daughter's husband was wowed by the eloquence and devotion of our dynamic woman priest. I'm sure he, like many other Catholics, must be wondering about the future with a shortage of male priests, and seeing the power of an extraordinary priest who happens to be a woman must have given him pause.
It is my hope, as an outsider looking in, that Catholicism can go through a renaissance or epihany with this new pope. Maybe he can look into the future and see the need for the Roman church to become more relevant to its congregations and to our age.
I wish him well in such an endeavor.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
AND I'VE GOT THE CORKSCREW!
A QUOTATION FROM everydayhealth.com:
"Scientists have homed in on how resveratrol — a chemical commonly found in red wine and chocolate — works to prevent cell aging, which could eventually lead to the development of synthetic drug treatments for obesity, diabetes, cancer, and other conditions, according to new research published in Science.
Though researchers have been looking at resveratrol for years, this new research, from Harvard Medical School, is considered a breakthrough in understanding the chemical's potential to increase the activity of a protein called SIRT1, which helps fuel the power-producing parts of cells and in turn may fight age-related illnesses like cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes. "
Well, friends, why don’t you come to my house for a red wine and chocolate orgy. Who knows, we may live to be 150!
Thursday, March 7, 2013
READY, SET, ACTION
I read in the latest news that the President’s approval ratings has gone down 7% since the election. The honeymoon is over, this report asserts, and I’m not really surprised.
I have been a supporter of Barack Obama; not that I agree with everything he does but, to a large extent, I'm supportive of his efforts. But recently I think he has made a mistake---a tactical error, if you will---in his “campaigning” against the Republicans and their stubborn resistance to new taxes. I don’t agree with the Republican stand against taxes in that I feel it is inevitable that we have some increases in tax revenues and/or revision of the tax code as well as the necessity to cut expenses. I simply think the President needs to resist more photo-ops of him being the People’s Prez and spend more time negotiating with both parties to find even a vestige of common ground.
He needs to lend the weight of his office and executive responsibility to pressuring both parties to seek this common ground in the form of bi-partisan commissions to seek answers for health care, social security, tax reform and a host of other entitlement problems needing undivided attention. As President he could insist on such efforts and appoint acceptable candidates from both parties.
Certainly, the Republican Party has not covered itself with glory these last few years and is going through agonizing soul searching to determine their future course of action, preferably away from the kooks and extremists of the far right. But the Democrats cannot sit still and think that the President of their party and the Senate under their narrow control can ultimately “sneak through”, in spite of the House being under Republican control. It simply won't happen. Any way you cut it, we have a divided government in Washington.
It is way overdue, this time to get serious and work in a bipartisan manner. The President can use his good offices to exert pressure in this direction and be the moving force for such change. It is not good enough to plan “pep rallies” in key cities and before captive groups like unions; it is time to be presidential and forget the bully pulpit to appeal to the people but use his power to stir up some political action in the legislature. And he can be the spearhead.
To hell with the ratings, just crack some heads and bend a lot of ears to start some action.
P.S. Since I wrote this, I read he is having lunch with Republican leaders.
I have been a supporter of Barack Obama; not that I agree with everything he does but, to a large extent, I'm supportive of his efforts. But recently I think he has made a mistake---a tactical error, if you will---in his “campaigning” against the Republicans and their stubborn resistance to new taxes. I don’t agree with the Republican stand against taxes in that I feel it is inevitable that we have some increases in tax revenues and/or revision of the tax code as well as the necessity to cut expenses. I simply think the President needs to resist more photo-ops of him being the People’s Prez and spend more time negotiating with both parties to find even a vestige of common ground.
He needs to lend the weight of his office and executive responsibility to pressuring both parties to seek this common ground in the form of bi-partisan commissions to seek answers for health care, social security, tax reform and a host of other entitlement problems needing undivided attention. As President he could insist on such efforts and appoint acceptable candidates from both parties.
Certainly, the Republican Party has not covered itself with glory these last few years and is going through agonizing soul searching to determine their future course of action, preferably away from the kooks and extremists of the far right. But the Democrats cannot sit still and think that the President of their party and the Senate under their narrow control can ultimately “sneak through”, in spite of the House being under Republican control. It simply won't happen. Any way you cut it, we have a divided government in Washington.
It is way overdue, this time to get serious and work in a bipartisan manner. The President can use his good offices to exert pressure in this direction and be the moving force for such change. It is not good enough to plan “pep rallies” in key cities and before captive groups like unions; it is time to be presidential and forget the bully pulpit to appeal to the people but use his power to stir up some political action in the legislature. And he can be the spearhead.
To hell with the ratings, just crack some heads and bend a lot of ears to start some action.
P.S. Since I wrote this, I read he is having lunch with Republican leaders.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)