introduction

First a few words about what you will see here. It will be very random. Politics, sports personal stuff-but not too personal! And anyhting else that comes to mind.Let's get something clear to start. It's very unlikely I'll change your mind, in all probability, and you won't change mine!
Let me start with a few observations. I moved to the US nearly thirty years ago from Britain, and, yes Virginia, I am “legal”Indeed I’m a naturalized American citizen.
I have lived in three very atypical cities in the US, LA, Washington DC and New York (where I am now). And am a lawyer.
Since I will be writing on things political, I guess iI should classify myself.
Like Will Rogers (those of you under thirty five may need to look him up on Wikipedia!) I don’t belong to any organized political party, I’m a Democrat.
I find that the vituperation that emanates, primarily from the right, is astonishing.
It’s sad that the level of political discourse in this country is in large part at the second grade level. Rather than discussing the merits of any political initiative we get, for example, a President vetoing a bill providing healthcare insurance for less well off kids by dismissing it as “socialized medicine”. And making the non-sequitor that he’s doing this for “poor kids” Clearlky there is an argument as to whether citizens of the richest nation on earth should have healthcare as a basic right, and how it should be provided. But this argument is subsumed beneath empty rhetoric and irrelevence. An example of the latter Sen Lott proclaiming that because increased taxes on tobacco would pay for the program, people would stop smoking and there’d be no tax.
This is merely one example, but the level is no better elsewhere.
FDR, in his first inaugeral used the line “there is nothing to fear but fear itself”We now have a n administration and one of our two “great” political parties which have adapted that to “there is nothing to use but fear itself” and a population that is too easily manipulated in to that fear.
In the show "Chicago" the heroine's lawyer (Richard Gere in the movie) sings a song "Razzle Dazzle" which should be W's theme. For example: Give 'em the old hocus pocus, bead and feather 'em, how can they see with sequins in their eyes?", "give 'em the old flim flummery, how can they hear the truth above the roar?" and finally " long as you keep 'em way off balance, they'll never know you got know you got no talent, razzle dazzle 'em anfd they'll make you a star!"
Living as I do in NY, I have the privilege to have Murdoch's NY Post as a hometown paper. Now I never buy it but, free on the web, I will read its editorials and columnists. I mention that since these remarkable writings will produce ample fodder for me over the next months and years.
Lest it be said I am a monomaniac on the Republicans, you will also read my comments on sports, which, as a couch-potato, ex-non-jock, with no sense of balance, and poor eye-hand co-ordination, makes me an expert, of course! You will hear about the woes of my Dodgers, Lakers, Jets and Raiders, and my glorious Trojan football team (I'm a graduate of the USC Law School) as well as my first love Arsenal Football Club of London. It may be that the mention of the word "sports" will bring a glaze to your eyes, so you may then turn off, tune out and... (you don't actually have to go all the way with Timothy Leary, (If you don't know of him Wikipedia him!)
Heck, you will no doubt read my ramblings on everything else on my mind, from family doings (divorced, three kids, [kids? oldest is 37, the youngest 23]), my dogs, living and departed, movies, tv, books, and rants about such scourges as the CELL PHONE, which is causing the death of any manners at all! If you are really bad, I will tell you long and incredibly tiresome anecdotes from my past, so beware !
There will be more gripes-trust me there will, but this is my start, since I now have things that need doing in my real life!”