I’m Shipping Up To Boston

Thanks go to the Dropkick Murphy’s, for inspiring this weeks title, from their identically titled song.  You may remember the song if you’ve seen the movie “The Departed”. This title is in honor of Thursday afternoon, when I fly off to Boston, MA. There, I’ll spend three days and three nights in one of America’s oldest cities with Cosa Nostra. This is the group of fraternity brothers that I’ve been taking annual trips with now for four years (with a pause coming last year since, well, I was already pretty well traveled in China and Kenya). We’ve done Las Vegas and Chicago previously, with the goal usually either being to end up in a city with a major league baseball team . . . or a ton of casinos. So, it’s basically any of thirty cities or Las Vegas.

For those wondering, Cosa Nostra was the term that the members of the Syndicate, or “The Mob”, used to use in reference to themselves back in the 40’s and 50’s. It translates to “our thing”. The FBI and other agencies started mistakenly calling it “La Cosa Nostra”, because basically, stupid white guys think that you should put “La” on anything that’s of Italian or Latin origin. White people are so stupid. And women be shoppin. Our Cosa Nostra includes Patty, Patrick Evans, Buckley, and Match. It’s not that we’re opposed to others joining us . . .  just no one has ever really expressed interest to. Maybe next year?

We all get in Thursday night, where we’ll kick off activities at the bar Cheers. Yup, that Cheers. Then Friday it’s off to TOMB, this weird interactive puzzle thing. Then it’s off to check out Harvard University, then back to the main part of the city for a tour of Fenway Park before dinner, then it’s Boston Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles at 7:10 p.m. Saturday will have us checking out the Freedom Trail, The USS Constitution, and the JFK Presidential Library and Museum. That night, we’ll go for oysters and clam chowder at America’s oldest restaurant, Union Oyster House. Sunday, it’s head back to our respective homes.

School, School

ONE PAPER. That’s all I have to freaking write to finish up my summer - and I can NOT motivate myself to do it. I don’t know what’s stopping me. In fact, nothing should be; I have to write it. And yet, here I am, bloggin. Good choice, Andy. That’s how you get the ol’ academic swagga back.

Justice Sotomayor – Why was I here again?

At this point and history, I think most people are under the misconception that you have to have confirmation hearings for every nominee to the Supreme Court. In fact, you do not. In fact, it was not till this century, around the 40’s and 50’s, that having these full blown question and answer sessions, held before the public, really became in fashion. Now, it seems like a given.

My thought this time around, though, is that it would have saved everyone a lot of time, money, and for some of the Senator’s, a little public dignity, if they would have just skipped it this time around. Why, you ask? Because it was pointless. There are 60 Dems in the Senate. More than that, there are a handful of Republicans that had already planned on voting for her as well. In fact, at the start of the sessions, Hard Right Republican Lindsay Graham (R – S.C.) even noted that there was pretty much nothing she could do to screw this up, short of a meltdown. Because of her very moderate appellate record, everyone knew that wasn’t happening either.

So why did they still go ahead and do it? For political theatre, nothing else. So the Republican Senators could show their constituents back home, “Hey, see how hard I’m giving it to this crazy, left-wing nominee? Vote for me again in 2010!” So that Democratic Senators could say “Hey, see how open-minded and multi-cultural I am, and how much I’ll fight for Obama’s decisions? Vote for me again in 2010!”

It really does make me crazy. Of course, it was Senator’s from my own party that made me the craziest, once again. They beat the “wise latina” remark into the ground, even though they were misconstruing and blowing up it’s importance to begin with. Senator Coburn at one point even said that, in regards to some of her past decisions, that she was “Gonna have some s’plainin to do”. Really??? Are you freaking kidding me? Are you really pulling out ol’ Dezi Arnez bits to aim at the first Latina nominee to the Supreme Court. Seriously, Republican Party, you’re on very thin ice with me at this point.

Thoughts at the closing bell:

• The Tigers came out of the All-Star Break and promptly lost three straight to the Yankees. Good job, boys. That’s how you strike fear into the league that you’ll be there in September. Actually, at that pace, they’re praying you’re still around in September.
• I’m going clothes shopping on Wednesday. Carson Praire Scott is having a crazy sale, and I am in desperate need of some new . . . well, everything.
• I’m down to 171.5, I put in 43 miles last week, and this week kicks off weight training/running weeks for the next few months. I will be in Boston in 2011.
• Only 150 so pages left in “The World is Flat”. Then, it’s on to “The Road”.

That’s all for now. One love to you all.