Struggling

I have been feeling so uneasy for awhile now about religion, but it just keeps getting worse.  The more anti-semitism rears its head worldwide, the more Christianity feels like it's enveloping me from all sides.  It may just be an American thing, but with Mark Burnett producing all of his epic tales of the Bible and going mainstream on NBC this time, I am feeling uncomfortable.  With the anti-LGBT legislation signed into law by the Governor of Indiana, swastikas painted on walls of Synagogues, fraternities, etc., my breathing is getting more and more shallow.  

Look, I have many questions about religion and faith.  I question it all the time, but what I don't do is thrust my opinion, feelings, or beliefs on others.  Why do we have to continually be subjected to so many others' faiths?

This week on The Today Show (I'm sure to promote NBC's The Bible), the team is sharing what faith means to each of them.  Don't want to hear it.  I particularly don't want to hear it as a subtle, covert promotion of a TV show.  But I really don't want to hear it.  Don't care.  Enjoy your faith, privately.  Cherish it, privately. 

I feel that our country has tilted so far towards religiosity, that I feel when I step outside NYC, I don't belong here anymore.  Can you imagine that?  Me?  I was born and raised in America, but in my 55 years, this Country has shifted so much, that I hardly recognize it.  The crazy religious right who espouse Jesus are 100% hypocrites and they and those that believe them don't even see that.  There is no hate in Jesus.  There is only love, acceptance, and tolerance.  That men took those words and twisted them into unacceptable  rhetoric is the problem.  

As I spend my time preparing for our own Passover seder, I have been thinking so much about religion.  Am I being a hypocrite? I don't think so.  If I didn't write it here, you'd never know what the hell I was doing in my home. I am not a religious person. I like tradition.  I like getting together with family and friends and recounting the story of Passover and eating great food.  Am I a spiritual person? Do I think there's something greater than us?  Maybe. I'm open.  I'm open like I am open to mediums.  It's all possible, but will never know truly.  Whatever works to get you through the day.  BUT why do your beliefs trump mine?  I feel that about everything.  I feel that about guns and the NRA.  I feel that way about separation of Church and State.  I feel that way about abortion.  I feel that way about vegans and vegetarians.  I feel that way about the "drug war."  If I'm not bothering you, than why is it anyone's business? 

I have gotten off track a bit here, but more and more I feel like a marginalized person in this country.  With the new anti LGBT law in Indiana and Arkansas right behind them,  what's happening?  How can these laws be interpreted any other way?  I've always felt that those who are racist are also homophobic and anti-semitic.  They follow the same path.  Did you see how fast the President of University of Oklahoma came down on the fraternity that was caught singing racist songs?  Did you see how slowly the Chancellor of UCLA has reacted to the anti-semitic students on the student council?  Have any of the students that asked completely inappropriate questions to a young Jewish student paid any price for their bigotry?  Seems to have been swept up under the rug, even from the national press.  Very little reporting compared to the racist frat boys at Oklahoma.  Anti-semitism has been allowed to simmer for centuries.  The fact that it's on the rise again in the lifetime of World War 2 survivors with little attention is very disturbing.  I am struggling. I am sure you can tell.

Letting Go

I hate change.  Always.  Any kind of change.  I drag my feet.  I put down roots and have to be pulled out to go to the next square. There have been huge milestones in my life that are all about change.  When I was 8 years old, I experienced my first move from one neighborhood to another.  New school, new friends.  Just far enough away from the old school that I really didn't go back to visit much.  When I graduated from high school and went to college, I really wasn't ready to go.  I had a very tough time leaving and struggled my whole first quarter at UCLA.  Homesick.  When I graduated from college and made the move to NYC, it was 100% my idea.  For the first time, I felt I really needed a change.  I struggled again for the first couple of months, but finally found my place.  I stayed in my first job too long.  It was a very unhealthy atmosphere, but I loved the people.  I didn't know where to go or what to do.  One too many office blow-ups and I finally quit.  Opened my own boutique office with another woman and, again, stayed too long.  What was once a thriving and thrilling business, started to turn into another unhealthy atmosphere.  It wasn't easy to make that change.  That was one of the most difficult "letting go's"  I ever had, but what made it easier...

I had the two most wonderful and beautiful twins at home.  They are incredible children and I feel very privileged to have them in my life.  My husband and I struggled for many years to have children, some may call them "synthetic," but I call them the greatest gifts of my life.  We hit the jackpot.  Don't get me wrong, it hasn't always been easy.  No one can say that, but it's been a true joy.  With every change and step in their lives, I have had to adjust.  The safety and comfort of nursery school to kindergarten was huge.  I cried like a baby at their graduation.  It meant starting all over again for me with new friends and a new school.  When they first went to sleep away camp, I couldn't understand it at all.  A foreign thing coming from suburban California.  I didn't know anyone that went away, maybe girl scout camp.  Huge.  Seven weeks without my children.  They wanted to go.  I was never going to send them until they begged me.  I would've never sent them, though I think it was the right thing for a NYC kid. Stepping up from 5th grade to middle school was another big change. From being able to drop the kids off and spend time in the room every morning to them getting on the city bus and going by themselves, as I silently wept at home, onward with this new chapter of our lives. 

When high school began, the challenges were different.  There were many more unsanctioned social events to maneuver.  Very stressful.  As I have often stated, it's worse for my generation because we remember all the things we were doing in high school.  My parents generation either didn't do anything or didn't remember. The terror when your kids start going out to parties of people you don't know, based only on trust.  Yikes!  So they are Seniors.  Things that when I was a kid we didn't do, they do here.  Not that I have to say yes to everything, but I am very clear that a lot of the things are my problem, not theirs.  So it's Spring break.  In the NYC Independent Schools the thing to do is go to the Bahamas for a wild, drinking, dancing, gambling, whatever.  My husband and I really tortured over this decision.  No good comes from alcohol.  I 100% believe that.  I am not a fan of alcohol for the most part.  Been around too many drunks to turn me off for a life time.  Yes, I do drink occasionally, but that over-served situation is disgusting at an age.  The only thing that concerns me more in teenagers is the inexperience of life.  We caved.  

They are currently there with 100's of other Seniors from NYC.  I've been calling it The Parent's Nightmare instead of the Spring Break trip.  Do I think it's a smart idea. Absolutely not.  But as I roam around from room to room, maybe it's a glimpse of what next year will be like for me.  They will be in college and I won't be there to help them out.  The terror and fear of what may happen is ever present, but maybe it will subside little by little.  Maybe this is a practice round for all of us.  This is certainly the most freedom these kids have ever had.  I see all the movies, Natalie Holloway, TV shows, flash through my mind.  I do know at the age of 55 what lurks in the shadows.  I do have an extremely heightened sense of self-preservation, but that doesn't mean that when I was 17, for all my common sense, I didn't get into some scrapes that could've ruined my life.  I remember too much.  Sigh.

This is day two.  I am still breathing.  I am still fearful. I am still hopeful. 

Sidebars:  I wholeheartedly stand by Elton John and his stance on Dolce and Gabbana.  I can't believe that they used such verbiage about same sex couples with children.  They do have the right to their opinions, of course, but the wording was so hurtful to millions of people, gay or straight.  We wouldn't have our children without the help of science.  Synthetic??  As I said, I don't own anything DG, but I won't begin now. As a matter of fact, I was looking at glass frames yesterday and moved right past the DG section. Still loving The Voice more than I can tell you.  The singing is incredible and I can't love Pharell Williams more than I do. The whole line-up is great.  I can't believe that Showtime's Episodes is already over.  That's way to quick.  Again, if you're not watching, you must give it a go.  30 minutes of heaven.  Took the family to see The Heidi Chronicles on Broadway over the weekend.  Still holds up. Wendy Wasserstein died way too soon.  If you are a theatre lover and also lived in NYC in the 80's, I highly recommend Wendy's Boys.  Really good read about Wendy and her life.  Off to see The Audience tonight starring Helen Mirren. Can't wait.  Enjoy your St. Patrick's Day.  Don't drink too much, oh, please.  Erin Go Bragh!

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@DianaPodolsky

The Thaw Begins

I think I have Seasonal Affective Disorder.  I never really thought about it. Winter's are often a challenge but, this year, it's been a killer.  I'm sure that for those of us in the Northeast the collective S.A.D. has be on the rise.  Do you think they came up with the acronym first and put words to fit or just a coincidence?  Anyway, this past Sunday was our first glimpse of Spring.  It was a palpable shift in mood.  The sun was shining, the coats got lighter, and moods were brighter.  It's only on Sunday that I realized how depressed I have been.  

Now, honestly, there's so much to be depressed about.  The news is so bleak.  For every great human interest story, there are ten crappy stories.  Our Congress sucks.  There's no two ways about it.  Our Republican Congress sucks more.  Their latest stunt writing to the Iranian leader is a National disgrace.  Since when do we air our dirty laundry?  And internationally?  Where are you now, Rudy Guiliani?  Is that patriotic and love of country?  That not one prominent Republican went to honor the anniversary in Selma is disgusting.  Former President G.W.Bush and Laura Bush were present, but also made it more glaring that John Boehner and Mitch McConnell weren't there.  What the hell?  What can the Republican leadership be thinking?  Jeb Bush is the most moderate Republican running for President '16.  Can you imagine that?  And because he is for comprehensive immigration reform, he probably won't make it past New Hampshire.  The Southern arm of the party don't like it, don't want it, will not vote.  Okay, so the Democrats don't really have anyone either to run, but seems that no matter who runs will beat any Republican candidate.  The majority of the country is moderate.  Period.  

I wanted to write about Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress last week, but that really got me down.  I think that the standing ovations have got to stop.  It's ridiculous.  The Republicans stood for the story of Purim!  Really?  That's how predictable the standing ovations have become, but that particular one was so dumb.  The story of Queen Esther and Haman?  Standing O???????????  Netanyahu's speech was thoughtful and moving.  I am not criticizing the words, but I do criticize the timing.  Would have been far less controversial if it had happened after the Israel elections.  It lessened its impact and the mechanical applause didn't help.  And honestly, I was afraid to tackle this subject head on.  Emotions are so high about Israel and people see things in black or white.  I don't have the facility of language to attack this, but I do know that nothing is black and white.  Everyone has skin in the game.  Everyone has their own perspective on every angle.  There are always back room deals that we never know about.  We have friends in "enemy" countries because of many reasons: oil, land, security, etc.  Nothing is simple.  The only thing I do know...Israel must continue to exist for the Jewish people.  That's it.  How we accomplish that is far less clear.

I posted my delight at the beginning of daylight savings time on Facebook.  I got some heat for that, though many others agreed with me.  I know that John Oliver ripped DST to shreds on Sunday night's show.  All I know is that I like and need sunlight and daylight.  After this winter, more than ever. So if we don't "Fall back," would it still happen?  I know that no one likes mornings to be dark, but I love that Sunday evening the sun was still shining at 6:12pm and the sky was blue.  I don't really care how we get there.

This is a mish-mash.  My head has been swirling.  Though I haven't posted in a week, my mind never turns off.  Putting things together is getting harder.  I don't want to be Debbie Downer.

Sidebars:  The Voice is the best television.  The judges are so much more than that.  Even those singers that don't make it on the show, get valuable critiques to help them move forward and maybe return to the show. The Bachelor ended last night.  Chris Soules picked Whitney Bischoff.  I have claimed that whomever gets picked in the end would never make it.  I may be wrong.  After last night's finale, Whitney may be willing to throw all her accomplishments away and become a farm wife and mother in the middle of nowhere, Iowa.  If you're not DVRing the Graham Norton Show on BBCAmerica on Saturday nights, you are truly missing the best talk show on the air.  Give it a go.  You will not be sorry.  Ditto for John Oliver on Sunday night's on HBO.  Did you see the news item that two California twenty- something women were arrested in Rome because they carved their initials in the Roman Colisseum???!!!!  Another National embarrassment. Throw away the key. Take away their passports. There are so many more things I want to discuss but, I will save for another day.  Get outside, take a walk, take a breath.

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@DianaPodolsky

You're Either With Us or Against Us

Rudy Guiliani stepped in it. Questioning President Obama's love for this country; he wasn't raised like Rudy.  Whatever the hell that means.  Dog whistles anyone?  Why have we become a country that judges others so harshly.  Well, I think it can be traced back to President Cowboy Bush.  When we were attacked by terrorists, President Bush stood up at the microphone and said you're either with us or you're against us.  No grey area.  Black and white.  No time for questions.  You believe like us or your don't love this country.  Patriotism hadn't been questioned this much since the l950's and the McCarthy hearings.  

I wasn't alive then, but can't imagine that it could be any worse than it's become here.  The Republicans see everything in absolutes.  There are no variances.  They stick to the scripts, which are rock solid.  No matter what happens there are few criticisms, unless it's towards the "others."  The Democrats don't work in absolutes at all.  There is no reigning in talking points.  They are disorganized and spineless.  Whether the Democrats are right, they do not back up their beliefs.  Can you imagine a Republican saying anything derogatory towards the Republicans?  It doesn't happen for worse.  It's never for better.  I can appreciate, on one level, sticking together, but to what end?  

We are currently in another bulls**t session with Congress voting to fund Homeland Security.  What's holding it up?  The Republicans don't like what Obama did unilaterally with immigration.  If the Republicans would have come to the table with any ideas what to do with all the illegal immigrants in this country, it wouldn't have had to happen. Do you get that?  If the people elected and paid to make laws for this country actually did their jobs, we wouldn't have unilateral decision making by the White House.  The fact that the Republican Congress has held the funding hostage in the words of many across the aisle...unpatriotic!  Why do we, the people of the United States of America, allow this kind of irresponsible behavior to go on and on and on.

I live in New York City.  I am sure you all know that by now. We are always on high alert in some way here.  We have the constant, "see something, say something" all over the subways.  There are many announcements about backpacks can be randomly checked by cops in the subways.  If we see a lone bag, we are all trained to be suspicious.  So, the fact that the FBI just foiled another plot here in NYC and the Congress is holding budget dollars for Homeland Security for ransom, is unconscionable.  Rudy, you were Mayor here for 8 years.  You were Mayor on 9/11.  Why aren't you as a self-proclaimed lover for this Country, which is better than our President's love for this Country, standing up and shouting at Congress and telling them to give the damn money??!!  WHY??

Why isn't there some sense that keeping Americans safe should trump your egos?  

Why isn't it more patriotic to care about America than re-election?  Isn't that how it's supposed to be?  You run for office, you win, and, while you get paid, you do your damnedest to make your district, State, and Country a  better place.  If you lose re-election, then, so be it.  Isn't that really patriotism?  Not doing the bidding of all your special interests?  

I am having a harder and harder time writing because our elected officials are all corrupted by all the money.  BUT if you all can't set aside your petty differences to fund our safety, you are all against us.

Sidebars:  Have you noticed all the movie actors taking over series television?  In the past week, I've seen ads for new series with, new Oscar winner, Patricia Arquette, Josh Duhamel, Juliette Lewis, and Ryan Phillipe.  Already 3 episodes into an 8 episode series, The Slap, boasts an amazing cast of actors.  Maybe it's the trend. Steady work, but could be taking more work away from the journeymen who never were "too good" for TV. It certainly makes the projects seem more credible.  We shall see.  The Voice began this week with a bang.  How many great singers are there in America and how many can have careers?  The judges still delight with their banter. February sweeps are over and now re-runs are rampant again.  The good news: CBS' lineup is finally back Sunday night.  The bad news: it's the final episode for this winter of Downton Abbey.  T.G.I.F. wherever you are.

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@DianaPodolsky

Hang Up the Host

The Oscars have come and gone.  At 8:30pm EST, Neil Patrick Harris took the challenging mantel as host and kicked off the show with a huge production number.  It set the tone for mediocrity and very questionable humor.  There's no doubt that Neil Patrick Harris (NPH) is extraordinarily talented.  He has now spanned decades in this business and he's only 41 years old, but, and, this is a serious but, it is time for him to take a vacation.  I have been feeling since his previous hosting gig, that he is believing his own press.  The once seemingly humble and adorable man, seems cockier and cockier.  

Last night's hosting gig, may go down as the classless hosting of all.  The writing was way below par. The jokes were far too much toilet humor, literally.  He spoke about peeing multiple times to Octavia Spencer.  I felt sorry for her.  I guess she knew that he would harangue her about his dumb prediction bit, but I really felt her discomfort as the evening went on.  NPH also spoke to someone (and I can't remember who) about pooping.  Ugh!  Hated that he came out in his underwear.  Really took the show down, down, down.  It felt far too narcissistic a routine.  Look at me and how great I look and my big package.  Me, me, me.  It's supposed to be about them, them, them.  (Even Michael Strahan asked him this morning if he was stuffed).  Really?  That's the focus on the Oscars?  

Highlights  of the show were some of the great acceptance speeches.  First up, JK Simmons winning for Whiplash, best supporting actor.  Loved his speech. Love him.  Thrilled for him.  Patricia Arquette's acceptance speech (about two hours later)  was extraordinary.  She took the moment to say something.  Did you hear it? It is worth YouTubing.  Meryl Streep almost jumped out of her seat.  Patricia Arquette declared that it was time for women's rights and equal pay for women*.  Fantastic moment.  Common and John Legend singing Glory from Selma was stunning.  A great meaningful moment.  Their acceptance speeches for Best Song were stellar.  Lady Gaga singing the tribute to The 50th anniversary of The Sound of Music took many by surprise.  Many had no idea that she was really a singer's singer. Juilliard trained.  She sounded glorious.  Shondra Rimes, creator of Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away With Murder, needs to get educated.  For some inexplicable reason tweeted something nasty, such as, didn't anyone see Idina Menzel there?  Why wouldn't she be singing and not Gaga.  Idina can't sing that, Shondra. (I will save my rant about Shondra for another time).  

The producers that put together the In Memoriam segment slighted two of the most beloved New York icons that we lost this past year.  No Joan Rivers and no Elaine Stritch. Shocking omissions.  They both deserve to be honored and remembered.  I always look forward to the In Memoriam segment.  I am always surprised by someone that I didn't know died or I didn't remember.  Take your pick.  This year's segment left me cold. I didn't like the artful drawings of the people and not photos.  Robin Williams didn't even look like Robin Williams and was just stuck somewhere in the middle.  They gave the last spot to Mike Nichols.  The producers of In Memoriam should be ashamed of themselves.  How hard is it to go through the obits for the year so no one is left out?  Was it intentional?  Explain, please.

The 87th Academy Awards are behind us.  If they can't get Ellen DeGeneres for the 88th, then rethink things. Neil Patrick Harris was a big fail.  Seriously, one of the most classless hosting jobs.  The Oscars are the ultimate awards show.  It can't go down the toilet.  

So for the few of you who raised the bar last night, I thank you.  If it hadn't been for you, I would've gone to bed.

*Here's part of Patricia Arquette's speech: “To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else’s equal rights,” shouted a fiery Arquette. “It’s our time to have wage equality once and for all and equal rights for women in the United States of America!”

Sidebars:  The Bachelor tonight.  Hometown dates for the three women left.  Always revealing, but ultimately, no one will ever marry Chris and live in that no horse town.  I have never seen a duller place, ever.  He lives in the middle of nowheresville, Iowa.  No movie theatre, no lunch counter, nothing.  When they showed the town, everything was locked in the middle of the day, including the church.  Wow!  The Voice returns tonight.  Christina Aguilera is back judging.  She has big shoes to fill.  Night Shift begins its second season right after The Voice.  The Oscar winning documentary, CitizenFour, airs on HBO tonight.  We are back in the deep freeze after a taste of Spring yesterday here.  Happy Monday!

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@DianaPodolsky

Brain Freeze

It's been very difficult to put complete thoughts together. It is colder here in New York City than it's been in twenty years.  I always judge cold by my nose hairs.  If I feel them burning and freezing, it is really cold.  I've only had that experience three times.  The first was around 30 years ago, second, a trip to Toronto in the dead of Winter, and third, Sunday night.  It was so bloody cold.  Three degrees at 8:00pm and a wind chill below zero.  Forehead frozen even with a hat on and we aren't getting the worst of it.  

The good news, there's been lots of great television to get us through the weekend.  I loved the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary.  It wasn't perfection, but for a show that was 3 1/2 hours long, it was fantastic.  In recent years, I can hardly make it through their usual Saturday Night show clocking in at 90 minutes, so 3 1/2 hours....Amazingly entertaining.  The old clips were by far better than anything in recent memory.  Really sad to see the stream of people that died from the show, really sad.  I, personally, haven't gotten over losing Gilda Radner.  One of the great comic geniuses of my lifetime and left too soon.  If you missed it, it's definitely worth trying to get On Demand.

Downton Abbey and Spoiler Alert....Lord Grantham's dog is dying. At the end of this past week's episode, he won't make it through the night.  People are so upset with the turn of events, but I don't think they had a choice. Unfortunately, when the show began they couldn't have foreseen the future.  The sweet beautiful, loyal dog's name...?  Isis.  I haven't read anything, but can only figure that they didn't want that name attached to the show, interpreted as an homage, or any other subtle honor to the most heinous, evil group of men since Adolf Hitler's regime.  It's so sad for the storyline and the fans.  All of us dog owners felt this so deeply, but I don't think they had a choice.  I'm willing to be wrong, but don't think so.  If anyone reads anything contrary, let me know.

The Bachelor is winding down, but this past weekend we got five hours of glorious, embarrassing, television.  It's hard to pick out one single moment, but when Jade, one of four women left, admitted to and showed Chris, the bachelor, her Playboy photo shoot...awkward doesn't cut it.  She sat with her laptop and showed him photo after photo.  He said it didn't matter, but come on....He lives in a town with 450 people!  No chance could she be the chosen one.  By the way, no matter what happens in the end, there's no possibility that any one of the women left will survive Arlington, Iowa.  There is nothing and, I mean, nothing.  It is almost three hours from Des Moines.  It is in the middle of nowhere. No restaurant. No movie theatre.  When the girls made a surprise visit, all the doors were locked on the two blocks of downtown, including the church.  No way.  It's a total handicap.

Still catching up on John Oliver and Episodes.  Tonight is the final night of the Westminster Dog Show.  I wonder who will be Best in Show.  Heard that Patty Hearst has the winning toy breed.  Never ceases to surprise me where she shows up.  What's next?  Maybe she can do Dancing With the Stars....

For the people in the Boston area and North, I know that as cold and snowy as it's been here, it pales in comparison.  May your cars start, your roofs hold, and your pipes stay whole.  This has been some Winter AND heard that other than the Northeast and upper midwest, this has been one of the warmest winters.  Hard to believe, isn't it?  

I feel remiss if I don't mention the terror and anti-semitic attacks over the weekend.  The first in Copenhagen.    At a seminar/speech about freedom of speech led by the cartoonist and satirist, Lars Vilks, multiple shots fired. One dead, plus injuries.  They didn't get Lars Vilks, who, as you may remember, was the cartoonist who drew a controversial cartoon about Muhammad that got some Islamists calling for his death years ago.  Then a synagogue was shot up and a Jewish man guarding the synagogue was killed. In all there were three dead and five wounded. In France, vandals/terrorists destroyed a Jewish cemetery.  In both cases, the leaders of the countries stood up loudly and immediately.  

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@DianaPodolsky

Who Always Gets Screwed?

It's tough being a fan.  It's tough be a ticket subscriber. We, the fans, are always getting the short end of the stick, always!  We are the only people that are not part of a union.  We have no power.  If you are an athlete, you are backed by your teammates, your union, the owners or the coach.  The system is all slanted towards the good of the player and the owner.  Just look at the disastrous decade plus with the New York Knicks.  Since James Dolan purchased the Knicks, the fan has been left out of the cold, game after game, year after year.  If you are a season ticket holder, it's been worse.  The ticket prices have soared and the product has gotten worse.  The "renovation" to the Garden, shifted the seats and what were once fantastic, roomy seats are now closer together, further up, zero leg room.  The tickets?  More expensive.  Who wins?  The Garden and James Dolan.  This week, James Dolan chose to reply publicly to a fan that dared to complain and criticize his ownership, the Knicks, etc.  He is a disgrace, but we, the fans, are powerless.  

The owners in all the leagues continue to take down the fans.  There are die hard fans that return year in and year out.  They were raised fans by their parents, grandparents and friends.  It is a ritual to root for the hometown team, but in return, what do the fans get?  Nothing.  We don't get refunds for crappy years of play.  We don't get rebates for bad trades.  You may say, well stop going, stop buying tickets.  You're right. After more than 25 years, we had to give up our Knicks tickets.  You can't give them away and they went from $60/seat to over $300/seat.  No championship.  Once you give up your tickets, you can't get back in.  Corporations have taken over sports tickets.  They don't care if they spend a zillion on season tickets and no one sits in the seats.  Have you seen games on television?  Doesn't matter which sport, there are lots of empty seats; they're sold seats so owners don't care.

Long gone are the days when regular folk can take a family of four to the ballpark, stadium, arena.  The tickets are a fortune.  The food and beverage that much more.  If you think going to the movies is expensive....The food vendors are taking all the money you earn in a week or a month.  Let's not even talk about the jersey's being sold.  Gone are the days that teams are committed to the jerseys of last year.  They change styles and colors without thought to all the millions of people that bought and wear their team jerseys.  It's all about money.  It's not about the fans.  With all the television money, owners don't care, players don't care, coaches don't care.  As long as they can squeeze more money out of the working stiffs, they're good.  

What's the answer?  Not really sure.  Can fans unionize?  The only fans that seem happy and part of the system are the Green Bay Packers' fans.  That team is publicly owned by the townsfolk.  They are the owners.  There's no James Dolan or Robert Kraft.  And, let's not forget that championship owners throw crumbs to the fans with parades for thousands to line the streets while the owners pockets get lined.  If the fans, particularly individual season ticket sufferers, participated someway in the success of the team, maybe there would be some fairness, but as it stands now, ticket holders are at the mercy of the decision makers during strikes, "inflation," and egomaniacs.  

The other day, listening to Jeff Van Gundy announcing an NBA game, he said ticket buyers should know before the games who will be playing.  The new methodology is sitting out a game here or there.  Just don't feel like it or they're resting up for a bigger game.  He stood up for the fans.  There needs to be more of that.  The media talking heads should call out players and owners more, but they can't.  They are always kowtowing so they can get into locker rooms, get that all important interview, etc.  So?  Who gets screwed year in and year out?  You guessed it, the fans.  The loyal, hardworking fans.  Can we create a union?  A Fans Bill of Rights?  Adam Silver? Roger Goodell? Rob Manfred? Gary Bettman?  Anyone listening...?  I think not.

Sidebars:  Okay, too sad about Bobbi Kristina.  Pulling life support tomorrow on the same day that Whitney died.  Too sad.  Still pondering face down in the tub....---Poor Bruce Jenner.  Hounded by paparazzi, rumors, and innuendo and then part of a fatal car crash.  Bad week. --- Thrilled and sad that Joan Rivers won a Grammy.  She should've been there. ---  I think that the sports talking heads totally missed out on the interview about Bill Bellichik.  They still haven't interviewed Don Shula!  He called him Bill Bellicheat before deflate gate. --- A friend has really tried to get me to weigh in on Brian Williams.  I just can't.  I have to wait if this huge embellishment/lie is a one off or we find out that he lied about many more things.  The New York Post has pounced on this and hung him out.  Funny coming from the brotherhood of Fox News. They've never lied.  ---The Bachelor has hit new lows.  Chris Soules is a douche.  Thought he was better than he is.  Now we know it wasn't the town of 450 that turned Andi Dorfman off. --- Kanye West should never be given a microphone again.  I just started to soften on him and then he acts like an asshole again. True to form.  Grammys are always interesting. Best to watch it on DVR.  The interesting combinations of singers is fascinating. --- Can't get enough of Downton Abbey and I fear this season is almost over.... --- Colder and colder in NYC.  

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@DianaPodolsky

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