Tom Finneran: June Tidbits

Monday, June 29, 2020

Tom Finneran, GoLocalProv MINDSETTER™

 

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Tom Finneran former MA Speaker of the House

TIDBIT ONE:

I hate to break your bubble of bliss, but two items cast a shadow on our current state of mind.

First, traffic has re-appeared on our highways. Yes, even with the limitations of “phase two” re-openings, traffic woes have returned. I’m sure that you’ve noticed the difference. Ugh.

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Of course, the upside of this daily pain in the butt will be the growing adoption and acceptance of telecommuting.

Second, the delightful extended hours of sunlight have begun their annual march in the other direction. In less than three months we will have lost almost three hours of daylight in our yearly stately stroll around the sun.  One hundred eighty eight days remain in this most memorable and miserable year. I can’t wait to say good riddance to 2020, but I certainly intend to enjoy July and August.

TIDBIT TWO:

On this day in history---June 26th---the United States shone at its best in three separate but related events:

1948---the United States initiates “Operation Vittles”, the first supply flights of the legendary Berlin Airlift, while staring down the ugly criminality and aggression of the Soviet Union; food, fuel, and medicines from the United States saves thousands of lives from starvation and death;

1963---President John F. Kennedy delivers his famous “I am a Berliner” speech in West Berlin, continuing America’s resolute stand against Soviet intimidation; Berliners and West Germans go crazy over Kennedy and America; East Berliners tremble in fear of their brutal Soviet gangsters;

1968---the United States returns the island of Iwo Jima to Japan, demonstrating a unique magnanimity between nations once at war with each other. This island drank the blood of thousands of young men, American and Japanese. It was a terrible toll paid by too many families. As Colin Powell once noted, America does not retain ground it has conquered.

TIDBIT THREE:

FROM the world of sport, on this day in history—June 26th---    

1962---Red Sox pitcher Earl Wilson threw a no-hitter against the Los Angeles Angels; Wilson was a very good hitting pitcher; he had thirty five career homeruns, including two as a pinch hitter, and two in one game; he hit a homer in this game as well, connecting off Bo Belinsky for the winning run;

1970---Frank Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles hit two grand slams in a single game, a 12-2 win over the Washington Senators; Robinson was a great ballplayer, winning the MVP award in both the National (Cincinnati Reds) and American (Orioles) Leagues;

1987---The Red Sox jump out ahead of the Yankees, leading 9-0 before the Yanks score 11 runs in the 3rd inning and go on to defeat the Sox 12-11 in ten innings; you can’t make this stuff up---it’s the Red Sox at their most inept at famous Fenway Park.

Finally, for those who have been complaining about this week’s heat and humidity, on this day in history, in 1990, Phoenix recorded a daytime temperature of 122 degrees Fahrenheit; as they like to say in Arizona, “yeah, sure it’s hot but it’s “dry heat””. And as my mother would knowingly reply, “so is an oven”.

Enjoy the day.

 

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