I'm suffering from spinach-withdrawal. As a huge fan of spinach (+ turnip greens, collard greens) in those convenient ready-to-consume bags, I've had to shift to all-broccoli/all-the-time since the e-coli outbreak. Usually, I cook the spinach, unlike most folks who use it raw for salad, but even cooking it seems iffy right now. Darn. I love my spinach. But e-coli? No, thanks. Hope Popeye's OK, though.We're getting barracaded in here on Second Avenue, one block from the United Nations. The world poobahs are gathering for some serious speechifyin' over the next couple of days. Of course, most of the Code Hot Pink security stuff is for the biggest, poo-iest bah of 'em all, hizzelf da' Prez. It's interesting watching all the traffic and po-lice from our 6th floor window. Sirens blaring and motorcycles weaving in and out of the bumper-to-bumper traffic. Things were much quieter on Peachtree Street, I tell ya'.
I'm not gonna touch the Catholic-Muslim goings-on, except to comment on the Pope's apology. Or rather, the structure of the Pope's apology. Forget the Muslim angle or any kind of angle for that matter. Here goes: Don't you hate it when somebody who owes you a big apology (and I'm not saying the Pope owes the Muslims an apology) weenies out of it by saying, "I'm sorry you got upset by my [insert heinous deed here]"? That's not an apology. An apology is saying "I'm truly sorry for what I did," not "Sorry you got upset by what I did." Aargh! That's worse than a slap in the face. So, Mr. Pope Dude - if you're not sorry for what you said (and many folks think you shouldn't be), don't couch it in a "oops, sorry you got offended" statement. If you are sorry, then be a man (even in that robe and silly hat) and say, "I was wrong. I apologize."
So, that's my world today - from avoiding e-coli to advising the Pope. I think I should be paid more.
7 comments:
Yeah, you should be paid a LOT more Mary. You're invaluable. Love this post. Sorry about the spinach strike!
What's this? A spinach scare? This has passed me by! I'll be treating all greens with suspicion from now on...
There's a guy over here by the name of Boris Johnson. He's a Tory MP and is a stereotypical Englishman with floppy hair and a bumbling manner. Apart from the fact that he's a Conservative, he's quite sweet.
Anyway he is always getting into trouble for saying the 'wrong thing'. Most recently he has been baned (I think) from New Guinea because he referred to their man-eating past.
I thought it was really funny because the comment was repudiated by the Papuan (?)Ambassador with the words, 'We haven't eaten anyone for two hundred years.'
In his apology Boris said, 'I am sorry if what I said upset you.'
He, quite rightly I think, refused to say he was sorry for saying it as he was referring to the past, which is not denied.
I don't know what the Pope said; it has passed me by.
Thanks, Joy - I'll pass along your recommendation to the powers-that-be!
Jo, maybe it's just a US spinach scare. Several people have died and many hospitalized, so all bagged (and maybe all raw) spinach has been removed from our stores. That pesky e-coli! (And a good washing doesn't help - )
Liz, I did hesitate to bring up the Pope's "apology" since - goodness knows - I don't want to have both Catholics and Muslims after me! ;-)
My point was really that an apology, to me, is actually saying "Sorry for what I did," not "Sorry what I did made you feel bad." (Anyone who's ever received that kind of apology understands.)
I think what the Pope said was taken out of context (but he had to know it would be in the current religious/political climate, right?) but his so-called apology only fueled the flames. Perhaps he needs a new "handler"?
Love the story about the man-eating past, though! Maybe Johnson's (and the Pope's) true apology should have been, "Sorry I brought it up."
Mary, I am so glad you pointed out that difference in apologies, it had been, quietly, rankling. LOVE the Brenda Lee album cover!
Ah, Brenda Lee. Wonder why oldies stations never play her music - she was so hugely popular back in the day. Hm.
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