Characters in this blog spot - Timmie Jones - Edward Snowden - And a man named Paolini POEM: Paolini

 Just in from Goddard College. 

Former alumnus Tommie Smith, now 76.

As he gave a Black Power salute, his Gold Medal was taken away and he was removed from the Olympic Village.

• Tommie Smith, (born June 6, 1944, Clarksville, Texas, U.S.), American sprinter who held the world record for the 200-metre dash with turn (1966–71), his best time being 19.83 sec—the first time that the distance was run in less than 20 sec. He also held the record for the straightaway 200-metre dash (1965–79), his best time being 19.5 sec.

A man ahead of his time!

...

I just finished watching the documentary SNOWDEN on Netflix.

Overly long, it goes through the many physical moves Edward Snowden underwent since the State Department removed his passport.

He had reported on the Obama administration having hundreds of thousands of 'important' phone numbers. First Obama tried to bluff his way out, but finally, Congress forced him to remove those phone numbers.

I believe Frontline did a report on it. 

Currently Snowden resides in - of all places - Moscow, where he has a modicum of freedom. His girlfriend Lindsey has moved there to be with him.

Is he indeed a traitor? 

He'd return to America if he could get a fair trial but that will never happen. He takes Tegretol for epilepsy. Ran in his family. The drug is also used for people with mood disorders. 

My late Aunt Ruthie suffered from horribly painful tic-de-la-rue and took the drug, but finally her trigemenal neuralgia led her to have an operation. 

...

Since Scott had charged my car yesterday I drove to the Upper Moreland Library to return my books and check out others, including one that was on hold for me called TO SLEEP IN A SEA OF STARS by Christopher Paolini. 

That should take about 3 months to finish.

Yes, this is exactly what it looks like, sitting on the floor across the room.

Hold on and I'll read a couple of pages.

Oh dear. It is an altogether different world, with names that - how shall I remember them? But I will take a deep breath and plunge in.

PAOLINI

When I walked into the reception

The great and mighty were there

All but a few wore their Sunday best

Paolini who writes about the stars

Had those stick-on stars they give to

Kindnergartners who did a good job

and they glittered all over the suit

he bought at Barney's before it 

went out of business.