Everyone's a winner!

The World Cup is over and Germany has won.  I believe that they were the best team although I'll confess that I was cheering for Argentina (after my second choice, the Brazilians, went down to defeat, I decided not to announce the team I was cheering for, as I appear to be a bit of a jinx).  My sister and brother-in-law love Lionel Messi and think he's a great ambassador for the sport because he doesn't do those dramatic dives in order to convince the referee that he has been fouled (like Arjen Robben of the Netherlands . . . just saying . . .)  I read a little article about Miroslav Klose (who plays for Germany and has overtaken Ronaldo's previous record for most goals scored in World Cup play).  He is a great ambassador as well -- he refused to take a free kick when he felt the referee had penalized the opposing player incorrectly and on another occasion, admitted to having scored with his hand not his foot -- he has been given an award for fair play for this sort of behavior).

As with many of these big sporting events, the cost to put it on is really disgusting and especially in a country like Brazil, which has so many people living in desperate poverty, it is unconscionable.  I think they really must come up with some other, more reasonable and economical way to stage these huge sporting events.  I think the Olympics should always be held in Greece (for the summer and maybe somewhere like Lillehammer in the winter) and the competing nations should pay into a fund that supports the venues and pays for all the other expenses like security.  I guess the FIFA World Cup could do the  same.  Apparently one of the stadiums built for this World Cup is in the middle of the jungle and is virtually inaccessible and will probably never be used again.  What a waste.  Think of all the hungry children that could be fed and all the homeless people in the streets of Rio de Janeiro who could be housed with the money they spent on that one stadium.

But that being said, I certainly have enjoyed watching the football and will miss it dreadfully now that it's over.  I always say, after the World Cup, that I should watch more soccer, but I never do.  I guess the stakes aren't high enough in regular league play. 

The impasse continues as far as the government and teachers go.  It is very horrible to be caught in this stalemate with no ongoing attempts even to make progress.  Apparently in the last-ditch talks at the end of the school year, the government refused to engage with the mediator until teachers accepted a number of conditions which involved us giving up all the things we've been trying to negotiate.  Several of us will be picketing the school board tomorrow from 9 to 11:30 if you want to pop by and honk your horn (if you're driving) or give us a thumbs up, if you're strolling by.

Hope everyone's enjoying the lovely summer weather.  Daisy and I walk down to the water early every morning before it gets really hot and then we come home and she lies in the sun out in the backyard until she is well and truly baked and then and only then does she seek out a shady spot under the trees!