06Oct

There s A Hole in the Bucket

Very rarely, since leaving the “news” business and going into the “magazine” business, do I comment publicly on politics or current events. But, there’s a theme that keeps going around in my mind, repeating since 9/11.

“There’s a Hole in the Bucket”

If you know this traditional children’s song, it’s one of those “rounds” or “repeat” songs, a seemingly silly song, but sometimes with a funny, or quirky ending:

(Boys)
There’s a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza,
There’s a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, a hole.

(Girls)
So fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, fix it.

With what should I fix it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I fix it, dear Liza, with what?

With straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, with straw.

But the straw is too long, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The straw is too long, dear Liza, too long.

So cut it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So cut it dear Henry, dear Henry, cut it!

With what should I cut it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I cut it, dear Liza, with what?

Use the hatchet, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
Use the hatchet, dear Henry, the hatchet.

But the hatchet’s too dull, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The hatchet’s too dull, dear Liza, too dull.

So, sharpen it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So sharpen it dear Henry, dear Henry, sharpen it!

With what should I sharpen it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I sharpen, dear Liza, with what?

Use the stone, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
Use the stone, dear Henry, dear Henry, the stone.

But the stone is too dry, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The stone is too dry, dear Liza, too dry.

So wet it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So wet it dear Henry, dear Henry, wet it.

With what should I wet it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I wet it, dear Liza, with what?

With water, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With water, dear Henry, dear Henry, water.

With what should I carry it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I carry it dear Liza, with what?

Use the bucket dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
Use the bucket, dear Henry, dear Henry, the bucket!

There’s a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza,
There’s a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, a hole.

Let me explain why this stupid song has been repeating in my mind for seven years.

The fall of the twin towers was when we got the hole in our bucket.

Sure, we fought back, we “survived”, we upped our security, we “took measures.”

We punished, we persisted, we persevered.

When I heard all that in the media – I kept thinking, “but there’s a hole in our bucket now.” Oh, they talked about the bucket, the straw, the hatchet, the stone, etc. In fact, I am constantly amazed at how news outlets and government identities can go on and on about the straw, the hatchet and the stone. In fact, we first have to dissect.

Do we really need straw? Perhaps hay would be better. No, duct tape. No, we need a special material and special adhesive that cost $400 each.

Is the hatchet the best tool for cutting? Maybe a saw. Or a knife. Or a machete’.

Should they really be sharpened with a wet stone? What about that knife sharpener that’s so amazing and costs only $19.99?

See, like the song, it goes round and round, with the Republicans and Democrats taking turns like the boys and girls in an elementary classroom.
Meanwhile…

There’s a hole in the bucket, Dear Liza, a hole.