Moron of the Month - November 2023

On this election day, why not honor one of our more stupid civic leaders?   That would be the dope on the left.   California Governor Gavin Newsom.  Perhaps one of the most inept people to ever hold public office.

In his wake, he has single-handedly destroyed first the city of San Francisco and now the state of California.   His policies during the pandemic served to destroy so many small businesses that there was a recall for his election.   Naturally, the actual vote was rigged so he couldn't possibly lose.  And he continues to linger over us all like a sinus infection.   Since he has that wonderful bold-faced "D" next to his name, he was virtually immune to any sort of criticism.

Now he is parlaying this into a pan where bigger fish are fried.  Since the current Presidential and presumed 2024 candidate Joe Biden doesn't know what day it is, the empty and eternally vapid Newsom sees this as his opportunity to be the "alternative."

God help us.  He's already wrecked a city and a state.   Why not set his sights on a whole country?

To show how international he can be, Newsom recently spent two weeks running around China.   Do you really want this dumb bell to be close to any other part of the world leadership?  Other nations must be laughing at the great white hope that he is portrayed as.

Indeed, Gavin Newsom is the white Barack Obama.   He cleans up nicely, says all the right words given to him by his party, and serves not as a leader but a marketing plan.  And, like the sainted Barry Obama, Newsom is completely inept.  

It's painfully obvious to me, but I worry about my fellow voting citizens.   When I was recently in NY dining with friends there, the conversation sadly moved to politics and Gavin's name was brought up.   And one friend grinned.

"I like him a lot."

The lack of education about our candidates always scares me.   And this made me think that there is one more grave error that could be made by our electorate.

Dinner last night:  Grilled beef sausage.

Monday Morning Video Laugh - November 6, 2023

Enjoy this for Election Day.  From SNL several decades ago.   When they used to get laughs.

Dinner last night:  Orange chicken and fried rice.

The Sunday Memory Drawer - RFK All Over Again

 

Since his son is running independently in 2024, my mind wandered back to the only Presidential rally I ever went to.

Yes, hard to believe but I did.   In my adult years, I couldn't be bothered as I believe that all our elections now are ridiculous displays of non-civility and pandering.  Yet, when I was much younger, I had an opportunity to see somebody looking for the big job in the White House and I grabbed it.

This all comes to mind as Netflix is running a four-hour documentary about Robert F. Kennedy's campaign for President in 1968.  Naturally, I gobble up any information on those years when you still had respect for politicians in this nation.   These days, they show up on late night comedy shows.   Back in the day, there was an aura about them.  Regardless of the party affiliation, they all presented a serious demeanor that is not seen with today's current conga line of civic leaders.

So, the Netflix documentary brought me back to Kennedy's campaign and the day it arrived in my hometown of Mount Vernon, New York.  This was a big deal for us.   I remember the news of his stop on the City Hall steps was published in the town newspaper, The Daily Argus, about a week in advance. He'd be there at around 330PM.   As a result, our school teachers told us that, if any of us wanted to attend, we could leave school early.

Okay, that was good enough for me.   I'd go see Donald Duck's Presidential campaign if I could get out of class before 3PM.

Of course, I had to clear my participation with the homestead.   In those days, both my father and mother were working at night.   So, the one I needed to apprise of my afternoon's activities?

Grandma.

Now this would not be a slam dunk as my grandmother had disdain for all things political since the last President she liked was in office.   That would be Dwight Eisenhower.   Everybody else since earned major thumbs down.  And that especially included the Kennedy family.

"Those crazy Catholics."

I reasoned that this might be the only time I would ever see a Presidential candidate reasonably up close and personal.

"Be careful in case somebody shoots him."

At that point, I had no clue how prophetic my grandmother's words would be.

On the day of the campaign stop, I made my way downtown instead of coming home from school.   Those times were much safer.   Little kids were never in danger and could fearlessly walk around their hometown cocoon with abandon.

Of course, I didn't count on the throngs of people down there.  Apparently, people in this town did read the Daily Argus.  I remember being surprised that none of my school chums were there.   Or my pals from the neighborhood.  Indeed, everybody there was much taller than me.  I couldn't see a thing.   

Somewhere in front of me, I heard the unmistakable New England accent of a Kennedy.   The crowd was wildly ecstatic.   But, with my lack of proximity, Robert Kennedy could have been in Ohio for all I knew.   

What I could see did take my breath away.   I could easily stare up at the roofs of City Hall and some of the adjacent buildings.   Up there were things I had never seen before.   

Men with rifles.   Guarding the candidate.   

I don't think I had ever seen somebody with a rifle before.  At least, somebody who wasn't doing battle with the Cartwrights on "Bonanza."   

It was that image that lasted with me.   Not the words of Kennedy or the warm reception he got from the crowd.   Nope, as I walked home, I was consumed by the men with the rifles.

Is this the country we live in?

About six months later, we would get our answer.

Dinner last night:  Eggplant parm at Miceli's.

Classic TV Commercial of the Month - November 2023

Is it too early to start basting the damn thing? 

Dinner last night:  Grilled beef sausage.

Your Prison's Candidates In Past Novembers

 

Arrrrghhhhh.

Hold still, Grandpa.   We're gonna take your picture.

Somebody fingered him in a police line-up.

This guy goes into jail with his own Dish Network.

Oh, my God!  They've arrested Roseanne Barr's twin brother!

Been there, arrested for that.

She voted for him in '08.  She was not available for the '12 vote.

How come you never see any criminals wearing Mitt Romney t-shirts?

Obama in the House one more time.  This guy's in the big one.

The hair style alone should get him at least five years.

Dinner last night:  Leftover lasagna.

National Lampoon's The Graduate

 

And the title of today's blog will be explained.  Here's a movie review of something that came out early in the summer but that I just got around to seeing on Netflix.

Why I saw it is beyond me.

First off, let's discuss the film's star, Jennifer Lawrence.   Now here is somebody who has already won an Oscar and gotten nominated a few other times.   You would think that this would make her extremely picky in choosing film projects.

Apparently not.   Because this movie is a dreary, raunchy mess that features a performance by Lawrence that is so over-the-top, you want her Oscar statue revoked.

"No Hard Feelings" is set in Montauk, Long Island.   Lawrence has lived in her family's house all her life but can no longer afford on her salary as an Uber driver.  When her car is confiscated, she can't even do that job.   It leads her to a rich couple who, in advance of their son going off to Princeton in the fall, want to prepare him for college by getting him laid.  Nice parents.   Dad is played by Matthew Broderick and his long COVID hair do makes him look like Ben Franklin.

Well, anyway, if Lawrence does the deal, she gets a new Buick.  Despite the fact that she's 33 and the kid is barely 19.   Of course, the boy is super innocent and begins to have feelings for her, not knowing that his folks are behind this merger.  Meanwhile, by halfway through the picture, they still haven't done the deed.  But it is dirty and raunchy nonetheless and Lawrence plays her role like a common slut.

And then the film makers shift gears as if they suddenly developed a conscience.  Suddenly, Lawrence has a heart of gold and you actually root for this relationship.   The tone switch is so jarring that you need a chiropractor to repair the damage to your nervous system.   It renders the whole movie completely ridiculous and a waste of your time, not to mention mine.

And the final insult.   They never do fuck.

LEN'S RATING:  One-half star.

Dinner last night:  Salad.

This Date in History - November 1

 

Happy birthday to Fernando Valenzuela.   I know some Dodger fans who revere him.   As for me...read below.

996:  EMPEROR OTTO III ISSUES A DEED TO GOTTSCHALK, BISHOP OF FREISING, WHICH IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST DOCUMENTS.

A deed?  Like for Baltic Avenue in Monopoly?

1141:  EMPRESS MATILDA'S REIGN AS LADY OF THE ENGLISH ENDS WHEN STEPHEN OF BLOIS REGAINS THE TITLE OF KING OF ENGLAND.

Cheery-o.  I don't care.

1348:  THE ANTI-ROYALIST UNION OF VALENCIA ATTACKS THE JEWS OF MURVIEDRO ON THE PRETEXT THAT THEY ARE SERFS.

The Jews of Murviedro?  Wasn't that a sitcom with Phil Silvers?

1512:  THE CEILING OF THE SISTINE CHAPEL, PAINTED BY MICHELANGELO, IS EXHIBITED TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Good news.  No popcorn ceiling.

1520:  THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN IS FIRST DISCOVERED AND NAVIGATED BY EXPLORER FERDINAND MAGELLAN.

Clever how that worked.

1604:  WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S OTHELLO IS PERFORMED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN LONDON.

Anybody see what the New York Times said?

1611:  SHAKESPEARE'S THE TEMPEST IS PERFORMED FOR THE FIRST TIME.

November 1 must have been his lucky date.

1683:  THE BRITISH CROWN COLONY OF NEW YORK IS SUBDIVIDED INTO 12 COUNTIES.

The Bronx is up and the Battery is down.

1755:  IN PORTUGAL, LISBON IS TOTALLY DEVASTATED BY AN EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI, THAT KILLS ALMOST 90,000 PEOPLE.

Now that's oddly impressive.

1765:  THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT ENACTS THE STAMP ACT ON THE THIRTEEN COLONIES IN ORDER TO HELP PAY FOR BRITISH MILITARY OPERATIONS IN NORTH AMERICA.

In retrospect, weren't we better off with them running things around here?

1800:  JOHN ADAMS BECOMES THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE US TO LIVE IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

White exterior?  Really??

1848:  THE FIRST MEDICAL SCHOOL FOR WOMEN OPENS IN BOSTON.

Must have been interesting at school dances.

1870:  IN THE US, THE WEATHER BUREAU MAKES ITS FIRST OFFICIAL FORECAST.

Sunny with a chance of showers.   Covers all bases.

1871:  AUTHOR STEPHEN CRANE IS BORN.

"The Red Badge of Courage."  Book report!!!

1894:  THOMAS EDISON FILMS SHARPSHOOTER ANNIE OAKLEY, WHICH GETS HER HIRED BY BUFFALO BILL FOR HIS WILD WEST SHOW.

The inventor of light bulbs and apparently talent agreements.

1896:  A PICTURE SHOWING THE BARE BREASTS OF A WOMAN APPEARS IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Nice mountains.

1897:  THE FIRST LIBRARY OF CONGRESS BUILDING OPENS ITS DOORS TO THE PUBLIC.

Only day when no books were overdue.

1918:  MALBONE STREET WRECK - THE WORST RAPID TRANSIT ACCIDENT IN US HISTORY OCCURS IN BROOKLYN WITH AT LEAST 102 DEAD.

I think they just cleared up this delay last week.

1926:  ACTRESS BETSY PALMER IS BORN.

No longer a secret.

1938:  SEABISCUIT DEFEATS WAR ADMIRAL IN THE HORSE RACE MATCH OF THE CENTURY.

What did it pay for place?

1942:  PUBLISHER LARRY FLYNT IS BORN.

Still walking the earth.   Well, sort of.

1942:  ACTRESS MARCIA WALLACE IS BORN.

Hi, Bob.

1950:  PUERTO RICAN NATIONALISTS ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE US PRESIDENT HARRY TRUMAN.

In our supposed free country, it's amazing that almost 25% of our US Presidents were targets.

1950:  POPE PIUS XII CLAIMS PAPAL INFALLIBILITY WHEN HE FORMALLY DEFINES THE DOGMA OF THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY.

The originator of the expression "not me."

1955:  AUTHOR DALE CARNEGIE DIES.

Love your deli.

1955:  THE VIETNAM WAR BEGINS.

And how did that turn out?

1960:  PITCHER FERNANDO VALENZUELA IS BORN.

Was introduced to him in the press box once and he was a complete prick.

1968:  THE MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA'S FILM RATING SYSTEM IS INTRODUCED, WITH THE RATINGS OF G, M, R, AND X.

You had me at X.

1973:  LEON JAWORSKI IS APPOINTED AS THE NEW WATERGATE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR.

Nixon, start counting the days.

1982:  ACTOR JAMES BRODERICK DIES.

Daddy of Matthew.

1984:  AFTER THE ASSASSINATION OF INDIRA GANDHI, PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA, THE DAY BEFORE, ANTI-SIKH RIOTS ERUPTS.

That's really sikh.

1985:  COMIC PHIL SILVERS DIES.

The second mention for him today.  Never got his act.

2005:  MUSICIAN SKITCH HENDERSON DIES.

I once posed in a photo with him and Rosemary Clooney.   Well, sort of.

Dinner last night:  Leftover lasagna.