Donald Trump

Points of Ponderation…..Episode 12.16

A semi-regular attempt to address some of life’s minutiae that might otherwise be overlooked…..

I never know whether to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas on Halloween or during the Christmas season…so I just don’t watch it. Stop confusing me Tim Burton!!

You can’t spell Louis L’Amour without Islam.

Prepare to be amazed. Yours truly is about to recommend yet ANOTHER new television show. In the last edition of PoP I gave props to ABC’s Designated Survivor starring Kiefer Sutherland. Today I want to endorse NBC’s innovative dramedy This Is Us. It’s one of those big ensemble family deals, which on the surface isn’t really breaking new ground, but the creators of this one have come up with a unique angle that almost kinda sorta involves time travel. Let’s just say that Mandy Moore portrays a 30 year old and a 66 year old…in the same show. Mind blown, right?? It is really well-written and the cast is superb. I kept missing it and finally decided to seek it out online, and when I did I was so hooked that I caught up on five episodes in one evening. I’m not sure if This Is Us is a show that can be sustained for the long haul, but even if we only get one or two seasons it will be greatly enjoyed.

I wonder if anyone has ever had four daughters and named them Autumn, Winter, Spring, & Summer.

I have remained relatively quiet during this election cycle, atleast for me. However, with the big day right around the corner allow me to briefly opine. I just don’t understand how any thinking person can cast their vote for Hillary Clinton. I’m tired of Hollywood celebrities…especially females (no offense ladies)…pulling out all their “glass ceiling”, “historic election” poppycock. I do NOT care that she is a woman. I have nothing against the idea of a female President. I‘m sure that there are several qualified contenders out there that’d make a fine chief executive. But I do not believe that gender alone is a good enough reason to vote for anyone. I happen to like my Constitutional rights and have valid concerns about how freedom of speech, freedom of religion, & the right to keep & bear arms would be negatively impacted under an HRC administration and perhaps for generations to come…certainly for the remainder of my life…if she is allowed to pack the Supreme Court with “progressive” justices (she has even floated the idea of nominating President Obama!!). I can’t honestly say that I am excited about casting my vote for Donald Trump. I had hoped that the GOP would nominate a dyed-in-the-wool conservative with atleast some high level government experience. Having said that, I understand the movement that has propelled Trump this far and am more comfortable gambling on his outsider shtick to find out if his business acumen really can translate into political leadership than I am giving Hillary Clinton any legitimate power. I am not one of those doomsdayers that think Trump will somehow lead us into World War III or otherwise do irreparable damage to the country. Worst case scenario?? He ticks off some people who take their ball home and refuse to play with us anymore. If the United States can withstand Vietnam, Watergate, the extreme lows of the Carter Administration, the overstated yet undeniable foibles of George W. Bush, and the what I believe to be intentionally destructive actions of the past eight years, then I hardly think Donald Trump will do any permanent damage. I believe Mrs. Clinton would do far more harm to the cause of freedom.

The world would be a much better place if people would just stop & think how their actions might negatively affect others.

Dear Dairy Queen (or any other purveyor of tasty ice cream treats):

You do realize that there is a slight difference between ice cream & a milkshake, right?? When buying a milkshake it does not impress me that it is super duper thick. I don’t care if you can flip it upside down and not spill the contents. What I do care about is being able to drink the darn thing thru a straw. I feel weird sitting in my vehicle sucking so hard (on the straw) that the eyes of children under 18 should be shielded. Obviously I wouldn’t like a watery consistency either. I am merely suggesting that there should be an acceptable middle ground. Surely someone somewhere gets paid a fair salary to deal with such issues.

Points of Ponderation…..Episode 11.16

A semi-regular attempt to address some of life’s minutiae that might otherwise be overlooked…..

As predicted, my late night habits have changed significantly in the past year & a half. Upon David Letterman’s retirement and the final piece of late night television’s transformation into something I barely recognize I opined that “it is just as likely that, at long last, I will begin my own transformation into a cantankerous old geezer and be in bed way before 11:30pm. more & more often.” Now I must admit that I am rarely in bed that early. However, if I am at home and not working it has become the norm for me to enjoy the late local news and then either watch a movie or turn the TV off altogether and read a bit or do some writing. The current late night lineup is oftentimes too political for my taste or just outright tedious. Either way I’ve got better things to do with my time. Your mileage may vary and that’s okay.

Dear Facebook: What exactly are “top” stories?? Who decides that?? More importantly, why…when a person makes it perfectly clear that they prefer the most recent stories…do you KEEP SWITCHING IT BACK?!?!?!?? I realize that using the site is free, but that doesn’t give you the right to just do whatever you feel like and ignore your customers’ wishes on even the most insignificant of issues. Get your stuff together.

I wonder if it has dawned on the GOP & its voters yet that if almost ANYONE other than Donald Trump had received the nomination they’d likely be beating Hillary Clinton by a comfortable margin??

I’m onto you delivery guys…..

I’m single, live alone, & can be lazy. Therefore I probably eat out way too much, to the detriment of both my economic well-being and overall health. Drive-thrus & delivery are a godsend for guys like me. However, I have noticed a trend. Let’s say your pizza, salad, sandwich, orange chicken, or whatever kind of vittles you’ve ordered is going to cost $12-15. You hand the delivery person a $20 bill. Protocol would normally dictate that he/she begins to count out your change, at which time you either say “keep it” or return what you feel to be an appropriate tip. But I’ve run into a couple of sneaky ones who, upon being handed $20 for that $12-15 order simply ask “do you need change??”. Now I am perfectly aware that it is well within my rights to say yes and get my change back, but one of my weaknesses is that I am too nice, so the couple of times that this has occurred I’ve been caught off guard and simply say “no, that’s okay”. It is only afterward that it’s dawned on me that I’ve just given someone a freakin’ $5-8 tip for food that didn’t cost much more than that. Hey, I’m not naïve…from the delivery person’s perspective this is an ingenious ploy, and I can’t really blame them, especially when it works on suckers like me. There’s an old saying though…say it with me…”fool me once, shame on you…fool me twice, shame on me”. The sequel to that adage should be “there won’t be a third time”. Now that I’ve figured out the scam I’ll be sure to have exact change if at all possible from now on, and sadly I am likely to become far less generous with my tips. Sorry folks…I’m crazy, not stupid.

I may not watch very much late night television anymore, and most prime time shows are so tedious that I don’t even bother, but allow me to recommend one newcomer. I never watched a single second of Kiefer Sutherland’s popular 24, but I have quickly become hooked on his new show Designated Survivor. Sutherland portrays a milquetoast HUD Secretary who ascends to the Oval Office after the President, Vice President, and pretty much every other high ranking government official dies when the Capitol is bombed during the State of the Union speech. I see vague traces of The West Wing, a show I loved, with added elements of intrigue & action. Who committed the heinous act of terrorism?? Why?? Who can the new President really trust?? How in the world can he rebuild the federal government from nothing?? It’s not a perfect show. There have been some missteps, like the surprising reveal of a second designated survivor as well as a Congressman who survived the explosion and a little too much preachy emphasis on anti-Muslim sentiment. Much like The West Wing the show unmistakably leans left and paints conservatism with a disdainful broad brush, but thus far it continues to build layers of conspiratorial drama. I’m not sure we’ll be talking about Designated Survivor a decade from now or even in a couple of years, but it has my attention for now.

The Undeniable Appeal of Donald Trump – Part Deux

I was wrong.

Exactly one year…to the day…that I wrote “Have no fear Trump haters…he won’t be the Republican nominee for President of the United States. Republicans will choose someone much safer & more prosaic. Your nightmare will be over soon enough” Donald J. Trump officially received the Republican nomination.

Wait!! There’s more!!

In that presentation a year ago I also said that “Trump’s lack of finesse and bull-in-a-china shop mentality is unlikely to inspire much confidence and negatively impacts his viability as a contender” and “since it is doubtful that he will get the nomination the more likely scenario is that, at some point, he bows out and goes back to doing whatever he was doing before with barely a scratch to anything, especially his ego & his bank account”. My career as a political pundit looks to be on the brink of collapse, although, to be fair, I still have as much credibility as just about anyone at MSNBC or CNN.

I completely underestimated the anger & anxiety of the American people. I misjudged their resolve to venture outside the box and really challenge the status quo. I didn’t give enough credit to Mr. Trump’s determination or his political prowess. I applied the normal rules to a game that…atleast in this instance…has totally changed.

So now here we are. It’s Trump vs. Hillary Clinton for President of the United States. For me it’s kind of like a baseball game featuring the Cubs vs. the Cardinals or a football game pitting Virginia Tech against Florida State. My team isn’t directly involved, but the outcome has consequences, therefore I am concurrently disinterested yet have to pay attention. I haven’t watched hardly any of the Republican National Convention. I am aware of the kerfuffle about Mrs. Trump’s speech and won’t attempt to defend it. Sure others have cribbed from peoples’ speeches before…it seems to be surprisingly common…but the fact is that Melania Trump should have never been put in that position in the first place. We vote for candidates, not their spouses, children, or any other family members. We all know that most public figures have speechwriters, and the people involved in writing for Mrs. Trump were lazy & careless. That being said the issue shouldn’t…and probably won’t…matter to anyone with an ounce of common sense. I also went back and watched the Ted Cruz speech that has been the subject of much vitriol. Personally I don’t see the big deal. He congratulated Trump for winning the nomination. He urged voters to participate in the process and vote for candidates who will uphold The Constitution, and we all know that ISN’T Hillary Clinton. Lest we forget, Donald Trump insulted Cruz’s wife and insinuated that his father may have been involved in the JFK assassination. Senator Cruz appears to be a bit angry about that, and who could blame him?? Atleast he showed up at the convention, which is more than can be said for John Kasich, Jeb Bush, & a bunch of other GOP old schoolers.

As for Trump himself, his most appealing quality is that he is not Hillary Clinton. My friend Slack has been invited to be a guest blogger here at The Manofesto, and if my intel is correct he will be explaining why the prospect of a Trump presidency scares the bejeesus out of him and why he thinks Clinton is the better choice. You probably won’t be shocked to know that I see things completely different. I don’t like everything that comes out of Donald Trump’s mouth, and I am pretty sure that some of his views on social issues don’t jive with my own. However I do believe three things about Mr. Trump: a) he is knowledgeable about business practices & job creation, b) he will surround himself with a top flight team of experts on every subject and allow them enough autonomy to make good decisions, & c) the social issues he & I may disagree about are way down on his priority list…maybe not even on his priority list. Unlike our current President I don’t think Trump is on a mission to “fundamentally transform” an America that he loathes on some primordial level. My vibe is that Trump simply thinks we can do better and truly believes he can help.

For me this election comes down to one very important topic…The Supreme Court. The next President will likely be tasked with nominating up to 3 or 4 new justices given the advanced age of some of the current occupants of those seats. I do not want that kind of power in the hands of Hillary Clinton. I don’t trust her. I don’t trust her judgment. A Supreme Court molded by that woman might very well be the death knell for the United States that we all know & love. Barack Obama has given The Constitution a rather fierce thrashing the past several years, but a Clinton-shaped Court would negatively restructure the country for the next couple of generations…perhaps forever. I am willing to take a leap of faith that Mr. Trump would be far more reasonable in his selections and be given a nudge in the right direction by his advisers to choose justices that have a robust admiration for The Constitution instead of trying to ignore or even altogether rewrite the document. Is it a gamble?? Yes. Is it appropriate to reduce a Presidential election to one issue?? In this circumstance I believe it is.

I’m not usually a fan of the “lesser-of-two-evils” narrative. I’d like to think that we could do better. I probably have an overly romantic view of history, putting men like George Washington, John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, & John F. Kennedy on a pedestal they may not completely deserve. I wish that we had the choice of a highly respected statesman whose wisdom was undisputable and integrity above reproach, but my grandmother used to say wish in one hand and…do something else…in the other and see which one gets filled first. The bottom line is this – in January of next year a new person will be sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC. That person will be either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. I think the choice is obvious. Your mileage may vary.

Points of Ponderation…..Episode 2.16

A semi-regular attempt to address some of life’s minutiae that might otherwise be overlooked…..

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A few thoughts on the sad death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia…
No, I don’t believe he was murdered. However, one can’t blame conspiracy types for atleast pondering the idea. The Obama Administration has proven itself to be untrustworthy and vociferous opponents of the kind of traditional American values & Godly principles of which Justice Scalia was such a staunch guardian. Secondly, despite what many of my Republican friends have advocated, I do not think President Obama needs to step aside and let the next President fill the vacancy. The Constitution gives the President the power to nominate someone and so he shall. That being said, it is then up to the Republican majority in Congress to block anyone who would tip the scales of justice to the left. That’s how this is supposed to work. It’s how it’s always worked. Unfortunately, conservatives have absolutely no confidence that Congress will hold up its end of the bargain. If another radical liberal is somehow confirmed then the only chance our nation has to weather the storm is to elect the correct person to The White House in November and hope that President will get an opportunity to swing The Court back in the right direction with as many as three nominations (Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 82 years old, Anthony Kennedy is 79, & Stephen Breyer is 77). The big question is how much damage would be inflicted in the meantime. THAT is why the 2016 Presidential Election is SO important. It is not the economy, it isn’t immigration, it’s not tax policy. Those things are important, but the key to the election is deciding who we trust to fill up to three vacancies on The Supreme Court. Barack Obama is black, and lots of people think he’s cool…but the fact is that the idea that he now has the opportunity to make such a monumental impact on the nation’s highest court is scaring the crap out of people. Think about that. We can’t make that same mistake again.

Time for a little shameless self-promotion…
Awhile back I had an idea for a March Madness-esque tournament involving movies from the 1980’s (you know…the era of John Hughes, teen angst, The Brat Pack, synthesized theme music, & Tom Cruise before he lost his damn mind) called 80s Movie Mania. I published the intro not long ago and there are some quick polls that need votes (as there will be throughout the process). So if this is your first visit to The Manoverse or if you’re someone who only occasionally pops in and may have missed that introduction please take a gander and cast some votes. I really want The Manofesto to be interactive and this is a fun way to get involved. Thanks in advance.

Part of me feels bad for Jeb Bush. He seems like a good guy, and by most accounts he was a fine governor in Florida. His downfall was twofold…bad timing & being third. Let me explain. In almost any other election in American history Donald Trump would be seen as a fringe candidate and his run wouldn’t have lasted more than a few months. But in 2016 people are SO fed up with politics as usual and “the establishment” that being an outsider, thinking outside the box, & being non-PC really resonates with the masses. Couple that with Trump’s deep pockets and his brash attitude (a quality celebrated now rather than shunned as it would have been in the old days) and you’ve got a formidable entity that is difficult to defeat. Secondly, Jeb Bush is following in the footsteps of both his father and brother…one a former VP & one term President who people like but doesn’t necessarily stand out as being one of our best leaders, and the other a recent President who received much harsh criticism & derision (whether it was justified or not is a legitimate argument). A Bush has been President or Vice President 20 out of the past 36 years. In a political climate where being amongst the Washington insider elite is seen as such a negative Jeb’s last name was an inescapable albatross…fair or unfair.

Dear writers of The Big Bang Theory:
I love your show…have since Day 1. I appreciate how you have developed the characters over the years. Leonard & Penny are now a married couple and Penny has grown from a blonde bimbo with a pipe dream of becoming an actress to a young professional with a solid job. Howard Wolowitz has went from a lecherous horndog to expecting a child with his lovely wife Bernadette. Raj has had some romantic ups & downs but atleast now he is able to talk to women. The inexplicable romance of Sheldon & Amy has blossomed and both have become more at ease interacting with other human beings. The fact that TBBT is in its 9th season but still gets fantastic ratings and most fans have not expressed any significant fatigue or desire to move on from the show is remarkable. However…having said all of that…I do have a bone to pick. I understand that TBBT is a sitcom and alcoholism probably isn’t a subject y’all want to take on. That’s understandable because alcoholism isn’t funny. So, why then does Penny…a 30 year old woman…have such an obvious drinking problem?? Why is she constantly drinking alcohol, talking about drinking alcohol, or joking around about alcohol?? I repeat…it’s not funny. 18-22 year olds who drink a lot are fodder for comedy because they are college students (or atleast in that demo). 30+ year olds that are still getting wasted on a regular basis are just kind of sad & pathetic. Drunk Sheldon Cooper (even though he is in his 30s) is amusing because we know that he didn’t have a normal childhood or youth and doesn’t really grasp the concept of partying like most young adults have done at one time or another. But I can count one hand the number of episodes in nine years where Sheldon became intoxicated, whereas Penny drinks wine and makes some kind of smartass remark about getting drunk in nearly every episode. It’s almost tragic and needs to stop. Come on folks…you’ve proven you can do better.

Points of Ponderation…..Episode 1.16

A semi-regular attempt to address some of life’s minutiae that might otherwise be overlooked…..

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FX just aired Part 1 of a ten part miniseries called American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson, and I must say that I am hooked. As someone old enough to have lived thru the sordid saga (I watched the infamous Bronco chase at a favorite college watering hole with friends and may or may not have been somewhat inebriated) I’m interested to see how a fictional account of what was as dramatic of a real life tale as we’ve seen plays out over the next couple of months. I suppose it is kind of a macabre trip down memory lane, but after the first episode my initial reaction is that the cast (headlined by John Travolta & Cuba Gooding Jr.) is terrific and the story is well-written, although given the fact that the actual events were so…theatrical…it would seem difficult to screw it up too badly. For those that may be too young to vividly recall the Simpson case this show will be a great history lesson about the birth of reality TV and the beginning of our cultural descent into the abyss of voyeuristic mediocrity.

After the recent Hawkeye Cauci it is apparent that the race for the Republican nomination for President is down to three viable candidates: Cruz, Trump, & Rubio. Oh I suppose one or two others might sneak back into the mix if they do well in New Hampshire, but ultimately I believe one of these three will be the nominee, and I’m okay with that. None are perfect but I can live with any of them. Trump has to have learned a lesson after skipping the last debate…I do believe it cost him votes. Rubio scares me a little on the immigration issue, but he appears to be somewhat more palatable to those bothered by the abrasiveness of his opponents. Cruz just needs to keep doing what he’s doing. He’s the solid conservative amongst the crowd and his message resonates when he receives a fair opportunity to convey it properly.

I haven’t paid much attention to The Oscars since Billy Crystal was hosting and Titanic won Best Picture. That was almost 20 years ago. But quite honestly I think the recent controversy about the show’s lack of “diversity” in its award nominations is a bunch of poppycock. I don’t care whether you’re white, black, Hispanic, male, female, gay, straight, or whatever else…just make good movies. The biggest problem with The Oscars is that they too often give recognition to films that average moviegoers in flyover country just don’t care about. Right now at my local theater Dirty Grandpa and Kung Fu Panda 3 are playing, as is Academy Award nominee The Revenant. Regardless of what critics say I’m betting that the former two movies end up making more money than the latter. It has nothing to do with race and everything to do with entertainment. As a football fan I don’t deny that concussions are an issue, but I have no desire to go see Will Smith berate me about the issue for two hours on the big screen. I don’t dislike Smith because he’s black…I dislike the fact that his career choices have sucked for most of the past two decades. It really is that simple.

Every time I see Hillary Clinton on TV it’s a nails on a chalkboard moment. Her obnoxious screeching is horrendous. In listening to what she says I don’t understand how anyone with more than a grade school education could even consider casting their vote for her. I’m no fan of Bernie Sanders, but the major difference between he & Hillary is that Sanders openly admits that he’s a socialist. She should be extremely embarrassed that she could do no better than what was essentially a tie in Iowa. Part of me thinks it’d be hysterically funny if Hillary were to lose the nomination AGAIN to someone that a year ago no one had ever heard of. Of course the other part of me realizes that the first time that happened we got stuck with Barack Hussein Obama for 8 years.

Let me take a moment to highly recommend a 2013 documentary called History of the Eagles. It is a must see for any fan of the legendary 70’s rock band. I can’t believe I hadn’t heard about or watched it before now. CNN was going to show it…presumably in the wake of Glenn Frey’s death…but it got pre-empted by…I don’t know…something they deemed more important. So I ended up checking it out on Netflix. Broken into two parts and coming in at about 4 hours it is an evening well spent. There is plenty of archival footage, snippets of home movies, and interviews with every band member as well as various associates. Some may say that, since Frey & Henley had a lot of control over the finished product, it is a bit sanitized and glosses over some of the more troublesome issues the group had over the years, and that is likely a fair assessment. However, it is probably just as well, especially considering Frey’s untimely passing. It is a shame that he & former bandmate Don Felder never reconciled, but maybe Henley will now get down off his high horse and make peace with Felder. Joe Walsh is the most impressive of them all in interviews. He’s had a long, tough road and made plenty of mistakes, but now appears to be clean & sober and, more importantly, introspectively grateful to have been provided an opportunity for a healthier life. If you like The Eagles you must check it out, and even if you aren’t a huge fan but just enjoy a really good documentary it is worth your time.

Points of Ponderation…..Episode 8.15

A semi-regular attempt to address some of life’s minutiae that might otherwise be overlooked…..

Perhaps I spoke too soon about Donald Trump. The Donald has now taken to bashing former President George W. Bush about 9/11 and bragging that, had President Trump been in charge on that awful day 14 years ago, it wouldn’t have happened. Sorry dude…you’ve stepped over the line this time. Was W. a perfect President?? Of course not. But I’ve got some news for y’all: none of them have been perfect. Not even Washington, Lincoln, FDR, JFK, or Reagan. I have long opined that history will judge George W. Bush much more fairly than he has been evaluated in the short term by the horrendous drive-by media and the idiotic Hollywood elite. Trump is completely misinterpreting a mistrust of Jeb Bush and the underlying desire to step away from a been-there-done-that Bush Dynasty. Many Republicans like & respect George W. Bush despite his flaws and attacking him is not a strategery that Trump should embrace.

It isn’t unusual for me to feel lonely in a crowded room. What is sad is that one of the places that I feel that way most often is…well no…I’m not going there. Forgive them Lord…they know not what they do.

McDonald’s you are nothing but a bunch of liars!! They spent all this time hyping “All Day Breakfast” but failed to mention that the menu is limited. I stopped by my friendly neighborhood drive thru recently during the early evening hours. I was craving a simple Egg McMuffin. Well too bad for me!! Hey McD’s…do you realize that the Egg McMuffin is your signature breakfast item?? Why in the H#^% is it not part of the All Day Breakfast?!?!?!?? That’s insane!! The McGriddle…an admittedly unhealthy yet undeniably tasty option…is not available either. Essentially they are pushing their biscuit based items. I assume this is partly due to the fact that during normal breakfast hours most people with any sense are heading to Hardees or Tudor’s for biscuits. Bob Evans if they have time for a sit down meal. So now McDonald’s is trying to trick people into buying something we usually have no interest in simply because it is available past 10:30am. Sorry folks…I don’t care. I’ll just make time to get my Egg McMuffin earlier in the day. Thanks for playing.

With the release of the final trailer for Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens I expect that anticipation will crescendo over the next several weeks. Advanced ticket sales are already crashing websites. Some theaters will be showing a marathon of the entire series leading up to the release of the new film in mid-December. I might have been all over that idea two decades ago, but now spending 15 straight hours in a movie theater sounds like some sort of innovative sentence for a very serious misdemeanor. It is likely that I will take time to rewatch the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy in the days leading up to The Force Awakens launch, but I’ll do it in the comfort of my own home with a little help from Roku. Having said all that, the trailer looks good and does evoke certain emotions that take one back to childhood, when such trivial things as movies seemed so significant. I’m not sure I’ll be standing in line for the first midnight showing, but I’ll definitely hit the theater within a day or two of the film’s opening. I’m not going to analyze every frame of the trailer or parse every morsel of information out there about the production. I am not going to assume the movie will be terrible, but neither will I build it up in my mind to be the greatest thing EVER only to be disappointed. I’m just going to head to the local cineplex at some point when it is convenient, purchase a vat of cola & some popcorn, and enjoy a pleasant & entertaining experience. After all, isn’t that what movies are for??

I recently ate cooked spinach for the first time in…well, probably decades. And you know what?? I actually enjoyed it. I’ve heard that one’s palate changes every 7 years. I’m not sure that’s completely true, but maybe we all should be a bit more open to trying things that we didn’t used to like. One never knows how maturity & perspective may alter perception.

Rumor has it that a new Die Hard film is in the works. That, in & of itself, is fine by me even if the last couple of sequels have been tepid & unworthy efforts. However, word on the street is that the latest installment will be a prequel, with just a cameo by Bruce Willis. That’s a terrible idea on so many levels. Willis’ Detective John McClane IS Die Hard. I can’t imagine how difficult it might be to find an actor up to the task of playing a young McClane. No one should have to endure the pressure of stepping into those shoes. The final Die Hard needs to be McClane’s retirement party…a perfect excuse to bring back all the supporting players from the previous films: Sgt. Al Powell, Capt. Lorenzo, Zeus Carver, Matt Ferrell, Argyle the limo driver, Det. Walter Cobb, and of course McClane’s wife Holly & his two grown children Lucy & Jack. Someone that McClane has ticked off in the past manages to hold his family & friends hostage and McClane has to save the day…again. That’s how Die Hard should end. A prequel will not work.

Points of Ponderation…..Episode 7.15

A semi-regular attempt to address some of life’s minutiae that might otherwise be overlooked…..

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I like to laugh and believe I have a keen sense of humor, but I really don’t get the whole Amy Schumer thing. Is she really a whore or does she just play one on TV?? Either way I just don’t find her shtick all that funny. Maybe mildly amusing in the right mood…but certainly not hilarious to the point that she should be a huge star. Of course we’re talking about a culture that has made people like The Kardashians and all those Real Housewives famous, so I suppose nothing should take me by surprise at this point.

Dang it…Donald Trump is slowly wearing me down. Part of me would like to see him elected President just to watch a bunch of people freak out. Some have already said they’d leave the country if he wins, and I think it’d be hilarious to call their bluff. Plus I sincerely do believe that we need a significant course correction in America, a total shakeup from politics as usual.

I mostly feed my 7 year old pug Rocco regular old dog food (which he loves), but he also likes bananas, baby carrots, cantaloupe, apples, & broccoli.

Speaking of politics, here’s another one of my million dollar ideas…..
What if we scrapped the current voting system, specifically for President?? No more primaries or caucuses. No conventions. Whoever wants to run would still have to declare by a certain date, and after that we could still have debates, stump speeches, & all the regular butt kissing hoopla. However, at a certain point before election day voting would begin…American Idol style. Once a week, month, or whatever kind of time interval is decided upon the phones would open up and/or the website would be active for a finite time…hours, days, whatever it may be. After that the lowest vote getter is out. Eliminated. Off the island. Better luck next time. They don’t get to decide when to drop out of the race…we make that decision for them. This process would continue until only two candidates are left standing. One last debate. Closing statements. Final vote. Bada bing bada boom…we have a new President. No voting booths. No polling places. The rules would obviously have to be hammered out, but we have the technology to do what needs to be done. Voting age?? Keep it at 18, or if you want to be adventurous let the teenagers vote. Set other parameters if you wish. Votes can be limited however we want. We can keep it one person one vote, or we can allow a certain amount of votes to come from a particular phone number or IP address. Perhaps everyone eligible to vote is issued an ID number that would need to be entered into the system. Whatever kind of details decided upon should be fairly easy to track so cheating can be minimized. There are two big advantages to this system. First of all, since there would be multiple votes & eliminations it is likely that people would remain engaged in the process rather than not paying attention for months & months. Secondly, I suspect voter participation would multiply exponentially. I mean really…no matter how lazy a person may be it is not that hard to pick up the phone or log onto a website to cast a vote. How does the Electoral College factor in?? Well, we can keep it as it is for the final vote. Or we can adjust the number of votes allowed from each household/phone/IP address/ID number. For example, folks in California, New York, Florida, & Texas could be allowed to cast less votes per household (or whatever criteria it may be) than a person in Rhode Island because those bigger states have more people. The possibilities are endless, but we can certainly achieve the same kind of “level playing field” effect that the Electoral College provides. The details can be discussed and even massaged over time, but the main idea is that we streamline the procedure using technology, allowing voters to cast their ballots from the comfort of home, work, or wherever they are, and also keep more people interested in the process with regularly scheduled elimination votes. What do y’all think??

Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes we’ve made in America over the past few decades is minimizing shame. When I do something wrong (it happens believe it or not) I usually know it…sometimes before I do it…and I am embarrassed & ashamed. I hope no one noticed or no one finds out about the stupid thing I did. Christians might call that the conviction of The Holy Spirit, and while I agree completely with that concept I also think that all human beings, regardless of their spiritual philosophy, have varying levels of instinctual awareness of right & wrong. Those instincts have been largely muted in our modern culture. Choices that once upon a time were dishonorable are now celebrated. People are encouraged not to be ashamed of their poor choices. They are taught to fight for rights and have pride in their sin. Anything goes. It’s all good as long as no one gets hurt. If it feels good do it. Lots of people call this “progress”, but maybe…just maybe…we were a better nation when more folks felt embarrassed about their bad decisions rather than being proud of them. Being told you’re wrong and having others reject your “wrongness” might not be very pleasant, but it certainly instills a strength of character that will never be achieved by mass enabling. There are those that like to pit the ideas of love and judgment against each other. However, I think it quite possible that one of the most loving things one can ever do for another is tell them that they are wrong, that they are heading down a dark path that leads to bad places. Love isn’t “I’m okay, you’re okay, we’re all okay, and everything is perfect”. Love is honesty and sometimes truth can be harsh. We’ve lost our nerve, all of us too scared to clearly define right vs. wrong. Or maybe we’ve gone so far into the abyss that our ability to distinguish the two is being numbed into oblivion. Forgiveness & redemption are two cornerstones of Christianity, but what good are they if no one thinks they are doing anything wrong??

Isn’t it sad that Russian President Vladimir Putin seems like he’s a better, smarter leader than the President of the United States?? Ronald Reagan would…as the kids used to say…have a cow!!

Those apps & systems that allow one to control certain household features from afar make me very very nervous. If you can control your door locks with a cell phone and check in on your little doggy on a video cam while at work it doesn’t seem all that far-fetched that others could easily gain access as well. For God’s sake…there are people that hack the CIA and computer systems of billion dollar corporations. I assume that a remote monitoring system wouldn’t pose a huge challenge. No thanks.

This is my 400th post here at The Manofesto. When I do the math that doesn’t seem like a lot over the course of 6 ½ years. It is roughly 5 ditties per month. I am not nearly as productive as I could be, and that’s on me. I have spurts of creativity but also long periods of malaise. I’m not going to make any grandiose claims about doing better in the future. I’ve done that before and it was an empty promise. I am who I am and I’m mostly comfortable with that. I still enjoy doing this blogging thing. It is therapeutic for me, and I think we all need a healthy outlet of expression. I would love to see The Manoverse grow, and I’d like it to be more interactive, but I’m not going to force the issue. Please know that I deeply appreciate anyone who has ever stopped by and read even one thing that I have written. Thanks to all that have made comments over the years, even if you don’t exactly agree with my opinions. I’m not going anywhere and have plenty of ideas percolating, but I just wanted to take a moment to mark this milestone and say thank you.

Points of Ponderation…..Episode 4.15

A semi-regular attempt to address some of life’s minutiae that might otherwise be overlooked…..

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Contrary to popular opinion, maybe sometimes it is okay to walk away. As children we are inundated with platitudes like “don’t ever give up” and “winners never quit & quitters never win”, but in the real world there are occasions where it might be best to make a course correction. A job you hate. A loveless marriage. A toxic friendship. A commitment or responsibility one can no longer adequately fulfill due to changes in life’s circumstances. Certainly one should ponder & pray before making any impetuous decisions…that’s obvious. However I think it is possible that there are situations where quitting might actually be the courageous & mature choice.

I recently headed to the friendly neighborhood multiplex to check out the new reboot/sequel/follow-up to the 80’s National Lampoon’s Vacation series simply called Vacation. I didn’t hate it yet didn’t particularly like it either. You’ll have to wait for the year-end Sammy Awards for further pontification. For now though let me say that IF a sequel is given the green light (and I expect it will be) I have an idea. Citizens of The Manoverse are familiar with my love for Christmas movies, with 1989’s Christmas Vacation amongst my favorites. The new Vacation could…should…be followed by a Christmas Vacation sequel!! Clark & Ellen Griswold have a short cameo in the new Vacation, but their roles could be expanded in Christmas Vacation 2.0. Chevy Chase hasn’t aged well and Beverly D’Angelo has had more plastic surgery than Meg Ryan, but they still have the chops to pull off supporting roles as the wacky grandparents. They could come to visit Rusty & his family for the holidays. Leslie Mann as Audrey Griswold (who also is underutilized in the new Vacation) could come visit too (sans her weirdo husband). You might even throw in a grown-up Cousin Ruby Sue, Jane Krakowski could reprise her role as the original Cousin Vicki, & I believe both of the grandmothers (Doris Roberts & Diane Ladd) are still alive. If Randy Quaid ever regains his sanity and can legally return from his Canadian hideout an appearance by Cousin Eddie would be the cherry on top. The world needs more Chevy Chase/Ed Helms scenes!! I don’t have a fully formed plot in my mind, but I do know one thing…this film cannot be written and/or directed by the same guys who did the current one. They just don’t cut the mustard. Maybe Judd Apatow would be willing to take a crack at it?? He’s the closest thing we have to John Hughes nowadays. Come on Hollywood…make it happen.

One of the definitions that Dictionary.com assigns the word ghetto is “something that is considered to be unrefined, low-class, cheap, or inferior”. I recently used the term to describe some classless language that another person had utilized. Not surprisingly I was immediately accused of being racist because that’s just what we’ve come to in 21st century New America. A person, situation, idea, or language can most certainly be considered ghetto without any kind of racial connotation, and anyone with a brain should know that, but it’s much easier and fashionable to consider just about anything & everything racist or otherwise offensive nowadays. People need to wake up & realize that if everyone was so sensitive in this country a couple of centuries ago we never would have achieved the greatness that once made the United States the world’s foremost superpower. I’m not politically correct. As a matter of fact I sometimes go out of my way to spit on political correctness just to annoy those who embrace such stupidity. If you’re not down with that then I don’t need to have you in my life.

I think militancy is amongst the biggest problems our world faces. Are all Muslims bad?? Of course not. It’s the extremists that wreak havoc. I may not agree with homosexuality as a lifestyle, but I’ve had a few gay friends over the years who are quite lovely people. It is militant gay people who want to be given special treatment and put up on a pedestal that make things unpalatable. Is racism an issue?? Unfortunately yes. However I feel like many so-called “racists” are mostly hostile to militant minorities whose favorite pasttime is wallowing in victimhood and seeing racism in everything or fabricating it out of thin air. In other words, I am not so sure that it is the color of a person’s skin or their religion or their particular lifestyle that is the primary source of a lot of animosity. Much of the time disdain is a response to peoples’ behavior. If you act like an idiot people probably won’t like you very much regardless of your race, religion, sexual orientation, or anything else. Behave like a normal, polite, respectful, well-adjusted person and chances are you’ll probably get along just fine with most folks. It’s pretty simple.

Not only did support for Donald Trump not diminish after his poor performance in the first Republican debate…his numbers actually went up. I get it…I really do. The disgust for the current occupant of The White House cannot be understated. Trump is an outspoken, politically incorrect rebel with nothing to lose. He definitely stands out from the crowd and people are into it. But I just don’t understand how anyone could have watched that initial debate and not become really nervous about him as the potential President of the United States. He doesn’t have any solid answers beyond tough talking sound bytes that appeal to the disgruntled masses. “Making America great again” is a really cool idea and I’m all for it, but at some point a candidate has to offer specifics. Trump is able to get away with meaningless platitudes and a defiant attitude that everyone thinks is awesome because right now no one is really paying attention and the field is so crowded that there’s really little opportunity for meaningful discussion. That will change, and when it does Donald Trump will have to convince voters that he legitimately believes what he is saying, explain his flip-flops/evolution on issues that he has leaned left on in the past, & temper his rhetoric enough that he becomes more palatable to judicious citizens that can’t be influenced by entertaining yet meaningless bravado.

Points of Ponderation…..Episode 3.15

A semi-regular attempt to address some of life’s minutiae that might otherwise be overlooked…..

Several months ago, when it was announced that To Kill A Mockingbird author Harper Lee would be publishing a 2nd novel a half century after her one & only triumphant effort in literature, I was ecstatic. Mockingbird is one of my favorite books, as it is for countless others. However, the book is out and I haven’t purchased a copy…and I don’t intend to in the future. In the time between the initial announcement and the appearance of Go Set A Watchman in bookstores a few things came to light. First of all, Harper Lee is nearly 90 years old, in poor health, & residing in a nursing home. There is some concern that a shady lawyer made this book deal happen, that Ms. Lee doesn’t have the mental capacity to have made the decision for it to be published, & that if she had wanted it published she would have done so decades ago. Adult Protective Services in Alabama allegedly investigated the situation and weren’t at all concerned, but I’m still a bit apprehensive. The book is now out there being consumed by the masses, and I have read some reviews. It turns out that Watchman…though it is being billed as a sequel to Mockingbird…was actually the original idea, and a gifted editor basically told Harper Lee “This doesn’t work, but there is an idea within it that will be good if you revise & cultivate it” (or something to that effect). That modification grew into To Kill A Mockingbird. Now, why in the world would I waste my time with something that an editor didn’t feel good about in the first place, something that evolved into one of our greatest novels only after a major renovation?? Why would I pay money for something that very well could be the result of elder abuse?? And then there is the matter of Atticus Finch…one of the most beloved characters in all of literature. I’ve seen spoilers. I know what the Atticus in Watchman is compared to the treasured Atticus in Mockingbird. Some may see it as a fascinating and maybe even logical evolution. That’s fine, but I don’t need that kind of negativity in my life. That’s the great thing about fiction…characters we love can stay frozen in time, always fondly remembered the way we left them. Sherlock Holmes will forever be riding hansom cabs & solving crimes in gaslit London. Santa Claus will always fly thru the air in his sleigh every Christmas Eve. Huck Finn & Tom Sawyer are still riding down the mighty Mississippi on a raft getting into mischief. And in my heart Atticus Finch will remain a man of deep character & unshakable honor fighting for the rights of the oppressed and teaching his children valuable life lessons.

I honestly couldn’t care less about lions or other big game being killed in Africa. It never ceases to amaze me what the media is able to manipulate people into stressing out about. I saw a story a few days ago about some 21 year old kid who buried his dog alive, and that incensed me way more than any situation in which a hunter bagged some prey. FYI the dog was thankfully rescued.

Let’s talk about baby names. No, I have not impregnated anyone and probably never will…unfortunately. A Facebook acquaintance of mine is pregnant and recently asked for some ideas for names for her baby boy. I guess I’m a bit old-fashioned because I was truly stunned by some of the suggestions: Alonte, Killian, Easton, Boston, Ledger, Zade, Phoenix, Malice, Beckham, Canyon, Courtland, Maxim, Savon. These were (allegedly) serious responses and not ideas for an American Gladiators revival. Look, I understand gravitating toward less common names. The world is full of guys named Mike, John, Bob, Steve, Tom, Jerry, George, & Fred. I get it. But whatever name you saddle a child with is a burden that they’re going to have to carry for the rest of their lives. Legitimate studies have been done linking weird baby names to criminal behavior later on in life, and that’s not even counting the bullying a kid may suffer or the confidence & image issues they may have along the way. I apologize in advance if my opinion hurts the feelings of anyone with one of these odd names or parents who may have named their child something a bit outside-the-box. It isn’t my intention to offend. I just think that the world is tough enough and a person will encounter more than their fair share of adversity in the normal course of things…why start them off behind the proverbial 8-ball with a name that isn’t nearly as cool or hip as some may think it is??

First impressions after the initial GOP Presidential debate:
• Donald Trump is style over substance. He’s entertaining and says what a lot of people would like to say & what many believe, but at the end of the day he doesn’t have the temperament, finesse, or applicable experience needed to be President.
• Marco Rubio & Ben Carson strike me as solid potential VP choices. Their stock could improve.
• Mike Huckabee is sincere, intelligent, & articulate…but not Presidential material. He could be a good cabinet member.
• If the GOP nominates Jeb Bush or Chris Christie it won’t play well with hardcore conservatives, a detriment that won’t be equalized with support from Reagan Democrats.
• Rand Paul is passionate, thinks outside the box, & brings some interesting ideas to the table, but I don’t see him as Presidential either at this point. I’m flexible though.
• I didn’t watch the undercard debate, but I hear that Carly Fiorina did well. Hopefully a few of those folks get an opportunity to make their case at the big table the next time around.
• Ted Cruz is my frontrunner, but Scott Walker has tremendous potential.
• Oh yeah…John Kasich was there too. I almost forgot. I’m not sure his campaign will make it to September.
• I wasn’t impressed with Fox News’ presentation or the performance of their moderators.
• This race doesn’t truly begin until the field is cut in half. That may take awhile.

My physician recently put me on a low dose of blood pressure medication and indicated that meds for high cholesterol could follow. I have 6 weeks to alter my lifestyle, and he suggested a website/app called MyFitnessPal to help track my dietary habits. In just a week I’ve already figured something out. I’ve been trying to eat low fat for awhile because I kind of saw these issues on the horizon, but one thing I’ve been overlooking is sodium. I am single, financially challenged, & can sometimes be lazy, which means I look for quick & easy eating choices. I am aware that fast food is mostly unhealthy, but in focusing on fat we shouldn’t ignore the contribution sodium makes to poor health. I have been paying more attention to such things and have been truly surprised at the enormous sodium content of a lot of foods. Pretty much anything that is prepackaged for our convenience is a minefield. Fruits & veggies have never been a big enough part of my diet, but going forward they’re going to have to be. That doesn’t mean I’ll never eat another cheeseburger, piece of chocolate cake, or bowl of pasta…it simply means that one should always partake in moderation.

The Undeniable Appeal of Donald Trump

While listening to a local radio show recently I heard the host ask listeners to call in and explain why they are supporting Donald Trump in his bid for the Republican nomination for President of the United States. It was clear by the host’s tone of voice and thinly veiled derision that he is not a Trump supporter and thinks that anyone who does like Trump is crazy & stupid. He never actually said that, but he didn’t need to…it was quite obvious.

Let me first say that I am unlikely to vote for Mr. Trump. While I appreciate the fact that he is a successful businessman and believe that career politicians are part of what has gone wrong with America in the past couple of decades, I also feel that the President of the United States should have some solid experience in the political arena. Barack Obama’s lack of practical understanding in that realm has been obvious in the past 7 years. At the end of the day Trump’s lack of finesse and bull-in-a-china shop mentality is unlikely to inspire much confidence and negatively impacts his viability as a contender. However, that doesn’t mean that his candidacy is a joke. Many people are taking Donald Trump very seriously and there are reasons why.

First of all he is not a politician and people like that. As I said, I personally am a little uncomfortable with someone who has never been a Governor or Senator ascending to The White House, but lots of folks believe that our country could benefit from an “outsider” shaking things up and challenging the status quo. We’re tired of candidates that have spent 30 or 40 years in public office. My home state of West Virginia enabled the political career of Jay Rockefeller for more than four decades, even though he was a carpetbagger from New York who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and couldn’t possibly understand the issues facing his constituency, yet West Virginia has become steadily more conservative in the last several years, as if the population has finally realized that electing guys like Rockefeller over & over benefits no one other than the politician himself. Many have become cynical and believe that there is very little difference between the Republican & Democrat parties. One can easily see that there is a protocol in Washington DC, that people like Senator John McCain, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, Speaker of the House John Boehner, & Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi know the game and play by a certain set of rules. They may fight & argue amongst themselves, but they’re all in an exclusive club and will do anything to stay there reaping the benefits of power. Donald Trump isn’t in the club and many are horrified at the thought of him crashing their soiree. In a strange way that makes some sympathize & root for him, as if he is an outsider just like them, even though he is probably wealthier & more out of touch with the lower/middle economic classes than his competition. The idea of Trump going to Washington and ticking off just about everybody is as appealing & idealistic as it is impractical & unsustainable.

Secondly, Donald Trump has no filter & no fear, and that is strangely attractive. He doesn’t mince words and much of what he says has a lot of truth in it. Sadly his greatest strength is also his biggest weakness. The Thought Police have effectively dumbed down the populace to the point that someone is always offended about something. We don’t take the time to intelligently discuss issues or admit that maybe…just maybe…a person might actually have a point. Do I believe that all immigrants (specifically from Mexico) are drug using rapists?? No, of course not. And neither does Donald Trump. But instead of having a meaningful debate about illegal immigration and the undisputable problems it creates the media has successfully painted Trump as a bigot & a racist. Did I cringe just a little bit when he stated that Sen. McCain isn’t a war hero and that he “likes people who weren’t captured”?? Well, yes. It was out of bounds and unnecessary. However, it is true that McCain’s tragic yet triumphant POW story is just about the only positive thing about him. He is a wishy-washy, milquetoast RINO, the type of career politician that people are beginning to turn against. Such is the dichotomy of Trump – we like that he isn’t afraid to call out guys like McCain, but his lack of tact & grace make him ultimately unelectable.

The fact though, is that Trump has nothing to lose. He is filthy rich and professionally prosperous. He doesn’t need the job. I have no doubt that he would serve faithfully if elected, and it would be endlessly entertaining, but since it is doubtful that he will get the nomination the more likely scenario is that, at some point, he bows out and goes back to doing whatever he was doing before with barely a scratch to anything, especially his ego & his bank account. Even during this campaign he has seen his stupid reality show on NBC get canceled and has lost business relationships with companies like Macy’s, Univision, & NASCAR, but his hilarious reactions to those losses made him even more popular. He brushed them off like Andre the Giant used to swat away opponents half his size, as if the criticism & temper tantrums hurled in his direction were so insignificant that he barely felt like they warranted comment let alone genuine concern. While other politicians have teams of people that carefully craft their message and write every speech in an effort not to upset potential voters thus securing repeated election victories and lifelong power, Donald Trump doesn’t give a second thought to who he might anger. That doesn’t make a great politician, but it sure produces an appealing candidate.

And finally…and most simply…Donald Trump appeals to true conservatives. He is pro-gun, anti-illegal immigration, pro-life, has proposed a simplified tax structure, understands the importance of job growth, says that man-made climate change is poppycock, & disagrees with ObamaCare. In political parlance he “checks all the boxes”. Conservatives are thirsty for a candidate that supports their deeply held beliefs. We’re tired of candidates that want to “reach across the aisle” and compromise those beliefs. If Donald Trump didn’t have so much baggage, was a little smarter in his choice of words, & had even a little bit of meaningful political experience he might run away with the Republican nomination easily.

Alas, he does have those blemishes and they are enough. So have no fear Trump haters. He won’t be the Republican nominee for President of the United States. Republicans will choose someone much safer & more prosaic. Your nightmare will be over soon enough. But don’t sit on your high horse and marvel at the fact that people are listening to Donald Trump and liking much of what he has to say. It’s not shocking. It isn’t mysterious. It actually makes a lot of sense, atleast moreso than voting for a person based solely on their race or gender.

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