Monday, May 20, 2024

Walkabout Thoughts #76

Thoughts & Stream of Consciousness, rough and ready, from an award-winning filmmaker and author you’ve never heard of, while walking off long Covid, and listening to podcasts…walk day 5/17/2024 [After a covid shot this morning, the next day was rough, so it took a few days to get this up online, apologies...]

Weather for the day… starting out, 58° nice sunny day starting out, 63° when I got home
and then, Pod Save America Trump Trial: "Jail Is on the Table" (here's hoping)

Damn, I just got my spell checker working again here. I hadn't noticed it was broken. Cheers!

Update from 5/19/2024:
BREAKING NEWS: This has now been confirmed. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (AKA "Butcher of Tehran") and others have been found dead at the site of the helicopter crash on the border of Iran on Sunday. This is sad but some are celebrating Pres. Raisi's demise and could lead to progress if only someone like Hassan Rouhani could replace both him and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, moving Iran into their future, rather than remaining toxically tied to theocratic ridiculousness. There's hope Rouhani could move into the future.

Moving on and back to our regularly schedule program...

I've never seen such a time
when so many
think they know so much
about so little & yet
are utterly clueless
about just how wrong they are
about so very much.
- from Quotes Along the Murdock VII

America was based upon a concept of a free people who can govern themselves guided by common sense & belief in a Greater Good. Sadly, Republicans today decided to forego common sense AND that greater good for their minor one, through which they will force govern all by, their few. This is not liberal democracy, or a republic. It is autocracy enforced by self-desire.
- from Quotes Along the Murdock VII

Democracy is good for everyone, if you keep capitalism under control from becoming toxic. While fascism is good only for the Fascists, until they finally get around to eating their own.
- from Quotes Along the Murdock VII

Any "Great Stupid" remains dangerous until it stops moving.

Just listening to them talk on Hacks podcast about the shows protagonist losing parents too young. I was four years old when we had moved to Spain from 1958 Tacoma and suddenly one day... my dad was gone, kicked out of the country by my grandfather who had gotten him the job over there in the first place in Franco Spain. We were in Roda, Spain. 

I was just thinking about this yesterday, writing it up for my autobiography. I thought I might write the section backwards, starting with my step-dad after moving back to Tacoma in 1960. Backing up to Philadelphia the year previous and asking my mom where dad was and when is he coming home? How she progressed from the first time I asked that before we had moved back from Spain. Where's dad? "He went home ahead of us." Upon arriving back in the States, where's dad. "He'll be here soon." Then, where's dad? "He's not coming home again." I was four. Then five, when I realized Dad was somehow gone? Could Mom be gone? Then the step-dad arrived and I did not like him. It was a downgrade. What if dad can be gone, then mom can be gone. Will I be stuck with this guy, then? Fear.

It might not have been so bad, as it goes, if the new stepdad we’re "better than", or if I had liked him more than my dad. I remember little about my dad before he left. I remember mostly, after. After we had moved back to Tacoma and he took me out a few times. I remember very clearly when I was like five or six. I remember he took me in his brother's boat and let me, ME, drive it, at five years old. We left the dock at Point Defiance Park, and went over to Vashon Island.
 

I remember playing in the shallow water on that beach. I remember on my sixth birthday, dad taking me out to the "B&I Circus Store" on South Tacoma Way. Took me to the toy section and said get whatever you want. And I went for it. A store famous for "Ivan" the gorilla. A movie, "The One And Only", was made about it, with Bryan Cranston.

I had my arms full of toys that day at the B&I. Finally, Dad squatted down and looked at all the stuff I had, likely thinking there wasn’t enough in his wallet. He was a construction electrician. But divorce can be costly. So he picked one of those toys and said, “OK. You can have this one, or you can have all of those you’re holding.“


That was a miserable choice. But I chose the one. A plastic replica of a Winchester rifle with a speaker in the side butt. When you pulled the trigger, it made a weird "shooting sound". A "Sound of Power". I thought even then it was a corny sound, but in 1960 you made due. And that was my birthday present. My second gun. My first gun having been t wooden army rifle, which they mass-produced after World War II.


There’s a big story about that one. I was wearing a navy sailor suit when we traveled to Spain. Mom had my older brother and later my younger brother and our sister all in cute little Navy suits for photo portraits that hung on our family home wall all the years of our growing up. Guess she had a thing for Navy guys. Though my dad was Coast Guard, saw action and had a Purple Heart medal.

We had taken the train from Tacoma, to either New York for the flight, or more likely to Philadelphia where our larger family lived. When we took the TWA plane from Idlewild Airport to Madrid, there were all these lockers where you could lock your stuff up until your flight. I thought it would be cool to stick my rifle in there. So when they called our flight over the public address system, Mom said, "OK, let’s go." I told her I couldn't. I had to find my gun! I was in a panic.

She looked at the hundreds of lockers and realizing we could miss our plane, probably wanted to kill me. All of my life since, I remembered crying and her dragging me to the plane, I’d lost that rifle and regretted and resented it ever since. Until a few years ago when I was looking at photos and our photo of us exiting that plane in Madrid, Spain back when still walked down portable stairs, brought up to the airplane on the tarmac plane parking...and there in the photo, as I was walking down those stairs with my mom and sister, is my rifle. That really blew my mind.

About that Navy suit and Army rifle. There’s a notorious photo of me on the tarmac at Idlewild Airport taken by TWA professional photographer, Ken Fletcher, Public Relations. He asked if he could take the picture. My mom just kind of looked at him. He said, "Mam, you got a cute little boy wearing a sailor suit, carrying an Army rifle. This is priceless. I have to take this picture. And I promise I will send you a copy of it. So she said, OK. And so he did send us a copy and I have it. 

On back of  the 8"x10", it says:
"For Worldwide immediate release: Idlewild Airport, N.Y., Sept. 17 (1958): Mixed-up sailor, 3, carrying an army rifle stands guard before boarding his TWA Jestrream flight to Madrid, Spain. The Tacoma, Washington, youngster will be joining his dad, a construction engineer, for an approximate three year stay. Photo by Aviation News Pictures, New York International Airport. Ken Fletcher, Public Relations, 380 Madison Ave., New York City, Oxford 5-4525 Ext. 701"

So I don’t know… but I like to think that 1958 my photo did go around the world for advertising for TWA Airlines. And we loved, Trans World Airlines.

So I’m retired, on a fixed income. Though I’m still trying to produce things to make money. I won’t go into that here, now. I’m living off of retirement from the company I retired from and my Social Security. So, fixed income. But I’m doing OK. I'd hoped to be doing better but then considering how I started out in life, I couldn't be more pleased how well I've done.

Like many, I too go through this round-robin of streaming services and cable TV that a lot of people do. I pay way too much for my Comcast cable and Internet and I also have my cell phone through them. After many years of Verizon since I first got a cell phone, I got tired of paying almost 80 bucks a month, when it went to free with Comcast. So I switched. I get their cable package plus some streamers. I get Max for free. I get Peacock for free. But it's pricey. I go around with Hulu, Apple+ (which I’ve been keeping steadily for some reason). I do like Paramount+. But like for this month, I got Netflix. I watched everything I could & was interested in. Saw some good stuff. Then I let it expire at the end of 1 month. Then I start up another one, this time probably Paramount+ for a month. Or I'll skip a month or so trying to keep the already staggering overall price down.

I had Hulu and actually kept it for a couple of months longer, maybe three even. The last thing I watched was "Shogun". I have the original on DVD with Richard Chamberlain. But my end of Hulu month hit too soon and I didn’t get to see the last episode of Shogun. Bummer. So how can I watch it for free? Or do I just buy another month? I could. I have the money. But try to keep costs down, or they can get out of control after a while, especially if you don't keep an eye on it. 

I go through that with Amazon Prime on buying movies. I watch what I can for free but allow myself a movie purchase on holidays. Otherwise, you realize you've spent $100 or $200 with no idea how you got so out of control. I told that to producer Robert Mitas whom I was working with a few years ago. He's a producer with Michael Douglas. We were working on my true crime screenplay, "The Teenage Bodyguard". 

He'd said something about watching some film he thought I should see, and I offhandedly explained how I try to keep costs down by not purchasing movies without attempting to keep the numbers I watch low. He chuckled, obviously unaware of not having a lot of money. It was a bit uncomfortable because we both realized that from opposite ends of the financial spectrum. He might have been talking about his produced film, "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" (2018). I highly recommend it. I ended up watching it and it was a fun film. It's from a Shirley Jackson story (she wrote, "The Lottery"). Michale Douglas was also a producer on that film.

Shogun...I see they renewed it for two more seasons, or as they say in the UK, two more "series". So I think maybe I’ll just wait for the next season two and watch the last episode of season one that I missed when Hulu month ended too soon. In the past, I have watched the last episode of a new season arriving, just to get back up to where I should be for that season. So maybe I stumbled upon something that will be kind of useful and most cost-effective.

Well, I got in an art podcast today with the Hacks podcast, but it was short. So I switched over to "Pod Save America" now. I already listened to the last WTF? With Marc Maron. Have to wait till next week maybe for a new one of those. I feel like I did when I discovered Jon Stewart on The Daily Show after years of him being on. "Why didn't I find him sooner?"! I liked Jon when he was a VJ on MTV in the 80s.

So it looks like Biden and Trump will have two debates with no audience. Thank God, so it’s not just another Trump circus. Hopefully, they’ll turn off the other’s mic when one is talking. Trump has had his circus long enough on debates. Time to get back to adults debating and following debate rules, not Trump bullshit disinformation and distraction (lack of) rules.

I’ll just say this: fuck Trump and any who still support or follow him, who are too lazy to go out and double check how DIS-directed they are. They would throw that back in my face no doubt to say YOU check YOUR information because WE are right. Sorry, but I did that years ago. The first thing you ever do is go out trying to prove your beliefs or information are wrong and if you can't, maybe you're correct. THATS professional researching. I’d been a professional researcher as a senior tech writer for years. You cannot turn in a white paper on something there to management and be found out it's all nonsense. I would’ve been out of work ASAP. And yet I survived in that career for some time. The respect I received in that career was beyond any other career I've had. I wonder sometimes if it was a mistake leaving it to delve deeper into computer mechanics, systems, and processes?

So MAGA...on your information. If you were right about the insane things you believe in then I would be agreeing with you And since I’m not, sorry. You're wrong. Sounds like I'm full of myself, but when you've done the work, the research, the vetting, you earned it. Unlike those who faultily "do their own research" and come away unduly full of themselves and thus, disinform ever more easily distractable and delusional people. Something our enemies, and Trump, and the GOP depend on anymore. Sad, but true. Proven to be true, over and over and over again.

Fox News is losing their shit over this debate thing saying that Biden is slinking away from the debate by sending it to liberal news networks. Apparently, they never watched a debate with Trump in it. It’s a fiasco. It’s not a debate at all. It’s a little bitch whiny... little bitch, interrupting adults. And trying to make it look like it's all a joke. And his people love that because he's their failed TV entertainer. It's not a joke. It's our lives, our country, our democracy, that they're trying so hard to end. Literally. 

When you hear conservatives talk about "we're not a democracy, we're a republic," that's a whistle call for what is now called MAGA Speak. Anti-democracy, for the purpose as we've now see, of minority rule because conservatives know better what is best for America and Americans. It's just authoritarianism, pure and simple Simplistic binary thinking. Black & white, nothing is grey. You're good or bad. You're with them or an enemy. "IN God We Trust"! Division, separation, partisanship. Friend or foe. 

Which is all bullshit. We're a very blended citizenry, unlike most nations. We support immigration. Not divisively pick it apart and make trouble over non issues, inflating issues, acting like bigots, etc. The immigration system was purposely broken for purposes of division NOT what they profess today.

E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, ONE. THAT is America and THAT is what we need to get back to. This has been a decades-long slow moving coup. And it's finally, here. Republicans are not our enemies but have put themselves in that slot. Some are trying to get that party back finally seeing the dangers they have wrought in trying to regain control. Neither party NEEDS control. We need to work together. Compromise. Taking the other's side, when they are correct. Not refusing to work together because you're not winning. THAT is either idiocy or working for our enemies, saving them money, time and effort.

I guess there will be a vice-presidential debate and that ought to be delicious. I have an odd feeling that VP Harris will shred any MAGALoon Trump picks for his ridiculous VP.

According to Hannity on Fox News, Biden challenging Trump to debate is him avoiding a debate. Good to know? I tell you, these people are fully in some other universe where nothing functions.

The rule I would like to see for the Biden-Trump debate would be both of them in glass cages, and when the other one's talking, no matter what the one does, the one who’s screaming and disrupting would be Donald Trump… You would see his mouth moving and that’s it. I would even suggest CGI to block out his mouth so you can’t see what he saying to lip-read. All we should be asking for is to give each guy a chance to speak and only then let the other one talk and without interruption. It’s always been that way. And if people don’t like it, don’t watch the debate. Because if you’re looking for entertainment, you're just into Trump. If you’re looking for a clown show, that’s where it is.

One has to remember a couple of things about Trump and his GOP and the whole maggot mindset. No, no... I said MAGA mindset and voice-to-text translated that as "maggot". You may know I don’t play that game. Those are American citizens. I do think they are loony, so I do call them. "MAGALoons" because they are NOT based in reality. But that's a joke. It’s satire… You’ve heard of "Looney bin"? An ugly term from the past referring to people with mental issues. However, after a university degree in psychology, I learned that we don’t call the people you take care of in that field “Patients" but “clients “. Because "patient" indicates they're ill and you want their mindset to be that they are either healthy and healing from something, or they are becoming healthier in being your client.

Yes, you could argue under that paradigm that I shouldn’t even call them what I do. But I’m going from a lot of people who are trying to dehumanize American citizens as insects which has led other countries into genocide or a Civil War. Which the right keeps pushing for. And the left keeps seeing may be needed, but we don’t want to go there. So for now, "MAGALoon" it is. 

It’s actually meant in a softer satirical tone. Somebody acting Looney we can help. Somebody that’s a maggot needs to be excised from humanity. Let’s not go there in a country of diverse cultures. And again, let’s get rid of that stupid fucking theistic motto “In God we trust “because it’s led us to far too much of this crap and this devicive and this dividing us and looking down on others and Christian nationalism which the FBI is worried about regarding domestic terrorism. Which is just enhanced religious bigotry. 

Back to "E pluribus unum" or “out of many, one.“ Back to a cohesive country, or at least trying to be one.

We need to all come together to try to stand in the same basic reality and see where we’re all going wrong, together. Enough standing apart, hating.

I constantly try to see the other side and can modify my view closer towards them, IF I see they have a valid point. A point-based in reality, obviously. Where so often now it is simply not based in reality.

But I don’t see that on the other side. I see their religious based beliefs and dogma. This is what they wish to force reality to fit with and: "I will kill you if you get in the way of that."

Yeah. Let’s not do that.

So I caught Covid for the third time last month. Feeling pretty good now after they put me on Paxlovid on the second day. Which I think helped me with my long Covid. About two weeks after I caught Covid the last time, the VA sent out an email telling everyone they should get a Covid booster now. Damn, weeks too late, guys.

So I went and got a shot yesterday at Safeway. They said the VA would pay for it, but so would Medicare, so they went through that (or Aetna, I’m not sure). It was a Moderna shot. I’ve only had one of those and my arm hurt the next day and I didn’t feel good for a couple days. But maybe because I still have some Covid immunity from actually having caught this version, my arms a little sore today, but I’m out walking and I feel pretty good. So far.

Long Covid has this nasty habit of triggering dormant viruses in victims. I’ve been suffering that since March 2022. The end of last December, as I detailed before I went through a nightmare involving that, has gone on now for months. I’ve had a bunch of tests since December and I’ve been sent to a new doctor to get things checked out. A specialist because my primary care physician isn't sure what the hell is going on at this point. But now all of a sudden, it’s like I’m healing from that, too. And I don’t know if that was part of the Paxlovid but seems like it.

I know last year I read that a study gave an infusion of Paxlovid in one shot to help with long Covid suffers and their long Covid went away for somewhere around six weeks. If you’re a long Covid sufferer, especially if you have it bad, that’s a Godsend, even with only a few weeks off. Which might even help you in the long run with the condition.

I just realized I’ve been previously saying lately it was two weeks for long Covid alleviation, after a Paxlovid infusion treatment, but it was six weeks. Because I just noticed my calendar says next week my six weeks are up. Which means my long Covid could return. Here’s hoping not!

Starting mile three.

I just thought of another debate format Biden could pull against Trump. Things go the way Trump does it. You know it’s like an adult debating with a child who doesn’t have answers and just throws a little tiffs and fits. So when Trump interrupts, just lean back at your podium and let him go and at some point ask something like, "Are you done with your little tantrum? Can I talk now?" 

And just keep it that way, exhibiting what a fool and immature brat Trump is. Fllod the news, esp., where MAGA would see it, to prep them for what Trump will pull. His anti-debate tactics have to be neutralized. The thing is, MAGA needs to really see who he is. They praise and worship and support and follow that clown and Biden needs to have stored up like 30 or 40 little debate-deflating knife piercings for Trump who can throw Trump’s bullshit back in his face during the debate. Things that would either shut Trump up, or down, to show HIS audience that they really should be embarrassed.

That would allow the old concept of free speech, where we allow bad and evil speech out there and those people who support it, TO talk. But we need people smart enough to counter them, to debunk and deflate their premises. I do believe Biden is a lot smarter than Trump. But the problem is that kind of debating idiots and disruptors,  takes a very kind of special debating skill. Trump doesn’t have good debating skills. Trump has pontificating and obfuscating and distraction skills. 


Trump is basically a five-year-old, who at that age, most kids also have those skills. Apparently, Trump locked into those emotionally, but never matured into an adult. Something you get from alcoholics, drug abusers, and the pathological narcissistic sociopath in a career criminal such as Donald Trump. The image above is one that I shared online the other day of a brain scan of a person with Trump's pathological condition. 

"Pod Save America" has a good point here about those debates. If Biden makes the mistake again of saying another country for some country he’s referring to, huge five-alarm sirens go off with the conservatives and maybe everybody. But if Trump says "gravity isn’t real" people just laugh and say "Ha ha there goes Trump again". There’s a sad double standard that’s dangerous to this country. And to democracy at large. Because people around the world, watch America closely.

Damn, I think I just walked by JD Vance’s parent's house…

Trump went to Wildwood, New Jersey the other day and said some weird shit. I got roughed up by a cop there when I was 16, on the boardwalk, and for absolutely nothing. Anyway, people need to see these debates because they need to see what a fool Donald Trump really is. But for that to work, they need to be primed and ready. As I mentioned above.

They need to put our promos detailing what to watch for from Trump in the debate. Use a viral orientation with humor or something. In such a way that makes it obvious when you see Trump actually do it on stage in the debate, that it takes you aback. A shock a little bit so that you go, "Oh fuck I’m supporting THIS guy? I used to think this guy was funny. Maybe this isn’t funny. Maybe it’s not funny anymore as Nikki Haley said she believed he was the right guy for POTUS45. Though she was 100% wrong. Where now she says he’s not that guy anymore at all. And he’s not." 

Sitting through this criminal trial is ripping up Trump's personality and ego from the inside out. He may go forward-looking the same to some, but he’ll never be the same again after this. When he’s convicted, well… there it is.

I hear the podcast, that Biden isn’t making a mistake in attending the debate because it’s a "high variance maneuver". It may be time for high risk action. I learned this when I was a child… when there’s something you’re fighting off, or fearful of, or in a situation that is existentially dangerous, you need to hit it head on. Hit it as hard and as fast as you can. DEAL with it. And you know what? That has worked for me really, really well. It takes your opponent off their equilibrium and disorients. That's what Trump is so good at. Disrupting, and disabling people's decency, and their expectation of normal behavior. 

I think honesty and openness are healthy for humanity. So I’ll admit this. I can count on one hand the times I let fear overtake my better judgment. Not my better angels. When I was at risk, I may have shied away. It didn't happen often, as I was trained for that very young. But when others were at risk, I didn’t shy away. I don’t know. I go to stupid protection mode, maybe because of my childhood nuclear family dynamic. But I’ll say about those times... I can count them on one hand… those failings when I wish I had acted better. We are all weak or strong at times. IF the wrong situation hits in those moments, we can find we have exceeded or failed, for those moments. 

So "heroes" can be seen as cowards, and vice versa. That is part and parcel of being human. Some act correctly, heroically, always. But they are honestly few and far between. Most people react out of self presevation. Training increases the odds of acting above the norm in extraordinary situations. 

Had my orientation been different? I probably wouldn’t be able to count all those sad moments, as being limited only to one hand, out of my 68 years at this point. Personally, I think that’s a pretty damn good record.

This was fun. I had a salesman call from Armed Forces Vacation Club yesterday. He asked me some questions and I answered and he thought it was odd. I could tell. I told him I’m 68. I could tell it wasn’t a salesman tactic, but he was taken aback by that. He said, "Wow you don’t sound 68 to me." I thought he meant the texture of my voice. But I shared that with my son later and he laughed and said, "Well, look at the conversations we have about physics and different things. You don’t have an addled brain at all." I had to laugh at that. But, good to know.

As for mentioning my condition and health status at times, this is a blog about walking off long Covid. I mention my condition, symptoms, and issues from time to time for the same reason I wrote a book on long covid. So if anyone reads this who has long Covid and reads some of the things I’m going through, it may aid them in some way, or emotionally give them some kind of benefit. Or relief. Or warning. Forewarning, hopefully.

And on that note, I’ll say that because it was winter and I wasn’t getting exercise I wasn’t feeling well. I’ve had to use melatonin to get to sleep and stay asleep. I use 5 mg tablets and break them in half. I don’t think I got enough exercise and sun, which is important for the production of the melatonin hormone. But I try to take it as little as I can. You have to understand that anytime you take something into your system it alters it. The view that eating is medicinal isn’t a bad way of looking at things. So if you take in melatonin regularly and then stop, your body isn’t going to immediately produce enough.

As far as Trump claiming Biden took drugs whenever he seems animated or at every debate that he’s on something? Fine. Give both them a blood test before the debate. Both of them! Better, as I'd said before, surprise them. See if Trump doesn't mumble as he runs from the studio.

Well, I was gonna try for 5 miles today as I shot for the last time, but only made 4 miles. But I hadn't gotten a Covid shot then and now I’m a little concerned. I might be overdoing it. That’s what the consideration was in walking at all today, as it might be overdoing it. So long Covid and vaccinations and such, it's best to err on the side of caution as much as you may want to push on through. It's normal for me to push on through, but with Covid and long covid, it could kill you. Though I think I may be beyond that point now, it can lead to being unnecessarily uncomfortable for a day or two.

So today it’s 3 miles.

I know my mom was pretty emotional when I was growing up and I know she had some interesting emotional or mental issues. Though I know she was smart as a whip, but also only made it to to ninth grade. I always said that I’ve followed my heart guided by my mind. Though I have come to wonder, although my life wasn’t that bad, that maybe I should’ve reversed that. I know those who did that but I wouldn’t want to have lived their life.

It could just be that they tended to push things too far on top of it. Maybe I wouldn’t have. I don’t know. I do know I was a little sociopath when I was a kid as most children are. I think most of us grow into our higher emotional levels. Or EQ. Something that Trump is very low in. My mother had some pretty strict rules within an environment that was rather loose, even for those times. I think that helps to get you into your teens and 20s to a time when you evolve more and lose that sociopathy. Hopefully. Although some of us never do. 

Once again...Donald Trump.

I will add about that "little sociopath" thing. I jest some. But it's also true. I didn't have a deep emotional base as a kid, but then I did. Mostly about animals. I think I had the basis for emotions. I was emotional about some things. Very protective of my family. I was teased about it as a teen. I wasn't emotional about movies, even when a nearby female typically was crying from a film. So I used films in my mid to late 20s to grow emotions. Once in college studying psychology, I worked to grow emotions and I used films to aid that. As a touchstone. Until finally I did feel things without trying when watching a film. 

It's well known we become more emotional as we age. In old age, we can become quite emotional. It's why we do not send older people to war, but the youngest available. They lend themselves more so to the blood lust of battle. I'm now at a point where it's almost too much. An advert can even get me emotional now. As my younger self laughs... 

And on that note, I’ll bid you adieu…

And leave you with that. And it’s noon now and time for lunch.

As always, I wish you all, all the greatest success and good health!
Just put in the time and effort for those successes.  
Until next time!

Cheers! Sláinte!

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Walkabout Thoughts #75

Thoughts & Stream of Consciousness, rough and ready, from an award-winning filmmaker and author you’ve never heard of, while walking off long Covid, and listening to podcasts…day of walk, 5/14/2024

Weather for the day… starting out, 56° nice sunny day 72° upon returning home

Podcast Marc Maron ep. 1538 - A. Whitney Brown

So May 9, 2024 Roger Corman died. I grew up watching his movies. Thank you.

Marc on the podcast will interview A. Whitney Brown at his home in Austin, Texas, which is cool because I remember him well mostly on SNL (boy he had some interesting things to say about Dennis Miller, whom I had liked until more recent years when he turned into a braindead conservative of sorts...now I know why). But then Marc talks about being at the rock museum or something and someone pulls out a bunch of cool stuff, showing him things that’s pretty cool to hear him talk about.

Interesting story about Marc’s stand-up (sitdown?) show, when a guy yelled out “fuck you“ as Marc starts talking about "Jew stuff" (being Jewish) as he put it. After talking for a while about the event he said, "I don’t know. Maybe the guy just got triggered."

I do get a kick out of, after an entire lifetime of venerating, enjoying, and watching those who entertained me, to now hear the background stories to all of those things and those times in general. This is a good podcast.

I guess as someone born in the mid 1950s, growing up through everything I had, getting "triggered" was a luxury. I never understood those knuckle draggers who just spent their egos all over anyone in range, picking fights, arguing, generally showing their ignorance and using their egos like cheap, bad guy perfume (when real mean wear cologne, you see).

I spent most of my life biting my tongue about things I wanted to speak out about. I was raised to be polite, to fit into situations. Speak up for yourself, to be sure (if you met my mother, she lived that). Over time as society evolved, where eventually you could do that and feel somewhat protected, somewhat so in a group, to the point that you can often say it when you’re alone against some other person or even to a group...maybe. 

Some of us have enough privilege that we can walk away from those sitautions alive, or to at least survive the ensuing hospital visit, while some of us, won't, don’t, can't. All for what? An opinion? An orientation? Because you were born into who you are? WTF? What is wrong with some people's children? Like MAGA who punched people in a Walmart for wearing a covid mask. WHY? Who made you the fasion police, because that's what you're doing/being. That is, an asshole.

I have trouble with the word "triggered". "Activated" perhaps...activated? Someone came up with a better word but I can’t remember if it was "activated" or not. But to me "triggered" is not a lack of self-discipline, an issue of poor personal restraint, but something that goes to the root of one's soul. Something one truly can have no control over. While often today what we from many people being “triggered “is about shit that they just want to feel triggered over, or to let go, to respond to aggressively over for a variety of reasons. How can so many, have so many issues/problems. Some do, to be sure. I feel for them. But for too many? I suspect it's poor parenting. Perhaps not putting your kids through enough trials, to help them evolve to be strong individuals. To pay attention to that, to mature into it.

Fully, I agree some people should say things they say that trigger people. But we shouldn't get triggered. Annoyed, upset, irritated? Sure. Respond intelligently? Cleverly counter stupidity, ignorance? Sure. But we're not doing that as often as I'd like to see anymore. Not that we were even a race of geniuses about that kind of thing.

I'm not a person to say the kids are weak, stupid, whatever. We've evolved. Both sides however need to grow into these times so we're all more reasonable, aware, understanding, comprehending. That ain' "woke". Though on the other hand, "woke" is just better aware. What the Buddists (Buddha Dharma) refer to as Zanshin, or Enlightenment. React appropriately because you understand, or don't react until you do. React because you do, not react and realize later, you don't.

Both sides could toughen up a little. Especially, those who resent simply being better aware of other's needs who are less considered. 

I suspect there are many people who think they’re triggered in the way that they believe Black or Gay people have a life choice of who they are. It’s nice we can speak out more freely now. But too often people are speaking out when they should keep their damn mouth shut. Sorry, but MAGA comes to mind.

Too many delusionally believe (I'd say think, but I'm unsure where thinking comes into it) we live in a theocratic or totalitarian state where they are part of the majority. Which doesn’t matter then as long as you’re part of your beloved leader's group. Until he (probably "he") goes psychotic and you become part of those, as in the USSR when Stalin slaughtered at least 9 million citizens (somewhere between 6 and 20 million). Fun times. Authoritarianism. Yay! Rise up authoritarian autocrats! It’s all, fun and joking until you are the one that gets tossed in the camps, or shot in the back of the head after being dragged out of your bed at 2 AM while your spouse and children watch. Then it’s not quite so much fun.

Stalin by the way practiced the fun form of government called (wait for it) Stalinisn:

Key characteristics of Stalinism include:


ANY of that sound familiar to any current America FPOTUS now in his own personal criminal trial with more trials to come?

Anyway, I think we need to be less triggered. 

And I agree we need to do less canceling. 

There’s a difference between confronting, or refusing to accept a concept. Than simply ignoring it utterly, or refusing it to be brought into the light were it tends to die after a while. I attribute that to a lack of patience in today society about the bad things we don't like and about the wrong things we think if you won't talk about them or refuse to acknowledge them, they'd go away. We really need to get that straight in our heads. You addrews evil, civily. When it becomes murderous, you act accordingly. You act proactively, in ways that are more intelligent than less. Holding your breath until it goes away? Is no solution.

So I’ve been doing these "Walkabout Thoughts" for a while now. Which, as you may know, started with my trying to walk off symptoms of long Covid and found that it worked. Somewhat (some is better than none) If I just walked enough miles. Before it would take me a few days to get around to doing a read through of my podcast thoughts and walking ruminations, toward getting it to a functional point of anyone else reading it. Now I’m often doing it the same day, putting it out the next day, at 6am in the morning. I’ve had my overall Murdockinations blog around for 13 years now? Something like that.

There was a time where a lotta people around the world were reading it. I think my biggest readership was during the Arab Spring when a lot of Egyptians were having trouble accessing information in country or about their country. So with this current rendition of my blog, with these "Walkabouts Thoughts", which I intersperse with various oddities intermittently, once the blog hits the internet and goes live, I then share it on social media. And I pretty quickly get hits by people reading it. It was nice to see this morning when my previous blog went live, even before I could share it I noticed there were already people reading it. Tthank you for that! Actually, I still haven’t shared that one on social media today, I forgot.

As for those intermittant blogs between these "Walkabouts", some recent ones include:
Anyway. Moving on…
Wow. A. Whitney Brown only got as far as eighth grade? He was always a really sharp guy. I always thought he was more educated. He just had that air. I guess like Dennis Miller. And according to Brown, yeah, book and it's cover, and all that...

A. Whitney Brown left home in 1968 at 15, leaving behind the kerosene lamps and outhouse and his family who was falling apart through alcoholism and mental institutions and he headed up to Canada to a rock festival with Steppenwolf and some of the people that were there were not long after a Woodstock. Then he went to Woodstock. How was that? Damn. Pretty cool.

My older brother is about his age. He had a band with my sister in the 60s. I think I remember him talking about wanting to go to Woodstock, to some big festival the entire country of young were headed to and it was going to be awesome! But he couldn’t get the money together and didn't go. He later regretted that.

For Whitney, he said LSD saved his life and that Woodstock had a lot of psychedelics. For me, I refuse to do that or heroin until I got out of high school. My brother turned me onto cannabis when I was 16, the summer before 12th grade (I turned 17 within a week). Graduated 1973 having tried weed for the first time with my brother that time in Phoenix on the way home that summer from Cape May, New Jersey where I was surfing with my cousin. My older brother lived in Arizona for about seven years. I went home and immediately stopped doing all the pills I was doing back then, which was gonna lead me to early grave. I didn’t get into psychedelics until I think '74 when I graduated,got a job, and moved out to my own apartment that summer of 73. Friend of mine turned me onto his fiancé’s girlfriend who was living a block away and who I eventually married.

I had acquired some acid from somewhere that first time. I wanted to try it, but was afraid to. But my girlfriend said she had done it before a few times and she would stay with me that night and what a great night that was. Then I really got into it over the next 10 years or so until the 80s when cocaine came on the scene. While there was still acid, more so... mushrooms. I’d have to say over the 70s and 80s I tried a lot of things. Make a good book or a movie, maybe.

As happened to Whitney as detailed on the podecast, I wonder if I can find a single moment in my life that I can trace everything back to when it changed everything? I want to say yes, but I also want to say, probably multiple episodes of that. I suppose the situation I mentioned above with my brother and the first time I tried weed in Phoenix, actually Mesa, Arizona, obviously changed my life (for the better) because I truly believed I probably would’ve done the wrong pills, probably with some alcohol, over that next year and never graduated. Or made it into the next yeara. I had a serious belief back then that I'd never live until 21. That belief freed me up to do a lot of crazy shit. Though I hadn't accounted for something. I think the reason I survived that, the crazy shit, was because I’d had so much professional training, already. 

Martial arts in grade school and early junior high, fighting tournaments, under a world class Sensei. Military training, search and rescue, and first responder first aid in Civil Air Patrol in Junior high when I flew and landed my first airplane, and took ground school. And damn just so much stuff. I used to say by the time I graduated high school had done more (back in 1973) than many adults had done in their entire lives. I mean, I wrote a screenplay about part of that, “The Teenage Bodyguard. “An internationally awarded screenplay, actually with a known Hollywood producer attached to it...if we can ever get it sold and find the right damn director who has a vision at least somewhat similar to mine, in telling a story of what actually happened, rather than trying to make it into a simple money making vehicle (That is, money, nice!). I mean, dude! Let’s do both!

Shhhh… Don’t tell anyone, the screenplay I wrote was my own biopic for a week of my life in the 70s. Apparently it’s bad form to let people know you’re the screenwriter for a story about you. I don’t know why it should matter. (no, I DO, with generally so many bad screenplays...I do get it, bad screenwriter, bad story, producer's/director's wasted time, they do get hammered with nonsense...)

But I have a university degree in psychology and phenomenology, both good training for self discovery, and professional observation and reportage. I’m also an award-winning writer/screenwriter and the screenplay is a multiple award winner. Now, if I can just sell the damn thing. So if you know any good preferably known, directors…

I pitched that bodyguard concept to a producer in London long ago now. I had adapted a paranormal romance novel to screenplay format, at the authors request. Which got me in touch with him. He asked, "What else do you have?" I told him I’ve got these written screenplays and I have these ideas that I’m thinking about writing. He said, "If you ever write that idea, “the teenage bodyguard", I want to see it first."

I’m not stupid. Over the next 19 days I wrote it as fast as I could and got back to him. That was no where near as good as it is now, by the way.

This was a while back I don’t know 2012 maybe. He said, "Thanks, I'll send it off to the readers and see what they say." And then, I never heard from him again. Over the next years I reworked that draft. I hadn’t send him my first draft, I sent my second. Never send your first draft to anyone. I  eventually worked with screenplay consultant Jennifer Grisanti and that producer I mentioned above, Robert Mitas, who still produces alongside producer/actor Michael Douglas. Loving his new series on Apple+ streaming about Ben Franklin in France.

Anyway, that London producer disappeared. Eventually, I tried to track him down. What I found was, he was actually a micro producer on very tiny projects. Too small for this story.Maybe he could have been a good connection, networking and all. I don't know. So I moved on.

Oh, one thing I did want to say about that London producer was, I offered to change the title. I thought it was too obvious. But he said he loved that title. Don’t change it, he said.It says everything right there. He also said the storyline reminded him of “The Place Beyond Phe pines". So I went and watched that movie and loved it and it re-oriented me on my screenplay. My first draft was trying to be a biopic, a dramatic documentary. I was trying to stick to the truth. But that’s not entertaining. That’s a documentary, which while it can be entertaining as a documentary, I was shooting for something else.

It’s a true crime genre film and a biopic. But that seemed to be working against me so I came to wonder, is it a biopic if it’s only covering one week of someone’s life? Nope. But the thing is, for people to accept the protagonist, they had to know his background so they would buy it all, buy into what they were seeing? So after years of not realizing I shouldn’t call it a biopic, I started calling it a true crime drama. 

Now I think I have a better chance at a director seeing what I'm hinking and take it seriously as a drama. Not to mention it actually happened as a true crime story involving a 1973 Tacoma Washington mafia family. And this kid how protects witness who is running from that family, who owned the Tiki topless restaurant in Lakewood Washington, the  greater Tacoma area's first topless joint. I researched these guys for years and the more I found the more I was stunned.

Turned out there was a federal court trial of these guys that had to be moved to San Francisco and became national headline news, because they couldn’t trust Seattle/Tacoma government as the crime family had their fingers deep into the sheriff's office, the prosecutor, and maybe even the governor, or at least his office.

There is a fascinating book by a Seattle newspaper writer who did write a book about the greater Seattle area mafia families. Good book.

by Rick Anderson

Just passed my 2nd mile, working on my third, hoping to get a fourth. Not really feeling 100% though.

Whitney is now recounting his travels on the podcast at this point, so awesome.

That’s something, he said, maybe remember something. 

After I got divorced in 2002, whenever my kids would be away for the weekend, I would hit the bars in Seattle. All I did was commute 4 hours a day, work hard in IT, then raise my kids. No time for dating, or adult oriented fun. I had a lot of fun with the kids, but you know, you need to blow off steam in a novel environment once in a while.

With the kids gone, I would take the ferry over from Bainbridge Island, and try to hit every bar in Seattle... over time. I'd wear completely different clothes each time: Grunge one time, dressed to the 9s another. Had some adventures. There was one bar I liked, owned by a Russian guy. Called the "Backdoor". A block or two up the street from Pioneer Square, which is a big party bar venue area, with the bar right next to the Seattle underground light rail entrance, on an incline and across the street up above...the county courthouse. 

There were steps going down to the light rail and a few feet away the back door of the Backdoor with steps going up (like 60 steps, they were killer when you'd had a few or many). This place was often packed, I remember fighting to get to the bar to order another drink so I could talk to the Russian owner. I gave him my card and said, "You know what you’re missing here? A website." Why that’s memorable is I said that and he looked around at that packed little room off the dance floor, which was off the other bar on the other side side. Everything‘s packed with people (almost every time I was in there, the only time it wasn't was one day I wandered in around lunch time and people were sitting around eating lunches). He took the card, nodded his head, smiled and said, "OK." Never heard from him. Days later, I realized how stupid that was. Why the hell did he need a website when a lot of people still hardly knew what a website was. And with little marketing the place was always packed.

I forgot to mention that I rewrote my bodyguard screenplay with Robert Mitas’ input. I’ve sent them both off to screenplay contests and for whatever reason, my longer more accurate version has won more awards. Although that shorter collaboration screenplay in a better screenplay format to be honest, has also won a couple.

You see, what I came to realize, or believe anyway, with the rewritten version, it is a better spec script, better sellable script. And the problem with that is even if the true crime drama is not as easy to sell, I personally find it (and apparently others do as well) a far better story. And for how I am, a far more accurate screenplay, depicting more of what happened more accurately. I found it was funny because I had cards in the screenplay with dates and Robert thought that would confuse the audience. Too many dates and jumping around. I was telling my childhood in reverse and the criminals actions in real time leading up to the beginning of "the week". Sounds confusing, it's not. And since we re-wrote it I’ve seen a lot of movies that have cards on screen with dates and by cards I mean on screen text, or inserts (SUPERS). Since we re-wrote it, I've seen a lot of movies that have those and a lot that don’t... so I don’t know. I wonder if it isn't just personal preference.

Well? I’ve got until I die to sell the script and see it produced. So I’m giving it my best shot. I’ve submitted it to several companies just the past couple weeks. If only I knew who would be interested I'd send it to them. But that's every screenwriter's dilemma, isn't it. Of course the problem is not sending it, but it getting to them, whomever would care to see it. I find it ironic because true crimes pretty popular, so WTF is the problem?

OK, I just hit 3.5 miles. That means I’m guaranteed 4 miles plus today. Yay! 

Whitney has a good point on the podcast about Mark Twain who he said was a stand-up comedian but they called it lecturing back then. He said he was his hero as far as doing stand up. I love Mark Twain, always have. I never thought of him as a standup, but I’ve often thought that about quotes of his.

Whitney said nobody made him laugh harder than WC Fields. Regardless of anything about him, I have always enjoyed his work since I was a kid, love those old funny guys, and duos (or trios). I was a huge fan of Woody Allen since I saw his first film back in this 70s? Aside from my psychology degree at university and aside from my minor in writing and screen writing, I had focused on the cinematic works of Stanley Kubrick, Woody Allen, and Hitchcock. Since then as I found out about all three of those guys being...problematic...characters, in their personal or professional lives. So, what are you gonna do? No one‘s gonna give a shit 100 years from now when they view their works.

On that topic, I first ran into problematic professionals and their art when my beloved grandmother told me as a kid she didn’t like Charlie Chaplin. She’s been dead for decades now and I’ve since learned Charlie was greatly misunderstood and malaigned. Sigh...

So the way I look at it is if they’re still getting money (and they’re still alive) from their art, consider not giving them more money. But if they’re dead, I don’t know, fuck off? They’re historical at that point.

Whitney said: “the casual brutality of life, day-to-day.” “to respond to that with laughter, to turn that into laughter… “

That’s interesting. I’ve long thought about writing my autobiography and I’ve been storing notes anytime I write anything that’s historically correct about my history, just toward that. I found a lot of humor in the tragedy in my life. Not alot, not always big, but it's there. We all have it. The tiny tragedies just to us? Maybe I need to focus more on that. It’s funny because since I was much younger, like high school, I would tell friends things that happened to me and they'd be rolling in the aisles laughing about it. I’d be like... you think that’s funny? But I was in on the joke because I would laugh with them because you could see the absurdity. The whole pain and anguish plus time equals comedy, thing. I never quite knew what to do with that. How to turn it into money, or a living?

In my way of thinking, a lot of my fiction, of my published sci-fi and horror, has a lot of comedy in it. When I think back in my life to just about every time I almost died, there was always laughter or a chuckle involved first and then it happened. Giggle, giggle, grin, then Boom!

And I got in my 4 miles for the day [this now is from after I got home: I finally took my prevsious walk's steps of 3 miles and subtracted from today's and found the "steps" for 1 mile at 2,190 (I'm just calling it 2220 steps equaling a mile, for me)]

OK, so I’ll leave you with that. It’s almost time for lunch.
As always, I wish you all, all the greatest success and good health!
Just put in the time and effort for those successes.  
Until next time!

Cheers! Sláinte!

Monday, May 13, 2024

Walkabout Thoughts #74

Thoughts & Stream of Consciousness, rough and ready, from an award-winning filmmaker and author you’ve never heard of, while walking off long Covid, and listening to podcasts…walk day 5/12/2024 Mother's Day

Weather for the day… starting out, 59° nice sunny day starting out About 69° when I got home.

Podcast Prosecuting Donald Trump, ep. It's Not About Sex

I felt pretty horrible yesterday when I was walking. I went on the antivirals for long Covid for three days starting yesterday, a pill every 12 hours. I am already feeling better.

Quote for the day: "Any Great Stupid is still dangerous until it stops moving."

I have asked Copilot AI to summarize in a couple of paragraphs of what Al Capone would have been like as POTUS. Then compare and contrast that to the Donald Trump 45 administration. "POTUS" Al Capone vs FPOTUS Donald Trump

I’m so sick of hearing about Donald Trump. It makes me even more nauseous that we give so much attention to the narcissist (any narcissist) who so lives for the attention. For a grown man with his own version of Oppositional defiant disorder. For a national leader who claims victimhood as a form of being macho. Who lies constantly. And when he tells the truth, generally speaking, he’s just telling us what he’s going do or will make a joke of it once it's ralized what he's doing. And then? He does it anyway. He projects onto others his own crimes and current actions. I find this so vile. We see the GOP doing this of late, also. How can one not find this vile? And who would see such a person (or party) as having the material or character ever to be a national leader(s)?

The podcast now is talking about Stormy Daniels sometimes having to wanted to make money off of her story, sometimes not. And how that may appear to the jury as inconsistent or suspect. Maybe a jury of our peers should only be psychologists? I alwyas thought a "jury of your peers" was kind of nonsense anyway. What IF they did get that, peers of the defendent who really understand that person and their job and orientation? I wonder if there'd be more, or fewer guilty judgements?

We have in general very perverse belief about memory, recall, eyewitness accounts, etc. I’ve pushed forward on projects myself that I stopped and then went forward on after a while (referring to Stormy, wanting to sell her story, then not, etc.), all because of at one time, feeling strong enough to have the audacity to think it was a worthy project but at another time feeling weaker because of something that happened. I’ve been able to take a breath for a few days, collecting my wits and then moving forward again. So I don't see how that isn’t reasonable for what happened with Stormy Daniels. She's a person after all. Not to mention she had been threatened. Donald Trump is a scary little punk much fo the time with a bunch of money and more power than his money should portend. Then as POTUS we foolishly gave Donald Trump a shield against his criminal behaviors and one that is ongoing and ridiculous. I would argue anti-democratic, and has proven to be anti-American-citizen and anti-America.

Are “American citizens" actually American citizens if they are seditious and insurrectionist? Certainly treasonous would indicate no. So at what point are they not actual citizens? People are trying to claim that Palestinians are all Hamas and therefore the enemies of Israel. So are MAGA America’s enemies? Are they not?

It seems yet again binary thinking is the enemy of America. So, a porn star, now porn director cannot be surprised when that she walks out of a bathroom in a hotel room, after being invited to a dinner, that wasn’t gonna happen, and upon arriving meets Donald Trump in silk pajamas. Tells him to get dressed (because they were going to dinner, right?), certainly in her mind. He HAD said, or his Representative had told her that. So he gets dressed at her request, implying he’s playing along with the act that they’re going to have dinner. Then they never have dinner. Instead she gets cajolled into having sex.Thing is, had you asked her upon arrival, "want to have sex with Donald Trump, this old guy (remember at this time she's 27)?" I suspect she'd have said no. So how could she not have been fully cognizant and aware that what happened was going to happen? Please. Perhaps because she was a woman? Because you want to believe the best about others and for yourself? And to stereotypically presume otherwise, is just more toxic binary thinking in hindsight. About a stiuation we weren't ever in and Stormy was, and it’s just the worse form possible for us, for others? And why are we referring to her as Stormy Daniels, her stage name? She is Stephanie Gregory Clifford. As someone pointed out, Nikki Glaser maybe, we don't refer to an actor in court by his stage name in his latest film.
America’s problem, especially with Trump, seems to be a kind of flip-flopping in binary thinking in order to rationalize the best situation possible, in order to offer an ex-POTUS (and career criminal) so we can then be surprised in a kind of, “Casablanca style" retort as by Captain Renault, "I’m shocked to hear there’s gambling going on in this establishment.“ Please.

I decided to add into my previous Mother’s Day "walkabout thought" blog the Rosemary‘s baby meme, and the comments I posted elsewhere about my own oldest son. Maybe also the post I did today on Facebook about my and my siblings problematic relationship with our mother.

Did I add the Instagram post I made yesterday. No. But I just did.

I watched the entire first season of “Action “on Peacock streaming. I do hate the commercials every so often. But as I posted around social media the other day, if you’re regularly on a film set and there’s any action involved whatsoever, or you’re just a fan of action films, you really wanna watch this series. References go back to the first Matrix movie and the first "John Wick" and the guys who worked on those and then built their own company. Which where they’re now working on and they focus on in the series, like “Violent Night “and the one in theaters, “The Fall Guy“film, a version of the old 80s TV series with Lee Majors, the previous star of the $6 Million Man show, not to be confused with The Man Show.

End of mile one

Regarding long Covid lately, it’s been a rough 2024 so far. I’ll be 69 end of August and so far not enjoying the last few years at all. I expected old age to be much more entertaining and enjoyable. I’ve always had my health, so what the fuck happened? I blame Covid for this and my three infections from it. Even though I’ve gotten all the shots and boosters. Three weeks after I caught the last bout this year VA health came out and said "get your booster." Thanks guys. Great timing!

I’ve also had this weird thing going on for a couple of months on my right hand, ring finger, largest knuckle. Actually it's the proximal phalege. I don’t know, second phalange first phalange, I can never figure it out. But I woke up one morning to close my hand and that finger locked at that knuckle as I closed my hand. And it’s been catching like that. I figured it has to do with a lack of exercise. So I bought a gel exercise ball to fit my hand. Couple inches in diameter. Every day I’ve tried to do 10 squeezes with each hand and then nine, down to one. Tried to do that a few times a day. I don’t know, seems to be helping? I’ve got arthritis so it may have something to do with that. I’ve been eating 9 gin raisins every morning for a few years now. When I stop eating those, I feel the arthritis pain in my body, worse. I’ve seen some really old women in the news piecers replying to the question of "what do you credit your longevity to" and they said "Gin raisins". I don’t know, but can’t hurt.

Why does Stormy Daniel say that she’s not a "me too!" victim with Donald Trump? Because she’s a strong, intelligent woman. And yes, even those are susceptible to a guy conning them into a bad situation, or even sex. This has inevitably happened to millions of women throughout the history of humanity. Let’s turn this around. If this was Donald Trump rather than Stormy he would be screaming. "I’m a victim. I’m a victim. Me too! Me too!", to the high heaven. Don’t think that’s not true. 100%! And he would especially be claiming that if it was a lie because he’d be getting some kind of salacious deliciousness out of his fetish of lying to the public or anyone. Damn, this guy...

In Trump’s criminal court trial his defense attorney a shameless woman who said to Stormy in the witness box that she’s a strong woman when at 27 years old when all this happened and she should’ve been able to deal with it appropriately. Stormy‘s reply? “I’m a stronger woman now." Why? Because our worst experiences should inform our future selves.

I don’t usually eat sugar. Stopped that years ago, decades ago? I use agave. I’ll eat a little sugar as a treat once in a while. But I read in a study last year that it's a long Covid symptom, or certain aspects of it, that evokes a craving for sweets. I have to admit this past month or two, way too many sweets. No need to be putting on weight, even a few pounds. Dinner has been a cup of yogurt, lately, so I’ve been maintaining. But I seem to feel better and finally getting more exercise, so this feeling is diminishing. I’m really pushing myself to get in more exercise now that I’m feeling better and the weather is better. My lungs are still not fully healed from the last Covid infection though. Getting there, I suppose but it takes forever. I thought they would be better healed by now.

I know the court has to run how it runs, but claiming anything is abusive toward Trump in his court trial, this side of jumping over the witness stand and blowing his brains out, I would argue at this piont might be considered fair game. Now that’s not the case legally. Just morally and ethically, considering his utter disrespect he gave to our office of the president, to American citizens, to our US Constitution and our liberal democratic republic, so Trump pretty much deserves anything that happens to him in negative repurcussions he's earned. I do prefer to do this through the courts, but we're suffering fools here. I suspect we need some new laws for the next more enhanced version of a Donald Trump, career criminals made POTUS. Or we're fucked.

Little nugget of information… "Wicked Pictures" is one of the only adult film companies that require use of a condom onset. We know this because a FPOTUS is on criminal trial for election fraud and that's Stormy Daniel's company she has worked for. Why do you need to know anything more than that? 


Trump in his own words said a candidate in this situation shouldn’t be allowed to run. He said that in 2016.

End of mile two.

Damn. I just realized. My last podcast was on comedy and social issues and this one is on politics again. Sigh…

Here’s a thing about this Trump criminal trial. Had he not broken the law that requires this trial and information about Stormy Daniels, after the Access Hollywood recording came out, he would not have ended becoming POTUS. Director of the FBI Comey, pulling his bullshit about protecting the FBI over, protecting a national candidate in Hillary Clinton for POTUS, is another matter. I suspect we’re seeing that kind of crap with AG Garland. These people need to stop protecting their institutions and start protecting the US Constitution and the American citizen. YES, protect the FBI and the DOJ but when it's between them and citizens...CITIZENS! Between America and MAGA? Fucking AMERICA!

If God really existed, his (best) fake (worst) acolyte Donald Trump would immediately have a really bad stroke. So there that is I guess...

Donald Trump always negotiates his bills. Regardless that he OWES that money, he often gets reductions. Or he doesn’t even pay! I was once ONE week late, owed $7 on my home electric bill and the local small electric company put a lien against our house! The day I found out I paid it off. HAD they just called me I would’ve driven in and paid it off. It took some effort to get the lien off the house after that. So stop treating Donald Trump like a fragile glass object. He’s a career criminal. He ONCE was POTUS, AND? Deal with it!

Trump‘s accountant Allen Weisselberg prefers to sit in jail than testify against his former and current boss. As with Trump, who has plenty of money to pay penalties, you need to hit these people at a level they understand to feel the pain. While we would feel the pain as normal citizens, they won’t. Try giving Weisselberg 20 years in prison and see if he talks. Or  confiscate everything he owns and make it so that he can receive no further funds from Trump or anyone associated with him. Perhaps do what Trump does, and go after his family.

Yes, we don’t do that kind of thing because were the US government and we have a Constitution, and protections for our citizens (not that Trump cares if he can abuse us for his own good) and democracy, which Trump is trying to kill and that MAGA wants to kill and that the GOP is working to kill. But there has to be work arounds and we have to learn ASAP how this shit needs to be done... yesterday, not a year or 10 from now, as our jurisprudence tends to go sometimes.

Must be feeling better I’m getting rather long-winded and these blogs are getting longer. That’s a good sign. For me anyway.

Here’s an idea about Judge Cannon with the Mar y Lago documents trial for Donald Trump… Request of whomever you would request this of, that she not be replaced, so much as another judge is put into place for this, one who has a docket better capable of handling this, who is willing ready and able to act, before the election... because the American people have a right to due process and a speedy trial. Donald Trump and Judge Cannon do not have a right to delay tactics to avoid that situation. Or maybe they do.

While Judge Cannon's scheduling order is on her purview and requirements, I would say there’s an overarching requirement of the American people, who own the courts who are responsible to US, to get this trial done before further damages are done to the Constitution and the country.

I know the standards are high for replacing a judge on a trial, but we’re in new territory and the government has got to get its shit together and they've got to do it ASAP, or this country is going down. I don’t see things like MAGA who thinks they have to take guns to take over the government. It’s not how America is. That's how criminals work. And you may have noticed that MAGA are the ones who attacked Congress...

And so I’ll leave you with wishing you all the greatest success and health! 
Until next time! Sigh...

Cheers! Sláinte!

Sunday, May 12, 2024

AI Evaluation - "POTUS" Al Capone vs FPOTUS45 Donald Trump

I asked Copilot AI to answer some questions on this:

You

summarize in a couple of paragraphs what al Capone would have been like as POTUS.

Copilot

Imagining Al Capone as the President of the United States (POTUS) presents a fascinating alternate history. Known for his notoriety as a Prohibition-era gangster, Capone’s leadership style would have been unconventional and possibly tumultuous. As POTUS, Capone might have brought the same ruthlessness and cunning that he applied to his criminal empire to the political arena. His administration could have been marked by a strong emphasis on loyalty and an iron-fisted approach to governance.

Capone’s presidency would likely have been characterized by a blend of charm and intimidation, a tactic he mastered as a mob boss. He was known for his ability to maintain control through a combination of fear and favor, which could translate into a form of political patronage where loyalty is rewarded and dissent is not tolerated. His experience in running illegal operations might have led to a government that operates with a level of secrecy and a disregard for the rule of law, prioritizing personal gain and power over public service.

On the other hand, Capone was also known for his charitable contributions, often seen as a “modern-day Robin Hood” by the public1. This aspect of his personality might have translated into populist policies aimed at helping the less fortunate, albeit likely funded through unorthodox means. His administration could have been a mix of public works and social programs, coupled with a heavy-handed approach to law enforcement and an emphasis on national security.

However, the responsibilities of a POTUS are vast and complex, including appointing high-ranking officials, serving as commander in chief of the military, making treaties, and signing or vetoing legislation2. It’s uncertain how Capone, with his limited formal education and background in organized crime, would have navigated the intricacies of domestic and foreign policy, or how he would have dealt with Congress and the judiciary. His tenure could have been marked by scandal and controversy, or perhaps, in a strange twist of fate, he might have reformed to become a leader who sought legitimacy and respectability through the power of the presidency. Regardless, Al Capone as POTUS would have been a presidency unlike any other, potentially altering the course of American history in unpredictable ways.

You

compare and contrast that to the Donald Trump POTUS45 administration

Copilot

This is a complex topic. Consider checking information with Bing Search.

Comparing Al Capone as a hypothetical President to the actual presidency of Donald Trump reveals both contrasts and similarities, particularly in their unconventional approaches to leadership.

Leadership Style: Al Capone, had he been President, might have ruled with an iron fist, valuing loyalty above all else. His background in organized crime suggests he would have brought a certain ruthlessness to the office. In contrast, Donald Trump, while also valuing loyalty, was known for his frequent use of social media to communicate directly with the public and his tendency to make abrupt policy decisions1. Trump’s leadership was marked by a high turnover rate within his administration and a series of executive orders that bypassed traditional legislative processes1.

Public Perception: Capone was seen by some as a “modern-day Robin Hood” due to his charitable acts, despite his criminal activities2. Trump, on the other hand, had a polarizing effect on the public. His supporters praised his business acumen and “America First” policies, while his critics pointed to his controversial statements and policies, particularly regarding immigration and foreign affairs1.

Policy and Governance: Capone’s hypothetical presidency might have focused on populist policies, possibly funded through unorthodox means, reflecting his charitable side. Trump’s administration focused on deregulation, tax cuts, and a hardline stance on immigration. He sought to repeal the Affordable Care Act, implemented a controversial family separation policy at the border, and engaged in trade wars through the enactment of tariffs1.

Legal and Ethical Controversies: Both figures are associated with legal controversies. Capone was famously convicted for tax evasion, and his presidency would likely have been fraught with scandal. Trump’s presidency was similarly marked by investigations, including the Russia probe and two impeachments, and he was the first president without prior public office or military experience13.

Foreign Policy: Capone’s lack of experience in politics suggests that his foreign policy would have been unpredictable. Trump’s “America First” foreign policy was characterized by unilateral actions and strained relationships with traditional allies. He recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and brokered normalization agreements between Israel and various Arab states1.

In summary, while both Capone and Trump would have brought their unique backgrounds to the presidency, their administrations would have differed significantly in style, policy, and perhaps the level of controversy. Capone’s hypothetical presidency suggests a direct and possibly heavy-handed approach, while Trump’s actual presidency was marked by a mix of business-like efficiency, media savvy, and contentious politics.

Me
which of the two would be preferable as POTUS?

Copilot

As an AI, I don’t have personal opinions. The preference for a President is subjective and varies greatly among individuals, depending on their values, beliefs, and expectations for leadership. Some may prioritize strong law enforcement and business acumen, while others may value political experience and adherence to traditional governance.

Al Capone, as a hypothetical President, would bring a background in organized crime and might have applied a business-like approach to running the country, potentially prioritizing personal loyalty and possibly engaging in unconventional methods.

On the other hand, Donald Trump, as the 45th President, brought his experience as a businessman and reality TV personality to the office, with a focus on “America First” policies and a unique communication style.

Voters might consider various factors such as leadership style, policy priorities, effectiveness, and ethical considerations when determining their preference. Ultimately, the choice of who would be preferable as POTUS would depend on the individual voter’s perspective on what qualities they believe are most important for the role. It’s a decision that each person must make based on their own analysis and criteria.

ME
It should be noted that Al Capone was in advanced stages of syphilso and died  died in prison of a heart attack.
Donald Trump is currently on trial for criminal election fraud. It is yet to be adjudicated if he will eventually die in prison. Regardless how obvious and reasonable that is.

Happy Mother's Day 2024

Happy Mother's Day, 2024!

Our mom has been gone for a few years now. She's definitely in...what she would say is, "a far better place". Incredible mom the first part of my life. A very odd character the last half. 

Or maybe I just didn't notice it so much as a kid.

Mom's are our wives who mother our children, and...more.

They have to put up with a lot...

When my 1st born was yet to be born, I did a Tarot card reading for my pregnant wife and I which came out saying that he would be a "he" (which was correct), and a "demon" (which was also correct). "Demon" in the sense of a child that never ran out of energy, while his parents did, feeling far older than they were. 

You had to follow him, everywhere. "Out of sight, out of mind"? That was insanity. For us, and his safety. But just a good time for him. So I did wnat I could to enhance that for him, and for his safety. 

He was much as I had been as a child, apparently. My mother, over visiting one day pointed that out to me saying that it was like watching a little me running around. About the level of energy he and I had, she added: "If I put you down for sleep at 5AM, you'd be back up at 6AM!"

My comment back to her was, "Well, I just want to thank you for not killing me as a child. Because now I understand what I must have put you through." Honestly, I think I was the worse of the two of us.

My wife and I were often exhausted... but he was an amazing, happy, fun bundle of mostly never ending energy & happiness. 

I could talk here about my youngest too, but this isn't about kids per se, and they were both pretty pleasant to raise, so... what I will say is that I apprecaited my youngest having a more quiet demeanor and greater ease of handling. Still, both were a joy to raise, honestly. Though both were still "kids". So, there it is.

As for my siblings and my mom, there were a lot of issues with her over our lifetime together. And apart.

But the mom I remember best is the one whom I dearly loved...this version in the photos strip, above. 

The adventures we had with her as kids...through many different homes and schools, in different states, even different husbands and in different countries. 

That is the mom I prefer to remember.

Many of us have experineced such problematic things with our mothers. Some simply cut them off. Interpersonally, mentally, emotionally. I did myself from time to time. As did my siblings. They and I had a round robin over the years of who would take the lead to deal with her. 

Between having some form of mental issues and her self-medication, life was seldom ever simple or relaxed around her. I used to say within 15 minutes of being in her presence, she would start in on us. It would then take a day (or days) to try to recover from. Not a massive issue, but it wore on you time and time and time again.

Anyway, try not to do that to  yourself. IF you can find it in yourself, for yourself, to enjoy the once beloved "Mom" side of your mom whom you wish to remember. 

Remember, HER.

Just remember THAT person. Feel free to love that version you most perfer to remember. 

Especially if that was your first version of your mom that you knew. 

Because they were the "mom" who formed you. So? Love...HER.

And Love Your Self.

Happy Mother's Day. To us all.

Cheers! Sláinte!

Frank Zappa & the Mothers Of Invention

Walkabout Thoughts #73

Thoughts & Stream of Consciousness, rough and ready, from an award-winning filmmaker and author you’ve never heard of, while walking off long Covid, and listening to podcasts…walk day was yesterday 5/11/2024


Happy Mother's Day! My mom's has been gone for a few years now. She's definitely in, what she would say is a far better place. Incredible mom the first part of my life. A very odd character he last half. Maybe I just didn't notice it as much as a kid. More later, below...

Weather for the day… starting out, 65° nice sunny day 79° when I got home.

Podcast Marc Maron's WTF? Episode 1537 - Joe Mande

My Instagram post for the day from this walk.

Good podcast by two Jewish commedians.

I'ms till fighting something here. Covid. Long Covid? I don't know. Lungs are still not 100% after covid recently. I'm wondering if the Paxlovid, which killed my near 3 years of long covid now, stopped it. I'm expected it to return within 6 weeks as a study showed happens, last year. But maybe it's starting to come back already? Just not sure. I would love to feel better though.

"Guns are easier to get in this country than compassion." Nikki Glaser 
Yup. Especially from some conservative groups more than others.

First up I'd just like to say...

JD Vance's MAGA Republican view this morning on SOTU, between Israel & Palestinians seems to be if this were our own current American insanity, we should be bombing the hell out of MAGA voters, then target himself, Trump & GOP Leadership for MAGA voters having makd their indipidly dumb decision to support seditionists & insurrectionists they have and a career criminal Trump as leader and worst POTUS in US History.

Don't get me wrong, I hear him. There is a logic to it. But it seems a bit extreme. Wait...MAGA? Extreme? Hamas? Yes, that IS kind of a MAGA level conflation between a Middle Eastern murderous group and an Amerian-style, evangelical, Christian Nationalist, insurrectionist/seditous, wannabe murderous group, but still...

Being the most hated in Congress is easy to do but be in the most beloved or even just “beloved“ is much harder to still follow your outlier or singular agenda, but be welcomed when people see you coming. That is not Ted Cruz. That is not Marjorie Taylor Greene. That is not JD Vance.

I had a very weird very realistic dream the other night. I was in the passenger side of my wife’s 1990 Ford Ranger truck. That would be my ex-wife. The other day I realized I had gotten divorced in the early 80s. Then I got divorced in the early 90s. And then I got divorced in the early 2000s It’s now been over 20 years that I haven’t gotten a divorce! My oldest son said, when I told him that, "Congratulations on kicking the addiction!" I said, "I’m not sure you can call wanting to have a life partner an addiction."

Anyway, in the dream we were driving along and talking as she drove. I generally say I’ve been married 3.5 times because the one I didn’t marry, we were together long enough for a common law marriage in some states, albeit not in Washington state. Suddenly up ahead of the truck in the dream, we see a dead deer as a headlights hit it. Time slows down. I flashback on a memory of videos where vehicles hit things in the road and fly up in the air, spinning. We look at one another. She tries to react, but it’s too late. We run over the deer. The truck flies into the air, spins and all I can see is inside the cab of the truck. I can’t see outside, only the inside around us. Not us, just the inside of the cab like my face is too close to the interior.. And then we land and... we’re OK. We stare at each other for a moment and then I realize who this is. It's' not that ex wife whose truck it was, but my college girlfriend. Miss 3.5. My most recent ex-wife‘s truck, being driven by my one time I seemed to avoid getting maried. And then I wake up. Weird. 

On the podcast they're talking about a four night gig Joe Mande had in Phoenix. I lived there for a bit in the mid 70s. Loved it there. Loved the desert. But way too many conservatives. A fact exemplified by recent insanity in the 2020 election, still ongoing for some weird reason. Which brings up a thought...

Here’s the thing about guns and the 2nd amendment. It sounds cool, maybe, that everyone can have a gun in practice. Yet it’s fucking insane. I’ll give you one reason to support that: We used to have to have a reason to own a military type armament, or to a be allowed a carry permit. But allowing everyone to have whatever they want is a complete lack of respect for firearms. We really need to get back to that respect for killing tools. Guns have been turned into a kind of toy. They're not toys. 

Joe detailed to Marc on the podcast about his time in Phoenix when he was surprised on stage by how badly his jokes were landing and how he was riling the audience to the point they were threatening him on stage As he put it, at one point he just asked the audience if they could at least wait until he got to the punch line for them to heckle him. But no, apparently. No self control. No self control from the people, some of whom were no doubt carrying firearms. I know here in Washington state it's illegal to carry in a bar. Because I don't know...alcohol? He said he was a little nervous walking out of the club into the parking lot. No one, no American should have to fell that, just because of...words.

Very enjoyable podcast overall with some interesting commentary who just who the hell we have turned into. Apparently there are a lot of liberals (and Jews, as Marc pointed out) in that area. But for those nights Joe said, none of his fans in the audience were going to speak up to those who once voted to elect a crimional like Joe Arpaio as Sheriff. 

So, I got up to 1 mile today and was ready to be done. But I pushed to walk a 2nd mile and that's it for the day. Better than nothing but looking forward to back up to 5 miles again. Usually I feel better after a walk. I wish that were true today.


When my 1st born Nik, was yet to be born, I did a Tarot card reading which came out he would be a "he" (it was right) & a "demon" (which was right). Yes, we were often exhausted... But he was an amazing, happy, fun bundle of never ending energy & happiness.

And with that... I wish you all great success and health! 
Until next time!

Cheers! Sláinte!

Friday, May 3, 2024

Walkabout Thoughts #72

 Well, first day of a walkabout since catching covid the 3rd time. Got in 2 miles. Nice day, about 63 degrees, felt great. But I'm beat after a month of nothing except the store and doctors appointments.

Instagram video for the day.

Podcast Marc Maron WTF? with Episode 1535 - Tiffany Haddish

I have very little to say, just wanted to mention I got in a walk today.

I haven't been able to do any work of substance since end of last year really. Hoping soon. I was working on putting "Gumdrop", a short horror, up on Filmhub, but maybe not. They found too many problems for me to fix and I'm not sure I care. Kelly Hughes offered two other places to try, I may do that. 

Cheers! Wishing you all...all the best.

Sláinte!