Forget Harris and those other losers.
Category: Current Events
Say It Ain’t So, Joe! We Lost Biden.
Dementia Joe punks out and withdraws from the presidential race.
Sigh.
Well, We don’t have mush-brain Biden to kick around anymore. Now we’ll have to kick Psycho Ex-Girlfriend Kamala Harris around.
Goodbye Corn Pop. Goodbye Dog Faced Pony Soldier. Goodbye Uncle Bosie. Goodbye Cannibals that ate Uncle Bosie. Goodbye Dr. Jill. Goodbye Hunter Biden. Goodbye to the hair-sniffing sidle. Goodbye to untranslatable mumbles from the podium. Goodbye to falling down on everything.
Goodbye Joe. Don’t think it hasn’t been fun. Because it hasn’t.
Update:
Quote from Medicaid after hearing the news, “We finally beat Biden.”
Guest Contributor – War Pig – 21JUL2024 – Grandparenting Right
Me and my brother still remember things our grandparents did and talk about them often. Things we did that got us in trouble but they helped so we got off. Both of our grandpa’s were ornery and mischievous and liked to play tricks on us. Both grandma’s were loving and soothed our small injuries and fed us to stuffing. We even had one greatgrandmother who lived long enough for us to remember. She was an easy mooch and always had marshmallow peanuts, candy orange slices and soft peppermints. She was an amazing character, too. Smoked a clay pipe that got so hot I had to use tongs to touch it. Every morning she put liquid HEET on her hands to loosen up the arthritis. I got a drop of it on me and I had to run to the sink and use cold water to wash it off. Felt like molten glass had landed on me.
I’m gonna have to write all the stories down for my grandson.
Pay Back for Paying Forward
Two thirds of July burned through. But we got the sun and heat the calendar promised. So, I can’t kick.
Swimming pools are an awful nuisance to the owner especially if he lives in the north. The winter weather beats the hell out of the polymers that the liner and the filter loop are made out of. In every practical sense they’re a bad deal. A dead loss except for one very important aspect. They attract grandchildren like no other power on Earth. To paraphrase “Field of Dreams,” “If you fill it, they will come.” Like a law of nature, a hot summer week, a swimming pool and youngsters react like iron filings to a magnet.
And that’s great. Provide the pool, some burgers and lemonade and they’ll swim and dive and splash around until their fingers and toes become as wrinkled as prunes. But why, you might ask, would anyone want to have a bunch of noisy, boisterous, unruly kids around when peace and quiet is so much easier?
Well, the answer is simple. Grandchildren are the one and only, absolutely authentic, sure-fire fountain of youth that has ever been discovered by mankind. When you steal away their children away from your children and spoil them rotten with bilious food and frivolous activities; like throwing around a baseball or letting them play a game of hide and seek in your yard, it’s as if you’ve stepped into a time machine.
When you referee their squabbles and join in their silly card games and argue with them about whether T-Rex is stronger than Spinosaurus or whether a dragon that breathes fire is more powerful than one that breathes ice or when they draw birthday cards for you with all the care and concentration that a five-year-old can muster you are transported to a different world. A much, much better world.
Getting to spend time with your grandkids is the payoff for all the years of work and worry that goes into raising a family. We try to spend as much time with our kids as we can but work consumes so much of our time. And worrying about getting them launched into their adult lives steals away so much of the time you have when you’re in the prime of your life.
So having the chance to really experience the small joys of children at play in your later years is imbibing the quintessence of life. And it makes the prospect of getting old acceptable. Our mortality is THE fact of life. We get a span of time on this giddy rock hurtling through space-time. And sooner than any of us imagine, the sands start building up in the bottom of the hour-glass. But if we see children and then grandchildren and maybe great-grandchildren; well then, we can feel as if we did our part to keep this crazy, confusing, hopelessly conflicted endeavor called the human race staggering down the road for at least another generation or two. And if after we’re gone they think back on us and smile about something we said or did, well, that’s one kind of immortality.
And that has to be enough to make the whole thing worthwhile. Because as far as I can tell, that’s about as good as it gets. And that’s good enough for me.
Handicapping Scranton Joe
I probably watched in total about twenty minutes of the speeches that Donald Trump and J D Vance made in Milwaukee. And that was already enough. The rah, rah stuff with the crowd and Trump’s tendency to repeat the same points over and over again were too much for me to watch more than that. And that’s nothing against people who like that kind of thing.
I was watching Tucker Carlson’s speech and had a different problem. I like his talks. He works a theme very well. But the problem with his speech was that the crowd kept interrupting him so that he had to placate them with polite noise to shut them up. I found it too distracting to listen to a good talk that had to dodge around a hyperactive crowd.
So, my takeaway is I’m not a convention kind of guy. I’m guessing that the correct preparation for a political convention involves self-medicating with ethanol or some other recreational drug.
But that’s fine. The people who were there seemed to be having a good time. They had Kid Rock and Hulk Hogan and I’m sure a number of entertainers and celebrities to help them enjoy a party to celebrate that they don’t have Joe Biden as their nominee. And they also had a great story to reflect on with the miraculous escape from death that Donald Trump was gifted at that fateful rally in Butler PA. For once Republicans are the ones celebrating and the Democrats are in existential panic over how and with whom they are going to replace Joe Biden on the presidential ballot.
I’ve been watching a bunch of the Democrat talking heads and what they say is that Pelosi and Schumer and Obama have been hectoring Biden to drop out and let his delegates “vote their consciences.” And they keep telling each other that the pressure is so overwhelming that Biden has no choice but concede.
But they’ve been saying this for about a week. I’m not even sure, they’re sure. Maybe they’re just whistling past the graveyard. After all Joe’s a pretty stubborn old coot. And he knows he has them over a barrel. After all, in a month the delegates will declare him the nominee regardless of their personal feelings. At that point if the donors want to withhold funding, they are dooming the Democrats to certain defeat. So, I think they’ll hold their noses and send the checks.
Now, one friend of mine said that they could threaten to reveal some of Biden’s high crimes and misdemeanors if he doesn’t withdraw. And I guess they could. But if he called their bluff, would they present the nation with proof that Biden is a crook? I kind of doubt it. After all Biden probably has dirt on all of them too. And even if he doesn’t rat them out it would destroy the Democratic Party for a generation. All the whispers about influence peddling would be shown true. And raking up all that dirt would be sure to tar half of Washington.
I asked some friends whether they thought Biden would withdraw. They all said yes. They’re probably right. But I’m holding out hope that Joe will dig deep and hang on. Like an anchor I’m hoping he will drag the Democrat party down to the bottom this November.
Run, Joe, run!
2024 Summer Movie Talk – Part 8
Super Hero Movies
I approach this category with great trepidation. In the new millennium comic book movies have exploded into the only profitable movie type. The billion-dollar box office totals for several of these films rival the money made by the Star Wars franchise at its height.
But the cinematic quality has varied drastically and of late social justice themes have poisoned several franchises and tanked the profits on several of these “blockbusters.”
In most cases the sequel moves (with a few important exceptions are usually weaker than an initial strong entry film. The most notable exception is the “The Dark Knight.” It is the middle movie of a trilogy but may be the best of the three.
Disney’s endless chapters in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) as they term their merging of the various Marvel super hero franchises (Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, Avengers, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy, Spiderman, etc., etc., etc.) are fairly hit and miss. I’ve listed the ones I thought were relatively well done and entertaining.
I’ve listed the old Superman movie from the late seventies. It was entertaining and featured a fair amount of comedy.
Batman has had several iterations. I’ve listed the ones I liked. Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy is considered by some to be the best overall version by many, but who’s to say?
The last five films are stand alone stories that are notable in some way.
Warning: Just because these are comic book movies doesn’t mean they are to be assumed safe for children. For instance, Deadpool and Watchmen are specifically adult fare.
- SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE (1978)
- BATMAN (1989)
- BATMAN BEGINS (2005)
- THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)
- THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (2012)
- THE BATMAN (2022)
- IRON MAN (2008)
- CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER (2011)
- CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (2014)
- MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS (2012)
- AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (2015)
- AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (2018)
- AVENGERS: ENDGAME (2019)
- SPIDER-MAN (2002)
- GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014)
- DEADPOOL (2016)
- HELLBOY (2004)
- CONSTANTINE (2005)
- WATCHMEN (2009)
V FOR VENDETTA (2006)
If I left out one of your favorites or if you detest one of my listed films, feel free to speak up and make your opinions known in the comments below.
Matt Walsh Begs Biden to Stay in the Race
Run, Joe, Run. Walsh can be very funny.
Republican Convention Fun
One of the interesting observations that has been mentioned by people both on the Left and Right is that the mood at the Republican Convention is not the usual atmosphere of nervous tension and fear. It has been replaced by one that has been described variously as excitement, confidence and almost giddy jubilation. For once Republicans haven’t been gaslighted into despair by the national media.
And that’s great. Even if eventually the Democrats manage to steal the election, at least for the time being, Republicans are openly talking about their agenda and why it will be a boon for the American people. And why is all this happening? I’d say it’s no coincidence that George and Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney, Mike Pence, Liz Cheney and all the rest of the establishment Republicans have stayed away. I’m guessing they weren’t disinvited. They just knew that this wasn’t their party anymore. And I guess it would be degrading for them to be ignored and disparaged by the new owners of the GOP; Donald Trump and his rowdy friends.
I’ll confess that I’m pretty excited about this snub. I am a very vindictive guy and knowing that Liz Cheney and Mitt Romney are getting the cold shoulder is a rare pleasure. Schadenfreude is a guilty pleasure for most but I revel in it. These are people who despise the great unwashed. The fact that they look down on normal people is why I hate these elitist swine. Ordinary people run the gamut from devils to saints. And they deserve to be considered on an individual basis just as the rich should be.
And this is the lesson of Trump. He is this fabulously wealthy, crazy man who rubs elbows with the captains and the kings of industry and society. He could be one with the rest of the aristocrats. But he still feels a connection to hoi polloi; the many. Maybe it’s because he was born and raised in New York City back when it was still a place where rich and poor had some things in common. We still celebrated the same holidays and watched the same ball clubs and movies and maybe still felt a feeling of community when the Twin Towers were destroyed in 2001.
For whatever reason he’s decided to be our champion. He’s even faced a bullet now. For better or worse, he’s our guy. And most of the Republican Party has finally reconciled to that reality. And whether we see him triumph in November and take his second shot at fixing this terribly broken country or see him go down in flames and report to prison to serve out the rest of his life behind bars, we’re going to follow this parade either up to the shining city on the hill or off the cliff.
And since the die is cast, we might as well enjoy it a little. Joe and Mika and Crazy Joy Reid have been almost apoplectic since the hilarious Trump-Biden debate where Dementia Joe revealed to the world that he’s down to just a handful of brain cells and can no longer pretend to be sentient. Watching the various components of the “independent” press beclown themselves trying to reconcile the claim that Joe Biden is both a president of enormous accomplishments and a human turnip is endlessly entertaining. After the assassination attempt MSNBC pulled Morning Joe off the air for a day to avoid one of the psychotic denizens of that show saying something so disgusting that the last three people in their audience finally give up. Watching Joe, the next day complaining bitterly about this “betrayal” was very amusing.
I’m guessing the next act will involve all the people who begged Joe Biden to drop out of the race because he’s a jabbering moron switching gears and swearing on a stack of bibles that he’s actually a super genius of Wiley Coyote caliber. That should be rich. Well, I’m thankful that my enemies are in disarray and acting crazier than usual.
Now, on with the show.
The ZMan’s Take on JD Vance
This is a pretty measured evaluation to what it means that Trump has selected Vance for his running mate and presumptive successor.
“Another angle to this is that this subculture has attracted the interest and limited support from members of the oligarchy. Peter Thiel and Elon Musk are two examples of billionaires who seem to support this project.
…
Trump tapping into this space and thus getting support from members of the oligarchy bodes well for him and the subculture that produced Vance. No reform effort can survive without elite support. This not only bodes well for the project, but it means Trump has a chance to not only win the election but get something done. Proof that the universe has a sense of humor is that this is the real Flight 93 election, a last attempt by reform minded oligarchs to save the system.”
This is a much more hopeful spin on what the Christopher Rufo/Claremont Institute nexus might achieve with the likes of Thiel and Musk as backers.
2024 Summer Movie Talk – Part 7
Fantasy
This category is a shambles. I have arbitrarily excluded superhero movies, monster movies and animated films like Disney’s Pinocchio without any rationale other than I intend to make separate lists for those. Also, these films run the gamut from children’s movies to adult fare. And one movie; “Big Fish,” may not even qualify as a fantasy at all.
So, I apologize in advance for the idiosyncratic and incomplete nature of the list. I’ve emboldened my personal favorites.
- THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939)
- THE THIEF OF BAGDAD (1940)
- THE SEVENTH SEAL (1957)
- JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (1963)
- MARY POPPINS (1964)
- WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (1971)
- TIME BANDITS (1981)
- CLASH OF THE TITANS (1981)
- EXCALIBUR (1981)
- CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982)
- THE NEVERENDING STORY (1984)
- HIGHLANDER (1986)
- THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987)
- THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN (1989)
- SLEEPY HOLLOW (1999)
- THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001)
- THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS (2002)
- THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (2003)
- BIG FISH (2003)
- THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE (2005)
- THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN (2008)
- THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (2012)
- THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (2013)
If I left out one of your favorites or if you detest one of my listed films, feel free to speak up and make your opinions known in the comments below.