IT'S NOT TOO LATE.

When I was growing up in the 50s and 60s, I had no idea so many Americans wanted to be Nazis. I assumed that everybody loved living in a free country, and would be sickened by the thought of a dictatorship ruled by a cruel, immoral and bigoted autocrat. Apparently I was wrong. I am absolutely stunned to see the number of angry faces at Trump rallies, horrified to hear them applaud his every nasty observation, share each petty hatred. Especially considering that Trump like Hitler has no affection for anyone. He detests all this sycophantic fans as much as he despises his detractors, but they are too stupid to know it. I am sure that if he had the power, he, again like Hitler, would eliminate all the people he considers unworthy of life, have prison camps from Maine to California, sign orders that would result in the murder of liberal reporters, the deaths of all those problematic children, the execution of their parents, and the goal of amassing the greatest fortune ever accumulated.  But for what? He doesn't drink, doesn't have the taste of an epicure, loathes pets, has no use for his own children, ignores his wife, is too impotent to have any further interest in paid sex, hasn't the curiosity for travel, and since he loves nobody has no need to purchase lavish gifts. If he gets in for a second term, then I feel I must be like a Jew in the early days of Hitler and will have to leave this country, the home of the free and the land of the brave, or at least that's what it was when I was growing up.

DO YOU THINK THIS WOULD WORK WITH MCCONNELL?

WHAT A WISHY WASHY WIMP

Mick Mulvaney, Trump's Acting Chief of Staff has said on national TV today that Trump is not a racist. This is in response to Trump's attack on the city of Baltimore and its most prominent citizen,  Elijah Cummings. Time and again Mulvaney has proven himself a toady par excellence  and with this comment he has has once again proven that he is a shameless liar, blind moron, or the most deeply devoted  licker of Trump's enormous ass. The most disturbing aspect of our times is the number of once-respectable people who have eagerly sold their souls and abandoned all morals in order to support the most amoral and mendacious grifter of our times. Add Mick Mulvaney to the traitorous human garbage heap that Trump has so successfully created out of once decent Americans.

MOSCOW MITCH AND TOKYO ROSE

America's most repulsive couple giggle happily at all the money they have made from screwing America. 

Of all the judgements made on me

What left me most depressed

Were not the words said in spite

But comments made in jest.

IT AIN'T FUNNY, NBC.

This week a small boy slipped away from his mother at the Atlanta airport and climbed onto the luggage carousel where he was immediately carried into the baggage room. Many were soon aware of his plight and the system was shut down, but not before a large suitcase pushed him into an even more dangerous section of the system. Fortunately he was rescued by an employee and returned to his  panicked mother. What annoyed me about this NBC News story was the attitude of gratitude and merriment about the "adventure" and the alls well that ends well tone. The kid was a brat. The mother was careless and the situation was potentially serious considering that last September a 5-monh-old boy was crushed to death on the carousel of the airport in Aliente, Spain. Society is too forgiving of distracted parents whose children wander into places they don't belong. I will never get over the mother whose brat wandered into he gorilla enclosure at a zoo. Though the child was rescued, they, for no good reason, killed the gorilla. I would have killed the child.

A FILM TO WATCH IN A TIME OF ANTI-EVERYTHING.

I hate it when people say, "You've got to see this movie." But I think you have got to see this movie. It is essential now when we are ruled by a pseudo-dictator, a corrupt senate, and far too many Americans who have been programmed to hate and can just as easily be taught to love thy neighbor. The film is Gentlemen's Agreement and it is about anti-Semitism,but the theme could just be about racism, anti-Hispanic hatred, and the fear of aliens. Maybe you've never seen the film, of you saw it when it was first released in 1947. Or maybe, like me, you saw it tonight on TCM and feel as pumped up with patriotism and as depressed by Trumpism as I do. But I sure as hell would like to return to a time when upbeat, optimistic, and—yes—moralistic films like this were not rare, Rent it, buy it, watch it, show it to your children. Let's get this country on track again.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER.

I have very little regard for James Patterson who seems to me to be an "author" who only rides on other writers' coattails. But forgetting that for now, back in 2016, he published a book along with authors John Connolly and Tim Malloy called Filthy Rich, which was an expose of child molester Jeffrey Epstein, the depraved billionaire whose sexual crimes are only coming to major light now. The book chronicles the way he maneuvered teenaged girls into secretly visiting his Palm Beach mansion, ostensibly to give him massages which turned into various sexual favors for which he paid these often poor girls generous sums of money if you can apply the word generous to such criminal behavior. As everyone now knows he eventually received a very light sentence suggesting permission to continue his perverted behavior in Florida, New York, and his own Caribbean Island. Happily he is now in jail where he seems to have pulled off a fake suicide for transfer to a better prison, poor darling. Let us hope that the rest of his days are spent in prison, along with his many close comrades-in-crime which may or may not include Alan Dershowitz, Prince Phillip, Donald Trump and, sadly, even Bill Clinton. In reading the book I was shocked at the magnitude of his crimes but in recent news story I was surprised at how short and insignificant he appeared. Let us hope in this serious matter justice delayed is not justice denied.

MAYHEM CAR THIEF

Normally I like these Allstate commercials featuring Mayhem. But this one is very poorly thought out, though well directed. The car owner questions the presence of Mayhem, who explains he's a car thief, that's his job. It seems to me a the job of a car thief would be to deliver the auto in good condition to the middle man who is going to sell it. But Mayhem smashes the window and further damages the car by knocking off a mailbox as he drives recklessly away. It doesn't make any sense.  Add to that that the thief has left a video that will readily identify him. Sorry, Mayhem. Not a very logical spot.

RODENTS IN CONGRESS.

In watching the Mueller Report,  I was struck how nasty all the Republicans were. I still cannot understand why they support a liar, grifter, womanizer. thief, and traitor. Sadly it is to a man, though I would hardly call them men. Two in particular are less like men than snappish, frightened, ugly rats.Eagerly chewing the scenery and hungry for any scraps of attention they can sink their vicious little teeth into. I'm sure you have guessed I am speaking about Matt Gaetz and Tattletale Nunes. Among such repulsive creatures as McConnell, Jordan, and Inhofe, it is hard to appear extra repugnant but these two vicious vermin do just that.

THE MUELLER REPORT.

This report is a waste of time. The Democrats, reasoned and calm are asking logical questions related to the report. The traitorous Republicans eager to clear the president (who knows why?) are loud, strident, and obviously angry. The most pathetic being Gaetz, Jordan and the bald nut who once held up a snowball to disprove global warming. But all the Republicans are obviously pro-Trump despite all the evidence against him. These are not patriots, but what are they? Mostly old, white, bitter, useless government employees concerned about losing this cushy job and unearned paychecks not to mention a reasonable excuse to remain away from their families. They are getting something for defending a fat old, lying, thieving grifter, but we, the American people, do not know what. And unless a majority of us object to this constant lying and cheating, we are going to find ourselves out of a country and pining for a past freedom. As much as I admired Mueller in the past, I don't any longer.I feel that he is in a position to redirect our errant ship but refuses to do so.

THE VERY STRANGE TWITTER CASE.

You may recall that back in July while a Fox announcer at at pub in England was raving about the women's soccer champs, persons in the background were chanting, "Fuck Trump". Naturally this caused a stir.

In response arch liberal Laura Ingraham wrote, "What would the media/Lefts reaction have been if such a chant ever been directed at Obama in any bar?"

I found this such an absurd comment involving Obama that I tweeted, "It never would be you stupid bitch, and you've made yourself look even more unaware and ignorant by asking such a dumb question."

Now if you tweet, you will appreciate that this is mild verbal assault considering many far worse responses. Thus I was surprised when days later I was suspended from using Twitter for that very comment. Try as I might, I could not get a further explanation, nor any sense of when I might be reinstated. Today more than two weeks after my comment, I got the following e-mail from Twitter.

Hello

Your account has been suspended and will not be restored because it was found to be violating Twitter's Terms of Service, specifically the Twitter Rules against hateful conduct.

It is against our rules to promote violence against or directly attack other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender idenity, religious affiliation, age, disability of disease.

Additionally, if we determine that the primary purpose of an account is to incite harm toward others on the basis of these categories, that account may be suspended without prior warning.

A TEST FOR EVERY TRUMP FAN.

I doubt that a Trump fan would ever come across my blog accidentally. But just in case one does and it's you, see if you have enough courage to try this experiment. I would like you to keep your children home for three days without feeding them or giving them more than a cup of water. Oh, yes, and I would like you to force them to sleep standing up and not allow them to shower or brush their teeth. And when this experiment is over I want to know if Trump is still your hero and the hero of your children because I'm sure you know that there are thousands of children of all ages living like this every day. And if you still support Trump, I have one more little chore for you. Burn your Bible.

THE COURT JESTER WHO WOULD BE KING

It's amazing how illiterate our president is. Especially since he constantly brags about how well-educated he is. He's forever saying that he feels badly for someone, The correct expression  is  "I feel bad".  He speaks of dislike of Jews as being anti-Semetic.You would think the leader of the country would know it's anti-Semitic. Our president is so incredibly illiterate and ignorant that he screws up the language with every tweet. His recent mind-numbing facts about our Air Force were only the latest in a long line of grammatical errors, malapropisms, and plain stupidities. I wonder how often his staff grimaces at his errors during meetings. Maybe that's why he surrounds himself with hillbillies, and ill-educated rubes like Sara Sanders. Sadly his illiteracy seems to attract fans that are just as  moronic as he is.

THE GREAT TWITTER TERROR.

Yes, I am still persona non grata for calling Laura Ingraham a bitch, and with each passing day I care less and less if I ever get back on that petty, vindictive, possibly Republican website. What surprises me most is the plethora of truly obscene epithets I have seen on Twitter, including the c word in droves, so I guess I can only be a victim of ignorant, insecure, bigoted, racist , wrinkled old tomato Laura Ingraham. I would be curious to see the pinched faced prudes who react in shock at any word that doesn't suit their delicate sensibilities and the angry expressions they exhibit as they joyfully push me out of their private club from the sanctity of their humble cubicle with Donald' portrait prominently displayed.

ANNOYING COMMERCIALS

Here are just some of today's TV commercials in which I cannot understand what the director was thinking or not thinking.
  Why does the older brother in the Spiderman Front Loops commercial call his brother a nerd after he has seen said brother has already changed into Spiderman. Is he looking for trouble?
  Why does the waiter in the Taco Bell commercial serve his guests underwater? What am I missing?
  In the new Geico commercial a worker in the Arctic is trying get away from the madness of his karaoke playing coworker, but you can't make out if they are saying "go" or "no" to the attempting  escapee. Why didn't the director make this important point clear?
  Does anybody else find it odd that Jimmy Dean is promoting his breakfast products with wild enthusiasm when he has been dead for years?
 Is the man in the Liberty Mutual commercial who leaps into the bay supposed to be committing suicide.
 In the annoying Red Baron pizza commercials, what the hell does, "Never Fly Solo" mean?
  The most annoying commercial on television is Prevagen because it's a scam and a very expensive one. The newest fraud pushing the same fake product is Neuriva.
  The best spokesperson on television is Dennis Quaid.

THE UNRESPONDED TO LETTER

Unlike most people today, I write letters. Letter that you fold, put in an envelope, add a stamp and drop into the nearest mailbox. I like writing letters and have written hundreds. Letters of complaint. Letters of praise. What I don't like is that few people or companies respond. I also write plays. Which I send to companies who promise they will respond in three to six months. You never hear from them again. Years ago I wrote a letter to the head of the Atomic Energy Commission, complaining that being in charge of anything so serious he should at least be able to pronounce nuclear which he pronounced—as so many do—nucular. He actually called me, furious at my correcting anyone as important as him. At least he responded. Recently I started a novel. Many publishers if you are not agented will ask you to send in the first three chapters, which I did with at least three publishers. Over a year. No reply. Even if it were rotten, somebody should have sent a letter or e-mail saying so. But nothing.  Before the Internet, I almost always got a response to a letter. From companies. From famous people. From publishers. From those who accepted constructive criticism, and those who appreciated sincere praise. So as I said, I like writing letters and will continue to do do. Despite the fact that we are living in a time when everyone is so important and self-involved they can't even answer a letter.

Rare is the teacher

Both wise and kind.

Who teaches the heart

As well as the mind.

Who embraces the light

Within each child

And knows what to tame

And what to leave wild.

A teacher who leaves

An invisible mark

Of love and guidance

Begun as a spark,

That kindles a flame

That always will burn 

Inspiring each student 

To learn, ever learn. 

THE HiDDEN SOCIETY OF THE TECHNICAL AGE.

As I mentioned before I have been suspended from  Twitter. They have all these technical remedies to get me reinstated, but being a Luddite they're too complex for me. So I figured I could call them and deal on a person to person level. They actually have a phone number, but when you call it, you are told they do not deal over the phone. This seems to be true of many companies. Amazon won't let you purchase over the phone and many companies don't even leave numbers where they cannot be reached. I personally despise passwords, and dealing with invisible persons who could be anywhere from Pittsburgh to Pakistan. I certainly have not embraced the Age of Technology. I like buying movie tickets from a lady in glass booth, not that I go to the movies anymore since they are all pretty lousy and I am not 12 years old. I don't know why I have a telephone since all I receive are robot calls. Comcast is about as unpleasant and greedy a company as is possible. We were told decades ago that paid TV would be commercial-free. I pay $232 a month and see more commercials in year than I did between the ages of 15 and 30. Growing up in Boston it amused me to see most people on the MTA reading Peyton Place, Valley of the Dolls or other popular novel. Now, no one reads, everyone is tapping away on their smart phone, I still have a seldom used flip phone, which amuses the tech-happy, and even gave up reading on a screen in favor or the weight and volume of a book. I have to give up a lot being a Luddite. But, frankly, I think it's worth it.

A TWITTER VENDETTA

For a very weak reason Twitter has suspended me and refuses to tell me for how long. This has been going on for more than a week know. This despite the fact that I have been been a user for a few years and have written more than 15,000 tweets. The reason for their vendetta is that  I called Laura Ingraham a bitch. This is a mild epithet considering everything I could have called this evil bigot, so I cannot understand Twitter's revenge unless Laura is a stockholder. I was suspended only once before for suggesting Tomi Lahren had nothing to offer but her body, But then I was given a return day. Not so this time. I thought Twitter was an open free-speech forum since I see so many shocking comments in its list. If, in fact, it is another right-wing-governed puppet like so many others today, than we have lost yet anther outlet for American outrage. Laura Ingraham is a bitch and far worse. The very fact that her complaint (I am guessing) denies me the right to express my harmless opinions is another freedom lost.

A VERY SIMPLE REQUEST.

One of the pleasures that I haven't experienced in over 20 years is playing canasta.Well, I did get to play it once in Florida,but the other three players were too busy or disinclined to make it a regular thing. So today I vowed to drum up a group and get back in the game. I have Kem Playing Cards, which are the best, but I don't have a canasta tray. I assumed it would be an easy item to purchase. Wrong. First of all the prices were all over the place, ranging from $4.95 to $80.00 for custom-designed trays.Then, since I hate ordering over the Internet, I tried to find a store that sold over the phone since Amazon refused to do so. Any store I called was unavailable, "Please leave your number somebody will get back to you." No thanks. If you want my sale, answer your phone. When I finally gave in to the Internet  the price of the tray seem to have tripled by the time I got to checkout. The Internet did say that a nearby Walmart sold canasta trays. I am willing to make the trip there, but I am convinced once I do, they will both assure me they never heard of a canasta tray and tell me if there were such an item they do not now or have never had one. I think Miami is a city where the only game one can find easily is dominoes.

WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?

I shouldn't let bad grammar bother me. After all, I'm not perfect. Still it does. Especially certain usages  that I can't believe so many college-educated persons use, such as "If I would have." which is always wrong, wrong, wrong. The correct phrase is "If I had". How difficult is that? yet almost everyone says the illiterate "If I would have" even professional newscasters who should know better. Another error that drives me mad is the way people—even announcers again—change two-syllable words to three syllables. Thus sparkling becomes spark-el-ling, trembling becomes trem-bel-ing and a thousand other two-syllable words suddenly give birth to a superfluous third syllable. I can't imagine why everyone says "cannadate: when the word is candidate. Or worst of all what everyone seems to have against an interior t, making them pronounce words like Atlantic, frantic, dentist, romantic, interview, internet, interstate as Atlannic, frannic, dennist, romannic, innanet,innastate and on and on. Maybe they don't teach spelling, grammar or diction in school anymore. Yuh, that must be it.

"I'VE BEEN UNFAIRLY TWITTERED.

I used to write endless blogs, which was very satisfying. And then I discovered Twitter and found a new outlet for all my annoying opinions. And in this past two years I have written over 15,000 tweets. Recently Twitter informed me that I was being suspended for misbehaving. It seems I called Laura Ingraham a bitch, an epithet she richly deserves for an unprovoked comment about Obama. I did not mind being suspended, though I assure you, tweeters use far more offensive language than bitch, which is mild. What annoys me is that Twitter refuses to tell me the length of my suspension and they are not reachable by telephone. I am left wondering if they are a right-wing sympathetic org. explaining why the sensitive and vindictive Laura I. is so readily heeded for such a minor offense. Oh, well. If they don't reinstate me I will be back on the Blog circuit.

COMMERCIALS TODAY

Having spent 40 years as a copywriter at agencies in Boston, Miami, Los Angeles, I have very strong feelings about today's commercials. Most of them are pretty bad. Some are offensive. Many I don't even understand. And every now and then there is one that I like. For instance State Farm's "She Shed" commercial is beautifully cast, wonderfully filmed and always entertaining. While I'm not crazy about the entire Humira commercial featuring a young man's problems with dietary disorders, I do think the young actress is wonderful and overall the commercial is very well meaning. Not well
meaning and highly offensive are the over-the-top themed Eye-Lab spots with the super-gay and. angry optical mogul. Especially disturbing is when he seems to threaten his small dog, which is far from funny. Most pharmaceuticals are boring, especially considering their frequency and length. The dark-haired man semi-dancing through his daily chores is stupid. Though I am a fan of TD Bank, I don't care for their commercials.  And most of the ubiquitous Geico commercials are just so-so.  Like films, there was a golden age of advertising when commercials were often brilliant and memorable.. "I can't believe I ate the whole thing." and I was thrilled to be part of it. Today's art directors are more technicians than artists; copywriters more imitators than originators. And all too often there are advertisers who are just plain crude like the ad for the product I can't even recall where the young girl on hearing the product's virtues says, "Holy Shirt". That's the level of wit in many ads today.