Those Who Never Were, Hitchcock's Glass of Milk, Favorite Trump Lies, and Miscellany
I first saw this comic several years ago. I think it's the best I've ever seen.
-It's simple.
-It's funny.
-It perfectly captures a time and place.
-You can actually feel each of their emotions.
-It also happens to be an existential tragedy beyond tragedies.
-Every time I see it, it awakens me, reminds me that we are the lucky ones who got to be alive.
-It haunts me.
-Did I mention it's funny? (But not for any of the normal reasons.)
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Every year millions of people die who are over 65, so a few thousand every day. If even half were vaccinated, and the vaccine is 100% safe, it would be a miracle it's tens of thousands didn't die within the first few weeks after getting the vaccine. We could expect it mathematically, yet people still see the fact that old people die as evidence that the vaccine is dangerous.
It reminds me of what Alfred Hitchcock said after someone told him that Psycho caused a serial killer to murder somebody. He said that yeah, maybe he did watch Psycho before he killed his latest victim, but what if before he killed his first victim he simply drank a glass of milk?
Correlation doesn't imply causation and when thinking about huge numbers, we need to think more deeply. The milk didn't cause the serial killer's first murder, and the vaccines are not dangerous because thousands died after we gave over 100 million shots.
You know what is dangerous though? Covid! Not sure if you've seen any headlines over the last year and a half. If they are to be believed, it's maybe 10,000 times more dangerous than serial killers. Having a vaccine phobia makes about as much sense as having a phobia of sending serial killers to prison.
August 8, 2021
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On this night in 1969, the end of the hippie movement, the Tate / LaBianca murders. I will never be able to watch more than 3 seconds of a documentary on Helter Skelter without being 100% invested until the last second.
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Paper ballots, whether mailed in or not, are countable and re-countable... seemingly more impervious to fraud.
August 8, 2020
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I wrote before about my two favorite Trump lies, and the Untruthful One has blessed me with another.
The first was when he lied about the parents of a Korean War soldier thanking him for bringing back their son's remains- he didn't do the math though, the couple would have been over a hundred years old. It was good to bring back those remains, so why cheapen the whole thing for no reason? Bizarre.
Then there was his whole bunker inspection ruse he tried to pull on us. Haha, still funny. "Yes, this bunker checks out fine. Just in case there are ever... protesters just outside the White House for some reason, or something." It's fine dude, just go to the bunker.
My new favorite Trump lie is that he was invited to throw out the pitch at a Yankees game. The very day that Fauci throws out the Opening Day pitch for the Nationals, Trump quite obviously got all grumpy and hurt about the whole thing, and announces that HE'S actually throwing out a pitch in a month for the Yankees.
Right away I was wondering when a president has ever thrown out some random first pitch mid-season, it felt odd. And why was he was doing it in New York, where he has like 10% support? He would be guaranteed to get booed out of the place, if there were any people. Why would the Yankees invite a bunch of hoopla, especially now? Symbolically it made no sense.
Then like the next day, while he was golfing no less, he said that he's actually going to be too busy that day... in a month. Really??? Haha!!!
We start hearing reports that it surprised aides, and the Yankees are denying they invited him. Then within like a day he's on TV waxing about how people like Fauci but they don't like him, and it must be because of his personality. My God what a loser!
Even his supporters must admit that they would personally have way too much self-respect to do something so weak, desperate, transparent, pathetic, and, as they say, SAD!
Now here's the thing... if he'd lie about something so inconsequential, there's simply no argument as to whether he'd lie about something of maximum consequence.
I'm reminded of the line from Magnolia, when the reporter asks the Tom Cruise character the most important question you can ask someone caught in a lie- "Why lie?"
August 8, 2020
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Stephen King- "The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful tool."
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The president just threatened North Korea with nuclear war. We are responsible for our actions and the expected consequences of our actions. The expected consequence of us bombing North Korea is that they will destroy South Korea within minutes. I set my profile pic to a mushroom cloud after this lunatic became president so I could be reminded everyday of our possible immediate future.
August 8, 2017
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Bill Maher- "Of all the people you'd want in a nuclear standoff, Trump and Kim - Fat Man and Little Boy, how ironic - would have to be last. Here's hoping."
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The president is rattled by his low poll numbers, and he should be! Even Kellyanne Conway said that they need to improve (and she's a pollster.) The president says they can't be right, because look at his rallies. Haha, nonsense. The Phillies are the worst team in baseball and 10,000 will pay $30 to see them. His rallies are free! 10,000 showed up to see Arlo Guthrie for free in Lancaster this past weekend and I can personally guarantee he'd be a better president. Maybe he should run... second generation of Guthries vs Trumps.
http://woodyguthrie.org/Lyrics/Old_Man_Trump.htm
August 8, 2017
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Emma- The neighbors tossed a perfectly lovely bouquet of sunflowers, which Ben was thoughtful enough to fish out of the garbage for me. #trashyromance
August 8, 2016
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Dropped a pacifier in the toilet... uncertain how to proceed. I don't feel like I should trust my instincts.
August 8, 2014
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I'll miss Rwanda and my new friends, but I won't miss seeing my immediate, impending death played out repeatedly before my eyes everyday. You have no idea...
August 8, 2011
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On this day in 1908, Wilbur Wright made the first public flight of an airplane at a racecourse at Le Mans, France.
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The Great Train Robbery took place in England on this day in 1963- a gang of 15 train robbers stole £2.6 million in bank notes. I love imaging the sheer joy that must have been felt when criminals get away with huge heists.
Ronnie Biggs was one of them, lived 36 years as a fugitive, even recording two songs with the Sex Pistols. He was born on this day in 1929.
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On this day in 1969, the Manson family leaves their ranch, intent on killing some famous people to start a race war.
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On this day in 1974, Woodburn and Bernstein watched Nixon's resignation on a tiny TV.
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Dave Matthews' tour bus dumped 800 pounds of human waste onto a boat full of passengers on this day in 2004.
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Gretel was possessed by the devil on this day in 2014.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10152383455908512&id=741063511&mibextid=NnVzG8
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On this day in 2015...
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Webb Pierce joined us on this day in 1921.
There Stands the Glass
There stands the glass that will ease all my pain
That will settle my brain, it's my first one today
There stands the glass that will hide all my fears
That will drown all my tears, brother, I'm on my way
I'm wondering where you are tonight
And I'm wondering if you are all right
I wonder if you think of me in my misery
There stands the glass, fill it up to the brim
Until my troubles grow dim, it's my first one today
I'm wondering where you are tonight
And I'm wondering if you are all right
I wonder if you think of me in my misery
There stands the glass, fill her up to the brim
Until my troubles grow dim, it's my first one today
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Dustin Hoffman was born on this day in 1937. What a tremendous 10 year run of great films- The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, Little Big Man, Straw Dogs, Papillon, Lenny, All the President's Men, Marathon Man, and then after that there was about a 1 in 10 chance of one of his films being good.
Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro have the same track record.
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Roger Federer joined us on this day in 1981. David Foster Wallace described his forehand as "a liquid whip" in Roger Federer As Religious Experience.
For your viewing pleasure, an impossible shot:
https://youtu.be/srzdbjHZqr4
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Shirley Jackson left us on this day in 1965. I just read that she wrote The Lottery in one day. I love that.
""It isn't fair, it isn't right," Mrs. Hutchinson screamed, and then they were upon her."
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Screen legends Louise Brooks and Fay Wray from the 20's and 30's respectively, left us on this day in 1985 and 2004 respectively.
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And Silvia Sidney joined us on this day in 1910.
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Other notable birthdays- Rod Laver (1938), Ken Norton (1943), Amanda Bearse (1958), Whitney Houston (1963)
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It was a monumental achievement in comedy when Bernie Mac went on Def Comedy Jam, with a rowdy crowd that could make or break you, booing all the previous comics, and other comics were afraid to go on. Bernie went out and opened with, "I ain’t scared of you motherfuckers!" He left us on this day in 2008.
https://funnyhow.substack.com/p/bernie-mac-aint-scared-of-you
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Glen Campbell left us on this day in 2017. As part of the Wrecking Crew, he played on countless classics. I love his story of being blown away the first time he heard Good Vibrations on the radio after working on it for months.
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We lost Jane Withers on this day in 2021.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/jane-withers-dead-1234994654/
From the article:
"During shooting of (Giant), she and (James) Dean were close. She would wash his favorite pink cowboy shirt every night (he said the studio would always lose his laundry), and he would pick it up the next day. Withers had the shirt on Sept. 30, 1955, when Dean was killed in a car accident. “He asked me to hold it for him, and I have kept it all these years,” she said.
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Politico, How to Take Down Kim Jong Un, by Tom Woliniwski
Flood them with information, stress reunification and human rights vs regime change, strengthen South Korea and US alliance, continue sanctions but don't cut them off, etc. This is all under the assumption that Kim Jong Un has self-preservation in mind.
Not on the list- strong-arm bullying, escalating rhetoric and ultimatums, but what do experts know?
http://politi.co/2vAWgdw
August 8, 2017
Postscript: Also not on the list- effusive praise and talk about the love letters you write back and forth.
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The Creepiest Things Ever Said By Kids, Bored Panda:
"Go back to sleep, there isn't anything under your bed".
"He is behind you now".
Still haven't gotten over that one and shiver at the memory.
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Flannery O'Connor- "The writer should never be ashamed of staring. There is nothing that does not require his attention."
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Camus- "Seeking what is true is not seeking what is desirable."
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Seneca- "It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."
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James Baldwin- "I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually."
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