Thoughts on Taxi Driver at 50: How Many Travis Bickles Roam The Earth?

I began Memorial Day weekend by attending a 50th anniversary screening of Taxi Driver at the Brattle Theatre.

The screening was sold out with many in attendance were born in this century. Several Gen Zers came by and asked what the lineup was for and when Taxi Driver was uttered, they understood. They may not have seen the film, but they know Robert DeNiro and 'You talkin' to me?'. They also understand the significance of Martin Scorsese. 

I have seen Taxi Driver on TV on a number of occasions and, more recently, have delved into the perspective of YouTube movie reactors such as CineBinge and Popcorn in Bed. But until tonight, I had never viewed it on the big screen.

Based on the reactions I heard following the screening, people were most impressed by the musical score composed by Bernard Herrmann. It proved to be his epitaph as he died on Christmas Eve, 1975 only hours after completing his final work. He would be posthumously nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score.

For me what truly resonated was Travis Bickle's ruminations on loneliness and trying to fit into the world.

Loneliness has followed me my whole life. Everywhere. In bars, in cars, sidewalks, stores, everywhere. There's no escape. I'm God's lonely man.

All my life needed was a sense of someplace to go. I don't believe that one should devote his life to morbid self-attention. I believe that someone should become a person like other people.

Travis Bickle did think he was becoming a person like other people in his pursuit of Betsy, the beautiful presidential campaign worker played by Cybil Shepherd. He thought he was being like other people when he took Betsy to a movie yet could not fathom why she would object be taken to an adult movie theatre in Times Square.

When Betsy rejects Travis' overtures, he plans to assassinate Charles Palantine, the presidential candidate for whom she works as an act of revenge. Of course, his violent impulses are ultimately turned towards good when he rescues Iris, a child prostitute played by Jodie Foster. 

Bickle is wounded and gets commendation for his actions effectively becoming a person like other people. Yet, at the same time, one cannot help if he is living vicariously and is idealizing what he has become as when Betsy takes a ride in Travis' cab and praises him for saving Iris. 

In the 50 years since Taxi Driver was released, how many Travis Bickles have roamed the Earth to escape loneliness in pursuit of trying to be like other people?

Unfortunately, far too many. The assassination of John Lennon, the attempted assassination of President Reagan and numerous mass shooters. 

Of course, not all Travis Bickles end up becoming killers much less wanting to act out that desire. But those Travis Bickles aren't sure how to escape loneliness to become a person like other people and many never will.

Is AOC Holding Dirty Water or Playing a Dirty Trick?

 

During a congressional hearing today, AOC questioned Jessica Kramer, an Assistant Administrator for Water at the EPA. During her questioning, AOC held up a couple of jars of discolored water which she claimed came from Morgan County, Georgia (about 215 miles northwest of Atlanta) where Meta is building a data center. AOC further claims the jars of discolored water is drinking water.

For her part, Kramer said there had been concerns about water availability (i.e. water pressure re: household appliances) but had been unaware of any issues concerning drinking water in the area arising from Meta's construction of the data center. However, Kramer agreed to conduct a review.

When I saw this, I could not help but think of this scene from Erin Brockovich. I wouldn't be surprised if AOC saw it too and got some inspiration.

From where I sit, I have no way of knowing what AOC is holding is drinking water from Morgan County, Georgia. It's possible that might be the case. But quite frankly just because AOC says she is holding a jar of contaminated drinking water from Morgan County, Georgia, doesn't mean that is true. How do we know that this jar didn't come from the Potomac River?

Any half-decent lawyer would want to know the following:

a) Where was the water obtained?

b) When was it obtained?

c) Who obtained the water and what was the chain of custody which followed?

d) How long before the hearing did AOC's office acquire these jars of water?

e) Where were these jars of water stored between their acquisition and the hearing?

f) Were these jars stored in a secure area?

g) Who in AOC's office had access to these jars?

If there is impartial evidence which substantiates AOC's claims, then fine. Yet somehow, I very much doubt that AOC or her staff would be forthcoming concerning these questions.

The Obscenity & Offensiveness of Trump's $1.776 Billion Settlement with The IRS & Treasury Department

I would be remiss if I didn't comment on the obscenity and offensiveness of the $1.776 billion settlement the Trump Administration reached with the IRS and the Treasury Department.

There is the lawsuit itself which was essentially President Trump suing himself. Which invariably meant the lawsuit would be settled under terms very favorable to Trump. The "parties" to this case didn't even feel the need to tell the judge there had been a settlement when Trump sought dismiss the case.

Then there are the byproducts of the lawsuit. What jumps out to most people is the $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization" fund. Aside from being an affront to the "Spirit of '76", methinks most of the recipients of this "anti-weaponization" will be people who used actual weapons on Capitol Hill on January 6th and were convicted for their actions. Many of those recipients will be members of militia groups like the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys. I have a feeling that those receiving compensation from this fund will use these funds to finance acts of terrorism. Those acts of terrorism will be subsidized and underwritten by the Trump Administration.

While President Trump is not formally compensated by this deal, it reinforces his immunity from the law and is now extended to his family. As Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche put it the IRS is "forever barred and precluded" from pursuing any actions against Trump and his businesses. Of course, Blanche is hardly an impartial figure. He was, after all, Trump's personal attorney. Blanche is not a officer of the court, he is part of the King's Court.

If that wasn't enough, the IRS and Treasury Department must make a groveling, formal apology to Trump. For what is there to apologize? Neither governmental entity did anything wrong. They were acting with good faith and within the law. But that is beyond the pale for someone like Trump who does not believe he is subject to the law. The law is only for his enemies. 

While Democrats are outraged by these developments, I cannot help but think they will set a precedent. Should Democrats ever return to power with a demagogue of their own in the White House, they will create their own "anti-weaponization" slush funds for their friends who will use the funds to enrich themselves and finance their own acts of terrorism. 

The obscenity and offensiveness will not be confined to Trump and the J6ers alone.

Belated Thoughts on The San Diego Mosque Shooting

I would be remiss if I did not put forward a comment concerning the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday which claimed the lives three people who were employed by the institution.

For starters, violence targeting Muslims is every bit as abhorrent as it was with the Christchurch massacre in March 2019. I mention this attack as the two teenaged perpetrators were inspired in great part by this attack. Although the perpetrators were also anti-Semitic, racist, anti-LGBTQ, they focused their ire on Muslims.

While it must be said that the Imam of the Islamic Center of San Diego has justified the October 7th attacks it does not give anyone the right to murder anyone associated with this religious institution. 

It is possible to condemn the view of the Imam where it concerns Hamas without wishing grievous harm upon those who worship or work there. 

Indeed, it is well worth noting that a senior figure in New Zealand's Muslim community claimed, without evidence, that Israel was behind the Christchurch attack. As defamatory as this statement is, those who were killed in the attack still deserve our sympathy. As Rob Eshman pointed out in The Forward:

The teenagers who opened fire on the Islamic Center of San Diego didn’t care what the imam said about Gaza. They saw Muslims, and they wanted them dead — the same way the Pittsburgh and Poway shooters saw Jews. Our enemies are not making the distinctions we make about each other. Maybe it’s time we stopped making them too.

Let me put it another way. The Imam of the Islamic Center of San Diego might very well have delighted in the murder of Jews on October 7th and would wish grievous harm upon Jews in America. If this is the case, I still don't wish bloodshed to be visited upon the Imam or anyone else associated with the Islamic Center of San Diego or any other Muslim institution in this country. 

Amtrak & Air Conditioning

Earlier this evening, I returned home from a business trip to New York. 

You may recall that my first official business trip ever was to New York in April 2025.

As with the previous trip, I travelled by Amtrak. 

However, this time around traveling by Amtrak was a considerably less pleasant experience. At least when it came to traveling from Boston to New York.

The problem was the air conditioning was not working in the coach car where I was seated. As time went on the trip became increasingly uncomfortable.

I was informed there was no air conditioning in the car and that AC was only accessible in business class and in the snack bar/concessions area.

Complicating matters is the fact that the Northeast has been experiencing a near triple digit heatwave.

Needless to say, I was quite anxious about the return trip today.

I spent nearly 2 hours on the phone with Amtrak only to be told that the best they could do is give me a voucher once I got back to Boston. I also tried to talk to someone from Amtrak when I arrived at Penn Station late this morning, but they told me they have no control over the conditions on the train. Of course, when there is a monopoly situation it is a classic case of "He who makes the gold, makes the rules."

As it turns out, poor air conditioning has been a problem on Amtrak for years. Worse still, they are under no legal obligation to provide it.

Fortunately, when I got on the train early this afternoon, I felt instantaneous relief throughout my whole body with the blast of cold air.

We were more than 30 minutes behind schedule in departing and there would be another delay of about 15-20 minutes after departing New London, Connecticut due to "police activity." But so long as there was air conditioning, I could handle those annoyances and inconveniences.

Nevertheless, I remained concerned because I will very likely be taking another business trip to New York come mid-August. It will be surely every bit as hot. 

Amtrak's Acela service has air conditioning on all its cars but I'm not sure if my employer would be prepared to foot the bill. And even then, there's no guarantee of avoiding a mishap.

Aside from rail, the only other option available to me is by plane and again I'm not sure if the company would foot that bill. Then again, a plane ride to NYC can't be that much more expensive than the train ride and I would likely take me less time to from Point A to B.

At this point, we'll cross that bridge later this summer.

In the meantime, on the subject of air conditioning, I have some happy news where it concerns my apartment. Since returning to Boston nearly five years ago, there has been an annual ritual of my friend Don Hammontree helping me to install my air conditioner. To be accurate, he installs the AC while I prevent it from falling out of the window.

However, earlier this year, my landlady had HVAC pumps installed throughout the house. Yesterday, she sent me a text notifying me that she had changed the pumps from heat to AC due to the heat wave.

Alas, the heat wave will be short-lived as we will revert to seasonal and cooler temperatures tomorrow and through the Memorial Day weekend. But I think should be able to manage for the moment.

Massie Will Be Leaving Congress Because of Trump, Not Israel

I don't know what kind of Congressman Ed Gallrein will be. There's a good chance that he will be yet another Trump lickspittle.

Nevertheless, I am glad that Gallrein ousted soon to be former Kentucky GOP Congressman Thomas Massie in tonight's Republican primary. 

Massie came across to me as a guy who only gave a shit about himself. I remember when Massie was the lone Congressman to vote against COVID stimulus package, former Secretary of State John Kerry said that Massie had "tested positive for being an asshole." I have my own issues with Kerry, but in this case, truer words were never spoken.

Massie was one of those fellows who insisted on likening COVID vaccination mandates to the Holocaust. As often happens those who are quick to liken things to the Holocaust have a way of not liking Jews very much like former Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene who compared just about everything under the sun to Nazis except actual Nazis. Like Greene, Massie consistently opposed measures to combat anti-Semitism.

In recent months, Massie has become very vocal in trying to release the Epstein files. Nothing wrong with that. Yet frankly, I somehow doubt that Massie would have been so outspoken if Epstein wasn't Jewish. After all, Massie claimed the Epstein files were being withheld because of his ties to Israeli intelligence. Never mind that Epstein maintained a close friendship with the notoriously anti-Israel Noam Chomsky. Amid Gallrein's primary challenge, Massie let it all hang out insisting that his race was "a referendum on whether Israel gets to buy seats in Congress."

Yet for all his indecency, Massie didn't lose his seat because of Israel, but because he ran afoul of Trump. That is all you need to know. Had Massie been a pro-Israel stalwart, his political career would have been over. Just ask soon to be former Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy. Trump wanted Cassidy gone because of his impeachment vote. Trump wanted Massie gone because of his position on the Epstein files. Trump cares not about the issues, but of his own interests. Like Bill Cassidy, Thomas Massie got in Trump's way. Now he is out of Trump's way.

The Phillies Have Righted The Ship Under Don Mattingly

In less than 20 days, the Philadelphia Phillies have turned around the 2026 season.

On April 28th, the Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson and replaced him with bench coach Don Mattingly on an interim basis. 

Mattingly, of course, previously managed both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Miami Marlins and then served two seasons as the Toronto Blue Jays bench coach before joining the Phillies this season.

At the time, the Phillies were 9-19 which was tied for the worst record in MLB along with the New York Mets, their NL East rival.

Under Mattingly, the Phillies have gone 15-4 including a 6-0 victory this afternoon over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Zack Wheeler pitched 7 scoreless innings besting reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes.

As a result, the Phillies now have a winning record of 24-23. 

Now the Phillies still have their work cut out for them. They are 8 games back of the Atlanta Braves in the NL East, but they are now in the NL Wild Card hunt tied with the Pirates and Cincinnati Reds at 3½ games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the third NL Wild Card berth. 

The 2026 season is not yet a third of the way through, but Mattingly has to be considered an early favorite to be NL Manager of the Year. If nothing else, Donnie Baseball has righted the Phillies ship this season.