2021 Was a Little Less Awful Than 2020

With about 15 minutes or so left in 2021, let me offer a few words of reflection of the past 12 months.

At this time last year, I had expressed hope that if two thirds of the U.S. population had been vaccinated and if community spread of COVID been reduced that we would be in a good spot and that President Biden would have bought some goodwill. In the late spring and early summer, it appeared we might get there. But vaccine resistance has left us with only 63% of the population fully vaccinated and the Omicron variant has caused more community spread than ever even if it ultimately results in fewer hospitalizations and deaths. At this time a year ago, we were nearing 350,000 deaths. We have now surpassed 825,000 deaths. Some time in 2022 we will reach a million deaths. This is not something to which I look forward. 

2021 also saw a concerted attempt by former President Trump and his allies to thwart the peaceful transition of power. Instead of compelling Republicans to abandon Trump, they are closer to him than ever notwithstanding the fact he described the 2020 election as the insurrection and January 6, 2021 as the protest. Indeed, two thirds of Republicans do not believe Biden was legitimately elected President despite the fact Trump's claims of election fraud are made from whole cloth. 

Despite Biden successfully getting a stimulus bill passed and the infrastructure bill passed, his numbers have been diminishing due to not being able to get Build Back Better legislation passed, the messy withdrawal from Afghanistan (which Trump started), rising inflation and COVID not disappearing. Of course, COVID cannot disappear so long as people refuse to get vaccinated. Despite Biden's challenges, I am glad he is in the White House rather than Trump because everything that were experiencing now would be amplified a thousand-fold perhaps more. 2021 was a little less awful than 2020 for this reason alone. 

As for me, for the third time in four years I lived in two different cities in two different states. I began the year in Atlanta and stayed around long enough to vote for Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock handing Democrats a majority in the Senate albeit a slim and fragile one. But things did not turn out as I hoped they would in Atlanta and on Memorial Day Weekend I returned to the Boston area to start a new job. My second stint in The Hub as well as my employment has now outlasted my stint in Atlanta. It is my hope that I do not have to move out of Massachusetts for a long time, if ever. 

Granted, I am not making as much money here as I did in Atlanta and thus cannot afford my own place. I share a house in Cambridge with a retired academic whereas in Atlanta I had an apartment above a garage which was separate from my landlady and landlord's residence. My landlady frequently has company over which renders me unable to use the kitchen. There are restaurants just down the street which I have been using but this can be an expensive proposition. On the other hand, there is a grocery store just steps away from here and it doesn't cost me anything to do the laundry. The only utilities for which I pay is air conditioning in the summer. So the place isn't without its virtues. 

Nevertheless, I am back in familiar terrain and it is much easier to get around. Amenities are closer together and so are the roads. Somehow I don't think I could have tolerated an Atlanta summer even with central air conditioning. While I might have enjoyed another World Series parade, I shudder to think how I would have coped with the murder of a woman and her dog in Piedmont Park two blocks from where I lived had I still been in Atlanta. 

My existing social network has not congealed in the way I would have hoped. I understand that COVID is a factor to some degree. Of course, people lead busy lives. But COVID or no COVID, when I am with people I often feel like I am in the way and am taking up their time and space as if I were a nuisance. I don't enjoy feeling this way. It does help that I don't mind being alone and don't feel the need to talk all the time. Nevertheless, like all people, I am a social creature and yet don't feel like I'm part of the human race. One might ask, well, why not create a new social network? As I get older, I find it harder to harder to meet people much less people who are amenable to engaging in any kind of meaningful conversation or interaction. 

Under the circumstances, I know I will need to make adjustments despite being back on familiar terrain. Getting back into swimming on a regular basis might help me physically and spiritually although I know I must exercise caution in doing so. I do not want to be infected with COVID even though I know that with Omicron my chances of getting it have increased exponentially. I can only knock on wood or whatever solid substance is available to me that I remain healthy.

I don't wish to leave the impression there haven't been some good moments in 2021. My affection for the band Fanny grew exponentially. This was especially so when I met June Millington and her longtime partner Ann Hackler at the New England premier of Fanny: The Right to Rock back in October and getting to hear June perform. I subsequently renewed acquaintances with June the following month in New York when she, Brie Howard-Darling and Patti Quatro had a partial Fanny reunion after a screening of Fanny: The Right to Rock. I hope there will be more Fannytastic adventures to come in 2022. 

Finding Some Kind Words for Harry Reid

One should not speak unkindly of the dead and I do my very best to uphold that principle. There is also the principle of if you have nothing nice to say then it is best not to say anything at all. I also do my best to uphold this principle.

The passing of former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid earlier this week have made this a challenge. It isn't merely a question of disagreeing with his politics or his views, I was troubled about the manner in which he conducted himself. Of course, there are others who have passed whose conduct has troubled me as was the case with Desmond Tutu and his anti-Semitism. Nevertheless, whatever his views of Jews, I fully acknowledge that Tutu was a major figure in bringing down Apartheid in South Africa. Senator Reid presents a far greater challenge.

Nearly three decades ago, Senator Reid engaged in nativism when he supported the idea of ending birthright citizenship. While Reid "evolved" on the issue (though he never apologized for his previous views), it was a position indistinguishable from that Trumpist Republicans hold today. 

In 2009, Reid likened Republican opposition to Obamacare to opposition to the end of slavery notwithstanding the fact the GOP was founded as an abolitionist party. 

In 2012, Reid famously accused GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney of not paying taxes and said it could be a felony. Of course, Reid made this up out of a whole cloth. But instead of expressing contrition, Reid bragged about it telling CNN's Dana Bash, "Romney didn't win, did he?" Reid was a shady character whether or not he wore sunglasses.

There will be those who will argue that Donald Trump has lied far more than Harry Reid. They may be right, but it doesn't change the fact that Harry Reid bore false witness against Mitt Romney and repeatedly engaged in demagoguery. But for some the ends justifies the means. Under the circumstances, it is difficult to conjure kind words for someone who conducts themselves in that manner. 

Nevertheless there is good and bad in nearly everyone. Following the news of Reid's death, NFL Senior VP Natalie Ravitch tweeted a thread about her interaction with Reid nearly 20 years ago. In 2002, Ravitch was a staffer for Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone when he and 7 others were killed in a plane crash. Among those who died in that plane was Ravitch's boyfriend. Ravitch detailed the kindness Reid showed in the days, months and years which followed. 

So perhaps the private Harry Reid was different from the public one. I just wish this generosity of spirit extended into his public life. Of course, there will be disagreements and genuinely vigorous disagreements at that. Sometimes people sometimes warrant blunt and harsh criticism. But blanket statements of demagoguery and outright lies bring only harm and result in long term damage to trust in our institutions. Reid might have nothing on Trump when it comes to diminishing our civic and public discourse, but nevertheless he did so and, unfortunately, it is part of his public legacy whatever private acts of decency he bestowed. R.I.P.

U.S. COVID Deaths Have Surpassed 825,000

On the last day of 2021, COVID deaths in the United States have surpassed 825,000. According to Johns Hopkins University, 825,477 people have died of COVID-19 out of 54,588,489 cases representing a mortality rate of 1.5%. 

When 2021 began, we were nearing 350,000 deaths out of just over 20 million cases. With the year drawing to a close nearly another half million Americans have died of COVID-19. Of course, early in 2021 during the dying days of the Trump Administration and the beginning of the Biden Administration we were losing 100,000 people a month. The death rate gradually slowed down, but is picking up again. Whereas it took 20 days to get from 775,000 to 800,000 deaths, it took only 17 days to get from 800,000 to 825,000 deaths. We may very well get to 1,000,000 COVID deaths sooner than May. 2022 will be 365 days just like 2021, but it will be another long year especially in the beginning.

Sam Jones, R.I.P.

Sam Jones, who won 10 NBA championships as a member of the Boston Celtics as a shooting guard during the 1950's and 1960's, passed away yesterday of natural causes at the age of 88. 

Jones' passing comes just over a year after the death of K.C. Jones who earned 8 NBA titles in his 9-year playing career. The only player with more NBA rings than Sam Jones was his teammate Bill Russell with 11 and now Russell at 87 is the only survivor of this triumvirate.

While it is easy to be overshadowed by Russell, Jones was inducted into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984 and named to the NBA 25th, 50th and 75th anniversary teams. Sam Jones is among the greatest who set foot on the parquet floor at the old Boston Garden. R.I.P.

Licorice Pizza is a Great Film But Its Timeline is a Bit Off (Re: 1973 vs. 1974)

This afternoon I saw Licorice Pizza at the Kendall Square Cinema. I rarely watch newly released movies, but I had nothing better to do on the final day of 2021 so I went.

Produced and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza is set in 1973 (more on that later). It centers around a 15-year old child actor turned entrepreneur who falls in love at first sight with a photographer's assistant 10 years his senior played by Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim, respectively, both of whom are making their film debuts.

Hoffman does come with an acting pedigree as the son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman and he has inherited his father's mannerisms while developing a few of his own. At only 18, Hoffman possesses a self-assuredness which could earn him a career just as distinguished as that of his father. One only hopes the younger Hoffman can avoid the demons which claimed his father at the age of 46. 

Alana Haim, best known for being the all-female rock band Haim with her older sisters Este and Danielle (who also appear in the movie along with their parents), is equal to the task playing a woman who knows she is too old to be involved with this boy much less hang around with him, but being around him and his schemes gives her a life she does not have at home.

Now it must be said there are those who are squeamish about the idea of a 15-year old boy being in a relationship with a 25-year old woman. Of course, it is also a legal matter. Under the current law i California, where the movie is set, it is illegal for an 18-year old to have sex with someone under the age of 18 unless they are married. The penalties are reduced in a Romeo and Juliet scenario, but there the age gap is only three years and does not apply here. 

With this in mind, while there are have been many movies about romantic involvement between older men and younger women, I also cannot imagine a fictional movie being made about a 15-year old girl in an adult relationship with a 25-year old man or where a teenaged girl was the object of desire for an adult male short of a remake of Lolita without a public outcry. Although there have been prosecutions of adult female teachers who have sexual relations with their adolescent male students, society at large tends to take a different view of underaged males having sex with women as opposed to vice versa as amply demonstrated in a certain episode of South Park. 

Notwithstanding the taboo, Hoffman and Haim have an undeniable onscreen chemistry between them and act like a couple in every possible way up to including trying to bring out the other's jealousy. At one point, I thought to myself that these were two little shits who deserved each other and at one point in the film Haim's character arrives at that very conclusion. 

Throw in some cameos from Christine Ebersole, Sean Penn, Bradley Cooper and Tom Waits plus a great late 1960's-early 1970's soundtrack which includes some obscure songs like "Softly Whispering I Love You" by The English Congregation, "Hot Smoke & Sassafras" by Bubble Puppy and "Walk Away" by The James Gang and you've got a fantastic movie set in the 1970's.

Now to the timeline. The film is set in 1973 as the plotline revolves around 1973 OPEC Crisis. However, early on in the film, there is the unmistakable voice of Vin Scully broadcasting a Dodgers game. But based on his description it isn't just any Dodgers game. Steve Garvey is at bat and Jimmy Wynn is on base. Scully makes a point of saying Garvey had 111 RBIs. But Garvey did this in 1974 when he won the NL MVP en route to the Dodgers winning the NL pennant and facing the Oakland A's in the World Series. It must also be noted that Wynn did not join the Dodgers until 1974. The OPEC Crisis had passed and Richard Nixon was no longer President. Be that as it may, it's always great to hear the voice of Vin Scully even if it is out of context.

Licorice Pizza is a polarizing movie, but it will be nominated for a boatload of Academy Awards including nominations for Hoffman and Haim as well as for Waits I suspect although we may need to take a waits and see approach.

Betty White Lived a Full Life

Like many of you, I am saddened to hear of the passing of Betty White only 17 days shy of what would have been her 100th birthday.

Despite not reaching that milestone, Betty White lived a full life with a show business career which spanned eight decades becoming a TV pioneer in the 1950's, a game show fixture in the 1960's, part of the cast of Mary Tyler Moore in the 1970's and part of The Golden Girls in the 1980's.

And yet her last decade or so might have been her best ever. After starring in that Super Bowl commercial, Betty White transcended into cultural icon with the grassroots campaign to host SNL, being cast in Hot in Cleveland and a social media superstar beloved across generations and geography.

Her passing on the final day of 2021 is a tough pill to swallow, Betty White led a good life and we got to experience it. R.I.P.

Of Course AOC is Going to Hire Anti-Semitic Staffers

Yesterday, it was revealed that one of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's staffers recently described Israel as "a racist European ethnostate." 

Hussain Altamimi, who joined AOC's staff in November, used the phrase in an Instagram post. 

That AOC would hire a staffer with such views should hardly come as a surprise because they reflect her own values or lack thereof. Back in May, AOC tweeted, "Apartheid states aren't democracies," in reference to Israel during which time Hamas was launching missiles into Israel. Last September, she temporarily succeeded in blocking funding for Israel's Iron Dome and then cried when she didn't get her way though she should be happy that Rand Paul is taking up her cause. 

Never mind that Israeli Arabs have full citizenship and the current Israeli government is being held together by Mansour Abbas, a Palestinian Arab. Why would AOC let facts get in the way of defaming Jews?

For AOC to fire Altamimi would mean she would have to fire herself. Altamimi isn't going anywhere. Being an anti-Semite is a prerequisite to be hired by AOC. 

Why I'm Not Convinced The Anti-Vaxxers Have Abandoned Trump

Over the past week or so, former President Trump has been taken to task by some of his allies over his support for COVID vaccines (albeit a rather tepid support) after disclosing he received a booster during his short-lived tour with Bill O'Reilly which earned him jeers much like when he expressed support for vaccines at a rally in Cullman, Alabama last August.  Alex Jones, Candace Owens, Wayne Allyn Root and Ali Alexander have all expressed dismay towards the former President and has been the subject of protests outside his properties.

At the risk of giving these folks too much credit by taking their stance they appear to make Trump look more measured and reasonable. I'm not sure if this is their objective. But at this point I am not convinced these folks are going to abandon Trump and I say so for two reasons.

First, these people firmly believe the election was stolen from Trump and believe he should be restored to the White House. 

Second, I cannot see any Republican challenging Trump on vaccines much less anything else nor do I see if any of the aforementioned figures rallying around anyone other than Trump. It is possible that a Republican could try to position himself or herself to the right of Trump on vaccines but Trump would direct his venom on them. Whatever differences these right-wing figures might have with Trump won't be sufficient to abandon him.

In 48 Hours, the U.S. Added Another Million COVID Cases Plus Some Thoughts on Hospitalizations

After taking only 72 hours to go from 52 to 53 million COVID cases, it has taken only 48 hours to go from 53 million to 54 million cases. According to Johns Hopkins University there have been 54,286,545 cases resulting in 824,277 deaths representing a mortality rate of 1.5%. 

Now there is a case to be made that hospitalization rates are a more meaningful number than the aggregated total of COVID cases. While it has been argued that the Omicron variant is less likely to result in hospitalization than the Delta variant, according to Our World in Data, hospitalizations have more than doubled since the first week of November from a little over 40,000 to 84,000. Hospitalizations for COVID peaked in the U.S. in early January 2021 during the final weeks of the Trump Administration at just under 130,000. 

Even if omicron results in fewer hospitalizations we could still surpass the peak of a year ago. Let's say that 1% of every million cases results in hospitalizations. That's 10,000 hospitalizations. At the rate we're going we will soon add 1 million new COVID cases a day. I have a bad feeling that even with a milder COVID variant January 2022 could be the roughest month yet for hospitalizations especially with a shortage of health care workers. 

In a few months time, the sheer number of Omicron cases could turn the pandemic into an endemic but there will be a lot more pain to come. The new year will not start as a happy one.

Kyle Seager Retires After 11 Seasons in Seattle

Kyle Seager, who spent his entire professional career with the Seattle Mariners, announced his retirement on Twitter via his wife Julie. 

A 3rd round draft pick of the Mariners in 2009, Seager reached the majors in 2011 and became the Mariners everyday third baseman in 2012. After earning an AL All-Star Team selection and a Gold Glove in 2014, Seager signed a 7-year $100 million extension. Seager was a durable player. Between 2012 and 2021, the only significant time Seager missed with an injury was a broken left wrist in 2019 which limited him to 106 games. Otherwise, Seager played at least 154 games in every season save for 2020 when he played all 60 games during the COVID shortened campaign. 

In 2021, Seager batted a career low .215 but hit a career high 35 HR with a career high 101 RBIs. The Mariners did have an option on him for the 2022 season for $20 million but bought him out for $2 million. If the Mariners are unwilling to shell out $20 million for Seager then I doubt they'd spend that money on Kris Bryant. I suspect that the Mariners will likely play Canadian born Abraham Toro at third who was acquired mid-season in the controversial Kendall Graveman deal with the Houston Astros. In 11 seasons in Seattle, Seager collected 1395 hits for a lifetime batting average of .251 with 242 HR and 807 RBI in 1480 games played. 

Still, Seager's retirement comes as something of a surprise (though not to himself). At 34, Seager still had potential suitors with the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and a possible reunion with younger brother Corey Seager who signed a long term deal with the Texas Rangers earlier this month. But given the sendoff he was given in Seattle on the last day of the season perhaps the time to exit was now.

Yet I cannot help but wonder if Seager had played five or six more seasons if he would have made a good case for Cooperstown. At present, there are only 17 third basemen in the Baseball Hall of Fame though I think Scott Rolen has a good chance to be inducted next month while Adrian Beltre will be eligible come 2024. Still, if Seager had finished his career with 2,000 plus hits, a couple of more Gold Gloves and maybe a World Series ring (he would never appear in the post-season in Seattle) he would have been given a long look. As it stands now, it would appear the only Hall of Fame he wants induction is in Seager Household in North Carolina. 

John Madden Could Have Become The Greatest Coach in NFL History

Upon learning of John Madden's death earlier this evening, I knew for most people he was synonymous with broadcasting football games myself included. After all, Madden covered the NFL for all four networks over a span of nearly 30 years. And if you didn't seem broadcast an NFL game then you probably caught one of his Ace Hardware commercials. 

Yet there is a very good case to be made that Madden is one of the greatest coaches in NFL history and had he chose to remain on the sidelines he might have been considered the best ever. When Madden stopped coaching the Oakland Raiders in 1979, his .738 winning percentage was (and remains) the second greatest winning percentage of any NFL coach behind Guy Chamberlain who coached nearly a century ago. In his decade as a coach, Madden was 103-32-7. During that period, the Raiders were perennial bridesmaids in the AFC Conference Final though the Raiders would best the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. Still, the Pro Football Hall of Fame would not acknowledge Madden's status as a coach until 2006. 

Still, in the grand scheme of things, Madden made a fantastic career move and remains a household name despite having retired more than a decade ago and will remain so for many decades to come. R.I.P.

AR GOP Governor Hutchinson Praises Biden For Depoliticizing COVID Response

Yesterday, during a conference call with President Biden and his fellow Governors, Arkansas Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson praised President Biden for his efforts to "depoliticize" the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Hutchinson said, "I want to thank all of the White House team for being such great support to the governors. And I want to thank, Mr. President, [for] your address to the nation last week. Thank you for your comments designed to depoliticize our COVID response. I think that was helpful."

It is worth noting that Hutchinson is ineligible to seek re-election due to term limits. One must wonder if Hutchinson would have made such remarks had he been eligible to seek another term in office. Hutchinson's likely successor will be former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and I cannot imagine her acknowledging Biden as President much less offering him praise of any kind.

It is well worth remembering that Sanders' former boss demanded Governors be "appreciative" of him. Former President Trump publicly stated he would not call Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer whom he called "the woman from Michigan" who he deemed insufficiently grateful. 

Perhaps Hutchinson was also indirectly praising Biden for his civility compared to that of his predecessor. Whatever the reason, given that Hutchinson is currently the Chair of the National Governors' Association, his remarks are a welcome breath of fresh air.

The U.S. Adds More Than a Million New COVID Cases in 72 Hours

After recording our 52 millionth COVID case on Christmas Day, the United States has added more than a million new COVID cases in scarcely 72 hours.

According to Johns Hopkins University, as of this writing, there have been 53,170,421 COVID-19 cases in the U.S. resulting in 820,708 deaths. Due to the large surge of omicron cases, the mortality rate has actually slipped from 1.6% to 1.5%. 

However, the omicron variant has seen a surge of hospitalizations among children. It is not clear how many of these children are eligible for COVID. Presently, children between the ages of 5 and 11 are eligible for a modified version of the Pfizer vaccine while children between the ages of 12 and 17 get the adult version of the Pfizer vaccine. A surge in hospitalization among this population will certainly complicate the anticipated surge of hospitalizations among unvaccinated adults.

When we reached 52 million cases on Christmas Day, I thought we would add at least a million cases before the end of 2021. It looks like I was off by a million cases as we will surely another million cases by December 31st.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly of Desmond Tutu

Shortly after learning of the death of South African archbishop and Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu at the age of 90, I saw a couple of my friends on Facebook post tributes.

Their tributes were entirely understandable. After all, Tutu was a central figure in the anti-Apartheid movement. While Nelson Mandela was in jail, Tutu was arguably its most powerful figure in the international community. One cannot write a proper history about the dismantling of Apartheid in South Africa without devoting several chapters to Tutu's work. For this he must be remembered.

But Tutu must also be remembered for his blatant anti-Semitism. In 1989, while speaking at Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, Tutu called upon Jews to forgive the Nazis which earned him a stinging rebuke from both Elie Wiesel and Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. 

Following the fall of Apartheid, Tutu spent a great deal of this time trying to persuade churches all over the world to recognize Israel as an Apartheid state repeatedly claiming that Israel's treatment of the Palestinians was worse than that of blacks under Apartheid in South Africa becoming a prominent supporter of the BDS movement. As I write this, the man who holds the balance of power in Israel's current government is a Palestinian Arab. South African blacks could not hold public office much less vote in Apartheid era South Africa. The notion that Israel bears any resemblance to Apartheid era South Africa is sheer defamation. Speaking of defamation, Tutu also called Jews "a peculiar people" and questioned our fidelity to G-d. 

Needless to say, I have a different view of Tutu and felt compelled to share it with my friends on Facebook both of whom I suspected were unaware of his attitudes towards Jews and they confirmed my speculation. 

With all that said, I have no desire to "cancel" Desmond Tutu. You can no more erase Tutu from South Africa's history books than you can erase Thomas Jefferson from American history. Like any other public figure, Desmond Tutu should be acknowledged for the good, the bad and the ugly. R.I.P.

On Christmas Day, COVID Tops 52 Million Cases in U.S.

At the risk of being a Grinch or a Scrooge, COVID cases in the U.S. passed 52 million. According to Johns Hopkins University, there have been 52,054,340 COVID cases resulting in 816,436 deaths representing a mortality rate of 1.6%. After taking 7 days to go from 50 to 51 million cases, it took only 5 days to go from 51 to 52 million cases primarily due to the Omicron variant.

I am sure we will add another million cases before 2021 is complete with cases rising very sharply at the beginning of 2022 once Christmas and New Year's festivities have concluded. I don't know if the U.S. will add 1 million new COVID cases a day as outgoing NIH Director Francis Collins has predicted. But the cases will increase and our already fragile health care system will be further strained and health care workers will have to decide who they can treat and who they cannot.

Again, I realize this is the last thing anyone wants to hear on Christmas Day. People want a day away from COVID. But COVID is the uninvited guest which isn't going anywhere so long as a critical mass of us see fit not to get vaccinated let alone wear masks. Getting vaccinated won't eliminate the possibility of getting COVID but it will very likely keep you out of the hospital. And who wants to celebrate Christmas and New Year's in the hospital?

It's a Wonderful Life at 75: I Want to Live Again

A few days ago, I took in a 75th anniversary screening of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life at The Brattle Theatre in Cambridge. I had planned to share my observations at the time, but when I exited the theatre I saw the long line of people snaked around Harvard Square waiting for a COVID test. The sight of that line put my thoughts onto more immediate things.

Under the circumstances, it is probably just as well that I left my observations to Christmas Eve when millions will watch It's a Wonderful Life will on NBC. I have watched It's a Wonderful Life nearly every year since 1987 when I was a teenager. It was around that time I started impersonating Jimmy Stewart which was in part inspired by Dana Carvey's impersonation which I first heard on SNL when they envisioned what would happen if Uncle Billy had remembered where he placed the $8,000.

I have to admit I always cringe when Uncle Billy puts the $8,000 into the newspaper and inadvertently gives it to Mr. Potter and is unable to recall speaking with him. But without Uncle Billy's absent mindedness and faulty memory we don't have George Bailey's world fall apart followed by Clarence Oddbody to show him what life would be like without him in the world. The part which has over time really gotten to me is when George Bailey flees Pottersville and go back to the bridge begging Clarence to take him back to Bedford Falls and says, "I want to live again."  George Bailey gets a new lease on life and rewarded for his choice while Clarence gets his wings. All is wonderful.

As time has gone on I have come to realize that George Bailey is a pain in the ass who is angry at the world and everyone in it which is peculiar when Mary Bailey (played so ably by Donna Reed) is devoted to him as are his children especially ZuZu. But Jimmy Stewart gives him enough decency to make him endearing. There is, of course, good and bad in all of us. Sometimes it's hard to see the good in some people especially in those who among us refuse to wear a mask, get vaccinated and otherwise appear not to give a damn about anybody else - at least outwardly.

With each passing year, I sometimes wonder what good I've ever done for anybody much less myself. I think this with the knowledge with each passing year that my times grows shorter. The shortness of time could be days or decades. But there will be an end and in the end I can only hope that I mattered to someone in some way even if it is only my impression of Jimmy Stewart.

What Pat Robertson Got About The Daunte Wright Shooting That Ann Coulter Didn't

Former Brooklyn Park, Minnesota police officer Kim Potter was convicted on two counts of manslaughter on Thursday in the shooting death of Daunte Wright last April.

Yesterday, conservative commentator Ann Coulter wrote a column excoriating Wright's past criminal behavior. Of Potter, she only said:

As for the trial of Kim Potter, the officer who shot Wright, neither the prosecution nor defense disputes that it was a mistake, that she thought she was holding her Taser. Several officers, and the defense’s use-of-force expert, testified that Potter would have been fully justified in shooting Wright in order to protect the other officer from being dragged by the car.

I wonder how many of those several officers thought Derek Chauvin was justified in placing his knee on George Floyd's neck. That observation aside what Coulter fails to mention is that the prosecution argued that mistakes can still constitute criminal behavior particularly if the end of the result is the death of another person. Prosecutor Erin Eldridge convinced the jury that notwithstanding the mistake that Potter is still guilty of both recklessness and culpable of neglect.

One of the few conservatives who acknowledged Potter was in the wrong was Pat Robertson not long after Wright's death. Now Robertson was incredulous that Potter could possibly mistake a gun for a taser given the different color, size and texture as he demonstrated. Robertson went so far to characterize this as crazy. But the fact she did mistake those things demonstrates both Potter's recklessness and neglect. 

Robertson was also laser focused on Potter's behavior, not that of Wright. Whatever criminal acts Wright may have committed did not justify his death at the hands of Kim Potter whatever Ann Coulter might believe. Wright's culpability should have been determined by a judge and jury not by a police officer engaged in reckless and neglectful conduct. Wright should have been afforded the same process that Potter received - a fair trial.

The Hoito is Ablaze

Earlier this evening, my Mom texted, "Hoito on fire!!"

She later sent me the picture that you see above.

If you are from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada or have spent any extended period of time there then you will know about The Hoito. 

It was believed to be the oldest co-operatively owned restaurant in Canada. The Hoito was founded in 1918 by the local chapter International Workers of the World for loggers who needed cheap yet filling food. A majority of these workers were Finnish and the restaurant was housed in the basement of the Finnish Labour Temple (a.k.a. The Finlandia Club).

My family went to The Hoito on a regular basis when we lived in Fort William. It accelerated when we moved to Port Arthur on the other side of Thunder Bay as we were all of a 5 minute walk away. When I was a younger, the restaurant was exclusively communal tables but eventually transitioned to regular seating with a few smaller communal tables. The decor was plain while the food was just plain good. It was one of those places were people seeking elected office went and celebrities would make a point of checking out. 

Unfortunately, The Hoito closed its doors in June 2020 shortly after the Finlandia Club dissolved. A private developer subsequently purchased the property and last October reached an agreement with the Finlandia Co-operative of Thunder Bay to reopen the restaurant in June 2022. It appears that most of the damage to the building was to the upper level where the temple was situated, but I would have to imagine this will delay the opening for the foreseeable future. 

The Hoito is probably the most famous landmark in Thunder Bay as it was the subject of a profile in The New York Times in May 2015.

Hoito translated into English means care. If The Hoito should ever reopen there will need to be a lot of care put into it.

Anti-Vaxxers Will Likely Be No More Receptive to Pfizer Pills Than to Pfizer Vaccines

The FDA today approved Pfizer's Paxlovid, the first pill authorized to treat COVID-19. 

Naturally, there are concerns about how fast Paxlovid will get to market as well as its relatively limited window of use. One must take Paxlovid no more than five days after getting symptoms. The challenge is the gap between feeling symptoms and getting a test result. 

But what I wonder is if the third of the country which refuses the Pfizer vaccine (or any other vaccine) will be any more receptive to taking a Pfizer pill to treat COVID. This take on Twitter from Daniel Horowitz (who regularly spreads COVID misinformation) leads me to believe that anti-vaxxers will not be receptive to taking a regimen of pills either. 

Mind you these are folks who would rather shove Ivermectin up their ass even though Merck the company which makes it doesn't want people using it to treat COVID. The FDA will soon likely approve Merck's new COVID pill Molnupiravir although France just cancelled an order after disappointing trial results.

On the other hand, if an anti-vaxxer suddenly becomes ill with COVID there is always the chance they could reconsider. How many anti-vaxxers who have become infected with COVID have regretted not getting vaccinated or have reconsidered when family members have become seriously ill? Paxlovid and possibly Molnupiravir gives the anti-vaxxers an option to reconsider and a means of staying out of the hospital. The question is how many will learn the hard way and how many won't learn at all.

Margaret Everly, R.I.P.

Margaret Everly, the matriarch of the Everly Family, passed away on December 6th at the age of 102. She outlived both her sons Phil Everly who passed away in 2014 and Don Everly who died back in August.

Before there were The Everly Brothers there was The Everly Family with Phil and Don, father Ike and Margaret. The Everly Family had radio shows in Waterloo, Iowa and later in Knoxville, Tennessee during the 1940's and early 1950's before Phil and Don attained stardom in Nashville and in rock 'n roll in 1957. 

Margaret Everly remained a critical figure behind the scenes long after she stopped performing. Here is a rare interview of Margaret Everly back in 1983 in which she discusses her time as a performer with The Everly Family and The Everly Brothers road to international stardom. R.I.P.

Millions of Children Have Been Thrown Back Into Poverty Because Manchin's Feelings Were Hurt

According to Steve Clemons of The Hill, Joe Manchin came out against President Biden's Build Back Better because of "incivility" from the White House:

Joe and Joe were pulling in the same direction. There would be no Build Back Better gifts under the Christmas tree — but no one would get coal in their stockings, either. Both sides were congenial, and both agreed not to trash each other, not to throw around White House chief of staff Ron Klain’s name, or the president’s or presidential counselor Steve Ricchetti’s — and the White House would refrain from finger-pointing as a way to keep the process constructive. 

My sources on this come from both Manchin’s people and the White House.

But then — bang! — the White House released a statement blaming Manchin for the delay. It tried to strike a positive tone about the future, but it targeted Manchin specifically and alone. 

Biden’s statement starts: “I had a productive call with Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer earlier today. I briefed them on the most recent discussions that my staff and I have held with Senator Manchin about Build Back Better. In these discussions, Senator Manchin has reiterated his support for Build Back Better funding at the level of the framework plan I announced in September. I believe that we will bridge our differences and advance the Build Back Better plan, even in the face of fierce Republican opposition.”

I know Manchin. He believes in civility above all things. When George Washington, at age 14, hand-wrote 110 rules of civility, Rule No. 1 was: “Every Action done in Company, ought to be with Some Sign of Respect, to those that are Present.” When I saw Manchin’s name in the presidential statement, I knew he would perceive it as a breach of process, a breach of spirit, a breach of Joe and Joe working this out so that politicians from Scranton and Charleston could find a way to align with those from Brooklyn and San Francisco.

So in other words because Joe Manchin's feelings got hurt he has seen to throw millions of children back into poverty. As the kids say, f*#k your feelings. Manchin is hardly in any position to accuse anyone of incivility given how he callously claimed to his Senate colleagues that parents would use the child tax credits to buy drugs. 

All of this demonstrates that Joe Manchin is thin skinned as former President Trump and needs to grow the hell up and do the right thing and support Build Back Better. It won't do him any damage in 2022. He can retire from office in 2024 and lounge on his yacht. Perhaps his Republican successor will be worse but Manchin isn't doing anyone much good now except for Republicans.

Kimera Bartee, R.I.P.

Detroit Tigers first base coach Kimera Bartee died suddenly yesterday while visiting his Dad in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. No cause of death has been released. Bartee was 49.

Bartee had rejoined the Tigers organization this season after beginning his big league career as an outfielder for Detroit playing in parts of four seasons between 1996 and 1999. His best season was in his rookie year when he swiped 20 bases. Bartee also has the distinction of being the last Tiger to bat in Tiger Stadium. 

After stints with the Cincinnati Reds in 2000 and the Colorado Rockies in 2001, Bartee would be traded to the Anaheim Angels for Chone Figgins who would earn a World Series ring with the Halos in 2002 while Bartee would never play in the majors again. 

Bartee would transition to coaching spending time first with the Baltimore Orioles (the team which originally drafted him) before spending more than 15 years with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization eventually serving as Clint Hurdle's first base coach and outfield instructor between 2017 and 2019. During the COVID shortened 2020 season, Bartee joined the Philadelphia Phillies as the roving baserunning and bunting coordinator. He was initially hired by the Tigers last season for the same role before becoming first base coach mid-season on an interim basis. Bartee was promoted to this position full time after the season.

I cannot help but be struck by his death as Bartee was the same age I am and he died visiting his Dad. I will be visiting my Dad in a couple of days over the Christmas holiday. Needless to say, there will be no joy in the Bartee household this Christmas. He had no apparent health issues. But it just goes to show that nothing is guaranteed. It can all end at anytime. R.I.P.

Manchin Believes Parents Would Use Child Tax Credits to Buy Drugs

The more I read about West Virginia's allegedly Democratic Senator the less I like Joe Manchin:

Publicly, his biggest gripes are about the cost of the bill. But privately, Manchin has told his colleagues that he essentially doesn’t trust low-income people to spend government money wisely.

In recent months, Manchin has told several of his fellow Democrats that he thought parents would waste monthly child tax credit payments on drugs instead of providing for their children, according to two sources familiar with the senator’s comments. Continuing the child tax credit for another year is a core part of the Build Back Better legislation that Democrats had hoped to pass by the end of the year. The policy has already cut child poverty by nearly 30%. 

Manchin’s private comments shocked several senators, who saw it as an unfair assault on his own constituents and those struggling to raise children in poverty. Manchin has also told colleagues he believes that Americans would fraudulently use the proposed paid sick leave policy, specifically saying people would feign being sick and go on hunting trips, a source familiar with his comments told HuffPost.

Frankly, I'd like to see some evidence to support his argument. His statement is about as baseless as Donald Trump's repeated claims that he won the 2020 election.

Then again Manchin strikes me as a sort of guy who would call Mexicans criminals, drug dealers and rapists. And as shocking as Donald Trump's comments were in 2015 those remarks got him elected President. So no doubt Manchin says this knowing a good many of his constituents in West Virginia agree with him.

But Manchin's comments say a great deal more about him than it does about his constituents in West Virginia whom he clearly holds in utter contempt and for that most of the parents trying to raise children in poverty in this country. 

Having seen It's a Wonderful Life yesterday afternoon, I cannot help but think of Joe Biden as George Bailey to Joe Manchin's Mr. Potter. Manchin can enjoy his yacht but Biden will die a much richer man than he will ever be.

Chile's President-Elect Expects Jewish Community to Denounce Israel

Last night, Chilean voters elected Gabriel Boric, a former left-wing student activist their new President. Boric, 35, will be among the youngest heads of state in the world. Boric is set to take office in March.

However, Boric's election has Chilean Jews concerned as Boric is virulently anti-Israel telling members of Chile's Jewish community that Israel was a "murderous state." Back in 2019, when Chile's Jewish community gave Boric a jar of honey during Rosh Hashanah, he tweeted, "I appreciate the gesture, but they could have asked Israel to return illegally occupied Palestinian territory."

No wonder former British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn loves Boric.

As Gabriel Zaliasnik, one of Chile's most prominent Jews put it, “We are of course willing to accept reasonable criticism about Israel, but what we hear from Boric is that Israel is a ‘genocidal’ and ‘murderous’ state. To make matters worse, he blames our Jewish community for Israel’s actions.”

Worse, Boric is essentially demanding Chile's Jews denounce Israel or not be deemed Chilean. There only about 18,000 Jews in a country of 19 million people - less than one tenth of 1% of the population. But it does not take much to single out Jews and I suspect Jews will leave Chile just as they have left Venezuela first under Hugo Chavez and now Nicolas Maduro.

A's to Name Kotsay New Manager

The Oakland A's are reportedly going to hire third base coach Mark Kotsay as their new manager. Kotsay will succeed Bob Melvin who was lured away by the San Diego Padres in October.

Kotsay played 17 seasons in the big leagues including with the A's from 2004 to 2007. He also played with the Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox finishing his career in 2013 collecting 1784 hits for a lifetime batting average of .276 with 127 HR and 720 RBIs.

After spending the 2014 and 2015 seasons as the Padres hitting coach, Kotsay joined the A's coaching staff serving as bench coach, quality control coach and eventually third base coach. The A's were leaning towards Kotsay but also considered other internal candidates such as A's hitting coach Darren Bush and bullpen coach Marcus Jensen. External candidates included Houston Astros bench coach Joe Espada, Boston Red Sox bench coach Will Venable and Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro. 

Kotsay probably won't have a lot of options as the A's are expected to engage in a salary dump once the MLB lockout concludes. It might not be a lot of fun, but Kotsay won't have much pressure on him and he can grow into the role. Kotsay wouldn't have that luxury with most teams. Then again, the A's could dump salary and still find a way to win ballgames and reach the post-season as they have throughout the Moneyball era.

I Got My Boost as U.S. COVID Cases Exceed 51 Million

Earlier this evening, I received my Moderna booster at the CVS Pharmacy at Porter Square in Cambridge. So far all is well. Knock on wood and solid substances in the hope it stays that way. I know having a boost doesn't mean I'm immune from COVID. But if I do get it then chances are I'm not going to end up in the hospital.

It's been seven months, seven days and nearly 1,100 miles since I received my second dose. At the time COVID cases were slowing down. I bandied about the possibility of India overtaking the U.S. as the country with the most COVID cases as it took nearly two months to add a million new cases. Today, the U.S. went over 51 million cases as it only took a week to add a million new cases. By comparison, India is approaching 35 million cases (34,746,838). As of this writing, according to Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. has 51,097,528 cases resulting in 807,945 deaths representing a mortality rate of 1.6%. 

With Omicron spreading rapidly, I suspect it will take less than a week to get to 52 million cases. Outgoing NIH Director Francis Collins predicted we may soon get 1 million new cases a day. Even if these numbers come to pass the unvaccinated will not get vaccinated which could result in a permanent pandemic.

Some Americans have a death wish. I am not among them. I want to live and want others to live. This means getting vaccinated and wearing masks where appropriate. Sadly, for some this is too big of a price to pay for their liberty. But as I say these people have a death wish. In which case, they are choosing death over liberty.

Why I'm Not Surprised Elizabeth Warren Got COVID

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren has tested positive for COVID-19.

While I wish her a speedy recovery I am not surprised she has been infected. 

First, she has engaged in risky behavior as was the case when she attended Interior Secretary Deb Haaland's wedding maskless back in August.

Second, I happened to see her two weeks ago in Harvard Square. To be precise, it was at an optician's store. I had just had an eye exam and was picking out new glasses and in walks Warren with a female companion. She saw me with my mask on and asked, "Oh, do I have to wear a mask?" I just shook my head and glared at her. She quickly put on her mask. There was no further exchange between us.

I was annoyed with her because there was a sign outside the store indicating masks needed to be worn. Cambridge also reinstated its indoor mask mandate last September. While she spends much of her time in D.C., she is a resident of Cambridge and should surely be aware of this policy. 

I cannot help but wonder though with Warren being maskless at Haaland's wedding and my brief personal interaction with her that there are different rules in place for her than for the rest of us or if she simply thinks the rules don't apply to her.

Sarah Palin Should Be Careful For What She Wishes

Speaking at a Turning Point USA's AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, former Alaska Governor and GOP Vice-Presidential nominee Sarah Palin declared, “It’ll be over my dead body that I’ll have to get a shot. I will not do it. I won’t do it, and they better not touch my kids either.”

Palin ought to be careful for what she wishes because she could soon be granted her dead body. Has she not seen the body count among conservative talk radio hosts?

Last March, Palin tested positive for COVID and did urge people to wear masks. But during an appearance on Fox News last September, Palin indicated that she was not going to get the shot because she believed she was immune from COVID. Those claims are dubious but in her remarks today she was advocating vaccine resistance among parents concerning vaccine mandates for children whether or not they had been infected with COVID. 

Given Palin's evolution (or devolution) on the subject, it makes one wonder if she is testing the waters for a political comeback. If she is and she plans to campaign she is putting herself at great risk of getting COVID again. Next time she might not be so lucky.

I Saw a Line of People Around Harvard Square Waiting for a COVID Test

 

This afternoon I went to the Brattle Theatre in Harvard Square to take in the annual screening of It's a Wonderful Life. Upon exiting the theatre I saw this long line. At first, I thought it was queue to go into one of the stores for Christmas shopping.

But the line just kept going round and round and saw a sign for COVID testing. I asked someone in line if this is what they were waiting for and she confirmed that was why everyone was queuing up. Needless to say, COVID isn't done with us and The People's Republic of Cambridge is acting accordingly out of an abundance of caution accompanied by fear. 

With that said, I know there are some parts of the country that don't give a fig about COVID and some take pride in it such as Matthew Walther who bragged about his indifference last week in The Atlantic. Walther might not give a shit about COVID, but I give a shit where it concerns something that has killed more Americans than the 1918-1920 Spanish flu pandemic and WWII. Outgoing NIH Director Francis Collins certainly gives a shit. He is predicting that with the Omicron variant we could see 1 million new cases everyday. While this would have the effect of driving down the mortality rate it will also increase hospitalization rates and overwhelm our health care system and stretch its resources beyond elasticity. In which case, I'll probably be seeing a lot more lines like this in and around Boston. There's also a good chance I'll be standing in one of these lines in the not too distant future.

How Can Biden Ever Trust Manchin Again?

After West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin went on Fox News Sunday to announce he would not support President Biden's $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Plan, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki issued a stinging rebuke of Manchin:

On Tuesday of this week, Senator Manchin came to the White House and submitted—to the President, in person, directly—a written outline for a Build Back Better bill that was the same size and scope as the President’s framework, and covered many of the same priorities. While that framework was missing key priorities, we believed it could lead to a compromise acceptable to all. Senator Manchin promised to continue conversations in the days ahead, and to work with us to reach that common ground. If his comments on FOX and written statement indicate an end to that effort, they represent a sudden and inexplicable reversal in his position, and a breach of his commitments to the President and the Senator’s colleagues in the House and Senate.

The Biden Administration is saying that Manchin was bargaining in bad faith. In short, they called him a liar. But this is perhaps the most interesting passage of the entire statement:

Just as Senator Manchin reversed his position on Build Back Better this morning, we will continue to press him to see if he will reverse his position yet again, to honor his prior commitments and be true to his word.

The Biden White House had to keep that door open because otherwise their domestic political agenda ends today although Jonathan Chait thinks Manchin is still negotiating. Even if Chait is right it is hard to see how Biden can ever trust Manchin's word again. They have already declared Manchin not to be true to his word and have shown him to be untrustworthy. For all the trouble Manchin has caused chances are he won't run for re-election in 2024 anyway.

Unless the Biden Administration is prepared to offer Manchin a tanker full of federal money or persuade a Republican Senator to go rogue (which is highly unlikely) then BBB is dead and done. Which means Biden will have to spend between now and midterm elections trying to implement BBB in a piecemeal fashion (which is also highly unlikely because it would likely not pass without reconciliation) while selling the hell out of the American Rescue Plan, the Infrastructure Bill and the vaccine rollout. Amid all this we still have Donald Trump and numerous Republican officials unwilling to acknowledge that Biden is President of the United States in the first place. All of which explains why Americans cannot have good things.

I'm Glad The Mets Hired Buck Showalter as Their New Manager

When the New York Mets dismissed Luis Rojas as their manager, I suggested three possible successors - Dusty Baker, Joe Torre and Buck Showalter.

This afternoon, Mets owner Steve Cohen announced he had chosen Showalter and signed him to a 3-year contract.

Showalter comes to Queens with 20 years with MLB managerial experience under his belt with the New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles. Now it's true that Showalter has never won a World Series and has only made the post-season five times. He last managed in 2018 when the Orioles went a franchise worst 47-115. 

But Showalter can handle New York and he can handle the monumental personalities in that clubhouse - Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom, Starling Marte, Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso. The Mets are one of those teams that require a veteran manager who can lay down the law and Showalter is the perfect fit. 

Obviously there will be a great deal of pressure to bear to Mets to win under Showalter and with all the off-season acquisitions they have made they might need to win it all next season (barring difficulties with the MLB owners lockout). 

It won't be a cakewalk. Obviously there is the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves who have won the NL East the past three seasons. The Philadelphia Phillies came within a hair of reaching the post-season in 2021 while there have been some interesting moves made by Miami Marlins GM Kim Ng such as signing free agent Avisail Garcia while acquiring second baseman Joey Wendle from the Tampa Bay Rays and Gold Glove catcher Jacob Stallings from the Pittsburgh Pirates. At this point, only the Washington Nationals look to be in rebuild mode. 

Still, the New York Mets look a lot better than they have in a very long time and Showalter's hiring is a very good thing.

Three Points on Trump's Comments About American Jews & Israel

A week after dropping a bombshell of former President Trump saying "f*#k him" about former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli journalist Barak Ravid dropped another about TFG through an audio interview. This one concerns American Jews and Israel:

People in this country that are Jewish no longer love Israel. I'll tell you, the evangelical Christians love Israel more than the Jews in this country. It used to be that Israel had absolute power over Congress. And today I think it's the exact opposite. I've said this for a long time: The Jewish people in the United States either don't like Israel or don't care about Israel. The New York Times hates Israel, hates them. And they're Jewish people that run The New York Times — I mean, the Sulzberger family.

There are kernels of truth in some of Trump's statements, but these bits of truth are obscured by an oversaturation of hyperbolic demagoguery loaded with language which has the effect of making anti-Semitism socially acceptable. With this in mind, I have three quick points.

First, while it is true there is an increased hostility towards Israel among younger American Jews, a majority of American Jews have a strong affection for the Jewish State. 

Second, although The Squad was temporarily able to defund the Iron Dome last September, House Democrats worked to restore the funding within 48 hours. Trump's quarrel ought to be with Rand Paul who has been holding up funding in the Senate. Israel does not and never has had "absolute power" over Congress much less "owned" it. To use such incendiary language suggests Jews have undue influence in society which is Anti-Semitism 101.

Finally, it is certainly true The New York Times' coverage of Israel has been dubious whether through publishing an anti-Semitic cartoon depicting Benjamin Netanyahu as a guide dog with a Star of David neck collar leading a blind Trump wearing a yarmulke or its coverage of Hamas' missile attacks into Israel back in May and June which prompted ADL National Director Emeritus Abraham Foxman to call it "blood libel" and cancel his subscription. But for Trump to focus on "the Jewish people who run The New York Times" is unhelpful and counterproductive. For all intents and purposes, Trump essentially declared "Jews own the media." 

Now I suspect many who object to Trump's statement are perfectly happy to turn a blind eye to the anti-Semitism of Ilhan Omar or Rashida Tlaib. Perhaps it is fear of being accused of racism. Whatever the reason, if one condemns anti-Semitic rhetoric from Trump but is unwilling to condemn Democrats in Congress of the same behavior then you don't really care about anti-Semitism. Conversely, if one condemns the anti-Semitic behavior of The Squad while ignoring Trump's egregious remarks then you don't really care about anti-Semitism either. As for Trump, whether it's COVID, the 2020 election or American Jews attitudes towards Israel, his interventions invariably do more harm than good. I wish he would engage in some non-interventionism. 

Memories Drift Like Paris, Texas

 

I spent this evening at The Brattle in Harvard Square watching Paris, Texas. For those unfamiliar with the movie, it represented Harry Dean Stanton's only starring role until his final film Lucky which was released in 2016, a year before he died at the age of 91.

I'm not sure when I first saw Paris, Texas but the image of Stanton dressed in a red baseball cap, a tattered and torn suit sporting a beard and sunken eyes is an image that remains with me and I think of on a semi-regular basis. Stanton plays a drifter named Travis Henderson who has gone silent and appears to have repressed his memory. Naturally one is curious to know from what he is running and how did he get here.

Indeed, Travis' brother Walt (played by the recently departed Dean Stockwell) tries to get to the bottom of those very questions without success as he takes him from the barren landscape of Texas to the concrete jungle which surrounds Los Angeles. Walt and his wife Anne (played by French actress Aurore Clement) are raising Travis' son Hunter (played by Hunter Carson, the son of screenwriter L.M. Kit Carson and actress Karen Black). Anne and Hunter are more successful in getting Travis to gradually open up. This was Carson's film debut and he was all of 7-years old. This was clearly a child but he came off as curious without being cute or annoying. 

Aside from Travis' appearance, there is also the appearance of the American landscape - rural, urban and suburban. Much of it as ragged as Travis but somehow carries on and beneath the layers there is a hint of beauty. Directed by German filmmaker Wim Wenders, he shows an America that only an outsider could show. That landscape is augmented by the musical genius of Ry Cooder whose bleak and yet delicate arrangements make for one of the most unheralded film soundtracks of the 20th century. Paris, Texas would win the Palme d'Or at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival, but was never nominated for any Academy  Awards. Aside from acting, directing and original soundtrack, Paris, Texas ought to have been nominated for the cinematography alone. But awards are just as easily forgotten as anything else. An exceptional work of art stands the test of time - awards or no awards.

Travis and Hunter go from California to Texas in search of Jane (played by Nastassja Kinski) - Travis' ex and Hunter's mom. When Travis and Jane reunite it is Jane whose memories have drifted and who does not recognize the voice of the man who fathered her son until his quiet eloquence shares stories only he could tell and that only she knew. But for her, every man's voice sounds like Travis.

In relaying these memories, Travis knows the three of them cannot reunite. He would be in their way and history would likely repeat itself. But he brings mother and son together and with that mission accomplished he drives off into the Texas night. Where he's going is impossible to know. Perhaps that little plot of land in Paris, Texas he bought in the hope of living together as a family. But most likely some other place preferably one, as Sam Shepard put it, without language or streets. 

I must admit that as much as cherish the film I didn't remember much of it. Perhaps this is a byproduct of age. Or perhaps my memories have drifted. But this is not an entirely bad thing because while some parts of the film are deeply ingrained other parts are like watching a whole new experience and getting something out of it. Hopefully this memory won't drift away so easily.