By Kit
My last post before Christmas. What a year its been, trying to consistently write a weekly post for this site. It's been difficult, especially with schoolwork but I'm glad for the positive responses I've gotten from you folks.
Now, let's get on with the show.
Tuesday's Debate We had a debate this week. The expected (and possibly hoped for) Trump/Cruz clash did not occur. Cruz deflected from attacking Trump and Trump, interestingly, did likewise. Instead the big clashes were Bush/Trump and, the highlights for me, Cruz/Rubio.
So let's score the Top 8 Candidates.
Trump: Trump was Trump. Though slightly less than usual but still Trump with outlandish calls to kill the families of terrorists (WTF?!) and issuing proposals that, as Jon Gabriel of Ricochet once pointed out, nearly always seem to involve bigger government. He is a populist strongman with a nationalist streak in the vein of Huey Long.
He is also a clueless clown, flubbing a question on the nuclear triad. True, I didn’t know what it was but… I am not running for President of the United States.
However, he did gain a few points with me by promising not to run as an independent. For now, at least. He made He was at zero before (if not in the negatives) so it was not a huge bump. He is still at the bottom for me.
Cruz: Did ok but he made a flap, possibly fatal one (but fatal missteps are declared far more often than they occur) when he said he never supported legalization of illegals when in fact in 2013 he proposed a bill to do just that. He claims it was a poison pill but he advocated on several networks, including for some time after it failed. National Review is giving him hell on this, and, to a certain extent, Fox News as well, while his supporters are trying to craft him as some kind of Machiavellian genius —who lies to stop bills he doesn’t like.
Carson: Still not ready for primetime. Should be running for Congress. Next!
Rubio: My pick as “winner”, even though there really was not a standout winner. But I found myself leaning back to him. He took on an attack on immigration and handled it well. And, no, he did not “dodge” the immigration question, unless dodging means giving a clear and well-crafted answer that clearly outlines a position you don't like in a possibly appealing way. You can say you don't trust him, you can say you don't like his answer, but it was not evasive.
I have some problems with him, true, but he never seems off his game. He has handled himself incredibly well in the debates. He always knows his stuff. That requires some homework. In this primary system, that is sadly a huge plus. He also looked a bit older than in previous debates, where he unfortunately had a Chairman of the College Republicans look to him.
Christie: Rubbed me the wrong way. His butting in during the Rubio/Cruz debate on NSA and attacking them for “just discussing” instead of making decisions shad, to me at least, a stench of pro-executive, anti-legislature strongman Mussoliniism to it. Though it appears to have played well with most people.
Carly: Ok. Her campaign for VP continues apace. Her failed attempt to pull a Christie during one of the Rubio/Cruz clashes was rather sad.
Jeb: Had his best night but that is not saying much considering how poor his nights have been so far.
Kasich: Who? Oh, right, him. He was… there.
He kind of seemed like the Larry Gillmore of the night. He was there.
Any thoughts?
Bad Christmas Songs
First, my least favorite: “Last Christmas”, “Christmas Shoes”, “Grandma Got Run over by a Reinder”, and “Do They Know It’s Christmas” are at the top of my hate list. “Christmas Shoes” is probably my least loathed of them because I rarely heard it but, yeah, its awful. “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” is annoying and “Do They Know Its Christmas” is “LOOK AT HOW CARING WE ARE” twaddle. At least “Last Christmas” has a cheesy, 80s so-bad-its-good vibe to it, even if it is annoying.
Good songs? Pretty much any of the classics and the hymns. There are some mediocrities such as “Rock a-Round the Clock” and “All I Want For Christmas” but for the most part this season is full of good songs; “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”, “Jingle Bells”, “Silver Bells”, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”,
Your favorites? Least favorites?
Star Wars
Well Star Wars premieres tonight, I plan to see it tomorrow. Anyone who dares spoil it for me will be force-choked. But not to death. No, for death they will be tossed bound and gagged into a Sarlacc pit to be digested over the course of a thousand years.
Merry Christmas.
My last post before Christmas. What a year its been, trying to consistently write a weekly post for this site. It's been difficult, especially with schoolwork but I'm glad for the positive responses I've gotten from you folks.
Now, let's get on with the show.
Tuesday's Debate We had a debate this week. The expected (and possibly hoped for) Trump/Cruz clash did not occur. Cruz deflected from attacking Trump and Trump, interestingly, did likewise. Instead the big clashes were Bush/Trump and, the highlights for me, Cruz/Rubio.
So let's score the Top 8 Candidates.
Trump: Trump was Trump. Though slightly less than usual but still Trump with outlandish calls to kill the families of terrorists (WTF?!) and issuing proposals that, as Jon Gabriel of Ricochet once pointed out, nearly always seem to involve bigger government. He is a populist strongman with a nationalist streak in the vein of Huey Long.
He is also a clueless clown, flubbing a question on the nuclear triad. True, I didn’t know what it was but… I am not running for President of the United States.
However, he did gain a few points with me by promising not to run as an independent. For now, at least. He made He was at zero before (if not in the negatives) so it was not a huge bump. He is still at the bottom for me.
Cruz: Did ok but he made a flap, possibly fatal one (but fatal missteps are declared far more often than they occur) when he said he never supported legalization of illegals when in fact in 2013 he proposed a bill to do just that. He claims it was a poison pill but he advocated on several networks, including for some time after it failed. National Review is giving him hell on this, and, to a certain extent, Fox News as well, while his supporters are trying to craft him as some kind of Machiavellian genius —who lies to stop bills he doesn’t like.
Carson: Still not ready for primetime. Should be running for Congress. Next!
Rubio: My pick as “winner”, even though there really was not a standout winner. But I found myself leaning back to him. He took on an attack on immigration and handled it well. And, no, he did not “dodge” the immigration question, unless dodging means giving a clear and well-crafted answer that clearly outlines a position you don't like in a possibly appealing way. You can say you don't trust him, you can say you don't like his answer, but it was not evasive.
I have some problems with him, true, but he never seems off his game. He has handled himself incredibly well in the debates. He always knows his stuff. That requires some homework. In this primary system, that is sadly a huge plus. He also looked a bit older than in previous debates, where he unfortunately had a Chairman of the College Republicans look to him.
Christie: Rubbed me the wrong way. His butting in during the Rubio/Cruz debate on NSA and attacking them for “just discussing” instead of making decisions shad, to me at least, a stench of pro-executive, anti-legislature strongman Mussoliniism to it. Though it appears to have played well with most people.
Carly: Ok. Her campaign for VP continues apace. Her failed attempt to pull a Christie during one of the Rubio/Cruz clashes was rather sad.
Jeb: Had his best night but that is not saying much considering how poor his nights have been so far.
Kasich: Who? Oh, right, him. He was… there.
He kind of seemed like the Larry Gillmore of the night. He was there.
Any thoughts?
Bad Christmas Songs
First, my least favorite: “Last Christmas”, “Christmas Shoes”, “Grandma Got Run over by a Reinder”, and “Do They Know It’s Christmas” are at the top of my hate list. “Christmas Shoes” is probably my least loathed of them because I rarely heard it but, yeah, its awful. “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” is annoying and “Do They Know Its Christmas” is “LOOK AT HOW CARING WE ARE” twaddle. At least “Last Christmas” has a cheesy, 80s so-bad-its-good vibe to it, even if it is annoying.
Good songs? Pretty much any of the classics and the hymns. There are some mediocrities such as “Rock a-Round the Clock” and “All I Want For Christmas” but for the most part this season is full of good songs; “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”, “Jingle Bells”, “Silver Bells”, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”,
Your favorites? Least favorites?
Star Wars
Well Star Wars premieres tonight, I plan to see it tomorrow. Anyone who dares spoil it for me will be force-choked. But not to death. No, for death they will be tossed bound and gagged into a Sarlacc pit to be digested over the course of a thousand years.
Merry Christmas.
32 comments:
And for any members of the Jewish faith who follow this site, I hope you had a Happy Hannukah!
Thanks, and we did! Chanukah - I use the Ch" spelling - has become more of a low-key affair in recent years. Mom plugs in the electric menorah that she bought at the drugstore 20 years ago (really)... and that's about it. We were never really a religious family. And it's one of those things that's different when you're a kid with presents to unwrap. I'm sure once I have a wife and kids of my own one day, it'll be a more celebratory event.
As for Christmas music, I've always enjoyed "Winter Wonderland."
And as for the debates, I almost wish Bush were doing better (he seems relatively sane), Cruz has a face that just makes you want to punch him, and I actually kinda hope Trump gets the nomination! (Of course, morbid curiosity is not a reason to vote for someone!)
I didn't see the debates because I had something better to do such as watch snow melt or paint dry. I am getting a feeling that the race is rapidly going to be between Rubio and Cruz. Trump is flaming out to the point that Rubio and Cruz are ignoring him. Carson has lost it and all the others are sifting through the crumbs. Someone may come out of the first 2, either Christie or Kasich, maybe Bush.
I talked with someone earlier this month about Cruz. He had met and dealt with him some. Felt he was brilliant but not sure if he had a soul. I told him I am certain Hillary sold hers long ago so it would be an even race.
I like most Christmas songs especially more classical but hate, with the hate of a 1000 burning suns, "Santa Baby". I also can't stand Happy Christmas (War is Over) by Lennon. A little vomit just came up into my mouth.
I am totally seeing Star Wars!
I can't stand "Grandma Got Run Over."
I didn't see the debate, but everything I've seen suggests that Trump is finished and that his people are considering Cruz now. The illegal thing will be a problem for Cruz however.
Koshcat,
I had forgotten about "Santa Baby." That one ticks me, too.
NOTE: For some reason Kasich did not appear in the post. I fixed it so he appears in his proper place.
Koshcat - I didn't watch the debates because once again...not enough vodka in the world and fear of unleashing my uncontrollable urge to beat my head against a brick wall repeatedly.
But on a more holiday note:
My favorite religious Christmas song is "Oh Holy Night", but another is gaining dominance because I just heard it - "Mary, Did You Know?" That is a beautiful song...Peter Hollens does a breath-taking version.
If you think "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is bad, you haven't heard "Do They Know It's Christmas, 2014?" the BandAid 30-year anniversary update, where they actually take the worst parts of the song and make them worser.
However, Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" is the one that gets on my nerves. It'd be a bad song coming from anyone, but this phoned-in holiday cash-in is all the worst coming from the eminent former Beatle.
Scot the ONLY reason I would ever want Trump to get the nomination would be to see a debate between Trump and Sanders. Now THAT would be one for the ages...
But I don't want it that badly that I would wish the total destruction of the planet to get it...
Bush IS the only one who is remotely sane and Presidential looking/acting to me.
OT: I am embroiled in the most ridiculous tweet-fight with Nick Searcy including him calling me "toots" and child for questioning why he refuses to any compromise and why he insists on burning the GOP down. Fun time.
People actually say "toots"? What a sheltered life I've led.
BTW, let me get ahead of the comparisons of "Wonderful Christmastime" against John Lennon's "Happy Xmas, War is Over." Yes, Lennon's Christmas song is basically just "Imagine" for the holidays, but at the end of the day, if you can get past the idealistic hippie lyrics, they're both pretty damn good songs.
OT: I am embroiled in the most ridiculous tweet-fight with Nick Searcy
There's nothing worse than a sanctimonious true believer. Searcy being a conservative and all, this just proves that if Hollywood were to suddenly make a rightward turn, it wouldn't necessarily become a better place - it would still be bad, but in different ways. :-)
I haven't heard "toots" used since the last time I watched a Three Stooges short.
OMG! Scott, you are so right! This has been so stupid. I asked a simple question. Define one "social Marxist" to discuss and pretty much all I got back were insults to my baking skills. I am not kidding! I am not sure how they know my level of skills at baking, but not one salient issue to discuss was presented! I even set them up with discussion on Marxist immigration policy. Just got back an endless stream of baking skills insults.
BTW, my baking skills are very good. Apparently to Nick Seacy et al. Asking questions makes me a traitor to God and Country and insulting my baking skills is meant to marginalized me as a woman who should be silenced. Using terms like "Toots" and "Sweetie" don"t scare me. But you know me, so trying to marginalized me with insults just makes me laugh...
Truly disturbing how many on the right, notably the Trump supporters, have gone full scorched-earth. Yeah, 'cause it worked so well the previous two presidential elections.
I thought you handled yourself quite admirably in the face of Nick's stubborn and insulting jabs, Bev!
EP, I got my first "block" ok Twitter! I am so honored. This is for just asking what I comsidered a fairly simple question. Define " social Marxist" so we could discuss just one issue. But the baking skills issue went full bore. The really stupid thing is that I probably would have agreed with them, but they are so invested in being vague and buzzword-y that no one would engage.
Not like Nick’s a golfing buddy, but we do run in similar Hollywood conservative circles, plus he was always a fun and gracious guest on my old podcast. That said, I watch quizzically as others fall all over themselves to ingratiate themselves to earn his approval. Happened around Breitbart when he was alive, too. Guess I’m too naïve and “what you see is what you get” to ever understand the clique dynamic.
Why he felt the need to bully you, something he normally reserves when pushing back on lib cry-bullies, boggled my mind as well. Nick’s truly a 100% nice guy in his non-cyber-world personality, too, thus making your interactions with him all the more disappointing. In the event I ever decide to attend one of those conserva-circles events again, I’ll have to remember to ask him what up with that.
Ooh, I am am "boring troll" now!!!
EP - i like Nick as an actor. And I appreciate him swimming against The liberal Hollywood tide. I spent many years doing the same thing myself in the NY theatre scene. I have a really hard time with anyone who refuses to engage. I am firm believer in engaging in a raucous debate. The real problem that I have is his stubborn refusal to engage. He and his "followers" would not engage when questioned. It is stupid. As I repeatedly reiterated, we would agree most likely. BUT I will not will not slavishly agree to any issue without debate or discussion. I can get that kind of crap from HufPo or Mother Jomes. But then I am a proud contrarian. I accept nothing just because something says it is "the truth".
Hence my post this week in describing movie plot lines...perspective is a funny thing.
Oh, now I am "Gollum"...LOL.
In my best Al Molinaro, oh, Nick, Nick, Nick ...
Bev,
I'm sending you my email address via twitter.
"I will not will not slavishly agree to any issue without debate or discussion."
Good.
Unless it is on one of the awful songs I mentioned above. Then you truly are a "social Marxist."
And a horrible human being.
ScottDS,
Glad you had a happy Channukah.
Still have not seen STAR WARS.
My threat still stands.
Hey, don't I get any Chanukah love? Though I spell it "Hanukkah". Potato...patahto. Nooooo, I get branded as the "social Marxist"! BTW, can someone tell me exactly what a "social Marxist" is? Nick Seacy wouldn't tell me....even though I asked many...MANY times.
Re: Star Wars... They all die...oh, wait...that Shakespeare tragedies. Nevermind...
Bev,
"Social Marxists" are hard to describe.
You know what? Check your email.
Now I'm a "persistent boil"..,at least I'm entertained. No answer to my original question of defining one issue that is "social Marxist" so that we could discuss..,I feel like Ted Cruz when he questioned Dianne Feinstein on the Bill of Rights.
Hey everyone out there in Commentarama-land. I need your help. Finally Nick Seacy's cohorts on Twitter have relented and agree to discuss some issues rather than answering questions with senseless name calling. Nick is still doing it, which isn't playing well for him right now...
Help me with some topics
Sounds like Bernie kissed Hillary's ring again during the last debate. All he wants to do is drag Hillary further to the left.
Anthony - I particularly liked when Clinton forgot to come back after a break and made a special Hilary entrance. And when they actually made the argument that the whole war on terror was simultaneously against Islam and had nothing to do with Islam. And Clinton yammering on about working with Google to brake that encryption issue while no one questioned her own email issues. And the Hillary explaining the "quirks" in the ACA that has caused premiums and healthcare costs to soar. And Clinton yammering on about her stellar handling in Libya when no one asked about certain dead Amabassadors and others. Then Bernie railing against demonizing Muslims by Trump then tripling down on demonizing the 1%. I could go on and on...
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