To Call Last Night’s Debate a Shit Show is an Understatement

The purpose of a Presidential debate is simple. It allows both candidates to present themselves to the public. They are asked a series of questions that allows them to talk about their views and policies. At the end of the night, the voter may or may not be swayed in a specific direction, but they have at least heard the necessary information.

Last night was supposed to be the first Presidential debate. Thought calling it a shit show is an understatement, Jake Tapper put it best.

“That was a hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck,”

This was not a debate. It was verbal fisticuffs.

Though Biden was not perfect, I have to hand it to him. Other people might have jumped across the stage and let their fists do the talking. But he remained as calm as he could have been, given the circumstances.

His opponent on the other hand, was another story, The color of his face is either the result of spending hours in a tanning bed or putting on an entire case of bronzer. He proved once more than he has the temperament and maturity of schoolyard bully who refuses to see beyond number one.

If there was one answer that spoke volumes, it was his answer to the question about hate and white nationalist groups. The fact that he would not condemn them publicly is just another reason to vote for the Democratic ticket.

I’m not an undecided voter, anyone who reads this blog regularly knows that I made up my mind a long time ago. If one of the goals of last night was to convince the undecided voter, the arrow did not even get close to the target.

I hope and pray that in November, this country comes to its senses and votes this clown (as Biden put it) out of office for good.

#BidenHarris2020

P.S. Saturday Night Live is starting their new season this weekend. They more than enough material to work with.

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The Weakest Link Review

Game shows, especially trivia game shows, are a dime a dozen on television. It takes a unique program to stand out and last.

The reboot of the early aughts’ game show, The Weakest Link, premiered tonight on NBC. Hosted by Jane Lynch (taking over from the original host, Anne Robinson), the format of the program is the same as its predecessor. Eight contestants are quizzed on a variety of subjects, their goal is to be the winner and walk away with a financial prize. One by one, each one is eliminated (aka labelled The Weakest Link), until the final contestant is announced as the winner.

I loved it. The problem with some reboots and re-makes is that it is easy to copy, but the new edition is empty compared to its forerunner. That is not the case with this show. Jane Lynch is the perfect host, with just enough biting wit and smarminess to elicit a chuckle from both the audience and those in the studio.

I absolutely recommend it.

The Weakest Link airs on Tuesday night at 8:00PM on NBC.

You Know Who Paid Less Than $1000 in Taxes

We all know that we have a responsibility to pay our taxes every year. The money we pay is used to fund school, roads, hospitals, etc. In theory, your annual salary should correlate to our annual tax bill. Therefore those who make the most should have a higher tax bill and those who pay the least should have a lower tax bill.

But an idea in theory and idea in reality is two different things entirely. For example, it has been the political norm for decades that every Presidential candidate release his or her tax returns to the public. The only one who has made up excuses as to why we have not seen his taxes up to his point is you know who.

Now we know how much he paid in taxes. He paid $750.

In this case, the apple does not fall too far from the tree. According to multiple sources, his father, Fred Trump was equally good at evading the IRS.

From my perspective, this man has done nothing but lie and try to pull the wool over the eyes of the American public for four years. If his claims of wealth are true, his tax return should indicate so. The facts as I see it, indicate that the truth has been skillfully hidden. Either his income in over-inflated, or he found a way to cheat the system.

Either way, he has proven once again why he is unfit for office.

#BidenHarris2020

Thoughts On the Funeral Service for RBG

We live in a world in which antisemitism and misogynistic views still have a hold on us. But there is still hope that both can be overturned.

Last week, the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s funeral was held in Washington D.C. As I listened, my pride in her accomplishments as a Jew and a woman were just as prominent as my tears.

She is an icon for so many of us who feel marginalized and pushed aside because of who we are. Listening to Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt speak the ancient Jewish prayers, I had a feeling that in spite of the hatred that still exists, there is light and love at the end of the tunnel. We can look past labels and see each other’s humanity. We only need to open our eyes and our minds.

Though Judge Ginsburg is no longer physically with us, her legacy will last forever.

Z”l.

Confirming Amy Coney Barrett Spits on the Memory of RBG

Every generation of the feminist movement builds on previous generations. However, that does not mean that the current generation honors or remembers the work of their predecessors.

When Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away last Friday, the news sent shockwaves throughout the country. According to an interview with her granddaughter, one of the late jurist’s last wish was that her replacement not be confirmed until after the election.

It is therefore, a surprise to no one that not only was that wish ignored, but her potential replacement is politically conservative. Her name is Amy Coney Barrett. Though she has taken advantage of the opportunities that were created for her via Judge Ginsburg, she is everything that RBG was not.

Judge Barrett openly opposes abortion and marriage in the LGBTQ community. Her nomination, if confirmed, would tip the balance within the Supreme Court towards the right. In theory, the court should be apolitical. But, in reality, politics views will always play a role in the decisions that are handed down.

What is more concerning than the choice of Judge Barrett is that Judge Ginsburg is not even in the ground. As far as I am concerned, the Republicans have ignored the choices of both the voters and RBG. They are so focused on winning the election, that they have forgotten who has the power to hire and fire them.

It’s time to remind them who is in charge.

#BidenHarris2020

Thoughts on Tashlich in 2020

To say that this year has not been easy has been an understatement.

Tomorrow night starts Yom Kippur, the most important day in the Jewish year. On this day, we confess our sins and ask our heavenly creator to allow us another year of life.

But before we can make such a request, we must be honest with ourselves about our flaws and mistakes. That is where Tashlich comes in.

As I threw my bread in the water earlier today, I felt a sense of peace. Though the past can never be undone, we can learn from our mistakes. We can become better than who we were before. That I believe is the message of the High Holidays and Tashlich in particular.

May those who are fasting have an easy and peaceful fast and may we all be written in the book of life for another year.

L’Shana Tova.

Will November be a Rehash of the 2000 Presidential Election?

Those of us with a political memory can easily recall the chaos of the 2000 political election. At the time, it was considered to be an election to learn from and not repeat. But if there is one lesson I have learned over the years, it is that humanity is bound to repeat the mistakes of the past.

Four years ago, when you know who was asked if he would accept the outcome of the election if he lost, his answer was vague. This year, when asked if he would concede if he loses, his response was the following:

A legitimate democracy depends on the peaceful transfer of power from one Presidential administration to another Presidential administration. The fact that he refuses to accept even the idea of defeat tells me that we need the rule of law more than ever. We also need to vote is clown out and ensure that the American Democracy lives on for another year.

#BidenHarris2020

Enola Holmes Movie Review

Classic books were given the title of “classic” for a reason. However, that does not mean that a modern writer cannot put their own spin on the tale.

Enola Holmes premiered Wednesday on Netflix. Based on the series of books by Nancy Springer, Millie Bobby Brown stars as the title character. Raised by her widowed mother Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter), Enola receives an education that is extremely unusual for a young lady in Victorian era England. When her mother disappears, Enola’s much older brothers come home to take charge.

Her oldest brother Mycroft (Sam Claflin) is conventional in every sense of the word. Her second oldest brother, Sherlock (Henry Cavill) is more empathetic, but still concerned that his sister was not raised as she ought to have been. Before she can be sent to a school that promises to make her a proper young lady, Enola runs away to find her mother. Along the way, she meets a young aristocrat, Tewkesbury, (Louis Partridge) who is also running away and a new mystery is set at her feet.

I would categorize this movie as cute and empowering (if that makes sense). The message, I think, is the most important part of the film and feels very relevant for 2020. That being said, it is not without it’s flaws. However, it is one of those movies that is both fun to watch and an inspiration, especially for the younger female audience.

I recommend it.

Enola Holmes is available for streaming on Netflix.

Flashback Friday-Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999)

There is nothing wrong with a dumb comedy. Sometimes, we need a movie like that to help us relax after a long day. But, there is a difference between a dumb comedy that makes us laugh and a dumb comedy that is just plain dumb.

Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo premiered in 1999. Rob Schneider plays the title character. Deuce Bigalow is not exactly winning in life. Far from Herculean looks wise and trying to earn his keep by cleaning aquariums, he is not getting very far. When a male gigolo asks Deuce to watch his fish while he is on a business trip, things go wrong.

Deuce figures out that the only way to fix what has been broken is to become a male gigolo himself. It seems like a simple task, but when something seems simple, it usually isn’t.

I’ve only seen a few minutes of this movie, for good reason. It is a dumb movie in the worst way possible. Whatever opportunities it had to be genuinely funny are wasted, as was the time spent watching this film.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely not.

Manifest Character Review: Grace Stone

*For the foreseeable future, some Character Review posts may not be published every Thursday as they have in the past.

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the television series Manifest. Read at your own risk if you have not watched the show.

There is something to be said about a well written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front of us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

When tragedy strikes, we have two choices. We can either let it hold us back or find a way to move on. On Manifest, Grace Stone (Athena Karkanis) went through what no one should go through: the early loss of family. After returning home from vacation, Grace was told that her husband Ben (Josh Dallas), son Cal (Jack Messina), and sister-in-law Michaela (Melissa Roxburgh) were on a plane that went messing.

For five and a half years, Grace raised her daughter Olive (Luna Blaise) as a single mother. Doing the best she could to move on, she started seeing Danny (Daniel Sunjata). Then she heard the news that the plane had landed, everyone aboard was safe and alive. But the happy news of the reunification only complicated things.

Torn between the new life she had been building and the life she had before the flight, Grace has to make a choice. That choice leads her back to Ben, a new baby, and another chance for happiness.

To sum it up: No one goes through life without experiencing a few potholes The question is how we react to those potholes. After grieving, she responds with strength and grit, allowing her and the audience to find some sort of inner peace.

Which is why she is a memorable character.