Tag: Instagram

Republican Fuckery XIIII: Randy McNally (TN Republican Hypocrite), TX Sued for Abortion Law, & SVB Woke Accusation

No one is perfect. We all have our flaws and mistakes to recover from. But there is a difference between knowing your imperfections and pretending that they don’t exist when it is convenient.

In Tennessee, Lt. Governor Randy McNally was accused of making adult comments on the Instagram page of a younger man who is in various stages of undress (otherwise known as a thirst trap). The young man whose images he responded to is gay. These Republican hypocrites claim to be for “traditional family values“. They talk a good game, but never walk the walk.

In Texas, five women have sued the state over its abortion ban. They are suing because they believe that the ban puts their life and the lives of their fetuses at risk. These women are my heroes. They are not just standing up for themselves and their families. They are speaking for all of us who are affected by arbitrary legislation that has more to do with the beliefs of a few than reality.

And finally, one of the major headlines of the last seven days is the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank. The most disconcerting offshoots of the story are the accusations that “wokeness” was the cause of the bank’s downfall. Instead of zeroing in on the real problems that were the cause, the right once again chooses to pick the answer that suits them.

Two major points have been part of the discourse around the bank. The first is the repeal of the Dodd-Frank Act by the former guy. Like the accident in East Palestine, all of this might have been prevented had the regulations remained as is. The second is the irony that the organization received financial assistance from the federal government. However, when they wanted the government to be hands-off, they got what they wanted. They can’t have it both ways. Either there are structures in place to head off a collapse or it is the wild wild west.

Just another day in America.

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Republican Fuckery XI: MTG on a National Divorce, You Know Who Visits East Palestine, TN Anti-Drag Queen Bill, and the Rising Use of Migrant Underage Children as Labor

In the Jane Austen novel, Sense and Sensibility, Marianne Dashwood says the following:


“The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and everyday confirms my belief of the inconsistencies of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.”

I could say the same about the Republican party.

A couple of weeks ago, Marjorie Taylor Greene decreed that it is time for a national divorce. It’s happened before. It’s called the Civil War. Though it ended almost 160 years ago, some of the scars are still bloodied and raw.

At about the same time, you know who visited East Palestine. Though he talked a good game (as he usually does), he ignored the obvious (again, as he usually does). The safety regulations that he gutted while in office led to the accident. In an effort to look good to those around him, he gave out his own brand of water and McDonalds. Let’s put aside the fact that this fast food giant is not everyone’s cup of tea.

What is more important is how nothing has changed with the man. His response was akin to when he visited Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria and threw out paper towels as if they were t-shirts at a sporting event. The only thing that I have to begrudgingly admit is that I agree with him that someone from the current administration should have been there sooner.

In Tennessee, a new piece of legislation that restricts drag shows has been signed into law. In an ironic twist, an image of Governor Bill Lee dressed in drag as a young man has made its way to the press. Though this question may sound obvious, don’t they have more pressing issues to deal with? I can think of a very long list that does not include anyone who dresses in drag.

Courtesy of the Other 98%

And finally, the right is constantly railing against “illegal immigrants” and the problems they cause. And yet, they look the other way when thousands of underage migrants cross the border without an adult and are employed in inhumane conditions by major corporations. I guess child labor laws mean nothing when one’s skin is brown and you come to this country looking for a better life.

Somehow, someway, we have to get these people out of office before they destroy this nation.

The National Day of Hate is a Warning We Ignore at Our Own Peril

Red flags exist for a reason. They tell us that something is coming up that we need to pay attention to. If we choose to look away, we may not be able to prevent disaster.

Today, according to some Neo-Nazi groups, is supposed to be the National Day of Hate. As of last night, there were no specific locations or people named as targets. That does mean, however, that we should not be on our guard.

Across the country, Jewish institutions and law enforcement are on high alert.

If this is not the sign we need that antisemitism in the US (and the rest of the world in general) is right in front of our faces, then I don’t know what else needs to be said. I don’t want to be an alarmist unless it is necessary. But this is a necessity. It is akin to the Nazis burning books in the 1930s while the other nations remained silent.

Like many Americans, I was taught to believe in a nation of tolerance, equality, and understanding. While it is not all sunshine and roses, I still hold some hope that our ideals can still be achieved.

Today, that hope has faded a little. I don’t want to give in to the haters, but being afraid to go outside is a sure sign that they have won. The only way to stop them is to come together and say that they are not welcome in this country.

If they think that they have won and I will change to fit their perspective, they are wrong. I a Jew and I am proud of who I am. If you don’t like it, you know where you can go.

Republican Fuckery Part X: The Mall Shooting in TX, the Train Accident in East Palestine, The Lies That Fox News Tell & Nikki Haley is Running for President

The purpose of a democracy is to allow differing opinions to exist in one space. The point is to allow everyone to speak without fear of retribution. But once all is said and done, the hopeful end is sort of agreement.

Last week, the sound of gunfire was heard in a mall in Texas. One person was killed and three were injured. Where is Greg Abbott? I know it is foolish to ask, but it has to be said. Is so concerned about his base and his donors that the lives of ordinary Texans are secondary?

One of the major headlines of the past week was the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The long-term environmental impact of the hazardous chemicals that have seeped into the ground and the town’s water supply is unknown at this moment.

While other politicians immediately stepped forward, the state’s newest Senator, J.D. Vance took his sweet time to speak up. This makes me wonder where his priorities are. Is his focus on the voters and making sure that the regulations are in place to keep them safe and healthy? Or is he prioritizing the lies and half-truths of the Republican party?

The big revelation coming from the right over the last few days is that the good people at Fox News knew that the claim that the 2020 Presidential election was rigged is a lie. Instead of admitting to the public what they knew, they went ahead with it. Their ratings are more important than anything else.

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And finally, the opening bell of the 2024 Presidential election has been rung. Former South Carolina Governor and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley have announced that she is running for President. While on paper, she comes off as reasonable and closer to the political center than others in her party.

The problem is that the paper is far from opaque. Specifically, when she called out the 1619 Project while confusing Danielle Moodie with the project’s creator, Nikole Hannah Jones. Anyone with a brain can see that they look nothing alike.

G-d help this country if the right gets their way.

The Hotel Nantucket Book Review

When a long-term romantic relationship ends, the obvious response is grief and anger. But there is also the opportunity that comes from the unknown.

Elin Hilderbrand‘s novel, The Hotel Nantucket, was published last June. Lizbet Keaton has just broken up with her boyfriend of 15 years. The distraction from this breakup is her new job is as the general manager of the Hotel Nantucket. A century ago, it was the jewel of the island. But multiple owners and a rumored ghost have turned into a blot on the local tourist industry.

Between the new owner, London billionaire Xavier Darling and a hopeful rave review by respected Instagram reviewer Shelly Carpenter, Lizbet is hoping to turn the property around. On the surface, all seems well. But a deeper dive reveals the emotional turmoil that both the staff and the guests are going through. On top of that, the ghost of Grace, a young maid who was killed in the fire in 1922 fire stays in the hotel, watching the living and hoping to discover who killed her.

Hilderbrand does it again. I loved it, I raced through it, and couldn’t put it down. If the sign of a good book is prioritizing it over everything else, then you know it’s good. I loved the characters, I love the story, and I loved the choice of the omniscient narrator.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

The Hotel Nantucket is available wherever books are sold.

Florida Republican Fuckery II: Banning Books & Tracking Girls Periods is Priority. Saving Lives via Sensible Gun Control is Not.

When someone says who they are (specifically in politics), we should believe them. Whether we believe it or not, they hold our collective future in their hands.

The recent Republican fuckery from Florida is as follows:

There is a debate going around as to whether or not high school-age female student-athletes should be required to provide details about their menstrual cycles. Aside from the anti-transgender laws, the consequences of the potential loss of a woman’s right to privacy cannot be ignored. Whether it is a question of the ending of an unintended pregnancy or forced birth (a la The Handmaid’s Tale), we should not be looking away.

Adding insult to injury, teachers in the state are being forced to make a choice that no educator should be forced into. They can either remove books from their shelf/curriculum that have been labeled as “woke”. If they choose to ignore the law, they face a possible jail sentence of five years. And then, there is the proposed legislation to allow anyone to buy a gun without requiring permits.

I don’t know about you, but DeSantis’s priorities are seriously screwed up.

I am going to end this post with two Instagram posts from Danielle Moodie (co-host of The New Abnormal podcast) and actor Leslie Jones.

Warning: Moodie is not above using the F-Bomb.

Thoughts On Whoopi Goldberg’s Hamas Comment and Netflix’s Farha

There are two ways to view history: the fact as we know them to be and how the information is twisted to represent a certain perspective.

Just before Thanksgiving, The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg said the following about Hamas and the Taliban being labeled as terrorist organizations.

“Depends who you talk to”

This was in response to Ilhan Omar potentially being removed from her committees by the Republican leadership in January. Now granted, this is a partisan proposal that is deeply problematic, but Goldberg’s comments are also problematic.

Both Hamas and the Taliban (as anyone with a brain would recognize), are known terrorist groups. If the only way to create their ideal world is to destroy and kill, so be it. The Hamas Charter goes so far as to say it in black and white.

“Which calls for the destruction of the State of Israel, and would not
become a purely political movement, but quite the opposite, it would continue its policy of “resistance”.

The conflict with Israeli is religious and political: The Palestinian problem is a religious-political Muslim problem and the conflict with Israel is between Muslims and the Jewish “infidels.”

Goldberg seems to be an intelligent and capable woman. She would have lasted this long in Hollywood without a brain. But in making this comment, she has proven herself to be ignorant.

One of the newest films to be released on Netflix is Farha. It is supposed to dramatize the event known as “Nakba“. This is the lie that in 1948, Israel murdered and forced out hundreds of thousands of Arab Palestinians.

In any war, there is violence, there is death, and there is destruction. It is the nature of the beast. Nakba never happened. It was a story concocted to make the Israelis appear the Goliath to the Palestinian‘s David. The problem is that this fiction has continued to enable anti-semitism and has killed multiple generations on both sides.

Every time I read or see something about this, I get sick to my stomach. When I was very young, I was told the story about the ripple in the bond. As it got bigger, it spread. The same could be said for anti-semitism.

The only way to counter this hate is with love and acceptance. But first, we have to be willing to see one another as human beings.

Enjoy your evening.

RIP Leslie Jordan

If you knew that your life was to end tomorrow, who would you call? What would you do?

Leslie Jordan died earlier today in a car accident. He was 67. He is best remembered for playing Beverly Leslie, Karen Walker‘s (Megan Mullally) frenemy on Will and Grace.

From this fan’s perspective, Jordan was one of the most beloved recurring actors in the how. His bits with Mullally are nothing short of perfect.

During the early days of the pandemic, his Instagram account was one of the brighter spots in what was a dark and confusing time.

May his memory be a blessing. Z”l.

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Not Okay Movie Review

Social media is a wonderful thing. It connects us with like-minded individuals and opens the door to meeting people that we wouldn’t meet otherwise. The problem, however, with it is that it often creates an image that may not reflect reality.

The new Hulu movie, Not Okay, takes on this concept. Danni (Zoe Deutsch) is an NYC-based wannabe writer whose romantic and social life, in addition to her career is in the toilet. Adding insult to injury, she has zero Instagram followers.

Faking a trip to Paris, she suddenly has the attention she has been wanting. That attention grows tenfold after a terrorist attack. Danni has to pretend that she survived it. Labeled a hero upon her “return” home, she becomes friends with Rowan (Mia Isaac). Rowan is a young woman who is a true survivor. While dealing with her own trauma, she is trying to create a better world. She also attracts the attention of her long-time crush, Colin (Dylan O’Brien).

The facade has to be come down eventually. When it does, the fallout is spectacular and reveals the truth of our current-day culture.

I really liked this movie. It speaks to the need for approbation via the Internet and the truth that this approval is not always real. Though it took a little too long to get to the end, it was overall, an enjoyable film. I also enjoyed Danni as a character. Though she is inherently unlikeable, I still wanted to follow her story.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Not Okay is available for steaming on Hulu.

The Redhead of Auschwitz: A True Story Book Review

To be the descendent of a Holocaust survivor is to grow up with a trauma that stretches well beyond the first generation. They have a unique responsibility to tell the stories of their loved ones that sometimes feel more pressing than those of us whose direct families were out of harm’s way during the war.

The Redhead of Auschwitz: A True Story, by Nechama Birnbaum, was published at the end of last year. The book tells the story of her late grandmother, Rosie Greenstein. Though Rosie was often told that her red hair was undesirable, she believed that it was an asset. Though her family was poor, Rosie’s childhood was idyllic. Raised by her widowed mother, she dreamed of her wedding day and future husband.

That dream came crashing down in 1944. The Jews of Hungary were forced out of their homes and sent directly to Auschwitz. The only thing that is keeping her alive is her fierce spirit and the will to survive in the face of all-encompassing death.

This biography is written in such a way that every gruesome and horrific detail is hard to ignore or forget. The narrative flashes between two different time periods until the story converges: Rosie’s life before the war and her time in the death camp. What I got from the book was more than a granddaughter’s love for her grandmother. It was pride in the strength that was passed down through the generations and families that come into the world since the end of the war.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely. P.S. I also recommend following the corresponding Instagram account.

The Redhead of Auschwitz: A True Story is available wherever books are sold.

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