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- To his faithful, Steve Bannon is not a repeat criminal even though he’s been convicted of multiple offenses. To them, he is a martyr. How one gets viewed as a martyr by a bunch of people he duped out of millions of dollars demonstrates how gullible his followers are.
- Donald Trump’s historic subpoena from the House Select Committee investigating the January 6th attack reads like a laundry list of crimes and a rogue’s gallery of criminals. Its ten bullet points are all accusations of criminal activity, and all ten bullets hit their target.
- The fact that Trump kept clemency packets after his presidency shows how fragile he is. Typically, those packets appeal to a President’s humanity, his greatness, his benevolence. Trump saw those as fan letters to him, not understanding every President gets the same appeals because people are desperate.
- A pair of blue jeans from the 1800s, found in an abandoned mine, sold at auction for $87,000. Size 38 W x 32 L, showing obesity isn’t a new thing in the US.
- Members of K-Pop pop phenom BTS will serve their compulsory military service in South Korea. No bone spurs among them. (Seriously, good for them for not shirking out on their civic duty.)
- Republicans’ goal is to have everyone start GoFundMe pages for every emergency and medical expense rather than having the security of the social safety net. Imagine after Hurricane Ian if 300,000 Floridians had to crowdfund their home recoveries AND pay medical bills.
- The state election debates held this week clearly demonstrated Republicans have no policy platforms to promote, and their only effective talking points are (1) pumping inflation, (2) creating self-victimization and (3) stoking fear. In other words, they got nothin’. If they win, they win because so many are motivated by that last point.
- Did Herschel Walker find another child this week? I’ve lost track.
- There are some people who will follow whatever they hear as the unquestionable roadmap for what they must exactly do. It might be a sales training seminar, a diet fad or a religious text. Whatever it is, they will follow it to the letter. Most others take aspects from various sources to find their solutions, making their own paths, which typically turn out better. The only things that should be done “by the book” are law enforcement and assembling Ikea bookshelves.
- New units of time: a Scaramucci (10 days), a Flynn (24 days), a JP1 (33 days), a Truss (45 days), a McFarland (3 months); a Spicer a.k.a., a Priebus (6 months); and a Bannon (7 months).
- I really was not prepared for the first news story of the season about snowfall.
- Market watch: the DJIA has gone up 8% since the beginning of the month, regaining 2,200 points from the recent low. Is Fed action working to calm financial markets fearful of a recession? Could be.
- An unwritten Constitutional right is the right to conduct QA checks on Halloween candy. I’ve exercised this right since September. Corollary to that right: Fun size bars must be eaten in pairs.
- It took me weeks to get Mrs. Jack to watch “Welcome to Wrexham.” She thought it would be a self-serving documentary by two egotistical celebrities who impose themselves on a quaint British town. After a few episodes, I asked her what she thought of it. She said it was a self-serving documentary by two egotistical celebrities who impose themselves on a quaint British town, but it was an entertaining self-serving documentary by two egotistical celebrities who impose themselves on a quaint British town.
- Have hiccups? I’ve got your cure. Seriously, I learned it from an old theatre director of mine, and it’s never failed. And this one doesn’t involve putting a plastic bag over your head.
- There are many characters who have been thrust upon us by Trump whom I would be very happy to see drop off the face of the earth. While some, like Stephen Miller, need to find justice in the fires of Hades, I’d be happy if others like Jenna Ellis and Ryan Zinke, would fade into obscurity. Unfortunately, they’re not going away.
- In the next 17 days, make sure you let people know you voted. Wear the sticker. Post on social media. Encourage others to get to the polls. No complacency. No assumptions about the outcome. DO ONE THING to get people to the polls, because the more people vote, the better Democrats typically do.
- Cap’n Crunch with Crunch Berries was my favorite childhood breakfast cereal, and that enthusiasm lasts through today. A friend’s restaurant serves a Cap’n Crunch-encrusted French toast which is fan-freakin’-tastic. A great dish that has a great nostalgic taste-memory. After the Cap’n, it was likely Trix, Count Chocula and Honey (nee Sugar) Smacks. What can I say: I was a prisoner to cereal mascots.
- And so starts about three weeks of sports indulgence: pro seasons of baseball, football, basketball and hockey all going on, with college football and soccer to supplement.
