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- Of course Taylor Swift beat Donald Trump for Time’s Person of the Year. She’s interesting. She’s creative. Unlike Trump, she helps the economy grow. Her cult isn’t set on illegally installing a cult leader. And she will have a huge influence in the polls next November. Trump is sooooo 2016.
- In canon, this is random thought #2,563.
- Norman Lear was not just an entertainment icon and genius, he was a civil rights and social issue warrior. Among the topics he dealt with: abortion on Maude; rape and antisemitism on All in the Family; divorce, women’s rights and single parenthood on One Day at a Time; and racism on Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons and virtually every series he created. (And this is in no way an exhaustive list, plus there were crossover topics.) Literally behind the scenes, he advanced civil rights causes more effectively than most who stood in front of microphones giving speeches.
- Last summer, GOP leaders told us he had irrefutable proof that the Biden family took a $10 million bribe from Ukraine. Now we’re down to three car payments from father to son. Republicans are thoroughly unserious people.
- This is actually the 154th RtF in canon. One happened before the regular Friday column started. Three snuck in unnoticed thanks to duplicate numbering. And that causes another coincidence: this long weekend is, in fact, the third anniversary of the precursor to the Friday column: December 11, 2020’s Random Thoughts on a Friday Night.
- Yeah, a dictator–but only on Day One… because historically dictators have voluntarily ceded back the power they’ve seized from the people they oppress. The truly sad thing is his cult believes him, and they’d believe him if he just continued to say he’d restore the rights “in two weeks.”
- About 7% of RtFs have hidden themes in them and given that no one mentioned them in the comments I read, I think all but two of them are still undiscovered. (I recall the “sandwich” theme was spotted, but I can’t remember the specific second one someone mentioned; I’ll leave the commenter to post if they remember.) And I even included a clue when that week’s RtF has a theme, if you know where to look.
- Frankly, I’m shocked Kevin McCarthy stayed around as long as he did after he was ousted. As soon as he lost the gavel, I figured he would just schedule his portrait induction ceremony and dash.
- Now with just a two-seat majority in the House, Preacher Johnson must ensure that all members are available to vote every day: no extended absences for medical, family or political reasons. Under the “single member vacate motion” in the House rules thanks to Gaetz, should three Republicans miss a session due to family issues or medical emergencies, Dems can call for a floor vote to oust Johnson and could install Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker. This is how tenuous the GOP lead is.
- Coincidentally, fifteen years ago tonight at this very hour, I gave up a vice I no longer need, while sitting with a man who is no longer with us, at a bar that is no longer there.
- The lack of leadership–both the people and the trait–in the GOP got spotlighted this week: the debate glowed with pettiness and incompetence. The House is in shambles again. And a court acknowledged the titular leader of the Party is nothing but a bully.
- The first, and to date only, time a graphic was used as a random thought was earlier this year in CIII. Until now:
- There are only five hard and fast rules for RtF, all of which have evolved organically. The first is the deadline. Every other one is broken this week.
- Shortest random thought: three words. (CXV). Longest: 349. (CIX)
- People’s response to lemon Oreos was the inspiration for making this into a regular column. Not your enjoyment of them per se; your discussion of them.
- I personally don’t have a favorite single “random thought.” It’s not like trying to choose your favorite child, more like not having the capacity to remember specific ones. What I like, though, is when I hear the same comment on a late night show or a podcast later in the week. They may not have read it here, but it lets me know I’ve hit a nerve.
- Cleaning out the basement may be the best, most productive procrastination project I’ve undertaken in a long while. And the trips to the dump to remove the offending waste are duly satisfying. Like a divorce, purging the basement of broken, useless crap was cathartic. But I still don’t know how I acquired three different pre-packed backpacks equipped with four place settings for picnics complete with plates, silverware and wine glasses. Three?
- Thanks for spending parts of your Friday nights or Saturday mornings with us. This feature, and this site, only work because of the audience. Much appreciation to Spartan, and of course, great thanks to Mrs. Jack for her sacrificing Friday entertainment to let me be random.
