Day: 06/05/2018

RDP: IF IT’S NOT FUNNY, IT’S NOT COMEDY – Marilyn Armstrong

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Ragtag Daily Prompt: SITCOM

It’s hard for me to say much about this since I don’t like most sitcoms and never did. Too much of them is based on cruelty and humiliation. These days, most of them seem to be based on foul language and just plain meanness. I’m not sure why that’s supposed to be funny. It never makes me laugh or even chuckle. It might make me leave the room and come back when it’s over.

I love comedy, but I have a bottom-line. It’s simple.

COMEDY SHOULD BE FUNNY.

If it doesn’t make me laugh, it’s not a comedy. Not a sitcom. Not a romantic comedy or any other kind. Genre notwithstanding, something that’s supposed to be funny has to make me laugh or at the very least, smile.

If I feel the need to nod off or puke, maybe someone else is finding it funny (like the producers and writers) but not me.

We watched one episode of Drew Barrymore (from whom I expected better) in “Santa Clarita Diet.” I was nauseated. I did not laugh, nor did Garry. So I asked around. At least among people I know, no one thought it was funny or mildly amusing or anything other than disgusting.

Who’s idea was that?

FOWC – WRITTEN UP IN THE PICAYUNE – Marilyn Armstrong

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Picayune – The news that money can’t buy, has been around a long time. The oldest and probably most famous one was born and is still being raised in New Orleans. They’ve got three Pulitzer prizes and many more awards for quality writing and reporting. It’s one of those names that’s been picked up by lots of people who were or looked like John Wayne.

“Saw your wanted poster in the Picayune,” he said.

Oh no! Anything but the Picayune. Everyone reads the Picayune. Or at least they did in The Old West of Hollywood. The real Picayune, actually “The Times-Picayune” is still on the market and is often lovingly referred to as the news money can’t buy.

The Times-Picayune is an American newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana, since January 25, 1837. Wikipedia

Editor: Mark Lorando
Headquarters: 365 Canal Street; New Orleans, Louisiana 70130; United States
First issue date: January 25, 1837
Format: Broadsheet
Owner: Advance Publications
Awards: Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting
Nominations: Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting, James Beard Award for Investigative Reporting

Famous, but still, not the New York Times — which, by the way, is going to be a 4-part series on Showtime. I saw the advertisement last night. We don’t get Showtime, but I figure it’ll show up on Netflix eventually. Everything else does. Or reruns, somewhere.

Mrs. Nicholson was the owner and publisher of the New Orleans Daily Picayune named after a Spanish coin called a “picayune”. She chose to name the city after her beloved newspaper. Today the paper is still published but is now called the Times-Picayune.

I’m not sure why “the Picayune” keeps buzzing around my head as something importantly Old Western. Garry says it was not the name of the paper in “Liberty Valence” or any particular movie he can think of.

The front page of The Times-Picayune of Nov. 15, 1960. (The Times-Picayune archives)

If Garry can’t name that Western, there probably wasn’t any. He is an encyclopedia of Western movie trivia, bar none. If you think you’re good, have a go at Garry and see who wins. There’s nothing he likes better than a good mental game of minor supporting character in minor westerns barely anyone can remember.

And he doesn’t look them up on Google, either. He says that’s cheating.

Somehow, for some reason, the Picayune is stuck in my head as an important Western newspaper. I’m going to have to spend some more time researching this. Does anyone have some kind of memory about this?

I’m having a bad case of “what am I missing?”

JUNE IS SQUARE – ROOF 5 – Marilyn Armstrong

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It’s that time of year again and squares are back! 

This is the main lane in the Auburn Mall. I really liked the ceiling, the way it was lit. It was a recent update to the mall. It would be more popular if you could get to it by some major road. Instead, it is in a weird corner of Auburn.

The only way I can find it is because I know I need to make a left at the Dunkin’ Donuts. If they ever move the shop — or heaven forbid, close it — no one will ever find the mall again.

Well, the theme is ROOFS (or rooves if you prefer!). Your roof can be;

A – any type, any condition, any size, and in any location.
B – it could be a shot across rooftops, of one roof like today or even a macro
C – you might prefer to spend some time under the eaves and in the attic, or enjoy the view from above as Brian has already done today.

See you tomorrow!

TRUTH VS LIES – Garry Armstrong

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“The media always lies,” she said and I cringed.

Then, I got angry. Why do people believe a president who has never told the truth about anything while failing to believe fact-based truth.

I’m not talking about “ultimate” truth or the meaning of life or faith. I’m talking about things that can be proved with evidence, science. Stuff caught on tape. Printed, heard, overheard, and to which testimony has been given.

I really hate it when I hear that cliché – “The media doesn’t tell the truth. They always lie.” It demeans all the passion and belief I put into more than 40-years as a working reporter. Moreover, it demeans the careers of so many others who give their lives in pursuit of the truth. Many, literally died in pursuit of the truth.

Photo: USA Today

I am not romanticizing my career. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve gotten it wrong. It happens when you’re covering multiple stories a day, 5 to 7 days a week. With deadlines breathing down your neck.

I always tried to clarify mistakes by accepting my culpability up front and being clear with viewers. There were many days when I hated what I had to do. Usually, it was in pursuit of a truth which would be ugly, demanding, tedious — and require a good deal of soul-searching. The truth isn’t simple, or black and white. Despite what you usually see on television or in movies about reporters, there aren’t many clear “wins.”

180-Graphic-Photographs-2-MOB-Party-04212018_036
The old days

Often, we’re lambasted for telling the truth by the same folks who call us liars. Jack Nicholson’s “You can’t handle the truth” line should be crayoned on the skulls of those who insist the media always lies. Those critics are the same pilgrims who gobble up the pablum offered by the current White House Tenant who doesn’t know what the truth is. It’s like a foreign language to him.

I fervently wish that Those People who belittle the media and law enforcement officials  spend some time, real time — like 24/7 on the streets. The real streets, not just their cozy neighborhood. They might see life closeup without any of the public relations filters. I suspect those critics would change that tune and maybe sing a different song. They might think before they speak and see our world in three-dimensions instead of whatever propaganda they accept in their biased, insulated worlds.

Finally, I’m proud of what I did for a living. For 40 plus years, I fought to tell the truth. It was a privilege!

LIFE IS ONE LONG ODDBALL – Marilyn Armstrong

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Cee’s Odd Ball Photo Challenge: June 3, 2018

The more complicated life gets, the more I yearn for some kind of simplicity. The thing is, I don’t really remember ever having a simple life unless we were on vacation. That was what the Vineyard was about, I think. It was very simple. If you stayed for a couple of weeks, you could easily forget you’d ever been anywhere else.

I’m beginning to think we really need a vacation. Probably not as much as we need an improved chimney.

Stop!

Lost Dutchman now found

A bathroom in a bookshop

Betsy Wetsy as painted by Cezanne?

SHARING MY WORLD – Marilyn Armstrong

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Share Your World – June 4, 2018

A piece of clothing from your younger childhood you still remember?

I don’t actually remember anything from childhood. I didn’t have anything special in the way of clothing. It looks just like everyone else’s clothing. Shorts. Shirts. Sneakers.

1952 – Typical childhood clothing. Not memorable

1953 – More memorable clothing

My mother made most of my clothing, so it probably was nice, but it certainly didn’t form much in the way of memories. I remember clothing from when I was a young woman, though … well … at least a few things.

Regardless of your physical fitness, coördination or agility: If you could be an athlete what would do?   Remember this is SYW, dreaming is always allowed.

Trapeze artist. I want to be a flyer!

In a car would you rather drive or be a passenger?

A passenger, absolutely. I used to like driving alone. I never enjoyed having other people commenting on my driving.

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?

What happened last week? Was then when I got hacked? Or when we went to UMass Memorial? That’s when we got the new router, right?

Coming and going

I don’t remember anything. It has been wild and crazy and I don’t know what happened, except I must have come out of it okay, because … hey … here I am.