Fandango’s Provocative Question #214 So what about those Oscars, eh? They have become increasingly irrelevant to many of us, especially since many of us haven’t seen any of the movies up for awards — and the ones we saw and liked… Read More ›
Government
TELEVISION, NEWTON MINOW AND THE VAST WASTELAND
“You will see a procession of game shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, violence, sadism, murder, western bad men, western good men, private eyes, gangsters, more violence, and cartoons. And endlessly, commercials — many screaming,… Read More ›
IT’S THE SAME OLD SAD STORY
Am I talking politics? Climate change? Taxes? Nope. I’m talking about the worst personal nightmare of all: THE MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRY! Since Trump changed the law about “real” identification papers, what used to be a one minute online process has… Read More ›
WHY ARE AMERICANS TERRIFIED BY SOCIALISM?
I am bewildered about American reactions to socialism. Maybe it’s because we think it’s Communism? It isn’t, you know. I spent ten years in a socialist country. The main difference was that there were many parties running candidates for the… Read More ›
TERRORISTS IN RED WHITE & BLUE
I figured it out. It took me all this time to see what has been right in front of me. Those far right-wing Republicans are not conservatives. They are not even Republicans. They are terrorists wrapped in red, white and… Read More ›
WILL I BECOME A TWITTER QUITTER?
Fandango’s Provocative Question #189 How do I feel about Elon Musk and Twitter? Well, my connection to Twitter is tenuous and my connection to Facebook is non-existent. I don’t use Tumbler or Snapchat. If there are other outlets, I don’t use… Read More ›
DESTROYING DEMOCRACY
The Real Steal by Rich Paschall Gerrymandering – The political manipulation of constituent districts to favor a political party. If you are ever wondering why a congressional district has such weird-shaped boundaries, it is likely because the party in power… Read More ›
DESTROYING JUSTICE
A Not So Supreme Decision, by Rich Paschall When the news leaked that the Supreme Court was going to overturn Roe vs Wade, it was quite a shock to the nation. Wasn’t this 1973 decision a matter of settled law?… Read More ›
ABOUT THE JANUARY 6th HEARINGS…
Fandango’s Provocative Question #177 Do you think, based upon what you’ve seen, read, or heard about the evidence presented so far by the House Select Committee, that it has, in fact, ended Donald Trump’s political career? I have no idea what… Read More ›
WE ABOLISHED BOOZE IN 1919 & NO ONE’S HAD A DRINK SINCE
Once upon a time so many years ago, Americans had national fit of self-righteousness. We decided alcohol was the root of all evil. To rectify the perceived problem, the nation rose up on its collective hind legs and passed the… Read More ›
AT THE DEEP END OF THE JURY POOL
I’ve been called to jury duty often. It’s the price you pay for voting because potential jurors are chosen from voter registrations lists. I’m sure they call us in alphabetical order, too. Our last name begins with “A” and we were called early and… Read More ›
IT CAN’T HAPPEN HERE?
Those are the fatal words. They are the equivalent of the personal “things couldn’t get any worse.” Things can always get worse. The minute you believe “it can’t happen here,” that is exactly when it happens. Here or there. For… Read More ›
SWITCHING REALITIES -TOM CURLEY
Fandango’s Flashback Friday — June 10th Ah the memories this post brings especially while the January 6th hearings are in progress. We thought Trump was merely vicious and had no respect for law. We didn’t know he was ready to stage… Read More ›
A VAST WASTELAND COMES AGAIN
The State of Television, by Rich Paschall When the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission spoke to the National Association of Broadcasters in Washington, DC, he began his speech as one might expect. He offered praise for the “noble profession”… Read More ›
MORE THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS?
Fandango’s Provocative Question #166 So. Do you figure our thoughts and prayers are working on the violence thing? Are you also sending thoughts and prayers to the children who are afraid to go to school because they might get shot? Do… Read More ›
THE RMV MIRACLE
Today a miracle occurred. I got my driver’s license. The official REAL one with the star that means I can (gasp) fly on an airplane! That I somehow managed to score a license feels miraclulous, especially because I am STILL… Read More ›
NOW THAT I’VE PROVED I’M ME, WHO DID I USED TO BE?
I did it. I got my “real” official U.S. legal driver’s license that’s an official ID. Today, I proved I’m me. It was a close call. Getting a car loan or a mortgage was far, far easier. In the process,… Read More ›
THINKING BEST IS BEST THINKING
Fandango’s Provocative Question #158 An interesting question. Because I often do my best thinking on the fly, but my best planning overnight. When and where do you do your best thinking? Why is that? I do my most intelligent thinking while… Read More ›
THIS IS WHAT THE FIGHT OVER VOTER RIGHTS IS REALLY ABOUT
Don’t think this doesn’t apply to you. If it hasn’t yet, it will because these are the new Federal laws for legal ID. If you think life is crazy, it’s getting crazier. As if we didn’t have enough madness in… Read More ›
INSANITY!
I have to renew my driver’s license. I don’t need the new Federal version because we aren’t going anywhere and in theory, you can get a “standard” license that won’t let you get on an airplane after May 2023, but… Read More ›
SERENDIPITY: SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 