by John Walters

Starting Five

The Process Is Real

In L.A., Joel Embiid puts in a career-high 46 points as the Sixers defeat the Los Angeles Lakers, 115-109. Embiid, the most astounding 7-footer to wear “PHILA” across his chest since Wilt Chamberlain, also grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds.

Lonzo Ball shot 1-9 and 0-6 from beyond the arc, finishing with 2 points. He attempted no free throws. Maybe….maybe?….he would have been better off remaining at UCLA (providing mentoring for little brother LiAngelo).

2. Donald Wins The Day

 

To the three UCLA basketball players I say: You’re welcome, go out and give a big Thank You to President Xi Jinping of China who made…..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 16, 2017

Y’all know how we feel about 45 and The Worst Wing, but he definitely won the day on Twitter yesterday with his UCLA 3 tweets. A few things:

 

Do you think the three UCLA Basketball Players will say thank you President Trump? They were headed for 10 years in jail!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2017

1. That first Kirk Herbstreit-inspired “You should be thanking me” tweet was pure gold, but it also served to distract folks from his tweet of the previous evening when he offered T&P to Sutherland Springs, when that day’s mass shooting was at Tehama Ranch (in fairness, who can keep up?).
2. What Trump did was a generous thing, but was it a good thing? We don’t think so. All it reinforced is that fame is a privilege that allows people to obviate the law and/or accountability. Just like wealth. The rest of us are sitting in that jail cell for a year.
3. Here’s hoping that UCLA, which has announced the trio’s “indefinite” suspensions, suspends them for the entire season. If they want to leave, good riddance. They didn’t just rip off one store, they ripped off three. This wasn’t a clutch-and-go. It was a spree.
4. A few reasons I’m no fan of “The Six”: co-host Michael Smith assured us that the players had “learned their lesson” (oh, you know that?) and then asserted they were being used as political props (in actuality, they were able to use the political system for amnesty). Also, Jemele Hill mispronounced it as “Mar-KAY-zi.” We’ve always known our pal as Arash Mar-KAH-zi. If we’re wrong, let us know, buddy.
   

   Under Armour beats Under House Arrest

3. In Painting News….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FvFjyAwHxI

Two painting items in one morning? Why, yes! First, Deadpool 2 had a clever idea for a trailer, with Ryan Reynolds paying tribute to the late Bob Ross‘ old PBS show, “The Joy of Painting.”

Later, a Leonardo Da Vinci original, “Salvator Mundi” (Savior of the World; thanks, Mr. Brennan), sold for a whopping record price of $450 million at auction. That’s more than two times as much the previous record for a painting sold at auction (a Picasso that fetched $179 million just two years ago). No word yet on whether that price tag includes shipping and handling. Click this link so you can see the moment the auctioneer announces, “Sold!”

The painting, which is believed to have been completed in 1490, was “rediscovered” in 2005. Some experts doubt its authenticity. Imagine ponying up half a billion for a copy.

4. Less of Moore is More

Did we expect better from Roy Moore‘s attorney? Probably not, but this from Trenton Garmon was such a loud dog-whistle that it woke up my kitty cat. You almost hope that some adult in his thirties “dates” Garmon’s daughter. Almost.

5. Terror In Tampa

Forget mass murderers; serial killers are the hot retro homicidal maniacs. After all, there’s no sense of dread with mass murderers, just instantaneous panic that only lasts until you or he no longer survives. Serial killers, on the other hand, create a fog of fear that can linger over an area for weeks, months, even years (we just watched Zodiac again).

Anyway, there appears to be one of the latter on the loose in a Tampa neighborhood, where four people have been gunned down in separate incidents recently. A lead: Cops have the same man on surveillance video from two of the crimes (note: when will the quality of surveillance video be upgraded?)

Reserves

Alas, Randy Rainbow makes too much sense….again….

Music 101

Jump

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBGIgx7fHCw

This is only the second-best song from our high school years with this title (we see you, Diamond Dave). Was never a big fan of Loverboy, from the band’s name to the lead singer Mike Reno’s over-the-top headband to the song “When It’s Over.” Or maybe it’s just that they were from Calgary (no, wait, we like Canadians). This 1981 song was a turn-it-up tune at desert boondockers, though.

Remote Patrol

Banking On Bitcoin

Netflix

Yesterday morning on CNBC, David Faber said, “I need a day to learn about Bitcoin. Is there someone out there who can give us a tutorial?” As a matter of fact, yes. Last night the staff convened at MH International HQ to take in this doc, which is less than 90 minutes. Highly intriguing and highly educational. Bitcoin, at least from what we sussed out, are the good guys here.