by John Walters
Starting Five
Let Her Rip
At the conclusion of Donald Trump’s State Of White America speech, House majority leader Nancy Pelosi tore up his speech. I’d like to say that while I consider Pelosi’s defiant act “inappropriate,” I am going to choose to not hold her accountable in any way for it. And I believe that she has learned her lesson.
Also, I may have been suspended from Twitter for suggesting that if it’s between Rush Limbaugh and lung cancer, I’d give the Presidential Medal of Freedom to lung cancer.
Mookie Of The Year
The Dodgers land 2019 American League MVP Mookie Betts in a trade with the Red Sox, who are no longer apparently interested in winning. Betts is 27, and pairing him with 2019 National League MVP Cody Bellinger makes the Dodgers the team to beat in the N.L., if not all of baseball this season.
The Astros remain the team to bean, but the Dodgers are the team to beat.
Saline Solution
Well, we can at least thank this white parent for demonstrating why this parents gathering in Saline, Michigan, was necessary. For the record, I have a grandfather from Italy who spoke broken English at best and a step-grandmother who never learned English. I imagine this man, who seems about my age, may have similar ancestors. Amazing how hateful Americans can become in just a generation or two.
Question Mark
Three weeks after securing a $4.3 million contractual guarantee for remaining Michigan State’s football coach through January 15, Spartan coach Mark Dantonio retires. On social media Dantonio thanks Sparty nation for helping make his dreams come true. I’ll say.
Dantonio, who finishes 114-57 in East Lansing (a perfectly on the mark .6667 win percentage), also exits one day after new NCAA allegations surface against him and his program. I’m sure it’s just a coincidence.
This Is Everything
There may be no more aptly named person on the planet than Jane Goodall. The moment here when the chimpanzee hugs her… that is everything in life worth striving for. What a stunning and beautiful moment. Give love. Give life.
Five Films: 2009
I might not have five films for this year, and yes, we should’ve waited and put The Hurt Locker in 2009. Here we go…
- The Hangover: Bradley Cooper is terrific (“I should’ve been a cop”) and of course Zach Galifianikis steals the film (“I didn’t know they gave out rings at the Holocaust”). Then there’s the unexpected touches, such as Mr. Chow or the very dirty wedding singer. Definitely a rewatchable, even though you know where Doug is.
- Inglourious Basterds: I don’t think of this as a great movie so much as a decent Tarantino film with three outstanding and tense scenes: the opening inquisition of the French farmer, the strudel scene, and the pub scene. I still don’t understand why Diane Kruger is not a bigger star. Christoph Waltz was a total unknown but he put a stranglehold on the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
- Crazy Heart: Jeff Bridges, in an Oscar-winning role, is like what Nic Cage’s Leaving Las Vegas character mighta been if only he could play the guitar. Was Kris Kristofferson too old for the role he was born to play (again)? Note: One of two great songs in this film, “The Weary Kind,” was written and performed by Ryan Bingham, which is also the name of George Clooney’s character in Up In The Air (also released this year). I actually like “Fallin’ and Flyin'” much better, and it’s a far more radio-friendly pop confection, but Oscar didn’t even nominate it cuz it’s not sad enough. Colin Farrell as Bridge’s former protege who makes it big is an unlikely likable character.
- District 9: Nothing like a little dystopia and an allegory on racism and apartheid to entertain us. This is so well done. If you haven’t seen it, trust me, it’s worth it.
- Adventureland: A sweet and poignant coming-of-age film about working at a C-list amusement park during the summer after high school. Starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart but Ryan Reynolds’ been-there-humped-that amusement park vet is worth keeping your eye on.
Never saw: “Up.” Saw-but-it-hit-too-close-to-home: “Up In The Air.”
*******
Quick Hitters: “The Joy Of Cooking Naked” is the New York Times story that will ruin your appetite… Tesla stock soars as much as $165 yesterday before crashing in the final 20 minutes of trading; it opened yesterday at $882, peaked at $968.99, and then dropped back down to $887, or $105 more than it had closed the day before. We saw a note on CNBC’s “Fast Money” that said you could have put in a call for TSLA over $900 that would’ve cost you five cents–a nickel!—and paid off $100. Which is to say that if you spent $100 on that call you’d now have $200,000. That’s rather insane, no?… Pete Buttigieg seems to have been the winner in Iowa, but then Donald Trump didn’t win in Iowa four years ago in the Republican caucus, so; it’s only just begun, folks; and like him or not, approve of his buying into the race or not, Mike Bloomberg is the candidate who will most get under Trump’s skin…
It is only February, but I’m already excited for the 2020 World Series, pitting the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
I wasn’t about to watch that SOCIOPATH spew more blatant lies & hatred but Pelosi’s ripping up his speech was FANTASTIC. That “human garbage” & the entire American Nazi Party (nee GOP) in Congress have just spent the past 2 weeks RIPPING UP THE CONSTITUTION so to me it was a “PRO” move (not to be mistaken for “quid pro quo” which is the currently trademarked by the GOP…).
Not sure how much you know about options but to clarify for the rest of MH – when the TV guys say a “nickel” for an option, you have to multiply that by 100 as that represents one call/put. So, a single call that “cost a nickel” really cost $5.00. Still, pretty cheap & you CAN make a shitload of money IF you guess not just the direction a stock will go but how quickly. Options are the “crap table” of the stock market; you CAN win big, but usually it comes up “RED” when you put all your money on black.
The medical news about Limbaugh – couldn’t happen to a more deserving individual. As for the “medal of freedom” – the Sociopath has already debased this once great honor during his WH Occupancy & this just continues the streak.
So, what’s the worst thing about Bloomberg? Since you’ve lived in NYC for 3 decades,. I figure you’d know & I know very little about the man. Still, as of now, he’s MY pick for the Dem nomination. If Sanders actually gets it, our country will no longer exist as a democratic republic as the pile of shit in the WH will win the election, possibly even without the help of the Russians. The GOP Nazis have done a good job of tainting Biden & while I know it’s crap, it’s done the job on the vast horde of fence sitters. Plus, Biden is no spring chicken. I like Warren but am absolutely against excusing all student loan debt AND except for increasing taxes of those with incomes over $500k/year, I want her hands OFF taxes on investment capital gains!
Thank you for the clarification on “nickel,” Susie B. I didn’t know how that term worked. I understand calls and puts but I don’t do options action. Maybe at a later date.
And yes, Tesla is way down today. Still up more than 10% since I advocated buying it on Monday a.m., though. It needed to come down.
Are you really suspended from Twitter?! For WHAT?! You didn’t swear or agitate for violence, how can your tweet be a “violation”? How long will the suspension last?
But, er, now that you have some time, can you whip up a little something about Bloomberg? 🙂
And even you knew TSLA had gotten too “frothy”! I’m glad you locked in some profits. I’m guessing the crazy jump on M&T was due to short sellers & the Bitcoin crowd that bought into the latter when it was over $18k ;they needed another place to lose massive amounts of money. 🙂 Now before you get all huffy, I’m not saying TSLA will be a bust, just that the stock had become “irrational” the past month. Plus, at least TSLA is NOT Bitcoin!
I guess Jack doesn’t care for my sense of humor, Susie B.
As for Mayor B. (Mike, not Pete), I thought he was great for New York City. And I’d vote for him. He ran NYC like a business, but I think he’s smart and sensible. He’s the billionaire businessman leader Trump pretends to be.
As for TSLA, funny how it went up around 19% both on Mon and Tues and is now down about 19% today. I’m fine. Still in midst of my best week in a while. Hope same for you.