by John Walters
Two Titanics!
On April 11, 1912, a very big ship struck a iceberg in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on its maiden voyage. I like to think of it as the “Sail of the Century.” Anyway, 1,503 people died that night and they’ve made a few movies about the incident since and 108 years later everyone still knows what you’re talking about when you mention “Titanic.”
Remember that figure: 1,503 souls lost.
Yesterday, just another day in December of COVID-19, 3,376 Americans died due to the virus, according to worldometers.info. So that’s more than twice as many people perishing in one day as died due to Titanic.
Ah, they say, but Titanic was an avoidable disaster caused in part by man’s hubris.
Child, please.
Fleece Navidad*
*The judges stole this from @NoelCaslerComedy
This morning President Trump, having pardoned two targets of Robert Mueller’s probe and two Blackwater agents, having proposed criminal immunity for the Saudi prince responsible for Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, and having refused to sign the stimulus bill after ignoring negotiations for weeks, will fly down to Mar A Lago to host a Christmas party where all guests must pay to attend and nobody will wear masks.
Remember when Costanza was doing everything in his imagination to get the New York Yankees to fire him so that he could work for the Mets? That’s your president, people. He’s petty and cruel. If he cannot win, he’s going to take down everything that he can as he exits… while soothing his bruised ego around the company of moronic sycophants who pay $2,000 a head for the opportunity to stroke him.
Meanwhile, and this bears paying attention to: as the Trump presidency winds down, Rosemary Vrablic, the Deutsche Bank exec who oversaw all of the bank’s loans to Trump (via Russian oligarchs) is stepping down next week. In the mortal words of Steve Levy, “Get outta town!” (and avoid extradition while you can).
I do wonder how many Trumpers (and Trump family members) will be taking up residence in Russia by this time next year.
Bwrecksit
I don’t believe there are any plans for a Season 5 of The Crown, but with Liz and Phil still kicking it and Boris Johnson as PM, how can they not do this? The dramatic possibilities are simply too rich.
Johnson, the planet’s second-largest buffoon leading a supposedly western democracy, has whiffed on the coronavirus while also being an ardent supporter of Brexit (in which the UK leaves the European Union because Union Jack First!).
Meanwhile, hundreds of Soggy Rain Road Truckers in England are being prevented from crossing the Chunnel into France due to Brexit restrictions coupled with Covid. You see, a new strain of the virus has surfaced on the island—Trump has yet to label it the “England Virus”—leading other European nations to close their borders to all Brits. Ha ha.
So now you have a nation that longed to be isolated feeling the pangs of isolation when things aren’t going their way. And now there are shortages of produce, etc.
If only there were some 19th-century Christmas story that told of how being miserly and selfish is what actually may lead one’s own demise, as opposed to being gracious and generous. If only someone had written a story such as that, perhaps Brit leaders would have a blueprint, a template, as to how to react.
Tip Off
So, 129 years and one day after James Naismith introduced the game of basketball at the Springfield (Mass.) YMCA, the NBA launched its season. This one is a 72-game season due to Covid.
Only two games last night: The NBA mandated Golden State to travel all the way to Brooklyn to play the Nets (KD versus his former team, see?) and the borough ‘ballers won 125-99 in coach Steve Nash’s debut. Then the Battle of Los Angeles raged as the Clippers beat the defending champion Lakers.
The night’s real winner, though, Was TNT’s studio show. They remain in championship form.
***
In other sports news, BYU rocked UCF 49-23 in the Boca Raton Bowl to finish 11-1. It was 21-0 after one quarter and 35-10 at the half as Zach Wilson (26 of 34 for 425 yards and 3 TDs) put on a show. The Cougars finished the nation 5th in Scoring Offense (two schools ahead of them? Alabama and Clemson) and 4th in Scoring Defense having played a legit 12 games.
No other school finished in the Top 5 in both categories. The shame of it all is that we fans never got to see BYU play a legit Top 10 Power 5 team. Because that’s the way those who oversee the sport want it. No mavericks, please. They tarnish the brand.
Mira, Mira, On The Highway
This is funny. When fans sidle up to your car on the road to give you a shout-out and you do not realize that the driver is an Oscar-winner. I imagine the news has reached Pete by now.
Rosemary needs to not only carry an extra set of underwear with her at all times, but wash them herself…for the rest of her life. Come to think of it, she should probably also just keep moving & not stay in any one place for more than a week or two (ala Harry Potter & his best mates hiding from the Snatchers). Of course, she may think the Russkies “have her back”. Oh Rosemary, you are of no use anymore & know too much. Your ONLY hope is to run to the USA & confess all; be the star witness to TAKE THE TRUMP CRIME FAMILY DOWN & then live the rest of your sorry life in witness protection, forever washing those panties.
So jdubs, remember some weeks ago & I mentioned that one of my dog stocks (TCS) had recently shot up? Yep, you could have bought this piggie for $2 bucks as recently as May. Today, it’s at $13.50. Moooove over TSLA & Bitcoin! My, er, personal merriment is somewhat contained though because as of today, I’m still 40% in the RED. But hey, better than 92% in the gutter! Whoo-hoo! 😉