Rod Serling is obviously famous for The Twilight Zone and that he created it and he created Thriller as well and several other shows. But what I believe is his mark on Hollywood is that he gave millions of Americans the ability and freedom to look at a world that is completely different from their reality. To escape their reality and to see a world that did not exist, to sort of paraphrase The Twilight Zone and even Knight Rider from the 1980s. To stretch people’s imagination and give people the chance to dream.
To me at least watching The Twilight Zone is like having a crazy dream that even adults can remember weeks later if not even longer than that. And in many cases a bad dream if not worst than that and when that half-hour is over, you wake up from the dream. The person or subject in that show comes back down to Earth to see that they are back to where they belong. And the viewers of that episode come back to Earth as well and return to the reality. The Twilight Zone was the ultimate break or escape from realty for millions of Americans.
I’m going to try to write this post without sounding sexist as a man, but I think especially with this day and age that will be difficult and at the very least it come off as politically incorrect, at least the political correctness Left in America. But this movie you have a women at home who thinks her husband doesn’t pay enough attention to her. Played by the hot, sexy baby-face adorable Diana Dors and her idea of marriage seems to be what she sees from John Wayne in his last movie where he’s spoiling his wife and giving her all sorts of gifts.
She’s married to a man named Micky played by the tiny, but very funny George Gobel. They make a really adorable couple, because Diana is taller than George, but has a baby’s face and her husband almost looks like a little boy next to her. Shorter and smaller than his wife. Mickey is a very busy New York advertising executive with a very big account he’s working on a tight deadline to get it done and works for a boss who only sees the green picture. The money and doesn’t want to hear about what his top ad man by being going through at home.
Mickey loves Janice and Janice loves Mickey, but Janice believes that Mickey doesn’t pay her enough attention. And sees marriage based on what she sees from Hollywood. So Mickey is left with a wife at home who already believes she doesn’t give her enough attention. And an overbearing boss at work who is putting the future of the company in the lap of Mickey. Telling him “if you don’t come through, these people who work here are going to be out of jobs and everything else”. And Mickey has to figure out how to balance these new pressure together. A wife who thinks he doesn’t love her enough and an overbearing boss who is putting the future of the company in his hands.
I’ve lost count how many times Republicans and so-called Conservatives talk about the need for federalism, state and local control, but that as long as states and locals governing what the way they approve. Doing things that they approve of. And of course they are going to make the exception that Washington is the nation’s capital and that the Federal Government, including Congress has a role in their affairs, because Washington receives federal aide to conduct its city business. But Washington is still a city, a local city with their own government. Their voters legally approved marijuana legalization and they have the right to enforce that.
Now big fat Uncle Sam who apparently doesn’t have enough to do like minding their own business and managing the affairs and business of the Federal Government, should figure out how to govern themselves and make their own big fat government work. Before they try to run someone’s else’s government and manage their affairs. It’s no secret why the U.S. Congress has approval rating somewhere around ten-percent that the Republican Party is going to own in the next Congress now controlling both the House and Senate. Because they are bunch of incompetent assholes, who see compromise as a sin and don’t know how to work with people who don’t always agree with them.
It is a good thing that out Founding Fathers, our founding Liberal set up our Federal Republic with our federal system. Perhaps they were physic and knew that big government statists in the future may try to run the entire country from Washington DC and treat the individual states like children and tell them that Uncle Sammy knows what is best for them and what they can and can’t do and how to govern themselves. If we did have a unitary system and not a federal system, and Washington State along with Colorado and now Washington DC passed their own marijuana legalization laws, big government statists in the Republican Party would try to throw out those laws as well.
At risk of sounding simplistic, there’s a reason why we live on a planet with somewhere around a hundred-eighty countries or so and not live on a planet with no countries, but with one huge central authority in charge. Because we have different populations, people’s, cultures, values and everything else all over the planet. And what works in one country or even in a block of countries, might not work somewhere else with a completely different economy, with different resources, responsibilities, threats, populations and everything else.
My point is that U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and his supporters, the social democratic-left in America lets say, have a tendency to say, “this is how it’s done in Europe with government doing so much for their people and everything else. It seems to work there and their people love it. Which is why should adopt that economic system here and do it the European way”. Apparently unaware, or ignoring the obvious facts that Europe and the states there are completely different societies. That for one thing don’t even have to worry about their own national defense, because America is responsible for it.
Americans tend to be rugged, individualist, free, wanting to be able to make their own decisions and live their own lives. And in many cases hate to have to take any public or even private charity. And when they do, they tend to see that as some type of failure and have let themselves and their families down. Europe is the complete opposite of that and if anything love taking public assistance from their government and would riot if the government were to cut their public assistance. And freak out about having to pay for their own childcare out of their pocket and not taxes and actually have to take responsibility for themselves. And this is just an example of the culture differences.
Americans figured out a long time ago, well most of us did, our Socialists are still late to this dance, or still at the door, or not even there yet, perhaps sitting out the dance that there’s a limit to what we want government to do for us. That instead we want to be free as possible to take care of us as much as possible. And then if we run into financial trouble, like being out of a job and just lost our savings as part of that result, then we would want to be able to take public assistance in the short-term until we can get ourselves back on our feet. With a good job that gives us the freedom to do those things.
That’s the main difference from a liberal democracy, a liberal society the free society that the American Founding Fathers, the Founding Liberals wanted to create for America. And in the last two-hundred plus years we’ve worked as a country to improve our society so as many Americans as possible have that freedom to manage their own lives and Europe. Which is the opposite of that where they want to be taxed to the point where no one is completely free to take care of themselves. Because they believe when they move as a national unit, they move better with no one being too rich or poor and moving together.
So when Bernie Sanders Social Democrats say that, “Europe does it this way, so should we”, they are comparing Massachusetts with Texas. What is done in Massachusetts, is not wanted in Texas and vice-versa. Both states have figured out an economic system and government that works for them. But that doesn’t mean it will work for everyone in the country. Americans like being able to have the freedom to make their own decisions and you need your money in order to do that. Europeans at least in many cases see that as selfish or materialistic and would freak out and even riot if their government’s forced them to take responsibility over their own lives. Just some of the differences between America and Europe.
Similar to River of No Return, The Misfits is a very entertaining and good movie, but certainly not a great movie. The writing is pretty cheesy even for the 1950s and early 1960s and especially for a movie that is an action/western movie. But is has a good plot and a great cast. With two women that are essentially drifters, at least in Marilyn Monroe’s case who is just recently divorced and not knowing where she is going from there. And they meet two cowboys in a diner played by Clark Gable and Eli Wallach and find that they have things in common and decide to get together.
Marilyn Monroe’s character doesn’t have a place to stay and the Clark Gable character invites her to stay with him as a guest at her ranch and she more than keeps herself busy there and does a lot of work on the cabin really, a small cabin on a decent size lot of property. And Clarks’s partner in the movie played by Eli Wallach tells him that there are available horses up to be rounded up, brought back and sold, but they need another man to do the job. And they take the girls played by Marilyn and Thelma Ritter to a rodeo to find their man and that is where they get Montgomery Clift character to help them out.
Marilyn as usual is as sweet and adorable as can be and plays someone who wouldn’t step on nat if you gave her a thousand-dollar to do so. Clark Gable plays a veteran cowboy who is exactly that living the cowboy lifestyle and making his living rounding up horses and cattle. Eli Wallach plays a very similar character as Clark and Montgomery Clift plays a drifting cowboy along for the ride just looking for work. Thelma Ritter plays Marilyn’s friend and tries to warn her about cowboys and how they live. Marilyn being somewhat lost, just looking to find her way and to be useful.
The River of No Return is certainly not a great movie. It is a good movie, an entertaining movie, a fairly well-written movie with a good cast and Marilyn Monroe looks great in the movie. This movie was also ahead of its time at least when it comes to women’s fashion. This movie takes place in the late 19th Century or early 20th Century and yet Marilyn is wearing tight Lee denim jeans in boots for about half of the movie. In an era where that was almost never seen from women. Back then women wore long dresses for the most part and nothing that showed a lot of their physical body.
Marilyn looked great in this movie, her usual hot sexy baby-face adorable sweet self. And this movie was very real to me in the sense that it wasn’t about angels and devils. Robert Mitchum plays a single father in the movie who helps out a couple on the water having trouble with their boat. The man in this couple is a criminal or crook on the run. His wife is Marilyn a sweetheart, but not someone without faults. But Mitchum is simply trying to help these people out and the guy screws them and takes his lone horse away from Mitchum and his son and his girlfriend stays behind with the man and his son. And now they are together trying to survive on the River of No Return with outlaws shooting at them.
I don’t feel any sympathy for anyone for Americans who claim to hate the dysfunction in Washington, especially in Congress, but at the same time vote for people who are responsible for that dysfunction. Its like hearing from a football player who played in the NFL for 10-15 years and now suffers from serious knee pain and always complaining about knee pain. Or the driver involved in a car accident who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and now suffers from serious back or neck pain. I mean, what do they have to complain about? They knew the consequences for the decisions they made that lived up to their injuries. And if they didn’t, they are too stupid, drunk or high a combination of all of those factors for me to give a damn about.
American voters all the time in poll after poll say they disapprove of Congress and yet they reelect the same representatives and senators to represent them. So maybe it is that American voters actually like gridlock, but if you look at poll after poll there’s clearly a feeling in the country that Congress needs to act on a series of issues for the country. Like the economy, infrastructure, immigration just to use as examples, but they elect and reelect people who don’t seem to have any interest in addressing those issues. If you want someone to do something for you and you’re talking about politics, you vote for people who are actually interested in those concerns.
If you want Gridlock, vote for Joe and Marry Gridlock running for U.S. House or Senate or reelection to one of those chambers. Because they’ll be more than happy to keep their election promises. I mean seriously how hard is it to do nothing. Even someone in Congress can figure how to do that. You don’t get action on issues by voting for inaction. I know that sounds as obvious as the Earth is round or concrete is hard or the Chicago Cubs won’t win the World Series. But apparently we have millions if not tens of millions of voters who don’t seem to understand that.
We have a lot of people in Congress, especially in the Tea Party Republican Party who are really only there for one reason. To stop President Obama from doing anything, at least anything constructive. If they actually want to do anything, it is to repeal and sit on their ass’s, another way of saying repeal and replace. So if that is what you want, you might have a hundred people on Capitol Hill who’ll do exactly that for you, which again is nothing. Again, how hard is it to do that and if you are still thinking about that, you are too dumb to follow along even for the ride. And then non wonder why what ninety-percent of the members of Congress get reelected.
But if you want people to actually do things in Congress and address your issues, whatever the issues and if you’re a Democrat or Republican, then you need to vote for the people who’ll address those issues. I know, this sounds like basic common sense, but that is a big problem with America and Congress in particular. It is not the budget deficit that is such a huge problem right now, but the common sense deficit up there. Which is why not a lot gets done up there, but why are they there in the first place? Because the voters sent them there to represent them.
“Former presidential candidate Howard Dean talks about the state of the Democratic Party, the 2016 election and much more with USA TODAY’s Susan Page.”
I’ve been somewhat reluctant to write about why the Democratic Party lost so badly, because it was an election where I don’t know how they could’ve done better considering the state of the country and with all the issues that President Obama was having to deal with and not looking good on really any of them other than perhaps Ebola. I think they could’ve used the President more, but more from behind the scenes and getting base Democrats to the polls and fundraising. Perhaps not using him with vulnerable Democrats in swing states and districts, but using him in those states perhaps at separate rallies to get Democrats to vote.
Now where I agree with Howard Dean is where he talks about message. The Republican Party didn’t have one and really hasn’t had one since 2004 when President Bush ran for reelection. Their campaign strategy was, “we know you don’t like Obama, we probably dislike him more. Vote for us and we’ll stop him. Oh by the way, the other guy voted with Obama 97% of the time”. With Democrats saying “we disagree with the President on some things as well”. But not explaining why the voted with the President so much and how those votes benefited their district or state.
What I think Democrats could’ve done was to say, “yeah the President and I agree on this and this is why and this is it benefits you Mr. and Mrs. taxpayer. And this is what I’ve done for you in Congress the last two or six years and how I’ve served you well. And oh by the, my opponent would’ve voted against you and your interests on these key issues like infrastructure, minimum wage health care, environmental protection. Which is why you should vote for me for reelection”. That wouldn’t of won back the House, but perhaps saved enough Senate seats to keep the Senate in Democratic control.
Here is sort of what the lighter more positive side of a united Republican Congress at least for Democrats, but perhaps bad for the rest of the country.
A party that now doesn’t believe in government will somehow have to govern, at least at the legislative level. That means finding ways to fund things they don’t believe in. Because the President is still a Democrat, at least until Congressional Republicans finds a way to impeach and convict President Obama. And they’ll have to work together to make anything law really. Senate Republicans will have to work with Senate Democrats at least to pass just about anything that doesn’t have to do with the budget and appropriations. Unless Harry Reid and Senate Democrats take the cynical route and say, “you know what, go ahead and pass that, we won’t stop you, we’ll just use it against you and your vulnerable members in the election.”
America will truly get to see how divided and childish the Republican Party has become. With House Speaker John Boehner and new Senate Leader Mitch McConnell playing my too dads with their Tea Party anti-government children who hate school so much and just want to stay home and play video games and eat cookies. And mess around on their smart phones. While debating among themselves, especially in the Senate about whether they should vote on nominations to government agencies that they believe shouldn’t exist in the first place, or voting to eliminate those agencies all together.
Democrats at least in Congress will get the next two-years off and be able to plan their path back to power. With House and Senate Republicans giving them boatloads of material everyday and commercials to use against them in swing districts and swing states. And I’m thinking especially in Democratic leaning states like Illinois and Pennsylvania where Senator Mark Kirk and Senator Pat Toomey who both have been in Congress for a while, will have a choice to make. Figure out how to govern and make government work with a Democratic President and risk a Tea Party primary challenge. Or go with the Tea Party and put their reelection in jeopardy against a mainstream Democrat.
The good news for Democrats, is that now they get the ten-percent or so Congressional approval rating off of their backs and put it squarely on the shoulders of the Republican Party. With a divided Congress they couldn’t do that, because they were in the Congressional Leadership controlling the Senate. Now they are essentially along for the ride with 188 or so seats in the House in the next Congress and 45-46 seats in the Senate in the next Congress. With Congressional Republicans having clear majorities and responsibility to figure out how to govern. And to figure out how to govern with members who don’t believe in government. At least when it comes to the economy. Good luck GOP! The Drudge Report: Republicans Take Senate in Mid-Term Election
The 1980s National Football League was an era of cookie-cutter stadiums, concrete hard Astroturf fields, dome stadiums especially for teams who played in cold weather cities, like Minneapolis. And it was basically the birth of the passing age in the NFL. The illegal contact rule and the new blocking rules of 1978 and new offensive-minded head coaches like Bill Walsh, Tom Flores, Joe Gibbs, Dan Reeves, Don Coryell, Joe Walton, Sam Wyche really opened up offensive football and the league has only continued to move in that direction ever since.
It was an era where the dominate Steel Curtain Pittsburgh Steelers were no more and where the Los Angeles Raiders who probably should’ve taken over for the Steelers as the new dominant team in the NFL, didn’t quite live up to that. Even though all in all they had a pretty good decade winning two Super Bowls, but 1986 or so were no longer a championship contender in the NFL. And became a franchise just trying to make the AFC Playoffs every year. And what happened was the San Francisco 49ers took that mantle instead from the Steelers. And became great team on offense and defense throughout the decade.
But what is great about football, it is not what I call arenaball, what is called arena football. As much as Roger Goodell might want to change that and turn the NFL into a total offensive league, there is still two sides of the game, offense and defense. And there were still great defensive teams and players in the 1980s. Like with Chicago Bears 46 defense led by Buddy Ryan, who took that to Philadelphia as the Eagles new head coach. And in New York with their elephant two-deep defense that the Giants played led by head coach Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick.
The 1980s was an era for the NFL where the great teams of the 1970s like the Steelers, Raiders and Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings took a step back and needed to regroup and come back in the 1990s as championship contenders again. And where new teams like the San Francisco 49ers, Redskins, New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns stepped up and either became champions or at least championship contenders. And a decade where the NFL just became more popular and more balanced. Where offenses and defenses were now treated equally under the rules. VHS Sports: NFL- The 80s Era of Excellence
“President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that Ukraine has to confront the possibility of losing its dignity or risking the loss of a key partner as it figures out how to respond to a U.S. peace proposal to end Russia-Ukraine conflict. (Produced by Elaine Carroll).” Source:Associated Press with a look at President Volodmyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. […]
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