Quick Pick-Me-Up

Sometimes it cheers me to look at expensive things that I don't actually want.

The Government The Press Deserves

There's a lot of talk about what to do about President Trump, which makes it increasingly difficult to deny the results of the 2016 election, though I continue to try.


As I've been saying for nearly a year now, Media: Stop broadcasting lies, no matter where they come from. If they hadn't been emanating from a wealthy television personality, Trump and his made-up reality wouldn't have gotten any air time in the first place. He'd have been ignored as a lying crackpot and faded away. But that's not what happened, is it?

Now, a shout-out to Keith Olbermann. It doesn't happen often but he and I are mostly on the same page about moving forward...

http://video.gq.com/watch/the-closer-with-keith-olbermann-how-the-media-needs-to-respond-to-trump-now

And if you want to keep your head out of the sand AND keep yourself up at night, give this a read...

https://medium.com/@jakefuentes/the-immigration-ban-is-a-headfake-and-were-falling-for-it-b8910e78f0c5#.erocj0yzc

Now let's put our heads together and focus our attention on productive actions, and not waste it on outrage.

Trump's Bragadoccio

Candidate-for-President of the U.S. Donald Trump has said a lot of heinous and ridiculous things. The most recent one was about the privilege that comes with money and fame - namely, being able to grab women he wants by their genitals, whether invited or not.

The question is: Was this heinous or ridiculous?

Of course it's heinous if he really behaved this way, and he's guilty of sexual assault. But Trump is a blowhard, and much of what comes out of his mouth actually originated from another body part known for producing something other than truth. So why believe him now?

I don't think I do.

Writing is hard

Right, Melania? Right, Melania's "speechwriter"? This is why people hire writers.

Here's what gets me: Even if the person who helped Melania Trump write it didn't know she was stealing from someone else's speech, Melania knew it when she said the the words. Unless she has an amazing memory, she had to have written them down as they were said to duplicate them as she did. So, why doesn't anyone hold her responsible? At the very, very least, she is the plagiarist. She knew the words coming out of her mouth were not original but she used them anyway. Then she let her husband spend two days denying it. What a pair!

It's a start

Australia is admitting there needs more women in film and isn't afraid to do something about it...
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/screen-australia-tackles-gender-imbalance-910048

See, USA? That's not so hard!

Goodnight, Sweet Prince

I never met Prince but we had at least two things in common:
We shared a birthday (June 7), and neither of us ever saw him perform live. And now we never will.
Maybe that's part of what makes me so sad about his death. That and the fact that he was still so young and talented, and it was so unexpected. And I, like millions of other fans no doubt, am desperate to find out what killed him.

While I watch and click on any and all the updates on Prince's death, it occurs to me: What business is it of mine?

Of course it's none of my business.
 
And yet through the magic of media, we will all learn what happened, or at least what the coroner thinks happened, as if it is our God-given right. After his body receives its final examination, a report will be issued, the results of which will be made public. And though I want to know, I am not entitled to know. And the fact that we will all know anyway makes me even sadder.

More's the pity

You know who I feel kind of sorry for? Jennifer Westfeldt.

She was involved with the gorgeous, charming and funny Jon Hamm for 15+ years. Then last year they broke up. But since then, you really can't escape him. Nobody can. He does voiceovers for every product, and it seems I hear him on a commercial at least once a day. That would suck to hear my ex's voice sounding strong and seductive every stinkin' day for who knows how long.

On the bright side, she did spend  more than 15 years with Jon Hamm. Hope she took pictures.

Despicable Them

First the media made Trump's joke of a candidacy into a winning campaign by overloading us with coverage of him and no one else. Then when he chose to sit out a debate, reporters breathlessly lead with that story INSTEAD OF THE SUBSTANCE OF THE DEBATE ITSELF. Then when the other candidates finally had a chance to talk about real issues, they talked about Trump and had to defend themselves from stupid and useless questions posed by the moderators and the public. Finally, when it came time for the media to report on the debate --after they reported on Trump's boycott AND his alternative programming at a benefit for veterans --still they chose to run only sounds bites that referred to the absent Trump and the attacks on each other.

It's almost impossible to learn anything from American tv news, and it's shameful.

From the good people at Google...

"We encourage you to tell affected readers (perhaps via a blog post), that if they use a non-Google Account to follow your blog, they need to sign up for a Google Account, and re-follow your blog. With a Google Account, they’ll get blogs added to their Reading List, making it easier for them to see the latest posts and activity of the blogs they follow."

But no pressure.

Just 11 more months!

What do subjects like gun control, abortion, gay marriage and even immigration have to do with most Americans' quality of life, their financial security and the issues that will actually affect their futures?

Presidential Candidates/Blowhards: please talk about issues that means something to us!

What are your plans for creating new jobs and retraining citizens from old industries?
Will you develop a genuine foreign policy, maybe before we go to war next time?
If you want to dismantle Obamacare, what is your alternative to keep serious health problems from bankrupting otherwise responsible, hard-working Americans?

If you don't have answers to the questions above, please keep your mouths shut. Better yet, drop out of the race. AND keep your mouths shut. Thank you.

(The Female Curmudgeon paid for and approved this rant)

With apologies to Gilda Radner...

Why didn't I hear this before?

Given the esteemed journalist's much joked-about speech impediment, maybe her real name is "Barbara Ralters." That would make so much more sense!

Is it unanimous?

One thing nobody ever seems to want to be, or be perceived as, is ungrateful. As in, "I don't want to sound ungrateful, but..." There's always an explanation that's supposed to cancel out the possibility of this behavior.

Just once I'd like someone to admit, "Yes, I'm ungrateful. I sound ungrateful because I am ungrateful, and I don't care." Wouldn't that be refreshing?

Happy Halloween, everyone. Go eat too much candy!

The Cure for Identity Theft

I don't know why I didn't think of this before. You know how to ensure no one steals your personal information from the inter-webs? Confine all your confidential stuff to one of those job applications you fill out online. No one will ever see it there!

Vocabulary Words for August

These are just to sound smart and add some new words to the conversation:

perfidious - deceitful and untrustworthy
redolent - strongly reminiscent or suggestive of (something) or emitting a fragrance

They shouldn't be too difficult to work into conversation. Enjoy!

Old Saw/New Reality

Age is just a number...until it's a high number.

Anyone who tells you otherwise is full of crap. And young.

Dear news readers and writers:

When someone is killed in a car crash, don't say that person "passed away." It's super not appropriate. Can you picture that happening? No. So I really shouldn't have to tell you that.

Free-Range Irony

How could raising your children today the way children were raised 20 years ago now be considered abusive and neglectful?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3036412/Free-range-children-SEIZED-CPS-wandering-park-month-parents-guilty-neglect-refused-change-ways.html

These children wound up being abducted and traumatized by the authorities purporting to protect them.

We should compare the results of raising children to be independent to raising them to be best buds with their helicopter parents. Then we'll see who's growing up to be more secure, self-sufficient and well-adjusted!

Very old revelation

Hey, kids, you know the idea of tying a yellow ribbon around something...do you realize all our yellow, pink and black ribbon gestures actually emanated from a song? I used to think it was about a guy returning from war. It's not. It's about a guy returning from serving time in prison. 

http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/t/tony_orlando/tie_a_yellow_ribbon.html

Makes you wonder what he was serving time for.

First Profundity of 2015

They say you shouldn't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes. But after that...who are you to judge? I mean, that's a lot of trouble to go to just to pass judgement on a guy. And very unhygienic. Don't you have your own shoes?

Final thought for 2014

Wrong. Delicious and wrong.
Take a buttery croissant, some slices of creamy havarti and add...bologna.
Like I said.