Newsweek: Katie Couric- 'Sarah Palin's: Five Biggest Gaffes'

Source:MSN- The photo says it all. 

Source:The Daily Review 

"Former Republican nominee for Vice President Sarah Palin has made some huge gaffes during her political career. Here are the top five, including when she insisted that being able to see Russia from Alaska counted as foreign policy experience, and when she got caught reading notes off her palm."

From Newsweek

Similar to Michele Bachmann who said things like America should be less socialist like China, ( an actual Michele Bachmann quote ) it's hard to pick the five biggest gaffes that Sarah Palin has ever given. To use a sports analogy, she really is the classic case of not ready for prime time. It would be like a high baseball player even a star who gets drafted by an MLB club and is promoted to the Major Leagues the day he graduates from high school.

Before Senator John McCain ( may he always rest in piece ) nominated her for Vice President when he ran for President in 2008, she was a mayor of a very small town in Alaska and Governor of Alaska for a 18 months. And before that she worked for a very small paper in Alaska. That's a huge leap to take coming from that rural, small town background into a race for the most important office not just in America, but in the world when you're talking about the President of the United States. Ten years ago, she wasn't ready for the spotlight and ten years later, she still isn't and probably no longer wants it given how quiet she's been even with her dream candidate Donald Trump ( another political reality TV star ) as President.

But if Newsweek can put together the five biggest gaffes that Sarah Palin has ever given, I can certainly comment on some of them.

Sarah Palin: "I can see Russia from my backyard."

When she said that to Katie Couric who was then the anchor of the CBS Evening News back in 2008, Katie asked her something like what makes qualified to handle foreign policy and what experience to you have there. With Governor Palin saying that she can see Russia from her backyard. Which would be like me saying I'm qualified to do home construction because I can see a lot other homes in my neighborhood. Or saying I know my next door neighbors very well, simply because  live next door to them. Governor Palin, obviously wasn't prepared for that question by her staff or she ignored their advice.

Governor Sarah Palin, getting caught looking at the palm of her hands for answers like a high school sophomore gets caught cheating on a test that he didn't study for and looked at a cheat sheet. Again, where is the preparation that could come from having a staff who at the very least is smart enough to know that their candidate needs to know what she's talking about before she gives an interview, but also know their candidate well enough to know that she actually might be dumb and immature enough to try to pull a stupid play like that.

Calling Joe Biden, who was her opponent for the Vice Presidency old in 2008, sort of speaks for itself. Especially since her running mate John McCain ( again, always rest in peace ) was not just 72 at the time, but 6 years older than Senator Biden. Perhaps Governor Palin, hadn't had the pleasure of meeting the man who appointed her to be his Vice President, before she called Senator Biden old. I doubt that, but I just thought I would throw that out.

Sarah Palin, represents to me at least the classic case of not ready for prime time when it comes to American politics. She should've never been in that position in the first place. She was the classic Hail Mary pick by a presidential candidate in John McCain ( once again, always rest in peace ) who was not just losing the election to Barack Obama, but was probably going to lose anyway and perhaps figured if he was going to lose the election he would go out with all his bullets being shot ( except for birtherism ) and nominate a VP candidate that the Far-Right of the Republican Party would approve of. 

VH1 Legends: Jim Morrison & The Doors: The Lizard King

Source:In The Middle of The Sun- The Lizard King Jim Morrison, Live in Frankfurt, Germany in 1968. 

Source:The Action Blog 

"Here's a very rare documentary without the annoying subtitles, narrated by Henry Rollins.  I recorded it on VHS back in something like 1997, then recorded it onto a recordable DVD-R.  The tape it was oiginally on stopped working right after I burned it to DVD.  Enjoy it.  I know I did."

From In The Middle of The Sun

The Lizard King, ( which he'll always be known as, at least with me ) Jim Morrison's birthday was last Saturday, but he's The Lizard King so he gets a 4 day birthday celebration from me at least. He would've been 75 today had he not died at the age of 27 in 1971 and without his alcoholism and other drug abuse and had he lived a natural life in years he would not only probably still be alive today, but probably still performing. The Rolling Stones, same generation as The Doors are still playing. Aerosmith, same generation as The Doors and in their 70s still playing. Bruce Springsteen, same generation as well, late 60s if not already 70 is still playing. So losing Jim Morrison at 27 was a huge tragedy that still affects his fans and the broader rock industry today.

Source:John Dewey Stewart- Jim Morrison and Robby Krieger, Live at The Roadhouse in London England, in 1968 

You would have to be familiar with not just the NFL, but NFL history ( meaning you're not a Millennial, LOL ) to understand this reference, but Jim Morrison had a Gayle Sayers affect on the rock industry. He was there for such a short period of time, really only 3-4 years as an active performer before he went to Paris for good in 1970 and never came back and died in 1971. Whether he gave himself the nickname The Lizard King or someone else gave him that nickname stuck, he was The Lizard King. He moved like a lizard and you could argue even dressed like one with his snakeskin skin-tight black leather suit, cowboy boots, and concho belt. He also patent skin-tight brown leather jeans which might be more popular than is black leathers, but he didn't wear as often

Source:Ceoniric- The Lizard King Jim Morrison 

The way Jim Morrison moved and how he dressed when he moved, the way he danced, crashed to the stage he really put on a show all by himself every time he performed on stage and some could argue a sex show performing in his skin-tight leather suit almost every time he was on stage. Leather jeans especially black leathers, are popular in rock & roll today and have been really since the late 1970s and early 80s, because of The Lizard King Jim Morrison. His impact on rock & roll including blues rock, is not just because of his music and writing, but rock & roll fashion. He was the rock & roll leather cowboy whose impact on rock & roll was huge 50 years ago and still felt today and he will always be missed especially with the internet being as big as it is and people always having the ability to research Morrison and check him out.

POLITICO Magazine: U.S. Representative Jackie Speier: 'Surviving Jonestown'

Source:Politico Magazine- Reverend Jim Jones and his People's Temple in San Francisco. 

Source:The New Democrat

“Jackie Speier is a congresswoman representing California’s 14th congressional district, which includes San Francisco and the peninsula.

Excerpt from UNDAUNTED: Surviving Jonestown, Summoning Courage, and Fighting Back by Jackie Speier, reprinted under a license arrangement originating with Amazon Publishing.

Iwas 28, lying on a dusty airplane runway in the Guyanese jungle, and dying.

It was just a matter of time. Five bullets had ripped through me, devastating the right side of my body. Behind the wheel of an airplane, I waited for the shooting to stop and said my Act of Contrition, praying for forgiveness and waiting for the lights to go out.”

From POLITICO Magazine

“November marks 40 years since Jim Jones, leader of the Peoples Temple, orchestrated the mass killing of more than 900 people in the jungle of Guyana at a place he called Jonestown. Rep. Jackie Speier of California, who was there that day and details her memories of being left to die in a new book, “Undaunted,” joins TODAY to share her story.” 

Source:TODAY Show- U.S. Representative Jackie Speier (Democrat, California) on Jonestown 

From the Today Show

Almost 30 years before Jackie Speier was elected to the U.S. House herself and elected to the seat that her former boss Representative Leo Ryan represented in the San Francisco area, she was one of Representative Ryan's Congressional aides. A very young 28 year old aide who was part of Representative Ryan's Congressional delegation along with some reporters and other personal from NBC News, that were asked by constituents who had relatives that were part of Reverend Jim Jones's Jonestown in Guyana, South America. 

Anyone who is familiar with Reverend Jim Jones and his People's Temple first in San Francisco and then later in Guyana, know who they were. They were part of a left-wing religious cult, that wanted to a better life and world for themselves who believed that America was too racist, selfish, and materialistic, and wanted to create their own socialist paradise. That's what Reverend Jim Jones preached to his followers in San Francisco. What he didn't mention at all is that the number one reason why he moved his cult from San Francisco to Guyana, is that he and The People's Temple were under investigation by San Francisco authorities and perhaps were about to get raided and even arrested for physically abusing members of the cult.

Representative Ryan and his Congressional crew including Jackie Speier, along with personal from NBC News like reporter Don Harris, went down to Guyana on a fact-finding mission to find out exactly what was going on there and to talk about the people who were there. And soon find out that people there were looking to escape and wanted help escaping. Similar to how desperate prison inmates would look to escape from prison. Except the Jonestown members weren't criminals, but good and innocent people who simply fell for what Jim Jones was preaching and fell into his murderous trap. And were literally ready to risk their lives in order to escape Jonestown.

TIME Magazine: Chris Bailey: 'When Being Lazy is Actually Good For You'

Source:TIME Magazine- Good lazy?

Source:The Daily Review

I see the point that Chris Bailey is making here. He’s not arguing that people should sit on their asses and do nothing all day expect to pick up their I-Phone to order pizza or other takeout, including groceries and then sit on the couch and watch TV all day. And then after we do that for a few months, we’re now sitting on our fat lazy asses unless we run out of money and decide to become productive again and go back to work. If he was arguing that, I would have no respect for that argument.

Source:TiME Magazine- Overworked?

What Bailey is arguing here is that of course people should work and productive with their day and their time, but that we shouldn’t be consumed with those activities and make time to just chill-ax. There’s time for work and then there’s free time to do nothing that’s work and substantive. When you’re sitting on your couch watching a movie or just watching the tube, you should just be doing that. Perhaps eating as well and hanging out with your wife or husband, girlfriend or boyfriend or friends, family, but not hanging with just yourself or your people while also working, flipping through your iPhone or computer. That there’s work time and then there’s free time and that you shouldn’t combine the two.

Source:Let's Get Going- From Chris Bailey 

 I’m sort of the opposite of Chris Bailey on this, but I think I’m getting better. I work at home in my office and I write one blog article a week, but when I’m not doing that I’, doing other things that are related to my blog. Like looking for other things to blog about for the next coming weeks. updating older posts, doing research for future posts, talking to other people about what I’ve written and what I’m going to write about in the future. And as I’m doing this I got the news on as I’m working in my office to keep up with what’s going on during the day and seeing if there is anything else I should be commenting on for that day.

And then when I’m done for the day which now is around 9PM sometimes 7 nights a week, but as I said earlier I’m getting better at this and no longer working pass 11 five nights a week, I’m ready for dinner and just sitting back and watching the tube. Which is generally the news and hearing about what happened that day and what’s the most important stories for that day. What I’m working on now is once my workday is over and I’m ready for dinner is to turn off the news all together and just watch movies or classic TV, documentaries and sports that have nothing to do with what I’m working on or about to start working on. What I’m trying to do is completely separate my workday from my free nights and time in general and leave the news for the rest of the world and get back into it when I’m back at my desk the next day.

As great as new technology has been without how convenient it makes life for so many people, to also has at least two negative affects. It makes people obsessed with new technology because of how cool it is and how tied it has become to pop culture. The more you’re into new technology and the more knowledgeable you are about new tech, the cooler you are and since we have so many people obsessed with pop culture and being seen as cool and we have so many faddists in America now, we also have a lot more lazy people in the bad sense, because we have so many people that don’t think for themselves. Who are experts on the superficial like who their favorite celebrity is dating, what rehab they’re at, or why they’re in jail, what’s the latest i-Phone, when it’s coming out, what you have to do to be one of the first 5 people to purchase it so you can share that on Facebook, like you just won the lottery or something.

And because of this we have a lot of lazy people in the bad sense that they don’t think for themselves, because they’re so into to what’s the latest fad and being seen doing whatever the latest fad is and right now one of those fads is not just having the latest i-Phone, but being on it all the time. People don’t even watch football games or movies anymore without staring at their i-Phone while they’re doing that. Because they feel the need to respond to every single text when as soon as they get it, or someone else’s Facebook update or tweet, or responding to what someone else to said on their favorite social network. We have so many people who simply can’t relax, because they’re mind is always focused on several different things at one point. Even when they’re just watching a ballgame or movie, having out at their coffee house, they got multiple things going on with them at the same time.

Myself, I would like to work 8-10 hours a day or even more, but when work is over it’s really over and I don’t even feel the need to tweet a photo or plus it on Google+, or Facebook about what I’m doing after work. I would like to give up my social network habit even on my phone once I’m done with work during the day and just eat a good meal and enjoy a good movie or documentary, classic TV before I need to go to bed and be ready for the next day. It would be nice to take Saturday and Sunday completely off and not doing anything work related then, but even when I’m on vacation I actually need to be doing some work because I’m a blogger and get a lot of email. That’s just the life of a blogger and perhaps anyone who works in the media at all. But during the day, bike ride, work, and then be free at night and live the good lazy life. Not the the life of a lazy ass, which is different.

Source:Seeker: Julian Huguet- Why Laziness Can Be a Good Thing- Bad lazy?

Jas Bains: Crazy For Daisy Duke- Catherine Bach

Source:Jas Bains- Catherine Bach, the real and only Daisy Duke. 

Source:The Action Blog 

"When Dukes OF Hazzard was at the height of its' popularity, Catherine Bach who played Daisy Duke had her legs insured for one million dollars. Watch this video and see why.

Before any one complains. Yes, I know some of the scenes have been reversed, mirror image style." 

From Jas Bains

When I was growing up in the 1980s especially in the early 80s when I was just starting to watch TV and had favorite shows and everything else, The Dukes of Hazzard quickly became one of my favorite shows. I loved the General Lee and cars in general on that show. I even thought the cop cars were cool and the cars that the bad guys and gals drove were cool. I still believe Boss Hogg and Sheriff Rosco Coltrane are one of the best comedy duos in the history of Hollywood and perhaps everywhere else. Sorrel Booke and and James Best, the way they played off each other was perfect, because they just had great chemistry together. I mean when your'e talking about both comedy and action-comedy The Dukes of Hazard is for TV what Smokey and the Bandit is for movies, one of the best if not best action/comedies of all-time, as well as pure comedies of all-time.

Source:Tandj Photo Webs- Catherine Bach, at a music festival 

Even if John Schneider and Tom Wopat are never remembered for anything other than The Dukes of Hazzard and playing Bo and Luke Duke, similar to how Lynda Carter will always be remembered as Wonder Woman, they were so great together on this show that of course it's the role of their lifetimes, but that role was so great that they can't top it because of how great they were with those characters and how great they were together they don't need a bigger and better role, because they were the best at least at this genre and have no need and perhaps don't want to top Bo and Luke Duke. Watching this show every Friday night when I was 7-9 years old ( from what I remember about it ) was something I look forward to every week and a show I never missed even when John Schneider and Tom Wopat left for one reason in 1983 or 84 and were temporarily replaced.

Source:Tandj Photo Webs- Catherine Bach, at a music festival 

But there was one other character played by a certain actress that was so memorable and brought me to that show every week just to see that face, body, and to see what she was wearing, to hear that voice and to see her do something that was hot, sexy, and adorable every week. I know we're not supposed to have sexual feelings until we're in junior high at least in our early teens when we hit puberty, but I swear I had a crush on Catherine Back before I was even 10 years old.

I watched that show every week just to check her out. Loved the cars, the car chases, all the comedy and characters in that movie and The Dukes of Hazard was a better show than Wonder Woman and Catherine did have better material and people to work with than Lynda Carter, but the reasons why people watched Wonder Woman every week to see Lynda Carter and to see her kick ass, are the same reasons why people ( especially guys ) watched The Dukes of Hazard every where to watch Catherine Bach who played Daisy Duke.

Catherine is still so hot, so sexy, so adorable, great personality, wit, etc. Similar to how Michael Jordan put fans in the seats at Chicago Bulls games regardless of who the Bulls were playing, Catherine Bach had guys home on Friday nights even if they were married or had a serious girlfriends to check her out on The Dukes. And she deserves a lot of credit for that.

Biographics: Simon Whistler- Jim Jones Biography: 'Progressive to Predator'

Source:Biographics- Not very progressive, but definitely a predator. 

Source:The New Democrat 

"Jim Jones Biography: Progressive to Predator"

From Biographics

Seeing this video and today's blog post is perfect timing, because Sundance will be showing a documentary about Reverend Jim Jones this weekend which will be a two-night event. If it's not perfect timing, you can see perfect timing from there and I'll have a new blog post about that documentary in a few weeks from today. This month and this year is the 40th anniversary of the Jonestown massacre, where most of Jim Jones cult were murdered by Reverend Jones and his men in Jonestown Guyana in South America in November of 1978. Which is why you're seeing several documentaries about Jim Jones this month on cable TV.

Source:Tim The Fifth- Reverend Jim Jones 

When it comes to Socialists I think the real debate is which socialist camp do you put a Jim Jones in. Do you put in the Henry Wallace - David McReynolds - George McGovern - Bernie Sanders Democratic Socialist camp, or do you put him in the Fidel Castro - Che Guevara and others Communist camp. Pre-Jonestown and Guyana, I think Jones falls into the Democratic Socialist wing as far as what he preached and what his organization did for his community. First in Indianapolis, Indiana and later in San Francisco. Even though he did have dictatorial leanings in his San Francisco People's Temple and there were real reports of his members being abused by Jones and his men there.

Source:Bio- Reverend Jim Jones Jonestown 

By the time Jones People's Temple left from San Francisco for Guyana and built Jonestown there, he was no longer a progressive minded Democratic Socialist purely looking to escape along with his people from what they saw as American capitalism, materialism, and racism. They had a communitarian-socialist organization in Guyana where everything was shared and nothing was owned, at least by the members there. But that can be said about a lot of Communist states over the years including Cuba and North Korea. What makes Jonestown different from Scandinavia lets say or even his People's Temple in San Francisco, is the relationship between Jones and his organization in Guyana, to the people they were supposed to serve.

Reverend Jim Jones, was essentially if not completely the Communist dictator of Jonestown. The authority that he had over his people and control that he had over their lives was very similar if not exactly the authority that Fidel Castro had over his people in Cuba. Actually, Jones probably had more power over his own people in Jonestown, then Castro had in Cuba. Jones, controlled when his people went to bed and woke up, what they did during the day, what they ate, when they ate, and how much they're allowed to eat. He controlled all the information there and what his people could for for entertainment and what if any free time ( if you want to call it free ) that they had at any point at least until his leadership collapses in 1978 and people literally start escaping from Jonestown as if they're escaping from prison. What is what always happen in Communist states where people escape from their own countries, because they're tired of living in prison.

If you call yourself a Socialist, Democratic Socialist, Progressive ( if your'e terrified of the socialist labels ) Jim Jones is one of the last people you should be defending, following, and admiring. Because of the damage and horror that he brought to his people. All the people he even killed especially in that last day and the mass-suicide in Jonestown in November, 1978. I made these point before on social media when I was watching Jonestown documentaries this spring and summer. If your'e a true Democratic Socialist or Social Democrat, there are plenty of good people that you could be following instead. Like Eugene Debs, Henry Wallace, Dr. Martin L. King, George McGovern, Bernie Sanders today and others like them. Instead of following Communists who are authoritarian and even murder people that get in their way or they view as disloyal.

New York Magazine: Michael McKeever- Watch a Private Eye Fact-Check Detective Movies

Source:Vulture- NYC private detective Michael McKeever & Humphrey Bogart in The Big Sleep. 

Source:The Daily Review

This video gets off to a perfect start for me at least in the first few seconds with a clip from The Big Sleep with Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart. Because you have Slim and Bogie together in the same movie, but when I think of great movie detectives I start with The Big Sleep with Bogie playing private eye Phil Marlowe in that great film noir movie.

Source:Gifer- Slim and Bogie in The Big Sleep from 1946

Bogie plays a guy who is simply out to do his job and solve the case that he's working on and doesn't play the saint or devil in that movie, but a guy who is a lot more complicated than that who plays a no nonsense ( except for the great quips and wisecracks ) detective who is working on a case. And of course Lauren Bacall, is Lauren Bacall I would watch her driving a bus in a movie simply to watch her because she's Lauren Bacall and a chance to see her gorgeous, adorable, sharp witty self doing anything.

And I think Michael McKeever is right where he says that you can't assume the truth and that people are telling you the truth that what private eye and police detectives have in common is that they have to know what's going in the case and know about the important players and the key evidence, simply because it's their job. The detective profession is the last of the romantics and idealists where you would find people who are always looking for the best out of everyone and everything they see. Similar to reporters it's their job to know exactly what's going and make the best possible case about the case that they're working on and then to report to who they're working for whether it's a private citizen or organization or a detective lieutenant or sergeant exactly what they found out.

When I think of great movie detectives I think of Humphrey Bogart and James Caan who both played Phil  Marlowe, but in different movies. Bogie, played Marlowe in The Big Sleep and Caan played Marlowe in a not nearly as famous movie Poodle Springs from 1998. Where they both play guys who are simply out to do their jobs and aren't looking to change the world and are very unromantic with who they go about their business.

The great TV and movie private detectives go about their business and do their jobs. This is their assignment, this is the important facts and evidence, these are the important players in the case. And it's their job to find out what happened and how it happened and then report what they found out and turned up back to the people they're working for. My two favorite TV detectives are Joe Mannix ( from Mannix ) and Jim Rockford ( The Rockford Files ) for the exact same reasons.

I think the main problem with current TV private eye shows and movies is what Michael McKeever ( New York City real-life private detective ) is talking about which gets to realism. When you're talking about Hollywood they have TV shows and movies to sell and for them to do that they have to be popular and for them to be popular they have to be cool or awesome. And for that to happen their characters have to be cool or awesome with a lot of young viewers.

And for that to happen that means their shows and movies might have to look unrealistic with heavy usage of new technology, expensive style and taste, a lot of violence, the detective physically getting involved with one of the key players in the case, heavy focus on their perusal lives, etc or young hipsters won't be into the show or movie. Back in the day these shows and movies were less fashionable, but better simply because they were more believable and the actors and material was also much better.
Source:New York Magazine

Beta MAX: Thelma and Louise (1991) Starring Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis

Source:Beta MAX- Susan Sarandon as Louise and Geena Davis as Thelma , in Thelma and Louise. 

Source:The Action Blog

"1991 Thelma and Louise TV Movie Trailer"

From Beta Max

If you're familiar with the so-called me too movement and have followed that and are a fan of it, you're going to like this movie even though it came out 26 years before me too was a popular term in American English dictionary. Because a lot of what these two women ( Thelma and Louise ) go through in this movie is what me too is about. Which is essentially young women and women older than that, very attractive women as well, like Thelma and Louise and how they've been mistreated by men in their lives. In many cases by men who they trusted.

Susan Sarandon, plays Louise and plays a woman who was raped several years earlier and never reported it not even to her best friend Thelma. ( Played by Geena Davis ) Thelma, gets raped in this movie by a guy ( played by Timothy Carhart ) she met at a bar who she was hanging out with and he gets too physical for her. And they both reach a point in their lives where they're tired of being screwed especially by people they trust and just let it all out and let it all go and just screw caution because they're mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. ( Famous line from a certain great movie )

Thelma and Louise, don't start off their vacation in this movie as outlaws. They're simply looking to get away and have a great time. Thelma, gets sexually assaulted in the parking lot at the first bar they go to that night before Louise finds them and rescues here which gets out of hand and she ends up shooting the man who sexually assaulted her best friend Thelma. 

So now they're on the run because they decided not to report the crime thinking no one would believe them ( sound familiar? ) and now they're on the run in rural Arkansas. ( As if there is any other kind of Arkansas ) But it gets even better because they pick up a young guy ( played by Brad Pitt ) who gets very friendly with Thelma, but he doesn't physically assault and instead just takes all of Thelma and Louise's money. So now they're on the run with no money to support themselves.

Originally Thelma and Louise and just wanted by the state police for questioning of the shooting of the guy that Louise shot and killed outside of the bar. But when they go on the run Thelma knocks off some stores for the cash because they're out of money. So this movie turns into a cross state char chase by the state police in pursuit of Thelma and Louise. 

This is very good movie, a very relevant movie to what's going on in America with me too the last two years. A very funny movie with Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Chis MacDonald, Harvey Keitel, Steve Tobolowski, and many other great comedic actors. And a very sexy movie with Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis playing the female outlaws in the movie.  

Democratic Socialist: 'Right-Wing Socialism and The Lies of Friedrich Hayek'

Source:Democratic Socialist- Right-wing socialism is not an Oxymoron.

Source:The New Democrat 

"Rightwing Socialism and the lies of Hayek" 

From Democratic Marxist 

"An unimpeachable classic work in political philosophy, intellectual and cultural history, and economics, The Road to Serfdom has inspired and infuriated politicians, scholars, and general readers for half a century. Originally published in 1944—when Eleanor Roosevelt supported the efforts of Stalin, and Albert Einstein subscribed lock, stock, and barrel to the socialist program—The Road to Serfdom was seen as heretical for its passionate warning against the dangers of state control over the means of production. For F. A. Hayek, the collectivist idea of empowering government with increasing... 

Source:Anti-Imperialism- One of the leading voices for Libertarians 

From Amazon

Just before I get into what I believe right-wing socialism is and actually what I know it to be I just want to make a personal comment here. For all you YouTube fans and even die hards, doesn't the guy in this video sound a lot like Sargon of Akkad who also has a YouTube channel and is also British? Just thought I throw that out there.

Yes, there is such a thing as right-wing socialism and right-wing Socialists. And that might sound like calling someone a Libertarian-Communist or a Progressive-Conservative, Marxist-Anarchist, or any other two labels that you want to put together that sound as out as place as a tuxedo at a biker bar, heavy metal concert at a library, skunk at a wedding or in a church or whatever example you want to use. But there are two forms of authoritarian socialism with one being left-wing and the other being right-wing. Communism, is left-wing authoritarian socialism and nationalism whether it's Nazism or anything else is right-wing socialism.

National socialism otherwise known as Nazism is right-wing socialism that came about in Germany in the 1930s under the leadership Adolf Hitler and you don't need to be a history major or even buff to know about Hitler and what he and his movement represented.

Nazism according to Wikipedia

"National Socialism (German: Nationalsozialismus), more commonly known as Nazism (/ˈnɑːtsiɪzəm, ˈnæt-/),[1] is the ideology and practices associated with the Nazi Party – officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP) – in Nazi Germany, and of other far-right groups with similar aims.

Nazism is a form of fascism and showed that ideology's disdain for liberal democracy and the parliamentary system, but also incorporated fervent antisemitism, scientific racism, and eugenics into its creed. Its extreme nationalism came from Pan-Germanism and the Völkisch movement prominent in the German nationalism of the time, and it was strongly influenced by the anti-Communist Freikorps paramilitary groups that emerged after Germany's defeat in World War I, from which came the party's "cult of violence" which was "at the heart of the movement."[2]

Nazism subscribed to theories of racial hierarchy and Social Darwinism, identifying the Germans as a part of what the Nazis regarded as an Aryan or Nordic master race.[3] It aimed to overcome social divisions and create a German homogeneous society based on racial purity which represented a people's community (Volksgemeinschaft). The Nazis aimed to unite all Germans living in historically German territory, as well as gain additional lands for German expansion under the doctrine of Lebensraum and exclude those who they deemed either community aliens or "inferior" races.

The term "National Socialism" arose out of attempts to create a nationalist redefinition of "socialism", as an alternative to both international socialismand free market capitalism. Nazism rejected the Marxist concept of class conflict, opposed cosmopolitan internationalism and sought to convince all parts of the new German society to subordinate their personal interests to the "common good", accepting political interests as the main priority of economic organization."

Nazis ( or right-wing Socialists ) not only believed in a superior country that being Germany, but a superior people including superior race and ethnicity and believed that Germans were superior to Jews and other non-ethnic Germans in Germany and broader Europe. They were literally not just fascists, but fascist terrorists that believed that non-ethnic Germans didn't have a right to live in Germany. But it wasn't just that they hated people of other ethnicities and America Nazis hate people of other races as well, but they hated anything that liberalism and liberal democracy stood for including integration, multiculturalism, individualism, individual rights, personal freedom, private property, property rights, free speech and press, etc and unfortunately I could go on.

But we're still talking about Socialists and socialism here and they were people who hated private property, corporations, multinational corporations, the centralization of wealth, big banks, etc. They were right-wing populists, but right-wing Socialists as well. To call Adolf Hitler a Liberal or Conservative would not only be an insult to both Liberals and Conservatives since he was neither, but also evil and racist serial genocidal murderer, but it would also be an insult to facts and reality. It would be like calling Ron Paul perhaps the face of American libertarianism in America a Communist or Socialist. It would have no relation to reality, but not all Socialists are democratic and not all of them are left-wing either. Nazis and other Nationalists around the world are right-wing Socialists. Socialism has never been burley left-wing as an ideology.

Lauren Bacall: On Hollywood Marriages

Source:Lauren Bacall- Hollywood Goddess Lauren Bacall, with a great quote on Hollywood marriages 

Source:The Daily Review

"In this episode of 20th Century Style Icons, we're going to "put our lips together and blow" as we examine the never-changing signature style of legendary Lauren Bacall."

Source:The Ultimate Fashion History- Hollywood Goddess Lauren Bacall.

From The Ultimate Fashion History

Lauren Bacall's quote about marriage, pretty much sums up what Hollywood marriages ( which isn't the same thing as marriage ) are really about which is that they tend to be business arraignments and investments. That are done to promote the two people's involved career. "If Sally marries Joe or vice-versa, it could help their career and lead to bigger parts and be great publicity for them. Even if Sally and Joe met yesterday and perhaps have never heard of each other."

Which is a little extreme and I'm not implying that Hollywood marriages are Saudi marriages and prearranged and that the two people involved don't actually know each other ( at least a day in advance ) before they marry each other, but they do get advice from their handlers something to affect that if they're seen with a certain actor or actress that could help their careers. Or you'll see actors and actresses marrying directors, writers, producers, Hollywood execs in an attempt to build their careers and look better in public than they normally do.

There are marriages and romances that don't seem like Hollywood and are actually real. Kurt Russell with Goldie Hawn, is a perfect example of that. Kate Hudson, ( the daughter of Goldie Hawn ) has always seen Kurt Russell as her father and not her biological father, because Russell is the man who raised her and has been with her most of her life and they love each other. Jeff Bridges marriage to Susan Geston, they've been married since 1977.

If you see a Hollywood marriage reach double figures in years even 10, you could win an award for that perhaps end up in some museum as being part of one of the longest lasting marriages in Hollywood history. Hollywood marriages generally aren't built to last because they're not built on love and built by people who are married to just be married in many cases and there not built on love in many cases as well. And are told that if they marry this person that could lead to bigger roles in their career.

But these are just some examples of why Hollywood marriages don't tend to work out and why America has a 50% divorce rate with Hollywood being a big reason for it, but not the only one. Divorce is common in any industry where stress is a big part of that life and where the people in it value their careers really over anything else. The law profession is a perfect example of that, pro sports would be another one, politics obviously. Not just Hollywood but the entertainment industry in general like with music is another good example of that.

But also because married life can seem boring for people who are use to being seen all the time and are use to going out and not accustomed to being home even if that have kids. And are use to being around multiple men and women and are really just interested in having a good time. Married life can also hurt one's career in Hollywood especially if they're seen as somewhat wild.

And also because actors and actresses build their own brands and reputations and play characters that are very close to who they are in real life and feel the need to keep that reputation and play their Hollywood parts in real life and not just be who they are on TV and in the movies.

So Lauren Bacall's quote about divorce being about who gets the most publicity afterwords is spot on as far as what Hollywood marriages tend to actually be about.

CBS: Broken Badges- Eileen Davidson Stars

Source: Amazon- Hollywood Goddess Eileen Davidson, starring on Broken Badges. 

Source:The Action Blog

If you believe never hearing of the CBS 1990 cop drama Broken Badges makes you special, you need to take a trip back to the drawing board especially if everything else about you is normal. You try to put a fan club together for a series that would barely qualify as a mini-series when we're only talking about 10 episodes or so and you might fill up a phone booth, but leaving room for people to breathe and move inside of it.

Source: BMPR- Hollywood Goddess Eileen Davidson, perhaps wondering what's she doing on a show where one of the main characters, plays and hangs out with toy dolls 

Which is fine because unless you're a big fan of Eileen Davidson ( from the great soap opera The Young and The Restless ) or big fans of Ernie Hudson or Miguel Ferer, Charlotte Lewis even, or CBS is not only your favorite network but has been your whole life and perhaps you're the President of the CBS Fan Club and can name everything that great network has ever produced from the flops like Broken Badges to great shows like M*A*S*H and not just grew up with the network and it remained your favorite network as an adult as even a middle age adult, your'e probably not familiar with this show either.

Source: CBS- Eileen Davidson and Ernie Hudson, starring on Broken Badges 

I only got into Broken Badges myself when I started watching The Young and The Restless and Days of Our Lives several years ago when Eileen Davidson was working on both shows. And I was thinking I think I knew who she was before I started watching these shows, because I've seen her in a few other things and started looking into what she's also done, because she's great on both soaps and great to look at as well. ( And water is still wet )

Source: Mystery Files- Hollywood Goddess Eileen Davidson, starring on Broken Badges 

And started thinking about a certain b-movie that she did like in the late 1980s which of course was Easy Wheels where she plays a biker goddess who is the leader off a female biker gang. And then thinking didn't she play a tough but sexy cop on a cop show from like the late 80s or early 90s when I was in high school. That is how I got into Broken Badges myself and watched every single episode of that short lived series last weekend in preparation for this piece. Broken Badges, obviously did flopped or it wouldn't have started in late 1990 and barley made it to 1991, but there were some good things about it and it did have a good cast.

The whole premise of Broken Badges where you have the rebellious officers and detectives who had issues with rules and following them and are always in trouble with their superiors, that are lead by a detective sergeant ( played by Miguel Ferer ) who was fired by the New Orleans PD and then broth in by the Bay City ( fictional town and PD ) because he wouldn't follow department rules, regulations, take orders, thinks he smarter than everyone else, pretty much explains why this show barley qualifies as a series. This show would've been suited if it was based on a private detective agency where the detectives are all ex-cops who are talented but fired by their department for breaking the rules, that are brought in by a guy starting his own new detective agency after he was fired from his department.

But a lot of pilots fail and perhaps most do, but that doesn't mean they're complete failures if they have good casts that were good on those pilots and become stars later on and the failed pilots that they were part of become like jumpstarts for their careers. Easy Wheels and Broken Badges, didn't make Eileen Davidson, Ernie Hudson, Miguel Ferer, or Charlotte Lewis stars. Hudson and Ferer, were already somewhat known from shows and movies from earlier in their careers. Hudson, with Ghostbusters and Ferer with Robocop. And Broken Badges allowed for Eileen Davidson to be on network TV and be seen which lead to other and much better roles for her.

Just to talk about Officer Bullet ( played by Eileen Davidson ) she plays this very tough and yet sexy, gorgeous, very cute even. What would be called a vice detective where she goes undercover a lot and works with dangerous people that would kill her if they discovered she was a cop. And she's doing this work with a look of a badass biker chick very similar to Easy Wheels which came out right before Broken Badges went on the air in 1990. She's always wearing this sexy black leather biker jacket , blue Levi's jeans, black western boots, and there are a few scenes where she's wearing black leather chaps over her blue Levi's denim jeans. And she's kicking ass in the movie a lot but always kicking bad guys ass, because of course her character is addicted to danger as the background of her character says. Eileen Davidson, is all the reason I need to watch this show and it also has a lot good humor and funny scenes in it as well.
Source:CBS

TruthDig: Scott Tucker: 'David McReynolds- Pacifist and Socialist, 1929-2018'

Source:TruthDig- Democratic Socialist activist David McReynolds, speaking at The Left Forum in 2009.

Source:The New Democrat 

"David McReynolds was born in Los Angeles during the week of the stock market crash of 1929, a signal event in the Great Depression that would follow. His father was a devout Christian, who McReynolds thought would have been happier as a minister. Instead, McReynolds’ father became a salesman, and the toll this job took on the family was one reason McReynolds became a socialist. He thought we all deserve more happiness in our working lives, but that this would only be possible under a truly social economy.

McReynolds died this month after suffering a fall in his small New York City apartment, where he was discovered unconscious and badly dehydrated. His apartment was such a warren of books and files, piled up on the furniture, that he often moved them into the bathtub so his guests could be seated. His disorderly papers deserve an orderly archive, and this effort is underway.

McReynolds was charming, ornery, all too human. He had a gift for conciliation and attempted to draw the democratic left toward greater unity, though he also joined in the polemical arguments of his time. The grudges he held tended to be political, not personal, and he paid the price of his honesty to the end of his life. He had requested the songs of Bessie Smith and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony for his memorial, musical bookends for any remembrances between." 

From Truth Dig 

"We continue our look back at the life and legacy of longtime pacifist and socialist David McReynolds, who died Friday at the age of 88. He was staff member with the War Resisters League from 1960 to 1999, where he focused on counter-recruitment and helped organize one of the first draft card burnings. He went on to play a key role in some of major demonstrations against the Vietnam War and campaign for nuclear disarmament. McReynolds ran for president in 1980 and 2000 as an openly gay man. We speak with two of his close friends. Ed Hedemann worked with McReynolds for decades at the War Resisters League. Jeremy Scahill is an investigative journalist and co-founder of The Intercept." 

Source:Democracy Now - Democratic Socialist activist David McReynolds, on Democracy Now 

From Democracy Now

People talk about Democratic Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders, ( still but not for long the only self-described Socialist member of Congress ) as far as where his politics come from and the people and movements that he looked up and how he got his Socialist politics. 

A lot of Bernie Sanders leftist politics can be from his upbringing being born in 1940s New York City to a Jewish immigrant family where socialism is very popular with Jewish New Yorkers especially, but with New Yorkers in general. Or coming of age in the 1960s and going to college in the early and mid 1960s when a lot of young people especially in the early days of the hippie movement were open to socialism and perhaps becoming a Socialist them self.

The New-Left ( Socialists and Communists ) emerges in the late 1960s with a lot of Baby Boomers who were coming of age getting involved with that new movement and why it was called the New-Left, because pre-1965 or so to be on the Left in America meant you supported things like the New Deal, Great Society, the civil rights movement, free speech and personal freedom, but were somewhat hawkish  on foreign policy and national security and not just anti-Communist, but anti-authoritarian in general. Which is what it meant to be a Progressive and Liberal back then and still does, at least factually.

What changed in the late 1960s with millions of young Americans now open and even supporting of socialism, but even communism as well. And as a result the Democratic Party moves to the Far-Left in 1968 and through 1972 and they get their nominee for President in Senator George McGovern, who was the Democratic Socialist of his time, the Bernie Sanders of the 1960s and 70s.

But if I had to point to one man even though I don't personally know Senator Sanders myself, I would point to David McReynolds, who was a Democratic Socialist activist from the 1950s when he was in college really till his death this year. Someone who believed in both democracy including a free press, free speech, freedom of religion, civil liberties, and personal freedom.

The McReynolds wing of the socialist movement, to go along with a democratic socialist economic system where the Federal Government would literally be in charge of distributing the financial resources of the country to the people based on what everyone needs to live well, a national welfare state designed to make sure that everyone's economic needs are met so we don't have a wealthy people and  a lot of poor people or any poor people. That's what a socialist welfare state is designed to do for the country.

Not saying that David McReynolds and Bernie Sanders are ideological twin brothers. Senator Sanders, is not a pacifist and has voted for and supported the use of force in Congress multiple times both in the House and Senate and even though Senator Sanders is somewhat isolationist and dovish when it comes to foreign policy and national security, he's certainly not a pacifist. But economically and as it relates to social issues and personal freedom, you can easily argue that David McReynolds and Bernie Sanders have a lot in common politically.

The South Bank Show: Elizabeth Taylor 1981 Interview

Source: Marmar- Hollywood Goddess Dame Elizabeth Taylor in 1981. 

Source:The Daily Review

The term genius gets thrown out a lot and generally thrown badly and for a lot of incomplete passes ( to use a football analogy ) and gets thrown around by a lot of people who certainly aren't geniuses and if anything are lazy mentally. And they use it to talk about people who impress them and these people tend to get impressed easily. The word is misused a lot similar to how the word awesome is misused today and done for pop culture reasons. But Elizabeth Taylor's case, I believe genius fits her perfectly and not just because she's a great actress, but because of every other characteristic that comes with being a genius.

According to Cambridge Dictionary

a genius is someone who is very great and possesses rare natural ability or skill especially in a particular area such as science or art. That's a paraphrase but it's pretty close. But we all know or know of people that could be accurately labeled as geniuses who are different and standout in other areas and perhaps not as well as they do with their craft.

Anyone who is familiar with the filmmaker and aviator Howard Hughes knows that he was great at his business, but struggled to get close to anyone emotionally and preferred to be left alone. Richard Nixon, in a lot of ways was a brilliant man when it came to public policy especially as it related to foreign affairs and national security, but struggled to socialize with people and didn't like even shaking hands with other people.

Liz Taylor, was a genius in another way as an actress. Someone who was great at playing her parts so well that she made you believe that she was exactly the person that she was playing, but struggled in other areas of her personal life and could even come off as an idiot as far as how she lived her personal life. All the marriages and the different men in her life, the obesity, followed by alcoholism.

Liz, was great at doing the things that made her famous in life which was her ability to act and had a very sharp intelligent wit and could sum up things very well and accurately and do it in a humorous way, but struggled to make deep connections with people and relate to them positively and keep relationships with people she cared about and loved. Things that normal people, ( not to be insulting ) but people who aren't geniuses, but otherwise intelligent and talented do well in their everyday lives everyday.
Source:Marmar

Real Time With Bill Maher: ‘New Rule: Scary Socialism’

Source:Real Time With Bill Maher arguing for socialism?

Source:FreeState MD

“In his editorial New Rule, Bill argues that socialism isn’t as scary as it sounds and calls on Democrats to ramp up their rhetoric against Trump.” 

From Real Time With Bill Maher

At risk of sounding serious for perhaps a minute or few paragraphs: (depending on how fast you read) if Bill Maher’s definition of Socialist, is someone who believes in any form of government whatsoever and not just communist states or social democracies, then, no. We’re not all Socialists.

If Bill Maher is right about Socialists, then even freakin (sorry, this is not HBO) Libertarians, would be Socialists. At least the 5 Libertarians left in the world who not right-wing anarchists, pretending to be Libertarians, as if Libertarian is their Halloween costume, or something.

I agree with Maher that any government social program that’s designed to benefit everyone and funded through tax dollars, is a Socialist program. But that’s not the standard for what it means to be a Socialist, or even a let’s say modern Socialist.

To put it simply: the modern Socialist (let’s call them Democratic Socialists) believe that the world is a very big and complicated place. And therefor you need a government, especially a national government big enough to make sure that no one is left behind or has to go without, in a free, capitalist society. That’s basically what the modern Socialist, or Democratic Socialist is.

Now, at risk of hopefully sounding like a comedian: (or at least political satirist) Donald Trump and his MAGA cult when it comes to Socialists and socialism, are like closeted gay lovers who don’t want to the rest of the world to know that they’re gay. Sort of like former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, who would spend his days trying to out anyone that he saw as a danger to American traditionalism and even out them as gay, while spending his nights banging multiple men and perhaps trying on different dresses for his male lovers. Or whatever gay men do in their privacy of their own homes.

I say this, well, to be funny. But also because most of Donald Trump’s MAGA cult, either lives off of Unemployment Insurance, government Farm Insurance, Food Assistance, rent control, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, or a combination of all those government socialist programs.

And while MAGA is living off the backs of hard-working Americans who live and work on the West Coast, you know those Socialist communities like Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, or on the East Coast like in Boston, New York, Washington, etc, they’re bashing Socialists and socialism. Donald Trump’s MAGA cult is like an Oxymoron convention. Or, the national association of political hypocrites.