Butch Cassidy Changed My Life

The irony wasn't lost on me. B.J. Thomas singing Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head, piped loud and crystal clear tonight over the loudspeaker of a Long Island BJ's. Suddenly I was 11 again, watching Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid with my family on a snowy evening in 1970. I began singing aloud, not even caring who heard me. Paul Newman and the beautiful Katherine Ross on a bicycle. The comedy, drama, cinematic brilliance and lush cinematography enthralled me then (and still does). A buddy movie, a tragic comedy, a romance, a shoot em up, a chase. A movie-movie in the best sense of the word. After looking at a few more DVD's I moved over to the butcher section. The kid there looked to be about 25. "Ever see the movie Butch Cassidy?" I asked him. "No. Is it in black and white?" I explained that it starts in sepia but moves quickly into full color. "I watch black and white movies," he said. "I like The Three Stooges, and it doesn't really bother me." Over the years, I'm no longer surprised by the answers I get when I ask people of all ages questions like that. One woman asked me if the movie Patton was about a dog. Another asked me if Ella Fitzgerald sang. Too many to name told me they never heard of Sammy Davis Jr, or John Denver. Many don't even know which side fought against us in WW2. One young woman told me she never heard of Paul Newman OR Robert Redford. A few told me they never saw The Wizard of Oz, or Gone with the Wind, or The Godfather. Fiddler on the Roof? (Is that a musical?). "I never heard of the Beatles," said a co-worker once. "Don't forget, I was born in 1988." I reminded him that I wasn't born 300 years ago, but knew who Mozart was. I can't imagine growing up in a world without Butch Cassidy. Or Louie Armstrong. Or Bing Crosby. Where is the intellectual curiousity we had? It seems to be lacking. And following this same line of thought, I asked a young cartoonist if he'd ever heard of Will Elder, Larry Gore, Mort Drucker, Mort Walker? How can you ever expect to do anything great if you don't know who's shoulders you're standing on? How can you continue to uphold the Constitution if you've never taken the time to read or understand it? If you're a songwriter or a painter, and you have no idea who Harold Arlen or Rembrandt were, how can i ever take you seriously? After watching him play piano in an intimate setting once in New Orleans, I found the great Ellis Marsalis sitting at a restaurant booth alone. "During that tribute to Duke," I said quickly, "you slipped in a little of Sinatra's 'Willow Weep for Me'. "You heard that, hunh?" he laughed. Dizzy Gillespie, speaking of Louie Armstrong, said "No him, no me." You can-NOT call yourself a comedian, and not know Jerry Lewis's work. Or Charlie Chaplin's. Or Richard Pryor's stand up routines. How do you go through life without ever once having the curousity to see Lawrence of Arabia, Spellbound, or Strangers on a Train? How do you call yourself a writer without reading Fitzgerald, Benet, Malraux, Blake? Or a playwright who is not well-versed in the Bard of Avon, Neil Simon, Arthur Miller, or William Saroyan? How can you dance if you don't know Gene Kelly's work? Or pick up a sax and not be intimate with Coltrane or Rollins? If this sounds like name-dropping, it shouldn't. It just makes common sense. It adds to the richness of life and the roundness of character..Doesn't it? ********* This author's new "30 Days to Your First Poetry Chapbook" is available at Smashwords and many other places where fine ebooks are sold.

Won't You Run for President??

Today some bonehead asked NYC Mayor and self-proclaimed Socialist Bill DeBlasio (unpopular with most of the city)if he was going to run for President. To his credit, Bill said "No." But look how handily this job is handed around.. It started (in recent memory) with Mario Cuomo. He gave a good speech about his immigrant parents at the DNC and suddenly there were calls for him to run for President. On the strength of one speech? Same thing with Barack Obama. There were a few who decried his activist leanings, his radical influences (like Bill Ayers and "Frank", his famous communist buddy), his lack of leadership or economic understanding, etc. But he ran for President on the strength of one speech at the DNC...Apparently NOW it doesn't even matter if you're handy with a microphone - Hillary has no positive credit to her name, and a fair amount of shame and betrayal to her country , but she gets to run because she's female. And next of course we'll need a Latino. Makes no difference if they're qualified. Or how much state evidence they destroy on their hard drives. NOW we vote for genitals and ethnic pallor. (It should be noted that the only condition where this doesn't work is if you're a Conservative Constitutionalist. Then of course all bets are off. Sarah Palin or Ted Cruz? Not a chance; their candidacy is pooh poohed on nightly broadcasts.. Genitals and pallor work only for the liberal mind-set, you see.)..Last week Hillary vowed to get amnesty for illegals done even if Congress won't (and even if 74% of the people don't want it, apparently). Jeb Bush says that illegals make better businessmen and have stronger families. (Since they pander so much to illegals, one wonders why they bother to run for office in THIS country).. They talk about 'dreamers' but defecate all over the American dream, which tells us now that 1 in 5 New Yorkers are illegal and there are over 92 million citizens who can't find work. Why are the borders open? Why is there no safety valve to keep Isis from crossing into our towns? Because your goverment is engaged in a social engineering experiment. Their stated goal is to make America 'less white' for whatever twisted reason they may have. Its no secret that illiterate people on welfare will continue to vote Democrat- as communist writer George Bernard Shaw once said " You can rob Peter to pay Paul, and Paul will always be your friend'.. Here's a general rule of thumb: when a politician tells you that illegals (many illiterate in their own language), trying to leave their countries behind but forced by La Raza and other ridiculous front groups NOT to assimilate will (they say ) make the country stronger, and more profitable, and safer, they are lying through their teeth. Don't waste your time listening to dopes like this, no matter what side they're on. They're lost in their own lies... I heard a terrific radio commercial today from Hillsdale College: they reminded us that our politicians (even the President) take an oath to uphold the Constitution and have a duty to do so. Just as American's have a duty to hold their feet to the fire when they stray. What outlandish clown is going to run for President next on a thin resume of shaky facts? Honestly, can a Bernie Sander candidacy be far behind?? (what? really??).......... Please look for more from this author in Amazon and where ever fine ebooks are sold. Obama Told a Lie, What Price Liberty? and The Democrat Playbook are all available now at very reasonable prices!

Jerry's Kids and No More Telethon?

As kids growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, we were always jazzed about the annual Labor Day telethon. In a herculean example of energy, comedian Jerry Lewis would host the telethon from stem to stern (with a short nap break), raising millions of dollars to eradicate this horrible muscle disease. You might go fishing on labor day, or have a bbq with the family, but you always knew that Lewis was hosting the show and that much good was being done.Starting on the previous Sunday night and lasting until Monday early evening, Lewis joked, cajoled, begged, mugged and implored you to send in a few bucks for “his kids”. We held carnivals in our backyards, car washes at our schools and churches, and collected pennies in drop boxes in our convenience stores . Jerry introduced acts, ran through the ever-changing audience with buckets for money yelling “gimme that!”, and frequently went to the tote board to revisit the latest totals pledged. Sometime in the 80’s and 90’s it became the thing for the intelligentsia (so-called) to poke fun at the telethon and Jerry’s methods. Stalwart entertainers who could be counted on to bring their talent to the MDA stages began to drop off due to advanced age and death. When I volunteered to help with phones, we were comfortably placed in hotels with banks of phones and a television screen. “Jerry looks good,” we would whisper to each other as we felt part of the movement. We were helping. We were getting closer to a cure for a myriad of degenerative muscle diseases. I would take caller’s donations and then rush home and phone in my own donation. It was part of the holiday. When Jerry sang “You’ll Never Walk Alone” it was truly the end of summer. School beginning, the sad passage of time. Then they fired Jerry. He was going to talk about it, he was NOT going to talk about it. Then the guy who fired Jerry was himself fired. Now the telethon was reduced to five hours, now two. The same amount of money was donated in two hours, they lied, as in 21 hours. “The age of 21 hour tv is over” said a spokesman when it was announced that the telethon was being yanked. No more telethon. Years of carnivals to raise money, track meets. Millions donated by firemen, and 7-11, and the Shriners. Gone with a whimper and barely a word of explanation. The 21 hour tv hour is over? In an age of binge watching of every series on every device known to man? Jerry has all of his marbles and the energy of the 12 year old he’s always been. The MDA seems to harbor no grudges (in fact, they did a tribute to their long time host a year after it was announced that he was out). The kids still matter. It’s a good, noble, decent charity. They still do many good things. Why can’t they work this out? Say a more manageable 6 hour charity? Or a long telethon (as they do now) with several hosts continuing in their co-managing duties (Tony Orlando, et all)? Jerry sits at his desk, and opens the show with a speech – some little magic comedy bit that he squirrels away in his marvelous ever-present scrapbook of ideas? He can introduce acts, manage the last song with eloquence and style…Not merely for the nostalgic kid in all of us, but as a practical way to raise MORE for those wonderful kids and adults, struck down in their prime by Duchenne’s, or suffering silently in their chairs. We haven’t abandoned Jerry’s kids. Why did they? *** you can read more from this author including The Worst Paperboy in the World and Searching for Elvis on Amazon and wherever fine ebooks are sold.

A Silent Coup Right Here At Home

Last week the FCC (at the urging of President Obama, who is not supposed to intercede in the affairs of an independent government body), voted to enact regulations to control the internet (the fact that they kept the 330 pages of new rules hidden from the American public, or that they have no Constitutional standing to legally do such a thing seems to matter not a whit). The public - except for Conservatives - rolled over and accepted the new limits to "free speech" (the new ruling controls taxation as well as content, in a little double-speak they concocted called 'net neutrality'. Obama will do for the internet what he's done for healthcare, banking, school tuitions, and any other number of things he's managed to get his hands on: nationalize it, and make it worse. At the same time he's going after the Second Amendment by 'banning' certain ammo with a general sweep of his magic wand. He hints (this week) that he may add a general secondary tax on the public, under the guise of "taxing the rich". A Federal judge in Texas has put a temporary stop on the President's broad illegal amnesty move -- another un-Constitutional move that he has neither the powers nor the authority to enact. Nevertheless, in defiance of the judge's order he continues to give out thousands of work permits (to illegals) and the feckless Republicans, led by the double-talking Mr Boehner, have voted to fund all of these illegal moves. As Charlton Heston said in POTA, "It's a madhouse!" This administration has met at least 3 times to discuss how to bring more illegals into the country, force the middle class to pay for it, and then happily decry that Whites will be in the minority in a few short years. Why is it a goal by our elected officials to destroy the middle class, change the composition of America, and lie to the public as they do it? We were under the impression that we had a representative republic, but the reality seems to be more 1984. All of the men charged and sworn to uphold the US Constitution instead take the opportunity to wipe their asses with it daily. The Progressives (so called) have shredded the document so badly as to make it nearly unrecognizable. The pendulum swings both ways. For all the reckless and illegal posturing (President's for instance are not capable of making law, much less changing a bill over 30 times), posterity and the future will be less than kind. The short thinking of the Parties nowadays is that when the next party is in power, they too will just as irresponsible and reckless. Most of our politicians will hardly be a footnote in the future. Unless liberal magical-thinking does some serious history revision, this one will be known as the worst in history (a feat we thought impossible to beat with Mr Carter and Mr Clinton competing for the title). Apparently it takes a lot to wake a sleeping America, but once waked, they will come back with a roar and vengeance that will be hard to contain. The toothpaste (as they say) will be out of the tube. *** (for more of this author please search his name on Amazon, and enjoy other books that endeavor to restore America to the shining city on the hill that we know it to be, and that our politicians work overtime to tarnish)..

Bibi and those darn anti-semitic Congressmen

This week we were informed by both the State Department and the President (and his spokesman) that un-named zealots had shot up random ‘folks’ (the President’s word ) who happened to be shopping at a deli. Despite the facts that the shooter self-identified as an Islamic radical and explained that their purpose in targeting a Jewish deli in Paris was to shoot Jews,no one in our government was able to put that sentiment into words. Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has been invited by House Speaker John Boehner to speak to Congress this month. The PM’s office , through common courtesy and no existing protocol known to man, informed the White House of its intention to give a speech. The White House immediately issued statements that ‘protocol had been breached’. Obama said that as a matter of etiquette he never attended speeches by candidates who are up for re-election (an election has been called in Israel for early March). Instead he sent over a contingent of 100 ‘folks’ to Israel (at US taxpayer expense) to upset the election and cause Bibi to lose the election. Veep Joe Biden also begged off the speech. Senate Democrats began falling into lockstep. Jewish Senators like Bernie Sander, Chuck Schumer, Debbie Wasserman –Schultz stated that they would not be attending the speech. No matter that this was an important speech by a world leader (and statesmen, as we know, are rare these days, certainly in the two largest world powers ); a speech that could impart important information that these Senate leaders (so called) could use to ensure the safety of their fellow countrymen. Besides raising the intellectual level of the room by their absence, one wonders that Party above all else is so important to both the major parties (but especially the Democrats) that they would play with their country’s safety so blithely. Additional announcements that the FEC and the FCC are both trying major power plays in the next two weeks to take over the internet and attach exorbitant taxation (at the President’s insistence, releasing a 340 page regulation that will not be shown to the American public until after it has been passed); and that illegal alien’s will now be issued 3-5 million Social Security cards and are eligible for “earned income tax credits” – that is, refunds of up to 24 thousand dollars per household for money never paid to the IRS – and one has to wonder which country the President and his minions are really working for. Certainly not ours.*** for more fun with soft tyranny, please check out this author's Smashword and Amazon Kindle books, like "Obamacare With the Wind."

Yet Another Obama Power Grab..

This week we were informed by both the State Department and the President (and his spokesman) that un-named zealots had shot up random ‘folks’ (the President’s word ) who happened to be shopping at a deli. Despite the facts that the shooter self-identified as an Islamic radical and explained that their purpose in targeting a Jewish deli in Paris was to shoot Jews,no one in our government was able to put that sentiment into words. Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has been invited by House Speaker John Boehner to speak to Congress this month. The PM’s office , through common courtesy and no existing protocol known to man, informed the White House of its intention to give a speech. The White House immediately issued statements that ‘protocol had been breached’. Obama said that as a matter of etiquette he never attended speeches by candidates who are up for re-election (an election has been called in Israel for early March). Instead he sent over a contingent of 100 ‘folks’ to Israel (at US taxpayer expense) to upset the election and cause Bibi to lose the election. Veep Joe Biden also begged off the speech. Senate Democrats began falling into lockstep (goose step?). Jewish Senators like Bernie Sander, Debbie Wasserman –Schultz, and of course Luis Guittierez (who works full time for Mexico anyway) stated that they would not be attending the speech. No matter that this was an important speech by a world leader (and statesmen, as we know, are rare these days, certainly in the two largest world powers ); a speech that could impart important information that these Senate leaders (so called) could use to ensure the safety of their fellow countrymen. Besides raising the intellectual level of the room by their absence, one wonders that Party above all else is so important to both the major parties (but especially the Democrats) that they would play with their country’s safety so blithely. Additional announcements that the FEC and the FCC are both trying major power plays in the next two weeks to take over the internet and attach exorbitant taxation (at the President’s insistence, releasing a 340 page regulation that will not be shown to the American public until after it has been passed); and that illegal alien’s will now be issued 3-5 million Social Security cards and are eligible for “earned income tax credits” – that is, refunds of up to 24 thousand dollars per household for money never paid to the IRS – and one has to wonder which country the President and his minions are really working for. Certainly not mine. >>>> for backround information on this growing tyrrany, please check out my QUOTATIONS OF CHAIRMAN OBA-MAO at an Amazon or Smashword near you...

Soft Tyranny

According to the terms built into the new Executive Amnesty Act (so-called) that President Obama has un-Constitutionally foisted on the country, illegals may apply to the IRS for a refund of tax credits for work done while they were illegals. In other words they may be entitled to monies back from the Treasury WHILE THEY WERE ILLEGALLY WORKING IN THE UNITED STATES AND ADDING NOTHING TO THE SYSTEM THEMSELVES. In addition, tax credits (in the form of refund payments) for any children who may have been covered under their term of illegality. Yesterday morning, President Obama gave a speech at a Prayer meeting breakfast. Referring to the week’s news of an Isis hostage burned alive and filmed for the world’s sick entertainment, the President cautioned the crowd that before they climbed on their ‘high horse’ they must remember the Crusades and the murders by Christian’s (thousands of years ago). They must remember slavery in America (by the Democrat Party, he neglected to add; also conveniently forgetting to mention the ensuing Civil War that killed more Americans than all other wars combined to end slavery). Given the President’s recent refusal to meet with the Israeli PM (while at the same time sending operatives to undermine elections in Israel and to try to unseat him), there can be no doubt that the President has a large chip on his shoulder. He obviously does not like Christians, Jews or the great country that was dumb enough to elect him twice to the highest office in the land. After all, you don’t set out to ‘completely transform’ a country that you’re happy with…do you? *** Thank you for visiting with us today. If you'd like to see more from this author, you can find his ebooks for sale on Payhip, Smashwords, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.. Including "Obamacare With the Wind" and "The Frog in the Boiling Water"..