Friday, January 28, 2022

The Friday Link for 1/28/22

Boy do I have a lot for you this week on the Friday Link.

Let's start with one I've been waiting to post.  Cinema Sins, the guys behind the "Everything Wrong With..." YouTube page, have had a long history of poking relentless fun at the Fast and The Furious movie franchise, with good reason.

Now a fan of the franchise might ask "what's the big deal?  So they are not the best movies but they're fun." Fair to a point, but this time around Cinema Sins makes the best observation about these movies.  After swinging in a car on a cable and crashing into a mountain, AND SURVIVING in a ridiculously unbelievable stunt, the host makes the point [paraphrasing]: These people never have any consequences for anything.  They don't die, they don't get seriously hurt, and their survival becomes more and more ridiculous with every stunt.  At least James Bond films usually have a much better plot and script, and the unbelievable stunts in Bond films are limited to one or two a movie, NOT EVERY FIVE FREAKING SECONDS!  There is nothing exciting about watching a movie with absolutely zero consequences.  Agreed!

I HIGHLY encourage you to watch all the Fast and Furious takedowns from Cinema Sins, but to start us this week is Everything Wrong With F9.  Warning, some salty language.


I also wanted to post some videos from Encanto.  The latest Disney movie is sensational, but after spending the last 20 years watching the Disney films with my kids, it's not a surprise.  There are numerous Disney films on my list of best films of the last 20 years. 

My kids now are starting to age out of Disney films, at least going to see them in theaters with their parents.  I didn't see Encanto when it came out, but I noticed it now on Disney Plus and decided to watch it last weekend.  It's fantastic.  

The story is about a magical Columbian family, but that is all I'm going to say.  Go see it.  To tempt you a little, here are some of the songs from the movie.  To begin let's get introduced to the Family Madrigal.


The character Luisa is a great one.  Here is a song where she talks her issues with her sister Maribel. 


And finally, We don't talk about Bruno. The song is the highest charting Disney song since 1995, beating everything from Frozen.  It's catchy.


The entire movie is catchy!  I'm a big old Minnesotan with Scottish heritage, but maybe I have a little Columbian in me! 

Have a great weekend.  Stay safe.  Get vaccinated, wear a mask and social distance.

Preventing mild inconvenience should never justify ignoring unnecessary suffering.  




Friday, January 21, 2022

The Friday Link for 1/21/22

I have recovered from the COVID and I have a humdinger of a Friday Link.  First this warning!

The second and third clip tonight are adult themed and there is some raunchy language. Seriously!

To start you off with a clean slate, let's get the opening musical number from the musical Six.  The original cast presents Ex-Wives. 


It's a fun light musical. I really have enjoyed the songs, and not the worst history lesson either.  Think of it like a Spotify version of a British Hamilton. 

Now, once again, we are about to take a turn into Adult town. Viewer be warned.

The show Letterkenney is hilarious. The story is about rural Canadians and their lives, but it's the writing and delivery which sets this show apart.  The rapid fire dialogue is hilarious and so fast you need to watch it twice to get all of the jokes. 

Here are two of the better bits. 

But once again, these are quite adult! 

Time for a Hick Off!


And (you can already see where this one is going) let's meet their neighbors, the Dycks!


I know, I know.  Childish and immature. But they made me laugh.  I thought Canadians were so reserved.

Please get vaccinates and be safe.



Tuesday, January 18, 2022

The Path to Victory

Most midterm elections, the party of the incumbent president usually has a rough go at it.  It's often that the US House and Senate will see changes in leadership and this trickles down to state elections.

2022 might be different.  There are a few things playing against the Republicans, in regards to over taking the Democrats in the House and Senate.  The main one is the Senate where the Democratic races are mostly safe, but Republicans are looking at uphill climbs in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania (and depending on the candidate, Missouri too). And while Georgia and Arizona might look like harder seats to hold for the Dems, the truth is the candidates running for the GOP in those states are likely going to be hampered by their allegiance to the far right lunacy of the post-Trump era.

The House is the same way.  If the Republican candidates for the US House represent the party of anti-vaccines, 'Trump won in 2020,' and 'the 1/6 Insurrection was an inspiration,' they're in trouble. Taking Minnesota for example; the GOP will easily hold MN 06 and MN 07, but MN 01, 02 and 08 become much easier for the Democrats to control.

Then again, Democrats can screw this up EASILY!  I have seen election after election where the GOP was doomed, but here comes the Democrats bumbling the easy layup, missing the backboard completely and somehow breaking their leg in the process.

Democrats, forget the 80 page strongly worded memo most Democrats could care less about.  Forget the fringe policy you have convinced yourself will win you the day.  Forget banking on the 21 and under crowd you keep expecting to show up but who never do.  Forget trying to win over 20 Republicans by sacrificing 90% of the Democrats platform to do so.  Forget trying to convert the Democrats into the new Socialist Democratic Party.  NONE of those strategies will win 2022.  Instead focus on these four things, and you will destroy the Republicans.


#1 - Religion

This is the hardest one to convince Democrats to embrace, so it's why I'm starting off with it. Democrats have always been the party of Freedom of Religion.  It's not that most of them are not Christian (which they are) it's just they seem to understand religion is their personal choice and everyone else is entitled to make their own choices on how their worship, IF they choose to do so.

Republicans are the opposite. They are Christianity centric, and while they begrudgingly acknowledge there is a Freedom of Religion in the US, their ranks have become more and more infiltrated with Christians who are less and less tolerant; ones who say "you can be any religion you like, as long as there's a Bible, a Christmas Tree and Easter eggs."

Republicans started down this path in the post Nixon era where they desperately needed a plan of attack.  They proudly became the party of anti-abortion, bringing in Christian chants as their rallying cry.  It was wildly successful, so much so modern right wing Christian churches have reverted to preaching a very stripped down version of the Bible, one that's solely about validating Republican politics, forsaking about 90% of Jesus' teachings.

This is where Democrats now have a chance at striking back with the Christians.  The modern Conservative Christians hate when you remind them of the Gospels, particularly Matthew and Luke.  Let me back up. The reason Christians are Christians is Jesus Christ. They believe Jesus was God on Earth and his resurrection was the beginning of the Christian faith.  In the New Testament of the Bible, there are four Gospels, Matthew Mark, Luke and John.  This four books of the Bible are where you hear the story of Jesus.  They're full of direct commands from Jesus and...most Republicans avoid them like the plague.  Sure they like the Christmas and Easter stories, but most of the rest of the Gospels is a liberal paradise; feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, taking care of the sick, welcoming in strangers from strange lands, anti-war, anti-weapon, and (particularly in Luke) condemnation of wealth worshipping and obscene wealth.  IT'S TRUE! 

Republicans will always refer to the Democrats as sinners, using Democrat's pro-choice stance against them.  They accuse them for violating one of the 10 Commandments 'Thou shall not Kill!'  Putting aside their hypocrisy on this one Commandment (the original text means the death penalty is a big no-no too) this is always the ONE COMMANDMENT they use to bash Democrats on abortion.  And frankly, Democrats allow them!

Christianity is not like The Lord Of the Rings, where 'one sin shall rule them all.'  Republicans don't even want to look at the rest of the Ten Commandments which Trump and their party violate fairly consistently (like 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 10, especially 7!).  Republicans have erased most of the Bible to make this one sin paramount, and it's time the Democrats remind them of that. 

This is not about converting anyone to Christianity, OR making this a Christian country, and you can begin your rebuttal with that exact statement, but you can quickly fire back "does your Bible have the Gospel of Matthew and Luke, direct teachings of Jesus, because your politics likes to tramples those teachings."  They will get outraged, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT!  They do ignore a large portion of the Bible!  Throw that in their faces with as much vigor and energy as they throw their fake piety into everyone else's.  

Encourage Christian Republicans to sit down and read the rest of the Bible they've forsaken.  If you can make even 2% of the Christians Republicans stop and say "Hey, there are a lot direct teaching of Jesus the Republicans eagerly violate. Maybe I shouldn't so blindly vote Republican," you'll put a pretty good dent into their loyal voting block.  At the very least you dismantle the false notion that Christians need to be Republicans.

I know a lot of Democrat get uneasy about challenging Republican Christian lies.  Fine, but you have no excuses for not attacking them in the following three categories.

#2 - Healthcare and Vaccines

The Democrats had a lot of success with healthcare during the pre-COVID 2018 election cycle so I'm surprised they did not hammer this home far harder in 2020.  If they had, they probably would've won much larger majorities in the House and Senate.

Republicans have really screwed up by leaving this issue on the table.  The far right has made a party tentpole out anti-vaccine rhetoric and conspiracy theories.  Somewhere along the line these fools became convinced that people not wanting them sick or dead were actually part of some liberal plot, so they've vilified everything associated with trying to stop this pandemic; medicine, nurses, doctors, face masks, social distancing, vaccinations, established and respected medical institutions.  They feel as if being safe from COVID is being 'owned by the Libs!'  But when one of these zealots or they family members gets sick, suddenly they're born again believers in medical science.  

I wish it didn't take such drastic consequences for them to wake up.  It's mind numbing some still believe the lies even after a family member dies. 

Simply looking at the numbers, anti-vaccines and anti-social safety measures are a losing platform. So far over 3.5 million Minnesotans are vaccinated, in a state of 5.6 million. That's 68.2% of the entire population age 5 and older vaccinated.  If the Republicans are going to continue to label anyone getting vaccinated as a loser, lemming, idiot, or misguided, they're knowingly preaching to a shrinking minority.

Even if the Republicans today, in unison, all became the biggest supporters of vaccines (something I imagine they'll try to portray once the general election campaigns begin) we still have HOURS of videos of them scoffing at basic medicine, and spewing insane conspiracies.  There are also numerous Republican families who will be willing to be in ad campaigns which the following script: "My family trusted (Republican Politician) when they told us the vaccines, face masks and social distancing were a liberal conspiracy and not necessary.  But now, we know they weren't being honest.  Their INTENTIONAL deceptions cost us family members and have left us in crippling medical debt.  I'll never trust the Republicans on health care issues EVER again."  DAMN!  That ad should be running statewide. 

One last thing.  It wouldn't hurt to revert back to 2018 and remind everyone Democrats are the party for a more comprehensive, less expensive health care system.  With so many people in serious financial debt due to medical bills, the cost of medical care is a winning issue. 

#3 - Day Care Costs

This is an issue which is affecting almost every parent in the state.  The cost of daycare was atrocious pre-COVID, but today it's out of control.  One of the main reasons people are leaving their jobs and the workforce is because it's less expensive for them to quit and stay home with their kids than it is to work a job just to sign over a paycheck to a day care provider. 

Republicans are sure not about to try to make day care cheaper, and they won't offer a state funded no cost version.  Their solution will likely be to offer a tax break, but only for people whose kids go to the most expensive daycares.  Everyone else will get nothing.

Daycare is a tricky issue, but Democrats, don't tell us what you can't do. Tell us what you are going to do to fix this!  You got a budget surplus.  Use it!  Send parents with young kids a $200 monthly check to help offset the costs.  Explore the state contracting with a private day care provider to offer low income families a cheap (or maybe even free) option.  Give targeted tax breaks to new daycare providers opening their doors, but only if they promise to keep costs affordable.  And offer a tax break to ALL families with day care costs. Make their costs 100% tax deductible.  The Republicans would NEVER go along with that.

This issue is a text book example of low hanging fruit.  Don't be afraid to pick it!

#4 - Many of the most visible and loudest Republicans today are 100% Loonballs! 

Whether it's vaccines magnetize you!  Whether it's Democrats eat babies in the basement of pizza parlors!  Whether it's insisting Trump was the real winner in 2020!  Whether it's validating the 1/6 Insurrectionists as harmless protestors, then arguing they're all violent Antifa members!  Whether it's the gun worshipping!  Whether it's insisting there's no climate change!  Whether it's insisting Trump was the greatest president ever!  Whether it's insisting there's no Corona Virus, and then arguing the non-existent virus really was from Dr. Fauci's clone in China!  Whether it's racist stereotypes and tropes agains minorities!  Whether it's people waiting in Deely Plaza for weeks as they insist JFK Jr. is alive and will show himself to take a stand with Trump! 

These people are nuts, and THESE are the lunatics who choose the Republican candidates.  Republican politicians can't outright dismiss these drivels of insanity. 

MAKE THEM PAY FOR IT!  Find any video footage you can of these candidates embracing the lunatic fringe and destroy them with it.  You probably can find the most damning evidence ON THEIR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA SITES!  Make sure the voters see this true insanity.  The voters will not vote for candidates who've embraced the Jim Jones Kool Aid as a refreshing drink.

Don't over think this.  This is once again low hanging fruit.  Bury them with their own actions.



The Republican's plan of attack for 2022 falls into two categories:  1) discourage Democrats by making them think Biden and all Democrats have failed, and 2) crime (which is really Republican code for 'Black people need to be reined in!').  

Democratic leaders should be giving motivational speeches every single day until the election, talking about how they are on the right side of history.  Praise their victories while also reminding the voters they could do so much more if they had a larger majority in the House and Senate. Every Single Day!

As far as crime, a strong Democratic crime bill which deals with car jackings would go a long way to offset the Republican narrative (and let's be honest, should a 14 year old who is a five time car thief get a 6th chance before we charge them as an adult?  No.).  If the DFL doesn't put forward a crime bill, they are punting that issue to the Republicans.

It doesn't mean all is lost, it just means every Democratic candidate needs to be experts at switching the topic off of car jackings and crime in the Twin Cities and pushing the spotlight back on the issues I posted above. 

Republicans are all far right. You can't believe them when they insist they're a moderate who'll work with the other side. Remind voters of the new Republican Virginia Governor, a man who ran as a "uniter" and "a moderate," who immediately went far right on his first day in office.  Republicans will say whatever they have to to get into office, but remind everyone if they vote Republican they're voting for a far right extremist agenda.


I have zero doubt most Democrats will ignore my advice.  Maybe they'll come up with a different winning strategy.  Maybe they'll get their pants handed to them in November.  I'm posting this out of hope they'll realize I'm trying to help them.  I'm just getting tired of seeing Democrats clear path to victory getting ignored, as they wander into the wilderness with a machete, usually ending up tragically and comically lost.







Friday, January 14, 2022

The Friday Link for 1/14/22

The Friday Link this week is a bevy of various favorites.  I have to admit I'm kind of punting this week as I have the COVID.

Up first is a sensational piece from Jordan Klepper of The Daily Show as he commemorates the anniversary of the 1/6 Insurrection. I will post his original INSANE video from 1/6 last year after this year's anniversary piece (video which clearly shows who riled the crowd up and what their intent was), but this look at the anniversary has a few solid gold gems in it.  

An all time great moment is when Jordan Klepper confronts Rep. Matt Gaetz, YES THAT MATT GAETZ, and absolutely levels him with three questions. 

Watch for yourself. 


Here he is the actual 1/6 Insurrection piece from a year ago.  This is simply some of the best unintentional journalism ever. 


Also up today is a little recipe from Tasting History with Max Miller.  As I am trying to heal right now, I was searching for possible recipes to make me feel better. His tales of ancient Rome and their love of cabbage intrigued me, so I took his advice.  I did not make the recipe from this episode, but I did make a pho with both baby boy choy and cabbage (thanks for the cleaning tip heads up Max!). 

I'd be lying if I didn't say I feel better, but I was asymptomatic so...


Finally this week is a new song from my current favorite band right now, Durry!  Hey, I'm a Big Boy too!  I also love eating at Big Boy, when you can find one.  Durry (AND Big Boy) make me happy when the day is long. 


Have a great weekend everyone. Stay safe!  Get vaccinated, wear a mask and social distance.  Thanks!






I Got The COVID

I've been careful.  I'm vaccinated and boosted (thank you Veteran's Administration!), and I wear masks whenever I'm out, only taking them off if it's safe to do so.  I also try my hardest to social distance.  My daughter's boyfriend had come down with COVID and so she wanted to get tested.  I decided to go get tested with her.

My daughter was negative.  I was positive. 


I was stunned, not only because I was asymptomatic, with only a little bit of congestion, but the question of 'how' crossed my mind.  I go to the radio station to do the show but for the most part I'm separated from everyone else, and I've been wearing a mask.  I go to the grocery store, but I rarely get close to anyone at 8 AM on a Thursday morning.  My wife and I had walked a few parks but outside of jeopardizing her (she gets tested tomorrow) there are very few other people out.

The most likely place would then fall to the Ridgedale YMCA.  I wear a mask whenever I work out and I social distance the best I can, but (since Ridgedale Y doesn't require masks) it's inevitable maskless people will saunter on by, many of them elderly (YIKES!).  Even though the amount of people I could've been exposed too is limited, it was most likely I got it at the Y. 

Then again, Omicron is a beast.  This latest variant of the Corona Virus is not to be messed with.  It doesn't seem as lethal or as ventilator-inducing as Delta was, but it sure seems to be able to spread wicked fast, like 'just walking past a person in an airport, store or restaurant' fast.  It was clear where things were headed when you'd watch pictures of NFL and College Football bowl games, seeing packed stadiums, pretty much no one wearing a mask, let alone social distancing.  I don't think we're anywhere near the Omicron peak.  This latest surge could eventually break our hospitals. 

I've had the expected far right loon balls chime in.  So far three have hoped for me to die (SO CHRISTIAN!), while multiple others cackle with glee at the thought of me being sick.  They come at me with the tone "I bet you regret getting vaccinated now!" 

Please!  I'm glad I was vaccinated and boosted, and if they tell me to get another booster, I'll get it in a heart beat.  In case you missed it, I'm asymptomatic.  Twenty four hours after my test I still have no symptoms and as a matter of fact just got done helping to shovel the driveway.  So far, I'm not having trouble breathing, I'm not headed to a hospital, I'm not having to think about my family after I'm gone.  God willing it will stay that way.

I have crashed in my son's room, who is off at college.  I have pretty much only been in there, mask on, with my handy can of Lysol spray at the ready.  So far I watched The Eternals (I really liked it), Matrix Resurrection (also very good) and Chris Pratt's The Tomorrow War (not so much).  I have played my word games, and I'm reading M, King's Bodyguard from Niall Leonard, Baseball in Minnesota from Stew Thornly and Confluence from Hampton Smith.  I'm also getting some sleep (Yes I did go out and shovel snow, but it is Minnesota in January and I'm a Minnesotan).

I will quarantine until I have a negative test from a testing center (I know of one where they test you out in your car).  I'll be safe because I'm not only looking out for myself, but my family, my kids, my friends, my co-workers and everyone else in society.  I do not want you sick, I do not want you dead, and I do not want you broke for the next 20 years of your life with crippling medical debt.  Me being careful is the the least I can do for society.  I'm not a selfish jackass, following political decisions I'm trying to mask with my Bible or screams of "Freedom!"

Please, get vaccinated, wear a mask, and social distance. 





Friday, January 7, 2022

The Friday Link for 1/7/22

Oh my! It's a Friday Link on a Friday! 

Okay, I take the holiday card and play it. By the way, this week's Friday Link is going to have a sports theme!

This week, we look back in time to when the Minnesota Vikings were good, and at times, scary good!  This year's team is a freaking mess.  I know there is a lot of debate out there but I think Rick Spielman, the Vikings General Manager, is the main problem.  He knows talent, but he needs to learn he's not the coach. 

Next up on the problem brigade is Kirk Cousins, our quarterback.  He's had a decent year, but he still doesn't know how to win close games late.  And then there's the COVID debacle.  The Vikings were the worst team in the NFL for common sense vaccinations against COVID, and it seems Kirk led the charge against vaccination.  I made the point in August; 'God help you if you end up sick and it costs the team a playoff spot.'

Cousins came down with COVID last week and so the Vikings went into a must win game at Green Bay with our highly inferior backup QB. After we lost and were eliminated from the playoffs, Cousins came back, cleared to play this last inconsequential game, and tried to smooth things over with Vikings fans by saying he wants to spend the rest of his career in Minnesota.  Thanks, but no thanks.

Last one up is Coach Mike Zimmer.  I like Zimmer, although I can't stand when the team calls for a 2 year pass when it's 3rd and 8.  If your game plan for a first down includes the defense blowing coverage or someone missing a tackle, it's a bad plan.  

Zimmer is stuck between two obnoxious forces in Spielman and Cousins, and I frankly think he did the best he could with what he had, and with the limitations thrust upon him.  If I were the Vikings, I'd get rid of Spielman and Cousins and keep Zimmer, but watch them do the exact opposite. Then next year we can be eliminated from playoff contention early to beat the holiday rush!

Also, for the record, stadiums CLEARLY don't get you championships.  I think we can put that lie to bed.

This week let's look back on the past and find truly great Vikings games of yore!  One side note, the games will have to be viewed on You Tube due to the videos containing content from the NFL.  First up we go back to a Monday Night matchup (Hank Williams Jr.? YIKES!) when Monday night's game was THE game. The Vikings went into Green Bay and introduced the world to Randy Moss. 


Next up is the dismantling of the Dallas Cowboys from the Playoffs in 2009!


The game where Randy Moss mooned the Packer fans in Green Bay is up next. Although everyone remembers that game for that one gesture, that was a REALLY good game for the Vikings in Green Bay.


And of course this would not be complete without the Vikings miracle win verses the Saints. I loved watching this happen to Sean Payton, the head coach of the Saints. He is REALLY a horrible coach. 


Don't be like Kirk Cousins.  Get vaccinated.  Wear a mask.  Social Distance. 

Be safe.



Saturday, January 1, 2022

The Friday Link (on a Saturday) for 1/1/22

Howdy all! Back on a New Year's Day after skipping Christmas Eve Friday (although I'm a day late). I realized that Friday Links and Christmas Eve are not really compatible in my house, so I decided to skip. Even last night, my priorities were in the right place, so here we are a day late.

First up tonight is a series of clips featuring interaction between the new Hawkeye Kate Bishop (played by Hailee Steinfeld) and Black Widow's younger sister Yelena Belova (played by Florence Pugh). 

I loved the Hawkeye series, especially Jeremy Renner's portrayal of an aging Hawkeye in a post Thanos world, but it was the incredibly fun to watch interaction and banter between Steinfeld and Pugh which stole the show.  I highly recommend watching the series (on Disney Plus), but enjoy the back and forth here. 


Next up is a tribute to Betty White, who died yesterday at 99.  She was wonderful, having emerged as everyone's fun and pleasant grandmother.  She is a true legend, and although I could post most of her Saturday Night Live show from 2010, here is one skit which sticks out for me, the Scared Straight bit she did with Kenan Thompson. Goodbye Betty.  You will be missed. 


Finally, since it is the end of 2021, let's go back and look at all the segments from the best unintentional journalist in America today, Jordan Klepper.  His segments on The Daily Show are legendary, and frankly are the news journalism we need.  When someone says something bone crunchingly stupid, a sane person should call them on it.  As most media today does not have the guts to do so.  Klepper does.  There is a lot here, but it's worth it! 


Be safe! Get Vaccinated! Get Boosted! Wear a mask! Social Distance! 

I don't want you sick, dead or bankrupt with medical bills. PLEASE!