Despite it being Winter in the Northern Hemisphere and colder than Hell lately, Earth passed through its closest point to the Sun. I always thought this coincided with the Winter Solstice back in December but that is when our planet’s axial tilt (or position) causes the amount of light to shift for each hemisphere. Combine the solstice with our perihelion and now I understand why the Sun rises and sets at later times even though the total of sunlight increases.
Onward to aphelion in July!
So here is my obligatory obituary for Betty as she did have an effect on my life well before the fad involving her got rolling a decade ago.
I recall seeing her on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in the Seventies but I was a kid and had no clue about her character’s personality. However, I did see notice her on game shows because my grandmother watched Password religiously. Then came the Eighties with The Golden Girls. I wasn’t keen on this SitCom. Being a teenager and later a college student, staying in to watch TV on a Saturday shouldn’t be any young person’s activity given all the cool stuff at their disposal. Again, Grandma loved it. This I found unusual. She didn’t care for Bea Arthur thanks to the controversial Maude and yet all her criticism about other shows being “filthy,” rang hollow thanks to Girls‘ weak, hardly subtle sexual double entendres.
She was a regular on the usual shows of the era too: The Love Boat, St. Elsewhere and the Prime Time soap opera drivel. Betty did become part Eunice’s world as the sister who had everything turn out well for her in the 1982 movie Eunice. Although Betty’s character Ellen wasn’t in the original Carol Burnett Show skits she would continue to drop by in the spinoff Mama’s Family.
Betty did make me laugh with her appearance on The Simspons, namely with her angry rhetoric for a fake PBS pledge drive. It was out of character given her reputation for being a nice person. She was also a frequent presence in animation, loaning her voice in Hercules, The Wild Thornberrys, Teacher’s Pet, King of the Hill, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Family Guy, SpongeBob Squarepants and Toy Story 4.
Speaking of cartoons, how could I forget her comical turn with Malcolm in the Middle! Betty was grandpa’s secret wife hidden away in Canada. A great counter to the equally fabulous Cloris Leachman as a mini MTM Show reunion.
Outside of acting, she was a big advocate for animals like Bob Barker. It is why I plan to contribute to my local animal shelter on what would’ve been her 100th birthday.
Thanks for everything Betty. It’s always great to discover there was another person in the cutthroat world of Show Business who was genuinely and sincerely kind, especially with the rough times we live in today. You earned your immortality and then some.
I was in charge of NYE activities this year so I chose Gatsby’s House again. I’m a huge Great Gatsby fan and the Roaries Twenties fascinate me as my grandparents lived through it. I know it’s a mixed period since the Republicans left the world in the ditch as they always do, yet it might be a guide for what may come after the current Pandemic ends. The Twenties resulted in great social upheaval: women doing numerous things they weren’t allowed to do in public before WWI; the weight-loss movement starts America’s invention of the teenager is a beta; radio; jazz (the original outlaw music), film stars; and car culture.
As you can see from the photo above, Jennifer got all decked out as a flapper thanks to Amazon offering a whole package. Definitely saved her time and effort, I’ll leave it at that. Me, I just kept the same suit because I didn’t plan ahead enough to get something even stronger for the time period. You may notice, I’m pressing the limits on my vest’s buttons. Hey, it’s an improvement. Last year I couldn’t close the damned thing. Next year, Scotty won’t be warning the vest’s Kirk, “I don’t think this garment can take any more pressure!” I plan on it to be smooth while I have a new setup and a different color, something closer to what the decade had.
The celebration held at one of Austin’s numerous downtown hotels was decent. It utilized one a huge ballroom which they segregated from the VIPs, all they did was get food beyond nachos. An open, unlimited bar was all I asked for my money. There were two things I wish the promotion company did differently to make the experience better.
Firstly, if the attendee isn’t in period-appropriate attire, then they better be wearing upscale club as it’s termed. No fat slobs in a knit shirt with shorts (yes, he was there); no idiots who resemble a Venture Capitalist (blazer, open dress shirt with jeans and sneakers, at least one); no sneakers, I will allow women an exception for later since their shoes were designed by sickos; women receive more leeway overall since they know how to dress up. My camp, we don’t wise up until too late in life. I didn’t take any photos of the people who knocked it out of the park, just too private a matter for everybody involved. There was one couple who was amazing. Others who don’t adhere, they pay an entry tax!
Secondly, they need to hire a better DJ and/or be closer to the period music. I readily admit being pretty ignorant of Jazz; I can’t get behind most, I was brainwashed by Pop’s conventions; but they brought in some asshole from Vegas. He played mostly the crap you’d hear in most clubs today. Yes, I know, being 53, no one gives a rat’s ass on what I want to hear yet the DJ needed to remember what to skew to based upon the crowd and mood. If the schlub didn’t state his name I would’ve sworn it was Baz Luhrmann playing the horrendous selections he used to crap on Fitzgerald’s novel. Another request turn it down somewhat, I hate needing people to shout at me in order to be understood. I’m not that close to deaf…yet.
Overall we had a great time! I got my value via booze. I was buzzed this time and enjoyed doing nothing for the majority of New Year’s Day!
Thank Evil MoPac for the bingo card we can use until the next wave of Covid-19 or another wave of Ammosexual MAGAts storm DC. This month’s header is from when Pee-Wee Herman was the guest DJ at some radio station or maybe satellite thing in December. I chose it because I promised a friend/fan how I would begin making new KMAG mixes and continue the numbering from where I left off 25 years ago, ergo be on the lookout for KMAG 21 with updating “hits” I am rotating in my stream, so I must skip over all the material in queue from 2020 and much of 2021…yeah, I’m very slow, yet what I play is more likely more “new” and better than the shit on FM today. The only competitor I will give the benefit of the doubt to is KUTX since they also inspire some choices I found. OK, I think I need to give the stream playing at my local Planet Fitness too. When they’re not playing mostly Electronica which sounds alike, something creeps in, forcing me to whip out my iPhone to use Shazam.
How I love New Year’s Eve and Day though, it’s a good marker to start new goals and objectives, other than my birthday. I know not everyone agrees, however, I’m confident every person has something. Time is a human construction but in other ways, it really exists, just the universe doesn’t give a crap about it. This year is off to a stronger start than 2021. I remember remaining on edge for when I could receive my first vaccination round and being pissed on how our awful shitbag governor who pushes FreeDumb and attacks Science by revoking mask mandates…made sure he was put ahead in line. He did contract it later. Too bad it didn’t kill him. The inept Lt. Gov. is the only person Priv’d Beto could beat in the general election.
What is in the cards for 2022?
I’m going to stop with those as Covid can and will derail the remaining ones I wish for.
HAPPY NEW YEAR Y’ALL!
Well…it wasn’t as crappy as 2020 is about I could say about 2021. The year got going with a big scare thanks to Freedumb Fighters, MAGAts and Ammosexuals. So will that be the closest attempt at Girth Vader attempting the Reichstag Fire or what we all fear, the dress rehearsal for installing someone even worse, a competent Fascist such as Hawley or Cotton. But c’mon, we knew these assholes weren’t going to leave peacefully because they’ve finally admitted to what I’ve accused the core GOP of for 40 years, they hate democracy.
Then matters got better until the Texas Grid crapped out when a flock of ducks farted. Nothing fails in a crisis like Kapitalism. Trust me. In all those Post-Apocalypse settings on TV, film and novels, nobody is trying to restore the market economy since it contributed to the disaster.
Rebounded with getting vaccinated in March, shot two in April, all in time to visit Las Vegas in May! Woo hoo! Summer was smooth sailing too even as the Delta Variant kept waving through. Initiated my own, original content podcast too. Hang in there. Our studio is in transition and more episodes will happen. I’m planning more in advance in the same manner as the clip-art company I worked for.
Had a pretty solid Fall. You all by now have seen what we did for Halloween and I went to my first RenFaire in years, maybe decades! We took in several bitchin’ concerts of newer artists! Jason Isbell and Lukas Nelson despite the latter’s age curve being more to my right than other shows. I dragged Jennifer through the craziness of stand-up comedy with her first Moontower Fest and I enjoyed the hell out of AltercationFest thanks to our local gem, JT Habersaat!
Now we’re in the home stretch. Everybody’s gift is late and I don’t blame it on the supply chain bullshit. When there’s disruptions, it’s better illustrated as a snake digesting its food unlike the Media’s lame-ass all or nothing presentations. It won’t matter in the end. Grampa’ Brunch is the horrible POTUS I knew he’d be and all his defenders need to remember, their establishment choose him, not the voters. I mean, they preferred Brunch over Girth yet it was a shit choice, do you want to get thrown down the stairs or out the window? Plus these dying Boomer Mummies failed to achieve much. If I hear Obamacare one more time, I will scream. Obamacare is a piece of crap for one major reason, it still involves for-profit health insurance! Grampa’ Brunch is old, out of touch and he has no spine to use his position to pimp slap the Senate into shape. Ergo, the Dems will lose in 2022 and we’ll have another two years of what Slick Willie and Obummer did, surrendering to domestic terrorists.
Is it all bad? Nah. I love my new Watch and iPhone 13 Pro in how well they work, namely improved pictures. We helped some kittens find new forever homes. I strengthened friendships and relations at varying levels. I got back in some serious exercise. I even have my house on the mend into becoming the slice of paradise I always wanted. Disney+ did some amazing TV and films while HBO Max turned out to be great.
What do I hope for in the new year? Playing D&D again. Contributing to charity with time and money. Seeing my niece and nephew on the Maggi side in person. Here’s the major one I think I can actually achieve and it’s overdue, reading an entire book. Doesn’t matter if it’s fiction or whatever, I need to finish just one lately.
See you in the New Year!
Don’t let the grumpy-looking face fool you. It went away pretty quickly! Metztli is very focused on eating because she was starving. How do you pronounce the name I gave her? Since it’s the Aztec goddess of the moon, it’s METZ-zuht-lee, yeah the Z and second T get squished in there to make an extra syllable.
I have to go back a bit in time on how this little fink got rescued. As I was getting ready for work, I spotted a different cat walking across the street. He looked pretty well-fed, could be someone’s pet who shouldn’t be roaming around. I approached him on the sidewalk and he cautiously came up to sniff me. While I was turning around to pet him, Metztli came running out of the wet grass, mewing and immediately climbed up on to my shoulder. A wet, furry, semi-smelly parrot purring at the rate of a motorboat. Poor cat, she was bone thin, much like a different stray I met 20 years earlier…Miette.
Currently, Mietztli is contained, given food and water with a place to go potty and stay warm. She will meet the vet next week. Isis couldn’t care less. Agamemnon is jealous which I wish he weren’t. He’s still my number one cuddle bug when watching TV and no one is getting replaced or overthrown. Besides, he will need to adjust to a pair of older cats moving into Chez Maggi in the near future.
More about her as it happens!
I thought a little levity was necessary over John’s passing. Above is a glitch from EA’s Madden ’92 whenever an injured player needed to be carried off the field.
Now as for my knowledge and fandom of football, well it’s not very deep and my reasons for siding with Green Bay are more political, even if the majority of their fans are likely Republicans. However, Madden’s career encompasses way more than being a former NFL head coach (only the Raiders) and an expert commentator on all the networks (if I’m wrong, feel free to correct me). He went on to be a name heavily associated with the sport to the world by licensing his name to the most successful NFL-based video game. I’ve never tried Madden but I do know a generation of professional and college players were raised with it and thanks to it, they’re much better at memorizing playbooks. I learned of this via On the Media in which Bob Garfield discussed the trend and he gave an example of a college quarterback executing a move from the game; he just moved over to drain the clock a few seconds. What he did made little sense to people over 40 but all the Madden players recognized it immediately.
Beyond the video game, Madden appeared in Miller Lite commercials, plugged fast actin’ Tinactin to address athlete’s foot and had numerous cameos in film and TV, whenever football was involved. He did a great job with his old partner Pat Sommerall on The Simpsons‘ “Sunday, Cruddy Sunday.” Those two were naturals as voice actors since many celebrities have trouble translating their presence only to a microphone.
Thanks for everything John. You were a great ambassador for the sport and may your cause to help the players carry on!
Side effects may include your body resembling Gritty’s ass.
He was a pretty amazing and fortunate figure in how he helped fight apartheid in South Africa. In some regimes, organized religion is complicit with tyranny, regardless of a person’s color or ethnicity. However, he rightfully chose to speak out and this was a huge gamble. Uganda’s dictator Idi Amin executed Tutu’s fellow bishop Janna Luwum. People like PW Botha probably gave this some consideration as they weren’t above torturing. If they did, I’m pretty confident Tutu’s spirit would continue to fuel the movement to finally end South Africa’s unjust, immoral arrangement.
Tutu’s work didn’t end once Nelson Mandela became president, he continued to push the needle on the reborn state’s moral compass. I’m confident, not everyone in the ANC was a fan, given his role as a spiritual leader for a foreign religion. He powered through and the world is a better place thanks to his efforts.
A little aside. Back in the Eighties, my viewpoint was out of vogue with many Left/Liberal peers regarding South Africa. I was in complete agreement about how apartheid was immoral and the then regime couldn’t stand. However, I argued that the US and Europe should assist in helping South Africa make a peaceful transition while non-South African corporations wielded their influence too. An example of the latter, Coca Cola refused to have segregated restrooms. Trivial in America but over there, a start. My overall point was to prevent another Rhodesia-to-Zimbabwe situation. My fellow Leftists/Liberals were often turning a blind eye to the state north of South Africa. Sure, the horrible White minority government was overthrown yet Robert Mugabe’s dictatorship was the result and we all know 35 years later how that panned out. I am grateful deKlerk saw the writing on the wall, released Nelson Mandela and initiated the change. Too bad, it’s not going well as the ANC has shown its gross incompetence, which is often the fate with numerous revolutionary groups regardless of their makeup (even America’s Founders stumbled horribly). Revolution is easy. Governing effectively for all the people, it’s a bitch, especially when all you know for decades is fighting.
Thank you for your diligence, sacrifice and wise words sir. You fought to hard for the world, not just for the freedom of South Africa.
Today would the be last day for 2021 for me to change up and add mp3s to my 19-year-old stream. I also got off my butt to check the logs and add the data about what has been played since mid-Fall. Ta-dah! KMAG played past the 2.6 million mark about two weeks ago which is an incredible feat. No radio station can claim such an accomplishment in so short a period thanks to their incessant jibber-jabber and ads, ads, ads! I’m giving you the stinkeye so-called “commercial free” NPR stations, including KUTX. I’d be amazed if they passed a million in 19 years since the consolidations set off in 1996.
The winner?
“New Love Cassette” by Angel Olsen.
A pretty good song yet it sounds more like something St. Vincent performs in the track’s style if you’re familiar with them.
On to 2.7 million!
A new year, a new opportunity, a new menu and a new (and better) person to share this great experience with! Austin’s genuine, ass-kicking Italian bistro L’oca D’oro (The Golden Goose) held up my newish tradition…Feast of the Seven Fishes. Normally, I want to pimp slap people who have to take a picture of every damned thing they eat, trust me, I see them daily and it’s why I deleted my FeceBook and Instagram accounts. However, I want to share these culinary delights since you won’t be seeing this fantastic stuff at Olive Garden. Jennifer and I had a fantastic time with the every friendly and helpful staff.
Fresh Mozzarella with marinated anchovies on top
and lemon curd on the side.
Insalata di Frutti di Mare:
mussels, red snapper, escabeche and bay scallop crudo.
Eel and eggplant caponata.
Baccala mantecato (creamed cod),
fried broccoli, crunchies and pickled red onion.
Poached gulf white shrimp with L’Oca cocktail sauce.
Grilled calamari ripieni (fennel stuffed squid) with saffron aioli.
Spaghetti con vongole with littleneck clams and parsley.
Tiramisu!
To all you Mills and younger, these cookies represent Zed, Sean Connery’s character in the cult movie Zardoz. They are not Borat cookies with the swimsuit in the wrong color.
Jason Stanley’s piece in today’s Guardian will fall on deaf ears much like Bob Garfield’s two-part podcast about the American Right’s long game of 40 years to topple democracy. We know these two will be dismissed right away by George Will and Peggy Noonan as alarmist Jews, or in hindsight, Cassandras. Meanwhile, the Brunch Party which should now change its name to Weimar Democrats, thank you David Sirota, as they fiddle about letting a corporate shill “representing” a piss-ant state derail progress. The greedy mummy Pelosi and fumbling rodeo clown Schumer share the NeoLiberal arrogance of, “This is America! It can’t happen here. We have too many safety rails.”
Check them out, these two gentlemen articulate better what I have been upset about since the end of the first Gulf Distraction (1991); many Americans wouldn’t mind if we had a coup. Why? They’re tired of voting and the antiquated system we have only works for rich douches wearing powdered wigs. We need results! The pandemic has demonstrated once again now Liberal Democracy is a fig leaf for unrestrained Kapitalism. Should we get a strongman who will fix all the broken shit while letting us continue to go shopping and watch Netflix, the masses will be happy.
Girth Vader was just the final dress rehearsal after their previous beta flunkies St. Reagan and Dubious Bush laid the ground work by eroding the norms. If things continue to become more and more anti-democratic as they warn us: protests being made illegal, voter suppression, a right-wing hack SCOTUS…we’ll be really screwed when they install a professional Fascist such as Josh Hawley, Ron DeSantis or Tom Cotton.
I know that doesn’t sound like a very impressive number but given how lazy, fat and apathetic I got during the Pandemic. What about the bike you bought last year? It tends to work out on weekends more often. I think it will be seeing more action after Jennifer moves in too.
However, my legs were killing me, I felt pretty tired and I rationalized not going to Planet Fitness over them being closed all day on Christmas, ergo, my streak was going to end at some point. I think I can still pull off getting to Genoa before the year ends though.
