091 Reality TV Politics

The Political Campaign as Reality TV

Polite people should never discuss their politics, their money, or their religion said my grandmother many years ago. I do wonder what she would think of today’s media coverage of the upcoming presidential election. Appalled, I think! And appalled and embarrassed that I am writing this blog!

[Interesting sidebar: And, if you have been following political coverage--the many, many hours of political coverage--you may have heard also that Sarah Palin is slated to preside over a new reality court show to premiere next year. It is being put together by the TV executives who founded Judge Judy! OH, GOOD GRIEF!]

Okay, you may well disagree with my unsubstantiated analysis, but here it is!

• The 2016 presidential elections feel like a reality show! Donald Trump is the leader in this as he was already a reality TV star with his own show, The Apprentice, (and Trump is also getting a reality boost from second wife Marla Maples on Dancing with the Stars.)

• Fewer TV ads and more news shows with talking heads! I have quit watching the news on TV and simply check the top stories on Google and AOL. I do not want to listen to the pundits--liberal, conservative, moderate, socialist, or otherwise--tell me what I should think about Trump, Hillary, or Bernie anymore. 

• The candidates are like “product placement” for their own campaign chests! A firm which tracks media spending, mediaQuant, issued the following information this week: Trump has spent about $10 million on TV ads, but has benefitted from nearly $2 BILLION (yes, BILLION) in free media coverage. Sounds a bit Kardashian to me! 

• Hillary, on the other hand, has spent $28 million in paid ads and benefitted from about $765 million in free media attention. Is it about the hair? Or about who riles up the most people? 

• Who is benefitting from all this? Personally, (old statistics geek that I am) I think the TV industry – i.e. the news media – has gotten the most “bang for their bucks” or ROI (return on investment). MSNBC news ratings has risen 20%, CNN’s up 170%, and good old conservative Fox is up 40%. (I REALLY, REALLY miss Jon Stewart!!) Obviously, there is a mutually beneficial relationship between candidates and news organizations during elections. The New Yorker’s (my favorite magazine) reporter wrote, way back in 1987, that viewers are going “for style over substance, entertainment over news.” (Even news reporters are better looking than they used to be. I respected Walter Cronkite but he was not a hot, sexy guy.)

• Politics appears to be increasingly about fame! A quick review of early presidents shows that having a noted name certainly helped win votes. Washington, Jackson, Taylor, Grant, Ike were military heroes. Jefferson had the Declaration of Independence on his bio. The Roosevelts, Kennedys and Bushes, known family names who were well-established in political circles. And Ronald Reagan – being a movie star didn’t hurt. And in 2016, the two most likely to go head to head are not only names, but magazine covers, and newsmakers in their own right without debates and campaigns to run. 

• I am truly not excited about anybody. Bernie Sanders seems to be a cool, old guy. A pragmatic liberal who was an INDEPENDENT until last May. An activist in college (oh, my, the scandal of those 1960s), and a junior senator who caucuses with the Democrats. I am not sure just where his appeal comes from. Maybe those activist days.

• Hillary was a stoic and decent first lady, a SMART woman, and a not bad secretary of state, but she lacks charisma and she’s not been too smart about some email.

• THE DONALD--along with his ubiquitous present, is the American voting public aware he does not always make good decisions: four bankruptcies and five failed business plans that I can think of off the top of my head: Trump University, Trump Magazine, Trump TV Network, Trump Vodka, and his own Trump Mortgage Company, along with a number of discrimination suits, not all of which are settled! 

        Nope, can’t vote Trump! Where’s the substance?

• Bloomberg--oh, Bloomberg--I wish you had thrown your hat in the ring!

Glenne      

090 Blooming

Blooming time in Winchester

Parades, fireworks, celebrities, and much, much more briefly dominate this small town of 20-some thousand where we live. The reason the town turns into a teeming caldron of excitement and anticipation in the spring is to celebrate the arrival of the annual apple blossoms.

The community puts on an amazing show, and this year is the 89th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival. The many volunteers pull it all together for two weeks of activities that rival any festival in any small town throughout the country.

The excitement never seems to wane. Hues of pink and green, whether in nature, apparel, or decorating, dominate the color palette of the area.

We have lived in the midst of it all for more than 40 years with our house facing the Handley High School campus on the edge of the designated parade route and the location where the fireworks are launched.

It never ceases to amaze us how our quiet neighborhood becomes a teeming hot bed of activity --- two parades, two foot races, street vendors, food concessions of every sort, musical performances, and more. I can actually walk across the street from my house and buy a funnel cake – how many of you can ever do that!



Our children are true Apple Blossom Festival advocates – born in the 1970s in Winchester, they grew up going to festivals. Good friends of the family lived in a house on the parade route on North Washington Street, so we were immediately drafted into the blooming way of life when we moved to the area in the late 1960s. We learned how to get around, what groups to look for in the parades, and how to police our children through the food and toy concessions. Needless to say, our children and now their children partake in the festivities as often as they can with an enthusiastic zeal.

On Friday afternoon, we can sit on our front porch and cheer on youngsters for the one-mile run, and on Saturday morning, we can encourage adults on the longer trek through town. It is certainly a change of pace from the mundane of the normal weekend routine.

Since, the fireworks are on the school campus, directly in front of our house, our grandkids tell everyone to come by and see our fireworks!

But before you know it, it is over ---trash has been miraculously picked up, crowds are gone, traffic has disappeared, and the street is back to normal . . . until next year.

It is bittersweet – it was nice to have the distraction, but we know it can’t go on forever. What a glorious break, especially after a harsh winter, and a great welcoming of spring and warmer weather. This once a year spectacle is something we all eagerly anticipate!

Festival-loving Frances      

089 Thanks, Richard & Oscar

Getting to Know You

                    Getting to Know All About You

I have recently seen a television commercial that uses a familiar show tune from The King and I.

For me, Instant Ear Worm!

But with a twist.

I had listened to the cast album so many,many times (many, many years ago) that I now run through the entire show in my head over and over again--from "I Whistle a Happy Tune" to "Hello, Young Lovers" to "We Kiss in a Shadow" to "Something Wonderful" to, of course, "Shall We Dance?" 

My favorite Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals appeared on Broadway from 1943 to 1951 with the movie versions, which was what I saw, from 1955 to 1958. I watched them during my pre-teen years. We owned the cast albums for Oklahoma, South Pacific, and The King and I, and maybe a few others.

They influenced me in many way. There was a message of tolerance in the musicals. For instance, from South Pacific:

I think many of the romantic ballads gave an unrealistic view of romantic love that worked very well in the pre-teen world. I remember walking down the street where the boy with whom I was fixated lived --just in case I might see Him or lingering by his locker, looking about for Him! "You fly down a street on the chance that you meet, and you meet, not merely by chance." Actually, Lerner and Loewe in My My Fair Lady captured adolescent love most accurately:

I have often walked down this street before,

But the pavement always stayed beneath my feet before.

All at once am I several stories high,
Knowing I'm on the street where you live.

   

                  Even more unrealistic

Some enchanted evening

When you find your true love,

When you feel her call you

Across a crowded room,

Then fly to her side,

And make her your own

Or all through your life you

May dream all alone.

At that age, I did not appreciate how romantic mature love can be:

He will not always say what you would have him say.

But, now and then he'll say something wonderful.

The thoughtless things he'll do will hurt and worry you,

Then, all at once he'll do something wonderful.

Then there are times when one of those great songs just pop into your head:

Who hasn't walked outside and thought:

Oh, what a beautiful morning!

Oh, what a beautiful day!

I hear it over and over again--how this or that is the greatest, earth-changing invention. Often a certain ditty comes to me:

Everything's up to date in Kansas City.

They gone about as fer as they can go.

They went an' built a skyscraper seven stories high--

About as high as a buildin' orta grow.

Everything's like a dream in Kansas City.

It's better than a magic lantern show.

You can turn the radiator on whenever you want some heat.

With every kind of comfort every house is all complete.

You could walk the privees in the rain and never wet your feet!

They've gone about as fer as they can go.

It seems the songs from Oklahoma provide good comic relief. When I am being "convinced" to volunteer for something I really don't want to do:

I'm just a girl who cain't say 'no'
I'm in a terrible fix!
I always say 'Come on, let's go' just when I aughta say 'Nix.'

Although it is a bit to schmaltzy for me, I cried buckets when hearing it in Carousel, and I imagine it has given many people comfort:




Whatever your favorite and however these songs come to you--

Thank you, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Your songs Walk On.

                                                   Trish

088 This drug?

Do I Really Want To Take This Drug?

Do you have one of the many viruses prevalent right now? OR is it a virus? Is it an infection that could really use antibiotic help? Do you have some chronic medical problem that requires prescription meds on a daily basis? 

If your answer is YES to any of these questions, do NOT listen to the mild-voiced narrators on drug ads on TV who lists all the problems that could arise from the advertised wonder drug while the ad runs. 

You may never want to take drugs again!

So, I repeat: is the cure worse than the problem? This blog is meant to be “tongue-in-check” humor, yet the contraindications of well-advertised drugs are true and are scary.

  
With many, many, many viewings of said TV ads, it is easy to become a bit paranoid . . . or if you are comedian, (like Steve Martin or Jeff Foxworthy--Google their monologues), you may have created a whole comedy routine on medication side effects.

Here is some basic information, dear readers.

Medicine (pharmaceutical drug) is the use of a legal drug to treat or cure an illness. A note (prescription) from your doctor is required.

There are also OTC drugs (over the counter) which you may choose yourself. Penicillin is not one of them. (Sadly!)

Dosage is also important. This tells you how much to take. If you take too much, it is called an overdose. An overdose can damage your liver or kill you.



Indication is the reason why the medicine is given. Some drugs have more than one indication - e.g. acetaminophen is for both pain and fever.

Contraindication is why a drug should not be given. Almost all drugs have contraindications. These contraindications are also called “side effects” and we do not want these. 

Read your prescription bottle and any accompanying information. 

Read the warning labels. 

Ask your doctor about side effects.

If I were really clever or quick enough at memorizing, I would try to make this list into a song with a familiar tune. Please let me know what music would work! 

And isn’t it ironic that constipation and diarrhea are on the same list!

Stay well! Glenne      

087 Shoes and shoes

If the shoe fits or not!

Shoes, shoes and more shoes--I recently cleaned out various parts of my wardrobe and discovered shoes I didn’t know I had. 

They were tucked away in the attic, some still in the original boxes, as well as in every nook and cranny of several closets. I seemed to have a penchant for buying the same style in every color available.

My husband and I decided this Lenten season to put at least one item a day in a bag to donate rather than giving something up as in past years. It really worked well as our closets have become leaner and lighter. This cleansing made me realize how I had not purged my shoe possessions for quite some time.

But back to the shoes--I know some of them I kept for sentimental reasons--heels that I can no longer wear and colors I would never be seen in ever again. What feeds this obsession to seek out the perfect addition to a wardrobe or to update something I have?

Research reveals that shoes are definitely an obsession for men and women and are a talking point that doesn’t become a sexist remark. You can tell someone you like his or her shoes without appearing to notice any taboo part of the body.

In addition, shoes seem to give the buyers a rush of adrenalin that propels them into a cloud of bliss. I know I have felt something similar to this but mainly when I find a great sale--50 percent or less off the original price. The mark-up on shoes must be over the top as the final price can be nowhere near the asking.

The ultimate shoe story that changed a life is of course is the Cinderella fairy tale that thrust her out of the cinders into the castle of her prince charming. That glass slipper may be behind the love and compulsion that many of us have for shoes.

As I took inventory during my recent shoe de-cluttering, I found I also have an intense attraction to boots – short, tall, practical, or totally useless styles. I couldn’t part with any of them at this time but maybe next year. 

I did not dare count the pairs of footwear that I own. I know I could not handle it, and my family and friends would use it against me if I ever revealed my total. It has to be in the hundreds, but I did reduce it some with this spring’s purging.

As I have matured, my shoe buying has progressed somewhat into a realm of comfort. I used to buy a size close to the one my feet measure--if the store was out of my size, I would try a smaller or larger size--not a good idea. One dear friend of mine remarked at a particularly good sale--doesn’t matter if it fit, if it is a good price! That type of logic is probably why so many of us now have troubled feet!

A modern convenience has made it even easier to buy shoes--the Internet. If I see a pair of shoes I can’t live without and my size is not available, I immediately Google it, and most of the time I can find it. Often I will look for coupons or discounts to make it a little easier to justify.

While a great deal of research and time have gone into the world of shoes--determining personality traits by the type of shoes--as well as special exhibits, calendars, books, and other publications that try to understand a woman’s and sometimes a man’s shoe obsession, I can only speak for myself as I sort by color and style ---- I really like shoes! 

As a notepad given to me by a dear friend exclaims, “You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy shoes!”

Shoe Savvy Frances      

086 Reveal Codes

Why Not Reveal Codes?

Every so often, I get frustrated with Word and wish it had "Reveal Codes" that I had enjoyed back when I used Word Perfect.

The formatting symbols that appear in the text in Word when I click the ¶ icon in Word do not give me enough information.

I probably remember "Reveal Codes" in a rosy glow--giving it much more value than it had. It has been a while!

When I googled "Reveal Codes" and "Word", I discovered that the two word processing software programs are configured radically different, and the Word software is incapable of having a feature such as Reveal Codes. I also found much advice about using Styles in Word to have more control, but the learning curve seems too steep for me.

But,Wait! I am not going to devote this blog to bitching about Microsoft. After endowing "Reveal Codes" with such great power, I wondered why it isn't available elsewhere.  Think of the situations when Reveal Codes would be invaluable:

People are impossible to read which is what makes them so fascinating! So I guess I will keep grumbling and using Word.                                                                                                                                 And Rory, the Reveal Codes Superhero won't be making an appearance any time soon!                                                               Trish                                                               P.S. I am too cheap to buy Word Perfect when Word comes with the computer!

085 Movies

Movies:If you haven’t seen these….

Hello, there, Facebook friends and fellow movie buffs. 

The Oscars and other awards shows are over. Following nominated films closely and seeing as many as we can is a semi-hobby my husband and I adopted over the years. On awards nights, we discuss our critiques with that of the movie industry. Yes, we even talk back to the tv screen. I do wish, however, the winners would just shut up, accept the award, say thank you, and go sit back down.

Over the past few years, I have been collecting a list of movies under general categories which I find worth watching. Should you be looking for something to stream or order from Netflix or use your on demand, here are my recommendations for the category HISTORY – Fact and Fiction from the Revolution through the Civil War. If you like this listing of what Glenne recommends, periodically I will slide in different lists.

I selected this arbitrary time period because this is often the way schools teach U S History. The Civil War ends the first semester and the second semester gets all the rest. Not all are good movies, not all stay true to the facts, but together they give an overview of how to remind oneself or educate your family and friends about the high and low points of our history.

U.S. History--The first half

1776  
The beginning of the nation. This is a fictionalized account of the 2nd Continental Congress and the debate about whether to declare independence. The film makes John Adams obnoxious, but the singing is wonderful. This is a great movie that makes one want to google historical facts. If you want a comparison, try HBO’s 2008 John Adams miniseries which covers the period from the Boston Massacre to the Revolutionary War. I still love the Broadway show and the movie although I know its faults.                                                                           

The Crossing  
Sad to say but this little movie is not very entertaining. It does, though, give a realistic portrayal of Washington crossing the Delaware and how the course of American history changed because of it.         

Johnny Tremain  
The young adult novel turned into a Disney movie in 1957. This is family movie of an apprentice silversmith who becomes a patriot and joins “The Sons of Liberty.” Also, this is a good introduction to Paul Revere.                               

Hamilton   
This is the hit Broadway show I am sneaking in to see if you are paying attention. Good luck on getting tickets, but this show covers Hamilton, Burr, Adams, Jefferson, Washington, Lafayette, Madison and the early 1800s. Even King George III gets to ask “what happens next?” [Tickets start at $177/person]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

                  

The Buccaneer   
Produced in 1958, baby boomers will like this old movie of the War of 1812. Charlton Heston plays Andrew Jackson and Yul Brenner is the flamboyant pirate Jean Lafitte. It is based on true events and, even if a bit campy, it’s worth watching.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

The Alamo 
The John Wayne one, not the 2004 remake. It’s 1836 and the Santa Anna’s Mexican Army is invading Texas. Learn about General Sam Houston (Richard Boone), Jim Bowie (Richard Widmark) and Davy Crockett (John Wayne). The resistance at the Alamo mission spurred Texas toward freedom.            

Amistad  
In 1839 the slave ship Amistad sets sail from Cuba to America during which there is a slave uprising. The slaves are held in prison in Connecticut.  Free slave Joadson (played by Morgan Freeman) recruits a property lawyer (Matthew McConaughey) to help with the case. Powerful! Foreshadows the Civil War.

Note: Selections 8, 9, and 10 are my Civil War choices. The movie database (IMDb) lists 71 Civil War era movies. The three following are my favorites. I look forward to hearing from you as to why I should have chosen others or that you agree.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

                                                             

Gone with the Wind   
Okay, okay! I know it’s very fictionalized, but the characters are so memorable – Rhett, Scarlett, Mammy, et al. The burning of Atlanta and the wounded on the railroad tracks are forever etched in my mind.                                                                                        

Lincoln   
The Spielberg 2012 movie I believe to be the best portrayal of Lincoln I have ever seen as he works to obtain passage of the 13th Amendment banning slavery. Daniel Day-Lewis is superb in the role.                                                                                                                                                                                          

Glory  
Apparently this sad movie is factual. It tells the tale of the first official black regiment in the Civil War. Following the Battle of Antietam, the 54th Voluntary Massachusetts Infantry fights their own battles to be allowed to move from menial tasks to war. With Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington, this is a powerful movie.

Pop the popcorn! Enjoy. We’d love to hear from you.

Glenne