The (Daily) Vent 2

{(The Greatest Story Ever Told, (now on television)} Happy Easter ! Throughout today, starting with The Ten Commandments airing last night but there was also Ben Hur from a week or so ago to The Greatest Story Ever Told . In perhaps an apocryphal tale, when John Wayne made his cameo as a Roman Centurian whose line: "That Man was truly the Son of God.," Director George Stevens asked Wayne to repeat the line "but with a little more awe ." So, John Wayne repeated the words: "Awe, that Man was truly the Son of God." It is interesting to note that Max von Sydow, the one who played Christ in "The Greatest Story" was the same one who played Father Merrin in The Exorcist . So, in Good Easter fashion, the story is well suited for feature film-length movies. But what about on TV ? There was the Franko Zeffirelli's Jesus of Nazareth that starred Robert Powell. But that was only a mini-series, only four episodes. Making a full on television series, wi

(Chicken Kiev) Chicken Kiev is a dish where one takes a filet's breast and rolls it around in butter and then add egg and breadcrumbs. It can be either fried or baked but secondhand opinion has revealed that it can be delicious. The city for which the dish is made, however, Kiev, Ukraine, is under less palpable circumstances. Political in-fighting in the United States, the Ukraine's main source of support, has prevented a timely re-supply of supplies, with shortages in artillery becoming increasingly acute. Expendables are being rationed and if this lack of logistical assistance persists, Ukraine could be forced to the negotiating table and will be facing harsh terms. So, more than two years in, the war could finally be getting to resolution. This is a positive development for as the Ukrainian position becomes progressively weaker, and Russia begins to prevail, hostilities could conclude in short order. A state of affairs that has been anathema to Ukraine supporters. The hated

(A Mile Away. . .) ". . A mile away live the rich folks . And I see how they' r e living it up . While the poor they eat from hand to mouth , the rich drink from a golden cup ." That is a line from the Poison hit, "Something to Believe In." The song is about contrasts and how elites assume unto themselves a certain status of privilege. A recent example of this would be the Democrat fundraiser held at Radio City with President Biden and former Presidents, Clintona and Obama that netted some $26 million in the end. Literally, a short distance away, the wake for fallen NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller was being held. Former President Trump was able to make his own appearance. Thirty Rock might be across 6th Avenue from the News Corp Buidling but it might have as well as been an Ivory Tower with its splendid isolation. President Bidan needs money and higher poll numbers but in the next breath, orders new emission restrictions on heavy duty trucks. Another such regulato

(What's In A Name ?) First, a word on the passing of Connecticut Senator, Democrat then Independent, Joe Liberman with complications from a fall. Liberman had been Al Gore's choice for Vice President in 2000, the only Jew to be held in such esteem. And the Connecticut legislator was one of the first to separate from the Democrat Party and become an Independent. Liberman was a staunch supporter of Israel and has been vocal in recent weeks in the Israel- Hamas War, in contrast to the Biden Administration and other Democrats who have been advocating for a cease-fire and regime change, in Israel. In any event, there are times when a new element has to be introduced in order to bring something fresh. That happens a lot in TV shows that get stale over the years. NBC has a program, Las Vegas , that had originally starred James Caan. The show, while entertaining, was never a ratings powerhouse. A replacement to Caan was required and former Magnum P.I. and "Jesse Stone" acto

(Fourth Estate Sale) In no great surprise, Ronna McDaniel's tenure at NBC has been terminated. The Network's current pool of on-air personality and their collective revolt against McDaniel's hire led to the decision. So, what had been Hunt-Brinkly, or John Chancellor, or even Tom Brokaw and Tim Russert, who all might have had liberal leanings, knew their first responsibility was to report the news. At CBS, there had been Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather and at ABC, there was the late Peter Jennings. In addition to these Big Three television networks, the two main newspapers, The New York TIMES, and the Washington POST. They too have departed from an un- biased covering of the news to its publications. The truth is this. So-called journalists, on air or in print, began to sense its ability to influence to make news instead of simply covering it. Instincts of these people lean left so in constructing the stories, the bias is on display. The Media choose sides and it started w

(Breaking Bridges) Earlier this morning, an errant cargo ship lost control and drifted into the central piling of the Francos Scott Key Bridge spanning Baltimore Harbor, causing the bridge to collapse. The Francis Scott Key is a major artery and its loss for however long it will take to construct its replacement. An already stressed supply situation, an already elevated inflation level could only be exacerbated by the loss of the Key. Baltimore bridges are not the only thing breaking today. If the collision had not happened, it would have been the "breaking" of the half billion civil fraud judgment reduced to $175 million and ten days with which to remit. The Biden Administration is getting further estranged from Israel and the on air "talent" at NBC and MSNBC are expressing consternation that the Network has hired outgoing RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel. Speaking of things NBC/MSNBC, when it was announced that the Trump judgment had been reduced, that the former Presiden

(The Score. . .) Reading the fine print. In his other life, Donald Trump as a businessman, concluded dozens if not hundreds of transactions. Central to the success of said agreements was an understanding of all the small details. The fine print , in other words. However. when he completed his most important transaction, that of being elected President, he failed to read the fine print. There had been a regime in place that a Trump Presidency would disrupt. And he did. Since that ride down that Trump Tower (that Letica James could soon seize) escalator, the regime constructed lies and hoaxes against the Republican President. When Democrats took the House in 2018 and impeached Trump and how the covid "emergency" allowed certain state rule changes and for the 2020 Election, Trump was removed from office. Reading the fine print now would suggest that Trump was supposed to disappear, and if he didn't, the odds of making a successful return were widely considered as an impossib

(PLUNDER. . .) Operation PLUNDER   was the last Allied drive of the Second World War and was the attack that finally had the entire Expeditionary Force line abreast on the east side of the Rhine. As for the execution of PLUNDER itself, that fell to the 21st Army Group under the command of General Bernard Law Montgomery, with the British Second Army and the U.S. Nineth Armies as subordinate formations. PLUNDER had been supplemented by Operation VARSITY , the largest airborne operation with 17,000 troopers, the largest drop of the War. The PLUNDER/VARSITY operation might have been the penultimate phase but General Eisenhower's command at SHAEF, Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Forces, was not the oiled machine it had been. After the shock of the Battle of the Bulge, General Montgomery thought he should be promoted to a command still subservient to Eisenhower but superior to the component commanders. like Bradley or Devers, not to mention army commands like Hodges at Firs

(Then There Were Fewer) How many times must one see lemmings run off a cliff ? How many movies are there where some alien or other malevolence systemically reduces the number or other cast members ? For the House Republican Conference, a combination of both lemming and unfortunate horror show cast members, who are charting a path to their own destruction. Like a runner that just needed to get to First Base, and stay there, but thinking he can manage a Home Run, makes the attempt and is put Out in short order.  At this rate, the House GOP will find themselves out of power. At this rate, one not even need wait to November before, on certain days, the Democrats would have the "majority" and that would mean Democrat Speaker Jeffries. November would just confirm a new House Democrat Majority. Why now ? After all the in-fighting that saw the removal of Speaker McCarthy, the loss of George Santos and Ken Buck, and now, after another spending bill passed with bi-partisan support, Co

(Cartel. . .) A typical definition of the term "cartel" is a collective of interests involved in order to dominate some system at the expense of an individual. The term us in the news today as those that are dominating the narcotics and human smuggling. The hundred or so migrants that attempted to rush the border the other day, were at the border in the first place because of Mexican Cartel efforts. That being said, the collective efforts against former President Trump. It has been noted that Trump could declare bankruptcy, an option the former President is loath to consider. But the worse scenario is that Trump loses everything, even Trump Tower as well as all his other New York properties and Mar-A=Lago. By Monday, Trump world could be under new management. But this goes beyond Trump. A chilling effect is being cast over Big Apple real estate as the civil fraud judgement, where there was no actual fraud, was arbitrary and mercurial. Almost a half a billion in cash by Monday

(Mr. Big, Guy) During the 1970's, there were a series of movies called "Blaxploitation" films. They were heavy with African American characters, like Fred Williamson or Pam Grier. To spoof these moves, black director Keenan Ivory Wayans did a movie from 1988,  I ' m Gonna Git You Sucka . Aside from Wayans, who played the "hero," the film starred Bernie Casey, Issac Hayes, Jim Brown, Steve James and Antonio Vargas. The Villian was one Mr. Big, played by John Vernon. Now, all the actors had history playing varying people in the Blaxploitation genre but did have an appeal to all audiences. It can be said that President Biden is the Mr. Big, Guy. In Testimony before the House Oversight Committee, Hunter Biden associate Tony Bobulineki, confirmed that President Biden was the recipient of funds as a part of the Biden family influence peddling scheme as the President was also the "brand." According to Bobulineki, the President was in violation of various

(Ping Pong) How many people remember Gary Cooper in High Noon ? A lone sheriff expecting a group of bandits that wanted to see him dead. Over the course of the film, Cooper dispatches the gang, but he has to do it alone. No one in the town would help him. Donald Trump is like Gary Cooper as he is standing alone in his attempts to secure capital to pay the almost half a billion bond that is because any insurance concern, the ones who could post the amount have no wish to alienate the same authorities that are persecuting Trump. That being said, the Trump-endorsed candidate in the Ohio Republican Senate Primary, Bernie Moreno, won against his opponents, garnering over fifty percent of votes cast. Moreno will be facing incumbent Democrat Sherod Brown in the Fall. It might be interesting to note that some of Moreno's funding came from Democrat sources. Their thinking, that any candidate endorsed by Trump is vulnerable to any Democrat.  That remains to be seen. A real case of "pin

(Scorpion Kings. . .) The "Scorpion King" was a real person. Before Lower and Upper Egypt united, King "Scorpion" ruled what was considered Lower Egypt. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson played the Scorpion king in two film outings, The Mummy Returns and The Scorpion King . In the former, Johnson played a warrior that tried to conquer Egypt and failed. Defeated, he and what remained of his army were forced into the desert. On the brink of death himself, the Scorpion King made a pact with the Egyptian god of the Underworld, Anubis. Anubis gave him an army and the King did vanquish his enemies. However, at the end. Anubis exacted his price. He turned the king into a scorpion himself and imprisoned him in a pyramid. The movie, The Scorpion King , however, where the Rock played a heroic Akkadian warrior, who adopts an orphan, defeats a tyrant and marries a sorcerer princess. Now, this not in the film. but one can imagine events that perhaps took place after. Say the

(Crowded Theater Fires) The First Amendment to the Bill of Rights allows for most forms of expression, independent of most government interference. However, it was pointed out that such expression is not absolute. For instance, one cannot yell "fire in a crowded movie theater." Of course, the Colleary to that comes when there actually might be a fire in a crowded theater. Or a global pandemic. As was mentioned the other day, the government with the cooperation of social media colluded to promote a narrative that could tolerate no dissent. That being said, what happens when the government gets it wrong ? Making a partnership with the likes of Facebook/META, or YouTube ? Having those platforms screen those who were not necessarily following the Party line ? In other words, speech was restricted because non-government data was labeled as misinformation. That is not to say that such information was factually wrong regarding the disease. And those who held these contrary opinions

(Debtors' Prison) It was a common enough sight in Victorian England for "debtor" prisons. That would have been the world of Charles Dickens and Oliver Twist. In any event, former President Donald Trump has just been levied a bond of $464 million, a sum he could have difficulty raising. Also, it has been revealed that the federal response to the covid pandemic was ineffective and that Google has interfered with elections with sixteen years and over forty cases. And the media, predictably, lost its mind over the Trump "bloodbath" comments. People were placed into these dismal places of incarnation were for those who could not pay what were often unfair obligations. Like the bond being assessed on Donald Trump. In order to secure that amount, Trump could be forced to divest assets. Like Trump Tower and all his other New York properties. Trump also has a few golf courses and, the jewel in the crown, the Mar-A-Lago estate. Quite a display to have federal officers go

(Blarney. . .) The term "Blarney," named for castle and stone, is a tourist attraction in Ireland. Happy St. Patrick's Day ! Local tradition has it that if one "kiss" the Blarney Stone, they would be instantly with "a gift of gab." A modern translation would be that one knows how (expletive deleted) people. Blarney is in fact the Irish term for (expletive deleted." Today, one only watch the news to see all the blarney in view. Whether it is the new assessment of the events of January 6th, the continued of the Biden-Schumer response to the Israeli- Hamas War, or it is budget that the President sent to Congress, one way or another, it is all blarney (expletive deleted). One is well aware of the events on that day in January, 2021. In the wake, of his loss, Donald Trump held a rally and "encouraged people to go to the Capitol and make their presence known. The demonstration, such as it was, was not an insurrection on the bidding of the out-goin

(The House Of David) Easter is coming at the end of the month. However, before there was Jesus, there had to be King David. David was Jesus' ancestor that would provide a royal bloodline when the Christ appeared. The Bible said a lot about David who was anointed king of a "United" Israelite Kingdom. David was a glorified Hebrew hero. It was he that killed the Phillistine giant, with a sling-shot. He gained popularity among the Hebrew people and after his predecessor, King Saul was killed, Hebrew Judge, Samual, anointed David, King. David made his Capitol Jerusalem where his son Solomon constructed the Hebrew Temple. That being said, for all his heroic deeds and "Beloved by God," David was in reality, a very flawed human, unlike Christ. His relationship with Bathsheba, another man's wife, who he sent to be killed in combat. And there were other "sins" that David, and as the Bible says, lost the Favor of God. Originally, the story of King David was c

(Today. Of ALL Days) For this March 15th, the "Ides of March," this time, there is more than just the anniversary of the assassination of Julius Caesar, almost two thousand years ago. The Roman Proconsul, and General, conqueror of Gaul, defied Senate orders and took his Army south. He fought the first Roman civil war against Gaius Pompey, which he won. About to declare himself "Dictator for Life," Caesar was murdered by a conspiracy of Senators. who in 44 BCE, stabbed the would be dictator some 23 times. The modern analog to Julius Caesar is of course Donald Trump. That would be in addition to Senator Sanders (D-VT) the Socialist from the Green Mountains, advocating for a 32-hour work week. Add to that the collapse of Haiti. Now, it is unlikely that Trump will be stabbed on the floor of the U.S. Senate (that would stain the carpet) but like the anti-Caesar cabal in 44. In contrast to Caesar's fortune, the former President has received positive news on his legal

(Un-Equal Treaties. . .) The cable network, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) aired, beginning at the end of February, "31 Days of Oscar," ending with the Academy Awards ceremony itself. One of the films aired was The Last Emperor , which won its own set of Oscars. The movie, as the title suggests, profiles Pu Yi. the last Emperor of the Q'ing Dynasty, He assumed the throne when he was only three years old and saw his Dynasty dissolve in 1911 when Dr. Sun Yat Sen came to power in a new Republic of China. The last years of the Q'ing were a time when the House of the Dragon and the Son of Heaven were made prostrate by so-called "Un-equal" Treaties imposed by exploiting European powers. However, at the start of the 19th Century, the Chinese Empire was the strongest on the planet. The British Empire and its possessions in India, introduced opium to China and that led to a series of wars that sapped Chinese strength. In the Taiping Rebellion, a consequence of the First

(Do It Again ?) " Standing in the middle of nowhere . Wondering how to begin . Lost between tomorrow and yesterday . Between now and then . But now we ' re back where we started . Here we go round again . Day after day we get up and say , let ' s do it again ." These are opening lyrics to 'Do it Again' from the Kinks ' last charting album, "Word of Mouth" from 1982. And, after night's election results, it is the re-match of the Century and old treads made new, again it is Trump-Biden whether this new contest is or is not desirable. That this situation could be possible over three years ago could scarcely be predicted. Trump was finished at the end of the 2020 Campaign. Trump was considered a failed President. To recover would require all those votes he lost in 2020 that perhaps had been there in 2016 was not seen as practical. Remember, even the Jungle wanted him dead. That was then. This is now and Donald Trump is again the Republican Nomin

("Something Wicked This Way Comes. . .) Will the "real" Joe Biden please stand ? Now, either the President is the one from the State of the Union speech, where he seemed "collected," so to speak, or he was still prone to gaffes and confusion as he was in Pennsylvania or New Hampshire. The question to be answered this morning is what Biden version was at the interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur, who was investigating the President's own managing of classified material that was not secured and Biden had no reason to have them in the first place. Robert Hur is before the House Judiciary Committee today to explain Biden's state of mind when he had the President. As one might recall, Hur did not charge then Vice President Biden who had improper custody of that material, but, because he "was an old man who was well meaning but had a poor memory." Quite a contrast to the more vibrant President at the State of the Union that has been universally

(None Of The Above ?) The Academy Awards were presented last night. Predictably, the biopic Oppenheimer was the dominant feature, winning seven awards, including Best Picture, out of thirteen nominations. For voting Members at the Academy, their choice for Best Picture was too long and Trinity , the explosion, was too small.  The television audience, as in past broadcasts, was small. About the same number that tuned the President's State of the Union last Thursday. In voting for who might win what Oscar, there is no "none of the above" option. There would appear to be one when it comes to Presidential Primaries. In the recent slate of Democrat contests, the so-called "non-committed," none of the above in other words, were counted in numbers that could affect vote totals in states like Michigan or Minnesota, each with Muslim populations. The political animal he is, Biden is now looking to influence Israel to engage in a more permeant cease fire, which at this st

(Benign Malignancy) One can hope that people are getting along today with that extra hour of sleep gone. Daylight Savings Time is an anachronism that should go the way of speed limits on the open road. But the time change is a fact of life, except for the people of Arizona and Hawaii, who apparently know better. Anyhow, there is a Bill in front of the House that would seek to ban Tik Tok. Now, the service is a very platform for people and their ability to be self-expressive. People dance. they sing, public service announcements are regularly made. There can be value to these activities. However, all TikTok really is at the core is an "expressive" arm of the Chinese Communist Party. As the chief adversary of the United States, it would be in the interest of the Peoples' Republic to have a social media platform with the pervasiveness of Tik Tok, especially with younger people, which can be susceptible to Chinese propaganda. It was for that reason that Tik Tok use is being b

(Remarks, Revised & Extended) There is a broader context to Biden's State of the Union from the other night. His delay at arriving on Capitol Hill was caused by a pro-Palestinian protest. It was mentioned that Biden got the name of murdered nursing student Laken Riley wrong and the Gold Star father who heckled the President was placed under arrest. But this State of the Union was not designed to accomplish any other such address. The President has been hearing whispers that there is an effort in some quarters to replace him on the ticket. In other words, the "Speech" was an audition in front of the Democrat Congressional Delegation to demonstrate his continued capacity to remain Commander in Chief and seek a successful re-election. But last Thursday night was last Thursday night. Whatever they gave him, it apparently had worn off by Friday. He was able to reiterate his agenda about protecting abortion rights. gun control. and pitch Bidenomics, where the President was

(Pan Is Not Just For Pizza) Last night was the State of the Union speech by President Biden. The first thing one can say is that he was able to make it through with no gaffes, save for mis-pronouncing the of Laken Riley, murdered by an illegal alien from Venezuela. It was evident that the President was on an amphetamine if some sort, if not a lot of coffee. Now, that being said, the President used the speech as a campaign commercial. That varies from what such grand Presidential speeches from the past but the address delivered last evening was the only speech that Biden would be able to give. Invariably, there will differences of opinion as to Biden's performance. The President talked about Ukraine, what he opened with, took some credit for employment and inflation numbers as a sign of the success of Bidenomics, which no one is buying. He did mention the border but only in the context of the failed Senate immigration bill. Biden complained of "shrinkflation," how greedy c

(Take Me To The River. . .) That is a song from alternative rockers, The Talking Heads . The "river" in this case is the Rhine, the last natural barrier the Allies faced in 1945. As things turned out, on March 7th, units of the 9th Armored Division seized the town of Remagen, and found, intact, the Ludendorff railway bridge. A span over the Rhine River that had not yet been destroyed by retreating Germans. The loss of the Ludendorff was a catastrophe and even a V-2 rocket targeted the span. In any event, the Allied capture of a Rhine crossing advanced their time-table by at least three weeks. President Biden will be delivering the State of the Union this evening. It is like the 9th Armored before the Ludendorff bridge was taken. Biden is necessarily compromised. Assuming he manages a "stable" performance tonight, he in all likelihood would not be able to debate Donald Trump. That being said, Biden's SOTU will be more important as there is the over-riding issue o

(Start With A Corner. . .) One can go to any Hallmark Store and see examples of jig-saw puzzles of thousands of pieces. It can be an image of Buckingham Palace, the Giza Pyramids, the Empire State Building or whatever. Former President Trump now has a jigsaw puzzle of his own, bringing Haley (who has withdrawn her candidacy as of the morning) voters, as well as affected independents. Over the next months, it will incumbent on Trump to lay out his ideas for his new term. Haley's withdrawal did not come with her endorsement of the GOP Frontrunner but she did wish him well. but she also said that she, and her "supporters" were not completely sold as to supporting Trump in the Fall. These are the "pieces" Trump has to assemble. And, despite the broad dis-pleasure that this Biden-Trump 2, it is no use denying reality. The reality is, however, that this time last year, Donald Trump was considered persona non grata . There was no chance to regain the White House. His w

(Levels Of Grief) In the opening scenes in The Dirty Dozen , Private Arthur James Gardner was executed for the crime of murder. The case was tried three times, reviewed three times, the results were the same. For his part, Gardener said "he was sorry, he did not mean it" whereas the "executing officer" gave the nod and the Private was dropped into the well. Lee Marvin's Major John Reisman was a witness to the proceedings. The cases against Trump have been brought three times, examined three times, and with the Supreme Court 9-0 ruling, the other cases in New York, D.C., or Georgia, are not necessarily proving the Trump killer that was hoped. However, that result is not sitting well with some. In its Decision restoring Trump to Colorado, SCOTUS said that legislation is would be re -quired to place any prohibition of Trump off any ballot. There are some people who cannot abide another Trump Administration. The whole effort against the former President is being bo

(Bench Warmers) For all discussion that Chief Justice John Roberts has wanted an apolitical Supreme Court, during his tenure, the Supreme Court has been nothing but political in the decisions handed down over the years. Chief among those would be the up holding of Obamacare. Coming in a close second, however, would be decision announced this morning that former President Donald Trump must remain on the Colorado Primary ballot. By extension, the Ruling will also extend to the prohibitions enacted in Maine and most recently Illinois. It was not that these ballot challenges were rejected by the Court but it was a repudiation of 9-0. Even the so-called Liberal Justices joined with the Majority, rendering a "concurring" opinion, that "a patchwork of eligibility" is not a practical idea. Invariably, Trump made a comment in the aftermath of the Decision. thanking the Court and also took the opportunity to criticize President Biden over things like the border. In any event