The Writer's Life 7/19 - Potpourri

One item from coverage of yesterday's activities at the RNC brought a smile to my face. The media filing center has been exiled to a half mile from the convention site -- next to a pigsty, which is part of a sustainable farming project. How fitting that the press, most of which leans way left, be housed beside their own. At least they won't have far to go to recycle... Does anything reveal so clearly how desperate reporters have become in their frustrated efforts to stop Trump than the accusations that Melania plagiarized a portion of a Michele Obama speech? I don't know whether she did or didn't, but it seems, of all the people to steal from, MO would be among the least desirable. If it is found that a speech writer is responsible, he/she should be fired to show that there are consequences to such behavior. If it was MT herself, the Donald should curtail her allowance. On a positive note, there were no reports of violence.

It seems the failed coup has only served to accelerate the pace toward an Islamic state in Turkey. Erdogan now has license to move even further from the secularism that has characterized the country for decades. In a side bar, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Enes Kanter, a native of Turkey and outspoken critic of Erdogan, is receiving death threats.

Here are the highest rated films, on a scale of ten, at IMDb:
1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) 9.2. I think I'm the only person on the planet who deems it jailhouse B.S..
2. The Godfather (1972) 9.2. "Leave the gun, take the connolis."
3. The Godfather: Part II (1974) 9.0. "Cheech -- a porta!"
4. The Dark Knight (2008) 8.9. By far the best of anything ever done on the iconic character.
5. Schindler's List (1993) 8.9. I prefer documentaries on the holocaust.
6. 12 Angry Men (1957) 8.9. Great drama, but I still think the kid's guilty.
7. Pulp Fiction (1994) 8.9. Replace it with Reservoir Dogs (1992)
8. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) 8.9. Yawnnnn!
9. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) 8.9. Great fun. Eli Wallach was hilarious.
10. Fight Club (1999) 8.8. May have surprised me more than any other film I've ever seen.

The previous three sessions of the floating book shop were characterized by high heat and humidity and a few sales each day. Today the weather was near perfect, and nary a sale occurred. My regulars have been MIA at my usual nook. My thanks to Natalia and Benedict, who donated three books in Russian.
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3

Vic's Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
Vic's Short Story Collection: http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tiny.cc/0iHLb Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/