The Writer's Life 1/26 - Mary + More

RIP TV legend Mary Tyler Moore, 80. Born in Brooklyn, she captured the hearts of baby-boomers as Laura Petrie in 158 episodes of The Dick Van Dyke show in the '60's, and another generation during the '70's in 168 episodes of her eponymous series. She won six Emmys for her work in those beloved shows. Although she will be remembered best for her turns on the small screen, she had a major success in film and on Broadway. She received an Oscar nomination for her performance in the powerful Ordinary People (1980), and a special Tony as the replacement star of Whose Life Is It Anyway? She received another as producer of a revival of Peter Nichols' Joe Egg. She and her second of three husbands, Grant Tinker, established MTM Enterprises, which had great success producing sitcoms. She lived a long life despite a battle with alcohol and once being a heavy smoker. She wrote two memoirs: After All, and Growing Up Again: Life, Loves, and Oh Yeah, Diabetes. Here is a quote attributed to her: "There are certain things about me that I will never tell to anyone because I am a very private person. But basically what you see is who I am. I'm independent, I do like to be liked, I do look for the good side of life and people. I'm positive, I'm disciplined, I like my life in order, and I'm neat as a pin. I love order and discipline. God, I sound like a Nazi don't I?" No, we'd never think that. Well done, madam. Thank you. (Facts from Wiki & IMDb)

A statue of the Ten Commandments is being proposed in Arkansas. A Satanic Temple wants one of Baphomet to stand beside it. Who is Baphomet? His origin is in dispute and there are various interpretations of him, and many aren't linked to Satanism. An article at Wiki mentions several personages who used him as inspiration, including the Knight Templars and Aleister Crowley, who has fascinated Ozzy Osbourne, Led Zeppelin, and who is among the crowd on the cover of the Beatles' Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. The image certainly seems demonic:

I'm not sure what to think about President Trump's threat to withhold federal funds from the so-called "sanctuary cities," where illegal aliens are allowed the same rights as American citizens. I've never had a problem with them being here, but I do with them receiving government services. I do favor the temporary ban on Muslim immigration from certain countries. As for the wall, it will be symbolic. It might deter some, but if economic conditions improve there will be a demand for labor, especially those who would work cheap. I chuckled upon reading a blurb in today's NY Post about Cemex, a cement company that works both sides of the southern border. It's stock was up 3.7% yesterday, as the DJI breached 20,000. My accounts have hit all-time highs. Yesterday I sold one of my biggest losers, Citi, which I'd bought during the financial crisis, thinking it had hit its nadir. It was a $1500 error, peanuts compared to what the high rollers risk every day.

The average ticket price for the 2017 Super Bowl is $5089, down 8% from last year at this time. You couldn't pay me to attend. I'd much rather watch with friends and share good conversation and food.

My thanks to the three fabulous ladies who bought in bulk today, which vanquished a lot of the sting of yesterday's disappointing session. I learned a little more about Mariann, a 28-year-old blond beauty who has a love for the classics and hasn't an ounce of pretense about her. She is a software programmer. She drives two-and-a-half hours from her home in Connecticut to visit her parents. Tonight she will be going to see Verdi's Rigoletto at the Met. She and her husband are working on bringing their first child into the world. I'm sure she will be as great a parent as hers have obviously been.

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