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Tuesday, November 7, 2017

The Writer's Life 11/7 - Lenny, Doc & More

From a NY Post editorial, in my own words: Another liberal icon has taken a hit from leftists. Comedian Lenny Bruce, who Od'd in 1966, has become problematic for Brandeis University. A play based on him, Buyer Beware by alumnus Michael Weller, has been canceled. Students were upset by its mockery of political correctness and insufficient respect for Black Lives Matter. So far, the school will allow the playwright to teach the class that was to accompany the work. Here's a quote attributed to Bruce: "The liberals can understand everything but people who don't understand them." Here's a headline from back in the day:



How exasperating is it to learn that many of the perpetrators of mass murders were on the radar of authorities?

I vote not because I believe in any politician, but to keep from surrendering to cynicism. The only politician I despise more than NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio is Hillary Clinton. Even though polls show him leading by 40 points, I felt compelled to vote against him. I selected Nicole Malliotakis, an unknown entity, seemingly a nice person, thus far uncorrupted by the process. I passed on the Constitutional Convention ballot issue. While it seems a good idea on paper, it would be run by the same people who are in charge at present, which is unacceptable.

Just saw the brutal news about the death of Roy Halladay, killed in a crash of his private plane in the Gulf of Mexico. He had a 16-year MLB career, 12 for the Blue Jays, the rest for the Phillies. His record was a sparkling 203-105, his ERA 3.38. He was an All-Star eight times. He won two Cy Young awards, one in each league. In 2010 he pitched a perfect games against the Marlins, and a no-hitter against the Reds in the playoffs. He suffered a shoulder injury in 2013 and retired after the season. Unfortunately, despite his excellence, he never made it to the World Series, a fate that befell many of the game's greats. Naturally, his nickname was Doc. Well done, sir.



Halfway through the NFL season, it seems the Patriots remain the clear favorite to return to the Super Bowl as the AFC's representative, while the NFC seems wide open. My guess is it will be either the Eagles or Cowboys. The Rams look great but are new to contention. The Vikings are gritty but have not been impressive despite a 6-2 record. The Jaguars seem to have finally turned the corner but are untested. New Orleans, showing more balance offensively than in the past, cannot be discounted. If RB Ezekiel Elliott ever serves the suspension his boorishness earned, it will be interesting to see how much it affects the Dallas offense.

Conditions were tough today at the floating book shop. The temperature was in the low 50's, but the wind and complete lack of sun made it feel a lot colder, as many passersby remarked. My thanks to the sweet elderly woman who bought four paperbacks in Russian; to the gentleman who purchased The Power Game: How Washington Works by Hedrick Smith; and to the one who pounced on Burgers. Only the Best Recipes by George Anderson. The results reflect the unpredictability of the endeavor. There have been many sessions of perfect weather that yielded no sales.
Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj 
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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