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Sunday, December 27, 2015

The Writer's Life 12/27 - Abundance

There are interesting stats in today's NY Post. Smokers have revolted impressively against NY's onerous taxes on tobacco products. Revenue has dropped by $400 million in the past five years, and the state has lost an estimated $1.3 billion to alternative sales. As much as I hate smoking, I'm always happy to see people defeat government greed... Health care costs are projected to rise 7.5% in 2016. Since the inception of Obamacare, the promised $2400 annual savings for a family of four has not materialized. It has not even been a dollar. And, since 2010, the average deductible has gone from $900 to $1300... On a positive note, 2015 has been a record year for shipping companies... Since 1971, the American middle class has shrunk from 61% of the population to 50%... As a fiscal conservative, none of this surprises me. I don't know if it can be said that government meddling always increases overall costs, but I'd bet it's pretty close to always.

Last night Movies!, channel 113 on Cablevision in NYC, ran Let's Make Love (1960), a musical starring Marilyn Monroe and French matinee idol Yves Montand. Aside from Marilyn performing My Heart Belongs to Daddy, it is fairly routine, pleasant but forgettable. Two of the supporting players roused my interest. The late Joe Besser is familiar to baby boomers for his role as Stinky on The Abbott and Costello Show, and for his stint as part of The Three Stooges shorts. In the film he played a joke writer. He has 105 credits listed under his name at IMDb, not counting multiple appearances on many popular TV shows, including 92 on The Joey Bishop Show and, surprisingly, just twelve on A & C. The late Frankie Vaughan, a British pop star who had a couple of top ten hits, including Kisses Sweeter Than Wine, played the star of the show in which MM was performing. According to a blurb at IMDb, his experiences making the film convinced him Hollywood was not for him.


The only thing I hate about operating the floating book shop is the feeling I get that some people assume I must be destitute to be doing such a thing. Today an acquaintance from the Exchange seemingly came out of nowhere and asked how I was. Kevin's trading badge read KVAN. He was all business at work, neither friendly nor abusive toward our data reporting staff. Although I entered thousands of trades for him, I hardly knew him. I had no idea he lived in Brooklyn. Maybe he was visiting family. He said he'd seen me many times driving by but was unable to stop. He handed me money, $50, as he'd done each Christmas on the trading floor, saying: "I know life sucks..." I didn't want it, as it felt like stealing, especially since he wouldn't take any books, not even Exchanges, in return, saying he wasn't a reader. From the sound of it, he may need the money more than I do. I certainly don't believe life sucks. He's about ten years younger and no doubt has a family to support. Anyway, my thanks. With that money in my pocket I would have offered any of my books for a buck to anyone who showed an interest. Alas, no one did. Thanks also to the woman who donated about 30 books, a blend of hardcover and paperback. I'd been expecting a donation for someone else and I wound up hoping she wouldn't show, as my inventory is now ridiculous, so much so that I had to haul a bag full of books to the apartment, the trunk of my car filled to capacity. Thanks also to Viktor, who donated five books in Russian and a beautiful edition of Arabian Nights illustrated by Marc Chagall, and to the two woman who bought books. I also chatted with an old friend, Nick, who was using the Chase ATM. He is frustrated at having to take care of his dad, now 91. Fortunately, the elder still has his wits about him. The two of them live in a huge house, and dad wants to die there and nowhere else. It is no picnic dealing with an old parent. Nick and his dad were the models for two minor characters in Killing. If he had showed after and not before KVAN, I would have given him a copy.
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
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

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