Defiance

 I'm now sixty-three-years-old.  I'm far too old to care what others think about me.  This cuts both ways, of course, as Karen tells me all the time.  For a long time now I've valued being true to myself more than trying to curry favor with other people.

That being said, here are some things about which I'm intransigent, stubborn and defiant.

--  I miss Jim Croce, John Denver and Dan Fogelberg.  Many regard their music disdainfully, usually labeling it as elevator music.  I believe those people are wrong.  I love their music.  That they all died far too soon is sad beyond belief.  I wonder what other beautiful songs they could have recorded.

--  If someone turns on their signal to change a lane in front of me, that does not grant the person carte blanche to take the spot.  It signals that person's intention.  I am not obligated to let that person in in front of me.

--  I'm not sorry.  Abortion as an elective surgery is morally wrong.  There are situations where abortion is necessary.  But this notion that abortion is one option for birth control is logically incongruous and morally wrong.

--  I will never root for the University of Michigan football and basketball teams.  

--  If an artist comes out and denounces not only President Trump but anyone who disagrees with him or her simply because we don't bend the knee at the altar of Obama, I won't watch any of his movies or listen to any of his music.

--  My brother told me a high school classmate reached out to him asking him to contact me about attending our reunion.  I have no interest in ever reuniting with people who barely tolerated me in high school and then lost all interest in my once we graduated.

-- I can't stomach modern-day musicals.

-- I won't eat cooked eggs.

-- DEI is stupid.  Treat everyone with respect and hire the best person regardless of race or sex.  If, however, you only hire white men, something's wrong, because there are plenty of minorities and women out there who could teach white men a thing or two.

-- The island of Ireland should be united.  Until it is, I will not step foot in England.

-- Michael Jordan is better than LeBron James on the court.  James is a better person off the court.

(c) 2024 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles

Odds and Ends

 I've had some disparate thoughts lately:

--  I miss Jim Croce, John Denver and Dan Fogelberg.  Yeah, I listen to Van Halen, Metallica and AC/DC, but those three guys knew how to write songs.  I will never be ashamed to admit I like that music.

--  What is it that prompts some people to think they're more important than everyone else.  I'm amazed at people who feel the need to weave in heavy traffic simply to move up a spot or two in the lane.

--  So now Elizabeth Warren has come out and admitted she blew it when it came to her support for Obamacare.  Duh.

--  Although I'm very sad at the state of our country, I'm glad knowing that I don't have much longer to live in it.  That is, I may have another twenty-five years at best, and with the way things are going in this country, it's going to be ruined before too long unless something arrests that movement.

--  Before I go, however, I really want to see the aurora borealis.  There has been a lot of AB activity this year, some of it in northern Michigan.  It's absolutely amazing.  If I ever did see it I'm sure I'd be dumbstruck.

-- I'm getting the itch to resume writing.  I only have about four books in mind, one on my year in Spain, one about owning bulldogs, one about the legal profession and a novel based on my favorite sonnet.  We'll see.

--  I notice that as I age I'm getting more aches and pains for no good reason.  Getting up out of a chair is painful, walking up stairs is painful, lying in bed certain ways is painful.  Whoever said that hardest thing in life was getting old certainly knew what he was talking about.

--  Karen and I are headed to the Cayman Islands in the near future.  She really needs a beach vacation.  For all that she's done for other people, she needs something that is specifically devoted to her.

--  My family relations maxim is on point.  I dare anyone to argue it.

--  Television isn't getting any better.

--  We go to bed earlier and earlier these days.  It's not unusual for us to be in bed by 8.30p.

--  I want to buy more firearms and load up on ammunition.  Biden can't go fast enough.

--  I'm darned good at my job.  Just sayin'.

(c) 2023 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles

Musicians' Deaths

 A few years ago, precisely 2016, there were a lot of very famous musicians who died.  It seemed like every week another world-famous musician died.  The list is quite stunning:

Prince, David Bowie, Ralph Stanley, George Michael, Leonard Cohen, Maurice White, Leon Russell, Glenn Frey, Paul Kantner, Jody Feek, Juan Gabriel...the obits never stopped.  

The old saw that famous deaths come in threes was blown up in 2016.

The next year there were some notable deaths -- Tom Petty, Greg Allman, Al Jarreau -- but the volume of famous musician deaths was considerably smaller.

Then came 2023.  It's like 2016 all over again.

Gary Wright, Tony Bennett, Jimmy Buffett, Steve Harwell, Burt Bacharach, Lisa Marie Presley (I guess... she qualifies...?), David Crosby, Harry Belafonte, Jeff Beck, Robbie Bachman, Gordon Lightfoot, Tina Turner, George Winston, Sinead O'Connor, Charlie Robison, Roger Whittaker...and we're only in September.

I'm not suggesting that there's a cluster or a conspiracy, but I find it odd that certain years feature more deaths of musicians than others.  I'm sure the same occurs with athletes, or politicians or even Nobel Prize winners, but somehow it's shocking to me when so many famous people in one class die in a given year.

I notice patterns.

It's what I do.

(c) 2023 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles 

The Jose Canseco Effect and the Truth

It would seem any time an allegation is made that is injurious to the Left's cause or one of its darlings, it is immediately called into question.  Either the story is ridiculed as Russian disinformation, or the story is labeled a fabrication, or the source of the story is assailed and pilloried, or it's a combination of all three.  It's almost a knee-jerk reaction any time something surfaces that reflects badly on the Left, one of its cherished members or one of its platform issues.

Typically, if reporting is from any right-wing news organ, it's automatically deemed propaganda.  Cankles' infamous declaration of a vast right-wing conspiracy has given birth to numerous variations of this theme, and Leftist PACs dedicate infinite time and money to trying to destroy the allegations.  Sometimes, these counterattacks have merit.  Many times, as we've seen recently, they are utterly meritless.  Almost always, doubt is cast on the source of the story or the reporting agency, either of which has an agenda that is divorced from reality, according to the Left.

This is especially try if either Donald Trump or Fox News brings to light a story about questionable Leftist conduct.  As if on cue, various Leftist outlets descry the story as Russian disinformation, madness from Mr. Trump or figments of the Right's imagination.

Years ago, a baseball player named Jose Canseco wrote a book called Juiced, in which he outed himself and other players for using PEDs.  The book and its author were roundly dismissed, largely because Canseco, himself a lout, was viewed with great disfavor for his extra-curricular activities.  In truth, Canseco was hard to believe, since he engaged in clownish behavior and sought endless publicity for himself.  This was later borne out with his failed attempts at boxing, MMA and wrestling.

The odd thing, however, is that Canseco was telling the truth.  Several very successful fellow players were later forced to admit that they used PEDs after denying using them repeatedly.  Canseco reputation never rebounded, despite the fact that he was vindicated.

The phrase don't kill the messenger is widely known, attributed to Sophocles in his play Antigone:  For no man delights in the bearer of bad news.  Yet, instead of killing the messenger, the Left discredits, deplatforms and dismisses the messenger, especially if it's Donald Trump or Fox News. 

Now, however, the Left is eating massive amounts of crow.  Whether it be reports about the criminal family enterprise known as the Bidens, or the endless idiocy of the Harridan of Blair House, or Man of Dementia's worrisome mental decline, or the state of the southern border, the Left -- through its organ the MSM -- is now forced to admit that not only are these stories true, they are cataclysmically true.  The Left dances a fine line trying to admit that stories are true after poo-pooing them, while at the same time defending their paladins from blame.  It's quite laughable, were it not so blatantly false.  Had someone on the Left had the testicular fortitude to admit that either Mr. Trump or the Right may have been right, the contortions in which they were engaged would be unnecessary.

Canseco is largely relegated to history and carnival shows nowadays.  The same will not happen with Mr. Trump, no matter how hard the Left tries to sideline him.  This is yet another instance where Mr. Trump has been horribly mistreated.

He is deserving of an apology.

(c) 2023 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles

 

When Women Imitate Men

 Men can be louts.  I should know.  I'm a man, and I've seen more boorish behavior from men than I care to remember.

One of the worst incidents occurred when I was in high school.  The only basketball player from our state to ever make an all-state team -- albeit honorable mention -- was dating this girl and slept with her on her birthday, then promptly broke up with her when they were finished.  To make matters worse, for me anyway, he later started dating the girl I was interested in and they ended up getting married.  If only to prove that God has a sense of humor, they have five daughters, no sons.

In any event, I apologize to women everywhere for the conduct of my brethren who were not taught manners.  The way some men behave is not only shocking, but it's shameful.  It's certainly nothing to imitate.

Well, at least one would think it's not something to imitate.

Recently, three stories came out of famous women who seemed to think that acting like an overserved frat boy was the way to behave.  If what was said in these stories had been said by men, I wouldn't have been surprised.  But that each was said by a woman is not only shocking, it's saddening.

First, Rachel Bilson was being interviewed on some online podcast and was asked what she missed about her former boyfriend, Bill Hader.

His big dick, she answered.

Now, Mr. Hader may find the free advertising advantageous to his future romantic endeavors, but if I were him, I wouldn't like the statement for two reasons:  First, that anything so private was now public knowledge and, second, that of all my qualities that's the only one she found worth mentioning.

Not to be outdone, Christina Aguilera, one of the best singers of our time, lowered the bar for all women with her appearance on some podcast called Call Her Daddy, which can be watched here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQnFT328bGg

When it comes to oral sex, Christina Aguilera made a revealing confession on the podcast "Call Her Daddy" that could be considered inappropriate, the singer came out in favor of the protein within semen.

"Swallowing is actually a good thing, it's got a lot of protein in it. There's something to be said for it after working hard," Aguilera said on the podcast.

Again, this is similar in baseness to what I've heard guys talking about when they're six sheets to the wind.  I expect better from women.

Finally, a woman I love to hate, Gwenyth Paltrow, couldn't help herself from joining the conversation.  She of the conscious uncoupling declaration regarding her then-impending divorce from Chris Martin, Paltrow also appeared on Call Her Daddy and ended up in a discussion about the sexual talents of former lovers Ben Affleck and Brad Pitt.  

Paltrow said this:

Paltrow was then asked who was better in bed, and praised both men in different ways.

"That is really hard. Because Brad was like the sort of major chemistry, love of your life, kind of, at the time," she said. "And then Ben was, like, technically excellent. I can't believe my daughter's listening to this!"

During a game of "Fuck, Marry, Kill," Paltrow said she'd get back in bed with Pitt, saying: "I think Brad. Ben, yeah, bless him."

Mind you, Paltrow is fifty-years-old. She's not some twenty-year-old sorority girl who had one lemoncello too many.

I'm not a prude.  I can discuss subjects like this in private.  But putting these things out there for public consumption is too much.  And when it comes from women, I think it's even sadder.

(c) 2023 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles

The MSM Abdicating Its Responsiblity

I coined the phrase The Fourth Estate has become a Fifth Column.  Anyone who says otherwise is lying.  I rarely come up with truly novel thoughts or expressions, but I'll lay claim to this one.  And I'm right about it.

The MSM, which long has patted itself -- sometimes correctly -- as being the country's watchdog for abuses of power by our governments, both state and federal.  Modern examples of its excellent work include the Pentagon Papers and Watergate.  These incidents, painful though they were at the time, were necessary to our republic.  The ethos that spurred these journalistic triumphs is no more.

Recently, the MSM has been an accomplice to perpetuating hoaxes attacking Donald Trump, whom the MSM and the Left abhor.  At one time, there may have been reason to pursue the Russian interference/collusion story, but once it became obvious that it was a ginned up story, the focus should have shifted to the perpetrators.  Instead, the MSM mocked those who sought to debunk it and pilloried them, going so far as to call for censorship for, ironically, misinformation.  Rather than uphold the tenets of the First Amendment, the MSM pushed the need to have people and outlets deplatformed.  This is inimical to the underlying philosophy of the First Amendment.  In these days of partisan politics, however, the Left has abandoned all impartiality and embraced the Left's agenda wholeheartedly.

Now, with the Republicans having retaken the House, whistleblowers from the IRS and former associates of Hunter Biden, Man of Dementia's dissolute son, have testified before Congress as to the Biden Criminal Family Enterprise's illegal activities.  The MSM has twisted itself in knots trying to defend the Bidens while at the same time tacitly admitting that the charges are true.  The irony is unbelievable, yet there is no shame on behalf of the MSM.  Even Carl Bernstein of Watergate fame has sought to defend the Russian collusion hoax.  The world is indeed upside down.

Not to be outdone, the Right has lost its collective mind.  Although I would readily agree that what's been done to Donald Trump is unfair beyond measure, to elect him president out of spite for the three and possibly four indictments he's facing is ridiculous.  The Right's bench is infinitely deeper than the Left's -- there is no viable alternative to either Man of Dementia or the Harridan of Blair House -- so there are other options.  But people on the Right are so angry -- and rightly so -- that they've lost all reason and are willing to elect Donald Trump even if he's convicted.

The MSM could have prevented all of this by doing its job.  But instead, with its craven politics being put ahead of the well-being of the country, we're facing a crisis that we don't even acknowledge.  What with Russian, China and its client states on the warpath, we need to be united, no matter who goes down.

(c) 2023 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles

Blockbusters Hollywood Is Ignoring

It is pretty well understood that Hollywood is a Leftist outpost.  Located in the blue state of California, it is an unpaid arm of the Democratic Party.  Many of these fools see themselves in the same roles as their forebears who, during the McCarthy Era, stood up for traditional American values.  What these idiots see now as American values are foreign to me.  

With their vast platform, they make movies mocking conservative presidents and touting Leftist icons.  W, Rendition and other movies that pillory conservative figures were made, while On the Basis of Sex, about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, conveniently sidesteps the first female justice, Sandra Day O'Connor, because she didn't vote the way Leftists liked.  The power that Hollywood has to twist history is vast.

Imagine, though, the movies Hollywood is bypassing to protect their Leftist politician friends.  These films would make millions.  Sadly, until theirs a seismic shift in Hollywood, these will never be made:

--  The Clinton Family Fraud Machine:  The story about a family that goes into politics for personal gain, all the while pretending to care about the ordinary citizen.  Special attention is paid to the Clinton Global Initiative in Haiti, which received virtually no money after the devastating earthquakes while the family got rich, Slick Willy's name on the Jeffrey Epstein manifests for flights to Pedophile Island, Cankle's destruction of her hard drives, Chelsea Clinton getting six figure salaries for doing nothing for CGI and other nuggets from a lifetime of corruption.

--  The story of how the SCOTUS leaker was never pursued by the media, contrasted with Deep Throat and the Watergate story.

--  The Biden Crime Family, with an expose of how family members were paid by foreign governments for doing nothing.

--  The story of Bill Gates, who stole the idea of Facebook from fellow students, built it up to the behemoth it is today, then fooled around on his plain wife and then decided to lecture Americans on what to eat.

--  The Clinton Hit Squads.  Vince Foster and a cast of dozens whacked under mysterious circumstances.  More films have been made about Jack the Ripper with less evidence.  Jeffrey Epstein, anyone?

-- The real story of how Barack Obama came to power -- see, Jeri Ryan -- and the scandals that occurred under his watch that the Left refuses to acknowledge.

--  The true story of the 2020 election and how voting regulations were changed or ignored to allow Man of Dementia to defeat Donald Trump.

--  The true story of the concerted effort by Hollywood, the Democratic Party and the MSM to tar and feather Donald Trump every day of his life since he announced his candidacy for the 2016 presidency.

--  The mystery of the election of John Fetterman to the US senate.

--  The story of Nancy Pelosi and her enrichment while in Congress.

--  A film about Fast and Furious.

--  A film about the shysters in BLM.

--  The true story of how the Left ignored the brave men in Benghazi and denied them the support they needed to defend Americans.

--  The story of how illegal aliens are getting into the country and the wealth of benefits they received under the Biden administration.

These are just a few of the tasty morsels Hollywood is ignoring.  

(c) 2023 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles