Saturday, April 25, 2020

Randy Rainbow Has Some Advice For Clorox Virus Fighters

A bit of a scary screenshot from Randy Rainbow's latest
Time for a Clorox treatment! 
After Donald Trump's ill fated appearance Thursday in which he "sarcastically," so he said, suggested using household cleaners in our bodies to kill the coronavirus, people have of course reacted with an appropriate mix of horror and derision.  

However, as usual, Randy Rainbow has the last word on this subject with a new video dropped perfectly timed this morning - a nice Saturday treat.

This time, he's channeling Julie Andrews with this (very much NOT) medical advice

One of the things I love about this latest video is how cheerful it is, with such a grim topic. I know, I'm a bit weird, I know.

So sit back with Dr. Rainbow and enjoy "Spoonful Of Clorox"


Friday, April 24, 2020

Happy 100th Birthday Dad, Wherever You Are

Here's an open letter to my dad, who would have turned 100 years old today:
My dad, Red Sutkoski, would have turned 100
years old today. Happy Birthday, dad! 

Dear Dad:    

Happy 100th birthday!  I hope wherever you are, they're showing you a good time. 

I can't believe it's been more than four years since who left Earth.  But you never really did leave us, did you? You show up in my dreams at least twice a week. Lynn and Laurie say you visit them frequently, too. 

In those nightime visits, you're the same as you always were. Steady, good humored, ready with good stories. You always remind me to try and be the same way.  Funny how I always wake up feeling better on mornings after your visits. 

As you well know, times are tough right now down here on Earth.  That virus going around the world is killing lots of people, and scaring the rest of us. The economy has bottomed out. A lot of people are unemployed.

We're told to stay home and socially isolate ourselves so we don't make the situation worse.

It would have bothered you to have to do what we're doing now. You were always such an outgoing, social person. You always wanted to hear the latest stories, the latest news, the latest silly pratfall somebody in town did. 

But you would never complain about the situation, would you?  You understood duty, and your responsibility toward others. You always found ways to make do. You would have in this situation, too.  I try to use all that as a guide for me to get through this mess.  

You lived through tough times, too. You endured the Great Depression and World War II. You always told all kinds of colorful stories about those times. You'd acknowledge the difficulties during those years, but barely. 

Instead, you focused on the life, the color, the humor. You talked about how sometimes, you'd indulge yourself by watching  a film at the Joy Theater in West Rutland during the Depression. Or tell a funny story about how Mrs. Reczek got busted for moonshining during Prohibition.  You'd tell us about the leaders, like FDR, who shepherded us through the rough times. 

And you cherished the memory of World War II, finally ended, as you and your mates were serenaded by the song "Sentimental Journey" as you sailed home into Boston Harbor. 

Your style is a road map on how to get through our times.  I'm taking notes on how we are all coping through the current crisis, how humor and compassion like yours is helping people get through this now. 

All through life, at your tavern, Red's Place, you always knew to surround yourself with good, fun, kind and down to earth people.   Sometimes they were raucous, and they always made us laugh.  You know the type. Friends like Julia Redington, Clay and Jeanie Burney, Larry Carrara and all the rest. You kept each other grounded. Sane. In good humor. You taught me that's the way to do it. It's a good lesson for all of us. 

Down here on Earth, we can't get together now in a bar like Red's Place. At least for the moment. But we have technology and such, so we can connect and  find ways to laugh, and raise a glass. And try to look on the bright side. 

To blow off steam, or just to keep yourself occupied, you always had outdoor projects. You would build stone walls, clean out the Whipple Hollow Cemetery, or just tinkering around out in the fresh air.  I find myselt doing the same thing, as it works so well. It really clears my mind.  I always feel better after planting more perennial beds, clearing brush, and yes, building stone walls. 

Jeff says hi.  Jeff still keeps telling me how appreciative he is of you because of how accepting and warm you were to him when he came into my life. Also, your embrace of Jeff confirmed that I had chosen well in marrying him. 

That was your M.O. anyway.  You held tight to anybody from any background who was a good person. You rejected the haters.  It's a great way to go through life, as I keep discovering, over and over again. Thanks for instilling that in me!

Jeff's mom just joined you up there a month or so ago. I hope Jeff's parents, Don and Lois, are able to swing by to wish you well today. But I guess everything is pretty well up there, isn't it?

So a toast. Only a select few will understand what I'm saying, but I raise a glass in your honor and to you: Nice Driveway! 

Love, Matt

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Needed Day Brightener: Watch This 97 Year Old Dance To Justin Timberlake

Chuck Franzke, 97, know just how to dance properly to a
Justin Timberlake tune. 
I want to be like this guy.

This guy is Chuck Franzke, 97 a World War II Navy Pilot, who, while maintaining social distancing, had to get some dancing out of his system.  The video, naturally, went viral.

In the video, he dances to "Can't Stop The Feeling" by Justin Timberlake.

Friends texted the video to Timberlake, who had this to say about it:

"I actually got choked up.... I said to my friends, 'When this quarantine is over that is the first person I want to find and meet.' That was just so amazing."

Timberlake said Franzke was already a certified bad ass, given his World War II service, but this takes it to a whole new level.

I have to say that Franzke's moves are pretty damn good!

Here's the video:

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Religious Nuts Want To Kill Us All With Coronavirus

Florida :"pastor" Rodney Howard-Browne was arrested earlier
this month for defying orders to not hold services that
attract crowds.  
Religious wing nuts, the so-called "pro-life" activists, want to kill us.

That's the only conclusion I can reach with these idiots who insisting on opening their churches this pasr Easter Sunday for crowded services, in defiance of local, state and national orders to limit the spread of coronavirus.

Plus, they continue to hold services and are suing to be able to keep doing it.

So much for being "pro-life."  

Oh, sure, they're against abortion, saying it "kills babies," but they are plainly all for making the coronavirus pandemic worse by holding these services despite these crowds being the perfect way to spread Covid-19 exponentially.

More people will die than otherwise would had it not been for these idiots. Many of them will be innocent people who unknowingly make contact with these murderers.  Thou shall not kill?

Even pandering GOP politicians have gotten into this deadly act.

"Most  people want to limit the spread of Covid-19 (but) don't tell is we can't practice our religious freedoms," huffed  Kansas Republican Senate President Susan Wagle according to the Wichita Eagle.  in an article earlier this month. The paper reports that already, at least three clusters of Kansas Covid-19 outbreaks stemmed from religious services.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, a Democrat, sued the state's GOP legislative council over that group's decision to overturn Kelly's order to limit the size of religious meetings and funerals to ten people, as HuffPost reports.

Hours before church services were to start on Easter, the Kansas State Supreme Court backed Kelly, saying she had the right to limit groups, including those in churches, to 10 people or less, reports the Kansas City Star.

This battle, of course continues, needlessly, of course.

There's all kinds of local dramas, mostly in the South, with these "religious" people. The guy who operates the Joe My God blog has brilliantly labeled these types as "Branch Covidians."

One of these idiots is Rodney Howard-Browne of The River At Tampa Bay, who was arrested for opening his church a week or two back.

According to The Daily Beast, Howard-Browne said he "would never back down," but did just that for the silliest attempt at a fig leaf.

He said he didn't want an outsider with coronavirus might go to the church to make the faithful sick, or something like that.

As you can tell, I'm completely fed up with these murderous evangelicals.  They whine constantly about how persecuted they are, and yet they are arguably afforded more rights and benefits than any other group in this nation. Their persecution complex has always been that they are all miffed beyond belief that not everybody thinks and acts the way they do.

Those smug asses think everybody should act in accordance with their "Christian nation" beliefs.

God forbid. No pun intended.

We all know exactly why the scamevangelists are cynically opening churches and risking their flock and fans.  It's all about the collection plate. This stay at home stuff just doesn't fit their business model.  Let's face it, most of these "pastors" are filthy rich and are some of the most common grifters out there.

The famous saying is true: There's a sucker born every minute. There's plenty of gullible people who fall for these religious scams. You can't shake their "faith" that attending church in groups is the only way to salvation. Whatever that is.

They tell us God is all powerful. If that's the case, God can hear our prayers whether we're in a church or alone at home.

Plenty of other religious denominations get it. They've closed their church doors and put their services on YouTube, or Facebook Live, or whatever else helps people get access to the church.  At last check, God has not struck these responsible churches down. No lightning strikes on the shuttered churches in my town, at least.

Besides, if you believe in God, you should know He gave us a brain.  Probably with the assumption we'd use it. Maybe God gave us the power to decide what is right and not right for us and especially for our neighbors. Passing this test is probably more of a mark of decency, religious righteousness and morals than anything else.

The scamevangelicals failed this test, and so did their fans.

I'm sure a lot of these gullible marks have gotten convinced this coronavirus pandemic is some sort of second coming. The End Times. They probably have been so brainwashed by these "pastors" that they'll believe anything. Just as long as the scamevangelicals rake in the dough, right?

In turn, these gullible cultists don't mind killing the rest of us. They know they Way, or so they think.

That persecution complex among these so called religious types is in full force when people try to enforce these big church gatherings.

In Kentucky, about 50 members of the Maryville Baptist Church attended Easter services, in violation of a state order to limit the size of gatherings during this pandemic. Policd took down license plate numbers of these church goers, threatening to quarantine them.

The church is planning a federal lawsuit claiming its constitutional rights were violated. After all, the First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion, right?

However, one can practice their religion and not do it amid a crowd. In his order banning group gatherings, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear banned all large groups, not just religious ones. So no, the governor is not persecuting religious types, despite the whines of the Branch Covidians.

And despite the facts, the Liberty Counsel lawyers who are suing are claiming it was Beshear's intend to focus on churches. Um, yeah. Right.  I thought thou shall not lie was in the 10 Commandments, but what do i know?

As constitutional attornry Mitchell Denham told television stations WAVE, "You cannot place people in harm by exercising your religion."

A similar idiotic lawsuit, by the way, is pending in California.

It would be one thing if these religious nutbags were only putting themselves in harms way. But they're doing it to the rest of us, too.  Remember, as I said, they demand we be just like them.

But that is the worst role modeling anyone can follow.

The "religious" scammers I've just written about is just one of several groups of villians in this coronavirus outbreak. I'll feature more in coming posts.

That sounds negative, I realize, but now's the time to take down names.  When or if this is over, or even doing the evildoers in this pandemic need to be made accountable, just as the many heroes in this episode need to be celebrated forever.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Cuomo Brother Begin Coronavirus Family TV Comedy-Drama

The Cuomo Brothers, Chris and Andrew, have been giving us a bit of
family comedy amid the tragedy of the Coronavirus pandemic 
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is trying to lead his state through one of the world's worst and most tragic "hot spots" in the global coronavirus pandemic.

His brother, Chris Cuomo, is a CNN anchor trying to report on this massive story. In a plot twist, Chris Cuomo has come down with the illness.

Chris has had to interview his brother Andrew through this.  The brothers' sibling rivalry has become maybe the hottest TV comedy-drama out there.

Its' obviously the brothers love each other, but boy, are they brothers in every sense of the word!  Through this serious time, despite the Cuomos serious demeanors, they've given us several splashes of welcome comic relief.

Here's a highlight video to prove my point:

Monday, April 6, 2020

A Departure For Randy Rainbow: He Praises His Target, Hilariously, Of Course

Randy Rainbow today offered a video love letter to Andrew Cuomo.
We're all used to the brilliant comedian and satirist Randy Rainbow skewering political nitwits in his videos.  

Today, he dropped a video called "Andy" which is to the tune of "Sandy" from "Grease."

The target in this video is New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and the good gov survives the video unscathed.

Rainbow's "Andy" is a love letter to the level-headed, fact driven, compassionate but tough Cuomo, whose daily televised coronovirus updates and briefings are some of the most informative, reassuring information we get about the Corvid-19 pandemic.

I certainly feel myself drawn to Cuomo's briefings. They sure are, ahem, a big contrast from what we're getting from the Trump administration.

Rainbow is so smitten by Cuomo in "Andy" that he sings that he now identifies as a "cuomosexual."  I kinda do, too, frankly.  If only all our leaders could be as good in a crisis as Cuomo.

Here's Rainbow's latest to give you a little levity in this dark week: