Movie Review: Leave The World Behind

 This AM, I wrapped up a new Netflix movie....Leave The World Behind.

First, I'll say for 80-percent of the movie....it was among the 20 best written scripts I've ever seen. Then came the final twenty minutes, and it turned into a piece of crap. Whatever story they'd been leading you upon....was gone.

Second, just surprising...great cast (Julie Roberts included).

Third, if you wanted some 5-star suspense...it does the job, but in that final twenty, you probably need five shots of some booze to soften the frustration.

Hookers Story

 Some money-experts sat down and added up what Hunter Biden spent on hookers, p0rn, and sex-clubs...over four years.

Comes to $872,000.

I sat and pondered over this.

A minimum of $200,000 a year.....on hired ladies.

Generally, guys that get into this type of addiction/habit....end up in dire straits or bankrupted.

Rehab?  There are probably places for an addiction like this.

Homes Chatter

 I pondered over this story from Newsweak....."Biden Wants to Give 500,000 Americans Money to Buy Homes."

No one says the amount of this deal....I can only assume that it'd be rigged to give you some down payment option....maybe $10,000.

Where would the funds come from?  Well....new taxes.

What people would get the funds?  Unknown.

Inventing money out of thin air?  Yeah.

But here's the issue I see.....you go into California or Florida and discuss a purchase (not a rental) and you need a house deal in the $400,000 range, and that's not really a house that most would desire.

In Detroit?  Well....you can view houses in the $50,000 range.

Trying to sell this in an election year?  In the old days....it'd been great stuff.  Today?  No one believes the BS.  

Cannon Chatter

 President Biden quote from yesterday:

"The Second Amendment didn't say you can own any gun, you can own any weapon. You couldn't own a cannon when the Second Amendment was passed."

I pondered over it, and then looked around. 

Yeah, you can buy a cannon.  I won't suggest that it's in 4-star shape or capable of being dragged off to some conflict in Central America. 

Would a regular guy go and buy one?  No.  I'm pretty sure that most wives would put their foot down and say it's just a dust collector.

Fake cannons around?  I would imagine that throughout the US....there's probably a thousand crappy cannons in existence....made by 'Marty' in some garage operation....manufacturing ten to twenty of these with some Hispanic labor help.

Train BS Chatter

 "All the studies show, by the way — people get from point A to point B faster on a train than their car they take the train! They take the train."

-- President Biden (yesterday)

I paused over this.  In about 99-percent of the US....there's no real train network.  If you did live in NY City and wanted to venture to Chicago....it takes about 23 hours to make the journey on AMTRAK.  If you drove? It's just over 12 hours (assuming you drive a 'safe' speed.   If you flew?  It's a 2.5 hour flight.

A bad example?  Well, here's the thing (note, I've ridden on AMTRAK)....the vast majority of the network moves along at 30 to 40 mph. The tracks are 'crap' on the majority of routes and it's physically impossible to stand...if the train was moving at 70 mph (like you'd experience in France or Germany).

I'm not anti-train, but the days that existed in the 1920s when most Americans got around the nation, from one major city/town to another....on a train...have passed.

The only way that rail continues on?  If you rig up a ban on flights, or make travel by car nearly impossible. 

What studies does he talk about?  I think it's about a 99-percent bogus statement and just some handlers who briefed him to say this, and the public would believe it without any question. 

Ten Things You Can Do With Mentally Unwell People

 First, try to avoid them in general (shun is a good phrase to use).

Second, if forced into engaging...try to be humble, kind and limited on response (just nodding your head...like you hear what they are saying).  Don't be agreeable or say 'that makes sense'.

Third, ask where they got such-and-such idea.  

Fourth, suggest some other person as better at dealing with these comments/ideas. Avoid dumping them on some 70-year-old or older guy....they will have the least amount of patience.  

Fifth, get them in a low stress environment (like a smoking 'pit', or picnic table setting, or a parking lot).  Bars....are not a good idea.

Sixth, people want to share their woes/sufferings, and just want 30 minutes of your silence to hear their problem.  Maybe your silence is enough to reset their pattern.

Seventh, fear or guilt usually fit into most mentally unwell 'consumers'.  'Bless' them in some way...at the conclusion....to relieve the fear or guilt.  (Yeah, it's basically what some Catholic priest would do).

Eighth, most mentally unwell folks fear being 'alone'.  So convey that they are in good company....saying it multiple times....in different ways.

Ninth, some mentally unwell people have a 30-minute story to tell...you might want to convey in the first 60 seconds....you got eight minutes to tell the 30-minute story.....get to the finer points...real quick. 

Tenth, the schizophrenia folks need real doctors....real medication.  Once you size up that they fall into this category....don't BS around and act as some authority.  If the gal sees 6 ft tall demons or werewolves.....it's best to disengage and avoid any conversation.  

Red Flag Discussion

 I watched a podcast today, which got into the 'red-flag' business of relationships, and noted that a fair amount of women who said that guys who listened to Joe Rogan....were in a red-flag situation.

I sat and pondered upon it.

In 1978 (1st year of the Air Force).....I probably had no more than three red-flags (pack-a-day-smoker, serious whiskey drinker, or some gal with obvious mental health problems...were all red-flags).

Today?  If I had to go out on some date....there would be some list sixty-odd red-flags.  Just getting into serious NCAA football chatter would be a red-flag.  Some 4-time divorcee with history....would be a red-flag. Just having 10 minutes a day of religious chatter...would probably be a red-flag.

Women who have a show-room for their living room (white carpets, dust collector trophies)?  Red-flag.

Women who want to know your credit history or voting habits?  Red-flag.

Women who want to be assured of your ballroom dancing skills?  Red-flag.

Women who talk about ex-husband #1, #2 and #3....at least an hour out of the day?  Red-flag.

Women who want to know right off the bat your physical fitness club membership and the amount of work-out?  Red-flag.

Women who have the top three buttons on their blouse undone on date number one?  Red-flag.

Women who talk continually of their wine consumption but can't define sweetness, body, acidity or aroma? Red-flag.

The problem is once you get over sixty....you filter out things to a maximum level.