The wonderful Bob Uecker passed away today at the age of 90.  Impressively, he was still announcing Milwaukee Brewers baseball even through last season.  Because his lousy baseball career (which turned out to be immensely profitable for him in his hilarious self-effacing ridicule about it), appearing in the Major League movies, starring in the series Mr. Belvedere, appearing in commercials and other announcing, he had a seriously wide-ranging career.

I didn't hear much of his Brewers announcing, though -- since you could pick up the Milwaukee radio station from Chicago that carried their games -- I did periodically listen to a few of his games.  He wasn't as funny as his persona in his play-by-play, but he was very professional in calling the games and enjoyable to listen to.  Though I didn't hear this one particular game, my brother (who lived in Milwaukee for several years) did and told me about it -- it was a ballgame that went extremely long, and when they got to the 14th inning, he lead the crowd again in a second Seventh Inning Stretch.

As lousy has his playing career, his announcing was top-notch enough to get voted the Ford C. Frick Award in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.  And his acceptance speech was hysterically funny.  I actually heard it live on the radio.  (The ceremony wasn't broadcast on TV yet, that didn't come until later when the MLB Network started in 2009.)  When I finally was able to watch the video of the speech, it was almost funnier -- that's because you could watch all the baseball legends behind him laughing throughout the whole thing.

Here's that speech.  Even if you don't like baseball or sports, I think it's still highly worth watching.  You might not get a few jokes, but you'll get almost all of them, and you'll get the point behind the others.  And as a heads-up, I'll just make clear that the point is he's totally ridiculing his utter incompetence.  In pretty much everything.

Yesterday, Israel and Gaza reached a ceasefire agreement in their war, following the massacre attack on Israel led by Hamas, which preceded an unremitting bombardment on Gaza by Israel.  The agreement was essentially the exact same one put on the table by President Biden, and was negotiated by Biden and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, which representatives of the incoming Trump administration – there, as President Biden said, so that they would be on-board in implementing the agreement.
 
And there was Trump, crowing about the agreement and doing his best to take credit for it, because that’s what a Trump does.
 
Two things should be noted: 

First, that unlike the Iran hostage situation in 1980, when a deal was negotiated by the Carter Administration but behind the scenes, Ronald Reagan and his team got Iran to hold off announcing the agreement for days until after Reagan took office – this ceasefire between Israel and Gaza was settled before the change in office, and while Joe Biden was still president.  I’m sure Israel and Trump-acolyte Benjamin Netanyahu could have held it up for five days, but he didn’t.  So, the deal took place under the authority of those who negotiated it, which is the Biden Administration.
 
And second, because Trump is Trump, and he’s been dancing around trying to brag about the agreement and take as much credit for it being settled as he can, despite almost no involvement, anything that goes wrong with the ceasefire during the next four years will be 100% on him.
 
And that’s the problem for Trump.  Being Trump.  Because so much can go wrong during the next four years.  Put it in this perspective:  for nothing to go wrong means that Israel and Gaza with Hamas will live in peace and harmony for the next four years.  That borders on the ludicrously improbable.  I hope the perfect peace holds, but hope is a thin, gossamer thread to hold onto in the Middle East.
 
For starters, there is so much than can go wrong just ensuring that the ceasefire agreement gets settled – which is no sure thing.  It's wonderful that there's a deal.  And wonderful that it's set for hostages to return home.  But for the ceasefire to be fully accomplished, there are contingencies on contingencies on contingencies.  And if any of them aren’t met, the deal (that Trump is swaggering around as settling) will fall apart.  Further, as right-wing as Netanyahu is, there is a strong, even more extreme-right wing in his party that's against a ceasefire.  Moreover, as I write this, the Israeli security council hasn't yet met to vote on the deal.
 
But then, let’s assume that each intricate contingency is met, everything is approved and the ceasefire becomes a done deal.  This only creates a ceasefire in the war – it is not a Peace Accord between Israel and Gaza/Hamas.  And as I said, anyone relying on a foundation of there being no further conflict between Israel and Gaza/Hamas is shouldering a brutally heavy burden.
 
And if there is any further conflict (“if” being used here as a phenomenally flexible word…), then it will all be on the head of the man who was promenading around claiming credit for ending it all.  When he wasn’t even involved.  So, Trump doesn’t even get any real credit for the ceasefire, he only gets credit for shouting to his believers that he gets credit.  But he’ll get actual criticism from everyone for it starting up again under his watch, after him saying it was settled, and (worse) when he likely will be fully behind giving even more support to Netanyahu than he’s had up to now, going back on the attack – something we can expect since that’s what Trump said today.
 
And all this, Trump put on himself.  Because he’s Trump being Trump.  And he needs to have everyone think the he knows everything, is right about everything, can fix everything and forget how actually incompetent his and has dementia.
 
Just Trump being Trump.

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than speak and remove all doubt."
​-- Abraham Lincoln, father of the Republican Party

This is just great.  As in – just great
 
It doesn’t require any background, but putting it in context helps the enjoyment, I think.
 
This comes from a wonderful program I accidentally came across on C-SPAN 2 when scrolling through my television’s on-screen guide.  It was a three-hour event on CSPAN-2, and only had about 45 minutes left, but the subject looked interesting, so I thought I’d check it out.  And it was spectacular – I watched the last 45 minutes and set the DVR for one of its repeats.  The event was originally broadcast last April – a three-hour celebration of the 100th anniversary of Simon & Schuster.  All it is, is authors coming on stage and telling anecdotes and stories about writing, each story about 3-4 minutes, and then leaving the stage, and another author comes on.  It was so good, very thoughtful, insightful, and mostly, often really funny.  (One author said, “If I’d know how much I’d be laughing backstage, I’d have prepared something funny, but unfortunately I didn’t.”

I didn’t know most of the authors, but they were all wonderful.  (Okay, almost all.  Awo writer friends “interviewed” each other, and they were a bit much.  But even they were okay.)  I did see a few well-known people – Judith Viorst, Hilary Clinton, Walter Isaacson and Bob Woodward.  And the description of the show mentions Stephen King, Jerry Seinfeld, Judy Blume, John Irving, and Charlamagne tha God.
 
After recording the full event, I’ve watched it all now, and it holds up to how terrific those final 45 minutes are.
 
I don’t expect most people to watch the whole thing, but this one speech was just a total gem.  I was going to just type out some of the author’s best lines, but his delivery is too bone dry to not see him deliver it, since that makes it all the better.  I dearly hoped that there would be a singled-out video of his four-minute presentation, so I did a search on YouTube…and happily there was.
 
In fairness, they aren’t all this good – but in equal fairness, most are in this range of at least being fun and entertaining.
 
And yes, I know I’m raving about this so much that it’s hard to live up to – but I feel confident it will.  The video has 7,400 “Likes” – and zero “Not likes.”  The User Comments are just glowing.
 
I was originally going to write that I don’t know the author, Fredrik Backman (who’s Swedish).  But then I decided to check out his work – and it turns out that I do know of him!!!  He wrote the novel that the wonderful Swedish movie A Man Called Ove is based on, that was nominated for a Foreign-Language Oscar.  It’s funny, sardonic, dramatic, and wistful.  So, that explains his speech!!  The movie got remade in the U.S. with Tom Hanks, as A Man Called Otto, which I’m sure more people here saw.  They did a very good job with the remake (though the original is my preference).  I’ll now have to check out some of his other books.  In fact, I’ve already bought his second novel -- with a glorious title, My Grandmother Says to Tell You She's Sorry.  I'm about two-thirds through, and it's excellent.  Unexpected, thoughtful, inventive and often very funny.
 
If you do decide you want to see the full event – or just scroll through it, it’s available on the C-SPAN website.  I highly recommend it.  And the good thing is, being made up for basically 4-minute speeches, a person can watch it in segments, and just pick up where you left off.  You can find it here.
  
Anyway, here is Fredrik Backman’s speech.  Full of laughs, insightful comments and some extremely clever observations…and a perfect ending line.  It’s only four minutes.  Really, do yourself a favor and watch it -- 

 Wanting to take a break from writing about the wildfires, I’ve been wanting to post this product review for a while, but under the best of conditions it’s offbeat to post here…and it’s totally weird to post now.  But then I realized, hmm, no, a review of a toilet plunger actually fits as we’re days away from Trump taking office.
 
And I’m serious about the product.  It’s extremely good, the best toilet plunger I’ve ever used.
 
A couple months ago, my old plunger had seen better days, and my spare wasn’t doing a great job – same as my old plunger.  That’s because, what I didn’t realize until I began looking for a new one, the new-style toilets have a different design.  And old style plungers (made to fit over a round hole) don’t create a good seal for suction on the more oblong holes in new toilets.
 
Checking Amazon, the plunger that was getting the best raves was the Korky BeehiveMAX Heavy Duty Plunger, which costs $20 (or $25 with a plastic stand).  It’s called that because, unlike old-style plungers, it’s shaped sort of like a beehive.

I thought it looked a little too odd, and questioned its efficacy, so instead I bought another model that was made for the newer-model toilets and was also a better price.  It was lousy, so I returned it.  And since the Korky did have that higher rating, paid a bit more.  (It's not really expensive, after all.)

I tried it out when the opportunity presented itslef (which happens more often than ideal with the water-saving, high-efficiency toilets) – and I was amazed at how great it worked, the very first time.  I thought maybe that was an exception – but every time I’ve used it,  maybe four times overall, it’s been the same.
 
With my old plunger, there was always a lot of aggressive pushing and pulling – and far too much splashing.  With the Korky, it’s 3-5 gentle pumps…usually no splash…and perfect.  (Actually, most of the time for me it’s only been 1-3 quick pumps – but user comments suggest sometimes a couple more.  I suspect that might depend on the clog.)
 
A very few user reviews have complained it didn’t work well, but I’m sure that’s because they didn’t use it correct (as others pointed out).  That’s because you have to use it differently.
 
You first angle the plunger in the water, to fill the rubber device, then you tilt it to cover the toilet hold and create a seal.  (I suspect some people didn’t read the instructions and don’t know to do that.)  Then, keeping the seal, you don’t “yank” like with old plungers, but just pump it quickly a few times, as I mentioned.
 
It’s really good.  Otherwise, believe me, I wouldn’t have written a product review for a toilet plunger.  Even days before the Trump inauguration.

And yes, I know this was weird doing so.
 
I'll just mention, too, that the handle length is adjustable, which some may like for storage.  My only quibble is that I find the plastic stand a little flimsy.

If you do find that you need a new plunger and decide to buy this, my request is that you use this link here (or the one above), because -- as I note in that "badge" on the top-right of my website -- I get a very tiny commission as an "Amazon Associate."

Here's a 45-second video that shows what I mean about how it works a bit differently.  And as easily as this guy pumps the Korky, it's not only slightly more effort, but also a couple more pumps than I've usually (thus far...) needed.  

Happy plunging!

If you didn't see Jon Stewart's hosting of The Daily Show on Monday, his Main Story about about the total hypocrisy and withering cruelty of MAGOPs in their response to the Los Angeles wildfires.  And it was superb.  And as it happens, it pretty much overlapped what I wrote this morning -- but it was far superior, both in his blistering fury and how hilarious he was in his commentary.  It's a masterpiece.
 

I almost left things there, because the Main Story was so wonderful it deserves to stand alone.  But as a bonus, I'm going to include his interview which not only is deserving as a companion in its excellence (having nothing to do with with the fires), but surprising for being so terrific, given it's usually dry subject matter, an interview with an economist.

​However, the economist is wonderful.  He's Canadian Mark Carney, who is the former governor of the Bank of Canada...and also the Bank of England.  And he's charming, smart, funny and open.  And his conversation with Stewart (who clearly admires him greatly), which of course covers Trump's ludicrous idea of making Canada a U.S. state, is as interesting, information and serious, as it is funny.  And all the more fascinating is that it turns out he clearly has an tentative interest in running for Prime Minister of Canada, which Stewart keeps trying to drag more and more out of him.
​

I believe this is where some people might insert "What would Jesus do?" so that the faux-religious right can understand it in their language.

It would be so cool to know what changes does the Great Swami suggests, since I am certain he doesn’t have the slightest clue of all the detailed planning that is truly done in the state.  Being Tuberville, maybe he thinks that California should cut down all the trees here and install Astroturf in the forests.
 
Still, Mr. Tuberville is welcome to the Hurricane Helene emergency relief that California helped pay for – and pay more for than any other state.  Which, in fact, it pays more for than any other state for all disaster aid, all the time.  In fact, contributing more in federal taxes than it gets back, so that all the states that underpay (like, say, Alabama) can use for their disaster relief.

And all MAGOPs in Congress know this.  Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) knows it.  But that didn't stop the faux-wannabe religious leader from saying with his veneer of devout emotion, when asked about emergency aid to California, "I think there should be conditions."  (No word yet if this is what Jesus would do.  Though if anyone does knows, it could be the self-proclaimed Moses, Mike Johnson, as he directs the people trying to escape Pharoah into the fire.)  By the way, when Louisiana screwed up building its levees, I might have liked to have said there should be conditions on emergency aid to them after Hurricane Katrina drowned New Orleans, but...well, I didn't because I'm not cruel and heartless, nor a religious hypocrite about my fellow citizens when in catastrophic need.

That’s just four MAGOPs (including Trump) out of all the self-righteous MAGOP officials they represent spewing intentional cruelty and ignorance – while the wildfires are still burning, and millions of people remain at risk.  Because that's who've all seen the MAGOP is today.  Splitting families. Denying healthcare.  Caging children.  Banning books, banning the teaching of Black history, banning drag shows.  It's just business as usual.  And it’s all the more pathetic for their inhumane vindictiveness not only being directed at the tens of millions of people (most who don't even live in the area) simply because the majority of the state votes in a way these MAGOP officials don't like, but also ignoring there are over 10 million people in their own party here -- and ignoring, too, that everyone in the state is a part of the same whole, taking on the same burdens of helping and rebuilding (because that's how states and community work) and suffering the same.  To refute every MAGOP lie, misinformation, ignorance, disinformation and conspiracy theory would be like playing the world's most hellish game of Whack-a-mole.  ​

I’m not suggesting all the country would rise up in outrage – it won’t.  But 5-10% (or 25%) recognizing how totally unacceptable this would be to Americans whose lives and communities have been destroyed, seeing it all on TV endlessly for a week – I don’t think that is unreasonable to consider.  I don’t think Trump can come away from withholding funds unscathed.  That doesn’t mean he still won’t do it, only that even he might get pushed enough to act, but if he doesn’t, if he withholds federal funding,  or starts layering on "strings" and "conditions," I think he’ll pay a price.
 
In fact, for all I know, if Trump does nothing, despite Dr. Sen. Barrabasso’s contention of "ultimate" aid that comes with all his "strings" (along with Coach Tuberville's "changes" and the Very Rev. Mike Johnson's "conditions"), most members of Congress might even ignore them and vote to put together an aid package because, as much as they follow Trump, they aren’t Trump and know that their own states might well face far-less emergencies at some point and need assistance.  And this is a national disaster.
 
Though maybe not as much as what used to be the Republican Party.