Quotes of the Month
"Horror. Absolute horror....That should never happen to anybody. I don't care what your political beliefs are. That's not acceptable. That's not a solution to solving problems."
Rob Reiner
Responding on the air to Charlie Kirk's murder.
A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood, Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding and incurable affliction with a mind crippling desire known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS. He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administrationsurpassed all goals and expectations of greatness, and with the golden Age of America upon us, perhaps like never before. May Rob and Michele rest in peace.
Donald Trump
Posted on Rob Reiner and wife Michele's murder.
As of this writing I've not seen nor noted how our 250th birthday will be celebrated. Although I have just learned that that new huge ball in Times Square that will usher in 2026, will now reprise its drop on July 4th, in celebration of America's birthday. A first for this ritual, which has been performed exclusively on New Year's Eve.
On the assumption that many of the events will mirror those that were done for the Bicentennial, these would include...
Regarding that event in New York Harbor, hopefully Ted Koppel, now 85 years old, will stay home. This was his take 50 years ago. Note the cliched sideswipe at the people of my city. What were you expecting Ted? A riot?
But the real breakout star of the 200th birthday was the Bicentennial Minutes. As noted by Google AI:
The Bicentennial Minutes was a popular, sponsored TV series on CBS Television, running from 1974-1976, featuring celebrities narrating short, daily historical events from 200 years prior to America's 1976 Bicentennial, offering patriotic "on this day" moments related to the American Revolution, and ending with "I'm [Name], and that's the way it was," a nod to Walter Cronkite. Shell Oil sponsored the popular series, which was meant to end on July 4, 1976, but was extended due to its success.
It even won a Primetime Emmy Award for Special Classification of Outstanding Program Achievement. Alas, this popular series has not been replicated for the 250th. Emulating it in style, I offer as a public service...
"I'm Ron Vazzano.
250 years ago today, on the 41st birthday of Paul Revere, Boston was snowbound and experiencing typical New England winter weather. Revere, as a lieutenant colonel that year to help defend Boston Harbor from Castle William, a significant military post, was likely busy that Monday organizing defenses and overseeing artillery for the siege of British occupied Boston.
But the history making event that occurred that day, was the raising of the "Grand Union Flag" by order of General George Washington over Prospect Hill in Somerville, Massachusetts. It was the first flag of the united colonies. It marked the formal adoption of a standard for the Continental Army, a significant moment during the siege.
I'm Ron Vazzano. 'And that's the way it was'."
It is customary at the beginning of each year, even before the first piece of confetti has dropped on Times Square, to wonder what might be on the horizon that is noteworthy.
Of course, what's worthy of note is often in the mind of the beholder. And in this mind (of little note), I can't help but notice at the outset of 2026, that we are coming up on five years since that infamous January 6th, when the United States Capital was attacked by those attempting to prevent a legal election of the presidency. Can it already be five years since? Time to me, always seems as if a runaway train. And I'm sitting in coach.
As of this writing, I wonder how January 6th will be covered in the media, as I've seen nothing yet in this regard. But as anniversaries that end in the rounded off years of "5" and "0" tend to get special attention, I suspect it will. But in whose media? Unlike cattle, we don't drink from the same trough.
When I wrote about January 6th back then, I called it a day of infamy. But was it? Seems like all need to be on the same page as to what is infamous. Yet we're only not on the same page on this, we're not even in the same
book, as numbers taken in a poll a year ago at this time would indicate. And of course, this divide is further compounded by the fact that blanket pardons were issued this year for all those who committed a criminal act of that day; approximately 1,500. And unsurprisingly there is a... "Partisan Divide: While roughly 90% of Democrats opposed the pardons, Republicans were more divided, with about 30% to 40% opposing them and roughly 64% supporting them." (Source: Google AI)
But on to the more pleasant stuff that awaits. We're going back to the moon in April. Then along with Canada and Mexico, we'll be jointly hosting the World Cup beginning on June 11th. And last but not least, this July 4th we'll be
As disparate a trio of events that you can imagine, yet all with potential to put America on stage in a positive light. And if only for brief moments, neutralize the polarization that has defined our country for far too long.
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Artemis Program
This is a moon exploration program led by NASA; those wonderful folks who brought you... "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." And where were you on that July 20,1969?
We won the space race the first time, and while there would be no race to get there this time, our superiority in this particular realm of technology will be reenforced by our intended return.
There is something so visceral about it. Few can understand how the internet works, but all can understand the need to venture; the need to get out of one's comfort zone and explore. I was into the whole idea of going to the moon from the very beginning when the first seven astronauts were introduced to us in 1959.
Then too, the moon lies beyond a call to adventure. It has always been a mystery to us, given how it controls the ebb and flow of our tides, and that of our emotions. Expressed in poetry, fantasy, film and song.
The Artimis II flight this April—the first crewed test flight in the program—will not be landing on the moon of course. But in sending four astronauts on a fly-by mission around it, on a flight path never attempted before, attention must be paid. We're back. A big deal when you consider that no human has been in that vicinity since Apollo 17 blasted off from the moon on December 14, 1972 and headed home. A feat that remains unmatched in these 54 years gone by.
An actual lunar landing is not scheduled until mid-2027 at the earliest. Just a couple of stops on my time train. Though delays are expected. Space travel may now seem ho hum. It isn't. At least when sights are set on landing on the moon. Especially as going there will be more complicated this time around, what with the goal being one of a sustained long-term presence. For a myriad of reasons. Comparatively speaking, Apollo was dropping by for a cup of coffee. And to think they did it on less technological computing power, memory and sensors, than a modern smartwatch. Fascination with the moon, never gets old. Millennials may even be on board with this.
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World Cup
I am not a fan of soccer. I once outlined on here, the many reasons why. I won’t slog through them again. But in short, I cannot root for a sport that doesn’t allow you the use of a key feature that sets us apart from other primates: our hands. And if I wanted to see good ball control, I’d watch a seal do its thing. (Though come to think of it, where can you watch a seal balancing a ball on its nose ever since the Ed Sullivan Show?)
I cannot root for a sport in which teams, playing on a field larger than Delaware, score with about the same frequency as a solar eclipse. And then celebrate it with the passion of VJ Day, 1945, Times Square. While the clock continues to run. Time in soccer is merely a suggestion. Not strictly kept.
Ever increasingly, I am alone on this. Worldwide, it is THE predominant sport. How predominant? Too lazy to look it up I asked AI. “She” went on about it.
"Soccer (football) the most popular sport in the world., boasting 3.5 to 4 billion fans globally, dominating viewership and participation in Europe, South America, Africa and Asia due to its simplicity and massive events like the FIFA World Cup....Estimates suggesting 6 billion people will engage with the tournament in some form (streaming, highlights, broadcast)."
As a former Media Director, I am a big fan of big numbers. I am a big fan of big events. As an American, I am a big fan of the U.S. of A. co-hosting (along with Mexico and Canada) the biggest of sporting events. Especially, as the final game will be played on our home turf at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday July 19th. And the whole world will be watching.
Not lost on me, is the growing popularity of soccer in America. Which can be accounted for in part, to the multi-cultural diversified country that the U.S. continues to become. Which will be reflected in the makeup of the 26 -man roster of the U.S. team. Which is expected to make a strong showing. There is hope for a deeper run (quarter finals or beyond) aided perhaps by having the home-field advantage. Though it would take a miracle for them to win the Cup. Yet, there once was a miracle on the international stage. I remember it well.
"The 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid featured the legendary "Miracle on Ice," where the underdog U.S. men's hockey team, composed of amateur and college players, defeated the dominant, four-time defending champion Soviet Union team 4-3 in the medal round, going on to win the gold medal against Finland, securing one of sports' greatest upsets and boosting American morale during the Cold War." (Google AI)
USA! USA! USA! And speaking of Winter Olympics, I will be rooting for Lindsay Vonn, who at 41 will be competing in her 5th and final Olympics this February. She is the only American woman to win Olympic downhill gold. I'll be watching. But it would take a court order, to get me to watch Curling.
Word of the Month
Re-encountered in an American Masters tribute last month to Dick Van Dyke on his 100th birthday.
Etymology
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First Appearance: Helen Herman in The Daily Orange, March 10, 1931, in a column called "A-muse-ings".
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Original Spelling: "supercaliflawjalisticexpialadoshus".
Used in a sentence
Dick Van Dyke gave a supercalifragilisticexpialadocious performance in Mary Poppins.
The warnings come early and often.
The weatherman needs to use both hands
On geeky maps with colorful sonograms
Of cold front monsters and devil winds
Trying to make up their mind as to when
And where exactly they'll be coming in.
And how many inches they'll bring along for the ride.
Size in a snowstorm matters—kill not the messenger
Well coiffed and handsome as all outdoors
Who wanted to anchor but wound up in weather
Allow him his moment in the sun.
Life as we know it is about to change
By an act of God; one we've caught before.
Mortal mayors take to the airwaves
To assure us that the salt spreaders are at the ready
That plowmen are prepared to plow till kingdom come.
Stations cut to footage to prove it.
Stay off the road. Go out only if you must.
Stock up on staples and implements of light...
Snow Day
on the bright side rules will be broken
as lines of demarcation go unspoken
DO NOT
becomes
by all means feel free
schools will shut down as will the DMV
snowball fights breaking out at random
kids on sleds on slopes in tandem
a day to take to the nearest park
where snowmen might appear on a lark
fault laid aside for the job life's become
embrace the moment before it's gone
MuseLetter \’myüz-‘le-tər noun
1: a personal message, inspired by a muse of one's own creation, addressed to a person or organization, in the course of which, the sender becomes absorbed in thought; especially turning something over in the mind meditatively and often inconclusively.
2: a letter from a poet, or one who envisions oneself as such, in which he or she “muses” on that which is perceived to be news, or newsworthy, usually in some ironic or absurd way.
photo by Ron Vazzano 2017