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The 2024 Overrated List

“Do your research!”

GQ created The 2024 Overrated List because “a single page from GQ’s September 1995 print issue made the rounds, first on Reddit, then X, and finally, the tabloids. It was the 1995 Overrated List, comprising 81 people, places, and things the staff deemed ‘utterly unworthy of the praise and respect they’d received.’”

Unsurprisingly, I was unaware of the notoriety that the 1995 list engendered. Nevertheless, I looked at the 2024 list. I perused it, in part because I was fascinated by how many items were totally unfamiliar to me. Popping Zyns? It’s a nicotine pouch.

I have a strong interest in some items, though.

“The most important election of our lifetimes” -Yeah, I know we’ve heard it before. But in the words of Bullwinkle J. Moose: “This time for sure.”

Not wearing a tie – I’ve been way ahead of the curve on this topic. I’ve always railed against wearing a noose, even forgoing one in a family photo back in the 1980s. (There’s a story there, which I may or may not have told before.)

Telling it like it is – I noted on a recent Facebook discussion that many of those folks equate that whatever they read on an incendiary website becomes “what it is.” Then they say, “The earth IS flat! Do your research!”

Watching everything with subtitles – I’ve read several articles about how movie dialogue has become unintelligible in the past few years. This is also true of some television programs. Add to that an aging population and I’ll give those subtitle addicts a pass.

History has its eyes on you

Reexamining the past – How the heck does one learn anything new otherwise? I guesstimate that about a quarter of what I know about Black history and probably half of what I’ve gleaned about LGBT+ issues involved a reexamination of what we THOUGHT was normative.

Documentaries – I’ve read several recent stories of the travails involving documentaries, such as American Nightmare (“How we believe — or don’t believe — victims”) and The Jinx series involving litigation.

Working from home – I am SO happy I retired before COVID because my old office was, and inexplicably is STILL working from home.

Hard-launching your relationship online – I remain puzzled by “Facebook official”

Opening-weekend box office numbers are increasingly meaningless.

Binge-watching – I once watched three episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show. That was tough and I love that show. Definitely not my thing

Hawai’i’s Future

the most expensive state in the nation

Because of the anniversary of the Lahaina, Maui wildfire, there has been a large media emphasis on Hawai’i’s future. While some were pretty straightforward – the folks are still recovering – others were more interesting,

CBS Sunday Morning showed a piece about the Hawai’ian people, as celebrated at the Merrie Monarch Festival. “Thousands of miles from Paris, on Hawaii’s Big Island, another elite competition unfolded. The world’s best hula dancers gathered to showcase their skills, competing in both traditional and modern hula categories.” The dance is far more significant than mere entertainment for tourists.

Maui Rising

ABC broadcast a few items on the topic. From the press piece by Jim Donnelly: “ABC News’ reporting initiative ‘Maui Strong 808,’ which has been dedicated to chronicling the impact of the crisis and relief efforts [highlighted] its yearlong commitment with coverage across programs and platforms.” It began streaming on Aug. 8 at 8:30 p.m. EDT on ABC News Live.

“‘MAUI RISING: The Fight for Hawai’i’s Future,’ a one-hour primetime special marking a year since the deadliest wildfire in modern U.S. history tore through the picturesque town of Lahaina, Maui, leaving a community reeling and inspiring a new generation of organizers ready to stand up for change. Narrated by actor and Hawai’i resident Jason Scott Lee, the program highlights the strength, determination, and resilience of the people of Lahaina.” It “follows Native Hawaiian community leaders who see the tragedy as an opportunity to re-envision a new town based on ecological restoration, cultural repair, and ultimately a chance to build a stronger, more equitable and more sustainable future for all of Hawai’i.”

The latter news special, which I stumbled upon, aired on Friday, Aug. 9, at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC. It should now be streaming on Hulu and available on the ABC app from your smartphone and tablet (iOS and Android), computer on ABC.com, and connected devices (Roku, AppleTV, and Amazon Fire TV).

It becomes obvious that the disaster was not merely a happenstance but a more than century-long inequity in favor of the sugar growers, the military, and tourism to the detriment of the native Hawai’ians.

“‘MAUI RISING: The Fight for Hawai’i’s Future'” spotlights Lahaina leaders who see the catastrophic fire as a pivot point and opportunity to rectify long-standing issues around affordable housing, the tourism-based economy, water rights, and resource exploitation. Interviews include legendary Hawaiian surfer Archie Kalepa; Hawaiian cultural practitioner Ke’eaumoku Kapu; key organizers of the grassroots community group Lahaina Strong, Pā’ele Kiakona, Courtney Lazo, and Jordan Ruidas; ‘American Idol’ winner and Hawaiian-born singer Iam Tongi and more.”

Last Week Tonight

John Oliver also tackled the issue of the islands. As the article in The Guardian notes: “Hawai’i is being reshaped by wealthy outsiders.’” Last Week Tonight looked into how billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg, wealthy tourists, and the US military have altered the state at the expense of locals.

“There are currently 32,000 short-term rentals in the state, meaning one out of 18 houses is a vacation rental, and nearly a quarter of Hawaiian homes were purchased by buyers outside the state. Hawaii is now the most expensive state in the nation for housing, and because the state imports about 90% of its food, residents also pay some of the highest prices in the nation for groceries.” See the Oliver piece here.

Also, check out the Centering Indigenous Leadership in Maui’s Fire Recovery interview. “Kaniela Ing, national director of the Green New Deal Network, co-founder of Our Hawai‘i, and a former elected official to the Hawai‘i House of Representatives, spoke with YES! Racial Justice Editor Sonali Kolhatkar on Rising Up With Sonali about the devastation on Maui and the coming recovery efforts. Ing, who is a 7th-generation Native Hawaiian, emphasizes the importance of centering Indigenous voices and leadership in rebuilding an island struggling with the ongoing impacts of tourism and colonization.”

These stories got me thinking about inequity, wealth, and the need for restitution.

Finally, 60 Minutes reran this story: “Thousands of gallons of jet fuel contaminated the Navy’s drinking water system for Pearl Harbor. Families dealing with health issues are suing, alleging they were harmed by negligence at Red Hill.” So even military families have felt neglected.

Movie review: The Widow Clicquot

champagne

In the movie The Widow Clicquot, François Clicquot (Tom Sturridge) loved talking to the grapes he grew. And he loved sharing his passion with his bride, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot (Haley Bennett). But when – no spoiler – he dies, she wants to run the wine business they had started together. A woman running a complicated, fledgling, undercapitalized operation in the politically hostile environment of Napoleonic Europe? She says, of course.

Her father-in-law Phillipe (Ben Miles) is among the many men who believe she is ill-equipped for the task. She does have one ally, the wine merchant Droite (Paul Rhys), who is willing to flaunt conventions.

The story is based on a true story, as told in Tilar J. Mazzeo’s New York Times-bestselling biography. The widow Clicquot practically invented the champagne industry.

It’s well-acted, especially by the lead actress, and well-filmed. The message is inspirational. Though it’s a French production, it is in English.

Arm’s length

Yet, it seems somehow at arm’s length. Mme. Clicquot’s great success is only footnoted at the end. Indeed, the best scene in the movie is the last one, when she is brought before a tribunal designed to ascertain whether she was violating just norms but the law. Then, the 90-minute movie ends.

Beatrice Loayza wrote in the New York Times: “Ambitious as it is in scope, the film is also somewhat charmless and dour, caught between wanting to deliver the passion audiences expect from a period romance and constructing a suspenseful underdog tale. It’s too bad it never finds a winning balance.” I so wanted to like the film. I admired the elements but the concoction never came together for me.

FWIW, both critics and the audience at Rotten Tomatoes gave it an 85% positive mark. Here’s an interview with Haley Bennett, not only the star but also a producer of the film.

My wife and I saw The Widow Clicquot in late July at the Spectrum Theatre in Albany.

Rebecca Jade and the Walkers

my father’s people

After seeing the first niece at the Elmira Jazz Festival, I realized that the connections made became a reunion of Rebecca Jade and the Walkers, her ancestors on her mother’s side. But it wasn’t easy.

Rebecca performed on Friday, August 16, at the Norfolk Jazz Festival in Town Point Park in downtown Norfolk Waterfront, VA. She was supposed to take a flight from Norfolk, VA, to Scranton, PA, stay at a Scranton hotel, then drive the 120 miles (193 km)/two hours to Horseheads.

Oh, yes, the Elmira Jazz Festival is in Horseheads, NY. Why is it called Horseheads? “The name is derived from the number of bleached skulls of pack horses left behind by the Sullivan Expedition” during the American Revolutionary War in 1779.

But the time frame was too tight that night RJ, and a morning flight made the festival organizers nervous. Instead, the husband of RJ’s agent drove them to a hotel in Harrisburg, PA, where they slept for about five hours. They traveled about 500 miles over 8-plus hours to the Elmira Jazz Festival.

It was POURING in north-central Pennsylvania and the Southern Tier of New York. My family, including my father’s cousin Ruth and her daughters, were traveling separately from the Binghamton area, which is only about 60 miles/96 km and one hour away.

But it was as bad as what Louis XV reportedly predicted after his reign. We pulled off Route 17/I-86 at the Lowman exit for about 20 minutes.

Genealogy

The gates at the festival were to open at 11:00 a.m., with local band Top Shelf playing from noon to 12:45 p.m., followed by Marcus Johnson, Ben Tankard, and Rebecca Jade in rotation. Except for Top Shelf, which started over an hour late, the schedule was wrecked. Ben Tankard was up next, followed by Rebecca Jade.

Other than her originals, the highlights of her set were the reimaged covers of Pure Imagination and I Will Survive. We got to see her after her segment, as did Ruth and her family. To my surprise, another Walker had already made contact with her.

My great-grandfather Samuel Walker (d. 1963, so I remember him) and his wife Mary Eugenia (d. 1944, before I was born) had several children. Three of those lines came to Horseheads.

Agatha’s line: I am the son of her son Les, and my daughter was there as well. Les’ elder daughter is Leslie, and her daughter is, of course, Rebecca Jade.

Vera’s line: Vera’s daughter was Patricia. Her daughter was Arlene, but I knew her only as Kitten, and she was there.

Earl’s line: Earl’s daughter is Ruth, and she was there, along with her two daughters, Jean and Jackie. My father was at Ruth’s house the day I was born, figuring out my name and initials. Ruth is the oldest living relative I have.

This is the closest thing to a Walker family reunion I had been to in decades.

Also

A guy named Jim from Binghamton was also there. We were elementary and junior high classmates at Daniel S. Dickinson for several years. Since it was his 72nd birthday, I thought I’d share his selfie with RJ.

Also, there was a raffle at the event. I won a $50 gift certificate from Ray’s Jewelers, a local business. But my handwriting is so bad that they mangled my name as Roger Grue. I hope Ray offers mail order.

That morning, I got my 600th Wordle in a row. It helped that I read WordleBot’s suggestions and compared notes afterward with my wife and my Wordle buddy Matthew. Then I played my 400th game of Quordle and moved from 98% to 99% correct. I have my longest win streak, 128 games.

Sunday Stealing: 24 easy steps

World Almanac

The premise of this week’s Sunday Stealing seems deceptively simple. Reveal yourself in 24 easy steps.

I am not bored. I’m never bored when I have any control of the agenda.

I hurt when I’m not heard.

I love looking at the section of my bookcase, seeing the array of colors and the variety of popular culture topics represented therein.

I hate that certain politicians can lie egregiously, and people believe them. Dana Milbank of the Washington Post dubbed one of these politicians Das GropenFührer, but I, of course, would NEVER sink that low.

I fear Christofascism.

I hope my daughter goes abroad more often than I did.

I regret? “Regrets, I’ve had a few. ” I have plenty, but many are buried in the recesses of my mind.

I cry over music. It doesn’t have to be sad. Indeed, it could be something that brings me joy.

I care that things seem fair. I think the Americans With Disabilities Act is a wonderful thing, for instance. So, when people obstruct sidewalks for their short-term benefit, it tends to tick me off. (The guy who parks his car to block the sidewalk on my block, making it difficult for blind or infirm people to get by, is extremely lucky I haven’t keyed his car… yet.)

No surprise

I always have music on when I write or clean. Currently, the Mamas and the Papas’ People Like Us album.

I long for more sleep.

I listen to opinions I tend to disagree with in the hope that I’ll better understand a different POV. It usually doesn’t work but I keep trying anyway.

I hide, sometimes in plain sight.

I write because I have to. There is so much information coming at me that I have to figure the world out. Writing slows down the tendency to make instant analyses.

I miss a whole lot of people: Gladys, Mike, indeed, a whole lot of folks from church, especially the choir. Richard, my FIL. Raoul, though it’s been a long time. My parents, of course. But the person I wish I could pick up the phone and call is Norman.

It’s the librarian in me.

I search for information all the time. When I was ten, it was the World Almanac and an encyclopedia.

I learn things that interest me fast, while other things bore me, such as our visits to our financial planner. It’s a MEGO experience.

I feel pain in my left knee. I need to go for physical therapy and hope it helps. Failing that, I’ll have to get a knee replacement. Ultimately, there will be two because they are both bone on bone.

I know a lot of weird stuff, such as all of the presidents by the year they took office, Bob Gibson’s ERA in 1968 (1.12), and the number of MLB career home runs hit by Willie Mays (660).

I want to be kinder to myself.

I worry about my daughter’s future. Global warming is a big reason, but not the only thing.

I wish I could fly. STILL, the most regular dream I have.

I have, generally speaking, a good capacity for listening.

I give blood. I’ve done so about 180 times because I think it’s important. I donated six times yearly for a long while, but it’s more difficult for an inexperienced phlebotomist to hit the vein correctly. When it’s done correctly, I can give it in six minutes or less.

I wait for my wife, though it’s less chronic than it used to be. Too often, she tries to squeeze in “one more thing,” which tends to make her later than SHE says some task will take.

I need to be understood. But don’t we all?

Switch

Then, after I completed the questions on Friday, they changed, so I’m answering these on the fly.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU…

1 – Handwrote a letter to a friend?

Don’t remember.

2 – Cried?

Yesterday

3 – Fell over?

A few years ago.

4 – Bought a present for someone?

Last month for my wife’s birthday.

5 – Had a pajama day?

6 – Watched a movie that you wouldn’t have gone to the cinema to see?

That is not how I operate. Except during COVID, or when I miss a film at the cinema, my default is going to the movies.

7 – Stayed up all night?

When my sister Leslie sang at Carnegie Hall.

8 – Bought something on eBay?

An Elvis Costello CD a few years ago

9 – Colored in a coloring book?

A few years ago.

10 – Told someone you love them?

Yesterday

11 – Kissed someone?

Yesterday

12 – Went to the doctors?

This week

13 – You traveled by train?

This month (Alexandria, VA to Albany/Rensselaer, NY)

14 – Screamed because you were scared?

Don’t remember

15 – Visited your hometown?

Yesterday

16 – Went on vacation?

This month

17 – Finished reading a book?

Last month

18 – Went to a church service?

Last week.

19 – Wore a hat?

Yesterday. I always wear a hat or cap.

20 – Turned off your mobile phone?

Yesterday, when I was losing power.