Tidbits - January 26, 2017
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- Category: Archives
- Published on Wednesday, 25 January 2017 16:00
- Written by Ralph Shealy
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TIDBITS by RALPH SHEALY
SAY WHAT?
I’ve been in the journalism profession for 43-years, and for the first time in my life, I’m having a hard time figuring out what is true or not!
All of it has to do with our current political, what - tragedy, comedy, embarrassment?
And it is not a one way street, either, folks. Both sides of the aisle are equally at fault.
That old line from “Cool Hand Luke,” “What we have here is a failure to communicate,” is going to be the national theme for the next four years, at least.
You have a liberal media and entertainment industry who hate President Trump, almost a much as he hates them.
Neither are going to change.
Well, maybe the media will change if Trump produces results. The entertainment industry and Trump will never change, however.
Much of it is akin to five-year-olds fighting over a lollipop. “It’s mine and you can’t have it.”
A major issue over the weekend was the size of the crowd at the inauguration. I know all of you lost sleep over this big item, right?
Apparently, the President and his staff did.
The media started it by showing photos of President Obama’s inauguration four years ago, compared to the crowd for Trump.
The media posted the comparison to embarrass Trump, no doubt.
But let’s be honest. President Obama was the first African American president and many African Americans attended both inaugurations because they were proud of him.
Had Hillary Clinton been elected, the crowd that attended the Women’s March Saturday, would have been there for her inauguration, because she would have the first female president.
There were not enough billionaires to fill up the mall for Trump.
The weather was bad, and I personally don’t see what difference it makes how many people attended.
It was the press who wanted to get in a dig.
Trump couldn’t take it, and he will not take it, so he sent his press secretary out on Saturday to say the press lied about the attendance, and that it was the largest attended and watched inauguration attendance ever. That’s it. No questions. Just that one statement. End of press conference.
The next day he said it was the largest, because of social media.
Who cares?
There were anti-Trump demonstrations during the inauguration events. That’s fine. That is why America is great.
There were, however, demonstrators who kept their faces covered, and broke windows of businesses,, burned a limousine, and injured policemen.
Democrats predicted such things would be done by Trump supporters if Hillary Clinton won the election. Who are the deplorables? Who are the hypocrites?
Saturday, there were women’s marches all over American. They were protesting some of the President’s statements and actions.
I understand, but Madonna as a spokesperson???
She dropped the F-bomb, threatened to blow up the White House, and she produces explicit videos you would not want your children to see. Is she supposed to be better than Trump ... or the equivalent?
The President has seemed to load up his cabinet with billionaires. They know how to make money, but can they relate we, the people?
Can a billionaire Secretary of Education nominee who has never set foot in a public school be an effective leader, when 90 percent of American school children go to public schools? I guess we will find out.
It’s going to be interesting in the days ahead.
So much for politics. Let’s discuss important things, like fashion!
I think I can safely say Melania Trump is the most beautiful First Lady, ever, and she will probably be the best dressed First Lady ever.
Michelle Obama was right up there with Jackie Kennedy in the best dressed First Lady competition, but Melania’s advantage is she is a former model, as is First Daughter Ivanka. These two will set fashion trends.
The same can not be said about press secretary Sean Spicer. In his first press conference, he wore an ill-fitting pin-stripe suit, like I wore 40 years ago (but mine fit).. He looked like he stepped out of a Columbo rerun.
When I got home Monday, I saw a clip of Spicer from his press conference that day, and he had on a good looking suit, with a pocket square. Some of Melania’s fashion advisors must have gotten a hold of him!
SHOOT, NO!
When I was at Carolina in the dark ages, I had the pleasure of watching basketball players like John Roche, Tom Owens, Kevin Joyce, Tom Riker, and Brian Winters, among many others, play.
Gamecock Coach Frank McGuire never recruited a player who couldn’t shoot. I’m not just talking about guards. Owens, who was 6-11, and Riker, who was 6-10, could shoot from outside as well as Roche.
All of them were good free throw shooters, too.
How many players on this year’s Carolina team are good shooters? Exactly none.
Carolina hasn’t had a consistent shooter since B.J. McKie. How long has that been? B.J.’s son is a senior member of this year’s Gamecock team. That’s how long. The son can’t shoot, by they way.
During one five game stretch earlier in the season, the Gamecocks had one starter who was hitting a whopping seven percent of his shots, and he wasn’t taking one or two shots a game. He was taking around ten.
The Gamecocks are a Top 25 team. They’ve gotten there with great defense, hustle, and a player or two who have good games to offset the brick throwers.
I just wish they had one player you could consistently count on to hit a few shots a game. They would be 17-2, instead of 15-4.
REMEMBERING
It was another sad week.
Jack Black was my father’s fellow dairyman in the Emory Community. Our “town hall” was Calk’s Store, and we would run into each other practically every day. Jack was one of those who kept us entertained, as we drank our Cokes and ate our Moon Pies on one of those few breaks a day a farmer got.
In those days there were four dairy farms within a two mile radius, and the farmers would help each other out.
If one farmer had a tractor break down, they knew they could borrow one from their neighbor.
Jack was a good man. I’m thankful our families shared the soil and the memories.
Jean Crouch was a community leader.
When there was no such thing as the “Women’s Lib Moment,” Jean was president of the Saluda Chapter of the Business and Professional Women’s Club. The local club had many members, and they showed that women could be successful leaders in the business community.
The Flower & Gift Shop was a Saluda institution under her leadership and that of her husband, Marion.
Both of them could keep you entertained. Marion had a joke every time you saw him. Jean didn’t tell jokes, but she was naturally funny.
Her father, Josh Edwards, was another Saluda legend, the subject of many great stories.
Jean loved Saluda County, her family and her church, Saluda Presbyterian.
Charlie Huff and I were both members of the “March 24 Birthday Club.”
He was a retired educator, who served as principal of Hollywood Elementary School at one time.
His wife, the former Sethalene Scurry, is also a retired educator.
Charlie had a great personality, and always had a smile on his face.
Jack, Jean and Charlie will be greatly missed. My sympathy to their families.