Mat Franco!

 Magician Mat Franco won America's Got Talent 12 or so years ago and has a residency at the Linq in Las Vegas. Now years ago, I gave up trying to figure out magic because I don't really want to know. Years ago, Dirk Arthur gave a box. It was a box. The box was empty. Then Abra Cadabra the box got heavy and he pulled a duck out. Where the hell did the duck come from? I was holding the damn box the whole time. It freaked me out and from then on, I don't even try.

Franco is personable, charming, self-deprecating and can zing you with a gentleness that you don't even know you've been zinged. Trust me, he saw me sitting there with folded arms and I regretted it as soon as he commented on my apparent cynical view of his magic. Tip-don't sit in front row unless you are aware he can see you. Oh yeah, I ended up with 3 bags of ramen noodles. 

His magic is absolutely baffling. Now we've seen Dirk Arthur, Penn & Teller numerous times and they were all great. But this guy? Wow. He does card tricks, makes things disappear, finds phones inside of tables, banters with volunteers and much like Penn & Teller calls you out if you screw up his instructions (for instance he asked a volunteer to roll imaginary dice and the guy said he rolled a 14 much to Mat's and the audience's amusement). He calls up a lot of people, kids (a young boy was called up and was funny and quick), adults, men, women, everyone. They say its "Magic Reinvented Nightly" and I imagine it is as volunteers are very unpredictable. This guy is a pro.

I cannot recommend this show enough. It's reasonably priced and if you buy the cheap seats in the back and the front is not sold out you just may get upgraded to the front row. This happened to us. But just don't fold your arms or else.

The Wizard Of Oz At The Sphere....Finally!

I am a cynic. Nothing really impresses me. The hype is always too much and I end up disappointed. Then came this.

After my hospital stay was over, and I was placed on meds, Max's Mom contacted the Sphere to see if the unused tickets could be transferred to Thursday. They graciously said yes.

Off we went to the Sphere to see this classic event. The staff there was helpful in not making us walk up steps but instead let us in the VIP entrance and take the escalator up to the nosebleeds.

The place is phenomenal. Full of distractions, entertainment and things to pose for selfies in front of. The escalator seems to go on forever as you head for steerage. The steps are steep and getting to row 13 was not fun for these old fogies. But we made it and sat, hoping to never get up again. WRONG! Being on the aisle meant constant standing and stepping out onto the steep staircase. Ok great.

The movie begins right on time which is good but also means the late arrivers will bug the shit out of you for a good half hour. What is so hard about being on time? Pet Peeve #1! The place is full of every type of person, the most diverse crowd Ive ever seen. The people in back of us spoke no English. There was a healthy pot full of blacks, whites, Asians, Hispanics, men, women, children, old people, young people, people dressed as characters. It is great to see. However, why is a small percentage of any crowd such narcissistic assholes? They get up to leave during the film, they come back climbing over everyone to get back, they show up late and climb over everybody. Christ its annoying.

The film experience itself is stunning. This cynic was in from the get-go. The huge screen, the special effects, the tornado scene where the leaves fall, your seat shakes, and the wind blows. It's unlike anything I've been to. And I loved it. The apples fall from the ceiling when the trees pelt the 4 characters. Yes, Max's Mom got one dropped right in her lap. Finally, the poppy scene where it starts snowing drops dishwashing liquid on you. Too bad it almost immediately melts or I'd have preserved it and taken it home. And Margaret Hamilton is the greatest screen villain of all time and I'm not going to argue about it. She just is.

Despite the fact the movie has maybe a half hour cut from it (Its very obvious) it is still as great as ever and the Sphere screen makes it like seeing a concert.

It ended and I wanted to see it again. We sat there to allow the crowd to disperse. I relived my old drunken bar days as workers started yelling you gotta leave. However, it was worth every penny when I saw Max's Mom crying happy tears during Somewhere Over The Rainbow. That made my irregular heart soar like a hawk.

One tip. Do not walk outside. It'll send you into A Fib. Walk thru the Venetian. It's all inside. Had we known that, the hospital stay may have been avoided, however, I'd have never known of my problem.

Would I go again? Of course.

But quite frankly, I would kill to see Metallica st the Sphere. I would only wound to see the Wizard of Oz again.

Go if you can. You will be happy AF.

The Veg!

 Little did I know as the ambulance pulled up to the ER bay at Sunrise Medical Center what I was in for. Rolled in on a stretcher, a staff of people began to immediately take vitals, told me I was still in A Fib and looked for a room. Wheeled into trauma room 12 to be dealt with I was thinking well this will go away and I'll be back at the hotel in no time. Across the hall was a lady who was not happy she was there and let the nurse know in no uncertain terms. The nurse, Aurora, with the patience of a saint took my blood and a chest x-ray and all the time dealing with the lady who was demanding Tylenol every 5 minutes. I was not really scared, tho Max's Mom was, cuz ya know I am indestructible (haha). Hours went by and it became apparent I was going to be stuck there for a long time. This place was a madhouse. Then it got madder and madder until it appeared to be Arkham. 

The lady across the hall was wheeled out of the room as they had a patient coming in with life threatening problems. A nurse came in and closed the curtain so I couldnt see out into the hallway. The insanity began as a man on a stretcher was wheeled into the room with a paramedic on top of him doing emergency CPR. I heard a conversation right out of the Pitt. Adrenaline, Epi, CPR, blood pressure of 47 over 21 and the inevitable time of death call. The man was found on the toilet and was there for 20 minutes I guess. He was obviously dead from the get-go. It was very freaky to listen to. 

Ya think that was all? Nope. I was wheeled out of my room into a hallway. A friggin hallway with about 50 people also laying there. I had a view of the ambulance bay for hours. I saw what was coming in. It WAS the Pitt. It was ER. Migawd those shows are realistic. The place was so full, the ambulance crews had to wait their turn, turning the ER into a traffic jam. The ambo folks brought people in so often we saw the same ambo crews numerous times. Yes we there that long.

A man was brought in by a male and female paramedic. He began to hit on the female.

"Hey baby you got a boyfriend?"

"No I have 3 girlfriends"

" Wow now that's a party, I wish I had 3 girlfriends, Imagine all that pussy"

"Hey now no P words"

He eventually was wheeled in to sober up I assume. 

A man was brought in puking very loudly into a trash bag. It never seemed to end until he was wheeled into the ER to sober up, I assume.

A female in a party dress was wheeled in counting from 1 to 4 constantly. She was flirting with the very same female paramedic who the drunk man was hitting on. Eventually when was wheeled in to sober up I assume. 1 2 3 4 she eventually got all the way to 10. The male paramedic asked her what lesson she learned this night and she blurted out " not to drink after 7". I had no idea if she meant the time of day or the number of drinks.

A man was wheeled in hitting himself in the face. The cops were with this guy. Eventually he was wheeled in to go to jail.

A woman was wheeled in with a bloody face. She had been beaten up by I assume her significant other. She was eventually wheeled in to probably go back to the son of a bitch.

Remember the woman across the hall who was taken out to make room for a dead guy? She was laying in the hallway right within my eyesight. The nurse, who was also my nurse, who said her name was I don't know it sounded like RageAgainstTheMachine gave the Tylenol lady a shot of Ativan. Within a few minutes suddenly the Tylenol Ativan woman fell out of her bed and face planted as she seized. Allergic to Ativan, I guess. I reacted with an "oh shit".

There were so many people wheeled in it was just like seeing a Vegas show, but the cover charge is way too expensive.

Ok back to me. I laid in the hallway, with Max's Mom all night long. In the hallway of a Vegas ER. Drunks, homeless, heat strokes, domestic violence victims and the mentally ill seemed to be the norm. AND THIS WAS A TUESDAY NIGHT! What must it be like on Fridays or Saturdays? I was laying there in front of the nurse's station where I heard the graveyard shift complaining about other departments, doctors, nurses, and patients. They love their job as much as most people. They don't. The swearing was intense. Fuck you.. I'm pissed...he's a motherfucker ...all came out of these nurses' mouths. It amused me.

Meanwhile a young man laid on a bed in front of us in a hospital gown. He was very polite to everyone. But when he got up to go to the bathroom it was ass crack city. He tried to hold it shut behind him but failed. He apologized constantly. My suggestion was he should pull his black boxers UP so his crack would be gone. He did not.

I am not kidding when I say the Pitt is not preposterous. It's truth. I didn't have a hospital gown; I was still in my sweaty clothes. I hope my ass crack didn't show up but I cannot guarantee it.

My room eventually came thru at about 7 in the morning, so I'd spent 15 hours laying in the hallway of the Sunrise Hospital ER. Hey, I aint any better than anybody else so I didn't get too frustrated. I saw how busy these people were treating the sick people no doubt worse off than me. But man, if this health care system is the best we have, we have failed miserably. It sucks. I do not know the answer, but basic health care should be at least a goddamn right. In this nation it's a privilege and luck of the draw for the rest of people. That's wrong. We can do better.

My inpatient stay was uneventful. Private room in the heart unit. Bland food. Constant attention from nurses named Nikki and Briana who were great and constant doctors explaining my problem to me. But I was there way too long mostly due to the fact I am not special, nor should I be. They finally let us go around 7 pm or so. So, 15 hours in the ER hallway, and 12 hours in a private room. As frustrating as it was, I appreciated the care and dedication of these damn saints. They do the work, they put up with me, and they do it with a smile and jokes. THEY are the greatest. The system sucks.

Anyway, after a silent UBER ride back to the hotel, we crashed. Vending machine pizza, subs and a piece of cake (Yes, the machine made the pizza, and it was good as was the sub) we bought some water and caffeine and zoned out. 

One more day in Vegas to redeem itself.

By the way, this is a picture of the Sunrise ambulance bay on a Wednesday night at 6pm,

We're Off To See The Wizard....Oh Yeah???

 We came to the city I really cannot stand, Las Vegas, Sin City, The City Where What Happens There Stays There, to fulfill Max's Mom's fantasy of seeing the Wizard of Oz at the Sphere. It's a fucking 110 degrees here AND the goddamned humidity on Tuesday was Omaha-like. So as much as I despise the Midwest and it's 77 dew points well guess what? Yep, the luck continues and the "dry heat" became Omaha plus 20 degrees. So of course, a 25-minute walk to the Sphere was a minor inconvenience. Yeah, until it wasn't. About 75% of the way I began to feel sick. I had to sit. I walked a bit farther and had to sit. I felt like I was gonna either pass out, puke or drop dead. Or all three. We got to the Sphere and sat on the steps. The security staff, who had initially refused to provide us with any water, suddenly decided that was a bad idea. The cold water that Max's Mom poured over my head woke me up fast and I felt rejuvenated. Ready to go. Right? RIGHT? Here come the paramedics and they insist I get checked out. So this old man, me, gets wheeled on a stretcher into the Sphere and into the first aid room. This is where it all got complicated. They did all the vitals and I was ok. Right? RIGHT? Uh no. The fine paramedics, Michael and Perry hooked me up to the EKG or whatever it is and Michael said "Ive got good news and some really bad news. Oh, for chrissakes, what now? You are NOT having a heart attack, cool, BUT you are in atrial fibrillation and we suggest you go to the nearest ER because you could have a blood clot AND have a stroke and die! What? No, I'm here to take the trip up the Yellow Brick Road and no flyin monkeys gonna stop me. The Sphere medical staff, saints named Michael, Perry and Breann, pounded away at the seriousness of A Fib. 

A Fib. Where your heart valve looks like a used car dealer with the dancing things and the blood aint flowing right. Ok guys, you convinced me and they called the ambulance. Christ, here we go again. Nebraska Wesleyan football game (2022 pass out and trip in ambulance to hospital). Omar and Denise showed up to transport the old geezer, me, to Sunrise Hospital. Pizza boxes between the seats (good for you guys) the ride was smoother than the Lincoln ambo which felt like an old VW bus on a gravel road. They were great. Off I went to the Emergency Room. On a stretcher. Jesus H Christ I hate being old. The doctors checked my vitals and a security guard (looked like Michael Fanone from J6) was suddenly patting me down for weapons. I told him I left them at the hotel and he laughed and offered me  brass knuckles if I needed them. Huh? I soon found out what he meant.

Wheeled thru a Vegas ER is quite the experience. More about that next time.

Little did I know the dead witch under the Sphere was ME.

Lindsey Graham!

 Lindsey Graham, ya know, the guy who said nominating Trump would destroy the Republican Party in 2016, passed on to the great closet in the sky from cardiac arrest (?) last evening. I don't want anyone to die (wink) because of how it affects the people who might actually love the person. That's not fun at all. So, Rest in Peace to Lindsey Graham the man. 

Now the rest of the story. Lindsey Graham was a moderate voice in the Senate until about 2021. remember Jan 6? Graham stood in the Senate and said "I am done" with Trump. Ok. A definite plus. The influence of John McCain was still intact. McCain was Graham's mentor. A great patriot and a great man. But McCain passed in 2018. Graham was still in the McCain camp in 2021 after J6. But then, like Kevin "Who the fuck do you think you're talking to" McCarthy. Graham was met with gawd knows what. Blackmail? Extortion? Death threats? Yeah, probably all 3. That's Trumps M.O. Diss the Prez and he unleashes his goons on you. Goons who work for him or goons who worship him. Doesn't matter. The thugs come out and send their message of violence. Now most are losers who live in storage facilities and don't have the gumption to get a job much less actually do anything, but it only takes one dedicated cult member with a gun. And Graham had secrets. We all know what it was. The closeted Graham didn't have the courage to come out for some reason. Many 71-year-old gay men tend to be less than honest with themselves and everyone else. But that secret isn't anything any longer. Who gives a shit if Lindsey Graham had a Grindr account? Now South Carolina isn't exactly a friendly Gayborhood but there are certainly enough South Carolinian conservatives who have pulled their heads out of their ass and don't care. Right? RIGHT?

Graham went nuts in the last few years of his life. He wanted to bomb everybody. Warmongering became his go to speech. He was a lapdog to Trump, who uses everyone until he doesn't. No prediction on when Trump would have dumped Graham but his death puts an end to that. Right? RIGHT? Trump made Graham's demise all about Trump. "It hurts the SAVE act". One less bootlicker to try and save Trump from impeachment, jail, and justice. That's Trumps take. Me hurt. 

I'd say for Graham to be welcomed to the great beyond by his friend John McCain, who would probably slap him for what he became. But as far that goes, they are probably in two different fictional places.

Soccer and Graham Cracker!!

 While Trump was desecrating the United States on its 250th birthday by speaking in front of Mount Rushmore calling people commies and sticking to the same old garbage speech, I was getting heat stroke at a Kansas City Royals game. Not fun. Neither for that matter was fun. Trump made the heads on Mount Rushmore sick, and the heat made me sick. Happy 250th America. It was fun.

The World Cup has been, as usual, a thrilling event. I love the World Cup. It's the once every two-year World War 3 in which nobody dies, Americans suddenly become soccer "experts" and the corruption of FIFA is front and center. This year's Cup is in North America, of course, and the invasion of black and brown people must drive the Racist in Chief crazy. The Cup has had some upsets, and the Americans moved to the round of 16 which of course made the casual soccer fan all excited because oh I don't know, because we never make it that far cuz quite frankly, we are fair to middlin at the worlds sport. And the team proved it once again by getting blown out by Belgium, ending the fever dream. It's fine, but the Soccer Expert in Chief decided to get into the middle of a red card controversy by calling FIFAs Thief in Chief and demanding the red card be revoked so American citizen and anchor baby Falorin Balogun (born in Brooklyn to non-citizens). FIFA, the corrupt clan that gave Trump the FIFA peace prize (LOL), did what he wanted. The precedent was dangerous that a politician got into the middle of a sports decision. But as stated, the Belgians waffled the USA by destroying them. And as predicted by anyone with a working mind, the MAGATS immediately began to call for the denaturalization of Balogun soon after the game because he didn't score 5 goals by himself or perhaps because MAGATS are racists. Oh well, America, it's not our sport. Our team is Nebraska football. Beats up inferior competition, then when faced with a rated team loses 62-3 (the soccer equivalent of 4-1). We dont suck, we're just fair to middlin.

Graham Platner. This guy is a piece of work. Nominated by Maine Democrats to run against the feckless Susan Collins, Platner was always sketchy on a personal basis. The oyster farmer has a checkered past. There were allegations of domestic violence, alleged sexual assaults, a Nazi tattoo he got in the military, and a stint working for Blackwater in Iraq where some of his Reddit posts were sus. He bragged about killing civilians, used slurs, and whether true or not is certainly troubling. So, at best he's a progressive who likes to brag about shit he didn't do and is an abuser and at worst he's a fucking rapist and war criminal. Neither is acceptable by the way. He needs to go NOW.

That being said the Republican reaction is laughable. As they clutch their pearls and faint onto JD Vance's couch (ewww) expressing their outrage they really are clueless cowards. The fact they support a guy who also may be a rapist and is certainly a war criminal (200 dead Iranian children say so). Yet we have the typical Republican blowhards, Brandion Gill the gay Superman , Peter Ricketts the trust fund baby, Foghorn Kennedy the blowhard, expressing shock and faux outrage that Maine Democrats would nominate this guy. Oh fuck off. He will be gotten rid of by Maine Democrats soon enough and a new candidate can fuck everything up for the clueless Democrats. Gotten rid of by Democrats.

Good thing Platner is a Democrat cuz he will be dealt with and never see the inside of political office. 

If he was a Republican woman beater, alleged rapist and war criminal they'd nominate him for President.

The Constitution Cannot Be Undone With A Signature!

 Those 3 chucklefucks. Gorsuch, the folksy fascist, Thomas, the owning the libs and taking bribes guy, and Alito, the professional Catholic with the whacko spouse all think that if Donald Trump puts his EKG signature on an Executive Order outlawing a Constitutional amendment, hey its ok with us. THREE of nine and probably a 4th in the drunken frat boy Kavanaugh if pushed think a signature of a President (or most likely one particular President) on an EO can do away with the constitution. Think of that type of insanity. These three would have been great on the German high court in 1936. The total lack of loyalty to the country by these three hacks for fascism is upsetting. It's also downright dangerous. 

Alito for all practical purposes is a religious fascist first and an American justice second if not out of the Top Ten. Thomas has spent 35 years on the bench wreaking havoc upon the nation because he is a petty little man pissed at his sexual harassing being made pubic public back in 92. Thomas owns the libs. That's his entire mission. Oh, that AND making himself rich thanks to Harlan Crowe, the Nazi memorabilia collector. Gorsuch is a bit of a contradiction in terms. He's right he's wrong he's wrong again. He has a soft spot for indigenous people's rights but not one iota of a soft spot for those same people and everybody else's rights. He's the guy at the party who charms with his down-to-earth stories that mask his real self. The folksy fascist. 

These 3 are WRONG constantly. And I should know having my law degree from Hudson University in New York City. The fucking Constitution cannot be voided by a thug like Trump. Unless you ask those three twats.