Random Friday Thoughts — September 22, 2023

Fall officially begins this weekend (Saturday at 1:50 a.m. Central Time). I’m already decorated, so get busy!

My two goals for October: eat apple cider donuts and make a cocktail or two with apple cider.

Thank you for taking the time to check out my random thoughts this week.

THE WEATHER IS TO BLAME FOR THIS SHORTAGE

Extremely dry weather in the Mediterranean and the third hottest summer on record in Spain is driving up the price of olive oil!

Spain is the world’s largest producer and exporter of olive oil and the average price has now more than doubled since this time last year (up 130%).

The global prices for olive oil surged to $8,900 per ton in September and American experts say it’s showing “no sign of easing”.

“LIQUID GOLD”

Now that the price is skyrocketing, thieves are raking in the money by stealing it.

NBC reports about 50,000 liters of extra virgin olive oil were stolen from an oil mill in Spain in late August. It was valued at about $450,000!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAMMY!

My little sister, Tammy, celebrates her birthday this weekend.

I’m baking one of her favorite desserts — Sawdust Pie, a very popular pie at Patti’s 1880’s in Grand Rivers, Kentucky.

HOPING AND PRAYING FOR CHANGE

Thankfully, my sister and I have both outlived the years our parents did (47 and 55). And, since I’ve being honest, I’m very surprised about Tammy. She’s like a cat with nine lives.

She’s already had heart attacks and strokes and she’s been told many times that she has to change her ways (stop smoking, eat healthier, and exercise).

In early 2021, we seriously thought she was dying and we were already making arrangements, but she rebounded. She had another setback this summer with a stroke and it was another dire situation.

And, since then — still smoking, not eating right, and no exercise!

Tammy, my dear sister, I’m being greedy now. Make those changes for us if you won’t do it for yourself!

“RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE” (THE MOVIE)

It’s been some time since I watched a LGBTQ movie that really touched me and made me want to fall in love again.

Recently, I checked out “Red, White & Royal Blue” on Amazon Prime and it was touching.

Both leads, Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine, were sexy and charming and Perez has a beautiful butt! (Okay, he did!)

The movie starts at a royal wedding and a scandal ensues when the $75,000 wedding cake crashes to the ground after a shoving match between Alex Claremont-Diaz, the son of the U.S. president, and England’s Prince Henry.

So, they’re called in to do “damage control” and prove to the world that they’re friends and not enemies.

Well, one thing leads to another and since it’s a love story…

GRADE: A

“RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE” (THE BOOK)

After watching the Amazon Prime movie, I decided to read the 2019 book by Casey McQuiston.

I read the 2022 collector’s edition that featured a new chapter written from Prince Henry’s perspective.

There were definitely some funny lines and scenes in the book that didn’t make the movie and there were some funnier lines in the movie compared to the same scene in the book.

I love that the book goes into much more detail than the movie, some details graphic. While the movie was sexy, the book was more erotic.

One more thought about the movie after reading the book — if you’re making a movie that’s going to tick some people off anyways, cater to the ones that want to see it. Go all out!

MY FAVORITE GO-TO MOVIES

While I’ve watched “Red, White & Royal Blue” twice already, my two favorites that I’ve watched many, many times that still give me hope for love are “Latter Days” (2003) and “Shelter” (2007).

And, I absolutely loved 2017’s coming-of-age “Best Picture” Oscar-nominated “Call Me By Your Name”, although it was more of a one sided-love affair. (I saw it in early 2018 and it was my favorite movie that year!)

DON’T BOTHER ME THIS WEEKEND!

Why? Because I’ll be dancing around with pug Xanadu to the new Kylie Minogue album, “Tension”.

The album’s first single, “Padam Padam”, was a huge hit worldwide and it was her first radio hit in America in almost two decades!

The follow-up, the title track, “Tension”, is racing up the charts around the world.

MY THOUGHTS ON HENRY KISSINGER

Former President Richard Nixon’s Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger was a very interesting man.

I just invested two weeks reading Walter Isaacson’s 1992, 767-page biography and I’m really torn about the man, who is now 100-years-old!

There’s no denying Kissinger was a genius and very intelligent. However, while he was a world-class diplomat, he was rude, insecure, and duplicitous. After learning more about him, I’ve concluded I don’t like him.

Yes, he made life safer for Americans and people around the world, but he also has a lot of blood on his hands.

He and Nixon could have ended the Vietnam War earlier than they did, so people continued to die. And, then there was the India-Pakistan War in the early-1970s. Those details are below.

“KISSINGER: A BIOGRAPHY”

Walter Isaacson’s biography of Kissinger was well researched and thorough.

I felt like I was auditing a course in Kissinger and the first 100 pages or so were painfully boring.

After that, getting caught up in his brilliance and sneaky duplicity was captivating. It’s mind-blowing how someone could have a larger than life ego and be so insecure!

Here are a couple more things I learned:

In the India-Pakistan War in December 1971, Kissinger’s approach was costly, especially in lives lost since the U.S. chose the side of the morally wrong Pakistan, which massacred hundreds of thousands of its own people.

“Within three days, some ten thousand people were killed; by the end of the year, the death toll would be more than half a million.” Additionally, 10 million refugees began to flee into India. (This likely led to President Gerald Ford’s loss in the 1976 presidential race since he was attacked in the race for the Republican nomination by Ronald Reagan and in the primary by the eventual winner, Jimmy Carter.)

According to Nixon’s Chief of Staff H. R. Haldeman, one reason the taping system that brought Nixon down was installed was to get Kissinger on tape advising Nixon (especially after the 1971 Cambodian invasion), since his views often changed without notice.

Kissinger later noted, “It was a high price to pay for insurance.”

ON A BRIGHTER SIDE — KISSINGER’S WIT & HUMOR

Isaacson shared several examples of Kissinger’s humor. Here’s one:

In late 1973 when he was brokering a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt after the Yom Kippur War that fall, a reporter asked Egyptian President Anwar Sadat if the U.S. would be cutting back on airlifting weapons to Israel. Sadat said we should ask this question of Dr. Kissinger.

Kissinger replied, “Luckily, I didn’t hear the question.” The reporter said, “I’d be happy to repeat the question.” and Kissinger said, “And I’d be happy to rephrase my answer.”

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — October 21, 2016

Ah, the weekend is here again and to kick it off, here are a few of my random thoughts.

I appreciate you checking them out and have fun this weekend!

LESS THAN THREE WEEKS AWAY — THANK GOD!

Regardless of which candidate you support in this year’s presidential election, I’m sure most of us agree that we can’t wait for November 8th to get here so we can vote and put this long, nasty campaign behind us!

The three presidential debates between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are history and a CNN/ORC poll conducted after each debate shows that Clinton won all three by margins of 35%, 23%, and 13%.

After watching the first two, I decided that I could not and would not subject myself to another ninety minutes of watching an immature and unprepared old man act like a child.

And, did I call that one correctly?  21 seconds into video proves me right!

My summation:  An adult is talking and a spoiled brat without manners interrupts and starts name calling. Said grown adult maintains cool – PRICELESS!

THE DEATH OF A CHILD BEAUTY QUEEN

This Christmas will mark the 20th anniversary of the shocking death of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey in her Boulder, Colorado home.

Two decades later, there have been no arrests, but there’s widespread speculation about who killed her and how and why she was murdered.

I just finished reading “Perfect Murder, Perfect Town” by Lawrence Schiller.

If you want to know more about the investigation instead of just the soundbites you remember from the news two decades ago, this is a well written and well researched book.

Here’s what I took away from the 600-plus pages:  There were many dedicated and thorough detectives working to solve the crime, but the murder investigation (that was called in as a kidnapping) was pretty much botched from the beginning with police failing to secure the crime scene, there was a major disconnect between the Boulder Police and the district attorney’s office and this made each side look like amateurs to the nation and the world, and finally, that unless someone confesses one day, the case will never be solved.

JONBENET’S KILLER

Be careful who you accuse of murdering JonBenet.

On October 6, 2016, her brother, Burke Ramsey, who was nine at the time of her death, filed a defamation lawsuit against Dr. Werner Spitz, who accused Burke of killing his little sister.

Burke and his attorneys are seeking a total of $150 million in punitive and compensatory damages. They may also be filing new lawsuits against CBS soon.

Burke, now grown, agreed to an exclusive interview with Dr. Phil to talk about his life and sister’s murder.

While Burke, his family, and their friends should be presumed innocent in JonBenet’s death until proven otherwise, one thing that Burke is guilty of is being rather creepy and unnerving in the interview.

You’re talking about the savage murder of your little sister on Christmas Day and you’re sitting there smiling like you’re unstable or medicated.  That’s just an observation.  It was awkward.

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?

No one really knows what happened Christmas night 1995 in the Ramsey’s Boulder mansion.  No one, that is, but the killer(s).

But, as I mentioned above, almost everyone following the case then and now, have theories on who killed JonBenet.  After reading Schiller’s book, I feel I know a little more than the average person following the murder.  I definitely know more than I did twenty years ago.

I would love to throw out my theory, but I don’t want to be sued by Burke Ramsey or anyone else…

THIS IS A WORK OF “FICTION”

… so here’s a ripped from the headline, “fictional” treatment that could become a Lifetime movie.*

A family comes home from a Christmas party and before their two children go to bed, one wants a snack.  While the older child is eating from a bowl of fruit, the younger sibling grabs a piece from the bowl and pops it in her mouth and runs off.  The older child grabs a flashlight from the kitchen counter and a foot chase ensues.  The older child strikes his little sister in the head with the flashlight.  This blow is not intended to kill, but to put the younger child in her place.  The parents put the children to bed, but realize that something is wrong when the little girl becomes unresponsive.  At that point, instead of taking the younger child to the hospital or calling 9-1-1, they panic and stage a crime scene to cover up the accidental, unintentional death.

This isn’t far-fetched.  I grew up with a little sister two years younger than me and we definitely had our fair share of arguments and fights growing up.

*The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.

MARCO RUBIO, THANK YOU!

In the past, I’ve blogged about how much former Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio scares me because of his LGBT views.

While I still want to keep him at arm’s length, he has come around and spoken out on a couple of issues that Republican politicians and their supporters need to face.

First, Rubio is disputing Donald Trump’s claims that this year’s election is rigged.

Rubio says, “This election is not being rigged.  There is no evidence behind any of this, so this should not continue to be said.”

And, finally, about the WikiLeaks smear campaign against Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Rubio says in a statement:

Here’s what I had to say about Rubio in a blog earlier this year when he was still a contender in the Republican race for the White House.

Why We Should Fear Marco Rubio

RUBIO ISN’T ALONE

Former Republican presidential candidate, Ohio Governor John Kasich also disagrees with Trump in thinking the election is rigged.

Kasich says, “Look, to say that elections are rigged and all these votes are stolen — that’s like saying we never landed on the moon, frankly. That’s how silly it is.”

MAYBE WE SHOULD ASK HEATHER MOONEY HER THOUGHTS!

“THE WALKING DEAD” FINALLY RETURNS

“The Walking Dead, one of the best shows on television, returns for its much anticipated seventh season Sunday night.

If you don’t already know by now, this is a mini-spoiler:

When the season six finale ended, baddie Negan and his barbed-wire covered baseball bat, Lucille, bashed to death a major cast member!

Director Greg Nicotero says this episode is “the most emotional episode I’ve ever shot.”

It’s about time to have Rick back again!  (That is, if he’s not killed!) 🙂

HE WASN’T ALREADY “OUT”?

With all the allegations of sexual misconduct by several women against former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, I guess anchor Shepard Smith coming out as gay earlier this week is no big deal.

Personally, I thought he already identified publicly as gay!

It’s almost 2017 and a person’s sexuality should never be what defines them.  Some may even ask, why should we care?  It’s his business.

I think it’s important for people, even at Smith’s age (early-50s), to have role models if they feel they’re living a lie or can’t be themselves by staying in the closet.

Come out, come out!  It’s freeing and it’s liberating.

Congrats Shepard!

THAT P-WORD AGAIN!

My favorite new comedian and satirist Samantha Bee drives home another winning commentary on the Donald Trump and Billy Bush recording!

You know the one that started the debate on kissing and grabbing whatever you want — if you’re a celebrity (or Trump).

Oh no!  You’re going to hear the p-word again and according to Samantha Bee, that word isn’t “presidential”.

This is too funny and I’ve never even heard some of these expressions!

I sure hope Samantha is still as funny after the 2016 presidential election is over in just under three weeks!

MICHAEL BUBLE IS BACK (AND IT’S NOT EVEN CHRISTMAS)

For Michael Buble fans, it’s been a long wait for his ninth studio album (seventh major label release), “Nobody But Me”.

The three-and-a-half year wait is over.

While I enjoyed his early 2013 release, “To Be Loved”, the new album is fantastic!

My early favorites are “I Believe in You”, “On an Evening in Roma (Sott’er Celo de Roma)”, “Today is Yesterday’s Tomorrow”, “God Only Knows”, “Someday” (a duet with Meghan Trainor), and the title track.

Here’s the first release from the album.  While I featured the lyric video some time ago, the “official” video just came out last week.

“WAITING IN THE WINGS — THE MUSICAL”

When it comes to mainstream movies, there are Oscar worthy ones, some great ones, and some that true turkeys (and not the Thanksgiving kind).  You know the ones — the ones that remind you that you’ll never get those two hours of your life back.

It’s even harder to find those gems in the LGBT movie genre because there are fewer of them being made.

My favorites are still “Longtime Companion”, “Latter Days”, “Shelter”, “Make The Yuletide Gay” and “Lilting”, my favorite movie that I saw in 2015.  (Okay, it has nothing to do with my innocent crush on Ben Whishaw!)

When I saw the trailer for “Waiting in the Wings:  The Musical”, I thought it had potential to be funny.  I also knew that it could easily leave the rails.

The musical is written and directed by Jeffrey A. Johns, who’s also the star.

Johns plays Anthony, a small town Montana man who lives for musicals (and Disney).  He enters an online contest and heads to New York to make his mark on Broadway.

However, there’s a casting mix-up and Tony, a stripper (played by Adam Huss, who was also entertaining in 2010’s “Is It Just Me?”), gets Anthony’s role and naive Anthony has to learn to strip.

The movie also features Lee Meriwether in a touching and supporting role.  Shirley Jones and Sally Struthers also make cameos.

I really fell in love with Rena Strober, who plays Rita, the lead in an Off-Broadway play. She gets to play sweet and catty, but most of all, her voice is incredible.

Yes, you have to suspend disbelief at times, but isn’t that why we watch movies?

My only complaint is that Rebekah Kochan is underutilized.  She was so crass and so much fun in Q. Allan Brocka’s “Eating Out” movies.

GRADE:  B

HE REALLY IS INVINCIBLE — EVEN IN DEATH!

Michael Jackson died more than seven years ago, but he’s still the top earning dead celebrity.

In 2016, his estate earned $825 million!

$750 million of that is from the sale of his half of the Sony/ATV publishing catalogue.  Back in 1985, Jackson paid $47.5 million to buy the original Beatles-packed ATV.

At #2, with $48 million, is “Peanuts” (and Charlie Brown) creator Charles Schulz.

Golf legend Arnold Palmer came in third with $40 million.

Elvis Presley ($27 million) and Prince ($25 million) round out the top five.

“NASTY, NASTY, NASTY”

Okay, back in 1986, in my formative party years, we knew all about those “nasty boys” thanks to Janet, Miss Jackson, if you’re nasty.

Now, in 2016, in our increasingly all-inclusive world, we have a “nasty” woman (or maybe a few of them). 🙂

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony

Kacey Musgraves & Shane McAnally’s Big Night

Kacey Musgraves wins big at the 56th annual Grammy Awards taking home trophies for Best Country Album for “Same Trailer Different Park” and Best Country Song for “Merry Go ‘Round”!

That album was one of my ten favorites of last year and her new song “Follow Your Arrow” was one of my ten favorite songs of the year.

I featured Kacey several times in my December blog, including this one about her and the man behind some of her biggest hits — a songwriter that also had fame on stage, too.

Congratulations Kacey and Shane!

From “Random Friday Thoughts — December 6, 2013

25-year-old Texan Shane McAnally was signed to Curb Records and released his first single, “Say Anything” in 1999, which peaked at #41.  The follow-up single, “Are Your Eyes Still Blue” was his only Top 40 country hit, peaking at #31.

I loved both of those songs and I was probably one of the few people who took a chance on the newcomer and bought his debut and only album. After that, Shane dropped off the radar and moved to West Hollywood, California, and started bartending and performing as “Shane Mack”.

In California, Shane was able to be openly gay.  Since he started living his life openly, he married his partner of six years, Michael Baum, in September 2012, and the couple welcomed a daughter and a son in December of last year.

I was pleasantly surprised this fall to see “Entertainment Weekly” give Shane the much overdue recognition that he deserves.

Shane returned to Nashville in a big way in 2008 as a co-writer of LeAnn Womack’s Top 15 hit, “Last Call”.  Since then, he has written #1 songs for Kenny Chesney, Jake Owens, The Band Perry, Lady Antebellum, and Miranda Lambert.  He also penned three songs for Reba McEntire’s 2010 album, “All The Women I Am” album.

And, this year, he co-produced my favorite country album 0f 2013, the #1 “Same Trailer Different Park” by Kacey Musgraves.

Shane, I wish you, Michael, and your children much happiness in 2014 and here’s to continued success in country music.  I hope to hear more of your singing in the future, too.

PICK HIT

Earlier in the blog, I profiled Shane McAnally and mentioned that he co-produced Kacey Musgraves’ debut album.

He also co-wrote nine of the album’s twelve songs, including the first three singles:  “Merry Go Round” (#14), “Blowin’ Smoke” (#31 peak), and her current single, “Follow Your Arrow”,which is at #28.

“SHELTER”

While I love “Dexter”, “The Walking Dead” and “American Horror Story”, love stories are at the top of my list, too.  “Pretty Woman” (1990), “Latter Days” (2003), “Shelter” (2007), “Weekend” (2011), and “Out in the Dark” (2012) are the ones that I can watch over and over and over.

Shane Mack (Shane McAnally) performed five songs on the “Shelter” soundtrack and since I’m in Nashville and I’m a strong advocate for being out and proud, here’s another one from Shane.

Anthony

Re-posted from  “Random Friday Thoughts — December 6, 2013

Random Friday Thoughts — December 6, 2013

Kacey Musgraves bonus — “Follow Your Arrow” video

Random Friday Thoughts — December 6, 2013

Happy Friday everyone.  I hope you’re having a great week and that you’re looking forward to the weekend.  Here are my random Friday thoughts.

GREETINGS FROM “MUSIC CITY USA”!

When we left the Quad Cities Wednesday, it was 47° and we drove seven hours to Grand Rivers, Kentucky, to check out the Christmas lights and have dinner at my favorite restaurant, Patti’s 1880’s and the temperature there was 72°.

That’s my dinner.  It’s called “Ella Mae’s Chicken”:  freshly grilled asparagus over grilled chicken breast topped with black forest ham and sautéed mushrooms covered in homemade cheese sauce.  This was after appetizers of homemade cheese sticks and a blossoming onion and before we ate dessert!

On Thursday, we drove the final two hours to Nashville, Tennessee, dropping my sister off in Clarksville, about an hour northwest of Nashville, so she could spend the weekend with her kids and two granddaughters.

REBA EXHIBIT

Our first stop in Nashville before checking into the Opryland Hotel was a visit to the Reba McEntire exhibit, “All The Women I Am”, at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

These are various “Fancy” performance dresses.

IT LOOKS LIKE CHRISTMAS AT OUR HOTEL

THE ROCKETTES’

Last night, we saw the “Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes”.  The sets were incredible and the dancing was festive and fun.  Sadly, no pictures were allowed!

REST OF THE WEEKEND PLANS

Tonight, in a major ice storm, we’ll see “Lorrie Morgan’s Enchanted Christmas & Dinner Show”.  Tomorrow, it’s a lunch cruise on the Cumberland River on the General Jackson and tomorrow night, Opry at the Ryman, with Vince Gill, Kathy Mattea, Chris Carmack (who plays Will Lexington on ABC’s “Nashville”) and many others.

SINGER BECOMES BIG TIME SONG WRITER

25-year-old Texan Shane McAnally was signed to Curb Records and released his first single, “Say Anything” in 1999, which peaked at #41.  The follow-up single, “Are Your Eyes Still Blue” was his only Top 40 country hit, peaking at #31.

I loved both of those songs and I was probably one of the few people who took a chance on the newcomer and bought his debut and only album. After that, Shane dropped off the radar and moved to West Hollywood, California, and started bartending and performing as “Shane Mack”.

In California, Shane was able to be openly gay.  Since he started living his life openly, he married his partner of six years, Michael Baum, in September 2012, and the couple welcomed a daughter and a son in December of last year.

I was pleasantly surprised this fall to see “Entertainment Weekly” give Shane the much overdue recognition that he deserves.

Shane returned to Nashville in a big way in 2008 as a co-writer of LeAnn Womack’s Top 15 hit, “Last Call”.  Since then, he has written #1 songs for Kenny Chesney, Jake Owens, The Band Perry, Lady Antebellum, and Miranda Lambert.  He also penned three songs for Reba McEntire’s 2010 album, “All The Women I Am” album.

And, this year, he co-produced my favorite country album 0f 2013, the #1 “Same Trailer Different Park” by Kacey Musgraves.

Shane, I wish you, Michael, and your children much happiness in 2014 and here’s to continued success in country music.  I hope to hear more of your singing in the future, too.

MEANWHILE, NOT SO GOOD TENNESSEE NEWS

While we’re having a good time in Nashville, a recent report from “24/7 Wall Street” doesn’t paint a rosy picture of Tennessee, ranking it as “the most dangerous state” in the United States.

It’s followed by Nevada, Alaska, New Mexico, South Carolina, Delaware, Louisiana, Florida, Maryland, and Oklahoma!

The site ranks Tennessee #1 for aggravated assaults and in the top ten for murders and robbery.  In 2012, there were 388 murders, which is up for the second straight year.

Across the nation, Memphis ranks fifth and Nashville is at #18 for violent crimes.

Take this ranking and the information from “24/7 Wall Street” with a grain of salt, since the “Crime in Chicago” website reported 537 murders in the “Windy City” in 2012.  (As of December 1st, the site reports there have been 422 murders in Chicago in 2013.)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

 

ICE STORM SOUTH, SNOW IN THE QUAD CITIES

Two rounds of ice will be heavily glazing the Nashville, Tennessee, area tonight and, again, Saturday night.  It’s going to get scary down here.  Meanwhile, on Sunday, several inches of snow are expected in the Quad Cities.  It looks like, at least, two inches are likely.

I’ll have more on this tomorrow to keep you ahead of the snow in Illinois and Iowa.

FRESH VENDING MACHINE SALAD

I know it’s easy to grab fast food or something out a vending machine when you’re working and eat it at your desk.  However, if you had the option, would you choose a fresh salad from a vending machine for a healthy alternative?

That is the option for people living or working near the Loop in Chicago near Clark and Lake.

Farmer’s Fridge has installed its first vending machine salad, fruits, and vegetables prepared fresh daily and packaged in recyclable plastic jar.

The $8 salads are available at 10 a.m. and come in seven varieties including North Napa, Mediterranean, Crunchy Thai, The Cheater, and three other flavors.  The dressings include lemon tahini, spicy soy peanut, red wine vinaigrette, and four other flavors.

ISRAELIS TAKE A STAND AGAINST RUSSIA

As you know from reading my blog, I’ve been very outspoken against Russia’s homophobic laws and the 2014 Sochi Olympics, which are two months away.  There’s now a new Israeli campaign speaking out about the bloodshed and violence against the LGBT community in Russia.

“Red Flag”, similar to the American NOH8 campaign, was started by David and Jonathan, the publisher of the international lifestyle magazine, “F.O.D.”, for the Tel-Aviv gay man community.

Actors, singers, activists, drag queens, and the LGBT community were encouraged to take part in the photo shoot wearing Russian army uniforms with blood coming out of their mouths to bring attention to the violence brought against Russian and Ukrainian LGBT people.

Organizers say, “Russia 2013 is a death trap for the LGBT community. This discriminating law is backed up with aggressive enforcement by the army and the police. Arresting activists in the LGBT community or any person suspected of being involved in “propaganda” has become a normal routine. This law refers to tourists from out-of-state and even athletes participating in the winter Olympics.”

PICK HIT

Earlier in the blog, I profiled Shane McAnally and mentioned that he co-produced Kacey Musgraves’ debut album.

He also co-wrote nine of the album’s twelve songs, including the first three singles:  “Merry Go Round” (#14), “Blowin’ Smoke” (#31 peak), and her current single, “Follow Your Arrow”,which is at #28.

“Follow Your Arrow” is witty and poignant.  Here’s a sample of the lyrics:  “You’re damned if you do/and you’re damned if you don’t/so you might as well do whatever you want, so make lots of noise/kiss lots of boys/kiss lots of girls/if that’s something you’re into”

Cheers, Kacey & Shane!

DALLAS BUYER’S CLUB

“And, the Academy Award for Best Actor Matthew McConaughey for “Dallas Buyers Club”.

The movie is based on a true story.  Ron Woodruff was a homophobic, hard-living, good ol’ Texas boy who loved his liquor, drugs, and women.  In 1986, he was diagnosed with AIDS and told that he had 30 days to live.

He tried to get on the AZT trials that were being rushed onto the market to fight the AIDS pandemic.  Since he was denied that opportunity, Woodruff started buying it on the black market.  When he almost died, he came up with a plan to smuggle medications out of Mexico to try to stay alive.  Since Ron couldn’t sell the drugs, he started a membership only “buyers club” to distribute the Food & Drug Administration-unapproved medication.

McConaughey, who plays Woodruff, lost about 50 pounds for the role and his co-star, Jared Leto, who plays transgender AIDS patient, Rayon, who befriends Woodruff, lost about 40 pounds for the role.

Both actors were electrifying and sold the story.  After initially gasping at McConaughey’s first appearance in the movie, I was sold for the next two hours that both actors were HIV-positive people fighting for their lives, while the government dragged its feet.

If you lived through the 1980s and saw friends getting sick and dying, you saw those friends in Ron and Rayon.  If you know people who have become HIV-positive in the past decade, where with medication, healthier living, diet, and exercise, it’s become a manageable disease, there’s a sense of relief that AIDS is no longer a certain death sentence.

GRADE:  A

CHRISTMAS PICK HIT

I just added “A Mary Christmas” by Mary J. Blige and “Christmas, With Love” by British singer Leona Lewis to my holiday collection this week.

Leona’s fourth album and her first Christmas colelction featured seven classics and three new songs, including the first single, “One More Sleep”.

Many of you probably remember Leona from her debut #1 single in 2008, “Bleeding Love” and its followup, “Better In Time”.

“SHELTER”

While I love “Dexter”, “The Walking Dead” and “American Horror Story”, love stories are at the top of my list, too.  “Pretty Woman” (1990), “Latter Days” (2003), “Shelter” (2007), “Weekend” (2011), and “Out in the Dark” (2012) are the ones that I can watch over and over and over.

Shane Mack (Shane McAnally) performed five songs on the “Shelter” soundtrack and since I’m in Nashville and I’m a strong advocate for being out and proud, here’s another one from Shane.

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND

Have a fantastic weekend and I appreciate you checking out my random thoughts this week.  Let me know what you think.

Bundle up if you live across the eastern part of the country.  It’s going to be cold.

Anthony