Great Twitter thread on commercials directed by film directors

One of the greatest link threads ever—compiled by @m_hulot — ads directed by great filmmakers. (HT @RosenblumTed) https://t.co/3REPM6mkZU
— Matt Zoller Seitz (@mattzollerseitz) March 18, 2023

The Trump cult still rules the GOP

I guess they are cool with the potential indictments. Nothing will shake their devotion to their cult leader. Most other Republicans are too afraid of their voter base to challenge Trump on anything.

Monmouth shows Trump continuing to gain in the presidential primary, with Trump up 41-27.
This is longest-long-term trend from a high-quality poll in the race. Since December, Trump has gained 15 points while DeSantis has lost 12 points= pic.twitter.com/2xhtECqfy1
— Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn) March 22, 2023

DeSantis, on Defense, Shows Signs of Slipping in Pollshttps://t.co/pgFDk82B9d pic.twitter.com/RbWLUqOGaa
— Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn) March 17, 2023

Trump’s lead over DeSantis more than doubled from last month, a recent Quinnipiac University national poll finds.https://t.co/KiAnQ6Ty4C
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) March 16, 2023

2024 National Republican Primary:

Trump 46% (+14)
DeSantis 32%
Haley 5%
Pence 3%
Cruz 2%
Cheney 2%
Pompeo 1%
Noem 1%
Christie 1%
T. Scott 1%
Sununu 1%
Youngkin 0%
Hutchinson 0%
Johnson 0%
Ramaswamy 0%
.
Head-2-Head:
Trump 51% (+11)
DeSantis 40%

.@QuinnipiacPoll, 677 RV 3/9-13
— Political Polls (@Politics_Polls) March 15, 2023

2024 Texas Republican Primary:

Trump 43% (+16)
DeSantis 27%
Haley 5%
Pence 4%
Cruz 4%
Ramaswamy 2%
T. Scott 1%
Pompeo 1%

.@CWS_Research/@DefendTXLiberty, 879 LV, 2/28-3/2https://t.co/an850xXL38
— Political Polls (@Politics_Polls) March 16, 2023

"Quinnipiac University’s latest survey of Republican and Republican-leaning voters found Trump winning 46% of support in a hypothetical GOP primary field, with DeSantis receiving 32%." https://t.co/ihg5tPuS04
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) March 18, 2023

We aren't fooled by the DeSantis hype, Trump still controls the Republican party. They aren't done with him and vice versa. pic.twitter.com/tv3PQywcpf
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) March 17, 2023

Tod Browning retrospective

Tod Browning directed many fine films starting in the silent era. He is best known for horror films such as Dracula (1931) and Freaks (1932), featuring a large cast of carnival performers. Dracula is widely available on DVD and Blu-ray. Freaks was on DVD but I think it’s out of print now. TCM shows it sometimes and I highly recommend it. It must have been shocking when it was new. It was popular during the late 1960s and early 1970s as I recall.

Unspeakable: The Films of Tod Browning, taking place March 17-26, sinks into Tod Browning's body of work, which reveals a visionary with an eye for stylization, memorable performances from Hollywood stars & non-professional actors, and groundbreaking achievements in horror. 🩸 pic.twitter.com/Y80rXSsPUd
— Film at Lincoln Center (@FilmLinc) March 6, 2023

Film at Lincoln Center is hosting a retrospective of Tod Browning, the transgressive mind behind 'Freaks' and 'Dracula' (1931). Learn more here. https://t.co/SZsPfp0o8S
— Dread Central (@DreadCentral) March 15, 2023

For your consideration… 🧛

Tod Browning's DRACULA screens on 35mm this Saturday and next Sunday during Unspeakable: The Films of Tod Browning: https://t.co/qpzGvNEFxC pic.twitter.com/a2ldwhotpr
— Film at Lincoln Center (@FilmLinc) March 15, 2023

I wrote about Tod Browning, the boy who actually ran away to join the circus, and about the superlative retrospective of his films at @FilmLinc starting today. One of cinema’s earliest masters, he narrowly missed seeing his genius recognized: https://t.co/LxxpdJEmsS
— Charles Bramesco (@intothecrevasse) March 17, 2023

O’Grimacey, a discontinued McDonald’s mascot

Philadelphia and the demise of Uncle O’Grimacey, McDonald’s onetime Shamrock Shake mascot https://t.co/MXBz9FCN5g pic.twitter.com/n1iPyMyukb
— Billy Penn (@billy_penn) March 16, 2023

I watched the documentary “Who Is Harry Nilsson?”

I have been watching the DVD of the documentary Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin’ About Him)?.

The format is very conventional – interviews with family and friends plus performance clips. It’s very well done, though and goes over his good points and bad ones. I recommend checking it out. He was a unique writer and performer who does not get much attention now but his best material still holds up. If you don’t know his music, this is a great introduction.

I posted links to the trailer and entire film on YouTube.

I also posted links to some videos that have briefer clips in the film.

Pussy Cats, his 1974 album, was a mixed bag but I love his cover of “Many Rivers to Cross”. It was produced by John Lennon and reminds me of his own records of that era.

The Supreme Court majority is acting like part of the GOP

They ignore precedents

They don’t care what the public wants

Three were installed by Trump/McConnell under sleazy but not illegal conditions

Then they wonder why they are unpopular

"…The modern Supreme Court has made itself the most powerful branch of government. Superior to Congress. Superior to the president. Superior to the states. Superior to precedent, procedure, and norms. In effect, superior to the people."
https://t.co/Z01LWrHyTl
— Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) March 15, 2023

The Supreme Court is far less rigorous about precedent under its current majority.

⁦⁦@adamliptak⁩ traces how Kavanaugh admits to overruling liberal federal programs based on this new, made up thing, where he “knows it” when he “sees it.” https://t.co/79HHx4fuV6
— Ari Melber (@AriMelber) March 7, 2023

Overruling Roe was only part of the Supreme Court's GOP agenda. Get ready for some retrograde decisions. (via Deadline: Legal Blog) https://t.co/g9mdnmH1HA
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) March 4, 2023

This law, if passed, sets up a legal challenge to go to SCOTUS, giving them the opportunity to reverse Obergefell & marriage equality. It's a real threat after the end of legal abortion. If Dems lose the WH in 2024 & ability to appoint the next justices, more rights fall. https://t.co/vz67bECjxz
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) March 3, 2023

Conservative SCOTUS justices are using a new doctrine as a tool to tank Biden administration policies they simply don't like. https://t.co/jpIkqNOxFl
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) March 1, 2023

Insane to me that John Roberts, who simply could not shut up today about the "fairness" of student debt forgiveness, is the same guy who in Rucho expressly dismissed "fairness" concerns as "political questions beyond the competence of the federal courts" https://t.co/XnvWr1xr5q pic.twitter.com/o4yp8ysQCn
— Jay Willis (@jaywillis) February 28, 2023

"Make no mistake, the argument that the US Supreme Court is not a political animal, and is capable of impartiality and balance, is a relic theory and continues to be mocked each time this slim Conservative majority issues another opinion." https://t.co/bQ7Gpg5rhE
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) February 9, 2023

Ye old Supreme Court? Your originalism is making America unsafe, @RuthMarcus writes. https://t.co/H8s7pASvfC
— Washington Post Opinions (@PostOpinions) February 4, 2023

Red states try to control blue cities. The states are wrong.

Red states are fighting their blue cities. https://t.co/ub54ylOZgj
— FiveThirtyEight (@FiveThirtyEight) March 15, 2023

Republican-controlled state governments are opening an explosive new front in their drive to exert more control over Democratic-run cities & counties: aggressive new steps to seize authority over local prosecutors, city policing policies, or both. My take https://t.co/Q3DnXhuwuM
— Ronald Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) March 14, 2023

The takeover is the latest example of Republican and predominately white state officials pushing to take control in heavily minority and Democratic-led cities. https://t.co/DGns6ZejP3
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) March 16, 2023

It’s obvious that Trump is antisemitic

It’s more than just associating with antisemites.

Trump now sending fundraising emails about “Soros” *every day.* This has been understood by scholars, governments, &, once, the media—as a code word for “Jews,” actual people and the bogeyman of fascist imagination. A major, major antisemitic escalation. This needs to be news. pic.twitter.com/NKo34tjv67
— THE UNDERTOW, by Jeff Sharlet (@JeffSharlet) March 14, 2023

The abiding and even encouragement of Hitler-esque anti-Semitism by Trump and the @gop and the silence of @gop Jews in the face of that marks a frightening and rapid escalation. To treat Trump like he “said this before” or Kanye like he’s just a blowhard is profoundly dangerous.
— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) October 16, 2022

Jews in New Jersey are especially alert now. They are re-thinking their weekend plans while standing up to Trump and Ye’s anti-Semitic remakes which have stoked up a virulent strain of Jew-hating. The FBI has issued a threat warning to NJ synagogues. Stand with us.
— Barbara Malmet (@B52Malmet) November 3, 2022

The former President’s statement about Jewish people is repulsive, offensive, and downright dangerous. Today would be a great day for my Republican colleagues to condemn such reprehensible tropes. So far, the silence is deafening.
— Rep. Dean Phillips 🇺🇸 (@RepDeanPhillips) October 16, 2022

Dear Republican Jews, once again: time to leave the cult. This is not new, and Trump has warned you before. My Dec 2021 @MSNBC essay "Trump Loves the Jews–Until He Doesn't" https://t.co/1Sz80DFBiS https://t.co/1c1DHYMKhG
— Ruth Ben-Ghiat (@ruthbenghiat) October 16, 2022

Trump attacks U.S. Jews, posting they must ‘get their act together’ on Israel https://t.co/Mm4twjPm1h
— Post Politics (@postpolitics) October 16, 2022

Covers: I Feel Fine

“I Feel Fine” is a Beatles song from 1964.

‘I Feel Fine’: The revolutionary Beatles song that John Lennon thought was “lousy” https://t.co/Dysn65GxcK
— Far Out Magazine (@FarOutMag) March 14, 2023

More tweets on Roberto Clemente

I saw him play in the last game of the 1971 National League Championship Series.

Follow Baseball History Nut for lots of great photos

Roberto Clemente full AB during the 1971 All Star game. Notice how he hits this ball 450ft but yet he sprints at top speed out of the box in a game that didn't count. pic.twitter.com/Yj54NMHUFD
— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) March 12, 2023

An absolute missile thrown by Roberto Clemente pic.twitter.com/8zmK2Yma1w
— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) March 12, 2023

Clemente waiting for his turn to bat pic.twitter.com/Zp8pwnaAQN
— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) March 11, 2023

All eyes on Roberto Clemente pic.twitter.com/FQXH4AZfuh
— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) December 16, 2022

Roberto Clemente is the only player in MLB history to hit a walk-off inside-the-park grand slam. This will likely never happen again pic.twitter.com/EvJrn9YX1t
— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) November 29, 2022

Clemente ready to destroy a ball pic.twitter.com/Jw4OHFiIEZ
— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) November 24, 2022

Clemente looks so young here pic.twitter.com/Y2T04FnsgG
— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) November 23, 2022