Carl Feels Like A Lobster July 15, 2021July 14, 2021 But first, in case you missed it: Joint Chiefs chairman feared potential ‘Reichstag moment’ aimed at keeping Trump in power. . . . In the waning weeks of Donald Trump’s term, the country’s top military leader repeatedly worried about what the president might do to maintain power, comparing his rhetoric to Adolf Hitler’s during the rise of Nazi Germany . . . → Worth reading in full if you think the biggest threat America faces is from people who want to raise the corporate tax rate halfway back to where it was and extend Medicare to cover dental care, eye care, and hearing aids. And now, back to lobsters: John R. Firestone: “This piece by David Foster Wallace in Gourmet Magazine from 2004 is a “classic.” I heard Ruth Reichl talk about this article – they had been soliciting Wallace to write something for Gourmet for years, so they were thrilled when he finally agreed to write about the Lobster Festival, but appalled when it was finally submitted, as many (not Ruth) thought it was inappropriate and would offend their readers. Check out the Youtube audio of Wallace reading the article (and his intro, where he explains how he handles the footnotes in an audiobook!) Enjoy!” Sam G.: “Watch Seaspiracy and you will probably stop eating anything out of the sea. After watching it I was able to convince my 19-year-old son to accept vegetarian at least three times a week.” → Then again, Netflix documentary accused of misrepresentation by participants (“NGOs and experts quoted in film say it contains ‘misleading’ claims, erroneous statistics and out-of-context interviews”), so I’m going to watch but keep an open mind — and keep eating smoked salmon, at least for now, when it’s on sale. Carl: “Could you have one modicum of the compassion that you have for lobsters for patriotic Americans, veterans, and all other America lovers who are heartbroken, terrified and in shock over the BLM/Marxist/CRT/Democrat anti-American ongoing events of the recent months? Every July 4th for about 245 years, Americans have celebrated the freedom of America that our Declaration of Independence and Constitution have given us only to be cruelly affronted by flag burning of brainwashed ignorant mobs. Ingrates that never experienced the terror of living in a Cuba, Russia, China and Venezuela have organized and are bringing down the free civil capitalist society we have enjoyed. Could you try to put yourself in a patriotic American’s shoes to see how they feel their beloved country is being dropped into boiling water and express some compassion for them? It’s not just lobsters.” → For all his patriotic passion, I believe Carl has it backwards. There is nothing patriotic about siding with autocrats and the Proud Boys. Nothing UNpatriotic or “anti-American” about investing in kids or seeking to put millions to work (for private companies) revitalizing our nation’s infrastructure. Does Carl keep a book of Hitler’s speeches by his bedside? Does it not trouble him that Trump, no big reader, kept this one by his? Or that he sides with journalist-murdering Putin over his own 17 American intelligence agencies? Where is the patriotism in that? Or in inciting a mob to storm the Capitol and then cheering them on – for hours – as he watched them on TV? The only reason – or at least the main reason – Carl and other good Americans are “heartbroken, terrified, and in shock” is that they have been sold a bill of goods. Was Carl himself “cruelly affronted” by the “flag burning of a brainwashed ignorant mob” on July 4th? Where? And how are ingrates “bringing down the free civil capitalist society”? Somebody’d better warn Wall Street — record stock prices seem to suggest Goldman Sachs is unaware of American capitalism’s demise. And speaking of high prices . . . BONUS Len Vishnevsky: “Unopened Super Mario 64 game from 1996 sells for $1.56M. Irrational Exuberance! My shrink-wrapped MYM is older. Make me an offer.” → Three bucks. You pay shipping.