Odds and Ends

Television: I noted recently checking out China Beach, since the actress there was in All Rise, which just finished its run. I watched some of China Beach when it was first on, but don't recall how much. I also recall liking it more than trying to watch some of the episodes from the first two seasons suggests. I will try to watch a key episode where a once naive young "Donut Dolly" dies on Memorial Day, a fitting day to do so one would think. As usual, my immediate concern for that holiday is peace. 

[I did see the episode where "Cherry" died and the one after. They were good episodes.  I did like the pilot movie (though only saw the first half or so) and first episode.  But, yeah, others weren't as good.  Guess there was a mixture.  One I recall is McMurphy going for therapy after the war because of post-traumatic stress. The actress played a medical examiner years later.]

The Friends reunion special was finally released with various interviews and so forth provided on other outlets as well.  For instance, there was a nice video on YouTube involving children of the main actors in real life (Matthew Perry and Jennifer Aniston did not have any).  The actors are in their 50s now, so it's understandable (Perry also had health issues), but they seem a bit older than they should be.  They all changed some (less so Ross and Joey) over the series.  Chandler's health issues clearly showed on his weight fluctuations.  Monica at the beach and early in the Chandler/Monica relationship to me was too skinny.  

[The NYT article was light in nature and toss out a flippant comment about no one knowing Chandler's job, but true fans will know it was mentioned a few times. When he quit, Monica actually said the actual title when she reassured him that it was okay to move on.  Basically, he was in data analysis. ]

I did not see it yet since you need HBO Max, though there are free trials.  I might try that eventually, but the various odds and ends out there available without that gives you a taste without going thru all that.  There is this video that is narrated by "Emma," though she apparently is not aware that Ben is not her step-brother, but her half-brother (Ross being their dad).  

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Baseball: No major changes in this department, including rain outs. The Mets faced the Braves, who are staggering around like other NL East teams, this weekend.  The Mets in 2015 stuck around, eventually needing to come back to first place during a key series versus the Nationals, but there was more excitement there since it wasn't like one team alone seemed to have much life.  It's a bit depressing. 

The one game that were played this weekend was such a blowout that even Maybin finally got a hit (after having a new record for new Mets without a hit -- 0 for 27), an infield dribbler that refused to go foul.  After missing at least twice on great plays, he will take it.  The other two times were rained out.  And, the one game was a FOX game, though old Mets hand Kevin B. was one of the announcers.  Plus, some players are coming back on Monday versus the Diamondbacks, one of the road kill teams out there.  

[Guys are coming back already on Monday, including Pillar, so Maybin was DFA'ed.  He did his job; got his hit.  Good luck.]

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Voting: President Biden released this statement regarding the latest anti-republican Republican voting rights bills:

Today, Texas legislators put forth a bill that joins Georgia and Florida in advancing a state law that attacks the sacred right to vote. It’s part of an assault on democracy that we’ve seen far too often this year—and often disproportionately targeting Black and Brown Americans.

It’s wrong and un-American. In the 21st century, we should be making it easier, not harder, for every eligible voter to vote.

I call again on Congress to pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. And I continue to call on all Americans, of every party and persuasion, to stand up for our democracy and protect the right to vote and the integrity of our elections.

Nice sentiment, but the current line for either one passing is "good luck with that."  People have been rightly bothered (if with various degrees of sanity) with the Garland Justice Department trying to split the difference regarding a lawsuit involving the Barr Legal Memo on prosecuting Trump.  Just as normal institutional behavior is nice on some level, but the stakes are too high just to rely on that.   How to move forward? Heck if I know.

[Added comments later in brackets.]