Hey:
We are into June, almost halfway through 2023 with summer rapidly approaching. Teachers and students, the finish line is within sight. Last weekend, we actually had 4 really nice days here in NY for Memorial Day Weekend, (starting with Friday evening). The last few years, I feel like at least one day of the weekend was a washout. Hopefully this is a sign of good things coming.
Onto the news such as it is....
POLLS: The 7 Most Hated Brands in the US.
AXIOS.com this week released a poll of the 100 brands in the United States with the worst reputations. The survey is the result of a partnership between Axios and Harris Poll to gauge the reputation of the most visible brands in America, based on Harris poll research. So, this isn't my opinion, it's a poll.
- The Trump Organization -(again I didn't conduct or vote in the poll)
- FTX
- Fox Corporation
- Meta
- Spirit Airlines
- TikTok
I didn't post this to troll the MAGA folks, (though I admit that's always a kick). What I found fascinating were 4, 5 and 7. Twitter, Meta (Facebook) and Tik Tok.
I found this story on Facebook, I post this blog to Facebook, I have reconnected to hundreds of people I would probably never have heard from again if not for Facebook. In so many ways, I'm grateful for Facebook.
But I get why folks get frustrated with it. Thanks to Facebook, there is no such thing as an unexpressed thought, (guilty as charged here) and the old saying "Opinions are like a$$holes, everyone's got one? Well, FB is the living example of that very quote.
And Twitter is even worse.
With Facebook, most of the people I'm friends with there are folks that I have met somewhere on my life's journey, grammar school, high school, college, jobs, jobs, jobs. Now with Tim, people we've met through his schools.
But many of my friends aren't on Twitter, so my Twitter feed is mostly sportswriters, journalists I respect, politicians I respect and stuff like that. The problem with Twitter is that some of the people I follow re-tweet stuff from people I can't stand, and then it becomes the cesspool that everyone says it is.
And I blame nobody but myself for this. Because I could delete the app and not even bother with it. I managed to get through most of the current century without being on Twitter. I'm sure I could get rid of it and get on with my life.
And yet....
Jeff Pearlman on his weekly sub-stack discussed a similar dilemma. He's even more conflicted than I am. He's a published author and promotes much of his work on social media, Twitter being his main pipeline.
I don't have too many twitter followers and I only the blog on FB. But like Pearlman, I also can't look away from all the other bull$hit either. Like I've said I'm a relative newcomer to Twitter, but many people say that Elon Musk has made it so much worse. I really don't have much to compare it to, but knowing what a lowlife Musk is, I tend to believe what they say.
The political lies, name calling and finger pointing. It has gotten to be ridiculous.
And I really think that's the reason that those 3 companies are on that list. We know we should probably turn away from it all, but we can't. And it's that helpless feeling that causes us to hate on those companies.
NEW DADS:
A couple of weeks ago, Robert DeNiro announced that he became a father for the 7th time. And last week Al Pacino announced that he is expecting a new baby with his girlfriend Noor Alfallah.
DeNiro is 79. Pacino, 81.
Really?
Look, these are two of the greatest actors in the history of film. They are millionaires many many times over, and yeah I'm pretty much live and let live, so it's really none of my business. I get it.
I just would think that you would want to be around to see your kids grow up. And at 80 years old or so, the chances of that happening are not great. And let's address the elephant in the room here. I don't know how old DeNiro's babymamma is, but Ms. Alfallah is 29. Woof on me all you want, but you know I'm right, a 29 year old woman isn't sleeping with an 81 year old dude because he's a "nice guy".
I know, I know, it's their money, it's their life, I should butt out. There's a ton more important stuff out there to worry about. I agree. I just think it's weird. And chasing your kid around in your 30's and 40's is hard enough. I can't imagine doing it at 80. Jeez!
SPORTS RANTS: The Stanley Cup and NBA Finals
I've often written on these pages how one thing America does not need is another team from Boston winning a major sports championship. The Bruins, the Celtics, the Sawx and most of all the Patriots have met more than their quota of titles for this century. If I go the rest of my life without any more Beantown parades, that will suit me just fine.
Having said that, the thought both the Stanley Cup and Larry O'Brien trophies being paraded down on the strip in Miami makes my stomach churn. But that's what we have a very good possibility seeing before the month of June is out, as both the Florida Panthers and Miami Heat have improbably made it from the 8th seeds in their respective conferences to their sport's final round.
The Heat had jumped out to a 3-0 lead against the aforementioned Celtics, only to see that lead evaporate and the ECF go to a Game 7 in Boston. An early injury to Celtic star Jayson Tatum and overall ineffectiveness for Jaylen Brown doomed the Celtics. The Heat are now taking on the Denver Nuggets.
As for the Panthers, they too took out a heavily favored Boston team, this one being the Bruins. But that was in the first round. (The Heat knocked off the NBA best Milwaukee Bucks in the first round). The Bruins were not only the best team in the NHL this year, they set a record for most wins and points in the regular season. After the ruin of the Bruins (seewhatididthere?) Florida proceeded to knock off the Maple Leafs (extending their Stanley Cup drought to 56 years) and the Hurricanes to reach the Finals. They are playing the Vegas Golden Knights.
It wouldn't break my heart to see the Panthers beat Vegas, being that Vegas has been around less than 10 seasons and have seemingly had more success than my Rangers have had in almost 100. But I really don't want the Heat to win. I have already backed off my claims that Erik Spoelstra is an over-rated coach, (I should have listened to Ray on that one) but if the Heat win this title, I have to also concede that he should eventually receive a plaque in Springfield, MA. And it's another notch in Pat Riley's belt too, and that simply will not stand.
Speaking of things I had to walk back, Tim asked me the other night as we were watching Chris Bassitt now on the Blue Jays setting the Mets down, if I thought we should have re-signed him, as both Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling were suggesting. My first thought was to say yes, but I looked back at my Mets wrap up blogpost and I had written the following.
Max Scherzer, he of the $43 million contract, spit the bit twice. Once against the Braves, once against the Padres. Same with Chris Bassitt. We’re stuck with Scherzer, but Bassitt’s a free agent. Nice knowing ya kid. Adios!
LOL
Maybe I should cool off before I write, but that's half the fun right?
All right that’s all we got this week
Stay Safe,
and Have a Great Week
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