Third Estate Sunday Review

The Third Estate Sunday Review focuses on politics and culture. We're an online magazine. We don't play nice and we don't kiss butt. In the words of Tuesday Weld: "I do not ever want to be a huge star. Do you think I want a success? I refused "Bonnie and Clyde" because I was nursing at the time but also because deep down I knew that it was going to be a huge success. The same was true of "Bob and Carol and Fred and Sue" or whatever it was called. It reeked of success."

Wednesday, July 01, 2020

Truest statement of the week

There is no end to the Russiagate fraud. All major charges have been disproved. No one was convicted of the dreaded “collusion” that was reported endlessly for the last four years. Damning information is now declassified and casts doubt on the veracity of the whole story. CrowdStrike, the Democratic National Committee cyber security firm, admitted under oath they had no proof of hacking by Russia or anyone else. Robert Mueller ended his two-year long, multi-million dollar investigation with nothing except convictions for process crimes.
Why then did the New York Times print a story with an unnamed intelligence agency source claiming that the Russian government paid the Taliban to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan? The charge is ludicrous on its face but the story is quite useful to people who want to hide their own criminality while simultaneously keeping Trump hamstrung in an election year.

Russia is the nation least likely to do business with jihadists. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, jihadists nearly tore Russia apart. Separatists from the Chechnya region terrorized the entire country which was weakened and divided after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Because of that experience Russia eagerly assisted the United States after the September 11 attacks. Far from impeding the U.S. presence, Russia and other former Soviet republics were steadfast participants in the Northern Distribution Network (NDN). NDN was a supply line carrying materiel from Russia, through central Asian nations and finally to Afghanistan. Russia allowed the use of its air space in troop transit flights. Far from being an enemy, Russia assisted the U.S. and its coalition in their fight against the Taliban.

-- Margaret Kimberley, "Freedom Rider: Russia, Afghanistan, and the Big Lie" (BLACK AGENDA REPORT).

Truest statement of the week II

I’m well aware of big Western “conservation” organizations who want to get rid of the people in the name of the wildlife. Once they’ve done that, some set up lodges for wealthy people who want to go on safari. Some even propose that having spent so much money, these tourists should be allowed to shoot “big game,” including endangered species that a native African would be arrested for “poaching.” However, my piece was not meant as a critique of the conservation industrial complex.
Second, I wrote “DRC’s Virunga: Park, Gorillas, and Rangers All Under Attack” in response to reports that unidentified militiamen had attacked a civilian convoy guarded by park rangers, killing 4 civilians and 13 rangers in DRC’s Virunga National Park. I attempted to describe the park as it is, not as I think it should be. That’s why I wrote, “The park authority, Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) , is a partner of the Congolese government, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the European Union, and international NGOs and foundations, so there are, no doubt, multiple political pressures and degrees of awareness involved.”
Perhaps I should have said “multiple neocolonial pressures and motivations in play.” I might also have added that Emmanuel de Merode, the Belgian prince and Virunga Park Director, has made his case for the park at the World Economic Forum in Davos , an imperial organization if there ever was one.
I wrote that “the gorillas help build an international conservation constituency of NGOs, foundations, government agencies, and nature lovers who are committed to the park’s survival. And that if the gorillas were gone, that constituency would be greatly weakened.” That is true but it does not mean that I applaud the park’s dependence.

-- Ann Garrison, "Neocolonial African Conservation Inspired by 'Tarzan'" (BLACK AGENDA REPORT).

A note to our readers

Hey --

Wednesday.

Let's thank all who participated this edition which includes Dallas and the following:

The Third Estate Sunday Review's Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess and Ava,
Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude,

Betty of Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man,
C.I. of The Common Ills and The Third Estate Sunday Review,
Kat of Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills),
Mike of Mikey Likes It!,
Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz),
Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix,
Ruth of Ruth's Report,
Wally of The Daily Jot,
Trina of Trina's K itchen,

Marcia of SICKOFITRDLZ,
Stan of Oh Boy It Never Ends,
Isaiah of The World Today Just Nuts,
and Ann of Ann's Mega Dub.

And what did we come up with?

Peace,

-- Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I.

Editorial: Poor Joe

Oh, War Hawk Joe Biden's not having a good time of it -- even with the press whoring for him. The man who destroyed Iraq -- as a US senator and as vice president -- wants to be in the White House and feels he's murdered enough people to get there.

BBC NEWS notes:

US Democrat Joe Biden has said he will not hold presidential campaign rallies during the coronavirus pandemic.

"This is the most unusual campaign, I think, in modern history," Mr Biden said at a press conference in Delaware.

He reached that decision after the poor turnout for him in Pennsylvania and after the weekend campaign polling that saw Joe slip just a little.

See Joe's a victim of The Hillary Effect. The less you see him, the more you like him. Which also means, the more you see him, the less you like him.

No one's turning out to see Joe and reports of Joe being out and about depress his polling.

Of course, they're going to hide him away. Who wouldn't when he says things like the following in public?

And when Joe's not babbling about his leg hairs, he's attacking people for asking questions.

He's too old, he's too angry, he's too senile and he's too much of a War Hawk.

TV: The day TCM died

"It had to happen." That's what one friend said Friday. Another wondered if Edward Margulies and Stephen Rebello were now running TCM?

TCM, for any who might be unaware, stands for TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES. Ted Turner created the cable channel. In 1994, the channel started airing with the intent of celebrating classic films by showing them, by discussing them, by honoring them. It was similar to AMC at the time. AMC, when it first started airing in 1984, focused on classic films. It's since gone on to who knows what, but that's how it started out.

Now it's really just TCM. And, after decades of celebration, a problem emerges.

We love SOME LIKE IT HOT -- we think it's the best comedy of the 20th century. But it's become an overplayed staple. If that was the only film, it would be fine. Instead, a set group of films emerged that were played month after month. When it's SOME LIKE IT HOT, that's one thing. When it's BULLITT, that's another. We only need to see that chase scene once a year, thank you -- if even that.

One reason for that is the selection is based on something other than quality. BOMBSHELL is a classic film and one of Jean Harlow's finest. It's rarely aired on TCM. In fact, if Harlow's not teamed up with some other name actor, her films don't seem to exist on TCM. You could watch TCM for a full year and never know that Jean Harlow was someone important to films -- let alone that she was the original blonde bombshell -- someone Marilyn Monroe would pattern herself after (even using Agnes Flanagan for her hair -- Flanagan had also been responsible for Jean Harlow's platinum blond locks).

There are so many actors that TCM viewers might not realize had any impact on film. Loretta Young, for example, was a major movie star and one who was able to transfer from the silent films to the 'talking pictures.' Does anyone other than Marlo Thomas make a point to regularly note Loretta Young's contributions? (Loretta was Marlo's godmother -- Marlo was the host of the 2014 TCM tribute to Loretta.) Loretta won an Academy Award for best actress, she worked with Orson Welles, Cary Grant, Jean Harlow, Frank Capra, Mervin LeRoy, Charles Boyer, Janet Gaynor, Cecil B. DeMille, Tyrone Power, Walter Lang, David Niven, John Ford, Robert Preston, Fredric March, Alan Ladd, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Gary Cooper, Edward G. Robinson, Ethel Barrymore, Joseph Cotten, William Holden, Robert Mitchum, Celeste Holm, Van Johnson, Clark Gable (who raped her in real life), Tay Garnett and Jeff Chandler -- among others. She was part of film noir -- though that doesn't seem to register on the airtime TCM devotes to film noir.

Speaking of film noir -- Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake were a popular couple in that genre -- they made four films together but only the first, THE GLASS KEY, airs on TCM with any real regularity.
Film stars like WC Fields and Mae West are also largely absent from TCM. There's far too little Barbara Stanwyck as well. And Bob Hope largely exists -- when he exists on TCM -- as the comedic partner of Bing Crosby. Yes, the two made seven films together but Bob was hugely successful without Bing as a co-star. MY FAVORITE BRUNETTE, MY FAVORITE BLONDE, MY FAVORITE SPY, MONSIEUR BEAUCAIRE, THE LEMON DROP KID, THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE . . . There are a string of classic films that TCM has largely ignored. Jerry Lewis -- with and without Dean Martin -- is similarly ignored by TCM.

So one problem has been their selection which has narrowed and narrowed over the years. Another problem was what happened when they moved fully into the 80s and 90s and beyond?

TCM is a basic cable channel. Would they be able to show certain films -- R-rated ones, for example -- without offending sensibilities? That's a serious question.

Or, rather, it was.

That question is no more.

Partly because Thursday, June 2, 2020 was the day TCM died.

Oh, it's still airing. Even as we write this, it's still broadcasting.

But is it TCM? Can you call yourself "classic movies" after Thursday?

That's when TCM aired THE BLUE LAGOON -- the 1980s film. They can't seem to find Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake's THE BLUE DAHLIA, understand, but they can air Randal Kleiser's 1980 atrocity.

That's what prompted comments from friends -- including the ones we detailed at the top of the piece. Let's deal with have Edward Margulies and Stephen Rebello taken over TCM, by the way. No, they haven't. And let's note that the two never hailed THE BLUE LAGOON as a "bad movie we love." No, THE BLUE LAGOON is just a bad movie.

Sidebar, read Stephen's new book DOLLS! DOLLS! DEEP INSIDE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS -- THE MOST BELOVED BAD BOOK AND MOVIE OF ALL TIME -- it's wonderful.

But the Brooke Shields film is not wonderful. That's not really Brooke's fault. Her mother should have taught her to talk, that's true. Brooke has that helium voice in the film (when she returned to success as an adult -- starting with her guest spot on FRIENDS -- Brooke would have an adult voice). That's not what makes it an awful film. Christopher Atkins is beyond wooden -- no, that's not a joke about his jerk-off scene in the film -- and that's not what makes it an awful film.

It's a piece of crap that works either as kiddie porn or as an instructional video for sex education classes.

As a film? It's ROTTEN TOMATOES score is 9%. Does that give you an idea of how bad the film is? Hailing it as "the dumbest movie of the year," back in 1980, Roger Ebert also wondered, "Why was this movie made?"

A better question today would be: Why did TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES air it?

Grasp that, in addition to the earlier complaints about specific actors the channel ignores, they don't air a ton of films that they should.

PLAY IT AS IT LAYS springs to mind. In fact, any Tuesday Weld starrer springs to mind. Not airing Tuesday's starring films is a lot like ignoring SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON. Forget the heavy films, how do you ignore fun, escapist fair like 1968's WHAT'S SO BAD ABOUT FEELING SO GOOD? Or Susan Saint James and George Hamilton's hilarious LOVE AT FIRST BITE?

Films that are not staples but should be would include: IF HE HOLLERS (Barbara McNair is especially moving), THE THIEF WHO CAME TO DINNER, WHO IS KILLING THE GREAT CHEFS OF EUROPE?, ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW, Richard Lester's CUBA, NEAR DARK, THE BLACK BIRD, Robert Altman's SHORT CUTS (actually, pretty much everything of Robert Altman's should be on the channel), SCENES FROM THE CLASS STRUGGLE IN BEVERLY HILLS, 1979's THE HITTER, AN UNMARRIED WOMAN, ENEMIES A LOVE STORY, PRIZZI's HONOR, THE GRIFTERS, PRESSURE POINT, THE ROYAL TENEBAUMS, Elaine May's A NEW LEAF and Elaine May's THE HEARTBREAK KID, the Marlo Thomas and Elaine may comedy IN THE SPIRIT, SHEILA LEVINE IS DEAD AND LIVING IN NEW YORK, the original POINT BREAK, BLUE THUNDER, BUCK AND THE PREACHER, YENTL, Darnell Martin's I LIKE IT LIKE THAT, ALL THAT JAZZ, SWEET LIBERTY, THE LOST MAN, INTO THE NIGHT, THE MACK, LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR, DANGEROUS LIASONS, Albert Brooks' MOTHER and THE MUSE, SHOOT THE MOON, 1955's THE GIRL IN THE RED VELVET SWING, WAG THE DOG, PRICK UP YOUR EARS, JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT, GRACE OF MY HEART, WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE, SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS, ROUND MIDNIGHT, DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID, HOUSE SITTER, THREE THE HARD WAY, LITTLE MURDERS, THE LAST OF SHEILA, AMERICAN HOT WAX, GOODBYE, COLUMBUS, 1991's RUSH, DIARY OF A MAD HOUSEWIFE, PARTY GIRL starring Parker Posey, THE KING OF MARVIN GARDENS, 1976's SPARKLE, RESURRECTION, Gene Hackman's ALL NIGHT LONG, HE GOT GAME, SIESTA, UNDER FIRE, THE ORGANIZATION, RUMBLE FISH, DRUGSTORE COWBOY, FOUL PLAY (which AMC used to air constantly), Carl Reiner's ENTER LAUGHING, THE BINGO LONG TRAVELING ALL-STARS & MOTOR KINGS, BOYS ON THE SIDE, FLIRTING WITH DISASTER, TEA WITH MUSSOLINI, SILKWOOD, THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES, MURDER BY DEATH, IN GOD WE TRU$T, Lee Grant's STAYING TOGETHER, I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND, DINER, and THE WORLD, THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL -- to name just a few.

We're sure that you could come up with a list even longer.

And we'd argue that TCM has time to air everything on your list and on our list if they've got time to air THE BLUE LAGOON. It's not SHOWGIRLS -- where it has camp value. It's just an exploitation film that exploits teenagers to sell kiddie porn.

There were two shows we wanted to review this week but when TCM -- a channel for classic films -- decides to air THE BLUE LAGOON, we feel that's news -- appalling news, but news none the less. And though it's all we've heard about friends -- from dismayed friends, it's a story that the media hasn't even noticed.

100 best film thrillers

Who doesn't love a good scare? The jump in your seat when a hands shoves up through the dirt or someone's hiding behind a door? Here are our picks for the 100 best film thrillers.

100) THE NET

99) THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER

98) THE TWO JAKES

97) BLUE VELVET

96) JOY RIDE

95) BREAKDOWN (19970

94) BLUE STEEL

93) THE PASSENGER

92) ALIENS

91) DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

90) DEAD CALM

89) REAR WINDOW

88) RUNAWAY TRAIN

87) DEVIL WITH A BLUE DRESS

86) IN THE CUT

85) THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE (1946)

84) SUSPENSE (1913)

83) STRANGE BY THE LAKE

82) FLIGHT PLAN

81) DEAD RINGER

80) FIGHT CLUB

79) HIDDEN

78) THE FRENCH CONNECTION

77) DANGEROUS CROSSING

76) A SIMPLE FAVOR

75) THE FILE ON THELMA JORDAN

74) 3 DAYS OF THE CONDOR

73) THE LONG GOODBYE

72) THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT

71) THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI

70) THE HITCHER (1986)

69) THROW MAMA FROM THE TRAIN

68) M

67) LE BOUCHER

66) THE PELICAN BRIEF

65) OLD BOY (2013)

64) THE LAST SEDUCTION

63) THE MORNING AFTER

62) OUT OF SIGHT

61) CAUSE FOR ALARM

60) BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING

59) THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE

58) KNIFE IN THE WATER

57) SORRY WRONG NUMBER

56) EXISTENCE

55) PANIC ROOM

54) NIAGRA

53) FAMILY PLOT

52) BLOOD SIMPLE

51) MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

50) STRANGERS ON A TRAIN

49) CAPE FEAR (1991)

48) THE HITCH-HIKER (1953)

47) THE BIRDS

46) CRIME OF PASSION (1957)

45) DECEIVED

44) MALICE

43) THE NICE GUYS

By Source, Fair use, Link

42) SHOOT TO KILL

41) DON'T LOOK NOW

40) THE STRANGER

39) THIEF

38) NOTORIUS

37) WITNESS TO MURDER

36) BLOW UP

35) MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY

34) A TOUCH OF EVIL

33) WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?

32) SICARIO

31) 39 STEPS

30) FOUL PLAY

29) CHARADE

28) THE GRIFTERS

27) JAWS

26) LA CONFIDENTIAL

25) NO WAY OUT (1987)

24) TERMINATOR

23) SWORDFISH

22) BODY DOUBLE

21) THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE

20) THE THIRD MAN

19) SUDDEN FEAR

18) THE PARALLAX VIEW

17) GET OUT

16) DARK PASSAGE

15) TERMINATOR II

14) NO WAY OUT (1950)

13) DRESSED TO KILL

12) MATCH POINT

11) INSIDE MAN

10) THE CONVERSATION

9) KLUTE

8) BLOW OUT

7) BOUND

6) PSYCHO

5) DOUBLE INDEMNITY

4) DIABOLIQUE

3) CHINATOWN

2) NORTH BY NORTHWEST

1) VERTIGO

Readers list of scariest movies

Last week, we offered our picks for 100 scariest movies. In your e-mails, you made your picks known.

THE INITATION OF SARAH

LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENED TO ROSEMARY'S BABY

WHEN MICHAEL CALLS

IT (mini-series)

CHRISTINE

THE PURGE

SATAN'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS (2000)

SALEM'S LOT (1979)

KISS OF THE VAMPIRE

APT PUPIL

THE STAND (1994)

ONE MISSED CALL

FLATLINERS

JAWS THE REVENGE

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART IV

THE WICKERMAN (2006)

COUNTESS DRACULA

FATAL ATTRACTION

MISERY

THE BRIDES OF DRACULA

MARY SHELLEY'S FRANKENSTEIN (1994)

THE VAMPIRE LOVERS

CASH ON DEMAND

STIGMATA

DRACULA A.D. 1972

SCREAM BLACKULA SCREAM

THE WEREWOLF OF WASHINGTON

BLOOD SHACK

THE HILLS HAVE EYES

HALLOWEEN III

BRIDE OF CHUCKY

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER

SCREAM 2

SCREAM 3

FROM DUSK TILL DAWN

SLEEPAWAY CAMP

CUJO

THE LAWNMOWER MAN

CAT PEOPLE (1942)

SCARS OF DRACULA

THE TEMP

STEPHEN KING'S CAT'S EYE

MOTEL HELL

CREEPSHOW

NIGHT OF THE COMET

TREMORS

THE SEVENTH SIGN

THE SIXTH SENSE

EXORCIST II

GREMLINS

IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS

Mail bag

Ronald e-mails asking, "Am I the first to tell you that the Batwoman cover in last week's mailbag is too large?"

You were the first. We count 142 who e-mailed after you did that also pointed it out. We've fixed it. Thank you to everyone who caught that.

Lloyd D e-mails that no TESR Test Kitchen has ever noted bottled water and wonders why that is? Due to the environment, we try to limit our footprint as much as possible. Most of us drink tap or filtered water and we reuse a metal container -- like the one Matt Damon promoted. Now Ty and C.I. are diabetic. If they need water -- or more water than they planned -- the will buy a bottle of water. They'll buy whatever is available at that moment. Ty notes that given a choice, he prefers Dasani.

Mike Mayo e-mails to say he enjoyed the 100 scariest movies last edition

http://thirdestatesundayreview.blogspot.com/2020/06/100-scariest-movies.html

"and I was especially thrilled that you included three classics that were TV movies. If I could, I would add three more. THE INITIATION OF SARAH is so scary and has a wicked performance by Morgan Fairchild. LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENED TO ROSEMARY'S BABY which stars Patty Duke as Rosemary and she's much more convincing than Farrow was. And Donna Mills is out right evil in the movie. This is a great one. Lastly, WHEN MICHAEL CALLS starring Elizabeth Ashley and Michael Douglas."

Sounds great and we are compiling a list of your choices for scary films and we've put your three on it. Time permitting, it will run this edition.

Walter also e-mails about the 100 scariest movie list: "Who do you think you are? What makes you an expert? I don't agree with anything on your list!"

Walter, as Kat has noted at her site, lists like these are all personal opinion and the fun is in looking to see if you agree or disagree. You disagreed. That's fine. If you had disagreed and offered even one horror movie you liked, we'd be including it on the list.

Becky wonders why are we late so often? And if it has anything to do with C.I.'s health?

In answer to the second one, no. Ava and C.I. finished their TV piece at 10:00 am Sunday morning. We didn't publish on Sunday. It had nothing to do with C.I.'s health. Why are we so late? Some days, it's just hard. Hard to focus, hard to whatever. You'd think it would get easier as time went by; however, it just gets tougher for us.

Cheryl Sartan writes, "Dear THIRD, My friend Jennifer Espinoza is really grating on my nerves. She's the type of woman who plays dumb because she thinks it means that men will like her more. I'm not sure what to do about this. Any suggestions?"

Is there anything you can do? Honestly, is there? Cheryl, we're sure you'll agree with us that it can be hard enough running your own life without trying to run someone else's also. If Jennifer wants to change, she will. But at this point, it sounds like it's just you. And if you try to change someone who doesn't want to change you are going to (a) most likely fail and (b) be very frustrated.

Keenan e-mails, "THIRD, I'm not voting for Biden. This fall, I'll be in my third year in college. I am not a fan of Trump but my not liking him doesn't mean I vote for Biden. He's disgusting and I'm outraged that the Democratic Party refused to do better. I'll either vote Green or not vote for president. I cannot believe how badly the DNC, Obama and the media screwed this up. I am not a purist. I would've voted for Booker, for Harris, for Gabbard, for Sanders, for Gillibrand, for anyone but Biden. He voted for the Iraq War. He's not worthy of my vote. He's also not fit mentally and, yes, I believe Tara Reade. I blame them and if Trump gets a second term, that's on them."

Keenan, we hear you.

Thoughts on Tara Reade, feminism, truth and whoring

Reposting from THE COMMON ILLS:

Thoughts on Tara Reade, feminism, truth and whoring

My kitchen is gleaming. I've spent about two hours cleaning it. I don't usually clean it, when I'm doing the cleaning myself, I'm sorting things out in my head.

It's time for a Tara Reade post.

There's a lot that needs to be said, a lot that's not been said.

Tara Reade has credibly accused Joe Biden of assault.

Her claim has not been overturned or weakened.

When you can't address the claim, you attack the accuser.

That's all the Michael Traceys and other scum of the earth did: Attack Tara.

They attacked and a bunch of cowards went silent. Krystal Ball, Rich McHugh and many others.

That needs to be noted.

We need to know that when we step forward, we're on our own.

We also need to grasp that whores like Alyssa Milano are not anyone's friends.

"I hear you" -- is that what the whore Tweeted?

When did she ever call off the attacks on Tara? Not in April. Not in May. Not in June.

One rape is okay.

That's what Alyssa and her kindred believe.

One rape is okay.

So remember that, guys, you get one free rape.

When the Alyssa Milanos are in charge, you get one free rape.

Alyssa's a failed, aging actress who tried to pimp her supporting role in a bad NETFLIX show -- that her CAA agent husband called in favors to get for her -- into a starring role and repeatedly the press lied for and pretended she was the star -- of a show about a high school teenager.

That was laughable. So is Alyssa.

She wants to be in Congress -- as if that would somehow give her life meaning. As though what the United States needs is an idiot who received her 'education' from an on-set tutor. Let's send the struggling fool to Congress!

Well, she'd fit in with many but that's part of the problem -- the lack of intelligence in our Congress.

Alyssa sees herself as a player in the Democratic Party. Like many others, she's a fool to think so.

Even if she ever became a player in the Democratic Party, she should be more concerned about being a participant in life.

Tara may feel alone right now, but she's not alone. And more people will be at her side as the years go by.

The horrible thing that was done to her for coming forward is outrageous and it will not disappear as the years go by. But it will outrage many -- women and men -- and she'll find the support that she really didn't have this year.

Juanita Broaddrick is an example of how the issue doesn't go away and support builds (Juanita revealed in the late 90s that Bill Clinton had raped her when he was governor of Arkansas), Anita Hill is another example (Clarence Thomas harassed her).

This is not new, this is not novel. This is how it works, this is the pattern. Now maybe if Alyssa Milano had bothered to get an education, she'd be aware of this reality. But maybe she just doesn't care about being on the right side historically.

If so, she's far from alone.

She's the least of the problems.

She's ot a feminist, she's never been one.

Feminism goes beyond abortion rights. It certainly isn't about whining that actresses are paid less than actors. It's really hard, and they never understand this, to grasp that Americans aren't ready to take to the streets because you only got paid one million dollars for your film but some actor got ten million. The only one who's ever grasped that reality is Goldie Hawn.

So it's no surprise that Goldie actually made a difference in her career -- producing films that addressed women and working with woman and hiring women. (I just checked, big surprise, this is not noted on CRAPAPEDIA. We can do an entry on this alone if it needs to be said -- if you're not aware of Goldie and Anthea Sylbert developing films like MY BLUE HEAVEN and SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT -- not just the films Goldie herself starred in.)

Years later, Alyssa helps oust the woman who created CHARMED and ousts Shannen Doherty from the show. She's then a 'producer' of the show. In that role, she creates no roles for people of color. Despite the fact that the show is filmed in the '00s and set in San Francisco, there are no gay men or lesbians.

What did 'producer' Alyssa do? Scream and yell about make up and lighting. Scream and yell that her character needed to be front and center.

That's how some people use power. It's no surprise that she has no power today or that her lack of power is no real loss.

Others should lose power as well.

Gloria Steinem. How many women has she disappointed?

Sondra Locke, Phyllis Chesler, Shirley Chisholm, Kathie Sarachild . . .

Gloria made herself leader of the feminist movement -- in the press -- by ousting Betty Friedan by utilizing ageism. Betty was 51-years-old. Gloria then refused to elevate young feminists and, at 86, continues to present herself as the leader of feminism.

She's no leader.

In 1972, she tried to call out the Democratic Party at the convention in Florida. Six years later, she was telling women, at another Democratic Party convention, that they couldn't make demands on nominee Jimmy Carter.

That's been her position ever since. She's weak and encourages weakness.

In 1980, Phyliss Chesler was raped by Davidson Nicol. Gloria needs to answer as to why she (and Robin Morgan) covered up the rape.

She needs to answer as to why she went back on her word that she would stand by Phyllis. She did the same thing with Sondra Locke -- promising support, promising the world and then, at the behest of Steve Ross, hopping on board with the WARNER BROTHERS CORPORATION and siding against Sondra, acting as though she didn't exist.

Gloria has no spine. That's the nice view of Gloria. The not-so-nice view? She's deliberately set out to weaken feminism.

I go with she's too weak. Real feminists made changes in the 60s and 70s by making demands and taking action. Gloria was really not part of any of that. She wasn't arm-in-arm with Ellen Willis or any of the real activists.

It's no surprise that Gloria didn't speak out in April of last year when multiple women came out describing how Joe Biden harassed them. Instead, Gloria offer Joe a pass. That's what Gloria does. She did it in 1998 with Bill Clinton in the infamous NEW YORK TIMES column that she truly needs to apologize for.

That's all she ever does, cover up for men in power.

Gloria is not a leader. Her legacy is one of weakness and one shameful moment after another.

Feminism has survived Gloria. It's survived centrists like Alyssa Milano as well.

It survives stupidity. Stupidity would include women -- some of whom identify as feminists -- saying that Joe Biden's female running mate will not or should not have to answer for Joe's actions.

Of course, she does.

You're a lying hack if you say otherwise.

That's what every running mate has to do: Answer for the actions of the person at the top of the ticket.

Joe Biden has been credibly accused of rape by Tara Reade.

In addition, he's been accused of harassment by multiple women.

Any woman who gets on his ticket does so knowing of these accusations. Yes, she will have to comment. Yes, she will be held accountable.

And she should be.

She's choosing to run with Joe.

That's what it means to be a running mate.

"Oh, the little girl he picks is just too little and small to defend Joe!' Is that what the liars and idiots are saying?

She will be the running mate. She will have to answers questions -- about Hunter Biden's enriching himself, about the women Joe harassed, about the Iraq War Joe voted for, about the 2010 Iraq election results that Joe overturned, about how ignoring the 2010 voters and gifting Nouri al-Maliki with a second term led to the rise of ISIS.

A mutual friend called me to correct me on something. I'll include this in Iraq snapshot when the topic of 2010 next comes up. He worked in the administration and he notes that I love to point out that in 2012, the day after the election, Barack refused to take Nouri al-Maliki's phone call and fobbed it off on Joe.

That did happen and we covered it in real time and have noted it repeatedly since.

What the mutual friend insists I'm missing is that this wasn't just that Barack didn't want to talk to the thug. This was also about Barack's anger at Joe for supporting the thug and insisting that Joe take the call because it was his (Joe's) mistake.

I didn't realize that. Again, I will update in the next snapshot that covers the 2010 election.

Joe thinks picking a female running mate gives him a pass on his harassment. It doesn't.

A recent 'discussion' on the allegations against Joe -- harassment and rape -- found one woman noting, "He has touched people. He has acknowledged it. There could have been very severe consequences for him" if he had been a male student on campus. Another woman aded, "That's not going to cut it on campus, you know, him saying, 'You need to believe me'."

A lot of people are bending over backwards to pretend the rules don't apply to Joe.

There will be a backlash over that.

The thing that should have happened is feminist leaders should have pressed the DNC to pick another nominee. That's what should have happened.

Instead, we got posers who insisted 'I believe Tara but I'm voting for Joe.'

Fine. You're voting for rape.

Let's not sugar coat it or pretend. That's what you're doing. You're selling out feminism, you're selling out women, you're selling out survivors.

That's who you want to be, you be that but own it. Don't pretend you're helping anyone but yourself.

Half the things people whine about regarding Donald Trump (''whine'' used intentionally, it's not as though they take real measures to stop him) were done by Barack and Joe. And you were okay with it because Barack was smooth and a superstar. Donald's uncouth and so you whine and scream about deportations. You said nothing during Barack's two terms.

You said nothing about anything. You looked the other way and were happy to do so. You'll do the same thing if Joe gets into the White House.

Why?

Because you're a craven whore who doesn't want to work for a better world.

You need Donald to be replaced so you can go back to focusing on money, yourself and enriching yourself.

You don't care that US troops are still in Iraq. You don't care what's taking place in Libya. You don't care about anything.

You just don't want to be disturbed in your pursuit of money and frivolity.

Joe Biden is a lousy candidate.

If he loses -- and he could -- it's on you. Not anyone else. It's not on third party voters or on voters who don't feel they have a real choice to vote for. It's on you.

You're a cheap whore who'd rather pretend that an incompetent man who is a dottering fool and is accused of assault and harassment makes for a strong presidential candidate.

That's on you. No one else.

And when history looks back, you can lie all you want but a number of us knew in real time the importance of speaking out. You have no excuse for your whoring. You chose to whore and that's on you.

Last week, as we spoke to more and more groups of young people, I heard over and over not just disappointment in Joe Biden but also disappointment in various voices who have refused to hold him accountable and have instead whored.

You're destroying yourselves. You're certainly destroying your soul but you're also destroying your image and legacy.

That's on you.

There was so much that I wanted to cover and I'm having to stop here. I've got double vision and really can't read the screen. We've covered some of the important points. Not all. But it is what it is.

This edition's playlist

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1) Diana Ross' SUPERTONIC MIXES.

2) Ricky Martin's PAUSA.

3) Bob Dylan's ROUGH AND ROWDY WAYS.

4) Janet Jackson's UNBREAKABLE.

5) Ronnie Spector's ENGLISH HEART.

6) Hamilton Leithauser's THE LOVES OF YOUR LIFE .

7) Sam Smith's IN THE LONELY HOUR DROWNING SHADOW EDITION.

8) Fiona Apple's FETCH THE BOLT CUTTERS.

9) Dionne Warwick's SHE'S BACK.

10) Harry Style's FINE LINE.

On the Issues with Michele Goodwin: Episode 1 Available NOW!

The first episode of On the Issues with Michele Goodwin is available now!

As you’ve come to expect from our reporting here at Ms. magazine, On the Issues is a show that reports, rebels, and tells it like it is. In each episode, Host Dr. Michele Goodwin will tackle a different, critically important and newsworthy topic, in conversation with the thought leaders of our time, including leaders and activists, elected officials, scholars and other special guests. The overarching theme of the podcast will center listeners’ concerns about advancing the promise of equality and rebuilding our nation.

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The first episode—available TODAY, Tuesday, June 30 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and MsMagazine.com—tackles an issue that is critically important in this current moment: ending police violence in the United States.

Professor Goodwin is joined in conversation by Laura Goodman, who served in criminal justice for 35 years as a police officer, sergeant and deputy chief of police in major metropolitan police departments; Deirdre Fishel, director and producer of the documentary film, Women in Blue; Anne Li Kringen, assistant dean and associate professor of criminal justice at the University of New Haven; and Song Richardson, dean and chancellor’s professor at University of California, Irvine School of Law.

In this one-hour premiere episode, Dr. Goodwin and her guests explore critical questions about the roles of race and sex in policing, as well as why it matters that there are so few women in law enforcement across the country. They also take on police unions and the hazing that women officers experience.

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