- Realtors are not known for being the most clever or
creative within their profession, but even for them this is wholly unoriginal
and lame. The running joke for months among many Americans has been that they
will move to Canada if Donald Trump wins the presidential election and it was
used so many times that the joke finally ran out of steam…except among realtors
in South Carolina, Wisconsin and a few other states. These realtors are people
such as Daniel Hamilton, who is trying to capitalize on anti-Trump - and
anti-Hilary Clinton - sentiment with billboards on which he asks homeowners the
question, “Moving to Canada? I’ll sell your home.” The billboard feature
Hamilton’s photo along with head shots of Trump and Clinton. Yet even as those
billboards are appearing around the area, another realtor in Charleston is
trying the exact same tactic. That realtor, Jeff Cook, readily admits that his
billboards are over the top and obnoxious and in a post on his Facebook page,
he wrote, “Since the biggest joke concerning the election is moving to Canada
if a certain candidate wins we decided to take that and run with it. However,
from the start we wanted to make sure we used both candidates to not show
favorites or pick sides. That way, the billboard caters to everyone.” Yes, and
it’s also lame to everyone, at least everyone who has even a shred of originality
or creativity in their body. Real estate is a competitive game and realtors
need any edge they can get….and these billboards line up with none of that
mission………
- Britney Spears matters even less now than she used to. At
best, she’s a has-been pop star whose limited musical abilities took her
further than she ever should have gone. At worst, she’s a talent-less hack
whose 15 minutes should’ve ended long ago and therefore, should be grateful that
Lifetime is set to release a TV movie about her life. The network has confirmed
that a Spears biopic is in the works and Natasha Bassett (“Hail, Caesar!”) will
reportedly play the singer. Lifetime is clearly excited about this project and
describes it as telling the "tumultuous true story" of Spears'
career, from starting out as a teenager in Louisiana and her relationship with
Justin Timberlake to her marriages and personal struggles. In a twist of either
really good or really bad news for the network, Spears is decidedly less excited
about the idea and according to her spokesperson, she wants no part of this
project and furthermore, refuses to give it her blessing. That could be bad
news for Lifetime, but it could also be a blessing. Yes, having a famous person
who is pissed at you for making an unauthorized film about their life puts a
network in an awkward position, but on the flip side, all of this is creating a
lot more buzz than there would otherwise be around what will most certainly be
a forgettable two-hour drama fest of a life that really isn't that interesting
in the first place. Spears won't be the first to have a biopic about her life
made against her will, she won't be the last and clearly, based on her
existence up to this point, she also won't be the smartest or most
interesting………
- Way to prove that your not a totalitarian regime with zero
tolerance for legitimate dissenting viewpoints, government of Burundi. Nothing
says tolerant of those who disagree with you quite like detaining eight people
accused of being members of a WhatsApp group for defaming the government and
insulting public institutions. That went down this week and police spokesman
Pierre Nkurikiye said Thursday the eight were among 54 people arrested in the
capital, Bujumbura. The government was more than happy to share this news and
Nkurikiye said all but the eight were released the same day - as if that
somehow makes it less offensive. On the other side of the battle, multiple
human rights groups say the continued detentions are another example of the
shrinking democratic space in Burundi following President Pierre Nkurunziza's
contested pursuit of a third term in office last year. Those same groups
denounced the move, calling it unconstitutional, and it has definitely caused
problems throughout the country, as at least 500 people have died in Burundi
since April 2015 in a crisis caused by Nkurunziza's extended tenure. Patrick
Nduwimana, president of the Burundi Radio Association, decried the latest round
of detentions, claiming that they are further proof that the regime is becoming
more totalitarian. It’s not a difficult argument to make because the very
nature of detaining people clearly proves that a regime is totalitarian in its
nature……..
- Ah, you have to love a college basketball coach keeping
his personal conduct standards high and demanding that players pay the price
for committing crimes and embarrassing themselves and the team. Not that
University of Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari has been known as a
law-and-order hard liner at any of his various coaching stops, but hearing that
UK senior forward Derek Willis won't miss any game time despite his June arrest
for public intoxication is still a bit of a letdown, even for Calipari. The
fact of the case are simply this: A Boone County deputy arrested Willis in
Union on June 11 after finding him asleep and lying outside the open driver's
side door of a car, reeking of alcohol and with slurred speech when awakened.
Willis was arrested for a first and second offense and released after posting
$50 bond, but even after all of that, Calipari announced this week that Willis
won't be suspended, not even for a meaningless game in November against
Northwest Southeastern Texas State A&M, for his misdeeds. It’s not as if
Willis is one of Calipari’s typical five-star recruits, having averaged career
bests of just 7.7 points and 4.4 rebounds last season, but the controversial
coach says the scrutiny that followed the arrest illustrates his point to
players that "being here, you can't talk your way out of it." He
refused to disclose what disciplinary steps were taken against Willis, but
given that all of this took place and has apparently been resolved over the
summer and during the offseason, the sanctions can't have been all that severe.
Hopefully Willis remembers this valuable lesson next time he’s six beers deep
into his night out on the town…….
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