The NBA History: The 1979-80 NBA Season: That Magic Season

Source:The NBA History- Earvin Johnson, being Magical against the Philadelphia 76ers, in the 1980 NBA Finals.

Source:The Daily Review 

"The 1980 Payoffs and Championship series." 

From The NBA History

Pre-1980 the Los Angeles Lakers hadn’t even been to the NBA Finals since their last NBA Championship in 1972. They got to the Western Conference Finals, but lost to the Seattle Sonics. As great as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was who is the greatest center of all-time if not the greatest player of all-time, the Lakers needed another great player to complement Kareem. Jamal Wilkes, was a very good player and even an all-star caliber player, but he wasn’t a great dominant franchise player.

And that is what General Manager Jerry West and the Lakers went after during the 1979 offseason after again being eliminated by the Sonics. That other great player that would complement Kareem and make the Lakers champions again.

Not sure how the Lakers who were 47-35 and had the fifth best record in the Western Conference in 1979 were able to get the number one draft pick in 1979, but that is how they got that great franchise caliber player who could complement Kareem.

Drafting Magic Johnson in 1979 was like making a trade for a great franchise player whose in the prime of his career, but perhaps now stuck playing for bad teams. Or making a great free agent signing of the best player in the game that puts you on top for winning the championship. Magic didn’t revitalize, or rebuild the Lakers. What he did was go to an already a pretty good team that was already a Western Conference contender and made them an NBA Championship caliber team.

So when the Lakers met the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA Finals it was a Finals between two very good if not great teams. The Lakers had Kareem, Magic, Jamal Wilkes and a whole host of great role players like Michael Cooper and Jim Chones.

The 76ers had Julius Erving, arguably the best all around player in the game at this point. But they didn’t have a great big man, or even an all-star big man who could deal with Kareem and make Kareem work on defense and keep him honest,

Darryl Dawkins was a great talent and at times a very good player, but not very consistent. Caldwell Jones was a very good defensive big man and rebounder, but an occasional scorer. Which left the 76ers with Dr. J and a whole host of role players, going up against a team that had perhaps the two best players in the league, at least in the NBA Finals in Kareem and Magic. 

Liberty Pen: Firing Line With William F. Buckley: Ronald Reagan On State's Rights (1967)

Source:Liberty Pen- Governor Ronald W. Reagan W. California.

Source:The New Democrat

What Bill Buckley and then Governor Ronald Reagan of California were talking about here in 1967 was the growth of the Federal Government from the Great Society and other programs and how that growth impacts the state’s. Bill Buckley and Governor Reagan, making the argument that if government does more and taxes more it would leave fewer resources and less things for the state’s to do. Since the Federal Government gets a piece out of every tax base in every state and each state has to operate out of available funds in their own state that the Feds also has access to. Which I believe is fair argument about the Great Society and goes to who should be running all of these social welfare programs. The Feds’s, or the state’s.

I don’t think anyone would design the New Deal and Great Society today the way they were designed back in the 1930s and 1960s. Today’s so-called Progressives, would have expanded those programs. Today’s Conservatives, Conservative Libertarians really, would have decentralized those programs have the state’s be responsible for running them in their own state’s. Today’s Liberals, such as myself would have designed those programs to empower people in need to get on their own feet. Things like education, job training, even encouraging disabled people to work as much as they can, encouraging economic development in low-income communities. And I even like the idea as a Liberal Federalist myself of having the state’s run these social welfare programs. Provided that the money for those programs is used the way its intended.

The Book Archive: Booknotes With Brian Lamb: Leonard Garment On Crazy Rhythm (1997)

Source:The Book Archive- Former White House counselor Leonard Garment.

Source:The New Democrat

Len Garment was a friend and law partner of Richard Nixon in the mid and late 1960s and then went on to work in President Nixon's White House in 1969 and the early 1970s. I believe he left after President Nixon resigned in 1974. He knew Dick Nixon about as anyone could, or Nixon would allow for someone else to know him. Garment was one of the few people outside of his wife Pat that he actually trusted and liked very much. Garment, was certainly smart enough to know that President Nixon was guilty of the things that he was going to be impeached for by the House, at least the obstruction of justice and coverup, but was one of Nixon's strongest defenders as the accomplished lawyer that he was at least through the late 1990s.

I believe if you were in the type of trouble that Dick Nixon was in the early and mid 1970s and of by the way you also just happen to be President of the United States, you might want Len Garment defending you. Because he'll know your case and story better than you do, or at least give you than impression and go out of his way to defend you and even spin your story the best way that it can be. Americans tend to bash lawyers especially defense attorney's until they actually need one and Garment falls into that category. Len Garment, is one of the biggest fans of Dick Nixon. He respected and liked the man a lot. He loved Nixon's intelligence, memory, energy, ability to see things happening in the future, foresight.

Aaron Schwartz: Danny Schwartz & Alison Martino- Rita Hayworth: Mysteries & Scandals

Source:The Daily Review- Not sure who's wedding this is, but it's not The Love Goddess Rita Hayworth.

Source:The Daily Review 

"Rita Hayworth Mysteries & Scandals Produced by Danny Schwartz & Alison Martino." Originally from Alison Martino, but this video has since been deleted or blocked on YouTube. 

"We start off learning about her strange relationship with her father before moving on to her break in Hollywood. From here we learn about the various negative things including her affairs and four marriages. From here we learn about various abuses, which led the actress to the bottle and eventually a major health issue. If you're a fan of the series then you'll certainly find enough drama here for two episodes. Those interviewed do a very good job explaining people about Hayworth's rise to fame and the various things that caused her to be a controversial figure." 

Source:IMDB- The Love Goddess Rita Hayworth.

From IMDB 

Source:Daniel Schwartz- The Love Goddess Rita Hayworth.

From Daniel Schwartz

Source:The Daily Review- The Love Goddess Rita Hayworth.

If you are familiar with the classic movie channels like Get-TV and Movies, which is an actual name of a movie channel, you’re probably pretty familiar with Rita Hayworth. Because they play her movies practically everyday between both channels. Turner Classic Movies and FOX Movie Channel, plays her movies from time to time as well.

Rita, is still one of the most popular actress’s and Hollywood goddess’ of all-time. I imagine her photos kept soldiers going during World War II. Thinking if they make it back from that war they might get to meet her. She was World War II’s favorite pin-up girl at least on the American side.

A couple actress’s as far as how they worked and lived that you could compare with Rita would be Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield. Who when they were hot were two of the biggest starlets in Hollywood. But also had very complicated and chaotic personal lives. The problem with that is Rita had a long great career. Marilyn and Jayne died at the ages of 36 and 34 respectfully.

Perhaps the best and closest comparison as far as the type of personal life that they lived and the impact that they both made on Hollywood would be Lana Turner. Who drank too much, dated mobsters and could be very unpredictable. But when they were on their game they were both great actress’s.

Rita Hayworth physically reminds me of Raquel Welch. And not just because they’re both red-head, both of Spanish descent, gorgeous, well-built and really cute, but they could entertain. They were also both great entertainers who could act, sing and dance and humor people and in Raquel’s case still doing all of those things.

Rita, wasn’t a flash in the pan, or what could have been if only she did more of this, or that, or took care of herself, or what have you. Here was an actress who came out in the early 1940s and was still a star in the 1970s. Despite all the personal issues she had when she was not working and perhaps even when she was working. And that is really how she should be remembered. As one of the top Hollywood Goddess’s and actress’s of all-time. 

Keith Hughes: 'The Balanced Budget Amendment Explained'

Source:Keith Hughes- on the Balanced Budget Amendment.

Source:The New Democrat

"Whether you think the balanced budget amendment is the best thing since sliced bread or the embodiment of Lucifer or you have no idea what the heck it, we'll give you the basics!" 

From Keith Hughes

On its face, I guess the Balanced Budget Amendment sounds like a good thing. The problems are several and not just the impracticality of it, that it would take two-thirds of both the House and Senate to pass it and then if Congress were to pass it then you’re looking at thirty-four states having to approve if it as well. 

But then there’s also the economic problems with a BBA. When the economy is slow, you don’t want to cut infrastructure and Unemployment Insurance. If anything you want to invest more in those programs to put people back to work and help people get back to work faster. When the economy is doing well, that is when you want to keep your deficit and debt down. So when the economy slows down it doesn’t have a high debt and deficit to go with it as well.

One easy thing to get our debt and deficit under control would simply to have a Federal PAYGO law. Pay as you go and under that Congress wouldn’t be able to invest more in, or create a new program anywhere in the government without paying for it through either taxes, fees, or cutting other spending to pay for it. And Congress wouldn’t be allowed to cut taxes without paying for that loss in revenue to government as well. 

You could also do things like not allowing for government to grow faster than the economy when the economy is growing and when you have a large workforce. Reforming the government and budget and having Washington do less and using public assistance to put people to work and become economically independent.

What we really should be doing is start with, “shall do no further harm.” Don’t add to the current debt and deficit by creating higher deficits. And that is where PAYGO comes in. 

And then go from there like having fewer people in poverty and on public assistance with a stronger economy that is producing not just more jobs, but more good jobs where people don’t also have to have public assistance to support themselves at all. 

We could also use public assistance to again not just support people in the short-term and put them to work, but to put them to work working good jobs. So they don’t need things like public assistance to support themselves at all. And that gets to things like more education and job training for non-working low-skilled adults and for unemployed workers who need additional skills to get a good job.

All Things Film: Goodfellas: The Making Of A Classic

Source:All Things Film- actor Paul Servino.

Source:The Daily Review

If you ask the people who were actually part of these Italian crime families in New York in the 1960s and 1970s when Goodfellas takes place, they’ll tell you watching this movie is like watching their lives take place on the big screen. Henry Hill, who was played by Ray Liotta, who a lot of this movie is based on and Henry’s life, would tell you this movie is a true story. And what I would add to that is that it’s a true comedy, or at the very least a true dramatic comedy. Because this is not just perhaps the best Italian Mafia movie of all-time, but I believe also one of the funniest movies of all-time.

I talked a lot about this about the piece about Joe Pesci with David Letterman. But a lot of the humor in this movie is improvisational. Here is this very true story about some really bad people who have all killed a lot of people in their lives. Most of those people being bad people, but still guilty of a lot of murders, but a lot of these characters live such crazy lives and do a lot of dangerous things. And I believe humor is a way that these real-life characters use to get through each day and simply survive. Otherwise they might go crazy always worrying about if your best friend just poisoned your drink, or food trying to whack you, or something. Or is this the day the FBI puts you way, or whatever the case.

And I think Martin Scorsese and his crew meaning his cast especially Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta, who are all great improvisational comedic actors to begin with all saw about the characters that they’re playing. And decide to play their characters as if they’re playing wise assess as well as wise guys and played them like they’re crazy and hysterically funny. If you listen to Ray Liotta narrate the movie, there is one dry joke after another in how he narrates the movie. Like the way he talks about how you cut up a dead body and does it in such a casual way. And to be honest with you I’m not sure if Bob De Niro and Joe Pesci especially when they’re together, are capable of playing a character in a completely straight way. They’re humor always comes out.

Goodfellas, is about the crazy and at times at least the hysterically funny lives of people who work in and out of the Italian Mafia in New York in the 1970s. And even though it is a true story and a dramatic story, it’s still one of the funniest movies ever. And I believe the funniest Mafia movie of all-time. Just because of the characters that these actors play and the actors who play them. Who are all great improvisational comedic actors. And then you throw in the great soundtrack with Eric Clapton, Tony Bennet, Johnny Mathis, The Crystals and many others and you’re talking about really I believe the perfect dramatic comedy movie.

The Late Show With David Letterman: Joe Pesci Talking About Goodfellas (1994)

Source:My Talk Show Heroes- Joe & Dave: Two All-American Guys.

Source:The Daily Review

"JOE PESCI - `GOODFELLAS`: Letterman 1994."

From My Talk Show Heroes

Here you have a Hall of Fame comedy duo here in David Letterman. One of I believe the top five or so best late night talk show hosts of all-time and a hell of a standup comedian as well. And Joe Pesci, whose one of the best improvisational actors of all-time. Who can make serious characters look like comedians and make the funniest people you'll ever see seem even funnier. Because again like Al Pacino and Robert De Niro to use as examples, he's not only a great improvisational actor, but he has a great sense of humor as well. A great comedian who perhaps has never done standup comedy in his entire career other than giving awards speeches.

Dave and Joe, are talking about Goodfellas here. Which is one of my top 2 Italian Mafia movies of all-time. I go back and forth between Goodfellas and Casino. Donnie Brasco, is also one of my favorites. But Goodfellas is a movie that is not just based on a true story and about Italian mob families in New York, but if you talk to the real-life characters that these actors played, like Henry Hill the character that Ray Liotta played they would tell you that Goodfellas is a true story. And it was like seeing themselves in real-life in that movie. Joe Pesci, played mobster Tommy DeVito and he probably has the funniest part in that movie.

Joe Pesci, like Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson, Cary Grant, Burt Reynolds, are actors/comedians that don't need scripts. At least to be funny they can turn their character into themselves and you tell them who the character is and what they're doing in the movie and they'll not only play it, but add their own flavor to the role and especially add a lot of their humor to the role. They can make simple lines and scenes look hysterical. De Niro, with his facial expressions and the way he delivers lines and perhaps adds his own material. Pesci, by taking a crazy, or funnier character and making that person look like the funniest and craziest person in the world.