A woman at the Pool where I frolic in every day told me, “God sent Trump to save America.” Tim Alberta’s The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism (2023) explains why millions of evangelicals believe Trump is on a mission from God. And why Trump ran away with the Iowa Caucuses.

Tim Alberta, who is a journalist, a practicing Christian and the son of a Presbyterian pastor, tells how millions of Conservative Christians regard Trump as their defender against the Liberal Elites and the rising tide of multi-cultural diversity.

Other politicians have appealed to these evangelical voters. One of these is Lauren Boebert, a Republican from Colorado who tormented Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy. While addressing a congregation in the summer of 2022, Boebert said, “I tired of this ‘separation of church and state’ junk. The church is supposed to direct the government. The government is not supposed to direct the church.” (p. 253) This kind of message resonates with the evangelicals who hate the Government and its power.

The description of Jerry Falwell, Sr.’s strategy of training an army of evangelicals to battle Liberals and Democrats and Secular elites by founding Liberty University and shows how evangelicals have played the Long Game by entering into an unholy alliance between evangelical believers and right-wing nationalists to get into this position of power. They believe Trump was elected President in 2020 and they will go all out to make sure it happens for real in 2024. And, if this sounds like a religious crusade…you’d be right.

After winning the Iowa Caucuses, Trump looks like he’ll cruise to victory because 85% of the evangelicals will support him in the Primaries. GRADE: A

The Steelers vs. Bills game was moved to Monday due to a Lake Effect snowstorm that dumped three feet of snow on parts of Western NY. High winds whipped up the snow causing white-out conditions. The temperature at game-time is predicted to be 16 degrees–windchill temp 0 degrees.

The weather conditions will dictate a running game with just a few short passes. Punts, kickoffs, and field goals will be dicey. The Bills are favored by 10 points but the weather could change all of that.

The disappointing Philadelphia Eagles travel to Tampa Bay to face the surprising Buccaneers. The Eagles are favored by 3 points but Tampa Bay–given the upsets this Wild Card Weekend–might surprise them. Who do you think will win these games?

The Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Buffalo Bills game has been moved to Monday at 4 P.M on CBS because of the blizzard conditions in Western NY.

The Dallas Cowboys are undefeated at home for the past 15 games. I like Jordan Love and the Packers, but the Cowboys might hang 40+ points on them this afternoon. Dallas is favored by 7 points.

The surprising LA Rams arrive in Detroit to upset the Lions. The Lions haven’t played a Playoff game at home in 30 years. The Lions are favored by 3 points, but if the Rams QB, Matthew Stafford, is on his game then Lions QB Jared Goff will have to match him touchdown by touchdown.

Who do you think will win these Playoff games and advance to the next round?

I’ll be rooting for the Cleveland Browns over the Houston Texans. The Browns are 2 1/2 point favorites. In the late game, both the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins will be playing in frigid temperatures. The Chiefs are favorited by 4 1/2 points but the weather may change the Playoff conditions Big Time! Plus, Taylor Swift will be in attendance! Who do you think will win?

The G-String Murders is a 1941 detective novel written by the legendary American burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee. The novel has been published under the titles Lady of Burlesque and The Strip-Tease Murders. The setting is the “Old Opera” burlesque theater on 42nd Street. In this detective story, Gypsy Rose Lee investigates a set of homicides where strippers in Lee’s troupe are found strangled with their own G-strings. That qualified as Hot Stuff 82 years ago!

A witty and wisecracking Gypsy Rose Lee narrates a twisted tale of a backstage double murder. Lee provides a fascinating look behind the scenes of burlesque, richly populated by the likes of strippers Lolita LaVerne and Gee Gee Graham, comic Biff Brannigan, and Siggy the g-string salesman.

As the character intent on finding the murderer, Gypsy Rose Lee allows herself to be the “bait” that will reveal the identity of the killer. Gypsy Rose Lee also published a second mystery: Mother Finds a Body (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1942).

There have been claims made that the novel was written by mystery writer Craig Rice, but others have suggested that there is sufficient documented evidence in the form of manuscripts and correspondence to prove Lee wrote at least a large portion, if not the whole, of the novel under the tutelage of editor/friend George Davis with some essential guidance from her good friend Craig Rice.

In addition to her mystery novels, Gypsy Rose Lee was also in over a dozen movies and over a dozen TV shows. Her 1957 memoir was adapted into the 1959 stage musical Gypsy. She died in 1970 at the age of 59. Were you a fan of Gypsy Rose Lee?

Over the years, I’ve enjoyed the songs of Daryl Hall and John Oates. The rock critics at the time called their music “Blue-Eyed Soul.” There’s no doubt that many Hall & Oates songs have a soulful vibe. With Our Kind of Soul (2004), Hall & Oates present three original tracks and 14 covers of soul hits of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Clearly, they picked songs they really liked as the basis for their cover tracks.

Although this album is 20 years old, Hall & Oates sound great as they interpret these soul songs. Some are better than others. I enjoyed Hall’s version of “I’ll Be Around,” the old Spinners song. Maybe the best song on this CD is the Hall/Oates version of “Love TKO,” the classic Teddy Pendergrass hit. Also well done is “You Are Everything,” the Stylistics standard.

How many of these soul songs do you remember? Any favorites? GRADE: B

TRACK LIST:

Patricia Marx’s mother gave advice freely and in Why Don’t You Write My Eulogy Now So I Can Correct It? Marx collects her mother’s one-liners. “I don’t know who our ancestors were, but I don’t they they were any good.” (p. xii) Roz Chast provides some hilarious cartoons to illustrate Marx’s mother’s advice and observations.

Other examples: “Nature, if seen at all, is best seen from a car.” (p. 17) “If you are writing a novel, I’ll tell you what to do: Don’t make it boring.” (p. 37)

If you’re looking for a fun book with touching stories about Patricia Marx’s mother, Why Don’t You Write My Eulogy Now So I Can Correct It? will deliver some laughs and some heart-felt moments. GRADE: A

Matt Singer presents a detailed history of the various iterations of the movie review TV show where Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel debated film quality. The show started out on a Public Broadcasting Station in Chicago and later morphed into a national syndicated weekly program.

Matt Singer documents the hostility Siskel and Ebert had for each other over many years of working together. Both men were competitors: Ebert reviewed movies for the Chicago Sun-Times (winning a Pulitzer Prize in 1975) while Siskel was the film critic at the Chicago Tribune.

From the start, the Siskel and Ebert relationship was antagonistic. But, over time, the relationship mellowed. Of course, the money factor impacted Siskel and Ebert. Starting at earning a few hundred dollars per week at the local PBS station, the Siskel and Ebert show grew in popularity and secured multimillion-dollar contracts for a national syndicated series.

Sadly, the Siskel and Ebert partnership ended in 1999 when Gene Siskel died of brain cancer. Ebert died in 2013 after a long battle with salivary gland cancer, thyroid cancer, and cancer of the jawbone.

Despite their differences, both Siskel and Ebert loved movies and their movie review show–with its famous “Two Thumbs Up!”–helped to promote cinema and changed film criticism. Were you a fan of Siskel and Ebert? GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Introduction: Coming attractions — 1

Ebert before Siskel — 15

Siskel before Ebert — 35

Opening soon at a theater near you — 57

The first-take show — 79

Rompin’ stompin’ film criticism — 103

Two thumbs up — 127

Across the aisle — 147

Hooray for Hollywood –165

Get to the crosstalk — 185

The future of the movies — 201

The balcony is closed — 217

Ebert & Roeper & Lyons & Mankiewicz & Phillips & Scott & Lemire & Vishnevetsky — 233

Epilogue: Until next time, we’ll see you at the movies — 261

Appendix: Buried treasures that Siskel and Ebert loved — 277

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS — 297

NOTES — 301

PHOTO CREDITS — 331

INDEX — 333

This week started out with the Buffalo Bills 3-point favorites over the Miami Dolphins in a game for the AFC Division Championship. Now, Vegas has adjusted the point spread to make the Bills 2 1/2 point favorites. The Miami Dolphins have clinched a Playoff berth, but they would certainly want the home field Playoff game that comes with an AFC Division Championship. The Bills, on the other hand, don’t have a Playoff berth. Their best path to the Playoffs is to win this game and become AFC East Champs. Is your favorite NFL team in a Playoff race?