Two polarized views of the past week's violence.

First, the conservative whitesplaining view, as seen on Facebook (name of poster redacted):
Are you aware more blacks are murdered by other blacks than cops. The blacks that are shot by cops are not the average upstanding good citizens. Quit demonizing cops and causing a division. You should support cops! "Black lives matter" is a racist hate group! Criminals and racists are who you are supporting. There are good and bad in all colors. The black hate groups that you support are not doing the good blacks a favor. Stop painting everyone with a broad brush...THAT's being racist!

Second, the following post from Instagram (name of poster also redacted): 

The Robert De Niro poll.

Recently on Twitter, I ran a poll with regards to Robert De Niro's determination to keep working regardless of the project's quality (except when he works for David O. Russell).

The responses were minimal, but here's a link to the poll:
https://twitter.com/TVMCCA/status/748601184265469952

No unambiguity allowed.

G. Murray Thomas (ex-NEXT magazine creator and Long Beach/OC icon) in his current Poetix.net review column:
In my opinion, all poetry (all art, in fact) needs to be open to interpretation. That is how we bring our own experiences to the poetry, and engage with it emotionally as well as intellectually. 

Between a Brexit and a Trump/Clinton place.

Something I wrote earlier on Facebook:
Yesterday's positivity over Democrats standing up for passing gun legislation in the House replaced tonight by the British far right deploying fear and hate to remove the UK from the European Union.

So, as the United Kingdom tilts further right, the pound drops in value and immigrants (this time, refugees) are once again damned, one wonders if many in the United States will read the gigantic writing on the wall.

As an American, I deeply resent being herded into the usual "lesser of two evils" position where the choice is between a blustering billionaire spewing geysers of prejudice and "he's not a politician" fakery to the general public AND the ethically-challenged conservative Democrat who loves regime change war (just like Bush Jr. and neocons) and counts on other incremental centrists/captains of Industry to vote in lockstep after a primary campaign where the old-school liberal challenger suffered at least 57 varieties of demonization in the primaries.

Of course, if one opts out for third party choices (the leave-business-alone Libertarian buffoon Gary Johnson and the more-sane-than-Johnson Dr. Jill Stein), there's the possibility of post-November centrist Democrat pea soup getting whirled in all directions.

(Remember the 2000-era moaning where Ralph Nader was largely blamed for Al Gore's flaccid campaign and the Supreme Court's thievery?)

Looking forward to buying a NOT SORRY I VOTED FOR BERNIE bumpersticker, if such items are sold.

Best Films of the 21st Century so far.

Repeating and expanding on recent Twitter posts:

20 Live-Action Films: THE MASTER/THERE WILL BE BLOOD/BEASTS OF NO NATION/THE DARK KNIGHT/12 YEARS A SLAVE/THE HURT LOCKER/LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA/BOYHOOD/GHOST WORLD/SUPERBAD/THE RAID/MOONRISE KINGDOM/INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS/NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN/THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY/THE SQUID AND THE WHALE/YOUNG ADULT/MONSTER/THE KID WITH A BIKE/CAROL

12 Documenraries: AMY/THE HOUSE I LIVE IN/GOING CLEAR/THE FOG OF WAR/TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE/FAHRENHEIT 9/11/NO DIRECTION HOME: BOB DYLAN/HAPPY VALLEY/CITIZENFOUR/THE UNKNOWN KNOWN/GASLAND/CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS

12 Animated Features: WALL-E/UP/TOY STORY 3/INSIDE OUT/FINDING NEMO/FRANKENWEENIE/CORALINE/WRECK-IT RALPH/HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON/PERSEPOLIS/THE LEGO MOVIE/RANGO

The Carl Wilson playlist--Beach Boys and solo.

1. God Only Knows
2. I Was Made To Love Her
3. Darlin'
4. Feel Flows
5  Long Promised Road\
6. Marcella
7. Angel Come Home
8. Good Timin'
9. Full Sail
10. Goin' South
11. Livin' With A Heartache
12. Young Blood
13. Rockin' All Over The World
14. Where I Belong
15. Soul Searchin' (w/Brian Wilson)
16. This Whole World
17. Our Sweet Love

Another poetry litmus test.

Someone I know and respect (though he walks a different artistic path than I do) put up a list of poets' names on Facebook.

I didn't see the list, since he took it down after rancor and arguments occurred.

But I'll share with you, the reader, a comment by an Influential Figure (poet, teacher, occasional festival organizer) without further comment:

And I spoke to the difficulty of lists -- inevitably many deserving people are omitted. I don't think Los Angeles' seasoned, accomplished poets would be bitter and jealous -- only dilettantes and frustrated amateurs respond that way.

Ben Folds: The Solo Years playlist.

1. There's Always Someone Cooler Than You (Sunny 16 version)
2. Annie Waits
3. Zak and Sara
4. Rocking The Suburbs
5. Still Fighting It
6. The Ascent Of Stan
7. Not The Same
8. Yours To Thank
9. Jesusland
10. Landed
11. Effington
12. Hiroshima (B-B-B-Benny Hit His Head)
13. Dr. Yang
14. The Frown Song
15. You Don't Know Me (w/Regina Spektor)
16. From Above
17. Capable Of Anything
18. Phone In A Pool
19. Army (Ben Folds Live version)
20. The Luckiest