THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING- The vile creature who inhabits the Oval Office is opining that he can pardon himself of his crimes.   If that were true, Nixon would have figured it out, wouldn’t he have? Tricky Dick was a statesman compared to the belligerent ignoramus elected by malcontent voters in 2016. This thug is isolating us from our allies, has no interest in governing, only in self-aggrandizement, lies incessantly about all matters great and small, shows more loyalty to Russia and China than to the US, vilifies loyal civil servants while sheltering abominations like Scott Pruitt, and his judicial appointments have largely been rejected as completely unqualified,  like most of his cabinet.  As ignorant as he is, his greater sin is arrogance and contempt of government in general.  I haven’t even mentioned his flagrant racism which causes him to treat the Puerto Ricans as if they are subhiman. t the  Most monstrously, he is separating  thousands of children from their parents while piously claiming  to be a champion of family values. Now the Great Negotiator,  who runs for cover whenever he is confronted with REAL negotiations, (remember the Obamacare debate?) is headed for Singapore, where he will again make a fool of himself. I don’t blame Melania for going into hiding. I’d be ashamed, too.

IT’S ELECTION DAY and I assume that you,  like all intelligent voters, have voted by mail. It’s been so long since I showed up at a precinct I wouldn’t know how to act. I have often repeated my mantra that NO ONE SHOULD GET MORE THAN TWO TERMS.  right now I’d put my money on Madrone  but in the 4th District, the Democrats have stupidly run two good candidates.  We’ll have to do better than that, won’t we?

TOM WOLFE and PHILIP ROTH-   two masters of literature died in the past few days and both were brilliant at depicting How We Live Now.  I had his Tangerine Flake etc book n that big paperback edition and I wish i still had it. My favorite Phillip Roth moment (can’t recall which book it was) was his taking  in his parents to a fancy New York restaurant and his father tells the waiter,  “Bring me a piece of fish. And make sure it’s hot”.  Sounds like my family.

TOO MUCH MEXICAN?  The City of Eureka  is oversupplied with Mexican restaurants. The Tres Chiles whatever that replaced the Marie Callendars has already been shut down briefly  by the health inspectors, is too expensive for Eureka, and had an empty parking lot when I went by during the afternoon.  They’re apparently trying to be a Mexican dinner house,  for which there’s not much demand locally.  For folks here, “casual” means “cheap” or should.  There are a few such places in SF.  Anyone remember the La Barca Room on Lombard? They were there for fifty years, closed down in 2012.  Eureka needs a Korean place,  a Greek place, and how about a REAL deli that corns its own beef?  When Tres Chiles bites the dust, who will replace them? I MISS Marie Callendars.  I never ate in the restaurant but I used to buy their quiches all the time.