samhexum

The constipation issues have returned somewhat.

Earl Holliman has died at the tender age of 96.

Former world tennis No. 3 Juan Martin del Potro has detailed the heartbreaking toll injuries are taking on his day-to-day life. The 36-year-old played his last professional match in February 2022 after years of battling to overcome debilitating knee injuries. The Argentine ace fractured his right kneecap during the 2018 Shanghai Masters and while he made a successful return, he injured his knee again during the 2019 Queen’s Club Championships after slipping on the grass. The 2009 US Open champion took to social media to share the “never-ending” nightmare he’s forced to endure daily after undergoing eight surgeries. “Nobody knew this, but the day after I played my last match against [Federico] Delbonis (in 2022), I took a flight to Switzerland and I had my fifth knee surgery,” Del Potro said. “Since that, I never made my surgeries public again as I found some peace in the press conference before that match against Federico, telling it would probably be my last match. People stopped asking me constantly when I would comeback and play again. I did all this process secretly and if it worked I would announce that I would come back. “I was in Switzerland for two months in a village close to Basel trying to rehabilitate and it didn’t work. After two-and-a-half months, I had my sixth surgery. I went back to the USA. More rehab, over 100 injections everywhere. Infiltrations … daily suffering. It’s been my life since that match vs. Federico. “When I had my first surgery in June (2019), the doctor told me I would play in three months. I even signed in for three indoor tournaments at the end of the year. “After that first surgery until today, I’ve never been able to go up a set of stairs without pain. It hurts many times when I try to sleep, when I turn on my side, or when I wake up because I get these sharp pains. It’s like a never-ending nightmare that I’m trying daily to find solutions and alternatives for, but I can’t find them. “It all started with that first surgery … every time I think about it, it stirs up so much bad emotion; it makes me really angry, very frustrated, but I can’t change it. My daily life isn’t what I would like it to be. I can’t play (soccer), I can’t play Padel. It’s terrible. They took me the chance to do what I loved the most, which was to play tennis. “It’s very tough. There are moments where I have no more strength. I’m not indestructible. I have good things, bad things, but most of the times I have to fake it and put a good face, but many times I feel terrible. “Every day when I wake up I have to take six or seven pills. Gastric protectors, anti-inflammatories, one for anxiety. Then the pills made me gain weight so they told me to stop eating some things. “One thing are the (obstacles) that can appear in your way, like the injuries that can affect all athletes, but the other thing is the emotional pain. I felt so powerful when facing those obstacles, but after all I understood that I’m not that strong. That knee beat me. “I had eight surgeries, with doctors all around the world. Every time they gave me the anesthetic, I hoped that the problem would be solved and after two to three months, I was always calling the doctors to tell them that the surgery didn’t work. “There are doctors that tell me that I can put a prosthesis so I can regain some life quality. But others tell my that I’m too young for a prosthesis. They tell me to wait until I’m 50. “But since I was 31, I can’t run, I can’t climb stairs, can’t kick a ball, never played tennis again. I need to wait 15 years more of this? It’s terrible. I hope this will finish someday, because I want to live my life without pain.” Del Potro’s heartbreaking reveal quickly spread across the internet. Journalist Jose Morgado wrote on X: “Juan Martin del Potro on Instagram telling the story of how his career had to end way earlier than he deserved. Strong and emotional. Tough not to cry.” Tennis TV’s Bastien Fachan wrote: “Juan Martin del Potro once had the world on a string. He’d just become the first man to beat (Federer and Nadal) in the same Grand Slam. He was a first-time champion at 20. His tennis dreams long gone, he now wakes up in pain every day and is considering prosthesis surgery. Man, how unfair.” Del Potro is now preparing to return to the court to take on friend and former rival Novak Djokovic in a farewell exhibition match in Buenos Aires on Dec. 1. “I started my diet, I’m losing weight, I’m training. I want to arrive at that match in the best shape possible. It’s a match to say goodbye,” he said. “Djokovic was very generous in accepting my invitation. I want to give him all the love possible. If at least for one, two or three hours I can be at peace and happy on a tennis court, it will be beautiful.”

NASA discovers underground ‘city’ beneath ice sheet in Greenland What’s old is new again. NASA scientists discovered an underground “city” buried 100 feet beneath the ice of Greenland.

Dodgers, Blake Snell Agree To Five-Year Deal. They'll be able to keep their payroll low because Sasaki will be so cheap for six years. And the enormous revenue they get from advertising in Japan from having both Sasaki and Yamamoto, as well as Ohtani, will allow them to then resign Teoscar Hernandez and add Corbin Burnes. And still have a lower payroll than the 3rd Place Yankees will have next year. Jeff Passan said it came down to the Dodgers and Red Sox. As it should for Soto, if he actually gave a damn about going to the team that gave him the best chance to consistently win for the next decade.

The networks have now all gone on hiatus so it’s time to impart some of my genius commentary. ABC has now fully and annoyingly embraced the cable model with its Thursday night lineup. They began with eight episodes in nine weeks, now they are taking 15 weeks off and not coming back until the beginning of March, at which point they will have 10 consecutive episodes to close out the season. If they keep the same schedule next year that means it’ll be 18 weeks off in the summer until they start up again in the fall. At least that’s still more episodes and shorter breaks between halves of seasons than cable/streaming shows tend to do. A couple of old war horses are having good seasons… Grey’s Anatomy has gotten a new show runner in season 21 and it has helped. Eammon Walker left Chicago Fire after 12 seasons and Dermot Mulroney has been an excellent replacement as the new fire captain; his character has brought a new dynamic, and it has helped the show have a strong season so far. Ghosts keeps rolling along; a couple of weeks ago they had my new favorite episode and 55 episodes in it is still delightful. We know how every ghost but one died and we know the ghost power that each has, except for one. I am enjoying Matlock and Elsbeth, so the CBS Thursday lineup is enjoyable for me. Law & Order and SVU have been nothing special, although the last SVU before the break was terrific, with a stand out performance by Peter Scanavino. The FBI’s keep plugging along; nothing outstanding, but highly watchable. As for streaming and cable, Hacks had a terrific season, somebody somewhere is having a terrific final season and I’m going to miss it, I haven’t started only murders in the building yet, evil’s final season was terrific and I’m going to miss it, and… Last year I saw a couple of complimentary headlines about a show called Colin from Accounts, but a cursory look told me that it was an Australian romcom about a heterosexual couple, so I figured the subject matter didn’t really interest me and since it was Australian I wouldn’t know anyone in it, so I didn’t bother. I saw more complimentary headlines for season two but had the same reaction. Then I saw a preview on Paramount+ and I said “oh I do know somebody in it." Apparently, Andy, the husband from Evil, is Australian. I didn’t know that, although I did know that Kristen, his wife on the show, was Dutch. Anyhoo… I find him attractive, though nothing all that special, so I figured I’d give it a shot. I watched season one in one night and season two in two. It has two 8 episode seasons, with half hour episodes. It was created by and stars him and his wife, who is about 12 years younger than he is. They alternate writing the episodes and a woman with her last name has directed a few of the episodes so I assume that’s her sister. It’s a quirky, offbeat show that doesn’t have big themes or plot lines as it just meanders along as their relationship slowly evolves and grows. The series starts off with the most adorable meet cute… As she is crossing the street, she flashes her boob at him as he is making a turn, and he is distracted and hits a stray dog, whose back legs are paralyzed, and AU$12,000 later they have to collaborate on taking care of him, all of which happens in the first five minutes, so I’m not giving anything away. And they name the dog Colin from Accounts. applause.wav Baby, you're incredible.wav excellent.wav Thank you, precious!.wav That's the way I like it.wav toodle-oo.wav

My thoughts on where Soto winds up if he's really interested in winning consistently, taking into account teams' current rosters, and farm systems: One. Dodgers. Two. Red Sox. Three. Phillies. Four. Yankees. Five. Mets. My thoughts on where Soto winds up, considering all that is really going to matter to him: One. Mets. Two. Mets. Three. Mets. Four.Mets. Five.Mets. Six. Mets. Seven. Mets. Eight. Mets. Nine. Mets. Ten. Mets.

Her sister was reading the news on 1010 WINS as I drove to my appointment today.

Christina Haack (formerly Hall) is reminiscing about the fun she's had in the last few weeks. The Christina on the Coast star, 41, shared a series of photos on Instagram on Sunday, Nov. 24, including one of her sipping on a glass of champagne as she lounges poolside in a black bikini. In another shot, the HGTV host dons a gold swimsuit while she poses with friends. A third shows her smiling on the beach as her hair blows in the wind. The snaps appear to be from a recent birthday trip for her former neighbor in the last house she lived in with Tarek "great friend," luxury car salesman Jared Merrell who has a pretty wife & four sons he is very active with athletically Anyone want a piece of my cake? Thank you to everyone that reached out text and post for my bday!!

P.S. 174 in Rego Park launches GoFundMe to reinstate popular chess program for students

You and he can make small talk about how much his mommy enjoyed appearing as Nurse Spray in the 1965 AVENGERS episode The Gravediggers. Nurse Spray, Dr. Marlowe, John Steed Dr . Johnson, Nurse Spray, Emma Peel Nurse Spray Going Out on Town, Emma Peel you're welcome!

He may not even remember his stint as a major league pitcher a couple of years ago... (in all fairness, it didn't go so well) Jason Alexander Position: Pitcher Bats: Right • Throws: Right Season Age Team Lg WAR W L W-L% ERA G GS GF CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO HBP BK WP BF ERA+ FIP WHIP H9 HR9 BB9 SO9 SO/BB Awards 2022 29 MIL NL -0.8 2 3 .400 5.40 18 11 3 0 0 0 71.2 88 47 43 12 28 0 46 4 0 1 321 75 5.34 1.619 11.1 1.5 3.5 5.8 1.64

would you expect any less of me? I beg to differ... oh, please, please let me differ... most people know him as the voice of DUCKMAN or as one of the (unpictured) co-stars of that legendary CBS show ER you know... ER... the show George Clooney appeared in... okay... HERE he is in the role he's most associated with...

tale as old as time... Vanessa Estelle Williams, sometimes professionally credited as Vanessa E. Williams, is an American actress and producer. Williams later went to acting in films and television, In the area of acting, she ran into name conflict with singer/actress and former Miss America Vanessa Williams (also born 1963). Screen Actors Guild rules prohibited duplicate stage naming. Vanessa Estelle had registered the name "Vanessa Williams" first, so as a compromise, the former Miss America was occasionally credited as "Vanessa L. Williams" in acting credits. To compound the confusion, both actresses starred in versions of the drama Soul Food (Vanessa L. Williams in the film version, and Vanessa E. Williams in its TV series adaptation). The Screen Actors Guild eventually took the issue to arbitration and decided both actresses could use the professional name "Vanessa Williams". but only one is ever thought of when people hear the name. actor Michael Fox (somebody had to add a J because of him) It's hard to imagine saying Mary Tyler Moore's name any other way. It has been so ingrained into our culture that you can't help but almost sing her name when discussing her career, or her books, or her many awards and recognitions. Her name is one that will live on in history. What goes into making such a name for oneself? In 2012, Moore was honored with a Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement award. During the acceptance speech, Moore shared a touching story about her start in the industry. As we all know, Moore made her first appearance on television as Happy Hotpoint, the tiny dancing elf that sold Hotpoint appliances in TV commercials. Prior to landing this job, Moore had to figure out how to introduce herself in the industry. This meant filing her name with SAG in the hopes of being accepted into their ranks, not an easy feat for someone new to the biz. "In 1955, I was 18 years old, determined to make my father proud, and prove to the sisters at Immaculate Heart High School that I would indeed amount to something," Moore shared with an enraptured audience. "So, I sought out the Screen Actors Guild in hopes of becoming a member, but there was a small problem; it seems there were six other Mary Moores on the SAG pages." This is when she received her first critique. "Word came back: 'Wanna work in the business? Change your name, sweetheart.' Change my name? Come on, no. I’m Mary. Mary Moore. Everybody is going to know my name. I can’t change my name," she continued. Besides, what would my father say? I mean, it’s his name, too." Moore reflected on her father's name – George Tyler Moore. "[T]hen it hit me," she mused. "'Tyler' was my name too. I was Mary Tyler Moore. I spoke it out loud. 'Mary Tyler Moore' sounded right, so I wrote it down on the form, and it looked right. It was right." At the time, Moore simply wanted to get her SAG application accepted. Little did she know that it would become one of the most well-recognized names in television.

Just watched an interview Bridget Everett did recently. Her dad and brother were both the mayor of Manhattan, Kansas at one point. Her brother Brad watches the show; her character is NOT his favorite, but she didn't say who is. Added later... I am watching another interview and she said her brother's favorite character is Joel, so when Joel was given a love interest in season 2, they named him Brad. Another piece of trivia... she and the actress who plays her sister were roommates in real life for a couple of years.

He's been happily remarried for several years.

Sports personality/blogger Keith Law's take: Writer/director Sean Baker has carved out a niche for himself with stories about sex workers that rely on a small number of well-developed characters and a strong element of time and place. Anora is his biggest film to date, showing that his eye for character and mood translate well even when the stakes of the story are much higher. Anora is the given name of Ani (Mikey Madison), an exotic dancer at the club HQ in New York whose life is turned upside down when Vanya, the son of a Russian oligarch, shows up in the club, asking for a girl who speaks Russian and throwing around $100 bills. Vanya is 21, seldom sober, and living the high life, often literally, on his father’s ruble. He buys a week of Ani’s time, flies to Las Vegas with her and several friends, and then marries her at a Vegas chapel, complete with a 3-carat ring. The fun and games end when one of Vanya’s handlers tells him that Vanya’s parents are flying to the U.S. for force an annulment and bring the prodigal son back to Russia to join his father’s business, taking the film in a darkly comic direction that only further underscores how little agency Ani has in her own life. Ani is a flawed heroine, looking out for herself at every turn because it’s clear no one else would; she’s 23 and effectively on her own, living with her older sister, with a mother in Florida who appears to be absent from her life and no mention of any other family. Ani squabbles with her boss and some of the other dancers over mostly petty matters, but when she’s cornered, she’s vicious – often appropriately so – because she has so little to call her own. She lives a precarious existence, both in finances and in safety, as most sex workers do, a fact that is only underscored when Vanya’s handlers, including the amoral Orthodox priest Toros, show up and force her to help them find the fugitive Vanya in a mad and often funny chase across the city. When the resolution comes, Ani takes control in the only way left available to her, although in the end it becomes clear to her (and the audience) just how little she has. Each of Baker’s prior two films revolved around a strongly written character played extremely well, with a plot good enough to move the pieces along and get the character to the right conclusion. Ani is just as well-written as The Florida Project’s Mooney or Red Rocket’s Mikey, and Madison gives the best performance of the trio, but the story does suffer a little under the strain of the second half. The plot strains credulity at a few points to either increase Ani’s helplessness or to amp up the comedic aspects, although the courtroom scene – one of those less believable moments – did deliver some big laughs. Baker’s The Florida Project was my favorite film of 2017, and his follow-up Red Rocket made my top ten in 2021, but neither received the plaudits that Anora has so far. The film won the Palme d’Or at Cannes this year and is atop most of the Oscar prediction lists right now (although it’s still early days), while Madison appears to be a strong favorite to win Best Actress. I’ve seen just four of the Best Picture contenders, and this is easily the best, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if I see something better. It isn’t up to the level of The Florida Project, and is more ambitious than Red Rocket without the latter’s taut story. Madison, though, is a revelation – I’ve never seen her before, but other than her overdone Noo Yawk accent, she’s delivers the kind of performance that deserves all of the awards. The contrast between Madison’s tiny stature and Ani’s big, smart-assed, and foul-mouthed personality perfectly encapsulates the struggle the character faces as a woman in a misogynistic world, working in an even more misogynistic industry, trying to make a living in what may be the only way available to her. Anora lacks some of the stronger secondary characters who popped up in Baker’s previous two films as well, making this even more of a character study than either of them was. Mark Eydelshteyn plays Vanya as a Russian cosplaying as a louche Timothée Chalamet, and the character turns out to be disappointingly one-note and is usurped in the second half by the film’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of Garnick and Igor. Vanya’s parents, especially his mother, are caricatures. Even Toros, who contributes some humorous moments because of his desperation to get the marriage annulled before Vanya’s parents walk off the plane, literally leaving in the middle of a baptism to go find him, turns out to be just craven, nothing more. Which ultimately adds up to Anora being merely very, very good, when Baker has been transcendent before. Mikey Madison takes a great character and plays it to the hilt, keeping you on her side even when you don’t like or understand what she’s doing, in a performance that will probably see me actively rooting for her to win everything this winter. I wish the characters around her were more interesting and less idiotic.

Peter Scanavino is terrific tonight. I am watching live.

NYC School Construction Authority announces 700-seat annex to ease overcrowding at Forest Hills High School Do me a favor and let Simon and Garfunkel know about this... they would want to know. (I meant that to anyone, not just @BenjaminNicholas.)

I couldn't say it any better, @Charlie, so I won't try. I wish you comfort and peace of mind.

In a stunning move, the Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday overturned the convictions for former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett, finding that a special prosecutor’s decision to retry him violated his rights after the Cook County state’s attorney’s office previously dropped all charges against him. The high court’s decision turns another page in perhaps the most controversial and closely-watched low-level felony case in Illinois in recent years. “We are aware that this case has generated significant public interest and that many people were dissatisfied with the resolution of the original case and believed it to be unjust,” the opinion said. “Nevertheless, what would be more unjust than the resolution of any one criminal case would be a holding from this court that the State was not bound to honor agreements upon which people have detrimentally relied.” The court remanded the case to the trial court to enter a dismissal.

Jack in the Box — The restaurant chain tumbled 5.6% after revenue for the fiscal fourth quarter came in below expectations. I don't know the last time I even saw one.

FREE Voice Activated Butt Plug!

DEAR ABBY: I’ve been living with someone for four years. When we started living together, his son “Byron” was incarcerated. Byron is 33 and has been in trouble since he was 15. His dad keeps bailing him out. I used two of my credit cards to help raise the $11,000 bail to get him out of jail. In exchange, Byron agreed to put on a new roof for us and help around the house. Byron has completed none of the tasks that were asked of him, and his dad keeps helping him anyway. We had to pay Byron’s rent at the rehab so he wouldn’t be kicked out. This has created a rift between me and my boyfriend, who thinks I’m being selfish and greedy. Am I wrong for no longer wanting to help financially? We got along great until this happened. — DOING TIME, TOO, IN ALABAMA DEAR DOING TIME IDIOT: Byron is the person he is because his father has enabled him since he was a child. You are neither selfish nor greedy for refusing to give more money. Forgive me if this seems harsh, but unless you want to continue to be emotionally blackmailed by your boyfriend, get out now before you are drained financially. WAS IT YOUR CHILDHOOD DREAM TO BECOME A DOORMAT? IF SO, CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE SUCCEEDED! DEAR ABBY: I have no problem driving at night, but I prefer to stay home rather than go out. Truth be told, I don’t like to be out after 4 or 5 p.m. Yes, I miss a lot of social activities, but I don’t mind. The problem is friends and acquaintances who, when they find out I’m not going out at night, instantly offer to pick me up because they are kind and gracious. No matter how many times I explain that it’s not the driving, it’s that I prefer not to be out at night, it falls on deaf ears. I know I’m lucky to have sweet friends who volunteer to drive me, but I’m tired of explaining myself. Because I don’t want to insult anyone, can you suggest a polite way to turn these folks down? Nothing I’ve said so far has worked, including saying, “It’s not the driving. I don’t go out at night.” — HOMEBODY IN FLORIDA DEAR HOMEBODY: Perhaps you should state your message a little more emphatically by saying, “I don’t think you understand. It’s not the driving, it’s that I am uncomfortable going out after dark. Please don’t ask me again because my answer isn’t going to change AND I WILL SHOOT YOU IN THE FACE IF YOU DO". DEAR ABBY: My wife’s family has a history of breast cancer. She has had several MRIs and biopsies, which have caused a great deal of discomfort and stress. She is now going in for a lumpectomy. I’m beginning to think it may be better to have her breasts removed. I didn’t marry her boobs; I married the woman behind them. What do you think? — PROACTIVE IN CONNECTICUT DEAR PROACTIVE: I’m sure you love her, but I think you should support your wife emotionally and let this decision be something that’s decided between her and her doctors. KEEP YOUR #&@*ING MOUTH SHUT.

One person agreed with you; one person disagreed.