Skip to main content

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 7/30/23

3 Up

1. Sinead O'Connor - It came as quite a shocker, but celebrity deaths usually are. O'Connor was a culture game-changer. What struck me most as we look back on her life is the courage it took to go after the Catholic church and its sexual abuse during a time when that wasn't quite so easy. 

2. Kimberly Mata-Rubio - Speaking of courage, the story of Mata-Rubio is one that stayed with me this week. I can't imagine losing a child to gun violence in a town, then having that fortitude to run for mayor of the town. That is perseverance, courage, forgiveness, humility, emotional control, and so much strength, all in one. More power to Kemberly Mata-Rubio.

3. Katie Ledecky - Ledecky continues to be a swimming monster. The legend now owns the record for most Gold medals - sixteen! - at the World Championships. 

3 Down

1. Extreme Weather - Another summer week, more insane heat and extreme weather. It's really hard to refute climate change these days. 

2. Interest Rates - Soooooo, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to a 22-year high. No big deal. The economy is fine, right? Yeah?! We're good, all good here. 

3. Bronny James - It's a super scary story. Forget the celebrity involved, the idea of a young man suddenly going into cardiac arrest is a reminder of so many fragile things in this life. Good to know that the James family is doing well. I wish him well going forward. I think we ALL want to see him on the court this season. 

3 Interesting

1. UFO's and Aliens - Soooo...our government has a "non-human" body in its possession? Uhhhh, what? For the record, yeah, I do believe in Aliens. The universe is too big to think we're the only ones, no? 

2. Politics and Law - I'll keep my comments (or political leanings) out of this. However, it's a wild time in our history to see such an interest between our political leaders and the law. We were lead to believe in a school that President Nixon and Watergate were a huge deal, an anomaly of some sort. 

3. Twitter - Yeah, it's now "X". I've never seen the degrading of a brand by a new owner as much as Twitter has been under Elon Musk. 

Cover Photo

O’Connor performs at Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 16 March 1988

Paul Bergen/Redferns

Recently Read

Would You Rather: Questions 121-130

This edition of "Would You Rather" is credited to the NBA Would You Rather NBA Account on Instagram ( See Here ). Adding to the fun, this edition (and possibly future ones) are all NBA basketball questions.  121. Who would you rather have on your favorite NBA team - Giannis Antetokounpo or James Harden?  Seeing how I'm a lifelong suffering Knicks fan, the thought of any of these guys in blue and orange is hard to believe. With that said, I'm taking the Greek Freak for this reason - I enjoy watching him play a bit more. Nothing against Harden who is amazing as well, but at times, the ball sticks and that isn't always fun. Plus, I feel like we haven't yet seen a finished Giannis. 122. Would you rather have Giannis Antetokounpo with no driving ability or James Harden with no Three-Point shooting ability?  This is definitely a weird and unique one, but I'll take Harden. Giannis without his strength doesn't offer much. However, if Harden's d...

Dome Pondering Move Review: Say You Will (2017)

What is it about? A recent high school graduate cares for his mother while attempting to navigate his first relationship following his father's suicide.  Who is in it? Travis Tope - Sam Nimitz Katherine Hughes - Ellie Vaughn Favorite Scene: [spoiler alert] Sam plays his song for his mom. Favorite Quote: Ellie: "I wish we could have met down the road, maybe when we were like 27." Sam: "I think we needed each other now." Review:  Say You Will was an absolutely pleasant surprise of a watch from the Amazon Prime offerings.  I wasn't exactly sure what to expect with this one, but after the credits rolled, it was a movie that provided authentic characters and a great lesson on life. We don't always have to have everything figured out, and it's okay if you don't.  What makes Say You Will so beautiful is that all of the characters are carrying some inner struggle that connects them in the moment and time that helps them through whatever it is. The unlike...

Quick Thoughts on 2026 WBC

Welp, four more years until we get another crack at winning the World Baseball Classic. Are we now a hockey country?! In all seriousness, the WBC was awesome! I've been a fan of the concept since its installation in 2006, and every version has continued to improve.  This one was especially good, and I'm so ready for baseball season! Before we get there, here are a few quick thoughts from the 2026 World Baseball Classic: It's Fine As Is I'm jumping right into this - keep the World Baseball Classic as is! It's especially frustrating to listen to those in the media, who are now discovering the beauty of the WBC, chime in with ways to "fix it," find "the right time for it," or to "improve the tournament".  Here is the truth - The WBC is fine!  Please don't have it replace the All-Star Game (one of the more ludicrous ideas being thrown out there). Keep it special by having it every four years and not watering it down with gimmicks and ov...