RockHardNYC

One of Bloomberg's best lines of the evening, directed at Bernie Sanders: “What a wonderful country we have. The best known socialist in the country happens to be a millionaire with three houses. What did I miss here?” Thank you, Mr. Bloomberg. I did not know Bernie Sanders owned three homes. And it is very funny to discover the millionaire socialist without any clothes on. Sanders is a fraud. If he remains in the lead, Democrats will be in serious trouble.

Absolutely brilliant: BLOOMBERG TO SPEND TEN BILLION DOLLARS TO BUY ENTIRELY DIFFERENT PERSONALITY

I always saw that phrase as a cheap and convenient cop-out. Bloomberg was TERRIBLE. It brought back memories of his poor debating skills. During analysis last night, David Plouffe mentioned that Bloomberg hasn't debated in over ten years. That's a long time to be without practice, especially for a privileged old man. As of last night, it looks like money may be the only thing that saves him. He actually may have no choice but to buy the election. He'll convince people through sharp advertising that he is the man to defeat Trump. It is a shame, because in speeches and one-on-one conversations he can exude brilliance. I was stunned to watch Elizabeth Warren slice and dice Bloomberg's billionaire balls on national television. It was TV theater to behold. How lucky it was she was standing right next to him. It gave her attack more intensity. I have to say, for the first time, Elizabeth Warren really impressed me. She proved to me last night that she can go head-to-head with Trump and castrate Trump, too, on the debate stage. Biden improved last night, but that isn't saying a lot. In the heat of challenge, Amy Klobuchar showed a very unattractive, sourpuss side last night. Admittedly, Mayor Pete came to the debate with brilliant strategy to attack her, and he performed his attack with meticulous finesse. Amy was not prepared, and she got lost in her insecure-laden bluster. It was another battle to behold. I thought Mayor Pete showed his military prowess last night, and I was impressed, once again. How much more money can I send this guy?

Well, that's one way to deflect responsibility. Point the finger of blame anywhere but at the horse's mouth. I don't recall a "food pyramid" ever having an effect on my childhood eating or food consumption in my adult life. Sure, maybe there was an official chart in a doctor's office, but no one in my family ever paid any attention to it. We ate what we liked, as I'm sure most people do. Eating can deliver instant pleasure, and who doesn't want to feel pleasure? If your life is not what you hoped it would be, or you're bored, unmotivated, and/or uninspired, it makes sense that folks might fall prey to eating more, or eating to compensate for other feelings that aren't there. Food can equal instant gratification. Admittedly, the line "the most prestigious groups of scientists" made my eyes roll a bit. The breakdown of trust and confidence in learned authority is an issue now. Still, it's better to be empowered with more information than less. Denial about weight gain is no healthy place to be.

I'm still not a Justin Bieber fanboy, but this recent post is certainly a lot of fun:

I don't agree with that. President Obama was no crook. If anything, the Republicans robbed him of many of the successes he wanted to achieve. God forbid they let the first Black president go down in history as one of the true greats of this country. McConnell was determined to make Obama a one-term president, and he failed, but he cheated and robbed Obama at every turn. The only way Republicans can win these days is by cheating and suppressing the vote. RA1, your statement is utterly simplistic and very cynical. No wonder this country is in the state that it is.

On the other hand... Here's a dose of reality that many conservative voters are going to find extremely painful. When you elect a Mafia-style businessman who is on record saying, "I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. ... Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything." or, you elect a New York real estate crook and cheat who settled a racial discrimination case that the U.S. Justice Department brought against the Don and his father, you can no longer whine like little bitches when a different candidate, even from the opposing party, behaves in a similar way. The cat is out of the bag, and he's not going back inside. Some Republicans foolishly believe that hypocrisy doesn't stain them the way it does others. This is the price you pay for getting in bed with the Devil.

It's no secret: I work with a ton of famous people. The things I have read about some can make a scalp raw from head scratching. Not long ago my son and I had a talk about who is best to tell my life story when I'm gone. My relatives think they know me well, and some would love to cash in. No one knows "the truth" more than my son. However, if given the chance, both would tell a completely different story, and readers would wonder if both were lying to protect the truth from coming out. Especially a private life taken out of context, absent of life's nuances and grey areas. In other words, absent of thinking. Today we have click-bate and 24/7 entertainment news. The odds of finding a hero with a stain-free life are zero to none. I care much more about smart, creative ideas than I care about ideology. If the Republicans could put up a genius, I might vote for him/her. Instead, they got in bed with the Devil, and I hope they pay a very high price. Bill Barr Must Resign, by former U.S. Deputy Attorney General, Donald Ayer

Are rumors about anyone famous total lies, partial lies, or absolute truth? What is a "fact" in this age of Trumpism? You never really know someone until you witness behavior one-on-one over a reasonable length of time. Even then, surprising truths can exist. I'm sure plenty of people from my corporate past could describe comments or jokes I made as sexist, and I happen to love women. Show me a man in his 70's who hasn't expressed some degree of sexism and I'll show you a miracle. I've been present at many advertising meetings where the race of a projected customer was discussed in ways that, out of context, could easily be described as racial enmity. If those conversations were recorded, the out-of-context words would certainly derail a public life dependent on votes. While I never threatened anyone's job over sex in my corporate life, I had numerous sexual encounters with underling employees of the company I worked for. Not all of them were consensual, but none of them rose to the level of professional admonishment. Today, post #metoo, not one of those encounters would be considered OK or acceptable. If I ever decided to run for public office, I have no idea who might come out of their closet to say something awful about me. "Reports of...?" I take all reports with a grain of salt, until I've had the opportunity to see for myself. Then I decide what is fake and what is real. Tomorrow's debate will offer something.

I think that ship is quarantined during the Coronavirus. Trump lost every debate. He was absolutely terrible, with his brooding Dracula overlord and his dry mouth. A candidate would have to be as bad or worse to lose a debate to him. I don't see that happening. I've been to several Bloomberg speeches and lectures. His voice may not be ready for a prime-time audience, but the hugely successful businessman offers very interesting ideas in a no-nonsense, brilliant sounding, let's-get-this-done sort of way. He has a solid three-term record in NYC, and they changed the law simply to allow him his third term. The majority of New Yorkers still wish he was mayor. Most hate De Blasio, primarily because the city is filthy once again and homeless drug users are everywhere. The debate will be fascinating, because the media will punch down hard on Bloomberg. They want a dog fight, and they're going to get one with newbie Bloombie. PS I should also add I've done business with Bloomberg News. The building is high-tech amazing with state-of-the-art security. Like I've said before, I don't know any Bloomberg employee who has gone public with hate for the man and his company. Trump, on the other hand, has a laundry list of disgruntled employees. Most are waiting for back pay lawsuits to be settled, and none of them can talk because he makes everyone sign confidentiality agreements. If only we could hear from Carolyn Kepcher. Trump dumped her vendetta-style when she started gaining fans, but we haven't heard a peep from her. There's a reason. Talk to the lawyers.

The Bernie Sanders animals are going to hate Bloomberg's wealth. They seem to believe that all big business is evil. In the meantime, Bloomberg is banking on voters who dream of realizing great wealth in the their lives. Bloomberg is self-made. Unlike Trump, Bloomberg did not receive inheritance money from his father to squander on bad investments. Bloomberg is going to appeal to Republicans who have always been on the fence with Trump, but had nowhere to turn. Knowing how the game is played, and that Bloomberg was once a Republican, wealthy Republicans might think Bloomberg will protect their money from going to welfare queens and their baby fathers. I suspect Bloomberg also is willing to give up on the Black and Latino vote. He will get some, for sure, because he can beat Trump, but for those looking for the next Obama, I'll bet he's prepared to count them out. If Bloomberg can get Independents and disgruntled Republicans, he may not need the minority vote to beat Trump. I'm not ready to believe the rumor is true. My gut is telling me it's media click-bate. Someone in media thought it would be a brilliant rumor to spread, for sure, and the propaganda war is working to the media's advantage. I can't imagine Hillary wanting VP. That sounds like an arrow in the heart of her ambition. I can't imagine Bloomberg wanting to align himself with the Clinton's. I'm not seeing any benefit, given that many in the Democratic Party are craving to move beyond the Clinton's. Hillary on a Bloomberg ticket would be a disaster for Independents, disaffected Republicans, and many Democrats. The idea just screams of click-bate to me.

I hope it's true. A lot of people aren't going to enjoy how catty this race will get. If anyone knows how to get under Trump's skin, it's Bloomberg, and some of the tweet spats are already sounding very Texas high school 1970's. Normally, I would say Bloomberg needs to be careful. Catty insults coming from an old Jewish man with a strong, nasally, Noo Yawk sounding voice, reminiscent of the sound of nails on a chalkboard, could be deadly politically. I suspect Bloomberg's voice (and his being a Jew) is going to turn off a lot of voters. Bloomberg is certainly going to rile up the Jew-hating white nationalists who all love Trump. However, this election will be like no other. To those who thought Dubya was a polarizing president, Trump's got George beat by millions of haters. The Trump haters want Trump out, period, no matter what. And they'll tolerate just about anything from Bloomberg if he can prove he's the man to cut off Trump at his kneecaps. Fasten your seatbelts...

Prior to BATUS selling Saks Fifth Avenue in 1990, when profits were at an all time high, I don't think one could find a high-fashion retail store in America that offered better service. Many people spoke about a good game playing at Nordstrom, but Saks had Rockefeller Center and Andrew Saks as its legacy. Difficult to beat.

Macy's Herald Square was always a horror shopping experience, but it's historic and worthy of support. My Brazilian housekeeper of 30+ years loves their Hotel Collection bedding. She prefers that brand over my Sferra and Frette. If discounts and sale prices matter to you, it's difficult to beat shopping at Macy's. Their inventory is so huge, they can afford to discount and still turn a profit, especially now that they're dropping stores. Before China took over clothing manufacturing, Barney's was a great store for fashion clothing and high quality suits. Some of their salesmen in suits were among the best in bespoke. Once the crash of 2008 hit, Barney's took a nose dive, and they hired a bunch of minimum-wage plucked queens to sell over-priced trend that wasn't made well in China. Customers knew there was no going back to the good old days of Made in Italy. Saks' men's department changed a lot as well after 2008. Lots of plucked queens prancing and either staring at themselves in the mirrors or in their i-Phones. Bergdorf's Mens was a funeral service, but the old queens there just turned sour and bitter, enduring a boring job with few customers, while pretending that things had not changed. It's hard for me to believe that Americans are happy buying clothes online. That's how little people care about quality and fit anymore. Everything is dumbed down, and most people don't give a shit.

By chance, I happened to see Justin Bieber's recent visit to Ellen's talk show. I learned so many things. For one, I did not know he and Ellen are old friends (if you can believe that in show business). Ellen, Justin, and Yummy. It's a fascinating interview on many levels. Even with all the make-up and styling, Ellen is looking Botox-bloated and hard. Her hairstyle is so WRONG. Justin is still very handsome, but the mustache is too 1970's Christopher Street for me. The most disturbing aspect: at times he seems to feel very uncomfortable in his skin and fidgets his body awkwardly. Yet, he speaks with such candor. I don't get the impression he was a great student in school. He serenades Ellen on guitar, and it's fun to hear his raw talent without all the production. I've never been a fan of his music, but I like seeing raw talent. Justin briefly talks about his sex life, which is also fun. I'm confident he loves licking pussy. He seems a whole lot older now, but he also seems broken in some way. It is very difficult to endure great fame and fortune, and live life in the public from an early age. Most adults do not know how to handle it. I also saw his visit to SNL when RuPaul hosted. I thought both songs and performances were awful. It pained me to watch. Will he still be doing that stuff some people call music and dance at 40? It all looks very 1990's boy-band to me.

For whatever reason, Pete is more likeable than Amy. The scandal of Amy's Senate team members going public, claiming that Amy is a self-serving bitch who treats employees like slaves, looms large in some voters' minds. Pete does not have that baggage, and he's naturally popular. So Amy has to be careful how she attacks Pete. Any attack could easily come off as a petty cheap shot, which could damage her further. Amy can't afford to be less likeable. Pete also has to be very careful how he attacks Amy. No gay man can be seen attacking a woman in any way. Pete has been very careful so far, resisting going negative on anyone directly. This upcoming debate is going to be the most interesting. Amy's got a lot on the line, and I see her going after Pete. We'll see what happens and how it plays out.

Amy Klobouchar finished third. This gives the media something to talk about, but I doubt she has the ability to energize voters further. Amy Klobouchar as a candidate has qualities similar to soggy cereal. Men don't think much of her. Women are on the fence, too. And voters of color are nowhere to be found. The liberal bias on CNN and MSNBC was in clear view last night as they ferociously praised Amy for her tepid success. I had to shut the TV off because I thought the pundits all needed to be fired, especially the bloated verbosity of Chris Matthews. I thought Amy's victory speech was awful, even for a third place finish. She's far less talented in front of microphone than Hillary Clinton, and that's not good. She uses the pronoun "I" WAY TOO MUCH. She's long needed a good speech writer and solid coaching. It's easy for me to be biased because I put money on Pete, but his speech and delivery was far superior to Amy's. His crowd was for more energized. Their roaring chants of "President Pete" were quite effective. And it was very clear that Pete, much like Obama and Bill Clinton, had prepared his speech in advance and used the opportunity to score political points. He appeared organized and ready to do battle. Pete was also brilliant and gracious to praise his fellow competitors, something Amy never mentioned.

She has improved, but she still reminds me of my stringent Catholic nuns from grade school, and not the principal, who could kick Trump's ass. Amy's sales pitch rings canned. Her constant waving of her credentials is not the best way to sell oneself. Her record and her popularity should be a known entity, but it's not. She doesn't look presidential. Her make-up and styling are dull and flat. She has helmet hair. Put her next to fat-man Trump and her physical impact sinks to ground level. Her voice is not commanding or easy on the ears. I don't see her rising to #1 or #2. She lost control of her message. Her flip-flop on Medicare-for-all hurt her badly. She started to sound like a politician, and the sound bites only get more contrived. She should have adopted Mayor Pete's version of health care from the start. She followed Bernie and is now paying the price. She lost her authenticity, and it's very hard to get that back.

My latest upload is Alex Lederman from OnlyFans. He is a fascinating social media star. He claims to be a "father, actor, model," and he's all over the internet exposing himself in ways not typically seen outside of porn. I am fascinated the guy is using sex and looks to earn an income while trying to attract non-porn, show-biz work. He's not heavily endowed like most porn actors, but he seems to love cumming while playing with his butt hole. I wish more men felt free as he does. I don't think it's an accident that he has "be nice" tattooed on his chest.

There aren't too many who trust Sanders' voters. Many are militant and cannot be counted as team players.

My PCP works out of NYU Langone, a leading teaching hospital in NYC. The hospital sent me an email this morning, unlike any I have ever received before. I thought it was interesting enough to share. Coronavirus (nCoV) continues to dominate headlines with news of its spread and potential new cases in the United States. While we are uncertain of how this outbreak will affect New York City, there are a few things we can do to prepare–including how to stay healthy and knowing when to seek medical care. Please see below for some general guidelines. Prevention If you are healthy, remember that prevention is key. Wash your hands frequently, cover coughs and sneezes in your arm, and avoid touching your nose, mouth, and eyes without washing your hands first. Alcohol-based hand rubs are a quick and effective way to sanitize your hands. These simple measures will go a long way in preventing infections in both yourself and those around you. Cold Symptoms and Virtual Urgent Care For typical cold symptoms without a fever—runny nose, congestion, sore throat, minor aches and pains—we recommend that you stay at home until no longer sick, just as one would not necessarily go to a doctor if one has a cold. For worsening flu-like symptoms with a fever—headache, cough, muscle aches, and joint pains—we recommend that you stay home but speak with one of our emergency medicine physicians using Virtual Urgent Care. Same-day appointments are available 7 days a week, and you can see a doctor right from your mobile device without having to leave home. Staying home and using virtual urgent care will prevent long waits at urgent care centers or emergency rooms, which are often busy and crowded during the flu season. When To Seek Medical Care Quickly If you have fever, cough, and shortness of breath/difficulty catching your breath, you should seek medical care quickly. If your doctor or medical care provider is available by phone, call them right away. But don't delay seeking care, including going to the nearest Emergency Department if necessary.

As if we don't already have enough to worry about… "A prestigious team of medical scientists has projected that by 2030, nearly one in two adults will be obese, and nearly one in four will be severely obese." Half of Us Face Obesity, Dire Projections Show

New York City on Rentmen has over 800 ads. That seems like an Olympic-size pool to me. The pool would be even larger if Craigslist and Backpage ads were still around. There's no accounting for where those guys went. Those willing to escort may not be "desperate," but who among us with a high sex drive doesn't want extra money if it's available?

I stood with Michelle Obama, too, when she came out with her clever meme. But times have changed for the worse. The TROLL doubled down and grew meaner and more relentless. His cult following are now claiming that Russians are more trustworthy than Democrats. How insane is that devolution of patriotism. Eventually, some notable Dems figured out that Trump has marketed meanness as "strength" to his cult. It justifies the racism, the hatred of immigrants, the locking up of kids, and abuse of power. Now we have the acquittal, which Trump is selling as exoneration. No amount of reasoned respectability, the kind that worked in the past, is going to work moving forward. If you are confronted with a gang carrying switchblades, you can't fight back offering beautifully arranged flowers. When Eric Holder came out with his meme, "When they go low, we kick them.," others followed. I was grateful that some high-minded thinkers were finally figuring out Trump's game. You simply can't fight Trump in conventional terms. Trump is an anomaly. He is the ultimate TROLL. To break him at his knees, you've got to hit him with equal or more power. Wait until Bloomberg goes toe-to-toe with Trump on releasing his tax returns. Trump is going to whine like a crabby baby, much worse than he does now.

I'm finding the jobs numbers difficult to believe as well. What numbers can anyone believe these days, if the numbers have the potential to hurt Trump? With Barney's gone and Macy's being cut in half, with all the "for rent" signs in former business windows on the streets of NYC, it just seems impossible to have any faith in these stats.