“Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good!”
“Don’t be such a purist!”
“Be strategic!”
“Do what’s possible!”
“You can’t deny reality / human nature / religious text.”

The phrases used to oppose proposals for major change haven’t changed much for centuries, in both meanings of that phrase. No doubt these sayings sound better in certain circumstances than others, depending on the details. But in general, I find that they sound worse since the status quo locked in the climate collapse, and since the risk of nuclear catastrophe reached it’s current record high and rapidly climbing position.

I’ve just read a new book called War, Law, and Humanity by James Crossland that looks at efforts to regulate or end war from the 1850s up through the beginning of the 1900s. One strain of thought was that war needed to be eliminated and replaced with nonviolent arbitration. Another was that war needed to be regulated, doctors and nurses admitted onto battlefields, standards upheld for the treatment of prisoners, particular weapons banned, etc. The peace advocates were mocked as dreamers. The humanizers were the “realists.”

Viper Club is too earnest and low-key to qualify as exciting cinema. On the other hand, if you believe in the First Amendment and are concerned about President Donald Trump’s constant and self-serving attacks on the press, it may prove to be a cathartic experience.

Susan Sarandon stars as Helen Sterling, an emergency-room nurse whose son, Andy (Julian Morris), is in deep trouble. While covering Syria’s civil war as a free-lance journalist, he has been captured and is being held for ransom by the terrorist group known as Islamic State.

As the film opens, Helen has already spent months discussing Andy’s dire situation with an FBI agent named Walsh (Patrick Breen), but he’s ordered her not to tell anyone else. Meanwhile, little progress seems to have been made on securing his release.

When Helen asks for updates or makes suggestions, Walsh responds with variations on the theme “We know what’s best.” He also warns her not to even think of giving in to the terrorists’ demands for ransom money, as that would be against the law and would land her and anyone else who’s involved in prison.

They’re at it again, which is probably a good thing. The FDA is again seeking comments concerning cannabis like it did last May. This time, it’s looking at five categories (abuse potential, actual abuse, medical usefulness, trafficking, and impact of scheduling changes on availability for medical use) regarding 16 substances, including cannabis. Addressing only herbal cannabis and its extracts, the Ohio Rights Group responded with quotes from scientific studies. What follows is a summary:

Abuse potential:

Cannabis has a lower risk of dependence. “… the experience of dependence on marijuana tends to be less severe than that observed with cocaine, opiates, and alcohol … the severity of the associated consequences is not as extreme.” Addiction & Clinical Practice, 2007.

Cannabis is non-toxic and does not cause fatal overdose.  “… cannabinoids have minimal toxicity and present no risk of lethal overdose.” Clinical Journal of Pain, 2012.

For a lot of people, one Maneri is too many if that one is Jim, the infamous keyboard mad man maniac and Facebook human incendiary who hates Donald Trump more than life itself.

 But I've always been partial to Jim because when the entirety of Comfest wanted to string me up and lynch me like a Christmas turkey, ol' Jim Dandy would stop in and give me two Crazy Jim thumbs up. Much appreciated, Maniac Music Man.

 Plus once on a day when my back was out thanks to two wanderin' vertebrae, the boy interrupted his jog to help me drive home, set me up on my couch, get my electric fan and then went into my kitchen to fetch me an iced water and even found a nice cup I never knew I had. He mos def eased my suffering. People, I was hurting.

 I never forget a kindness.

 So when I heard three Maneris were playing together at Filament, a Franklinton performance space, I had to go. Rare event, that: Jim with bassist brother Phil and his young son Vincent on percussion and exotic drums.

 Yet I remind you: this little review isn't a returned favor, it is truth.