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Congratulations on the back-to-back World Series wins by the Los Angeles Dodgers!
In his sharply written Substack essay “PlumpGavin,” Lloyd Billingsley dismantles California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s carefully crafted image. Drawing on the governor’s self-pitying comments from a recent podcast, Billingsley contrasts Newsom’s “hustlin’ latchkey kid” story with the reality of Getty-funded privilege and elite connections — a revealing look at California’s upper-class twit of the year.
“It was about payin’ the bills, man. . . Wonder bread and Mac ‘n cheese. . . That’s how I grew up, bro. . . it was just like hustlin. . . I raised myself.” That was California Gov. Gavin Newsom on the “All the Smoke” podcast, hosted by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson…
3 days ago · 30 likes · 28 comments · Lloyd Billingsley
This week I did a little “unspin” on the federal government shutdown…
There were a number of other posts last week that you will not want to have missed. If you want to check them out, you can go to the archive here and scroll down!
On November 2, 1947, the monumental flying boat H-4 Hercules—famously nicknamed the “Spruce Goose”—made its first and only flight in Long Beach Harbor, California, piloted by its creator Howard Hughes. Built primarily of laminated birch wood due to wartime material restrictions, the plane boasted an awe-inspiring wingspan of 320 feet—longer than a football field.
That day, thousands of onlookers watched as the eight-engine behemoth taxied into the harbor and suddenly lifted off, skimming about half a mile at an altitude of roughly 25 to 70 feet for about 30 seconds before settling back onto the water. Despite proving airworthy in that brief moment, the giant aircraft never flew again.
Today, the legendary “Spruce Goose” rests at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, standing as a lasting symbol of American ingenuity, ambition, and the extraordinary vision of Howard Hughes.
Enjoy your Sunday! And just wow - what a game seven with for the Dodgers!
Jon
