5 Fun Things To Do: Nov 14 – 20 THU 15 Butchering, Brining and Gravy: Part of the ongoing educational and culinary scratch series. 6pm. Newport Vineyards, 909 E Main Rd, Middletown. newportvineyards.com FRI 16 David Tessier Trio: Supergroup of local music. With The low Cards and Karma Rocket, presented by 75orLess records. 9pm. Askew, 150 Chestnut, PVD. fb.com/Askewprov 8th Annual Masquerade Ball: Sojourners House’s 8th annual Masquerade Ball. This ball will feature a cocktail hour, a silent auction, a cash bar and a cake competition brought to you by RI Food Fights. 7pm. Providence Biltmore Hotel. 11 Dorrance St, PVD. artsnowri.com SAT 17 The Viennagram/ Quahogs/ Ravi Shavi: Folk, country and space rock. 8pm. Machines with Magnets, 400 Main St, Pawtucket. machineswithmagnets.com SUN 18 Stranger Stories Haunted: Local writers tell true tales of hauntings. 6pm. Stillwater Books, 175 Main St, PVD. stillwaterbooksri.com TUE 20 Point Street Reading Series: Still called that even tho it’s on Richmond St now. 7pm. Alchemy, 71 Richmond St, PVD. alchemyri.com Corruption Rules…Again in Rhode Island: State election results great for corruption fans, national not so much Election time has come and gone. we can’t tell you how exciting it was this year – our first election since Corruption Rules went public. Elections always make us a bit nervous because things may not always go our way and they are often a referendum on how well we are doing. But this is Rhode Island so “What, us worry?” We’re happy to say, this year most of it was good news, especially in Rhode Island. As you should know by now, Corruption Rules has long advocated and promoted all forms of political corruption in Rhode Island and throughout the country, and have now gone public as a soon-to-be nonprofit, PAC, and maybe a church or temple. While we certainly support the use of corruption for people to personally enrich themselves, if you are one of those who actually want to do good things in a corrupt system with flawed people, you will often have to turn to or overlook it in order to succeed, as we have seen time and time and often more time again in Rhode Island and nationally. Unfortunately, we have some work cut out of for us nationally with the Republican loss of the House in Congress, something that could have a devastating impact on President Trump and his ability to function effectively. We did fortunately gain some Senate seats but make no mistake about it, much damage has been done, especially with Trump’s efforts to cover up all the great stuff that he and others are doing. Our only compensation for this is it should up the entertainment value tremendously, one of the great side benefits of political corruption and conflict. Only because it’s actually true, unlike House of Cards, Wag the Dog, or Lex Luthor’s presidency. Not so much in Rhode Island. While Republicans are our favorites nationally, we support Democratic rule in Rhode Island, due to their exemplary track record and willingness to screw over many living and working here in order to cater to political insiders and special interests, as well as run the state into the ground. We are especially thrilled with Governor Raimondo’s and Speaker Mattiello’s victories, and the fact that Democrats carried not only all the major offices, but many formerly Republican local offices. Nationally, while we are especially proud of Trump for having taken crime commission, lying, hypocrisy, narcissism, being mentally challenged, dishonesty, childishness, bigotry, sexism, homophobia, scare tactics, the spread of hate and fear, perversion, groping, destroying the country, and other remaining forms of corruption and malfeasance up a notch or ten, we have always been concerned that he may need to tone it down a wee bit. When fact checkers are thinking of only reporting anything truthful you say for the sake of efficiency, it might be time to reconsider some things. While we applaud people for taking risks, creative thinking, and trying to bring things to new levels, we try to encourage corruption practioners not to go too overboard or off the wall. It doesn’t do us any good when you lose power, effectiveness or your office, turn things over to the other side, or end up in prison, especially when you are likely to take a bunch of people with you and they start to talk. On a self-serving note, it’s bad for our image. Ultimately we want to be seen as great strategic thinkers and tacticians, not criminals. Having said that, it’s important to remind people that the pro-corruption movement never really loses. We always win, although not always to the same degree. While we have our favorites and ups and downs, as some people and organizations are higher practitioners of the art than others, since all individuals are flawed and both parties their own versions of crime syndicates, corruption to some degree never ends. We can certainly work with the national Democrats who in part gave us Trump and many Republican victories over the decades due to people getting tired of their corruption, ineptitude, in-fighting and other things. Remember, the Democratic message during the last Presidential election was “why vote for the last person you would want near the White House when you can elect the second to last.” The bottom line is that anyone coming into contact with politics by voting, supporting candidates and parties, getting involved with campaigns, or working for government, practices some form of corruption, whether committing it, enabling it, or seeing it but looking the other way. Everyone in politics is working for us. You can’t avoid it. You are also working for some version the Firm (IMDB the Tom Cruise movie to know what I’m talking about). If you prefer one over the other, any individual or party that gains power will likely give it back at some point, which spreads the riches around and means good news for almost everyone. In Rhode Island, it’s primarily the Democrats we support, and thanks to Tuesday’s election they hold every major statewide office, most of the legislature, and most local offices. Rhode Island’s own version of taking things to higher levels was victorious in the gubernatorial race. We were concerned about Governor Raimondo going potentially overboard but obviously in Rhode Island, there was no need to worry, at least for now. Let’s not forget Rhode Islanders do occasionally wake up from their comas when poked or beaten upside the head, and we want none of that. Raimondo deserves credit for writing a new chapter in the book on how to best make corruption and mismanagement work best for politicians. It begins with winning the Governorship on pension reform where many pensioners lost their COLAS, while the state lost mega millions through ridiculous investments that only made money for her business friends, while city pension problems were ignored. That was just the start. She won overwhelmingly this year on a platform of incompetence and corruption including UHIP, DCYF mismanagement, the initial botched tourism program, truck tolls, questionable political hirings, questionable contributions tied to state business, road repair screw-ups, loss of the Pawsox (remember, she was part of the initial proposed move to Providence that started the public uproar that led to them leaving), a questionable CCRI free education program, deciding not to wear an American flag because it’s decisive, support in part of illegal immigration, initial failure to lower state flags after Buddy Cianci’s passing, questionable tax incentives and management of Commerce RI, sleazy campaigning including accusations of holding damaging information until after the election. Some put the cost to the state of her abuse and mismanagement at over 1 billion dollars and a few people being hurt in some way. Let’s not forget the state ranking at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to many important issues. Despite all this, she accumulated a massive war chest used to beat back Mayor Fung on a couple of issues, purchase better approval ratings and vote counts, and gain national prominence, often mentioned in the national media as someone headed for the Presidency or some prominent national position. The lesson here: if you have a bunch of screw-ups that hurt lots of people and cost the state tons of money, patch together some sort of record, give away lots of free stuff, and attack the other guy with lots of money and you’ll do fine. When Governor Raimondo says let’s keep going, let’s hope she means it. Let’s hope she continues on this path, setting a great example for pols everywhere, and continuing to make us proud. Hopefully, she’ll move onto national prominence where she obviously belongs and continues spreading the good word and doing good deeds throughout the country. In fact, she could be spokesperson for our planned economic development initiative to promote Rhode Island as a great training ground for corrupt politicians. Maybe call it “Corrupt ‘R Us.” While Mayor Allan Fung accomplished some things we approve of, such as the police scandal and resulting State Police report, rent scandal, refusing to debate in the primary (although note that this could have hurt him) and wearing a Trump hat, he lost us with his calls for line item veto, Inspector Generals, and investigations of Raimondo’s pension actions with Ted Siedle, someone who should stay home minding his own businesses. Plus he’s supported by radio man John DiPietro, who we have a problem with for trying to be some kind of reformer and rabble rouser against many of our favorite politicians.