It’s a steamy day here in the CatBox as the temperature is forecast over 100° today. Please expect no more than a Personal Update or an Open Thread tomorrow and Wednesday. Tomorrow I have a PET scan at the hospital. Wednesday is a WWWendy day, and I have to renew my lease on my apartment here at the Madrona Studios. Oh God, it’s Monday!
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:23 (average 5:26). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Cartoon:
Trump* Virus Update:
US Cases: 4,373,561
US Deaths: 149,856
World Cases: 16,480,680
World Deaths: 653,292
Trump’s* Share of World Deaths: 22.9%
Short Takes:
From Willamette Week: Media outlets from the Los Angeles Times to the New York Post to London’s Daily Mail wrote about it. Movie director Adam McKay tweeted about his obsession with the image. Op-eds have appeared in The Washington Post and The New York Times criticizing the action as a product of light-skinned privilege. At least two copycat Athenas have arrived in the buff this week at a fence surrounding Portland’s federal courthouse.
And that’s all without anyone knowing the protester’s identity.
We now know—more than before, anyway.
The anonymous woman widely referred to as Naked Athena granted her first, and so far only, interview to the Portland-based podcast Unrefined Sophisticates.
In a two-hour conversation released yesterday, the protester, who identifies herself as “Jen,” divulges only a few pertinent biographical details. She is a sex worker. She’s in her 30s. And contrary to assumptions, she is not white but a non-Black person of color.
She says the decision to undress and confront the phalanx of officers happened on the spur of the moment but that being nude in public is nothing new to her: “I am notoriously naked,” she says. She describes the moments leading up to the altercation and what happened during the standoff—she reveals that her “yoga poses” were in part the result of being shot in the foot by a crowd control munition.
While WW has not been able to independently confirm that Jen is Naked Athena, the personal details she shares on the podcast match how friends of the protester described her to this newspaper.
You can listen to the podcast at Unrefined Sophisticates. Kudos to Jen, aka Naked Athena, who proved once and for all that the bush is mightier than the Republican Nazi storm trooper! RESIST!!
From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Rep. John Lewis’ Casket Travels Across The Historic Edmund Pettus Bridge One Last Time
I was 16 and on Spring vacation on 3/7/1965. I had travelled to Selma to demonstrate for civil rights at the beginning of the long march. Because I was young and dumb, I wanted to be in the front of the crowd, but people there, knowing what was going to happen, pulled me to the back and protected me. Along with the Democratic Convention in Chicago 1968, this was one of the two most frightening incidents of my life. Farewell to one of the heroic giants of our time! RESIST!!
From YouTube (a blast from civil rights):
Support Black Lives Matter! RESIST!!
Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!
19 Responses to “Open Thread – 7/27/2020”
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VoteVets
It was a slow Sunday for ads, and I haven’t found any Randy or Trae which haven’t already been up. I’ve been following Beau, who has been continuing to talk about the Trump regime evidently deciding that Black Lives Matter is an Insurgency, trying Counter-Insurgency tactics and doing it all wrong (and who would expect anything else?), now apparently expanding the non-existent insurgency to “antifa” and continuing to do it wrong, and allowing it, encouraging it, or both to escalate into something bigger and much more dangerous – many of his videos have been in response to questions he is getting and they are many. IMO It’s all interesting but there’s very little that I could share since it would be out of context. He did use his four-year-old snitching a taste of jalapeño dip (with instant regret) as a reminder that, if you think you wants something, and people who have experienced it tell you that you really don’t, it might be smart to listen.
Cartoon – Over 100 is too hot, I agree, regardless of any other conditions. We are getting a little respite here for now. Hang in there. The PET scan should cool you down a little.
Map – So that’s Louisiana at the top, and Iowa is just behind Texas. Sigh.
WW – I had joped we would never find out – but all this is good information. Now I hope we never find out any more.Let her remain a goddess. TMI would make her a mere mortal.
MSNBC – No words.
Past – No words.
RESIST !!!
Cartoon: Yes, it is!
MW: She has more ba–s than I would ever have. Powerful, and so brave of her! Kudos to Naked Athena!!
MSNBC: Got choked up watching the crossing over the bridge, how I will miss this kind and gentle man. I am also thankful that you were protected too, Tom, in 1965.
“He always worked on the side of the angels, and now he is with them,” Madame Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.
BFCR: Excellent!! TY!
Best to you tomorrow for your PET scan tomorrow, and Wednesday for renewing your lease. I hope that both are done expeditiously, and that you have no worries about either. Hope that you have a good, relaxing day, take good, good care, and Thanks, Tom.
TJI: “Trump is doing very poorly in AZ. Used to be red, now is becoming a swing state. The Dineh (Navajo Nation) could be a major factor in AZ AND NM. VOTE!! ~ John M. ~
2. “Honor, Respect, Devotion to service to America. Biden recipient of the Medal of Freedom from President Obama. The Presidential Medal of Freedom Medal now…it’s been useless since it was given to Rush Limbaugh. *pb*
3. “Hurrican Hanna – Just now…blowing over Trump’s mighty border wall between the US and Mexico.”~ Rex C~
4. “Nancy Pelosi unveils new nickname for Trump. ‘Mr. Make Matters Worse.’ He has made matters worse from the start. Delay, denial, it’s a hoax, it’s a miracle and the rest…”. ~ Nancy Pelosi ~
TJI #1 – I hope to God that “Wypipo” do not forget – assuming we get Trump* out and take back Congress – how much we will owe to black people, brown peole, and native tribes – all the tribes. Some will of course – even on the correct side we have thoughtless people – butit will take a lot of people who remember to keep our leaders remembering.
TJI #4 – Well, yeah. He’s an enemy agent (Not that he’d be much good even at that if he didn’t have tight control.)
TJI #3:
It’s unclear where this exactly happened. It could be that $40 million boondoggle privately built wall, which was an engineering disaster from the git-go. But it still made for an enjoyable video:
Very enjoyable to watch, Nameless, but it doesn’t say much about “made in America”.
Oh, I don’t know. It says a lot – all bad.
“Oh God, it’s Monday!” Hey, you need to collect all the Mondays you can…wishing you masses of them!
WW: Whoever she is, may she live long and prosper!
The John Lewis Bridge video is moving!
As is Otis Spann.
For you and John Lewis:
IT’S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTERA great story and well worth the read!! (sent to me by a loving friend)
I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes… I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas.
I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.
Pondering the peas, I couldn’t help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.
‘Hello Barry, how are you today?’
‘H’lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus’ admirin’ them peas. They sure look good’
‘They are good, Barry. How’s your Ma?’
‘Fine. Gittin’ stronger alla’ time.’
‘Good. Anything I can help you with?’
‘No, Sir. Jus’ admirin’ them peas.’
‘Would you like to take some home?’ asked Mr. Miller.
‘No, Sir. Got nuthin’ to pay for ’em with.’
‘Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?’
‘All I got’s my prize marble here.’
‘Is that right? Let me see it’, said Miller.
‘Here ’tis. She’s a dandy.’
‘I can see that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?’ the store owner asked.
‘Not zackley but almost.’
‘Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble’. Mr. Miller told the boy
‘Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller’
Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me.
With a smile she said, ‘There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever.
When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn’t like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.’
I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado , but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.
Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.
Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts…all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband’s casket.
Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one; each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.
Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband’s bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my handand led me to the casket.
‘Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about.*
They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim ‘traded’ them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size….they came to pay their debt.’
‘We’ve never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,’ she confided, ‘but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho ..’
With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.
*The Moral
We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.*
Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles~ A fresh pot of coffee you didn’t make yourself.. An unexpected phone call from an old friend…. Green stoplights on your way to work…. The fastest line at the grocery store….A good sing-along song on the radio.. Your keys found right where you left them.
IT’S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED!
Touching story and oh very so true.
Thanks for sharing it, Mitch
Oops, should be
Touching story and oh so very true.
Thanks for sharing it, Mitch
omg.
thanks so much Mitch!
Beautiful story,
Thank you, Mitch, for that wonderful story!
The entire story, but particularly the closing, sound so much like a story Garrison Keillor would share on Prairie Home Companion back when I had hearing.
I got to see Keillor twice in concert with dear friends – once in NYC and once in KCMO. Thanks for reigniting warm memories.
What a heart-warming story, Mitch. Thank you for sharing.
Tearfully wonderful!
No words. Thank you.
Good luck on your PET scan tomorrow!
Cartoon: Yes it’s hot. Stay cool, TC
TVU: We’re up to 27,047 cases, 533 deaths.
WW: Power to her.
MSNBC: It was so beautiful watching it cross over the bridge where they had scattered rose petals. Watched the funeral procession this morning when they brought his casket to the Capitol Rotunda. Touching service. Glad that you were protected by being pushed back in 1965.
I’ll be praying that everything goes well tomorrow with your PET scan.
Plus that your renewal goes smoothly with your renewal on Wednesday.
BFCR: Great words, We must stand together.
Take care. Thanks TomCat
I’m sorry you’re so hot, both in a cartoon and in the flesh, TomCat, and I keep my fingers crossed the trip to the hospital and back and the scan won’t be too strenuous for you. Let’s all hope the scan shows that you can have a stent placed in your esophagus so you can continue to eat.
3:19 Is this what you call a succulent?
Update: no signs of slowing down.
WW: The Republican horde is probably going to spin the fact that Naked Athena is a sex worker bigtime – look at the riffraff that is protesting – but it only goes to show that BLM protesters come from every walk of life, are courageous and proud of who they are. And so they should be. Jen deserves respect for what she did.
MSNBC: That video was very moving. We crossed that bridge into Selma on our trip through the South and though we had done our homework and wanted to visit Selma for its significance in the Long March, the bridge itself hadn’t reached our consciousness and didn’t have any significance when we crossed it. Seeing the video finally brought it home to me.
BFTP: Never heard it before, but it was very fitting. Thanks. TomCat.
THanks and Hurry Hugs to all!