May 082022
 

Yesterday, The opera was Puccini’s “Turandot” – it may be the only opera which requires more suspension of disbelief that Verdi’s “Ls Forza del Destino” (and I’m not knocking them – both are wonderful – just not believable.) Turandot is where the aria “Nessun dorma” which became Pavarotti’s signature tune comes from. During intermission, the Met’s general manager Peter Gelb spoke about what the Met is doing to boost Ukraine, including sponsoring and helping to assemble an orchestra of Ukrainian refugees (“The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra”) which is or will be touring to raise both awareness and funds. I’ve never seen the Met do so much for a cause, and it turns out Mrs. Gelb has some Ukrainian ancestry. Not surprising he is emotionally involved (not that we all aren’t). More power to the Met.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Crooks and Liars – Republican, In Jail For Murdering His Wife, Wins Primary
Quote – Because nothing says traditional family values like killing your wife and still winning a spot for an election while in jail awaiting trial. And in case you were wondering, he’ll be on the November ballot unless convicted beforehand for his heinous act. He has confessed.
Click through for story (BBA). He intends to plead guilty, so technially I suppose it’s not his trial but his plea hearing which he is in jail awaiting. And he’ll go back to jail to await sentencing. and then who knoes. Looks to me like a perfect GQP candidate.

Colorado Public Radio – If Roe v. Wade is overturned, Colorado will become an island of abortion access
Quote – [Neta] Meltzer [with Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains] said that if the Supreme Court decision comes down as it was drafted in the leaked ruling, it will have a ripple effect across the country. And Colorado will be an island of access, surrounded by states, save for New Mexico, that have partial or total bans on abortion. In the meantime, abortion rights advocates are gearing up. “We have been preparing for some time. We have been working with the clinics that provide care. We are working with abortion funding, and we are going to continue to try to coordinate to make sure we don’t turn anyone away,” said Karen Middleton, president of Cobalt, formerly NARAL CO.
Click through for details, although, because no one here is clairvoyant, they are tentative. But I’m proud of my state for this.

KUT 90.5 Austin TX – So the $35 sculpture you got at an Austin Goodwill was looted from a museum during WWII. Now what?
Quote – Young wanted to figure out what the sculpture was, so she did some Googling and she started to piece things together. She contacted an auction house in London that confirmed it was really old — like FIRST CENTURY old. Another auction house managed to find the head in a catalog of items from a German museum in the 1920s and 1930s. It was listed as a portrait bust of a man named Drusus Germanicus. And so began Young’s four-year ordeal trying to get rid of a 2,000-year-old sculpture.

Click through for another improbable story.  I say improbable, but there could be thousands of stories like it, if we only knew. At least this one has a happy ending.

Food For Thought

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