Open Thread March 15, 2024

 Posted by at 5:31 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 152024
 

Yesterday, I looked up the radio opera for tomorrow, which is Puccini’s “Turandot.” It’s a lovely opera, with very effective music, including “Nessun dorma,” which became Pavarotti’s signature aria, and has been recorded now by almost evereyone (I’ve even heard a recording of Sarah Brightman singing it.) But tonight, Rocky Mountain PBS will air Jake Heggie’s “Dead Man Walking,” starting at 8:00 pm and running until 11:00 pm. And that I just cannot miss. It is part of the Live in HD series, so it was recorded in October, and will be the same cast I heard in January. The three leading women I know well, and have not just heard but also seen them all, two of them in person, but I had to look up the bass/baritone. This is kind of a signature role of his. He spent some years corresponding with a death row prisoner in Texas – until the man suicided after SCOTUS turned his last appeal down. So I may end up sleeping though all or part of “Turandot” after all. We shall see.

Mary Trump writes about the Hur hearing. There are video clps all over of Jerry Nadler and Jamie Raskin handing Hur his posterior – you have probably seen some. Eric Swalwell and Adam Schiff also got in on the act. Enjoy.

Although he technically is, being a human male over 18, I hate even seeing Kyle Rittenhouse called a “man,” To me, “little punk” is more appropriate.

I’m linking this instead of embedding it … but it’s only a minute. It’s a new ad made by VoteVets, and they have managed somehow to get Fox to commit to airing it on Fox & Friends (one of TSF’s favorite shows.) So backlash can be expected. I applaud VoteVets for doing this.

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Open Thread March 13, 2024

 Posted by at 5:31 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 132024
 

Yesterday, I got a new email from the Theater of War and immediately thought of SpyCat, because they will be doing two readings of “An Enemy of the People” live in Ohio in April, in Mount Vernon and Gambier on the 6th and 7th respectively (and of course also on Zoom.) These productions are not just theater – there’s no stage, no sets, no costumes or makeup, just readings, and voice acting. And the whole play is never presented – selections are read pertinent to the public health topic addressed. And after the reading, audience members react, both on site and now, since the pandemic, through Zoom, and share through their experience what has touched them and what applies to today. Their website is theaterofwar.com, and it’s headed up with a four minute video describing what they do and why, with three examples (obviously very short.) But there’s also a lot of information there with more detail. “An Enemy of the People,” written in 1882, could almost be the story of CoViD and Dr. Fauci.

Robert Reich makes the case for what he calls “Nauseous Optimism,” by which he means being optimistic even when one’s stomach is churning. but he explains it better than I can.

One of the Mar-a-Lago documents case who has been known as “Employee Number 5” is speaking out on the case and his part in it. I think he’s hoping it will make a bigger difference than I think it will – but any difference in the right direction is a good thing.

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Open Thread March 10, 2024

 Posted by at 6:30 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 102024
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino.” If you ever hear someone claim that opera has far-fetched, hard to believe, plots, this may be the one they are thinking of. It starts with the heroine planning to elope, since her father disapproves of her suitor. The suitor is a bit late, and, unfortunately, the father bursts into her room before they have left. He threatens the suitor, who responds by attempting to prove he is not an enemy by disarming. But the gun goes off (in the script he drops or throws it to the floor, which sets it off; this production is less clear about what happens.) And the unintended bullet kills her father, who, as he dies, curses his daughter. I used to say “And from there it just gets more unlikely.” Today I wouldn’t claim it gets less likely – however, it certainly doesn’t get any more likely either. The opera is not performed all that often, not because it isn’t popular (it is), but because the soprano part is at least as difficult as anything in opera, even Wagner’s operas, and Leontyne Prices just don’t turn up every day. There are excerpts from it which are frequently recorded separately – arias for the soprano and the tenor, a male chorus with soprano obligato, a duet with the tenor and the baritone – all of which are in different ways heartbreakingly beautiful.

Just a little exercise in “compare and conatrast” here:
“Not since President Lincoln and the Civil War have freedom and democracy been under assault at home as they are today…. History is watching. If the United States walks away, it will put Ukraine at risk. Europe is at risk. The free world will be at risk, emboldening others to what they wish to do us harm.” [President Joseph Biden, State of the Union Address, March 7, 2024]
“Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this congress and this administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance or insignificance can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down in honor or dishonor to the latest generation We, even we here, hold the power and bear the responsibility.” [president Abraham Lincoln – Annual Message to Congress, December 1, 1862]

I did not watch or listen to the Republican response (can you blame me?), and, although some of this article has been “translated,” shall we say, it’s probably all we need to know about it.

Well, this is bad news for anyone with allergies who has ambitions of traveling into space! But I’m sure glad they found it out this way and not in use.

But this is good news for just about everyone except TSF.

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Open Thread March 8, 2024

 Posted by at 6:05 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 082024
 

Yesterday, I learned that Ruby Johnson, a Denver granmother of color, just my age, was awarded $3.76 million, by a jury, in damages after a SWAT team invaded her home in error while she was in the shower. Now if only we can get some compensation for the woman of color in Houston who was evicted from the home she has owned and lived in for fifty years. But I’ll take whatever good news I can get.  Also yesterday, at the SOTU, Joe took a page from Harry Truman’s book – He didn’t give ’em hell. He just told the truth and they thought it was hell.

I know we are all frustrated with the mainstream media. And particularly with the New York Times, which has been around for so long, and has declined so badly in such a comparatively short time, that it’s depressing. And it’s scary. Even if we are not ourselves deceived by the slants, others are and many of those who are have guns and short tempers. The Times was on the mind of two writers this week – Lucian Truscott at Salon, and Robert Hubbell on Substack.

Joyce Vance may also be a chicken farmer and a knitter in her spare time, but above all, she is a fine and experienced trial lawyer and a legal analyst. Here are her thoughts on motions and such which are happening prior to the criminal trial in Manhattan.

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Open Thread March 6, 2024

 Posted by at 5:44 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 062024
 

Yesterday, I got another grocery order. I loaded up on fresh fruit and also got some fresh vegetables, one of which is intended to be in ingredient in a new crockpot recipe – so I’ll cut this short and go back to working on it.  But P.S. – this is the T-shirt.)

As usual, Mary Trump has a lot to say. This time it’s about the cognitive issues of her uncle. She starts by quoting one of his former White House advisers on what she (the adviser) has seen since 2016. But then, Mary also goes back many years ago – as far back as when Donald got chosen and Fred disinherited. This makes his current state appear even more disastrous.

Axios sent out a news flash that Nikki Haley won the Republican primary in Vermont. Only that one, but it means Trump** cannot clain a sweep. Betcha Biden can. (And I find it hard to believe Bernie’s Vermont preferring Trump** over just about anyone, so it makes sense.)

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Open Thread March 4, 2024

 Posted by at 6:30 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 042024
 

Yesterday, Trinette came by for the usual tasks of helping me (BTW she says hi back.)

This is about last week’s border visits.  I really can’t be confident it will help (certainly not with crazy Reupublicans, but maybe with some voters.)

Heather Cox Richardson picked March 2, the anniversary of US Steel (founded 1901), to write about that and about the policy changes made by Teddy Roosevelt. She writes late, so I did not get it until the 3rd, and today is the 4th, so it’s 2 days late. But it really should never be forgotten.

Tennessee Brando made a video for Meidas Touch about what it’s like to be an addict, active and recovering. He made it in connection with Hunter Biden’s testimony. But I wish everyone could see it. I’m sharing the link to the DU article because you can always get from there to YouTube comments if you like, but you can’t go the other way.


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Open Thread March 1, 2024

 Posted by at 6:25 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 012024
 

Yesterday, I got an email from VoteVets (not unusual). This one – I can’t give you a link to the content, only to donate, but I can quote this: “There’s a reason it was Senator Tammy Duckworth who introduced the bill to protect IVF in the Senate. It’s because Senator Duckworth has used it herself. After she was wounded in combat, IVF helped her become a mother. Many Veterans who were wounded in combat use IVF to have children. It’s their only option. Attacks on IVF — like the ones coming from the Republican appointed Supreme Court in Alabama — are attacks on wounded Veterans.”

This is a good news story though what’s in it is mostly not new. Shakespeare wrote, “Some are born great, others achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” But I think that great people are often shaped by the people around them – that and a willingness to learn, from anyone and everyone, things which go into their becoming great.

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Open Thread February 26, 2024

 Posted by at 5:54 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 262024
 

Yesterday, Trinette was by to bring in mail, take out trash and recyclables, and start the car. (Hi back to all.) While here, she noticed I had acquired an HD antenna and had not done anything with it. I know you all think I am highly computer literate, but the truth is, I had no more idea what to do with it than a dog who has caught a car. With a book or pamphlet of instructions, I could have coped, but it didn’t come with one. But Trinette got it working and set on PBS in practically no time. What a gem!

As a veteran, I’m deeply interested in this, because no one can be a MAGAt and a good soldier at the same time, any more than one can be a MAGAt and a patriot at the same time. The mention of individual unit commanders developing their own training tells me two things – first, that there are multiple unit commanders whose hearts are in the right place (and in sync with their brains), and second, that these commanders’ own superior officers have failed them. Yes, there’s much more to get out of this report; those were just what struck me.

Dearfield, Colorado, a town in Weld County (Northeast of Denver), now a ghost town, began to be homesteaded by black people in 1910. Eventually it became the home of 300 people of color, making it the largest black homestead in the state. It is already on the National Register of Historic Places. Now, descendants of the homesteaders, historians, and others who care, want it to be designated as a National Park. I for one certainly hope the effort succeeds.

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