Jan 102024
 

Yesterday I got a bunch of stuff done – mostly on the computer rather than with physical objects, but it still tired me. I guess whie I was busy, the Appeals Court looked at TFG’s “immunity” claim and apparantly those looks were all askance.

I thought this was kind of nice. I well remember Andy Kim starting on cleanup on that day.

The Theater of War has a new project called “An Enemy of the People,” using the play by Ibsen. “The play tells the story of a doctor who discovers the water supply in his small, rural town has been poisoned by a tannery. Despite his efforts to convey the truth to the public, the doctor fails to save his community from environmental disaster and is ultimately scapegoated for his whistleblowing.” Ibsen didn’t pussyfoot around the truth, as long ago as 1882. This sounds a lot like how Fauci was treated – and in fact Dr. Fauci will be one of the actors (the actors will change from one event to another so if you want to hear what he has to say you will need to checking cast lists.) The first two events are 2/22 and 2/24, and Fauci is scheduled in the 2/24 event but not the 2/22 event. This is the link for 2/24 (it looks like you might be able to scroll from it.)

Here’s my response to the “poop Nazi” telling everyone to get over stuff – stuff like their kids being shot in school:

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Dec 162023
 

Yesterday, after posting here (including the update), I felt enough better to look up today’s radio opera – it’s “The Magic Flute” in the abridged English language version aimed at kids – and who doesn’t love that! There are five-year-olds out there getting kicks out of singing the Queen of the Night’s aria (and pretty durned well, most of them.) Sure, it’s sexist, but no worse than Disney, and it does have goodies, baddies, and figures of pure humor of both genders, which even Disney doesn’t consistently do.

I also listened to the full RBG CD. You know how CDs come with booklets with some backstories and with lyrics sometimes – this comes with two booklets – one of each, lyrics and backstories. The poems were selected to give a mixture of history, humor, and heart. I thought the funniest one was about Ruth’s son Jamie stealing the elevator at his prep school (yes, the same James who now owns the record label which put it out) and the most heartbreaking was Marty’s note to Ruth written in hospital shortly before his death. But I will not argue with anyone who thinks the pot roast recipe is the funniest (I’d surely love to taste that pot roast.)

Also, Robert Hubbell put out a second day of analysis. I know it’s not the same as getting my take, but at this point, he is paying attention and I’m not.

And Mary Trump posted and emailed this – I held it for a couple of hours but have found out it is a real story – it was carried at least by CNN and y’all may have heard it – but her viewpoint really is like no one else’s

I was thinking about looking for a cartoon … but so little happened on December 16 through history that “On This Day” was reduced to reporting that, on this date in 1997, Bill Clinton named his Labrador Retriever “Buddy.”

Here’s a Christmas vid for the animal lovers –

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Dec 102023
 

Yesterday’s radio opera was “Florencia  en el Amazonas” by Daniel Catán. It was a joint commission in 1996 from the opera companies in Houston, Los Angeles, and Seattle, and premiered in Houston. It’s said to be based (loosely) on “Love in the Time of Cholera” by Gabriel García Márquez, but the story line is not so much Márquez’s as are the characters and mythical occurrences. From the very beginning, when Riolobo starts to serve as a quasi-narrator, it should be pretty clear just from his name that the opera is in a space where things happen which are not strictly explainable by science. And they do. I’m not a big fan of Ailyn Perez, for reasons which have nothing to do with opera, but perhaps it’s time for me to let that go – everyone else seems to have done so. The music is very listenable – and manages to avoid all the cliches that Americans (including me) associate with Spanish music, much of which was built up by French composers (I’m sure with good intentions.)

Peter Gelb – the managing director of the Met – really is trying to bring opera together with America – and to beinr America together through opera. Don’t say “Impossible” just yet. Even if opera is not for everyone (which I’m not convinced of, but will accept as a basis for discussion) it definitely is for a lot of people who don’t know it yet.

Interestingly, Heather Cox Richardson this weekend makes an understated but interesting case for using art (visual art) as a means to bring Americans together – and for the government’s role in doing that. Heather doesn’t say so – but we all know that Republicans aren’t actually opposed to spending money – they are only opposed to spending money on things that would help real prople – which certainly includes things which would help all Americans (or at the very least, more Americans) come together to work toward goals which would help all Americans. And that may be the best evidence that spending money on art helps real people – regardless of the genre of the art in question. I might also express this principle a different way by pointing out that there’s a reason Republicans like things to be bleak.

I don’t have a profound though tor image to hand just now … but Il’ll throw in a critter vid. They generally generate something on the order of joy, or at least restored faith.

Woman Becomes Third Wheel In Her Cat And Husband’s Relationship

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Oct 292023
 

Glenn Kirschner – Thus far, DA Willis has made NO plea offers to Trump, Meadows, Giuliani or other top conspirators.

The Lincoln Project – Trump Rally 10/23

Farron Balanced – Boebert’s Reelection Campaign Is Going Down In Flames

Liberal Redneck – New Speaker MAGA Mike Johnson

Woman Becomes Third Wheel In Her Cat And Husband’s Relationship

Beau – Let’s talk about Biden, diplomacy, and parallel tracks….

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Oct 272023
 

MSNBC – Katyal: Meadows could ‘obliterate’ Trump’s defense if he’s flipped

The Lincoln Project – President Biden’s Speech (full ~15 min address here) 

Ring of Fire – Republican Lawmaker Blasts Matt Gaetz And Friends In Scathing Letter

Scared Ketchup – AI Trump interviews AI Jim Jordan

Couple finds cats in new home. Guess how they responded.

Beau – Let’s talk about Michigan and options….

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Oct 252023
 

Glenn Kirschner – Another Trump lawyer – Jenna Ellis – pleads guilty & flips in GA; throws Rudy Giuliani under the bus [Has anyone ever heard before of an actual lawyer putting forward an “advice of counsel” defense?]

The Lincoln Project – Jim Jordan on Social Security

MSNBC – ‘Political earthquake’: Mark Meadows has been granted immunity according to ABC News

Liberal Redneck – The House GOP is Incompetent

Woman Spends 6 Months Getting Stray Cats To Trust Her

Beau – Let’s talk about Biden, hot takes, and security….

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Oct 232023
 

Glenn Kirschner – Powell & Chesebro plead guilty, flip, & agree to testify against Trump & others: Top 5 takeaways

The Lincoln Project – This Is Your Coup, Jim Jordan

MSNBC – Trump’s embrace of violence since leaving office

John Fugelsang – Kid Rock for Senate?

Wobbly Cat Adopts A Tiny, Wobbly Kitten

Beau – Let’s talk about how Biden’s trip changed….

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Oct 212023
 

Glenn Kirschner – The Biden campaign opens a Truth Social account – @BidenHQ – and OUTPACES Trump’s campaign account!

The Lincoln Project – Rick Reacts: Biden’s Strength In Crisis [zero punches pulled]

Armageddon Update – Israel Attacked…AGAIN!

Parody Project – Tom Dooley Parody about Judge Thomas – HANG UP YOUR ROBE (SPEAK TRULY)

Couples Takes Home Pregnant Stray Cat Living At A Car Rental Shop In Costa Rica

Beau – Let’s talk about what fiction can teach us about politics…

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