Nov 192024
 

Yesterday, I was stressed out by the feeling that everything I did or wanted to do was fighting with me. So I’ll likely be brief in my comments on the articles I post. Honestly, I just feel exhausted.

https://robertreich.substack.com/p/trumps-first-buddy-is-in-deep-shit
Robert Reich reports Elno is calling himself’ Trump**’s “first buddy.” Without comment on intellectual intelligence which Elno may or may not possess, it’s been clear for some time that his EQ (Emotional intelligence quotient) is a single digit.

https://joycevance.substack.com/p/the-democracy-index
Joyce Vance lays out how she plans to chronicle this Trump** administration (differently from the wayshe did so last time) in hope of minimizing distractions. I’m not sure she realizes that it’s not just the media, or MAGA, or Putin, who are actively working to distract us. When I dug out the Windows 10 laptop earlier ths year, and again when I dug out the Windows 10 desktop, I literally spent over a week on each one just uninstalling distractions. And I have not yet finished on either – I just got to a point where I could cope. But now both are getting worse. Please note too that uninstalling some of this is in no way obvious -but the amount of links providing instructions on how to do so (not all of which even work, which is part of the issue) suggests that I am far from alone in not wanting to be distracted by crap I will never use.

Belle 4 Tuesday

Cat

 

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Nov 092024
 

Yesterday, hoo boy, did I ever wake up from a strange dream. It startes with my preparing to teach some kids how to adapt and bake an adapted cookie recipe. Tere were actually several dozen kids, 5th-7th grade, in the class, but I was one of many teachers, so no one of us was dealing with more than 5 or 8. I prepared by actually baking different adaptaions, and making printouts of the one I considered the best. No one else had done this, so I ran horribly short of printouts, and all the kids had attitudes. Afterwards, the supervisor of all the teachers asked me to deliver an object for him and i agreed. It was to a place somethng like Chaco Canyon, though I have never actually been there. When I delivered it, the recipient asked me to deliver a different object to someone else. In fact, everywhere I went, everyone to whom I delivered somethng had something else for me to deliver to someone else. Some of these people were children and young adults, but some were much older. Some were lovers separated by circumstance. There were various ethnic and lingual groups represented, and multi talents. Most of the spaces were kind of wilderness, but one thing I was asked to deliver was to a college to which the asker had applied, and that was in a small city. Among the people I delvered to were a little girl who said she wanted to be President when she grew up, and a little boy who said he wanted to be President now. At the very end, the person I was delivering to was not there, and an elderly lady said she would deliver it, so I gave it to her and returned to the supervisor who has started the chain, who picked up a small rifle and shot the person standing behind me, who turned out to be the elderly lady from my last stop, who had been aiming at my back with a bow and arrow. That was when i realized that the stuff I had been delivering was not just stuff, but objects of great spiritual significance and power, and I was returning them to their rightful owners, and I was doing so on behalf of a resistance movement. If I could remember (or reinvent) all the details, it would make a great fantasy novel. I would love it if Margaret Atwood would do so – wry humor was prominent among the wide range of emotions in it. But if anyone wants to tackle it,I would not dream of claiming copyright for a dream (pun intended.) I actually have been working on a cookie recipe IRL – maybe I will have managed to bake something by today.

Talking Points Memo Wednesday morning listed a whole lot of catatrophoc stuff which we wll knew was comng – but there was just so much of it, it’ barely possible to hold it all in mins at one time. So, in case anyone forgot anything, here is it. Yea, I held it a couple of days. Including from myself. I can only take so much.

I realize I am in no danger of being raped by Nick Fuentes, for a large number of reasons (or at least not sexually – financially is another matter). But the mere thought of it is enough to make me start thinking anout mixing a potassium cyanide-grapefruit juice cocktail. I actually anticipate seeing the suicide rate among women of all ages skyrocket in the near future.

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Nov 052024
 

Yesterday, I learned that Kamala Harris had appeared on Saturday Night Live’s cold open along with Maya Rudolph. (Yeah, even with the extra hour, I didn’t get through Sunday’s emails on Sunday.) Mitch, sweetie that he is, had sent me a link to the NYTimes article on it, which I did archive, but frankly I don’t much care what the NYTimes has to say about anything any more. So here’s a link to the Cold Open on YouTube. Also yesterday I learned that Quincy Jones died Sunday – and I might not have learned that without subscribibg to The Root’s free enail newsletter, so much has the election sucked the life out of all other news (although in the evening I did hear about it on CPR Classical.)

Heather Cox Richarddson has just returned fro a thirteen month book tour, and is admittedly exhausted. But, while o tour, everywhere she went she was asked the same question – to wit, how she managed to maihtain hope in the face of – well, everything. this is her answer. I’m not adding a tissue alert – I needed one, but I think that’s at least in large part because I’m low on antidepressant just now – and I don’t see this history being taught in red states any time soon. But the history itself is filled with hope.

Joyce Vance’s “The Week Ahead” (also from Sunday evening) may not be as radiantly hopeful as Cox Rixhardson, but it is full if information which should not be missed. What we don’t know about, we cannot defend against. And it’s not all bad. There’s some good news also. (And did you know that chickens can purr? The previous day’s column even had a short video with sound which proves it. I am speechless.)

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Jul 312024
 

Yesterday, I came across a short post sharing that MSNBC had shown an image of JD Vance over the chron “Look what the cat dragged in.” That gave me a smile. I also attempted making cookies, oatmeal raisin, with a non-wheat flour. I knew I would need more liquid than I normally use on account of the oatmeal (I used instant) but I overdid it a little. So they look odd. But they taste alright.

It may have been done before – but I have not seen this quote about fascism applied to democracy (don’t worry, it’s not negative) in this way – particularly combined with the concept that it happens a lot, in and outside of government in both small and large ways.

(non-paywall link) I don’t know how Rolling Stone does it – but so many scoops that are truly significant seem to start there. The New Yorker used to do that, with reporters like David Remnick and Ronan Farrow, but I’ve lost confidence in them. This story, of course, we’ve known what seems like forever – at least in the general outlines – but the details are now included.

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Jul 052024
 

Yesterday, because I forgot about the time difference, I livestreamed the final third of a Capitol Fourth. It was fine. I was glad to see a lot of performers of color, including the host. And the cannon in the 1812 overturewould have done Tchaikovsky proud. I personally wold not have programmed “God Bless America,” simply because it annoys me that Christians seem to think it’s a Christian song so they have a monopoly on iy, when in fact it’s a Jewish song, written by Irving Berlin. But they certainly could have done worse.

I’m not sure why this never occurred to me before … but in view of the fact that so many uptight Republicans live in rural areas, it seems odd that they appear tp think they can “protect” children from learning about sex by regulating porn. Kids living on farms and especilly ranches probably see more sex (granted betweem animals) than even the most enterprising city and suburban kids can manage to access on the internet. Do you suppose this isn’t about morals at all, but rather about rural people reproducing more, and the rest of us reproducing less?

I figure we’ll all be talking about this for a while. This article not only discusses the topic, but provides additional reference to knowledgeable people’s responses which could sstart a lot of conversation. I don’t, owever, think we should lose sight of the facts that our number one priority needs to be re-electing Biden, and our number two (a very close two) is giving him the Congress he needs to work with.


The above  is a snapshot. I would not deliberately send y’all to Xitter. The full text is here.

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Oct 212023
 

Yesterday, Lona put up a comment on the video thread for the 18th which included a video she hopes everyone hare will look at and read. I can’t link directly to the comment, as I used to be able to do in the old system, but I can link to the thread, so that you only need to scroll down and expand the comment. Between this and the short takes – I’m sorry I had to put up such a downer on a weekend. But it’s important – and it’s important to address this stuff right away before too many people get sucked in to the information silo.

Cartoon – 21 Nelson


Short Takes –

Protect Democracy – Poland just showed the world how democracy wins
Quote – At a gathering of pro-democracy organizations in 2017, a Polish opposition member of parliament named Agnieszka Pomaska was asked: “What’s your number one piece of advice for democracy advocates in the United States?” Poland has been at the front lines between democracy and authoritarianism, between freedom and repression — not just in the current era, but arguably throughout modern history. Pomaska’s response was simple: “Don’t let the pro-democracy coalition fracture.” On Sunday, Polish voters showed the world just how effective that strategy can be.
Click through for details. Look, I would never say that, for instance, Hamas would never attack Israel or anything else Jewish for no reason at all. Nor would I ever say that Bibi’s government is desirable, or anything otjher than authoritarian and inhumane. But the timing of this war in the Midddle East looks to me designed to fracture the coalition. Just as attacks on Hillary, mostly made up and even the small errors far less important than Republican crime, were designed to fracture the coalition – and they succeeded. And, yes, there are people who are willing to kill for political theater if it strengthens their position or their base.

The 19th – What it takes to defend diversity
Quote – Just three years after the racial reckoning that made much of society examine the ongoing legacy and harm of systemic inequality, a parallel reckoning has also unfolded. It’s one driven by a sense of grievance from White American men, a movement that often co-opts women and even people of color, making them out to be victims of current efforts that are designed to right historic wrongs. Such efforts, Abrams told me, are part of a larger strategy to roll back attempts to make our country more free and fair for women and people of color. It’s the same playbook that dismantled voting and abortion rights, aimed at rolling back racial progress in institutions across the country. “The through line is that our progress as a nation, our economic uplift, our continued dominance, is predicated on full participation, and diversity, equity and inclusion is the roadmap to get us there,” Abrams said. “The threat of lawsuits, the threat of public castigation, the threat of being called out for doing right, is compelling some to retrench. That is dangerous.”
Click through for article. We’ve seen this before. We’re seeing it again. And then things will get better for a while, and then we’ll see it again – those of us who are still around. I don’t know what it will take to make it go away forever, and maybe that’s not possible. I’m pretty sure it’s not possible to eliminate misogyny. It doesn’t appear to be hereditary (Exhibits A, B, and C Stephen Miller, Paul Gosar, RFK Jr), so selective breeding wouldn’t do it, even if that were feasible.

Food For Thought

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Oct 162023
 

Glenn Kirschner – Federal judge “punishes” Rudy Giuliani in defamation suit for “flagrant” violation of court orders

The Lincoln Project – Submission

Thom Hartmann – The Trials of Donald Trump…Will Democracy Be a Victim?

Scared Ketchup – Trump’s Tiny White Balls 2

Pittie Rescued From Highway Finally Wins Over His Cat Brother

Beau – Let’s talk about 2 friends and a question…. (hanky alert)

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Oct 112023
 

Glenn Kirschner – Jack Smith pushes back on Trump’s attempt to move his documents trial until AFTER the 2024 election

Thom Hartmann – A War Against America is Already Underway

Ring of Fire – Trump Tries To Pin The Blame On Banks For Him Committing Fraud

Puppet Regime – World High: Biden won’t let Zelensky rush

When Your Baby Falls In Love With Your Eight Rescue Cats

Beau – Let’s talk about Ukraine, Russia, and the Black Sea Fleet….

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