Open Thread June 5 2024

 Posted by at 6:09 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 052024
 

Yesterday, there was a lot of speculation regarding what will happen now that Trump** has been convicted. One topic which is everywhere: “Is Trump** going to incite violence if he is sentenced to any prison time?” To me the answer is “Yes, of course he is. He will incite violence if he is just sentenced to House Arrest. He will incite violence if he is just sentenced to probation, once he finds out how restrictive that is. Why should any of this determine how we administer justice? Besides, if he is given no sentence at all, he will incite more violence, since he can get away with it. Just prepare for violence and sentence him the way he should be sentenced.” Both my short takes agree with me, I think, though they’re coming from different places. I’m not sure how they would prepare. My suggestions would be along the lines of whatever you do, do not buy a gun. You wouldn’t have time to get proficient. If you already have one (as a surprising number of liberals and lefties do, for different reasons) and are proficient, start learning how to be proficient at knowing when you use it. That’s much harder and takes longer, but there’s time for some baby steps (and if it’s “been a minute” since you used the weapon, some practice with it wouldn’t hurt.) For those of us who wouldn’t dream of using a gun, I’d suggest thinking hurricane or pandemic. Stock up on necessities so that you won’t have to leave your home. Of course all of this depends on where you live also. I live just outside the city limits of a red city in a blue state, and everyone knows how red it is. If I lived in Denver I’d be more concerned. If I lived in Washington DC I’d be very concerned. Also yesterday, Informed DElivery advised me my ballot was delivered. Not bad.

Robert Hubbell throws a bucket of common sense cold water over whoever needs it the most. But I don’t think it will hurt any of us.

Steve Schmidt refers us to a Reuters column (an investigation really) regarding the Proud Boys.  That link and Steve’s comment are both valuable

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Open Thread June 2 2024

 Posted by at 6:02 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 022024
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was Cinderella (not the Italian “Cenerentola” by Rossini, but the French “Cendrillon” by Massenet, which is much more like the story as we know it, while the Italian one is funnier and played more for laughs.) Massenet is the composer who wrote “Thaïs”, and you have almost certainly heard the “Meditation” from that opera – it’s a solo violin over the orchestra, and so often played it’s almost elevator music now. “Cendrillon” has arias, but none that has been overplayed as a standalone, and is also very listenable, even full length and in French, and this was neither – it was one of the abridged versions the Met does especially for children, usually around New Year’s Day (which this performance was taped on in 2022.)

Just for fun. One for every two counts.

A glimpse of the MAGA universe. But they haven’t thought of everything. No one seems to wonder why, if this were all a setup by Biden, what on earth took him so long? Even if he were in cognitive decline (which I hardly need to say he isn’t), surely (in their world) he would have Machiavellian advisers (which he doesn’t – and apologies, Niccolo) who would have finished the job a couple of years ago.

Several people have put together memes or articles to make the point “This is what ‘Not guilty’ looks like.” Wonkette doesn’t even make that point, being so in awe of the gentleman’s classiness, but I make it, and it’s my favorite in that category.

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Open Thread June 1 2024

 Posted by at 6:01 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 012024
 

Yesterday, as promised, Robert Reich posted Episode 1 in his new DEBUNK series. This kink is to his Substack addres; it includes a transcript of his video (just under 3 minutes) and a link to it (and it has good CC.) Also, I got my new water heater inspected by the regional authority (I forget what they call it. The inspector wants a bit more support on a couple of tubes at the top, but he won’t have to come back – he can email my plumber and the plumber can email him back a photo. It’s good to ba able to go through the mud room again without special leak-proof footwear (which is also uncomfortable.)

This from Talking Points Memo is thoughtful, scary, and I believe motivating to keep up the fight for justice, which sadly will never end,

This is more a curiosity than breaking news – certainly I was curios after reading the headline, and also curious to see whether the method shared by someone at Democratic Underground to make a paywalled article accessible to anyone would work. (Spoiler: It does. Yippee!)

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Open Thread May 30 2024

 Posted by at 3:13 pm  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 302024
 

Yesterday, Wonkette referred me to this clip from The Daily Show. I;ve set it to start where he starts on Alito. It is a hoot. Also, I reached my plumber, who will becoming today (and will likelty have come by the time anyone reads this.)  Sorry to be so late!

This is noteworthy, particularly in Mississippi. I wish the Supreme Court would take notice.

I knew about this – you may also have read about it – but then I don’t pay attention to what Ursula calls the “Legacy media.”

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Open Thread May 28 2024

 Posted by at 6:06 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 282024
 

Yesterday was pretty quiet.  Today I will be getting in touch with my plumber, because over the weekend, my mud room developed a pond.  It’s right between my water heater and my washing machine, so I don’t know which is at faultBut whatever it is, it needs to be gone.

I’m not going to embed this, nor count is as an article, because it is not political. What it is about is how, when you post a comment on the internet (especically when it isn’t answered on the site, you have no idea how much it may impact someone. And you may never know. Humility is a good thing, but it’s possible to be too humble about what we do here, and easy to get discouraged. Please don’t get discouraged. (Oh, BTW, hanky alert)

Hanky alert here too. I can actually see why MAGAts would hate people like Steve and Skyler – because they are nearly impossible to live up to, their existence lays bare all the failings of the right.

I’m not ceazy about predictions, especially ones that depend on people I don’t know. But this is amusing. On that jury, I would have fit in well.


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Open Thread May 26 2024

 Posted by at 6:05 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 262024
 

Yesterday’s radio opera was Puccini’s “La Fanciulla del Ouest” (Girl of the Golden West.” It was taped before the pandemic, and it’s one of the operas I streamed during the pandemic, so no surprises, and I was glad to hear it again. Puccini is famous (notorious?) for the pathos of his doomed heroines, and most of his operas certainly fit the pattern. I am sure of only three operas where the heroine doesn’t die (one is iffy, as there are two heroines, and one dies and the other doesn’t.) This is the only one where the heroine can actually look forward to a new ife with her lover. It follows the play closely, including the blood dripping from the ceiling, and the cheating at cards, but leaving out some things because singing takes longer than speaking – her trip to the mission (on which she meets Dick Johnson – and feel free to laugh – everyone does) is not shown, only alluded to. And this summer Tme General manager’s wife will be touring with the Ukrainian Freedom orchestra, including in Kyiv and Lviv. and next year – Moby Dick.

Although today is not Memmorial Day, the National Memorial Day Concert  on PBS airs tonight at 8:00 p.m. most places (but check your local listings( and again at 9:30 pm (immediately after the first airing.)  If you have ever seen one of these concerts, you will likely not want to mss it.

I no longer ger newsletters from Mother Jones, but Talking Points Memo referred this article about RFKJr. David Corn has always been an excellent writer and a real journalist, and I think it’s worth sharing.

Heather Cox Richardson looks at Alexander v. South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP through the lenss of Lincoln’s “House Divided speech, including some background that most people don’t know. If only Republicans had any shame, this would devastate them. It’s a pity they don’t.

RGB version

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Open Thread May 24 2024

 Posted by at 6:12 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 242024
 

Yesterday, I picked up a new Randy Rainbow parody, the first one he has made since “Don’t Arraign on My Parade, which was 9 months ago. (He made an “Interview with Mike Johnson,” but it’s not musical.) This one is called “Forty-Five” and based on “Nine to Five.” Here’s the link.

This is just the introduction of a bill. It doesn’t mean it will pass, with or without amendments. But it is IMO a good, even a great, bill and long overdue. Kudos to Elizabeth Warren.

Well, this is – unfortunately – unusual. A littlr more of it and it would be more than Texas which would see improvement.

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Open Thread May 22 2024

 Posted by at 6:04 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 222024
 

Yesterday, and I can still hardly believe it, I spoke with Lynn Squance  (Squatch). My phone rang, and after 2 rings stopped, and I hadn’t had time to read the full caller ID, but I thought the first two letters were BC,so I checked my call log, and checked my contact list, and it was her number. Except that in my contacts there was one wrong number – I had the last two digits as 81 and it was actually 61. So I called back, and she said she hadn’t called, but was happy to hear from me. She’s fine. All her cats that we knew are at the Rainbow Bridge, but she has another now named Simon who was born the day after her last prior cat died. We haven’t seen her lately because she tried to register at Disqus, and was told she was already registered, and had no idea under what username or password. We talked about ways to get around that – “logging in” through facebook, Xitter, or google – or starting a new profile. She mentioned a couple of usernames, so if she follows through, I’ll know it’s she and will pass that on. The relief is overwhelming.

Today, after a day filled with snark, we have a day with two articles “as serious as a heart attack” (though, I hope and believe, not equally life-threatening – but instead I hope life-inspiring. Although – I have seen the results of one actual heart attack which was amazingly life-inspiring – and life transforming – for the survivor. I’ll have to write about that. It’s quite a story. But not today.)

Robert Reich digs into the possible reasons why so many people are so wrong in their evaluations of Trump** and Biden – and what can be done about it.

Heather Cox Richardson covers Biden’s commenceement speeach at Morehouse College last week, adding some historical background here and there.

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