Open Thread for July 5, 2021

 Posted by at 7:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 052021
 

Last night’s opera was “Akhnaten,” the third in Philip Glass’s “Portrait Trilogy. In his case, it seems to be the first one – “Einstein on the Beach” – which doesn’t get heard and I don’t know why not. Anyway. Akhnaten was the Pharaoh who tried to eradicate polytheism in favor of monotheism of the sun god, Aten. It did not go well. The role is written for a counter tenor (God’s gift to composers who want to write for characters who are in some way androgynous – and also to revivals of Baroque and early Classical opera filled with “trouser roles.” This one is Anthony Roth Costanzo who comes across as avery sweet person, and those who know him confirm that. He had thyroid surgery, and had to grapple with the possibility of not being able to sing any more – and came to peace with the thought that as long as he could do something to make people happy, that would be acceptable. (Fortunately he is still singing – including at Santa Fe this summer in a world premier.) The libretto of Akhnaten is in ancient languages when possible and random syllables when not, with the exception of the “Hymn to the Sun,” which is to be sung in the primary local language wherever it it performed. Here’s an analysis of why (in case anyone cares.) Akhnaten is the last “American Composer” opera. Next week is Strauss week (Richard, not Johann, sorry) and there’s only one – well, maybe two – I’ll want to see so I’ll try to be more on top of things.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The New Yorker – Marjorie Taylor Greene Reports Sightings of Jewish Space Lasers Across U.S.
Quote – Greene said that the “increased Jewish-space-laser activity” was a matter of deep concern, although she was not certain of the lasers’ purpose. “You’ll have to ask the Rothschilds that,” she said. “But it can’t be anything good.”
Click through for details and photo.

Axios – Biden launches effort to bring back deported veterans (about GD time)
Quote – “The Department of Homeland Security recognizes the profound commitment and sacrifice that service members and their families have made to the United States of America,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement Friday.
Click through for a little more.

Washington Examiner – White supremacist marchers ‘ran away’ from Philly residents, police say
Quote – “They started engaging with citizens of Philadelphia, who were none too happy about what they were saying. These males felt threatened, and at one point, somebody threw a smoke bomb to cover their retreat, and they literally ran away from the people of Philadelphia,” Philadelphia Police Officer Michael Crum told reporters.
Click through for story.

Food for Thought

Bonus video – Lona suggested this on the 3rd, and between my internet going in and out and some other things, I didn’t get it up then.  So here it is now.

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Open Thread for June 29, 2021

 Posted by at 7:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 292021
 

The opera last night was “Marnie” – based on the same bool as the Hitchcock movie. It premiered in 2019 to good reviews and good audience response too. So it’s very new. (I’m a fan of the mezzo-soprano for whom it was written, Isabel Leonard, and was lucky enough to get to see her in person in another new opera, “Cold Mountain,” when it premiered in Santa Fe.) I’m sure the movie left out things that were in the book, and the opera has left out things from both, but it’s still a plenty twisted story.

Cartoon

Short Takes –

The New Yorker – Out-of-Practice Trump Forgets to Strand Rally Crowd in Parking Lot
Quote – “People have come to expect that, at the conclusion of one of our rallies, they will be marooned in the middle of nowhere for hours, often in inclement weather,” Harland Dorrinson, a Trump aide, said. “On Saturday night, we didn’t get it done.” Dorrinson said that the entire Trump team would be conducting a postmortem of the rally to find out why attendees were able to leave the event without incident.
Click through for details. Andy, it’s harder to strand a crowd when it’s small to begin with and much of it gets boored and leaves early.

Daily Beast – YouTube Permanently Bans Right Wing Watch, a Media Watchdog Devoted to Exposing Right-Wing Conspiracies
Quote – “What are we going to do?” he asked. Launched in 2007, Right Wing Watch has posted thousands of clips of prominent right-wing figures making controversial comments, perhaps most famously including televangelist Pat Robertson and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. In fact, Right Wing Watch’s exposure of Jones’ false and conspiratorial rhetoric was key to YouTube and other social-media platforms eventually removing his channel InfoWars from their sites. Notably, many of the right-wing outlets and personalities that Right Wing Watch chronicles are not currently suspended or banned from posting content to YouTube, while RWW has been booted for merely exposing their comments and content—something Mantyla noted as being particularly ironic.
Click through for full story. This is NOT good news. They are still on Vimeo, at least.

Independent – GOP senator says roads and bridges are ‘a woman’s problem’ because women ‘do the shopping’
Quote – “My wife says that roads and bridges are a woman’s problem if you will,” said Mr Cassidy. “Because oftentimes it is the woman – aside from commuting to work – who’s also taking children to schools or doing the shopping…. And the more time that she spends on that road, the less time she spends doing things of higher value,” he added.
Click through for absolutely not satire. Yes, Senator, women are human beings, and human beings need roads and bridges. (And your wife sounds brainwashed.)

Food for Thought

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Video Thread 6/28/21

 Posted by at 1:00 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Jun 282021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Bill Barr’s Shocking Atlantic Interview Reveals Incriminating Evidence of Trump’s Corrupt Intent (Referring to oneself in the third person has a name – it’s called “illeism.” It is not exclusive to marcissists – far from it – but they, monarchs, and toddlers are probably the groups which use it the most.)

Meidas Touch – Joe Tripp – On other words, it’s not right v. left, it’s up v. down. Seriously – see The Political Compass. https://www.politicalcompass.org

CNN – Stelter: I watched Hannity’s show for a week. Here’s what I found. Political amnesia is real. If you don’t think so, that’s because you have it. (It can be slective.)

Rebel HQ – OK, funny, but the message is serious. And there will be people injured – there always are.

A different kind of blast from the past – an interview.

Dodo – Two Orphaned Baby Foxes Go Nuts When They Meet For The First Time

Beau – Let’s talk about DeSantis beating Trump….

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Video Thread 6/26/21

 Posted by at 1:00 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Jun 262021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Giuliani Law License Suspended is Part 1 of Accountability: SDNY Criminal Investigation is Part 2

No Dem Left Behind – Hold Them Responsible

Armageddon Update – “Voting Wrongs”

Rebel HQ – Trump Fanatic Facing Extra Jail Time After GOP Law Backfires (Karma is quite a lady.)

Randy Rainbow has a Tribute Parody for Barbra Streisand – it’s not satirical, so I’m not embedding it, but I thought I’d provide the link for those who love Randy as much as I do (and as mush as he loves Barbra)

Otter Reaction to Popcorn Maker (trilingual CC) These little maniacs are pretty cute. No, we don’t domesticate otters in the US. But this isn’t in the US and these are not US otters.

Beau – Let’s talk about Texas building the wall on its own….

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Video Thread 6/20/21

 Posted by at 1:00 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Jun 202021
 

Glenn Kirschner – DOJ Brief Says “Proud Boy” Defendant Committed Act of “Terrorism.” This is What Trump Incited

The Lincoln Project – Juneteenth

Now This News – Teen Receives Racist Attacks After Anti-Racist Graduation Speech

Ring of Fire – Former Nixon Lawyer Says Trump’s Behavior Was WAY Worse Than Nixon’s

Thom Hartmann – Choose: Voting Rights or The US Chamber? (w/ Karl Frisch)

What Happens When You Leave a Barrel Hanging in a forest

Beau – Juneteenth and reactions to it

(*On You Tube, I can cut miscellaneous stuff at the beginning .. but not at the end. So I like to let you know when you can stop one early without losing content.)

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Video Thread 6/19/21

 Posted by at 1:00 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Jun 192021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Breaking News: FBI/DOJ Investigating Possible Complicity of Members of Congress in the Insurrection

Don Winslow – This is 3 days old, and there has been some mitigating news since then. But it’s still a good point.

Armageddon Update – Snark lives!

Now This News – Scare off scammers (ad at end)

Ring of Fire – Mostly opinion here – and I don’t always agree with Farron – but today I applaud him unconditionally. (Ad at end)

Decoding cat emotions

Beau – Let’s talk about the weather and record breaking heat…

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Open Thread for June 14, 2021

 Posted by at 7:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 142021
 

I didn’t mention possible reaction yesterday because I am such a delayed reactor. And, in fact, it wasn’t until after 8 pm yesterday that I noticed a tiny bit of soreness around the injection site – so little I’m not sure I would have noticed it if I weren’t looking for it, but definitely thee.  And I still can’t even find the injection site visually with a mirror and a flashlight.. If I do react to a shot, it’s almost always to a preservative.. I guess the fact Moderna (and Pfizer) have to be kept so cold means that they are very low on preservatives. Tough on the front line handlers , but beneficial to me.

Cartoon for Flag Day

Short Takes

This is especially for Colleen because it’s in San Diego (at least the University is) … but I think we can all enjoy it.

Democratic Underground user “elleng” quotes in full an email from Steve Schmidt. He, along with other Lincoln Project members, have been in the Republican Party a long time – and they know what that party is capable of. So when they speak about that, I listen.
Quote: What we all have to realize is that we are falling into a trap. The media, Democratic leadership, former Republican leaders – we are mistakenly believing this is still a two party system, and we’re missing the point. Everyone is still making an assumption that there are these two parties…but that’s not the fight we’re in. There is only the Democratic Party, and on the other side is an authoritarian movement fueled by Donald Trump. That movement has grown to hold so much power in what used to be the Republican party that it has purged former leaders and left them fearful for the future.
Click through for the full text.

Daily Kos user (“kossack”) Magnifico – I don’t really know Magnifico, but they, like NewsCorpse, hold top mojo, and this article is largely based on two books each by an author I do know and trust – Hannah Arendt and Madeleine Albright.
Quote: The Republican Party’s assault on our democracy is accelerating. The Trump-era has seen the Big Lie be weaponized against truth and facts. At least 14 states, all Republican controlled, have enacted laws this year to restrict voting and elections. Republicans are now escalating the culture war in order to shape and control what people think and believe making a totalitarian state increasingly likely. Democrats, especially those who lead our nation’s institutions, are not reacting with enough speed or force to counter the momentum building against our republic and their slim majority in the Senate is so fractured and paralyzed by money and age to be able to unify to shore up democracy for even the next federal election cycle.
Click through for the full article.

Food for Thought – Republican coin

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