Open Thread March 2, 2024

 Posted by at 6:16 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 022024
 

I learned that another state – Illinois – is now onn the bandwagon of keeping Trump off the ballot. Good luck to all of us.

Heather Cox Richardson is reminded in our time of the times of the “Know Nothing” Party in the 1850s. And with good reason. The actual party name was “the Native American Party,” and later just “the American Party.”  Just as misidentified as today’s “Patriots.”

(I have multiple sources for all of this – Wikipedia is the main one but Performance Today deserves mention.) Today being the second day of Women’s History month, and on the heels of Black History month, it seems to me a good day to bring up Florence Beatrice Price, an American woman of color who was a composer in the 20th Century. She was told many times she was “not a good fit” by publishers – but the Chicago Symphony played her works and they were met with appreciation. Wanamaker’s there (the first retail department store in the U.S.) would hold annual composition contests for local composers, and she was a consistent winner, in one year winning first, second, and third place. But all her manuscripts were kept in the home she used as a summer residence, and when she died, it was abandoned. It was not until 2009 that someone interested in purchasing the home discovered them, and fortunately, was musical enough to know what they had. The works included four symphonies, two violin concertos, a piano concerto, other orchestral works, songs, choral works, chamber music, arangements of spirituals, and probably more piano solos than anything else. According to Performance Today, she is not the most performed female composer in America. And that happened in the 15 years between 2009 and now. I am so glad that I have lived to hear at least some of it. I am listening to one on the radio as I type – her Symphony #3. And it is beautiful.

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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 27, 2024

 Posted by at 5:48 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 272024
 

Yesterday, I slept in, and needed it. But as a result I didn’t get to reading comments until 9 pm. So if when you looked I hadn’t rec’ed you, you might check again, or check at Disqus.

It’s somewhere between difficult and impossible to evaluate the accuracy of information coming from halfway around the world, and from a nation not known for truth – but I surely hope some good comes of this.

Joyce Vance was so tired from cleaning chicken coops last weekend that her weekly “The Week Ahead” column was late. Which means I did not see it until yesterday. Here it is, and there is some interesting stuff in it, much of which is not aboutTrump**.

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Open Thread August 26, 2023

 Posted by at 6:04 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 262023
 

Yesterday, Colorado Public Radio announced that we on the Front Range may get some rain this weekend leftover fron a tropical storm – not from Hilary, but from Harold. The mountains are still a good barrier – the eastern plains, not so much. I did manage to do a bit of laundry and food prep. Also, earlier this week we spoke about clothing being speech. Today’s FFT shows that this can be true even if no one is wearing it. The quote is from a knitting newsletter I receive several times a year (hence the allusion to classes).I made the picture a live link to the exhibit – if you look around that site you can see more details larger. I’m reminded of the AIDS quilt, though the product and the cause are different.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Robert Hubbell – A MAGA mugshot
Quote – In addition to impeachment, the Georgia legislature enacted a law this year (which will go into effect in October) that creates a commission empowered to hear complaints against district attorneys who allegedly refuse to enforce categories of crimes like low-level drug offenses, juvenile offenses, and abortion laws. Seventeen other states have enacted similar legislation to target progressive prosecutors who—in their view—refuse to enforce the law…. Four Georgia prosecutors have sued to invalidate the law…. If the Georgia Commission orders Fani Willis removed after a hearing, she can appeal to the Fulton County Superior Court and (ultimately) to the Georgia Supreme Court. That will take a while, to say the least. Even if Willis is removed, her assistants will continue to prosecute the case.
Click through (it’s Substack, so be prepared to click to keep reading, and to scroll down to reach that click if the page appears to freeze.) I’ve seen a lot of people (most of them at Democratic Underground, but also other places) expressing worry for Fani Willis concerning the new Georgia law allowing a Commission to remove DAs, which goes into effect in October. I’ve been saying it can’t be done just by thinking about it – there will be process – but IANAL. Robert Hubbell is a lawyer and he not only explains it better thn I , he also knows more twists and turns. There are a lot of contingencies addressed in this article also.

HuffPost – Ohio Republicans Twist Ballot Language For Pro-Choice Provision In Likely Attempt To Confuse Voters
Quote – In November, voters will consider a ballot initiative that seeks to enshrine abortion rights and other reproductive freedoms into Ohio’s Constitution. But the five-member Ohio Ballot Board, led by anti-choice advocate and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, on Thursday approved anti-choice language to be used in the initiative, which may confuse voters. The approved summary language uses “unborn child” instead of “fetus.” It does not include any language about the right to make decisions about miscarriages, fertility treatments or contraception — even though that’s a significant part of the proposed amendment.
Click through for details. Ohio has a bigger problem than abortion – a problem elephant-sized and elephant-shaped. I wish them luck. They’re going to need it.

Food For Thought

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Open Thread July 16, 2023

 Posted by at 6:02 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 162023
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was Verdi’s “I Lombardi alla prima crociata” (the Lombards in the First Crusade), his next opera published after “Nabucco,” which I only bring up because it’s the one whihich contains “The Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves” which pretty much became an international incident. “I Lombardi” contains a chorus a bit reminiscent of the Nabucco one, but which, though it was aso tremendously popular in its day, did not come down through the centuries (well, almost two centuries) as the first one did. I’ve heard of I Lombardi, but till now I had never heard it. There are no big names in this production, and I’ll need to be careful not to tell Virgil today that there exist two recordings of it with José Carreras, because there is no way I can send him any audio, and it would just be tormenting him.  Being early Verdi, the music is as much bel canto as it is what we expect to hear from Verdi.   He was getting closer to finding his voice, but not quite there yet.  Certainly well worth a listen.  Off to see Virgil now; I’ll comment when I get home.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The 19th – The first over-the-counter birth control pill has been approved by the FDA. What will it cost?
Quote – Perrigo is planning to introduce some form of coupon program for people who want to buy Opill but cannot afford the cost. The company offered few details as to how that program will work in practice, so it’s hard to say how significantly it could expand access to the drug. Depending on Opill’s price, health insurance may choose to cover the pill, said Cynthia Cox, a vice president at KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research organization. But given how new the drug will be, and the availability of other prescription-based generic options, it’s hard to imagine many plans will voluntarily do so. Currently, the emergency contraception Plan B pill is only covered when prescribed by a doctor. Cox also agrees that it’s not clear that any existing federal law — including the ACA — could be interpreted to guarantee coverage of an over-the-counter birth control drug.
Click through for story. Good thing for me I don’t need it, since there’s just about no way I would do anything at the same time every day. I would suggest that, regardless what insurance does, FSAs and HSAs I am confident will cover it. Normally that doesn’t make it free, but it does make it tax-free.

Crooks & Liars – Marjorie Taylor Greene Wants Entire Biden Administration Drug Tested
Quote – How ’bout we test Trump for Adderall and Don Junior for coke? Or test the White House Correspondents, especially those from right-wing outlets? You know, PROBABLE CAUSE.
Click through for details and more alternate suggestions.

Food For Thought

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Open Thread June 25, 2023

 Posted by at 6:14 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 252023
 

Yesterday, the radio opera (again from Vienna) was Richard Strauss’s “Salome.” The libretto is a translation of the play by Oscar Wilde. if you know the Bible story, you know it’s pretty twisted – and more so in the play – and still more so in the music. John the Baptist, who was the good guy in the Bible story, is depicted as a fire-breathing judgmental pseudo-Christian. He does have has some excuse since Herod, Herodias, and Salome are all depicted as spolied, entitled, and perverted billionaires. The only decent person in it is poor Narraboth, a guard who has as much of a crush on Salome as Herod does, but not the means to even get her to notice him. So why is it still popular, after all this time? I would say, because sometimes people need to look, really look, at evil and depravity, and these great artists do not make it exactly palatable, but they do make it possible. It’s not pretty, because it’s not meant to be. Strauss’s “Elektra,” based on one of the plays in the Oresteia (IIRC the second of the three) is similar in tone and succeeds for the same reasons. After those two, he lightened up some. But he never stopped having things to say about people which are not easy to admit.  ALso yessterday, things started to get pretty wild in Russia.   There are too many open possibilities for me to start going into it now.  But if you see something about Russa onsources which are good at breaking news, like AP News the Guardian, NBC (justa few), you might want to pay attention.  And if you see or hear anythig about “Swan Lake,” you difinitely want to pay attention.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

PolitiZoom – GOP ‘Weaponization’ Outrage Due To 3 Words NOT In Title 18 (Federal Crimes)
Quote – Th[e]se three words aren’t in any criminal statute listed in Title 18 of the U.S. Code. As a result conservative’s knickers are in a twist (more like an atomic wedgie) so they have been and will continue to flood public discourse including the news with louder and crazier claims of Democrats “Weaponizing” government. The mashup of irony and hypocrisy is stunning in and of itself and countess things have been written and said about it that include examples of Republicans having done so so often in the past against Democrats. I won’t rehash it here. Instead, since this is about laws, specifically crimes and federal law I want to as actual lawyers would say keep “on point.” And the point is sharp – federal criminal statues don’t include the words “Except for Republicans.”
Click through for story. i almost said “opinion” – but it’s an opinion well founded in facts.

KRCC* – ‘Why are we having to beg?’ Group of Club Q survivors renew call for Colorado Healing Fund to release money
Quote – Some survivors of the attack on Club Q say they are still pleading for funds raised in their name seven months after the deadly shooting. At a press conference Tuesday in front of Colorado Springs City Hall, a small group called on the Colorado Healing Fund (CHF) to release the remaining dollars in its possession. Jerecho Loveall [for example] was shot in the leg at Club Q. He says he lost his job in February when he had a breakdown after trying to work while still coping with his physical and mental injuries. Loveall says he’s had to submit receipts to organizations that channel money from the healing fund for bills and groceries, sometimes waiting weeks for a reimbursement check to come in to feed his three children.
Click through for details. *KRCC is the radio station at Colorado College, a private college in Colorado Springs. The station has been accepted under the umbrella of CPR (which in turn is under the umbrella of NPR) and is editorially independent of the College, so it can break stories like this.

HuffPost – The Dobbs Decision Unleashed An Unapologetic Abortion Rights Movement
Quote – The last year has been devastating for abortion rights in the U.S. since the Supreme Court repealed nearly 50 years of precedent in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling. The suffering that Dobbs has brought is hard to comprehend on a national scale. But from something so terrible, so unthinkable, came a full-blown resistance that centered abortion rights in the national conversation.
Click though for details. I see it too – I see it in smaller, more private ways, but I agree it is real.

Food For Thought

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Open Thread June 23, 2023

 Posted by at 6:01 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 232023
 

Yesterday, I learned about the House voting to censure Adam Schiff for telling the truth. It probably came in the previous night, butit would have been after 10 pm my time, in one of the Substack newsletters. Ten pm is when I check for spam and close my email, even if i’m up later than that. I am actually less angry at the Republicans in the House than I am at the morons who sent them there. Adam’s full speech (a tad over 6 minutes is at his own website and also on YouTube, and one of my Substack sources provided a partial (but substantial) transcript:
“To my Republican colleagues who introduced this resolution, I thank you. You honor me with your enmity. You flatter me with this falsehood. You who are the authors of the big lie about the last election condemn the truth tellers and I stand proudly before you. Your words tell me that I have been affective in the defense of our democracy, and I am grateful.
“Speaker McCarthy would spend the nation’s time on petty political payback, thinking the censure or fine will force Trump’s opposition into submission. But I will not yield. Not one inch. The cost of the Speaker’s delinquency is high, but the cost to Congress of this frivolous and yet dangerous resolution may be even higher as it represents another serious abuse of power.
“I say this to Speaker McCarthy and others who wish to gratify Donald Trump with this act of subservience, try as you might to expel me from Congress or silence me with a $16 million fine, you will not succeed you might as well make it $160 million. The Speaker will never deter me from doing my duty no matter how many false justifications or slanders you level against me. You indict yourselves.
“Why were you silent, afraid, and unwilling to do your ethical, constitutional duty? Why did you cower? And why do you still? Will it be said of you that you lacked the courage to stand up to the most immoral, unlawful, and unethical president in history but consoled yourselves by attacking those who did?
“Today I wear this partisan vote as a badge of honor knowing that I have lived my oath, knowing that I have done my duty to hold a dangerous and out-of-control president accountable and knowing that I would do so again in a heartbeat if the circumstances should ever require it. I thank you, and I yield back.”

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Politico – The sleeper legal strategy that could topple abortion bans
Quote – Revs. Jan Barnes and Krista Taves have logged hundreds of hours standing outside abortion clinics across Missouri and Illinois, going back to the mid-1980s. But unlike other clergy members around the country, they never pleaded with patients to turn back. The sight of the two women in clerical collars holding up messages of love and support for people terminating a pregnancy “so infuriated the anti-abortion protesters that they would heap abuse on us and it drew the abuse away from the women,” recalled Taves, a minister at Eliot Unitarian Chapel in Kirkwood, Missouri, as she sat on a couch at Barnes’ stately church in this quiet suburb of St. Louis.
Click through for details. It seems to me fairly self-evident. MAGA “Christians” could use a mandatory “refresher” course in what religious freedom actually is.

Wonkette – Sam Alito Is Just Humble Fisherman Drinking $1,000 Bottles Of Wine Served By Billionaires
Quote – [Alito:] I stayed for three nights in a modest one-room unit at the King Salmon Lodge, which was a comfortable but rustic facility. As I recall, the meals were homestyle fare. I cannot recall whether the group at the lodge, about 20 people, was served wine, but if there was wine it was certainly not wine that costs $1,000. [Wonkette:] Okay, a) how would Alito know what the wine cost if he wasn’t, as reported by ProPublica, paying for his stay, and b) Sam Alito knows what a $1,000 bottle of wine tastes like, and it does not taste like whatever swill he does not recall drinking in Alaska.
Click through. I figured if anyone could manage to put a more colorful spin on this story, it would be Womkette. They did not let me down.

Food For Thought

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Open Thread May 5, 2023

 Posted by at 6:10 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 052023
 

Today, Virgil and I have been married for 39 years. No, I won’t see him until Sundey (but you can bet he’ll call,) Now, next year, being a leap year, the day will be on a Sunday. And it will be 40 years. I think that’s cool. (Incidentally, tomorrow’s radio opera will be Puccini’s “La Boheme.” If you were ever curious what inspired “Rent,” this is it. It’s easy to listen to, very melodic [Della Reese recordsed one of the arias with English words as “Don’t you know”] The four acts average maybe 20 minutes each of actual music, though of course with intermissions the broadcast will be longer, and besides the music there’s usually applause. If you don’t know of a local station, cpr.org/classical, kcme.org [both mountain], and wfmt.com [central] are always available.)

Also – Robert Reich is trying to give away the chair which was his official chair when he served in the Cabinet. It’s huge, and looks comfortable, if one is tall enough (I’m not tall, but I seem to have long femurs for my height – I would love it but have no room for it.) Any takers?

Cartoon – 05 0505Cartoon.jpg

Short Takes –

Pro Publica – What You Need to Know About Stillbirths
Quote – Every year, more than 20,000 pregnancies in the U.S. end in a stillbirth, the death of an expected child at 20 weeks or more of pregnancy. Research shows as many as 1 in 4 stillbirths may be preventable. We interviewed dozens of parents of stillborn children who said their health care providers did not tell them about risk factors or explain what to watch for while pregnant. They said they felt blindsided by what followed. They did not have the information needed to make critical decisions about what happened with their baby’s body, about what additional testing could have been done to help determine what caused the stillbirth, or about how to navigate the process of requesting important stillbirth documents.
Click through (they’ll offer you the newsletter but you can just click on “No, thanks, I’m all set”). Back in the day, there was an expression, “Just the same, only different.” That’s the case with miscarriages and stillbirths. And, with the increased push for men to control women’s bodies, it’s more an more important to understand both. I am way past menopause, but every woman of childbearing age – and all the men in throir lives – need to know this material. So I’m bookmarking it.

Southern Poverty Law Center – MALE SUPREMACY IS AT THE CORE OF THE HARD RIGHT’S AGENDA (caps are theirs)
Quote – The hard right, in other words, wants to revive an older social order, before the Civil Rights Movement, women’s and gay liberation movements, and other social and political transformations upset what was a thoroughly white-dominated, patriarchal society. Gender, then – how it is understood, practiced and described in our laws – is clearly of central concern to the hard right. Their goal is to uphold male supremacy, a movement that scholar of right-wing movements Chelsea Ebin describes as “a complex system that serves to assert, support, and promote the supposed superiority of men,” and subjugate women, trans, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming people.
Click through for details. I’ve been yelling this for years – glad to see someone else yelling too. If we don’t know our enemy, we will lose battles and eventually lose the war. Never forget Hillary. Never forget “Sure, I’d vote for a woman – just not this woman.” I never want to need to say “I told you so,” nor do I want it to need to be said “She told us so” after I’m gone.

Food For Thought

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