Open Thread August 16 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 162026
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was the one which is part of what is possibly the oldest operatic pun. Let me explain. Richard Wagner managed to get on a friendly basis with the mad King Ludwig of Bavaria – the one who built Neuschwanstein Castle (which is a story in itself.) He also funded the building of Wagner’s new opera house, called the Festspielhaus – a coined word which entered the language to mean any theater built for opera and/or other large musical events. In the early 1900s, one critic started calling the New York Metropolitan Opera House “Das Faustspielhaus” – because it put on Gounod’s “Faust” so often. I think everyone knows the soul-selling-to the devil story, which isn’t pretty, although the music is. I haven’t seen or heard it since CoViD (when the Met was free-streaming and put up a production in which Faust was a nuclear physicist in the 1940s and 50s.) There’s a lot about it to like. I won’t list all the catchy arias, duets, and ensembles, it would take too long. And all the good news stories speak for themselves, so I won’t comment on them

Alfa

Bravo

Charlie

Delta

Echo

Foxtrot

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Open Thread August 15 2026

 Posted by at 5:49 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 152026
 

Yesterday was a fairly quiet day – which I certainly needed. I son’t know that you’ll see that in today’s blog, though you might. The hair-on-fire stuff I couldn’t sqeeze in earlier, and the lighter stuff is newer.

From Colorado Public Radio. What was I just saying about Colorado and water? This image is probably not of the Arkansas River – but it looks like the water in the Ark usually looks, and it does show why they call it “whitewater” rafting. Now compare this to the photo in the article. That water ain’t white, and ain’t gonna be, without a whole lot of snow this coming winter. And yes, I am posting a lot about water in a very short window. Consider it a preview of what’s coming unless all world leaders get their heads on straight – or get replaced with leaders whose heads are already on straight.

This is going to be time consuming – over a half hour if you watch, and of course if you read the stranscript, that will depend on your reading speed. (for comparison, Heather Cox Richardson’s Letters From An American, when she reads them on YouTube, are usually in the 12-16 minute range.) But the amount of time it took to put this information together to present was more like months. The presentation was put together to address the coming midterms, but there is information which anyone who uses AI for any reason should be aware of.

I’m pretty sure the “Duffel Blog” is the military version of The Onion. On the other hand – Kefsbreath is dumb enough for this to be true.

I’ve been wanting to post about this but waited until Joyce Vance put it in writing. I do want to share one thing that was in the videos but isn’t here. At the point when Block said “I’ve been told it should be coming (or forthcoming as soneone else quoted),” allegedly Judge Sullivan responded, “So is Christmas.” I remember that comeback being common in the fifties, but I still find it amusing.

2fer

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Open Thread August 14 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 142026
 

Yesterday, the CPR newsletter headline must have been written by Captain Obvious. It read “Drought dries up rivers.” I’m not complaining – I’m well aware how quickly the obvious can get lost, especially when people have strong feelings. As I do about this. A sweet little mountain town whixh leans heavily on tourism is being destroyed. And it doesn’t stop there. The river in question formerly continued on and fed into the Huerfano River, which in turn (I think still, but less) feeds into the Arkansas River, which provides water for the eastern half of the state, where the agriculture is.

From Colorado Public Radio. Weld County is roughly in the northeast corner of Colorado. It is at least ruby red – possibly garnet red. The corporation involved in this venture has no permits – and doesn’t appear to give a f*ck. The parts of Colorado east of I25 don’t get wildfires like the western part, I think mostly because they are low on trees, but they are by no means immune to drought. I think I wrote about the time – which must be more that six years ago, when I had to drive across half the state to see Virgil, I saw a nominal river (more like a creek really) actually burn up before my eyes. Seeing a creek in flames is an experience I wouldn’t wish on anyone. And as far as I know, the creek died in the fire. I never saw water come back to it.None of Colorado’s rivers is as healthy as it was when I came tp the state in 1976, and I’m pretty sure they were already unhealthy then – because our history reports memorable floods before that year, and I know of none afterwards. The last thing Weld County – or any county in Colorado – needs is a data center.

Referred by VoteVets, specifically General Eaton. He sends a daily “Four Star” which includes 4 links to short summaries of news articles regarding the armed forcea. This one has Kegsbreath’s fingerprints all over it.

All I need to say about this article by Robert Reich is “AMEN!”

The cruelty really is the point.

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Open Thread August 13 2026

 Posted by at 5:59 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 132026
 

Yesterday, I was pretty well swamped by news. The one which stood out was the Mango Monster hiding in the catering cart, which happened what, a month ago and is just now coming out? Several were talking about that. I tried to find some less obvious news which was still important or at least noteworthy.

From Talking Points Memo. The word “overreach” doesn’t, I think, sound as scary as it can be when the overreacher is unscrupulous. And unscrupulous is what we have.

From the AP. I posted the well-wishing opportunity yesterday(ICYMI). JoJo from Jerz has her own take, which I’ll post on a slow day with a hanky alert.

Robert Reich. I’ve always thought that the Luddites had very solid points. Not that I would argue in favor of their tactics – but those tactics were the only ones available to them at the time

From Phil Williams of “Confront the Hate. So much is going on, I feel compelled to post 4 a day until (unless?) things settle down.

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Open Thread August 12 2026

 Posted by at 5:47 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 122026
 

Yesterday, I signed this. It’s not a petition. It’s a get well (or at least feel better) card. I’m not trying to pressure anyone to sign it – only to make it available in case anyone wants to. And then there was this (archived from WaPo. Someone’s been reading too many Tom Clancy novels. Amd, after that, there was this. Not surprising, I’m sure.

This is what I’ve been thinking – now is not the time.

(From the Atlanta Black Star) I would expect something like this to happen in Louisiana or Mississippi – not in California – nor even in Los Angeles (where I might expect no action ay all.) Ihave no woeds (that are printable.

There’s a lot in and around this Brennan Center newsletterContains several topics. The main one titled “Americans Can Vote Without Fear” I though might be encourahing, being reality based (although that might depend to some degree on who your Xecretary of State is.)

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Open Thread August 10 2026

 Posted by at 6:01 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 102026
 

Yesterday, I saw Virgil and we did not play crivvagw – or anyhing else.Before I go into why not, I first want to assure you that have no injuries – not even a broken fingernail or atint scratch – anthe car has only one shallow dent – no scratches and the pain iis intact – and you have to look a it in the right light in order to see it. When I got to the grounds of the state hospital, which the prison Virgl is in is located, the main entrance was blocked with cones and there was a detour sign. I followed the detour, looking for a second sign and not finding it, but knowing there was an entrance on 17th Street (the main one is on 13th) I must have miscounted, because I didn’t see another detour sign at what I thought was 17th St which I turned on to. Considerinh how unpredictable the streets are on the grounds, I didn’t immediately eliminate a dirt road as a possible entrance, and tried one – It rose up to a little hill, which dropped, so I knew that wasn’t right, so I started to back out (I did’t want to atemt to turn around so close to a drop off.) Backing is harder than going forward, and I got too far to the left, and too close to a side slope. When I tried to get out, the the car tilted and rested on a group of Chinese elm saplings (everyone here calls them Chinese; I think theu are more likely Siverian, but I don’t argue.) It happened so fast, and so softly, I was pretty sure there wasn’t much damage to the car, and I knew there was none to me. I tried to call USAA since I have coverage, but they wanted me to access a sifferent website, and I don’t have internet access on my phone, so I called 911 (USAA’s advice if they could’nt help.) Ittook the fire department, the police department, USAA (which the police dispatcher called with a smartphone) to get both me and the car out, but they did. One of the officers called the prison to see what was the latest I would be allowed to enter, which was 2:30. I got there at 2:29. So I didn’t get playing cards out. But at least I was able to see him. And next time (and probably for months), it will be easier. I’m sure that’s more than anyone wanted to know.

Dude has been in prison longer than I’ve been married (counting pre-trial detention, which does count as time served – at least, anywhere civilized.) I could rant for quite some time about this, but I’ll spare you – and myself.

Several days old now, and WaPo (which is paywalled) is still the only place I have seen it. The Guardian probably has it though. (A couple of days after this came out, Faithful America did send an email referencing it.)

This (from AP referred by Allison Gill) is outrageous. I don’t think spouses of military who are not citizens should automatically be granted citizenship, but I do think they should automatically be granted legal residence. (if they turn out to be a spy, it can be rescinded.)

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Open Thread August 9 2026

 Posted by at 5:57 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 092026
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was Pelléas and Mélisande by Debussy = the only opera he ever finished. The plot is basically Tristan und Isolde without the love potion, and so steeped in turn-of-the-20th-century symbolism that it’s tricky to follow – a listener just needs to go with the flow. The libretto is from a play by Maurice Maeterlink – who was pissed off that his girl freind was not cast as Mélisande ay the premiere that he didn’t see it until agfter Debussy died, at which time he said, “In this affair I was entirely wrong and he was a thousand times right.” As a listener/viewer, I would say this quote from Wikipedia nails it: “The deliberate vagueness of the story is paralleled by the elusiveness of Debussy’s music.” Off to see Virgil now. Will check in upon return.

Archived from abc news because theirs only stay up for a while and I need to spread them out to avoid running short.

I am impressed. I did know that birds – particylarly columbids (which includes pigeons) and corvids (crows and ravens), but a bird knowing, first, the it needs oxygen, and second, that it could get some from the right humans, andthird, that these were the right humans -that’s quite a feat.

From GOODGOODGOOD. Just look at all the volunteers it took to make this happen.

Here’s a link to the GIF at the bottom, since it isn’t GIFing: https://martiniambassador.substack.com/p/baby-okapi-is-okie-dokie

These Grannies are from Charlotte (I assume NC.)

 

 

 

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