Politics Plus

Yesterday, the radio opera was “Theodora” be George Frederick Handel. This is sort of the opposite of last week, when an opera traditionally staged was presented in concert. Theodora was written as an oratorio, intended to be performed in cocert – but the Royal Opera House (London) fully staged it. It actually stages well, including – maybe especially – in modern dress (which thet used). I have a VCR of it from the seventies, directed by Peter Sellars (not the Englishman who spelled it with an “e” and was then already no longer with us, but the Australian who spells it with an “a” and is still very much alive and quirky), also in modern dress. I believe he was the first to fully stage it, but staging it has since become relatively normal. Sellars is a phenomenon in himself, but I won;t go into that today. The story is about a Christian woman – Theodors – who is in love with a Roman soldier – Didymus – at a time when Christians were still being hunted down by the Empire This can’t end well – and it doesn’t. Of course ther are other characters, and plot twists and turns. Handel actually wrote a lot of Italan style operas in his younger days, and Theodira would probably have been one of them had not John Gay and John Rich come along with “The Beggar’s Opers which made Italian opera obsolete overnight. Of course, without that happening, “Messiah” might never have been written (neither would “The Threepenny Opera,” but I digress.)

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Short Takes –

The Colorado Sun – Two Colorado students figured out how to clean an oil spill using human (their own) hair
Quote – Front Range Community College computer science instructor Diane Rhodes says the pair succeeded in part because they had a good idea, backed it with solid engineering and modeling work, and put in the time to overcome physical problems and fix broken parts. But their personalities also made a big impact, Rhodes said. Doing well at innovation competitions requires interaction, practice in public, and a bit of sales, Rhodes said. “They were very enthusiastic, and very knowledgeable. They were able to articulate their problem in a concise way. And they were not shy,… [a]nd I never once had to tell them to put their phones down.”
Click through for story. Good news is always welcome. And human (and canine) hair is a renewable resource.

Robert Reich – The Republican Party: God, guns, forced birth, and strongmen
Quote – The connections between these strands of rightwing ideology are growing clearer and louder — theocratic Christianity, gun violence, the subjugation of women through forced birth, and strongman authoritarianism. Christian nationalism now taking over the Republican Party envisions vigilante justice — “good guys with guns,” neighbors eavesdropping on neighbors, and action to stop what they call “abortion trafficking” — women crossing state lines to access legal abortions. Widespread access to guns is essential to keep everyone under control, suppress protests, and fuel fear. To call this a “culture” war is to understate its true meaning and potential danger. Those of us who still believe in separating church and state, guarding reproductive rights, ensuring racial equality, ending gun violence, and protecting democracy must understand that much of the Republican Party now stands for the exact opposite of these values.
Click through for details. Iam seeing many who write about American politics describe the nation as “asleep” – or “sleepwalking.” I fear that is accurate. REally, our best hope is that they have overstepped and that there will be enough outrage from liberals and other decent human beings to give us a Democratic sweep in both the House and Senate – preferably with no DINOs. If that doesn’t happen, this won’t end well.

Food For Thought