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Personal Update January 5, 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:28 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 052024

Yesterday, I noted that we can stop saying “Trump** is still ahead of Joe in the polls.” The latest from 538 gives Joe a 2-point lead. That’s not much, but it’s something – not enough for compacency. Not that anything would be good enough for complacency when it comes to Trump**.

But the day before, the 3rd, Joyce Vance wrote a post about one court battle in particular which is also kind of a pep talk. I recommend it. It never hurts to pick up a little spine-stiffener when thee are issues ahead.
“[Obama in his presidential farewell address] said ‘All of us, regardless of party, should throw ourselves into the task of rebuilding our democratic institutions.” He said that strengthening our democracy “depends on our participation; on each of us accepting the responsibility of citizenship, regardless of which way the pendulum of power swings.’ It’s likely that in that moment he didn’t fully envision how critical the role each of us plays as a private citizen was about to become. But we see it now. We have risen to that challenge once and we can do it again.”

Then yesterday, Steve Schmidt’s column was titled “Be Not Afraid.” Personally I would have said “Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid. But Be Not Paralyzed.” But he has a long and inspiring quote from FDR in it which is worth some time. It starts about halfway down the page.

Yes, both are Substack.

Oh, and ICYMI, Kim Davis has been court ordered to pay $200 grand in attorneys’ fees and expenses to [just] one of the couples to whom she refused a marriage license.

I also got a phone call from my one cousin who does not and will not own a computer – so I need to either phone or write to her (and I think you all know how I feel about phones.) She was responding to my very late Christmas card which she just received. We had quite a chat. She is the cousin who is the same age as I (there are two older and one younger.)

And in antici[ation of tomorrow…

Personal Update January 3, 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:46 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 032024

Well, yesterday I got a lot done. I got my checking account on record for direct deposit with my new HRA custodian, and put in a recurring claim for my Part D premium which is paid automatically on my main credit card. Then I verified that my new HRA credit card is on file with my new pharmacy so that can get automatically paid as I refill I brought in packages, two with variius forms of ginger (lozenges, tea, and crystallized), which I’ll be using some at least, alththough i am keeping food down for now – and one with some personal hygiene items. The exterminator came for the third time, was able to give me something of an update (progress in some areas, inside and out, and in others, not so much) and set the nest appointment for the 15th. I cleaned and re-bandaged an injury to my left foot which I needed a hand-held mirror to even partially see – don’t ask how it happened because I have no clue. It is getting better too, but taking its sweet time about it.

I’m not yet ready to commit to a blog every day, but II do want to share this from Robert Reich (Substack of course) :because, though it doesn’t mince words, is nevertheless constructive:

Welcome to (gulp) 2024

What can the rest of us do between now and the election to help save American democracy?

Ten suggestions:

1. Become even more politically active. For some of us, this will mean taking more time out of our normal lives — up to and including getting out the vote in critical swing states. For others, it will mean phone banking, making political contributions, writing letters to editors, and calling friends and relations in key states.

Aside from that – remember Godwn’s Law? I forget the eaxct wording, but it was something like “In a political argument, the first one to bring up Hitler loses.” Well, Godwin himself – the Godwin who wrote the law – is now saying we must compare Trump** to Hitler – that failure to do so would be irresponsibe. Yup. Thank Crooks and Liars for that bit of truth..

And I’m afraid this cartoon is all too true –

Open Thread June 1 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:00 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 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 vdeo (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 plumbere and the plumber can email him back a photo. It’s good to ba ale 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!)

Personal Update December 15, 2023

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 10:29 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 152023

Reading yesterday’s comments, I think I need to be a bit more clear. My donations are still catching up with years of not getting them done every year. The pickup yesterday came at about 11:30 but I was still wiped out for the rest of the day. It consisted of about 10-12 cardboard boxes, ranging from some small enough for me to actually carry up to about 3′ x 4′ x 12″, plus an old (and now too large) wheelchair and an old oxygen concentrator. That is not going to fit in a PT Cruiser, nor in anything smaller than a dually. Also, I was warned upon leaving rehab not to drive until I had a doctor’s clearance to do so, which I don’t. Not that the car will start. Trinette managed to keep the battery powered while I was not home, but it only takes one small slip to lose that, and I don’t see the point of getting it jumped when I can’t go anywhere. But the picking up is done by the Vietnam Veterans of America, a group I can support, and they don’t charge for it. And, believe me, there’s more where that came from. I’ll be happy if I can start getting stuff out faster. I did learn after the first pickup last year that there’s no point in using trash bags – the porch is covered but not enclosed, and they are too flimsy. But cardboard boxes work well and can be left out to wait.

But enough about that. Today I caught up on two of the last three days of email, and found two substack articles, wildly different, but both deserving of attention. One was from Margaret Atwood, who, now having received her pacemaker, was finally able to travel to Scotland to receive her honorary Doctorate of Letters, and to give a graduation speech and to preach a sermon – both of which she extensively quotes – and the sermon was about the power, and the dangers of that power, of words.

The second was from Robert Hubbell, and, basically, takes the events from the first half of the week and breaks them down into what they might portend for the future. That, to me, is important, since it’s very tricky to predict what the effects of any political move may be in the long run. It entirely possible – though far from certain – that fifty or a hundred years from now the Republican sham impeachment of Joe Biden may be perceived as a great honor for him, and a horrid black mark against the Republican Party, maybe even one which was highly influential in its dissolution.

This was in Freya’s newletter – and so perfectly expresses how I feel – I have to share it.

Quick update:

I just got a call from Virgil. He is in the hospital himself, having had surgerrry for a broken hip. I had not had a call from him for some time and was worried but had not said anything because – well, I just couldn’t. But now that I know where he is, I can. He sounds good and has nothing but praise for the hospital and the surgeon.

Personal Update December 14, 2023

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:00 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 142023

I have a donation pickup coming today and I don’t know when (between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.) It’s all ready, but I have questions so would like to be there. So I did this yesterday afternoon.

I know I am worried about 2024, and I believe we all are. I don’t think this article – “Democrats’ Secret Weapon in 2024” – should 100% neutralize that. For one thing, it’s based on public information, and is therefore no secret – although the extent to which it has been and is being underplayed by the media may make it seem like one. for another, it’s from the DLCC – and it’s their job to elect ane re-elect Democrats. Ane when one wants something that badly, it can be hard to see straight. But it does makes some good points. It does NOT mean we can stop working.

If Republicans will not go public with their [lack of] evidence to impeach Joe Biden, then by God, Hunter Biden will.

Personal Update December 13, 2023

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:55 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 132023

I’m typing this on the 12th, but the 12th is almost over, and the article/email I want to share didn’t come in until late. It’s from Joyce Vance, and it’s in regard to Kathy Griffin. Griffin and Vance are personal friends, which would probably cause Joyce to recuse from the case (in an abundance of caution) if she were a judge, but IMO should not prevent her from weighing in on the legal merits, and legally speaking there are two issues, one being the first amendment, and the second being jurisdiction. In fact, the title of her piece is “Can A Court in Tennessee Rule Against You If You Live In California?”

It’s no news to anyone here (and probably no news to anyone anywhere in the country) that Kathy is outspoken and woke, and outspoken about wokeness. I can’t help wondering how much this lawsuit is prompted by misogyny (misogyny which was amply displayed in the incident which ultimately led to there being a lawsuit.) Of course, hate, being an emotion, can’t very well be illegal, or made illegal. The law can only deal with the actions it inspires. I’ll just leave opinions at this point for y’all to decide.

I still haven’t listened to the RBG album yet. I have read through the composer bios and the lyrics – there is much in both to inspire laughter, tears, or both at once. (The last one is her big aria from Scalia/Ginsburg, sung by the composer.)

Personal Update December 10, 2023

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:00 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 102023

Yesterday’s radio opera was “Florencia en el Amazonas” by Daniel Catán. It was a joint commission in 1996 from the opera companies in Houston, Los Angeles, and Seattle, and premiered in Houston. It’s said to be based (loosely) on “Love in the Time of Cholera” by Gabriel García Márquez, but the story line is not so much Márquez’s as are the characters and mythical occurrences. From the very beginning, when Riolobo starts to serve as a quasi-narrator, it should be pretty clear just from his name that the opera is in a space where things happen which are not strictly explainable by science. And they do. I’m not a big fan of Ailyn Perez, for reasons which have nothing to do with opera, but perhaps it’s time for me to let that go – everyone else seems to have done so. The music is very listenable – and manages to avoid all the cliches that Americans (including me) associate with Spanish music, much of which was built up by French composers (I’m sure with good intentions.)

Peter Gelb – the managing director of the Met – really is trying to bring opera together with America – and to beinr America together through opera. Don’t say “Impossible” just yet. Even if opera is not for everyone (which I’m not convinced of, but will accept as a basis for discussion) it definitely is for a lot of people who don’t know it yet.

Interestingly, Heather Cox Richardson this weekend makes an understated but interesting case for using art (visual art) as a means to bring Americans together – and for the government’s role in doing that. Heather doesn’t say so – but we all know that Republicans aren’t actually opposed to spending money – they are only opposed to spending money on things that would help real prople – which certainly includes things which would help all Americans (or at the very least, more Americans) come together to work toward goals which would help all Americans. And that may be the best evidence that spending money on art helps real people – regardless of the genre of the art in question. I might also express this principle a different way by pointing out that there’s a reason Republicans like things to be bleak.

I don’t have a profound though tor image to hand just now … but Il’ll throw in a critter vid. They generally generate something on the order of joy, or at least restored faith.

Woman Becomes Third Wheel In Her Cat And Husband’s Relationship

Personal Update December 8, 2023

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 11:30 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics, Religion

Dec 082023

Well, if the ADL is wishing people Happy Hanukkah, then I guess I can (In fact, I’m probably a day late. Even so, I have more days available.)

Theologically, Hanukkah (however you spell it) is considered to be a minor holiday commemorating a military victory. But there are reasons why it’s more widely recognized (particularly in the United States) than more major Jewish holidays. For one thing, every human culture since pre-pre-history has had sone kind of holiday, festival, ritual – centered aroind the winter solstice, and celebrating light. For another, Hanukkah, certainly in the United States, has become very much about the children. And parents of any culture can see an opportunity to teach religious and cultural principles without pushback just as well as parents of any other culture.

In fact, I find actions like those of Hobby Lobby – removing all Hanukkah merchandise from all stores – to be shameful. I’ve said this before, but I think not here. The historical events upon which Hanukkah is based can be roughly dated to 170-160 BCE. (I grant that at that time history was not considered an exact science deserving of accuracy, but there are written histories datable to at least sometime in the BCE referencing Antiochus abd the Maccabbees.) That certainly suggests that Joseph and Mary grew up celebrating Hanukkah, which in turn siggests that Jesus as a child also celebrated, even in Egypt. All these self-styled Christians who whine about this or that attempt for any person to be the person they were born to be “makes the Baby Jesus cry” should start asking themself what taking away the baby Jesus’s dreidl and gelt away – let alone latkes – does to the baby Jesus’s mood.

It’s still possible to find the books of First and Second Maccabbees in some (though not all) Catholic versions of the Bible. And Handel’s Oratorio “Judas Maccabeus” – at least parts of it – are still being sung (probably mostly by Jews for Hannukah, ironically.) I’m not trying to advocate cultural appropriation, but would it hurt us to give a nod to a story which is part of our story too? One which shows what religious persecution really means (and that it DOESN’T mean people saying “Happy Holidays”)?

Religious persecution also doesn’t mean a menorah (specifically a Hanukkiah – menorah basically means candlestick, and there are different kinds) like this one. Anything that holds the right number of candles in the right configuration will do – and probably has done, at some point in history.

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