Open Thread for July 8, 2021

 Posted by at 7:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 082021
 

Yesterday was quiet enough – in fact it was significantly more quiet than usual because I now have no phone service at all on my land line … so no robocall rings. But the technician supposedly comes today. Hopefully that will provide resolution.

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Short Takes –

The Daily Beast – Opinion – Former Murdoch Exec: Fox News Is Poison For America
Quote – Fox News has caused many millions of Americans—most of them Republicans (as my wife and I were for 50 years)—to believe things that simply are not true. For example, Yahoo News reports that 73 percent of Republicans blame “left-wing protesters” for the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Of course, that is ludicrous. All one has to do is look at the pictures or videos of the attack to see that the violent mob was comprised of Trump supporters. Similarly, a poll by SSRS in late April found that two-thirds of Republicans either believe or suspect that the election was stolen from Trump—60 percent saying there is “hard evidence” that the election was stolen. As noted above, this ridiculous notion has been thoroughly refuted. But millions of Americans believe these falsehoods because they have been drilled into their minds, night after night, by Fox News.
Click through for more. This is a “Consider the source” story. This dude is in a position to know what he is talking about, even though he gives Rupert too much benefit of the doubt (reminds me of the KMart ads aimed at WalMart claiming Sam would have been ashamed. No, he wouldn’t have.)

The Hill – Eric Adams wins New York City mayoral primary
Quote – “Now we must focus on winning in November so that we can deliver on the promise of this great city for those who are struggling, who are underserved, and who are committed to a safe, fair, affordable future for all New Yorkers,” he said…. The race is the first in which the board sought to implement ranked-choice voting, which allows voters to list five candidates in order of preference.
Click through for some details. I disn’t follow this race, but did follow the Manhattan DA Dem primary, which Alvin Bragg won.Hopefully they will work together well.

Reuters – Judge finds U.S. 60% responsible for 2017 Texas church mass shooting
Quote – In a decision released on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez said the Air Force did not use reasonable care when it failed to enter Devin Patrick Kelley’s plea to domestic violence charges in a database used for background checks for those buying firearms. Rodriguez said the government bore “significant responsibility” for harm to victims of the Nov. 5, 2017 massacre at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, 31 miles (50 km) east of San Antonio.
Click through for background. Even if you remember it, it’s been a while, and a lot has happened in the meantime.

Food for Thought

Link to story in Common Dreams

 

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Open Thread for July 7, 2021

 Posted by at 7:17 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 072021
 

I have a technician appointment for tomorrow for the phone. The computer seems to stay connected better when it is not quite as hot. News from Carrie’s appointment yesterday: “Both growths removed and sent off to lab. They are probably benign, but a little concern about one that was changing.”

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Short Takes –

Oxfam Denounces OECD Global Tax Deal as ‘Skewed-to-the-Rich and Completely Unfair’
Quote – While some tax equity campaigners applauded the agreement as a good start, Oxfam International executive director Gabriela Bucher slammed the deal as “no more than a G7 money grab,” referring to the seven wealthy nations that have helped spearhead the talks.
Click through for story.  to Mitch.

Crooks and Liars – Biden Quickly Nominates Diverse Slate Of Federal Judges
Quote – Thus far, Biden has tapped 32 judicial nominees, maintaining a rapid pace for both nominations and confirmations that is putting even what Sen. Mitch McConnell did on behalf of the Federalist Society and Donald Trump to shame. “That number is notable for its historical context: It puts Biden on the fastest pace for judicial confirmations in a first presidential term in more than 50 years. The last president to have seven confirmations by this point was Richard Nixon in 1969, according to a White House official,” CNN reports
Click through for details. Yes, it isn’t the Supreme Court. But it is a pool from which future justice will be drawn.and it’s a sign of a good attitude toward the Judicial Branch.

Wonkette – GOP Rep Pretty Sure Soldiers Can Just Quit Over Vaccine Requirements
Quote – There’s a wee bit of a problem with all of that though — as many people were happy to point out to Massie on Twitter, you can’t just “quit” the military, because when you sign up to join the military, you sign a contract and you are required, by actual law, to serve out your time unless otherwise dismissed by the Department of Defense. If you “quit,” that is called “going AWOL” or “desertion” and could result in “dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and a one-year confinement.”
Click through for more of Wonkette’s inimitable style. Beau also has something to say on this topic in the video thread.

Food for Thought

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Open Thread for July 6, 2021

 Posted by at 7:09 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 062021
 

Housekeeping note – I am having my internet go in and out, and my phone line has so much static that it drowns out everything else, including the dial tone (and that’s loud.) If I should disappear, I’ll be back. But I’m hoping, with patience, to keep to the schedule. Sure glad I reached Squatch before this happened!

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Short Takes –

The Hill – Doug Emhoff carves out path as first second gentleman
Quote – Emhoff has headlined regular events but still kept a low profile in the media, striking a balance between breaking barriers as the first male second spouse while also fulfilling the role in a way second ladies have done traditionally. Observers say the lack of media attention is a sign of success.
Click through for the story.

Aeon – Lies and honest mistakes
Quote – [E]ven honest journalists and careful scholars will sometimes get things wrong. Honest mistakes are made. Once flagged, these errors will be immediately corrected and acknowledged; there might be some hard questions asked about process failures, too. But there’s a very big difference between an error and a lie – and between ‘fake news’ and ‘false news’. A fake is always false, and was intended to be. But a falsehood is not always a fake; it could simply be a mistake.
Click through and maybe bookmark. This understanding is how I was brought up, and it seems to me that it’s not the way that most people think. But I think it’s important for us to strive for and, maybe more importantly, to protect ourselves against increasingly effective ways of spreading falsehoods.

AP News – Jimmy, Rosalynn Carter mark 75 years of ‘full partnership’
Quote – Carter has said often since leaving the Oval Office in 1981 that the most important decision he ever made wasn’t as head of state, commander in chief or even executive officer of a nuclear submarine in the early years of the Cold War. Rather, it was falling for Eleanor Rosalynn Smith in 1945 and marrying her the following summer. “My biggest secret is to marry the right person if you want to have a long-lasting marriage,” Carter said.
Click through for more. Many things in the news today will continue to be in the news. But it will be a long time before we see anything like this again. (P.S. George Burns said essentially the same thing – “Marry Gracie.”)

Food for Thought

I’m not trying to throw shade on Canada. It could just ae easily been a picture of the US – or anywhere, really.

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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.

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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 July 4, 2021

 Posted by at 7:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 042021
 

Last night’s opera was “The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny” by Kurt Weill. Weill died an American composer, but when this was written and premiered, he had never even cnsidered coming to America – he was still working in Germany with Bertolt Brecht. So I think it’s iffy to call this “by an American composer.” However, it is – sort of – set in the US (though you’d be hard put to figure out exactly where.) With the llibretto by Brecht (translated of course) it’s a stunning indictment of capitalism. But I don’t suppose RWNJ’s would watch opera much, and those who did wouldn’t get it. Over a decade ago, LA Opera put it on with Patti Lupone and Audra MacDonald, and that version was aired on PBS “Great Performances.” I think it plays best when the character of Jimmy is played by someone sweet and vulnerable, and that is hard to find. Here’s a small taste, without Jimmy, but with Patti Lupone.

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Short Takes – trying for good news so we can relax on a holiday.

Axios – FBI begins arresting individuals who attacked journalists on Jan. 6
Quote – The big picture: The government’s crackdown against attacks on reporters marks a changing of the tide, where journalists are starting to feel that there is some renewed protection after a year of attacks.
Click through for more

A nice editorial from the Miami Herald
Biden’s small gesture toward DeSantis highlighted the president’s human touch
Quote – After almost 18 months of a highly politicized response — or maybe non-response — to the deadly coronavirus, in this state and others across the nation, it is breathtaking to see Florida’s Republican Gov. DeSantis standing shoulder to shoulder with political rival, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz one day, and Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava on another — both Democrats. But a photo of our governor, sitting next to our president who, as he talks to local leaders, lightly places his hand on DeSantis arm, is the most moving of all.
Click through for more niceness.

The concert “A Capitol Fourth,” which is produced by the same people who produce the National Memorial Day Concert, will be broadcast today. My personal opinon is that the Memorial Day Concert is always better, generally much better, but that’s because the Memorial Day Concert goes so deep into the lives and issues of veterans, service members, and their families. the Capitol Fourth is more of a party. Parties bore me (except the Democratic Party OL). But if they don’t bore you, it should be excellent.
Click through for television listings, a trailer, a couple pf previews, a link to FAQs, a link to history, and more.

Food for Thought

In case anyone has been worried about Lynn Squance, after a few tries I was able to speak with her yesterday. We talked about an hour. She is – as fine as pretty much anyne in our age group can claim, and has been (and will be) very involved in political action regarding the events referenced in this article It’s very time consuming but we may eventually start to hear about it if and when it lets up enough to have writing time.

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Open Thread for July 3, 2021

 Posted by at 7:11 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 032021
 

Last night’s opera was “Nixon in China.” It’s the first in John Adams’s American history trilogy; “Doctor Atomic” was the second. “Nixon in China” is fairly straightforwardly historical, until the second act, when a plot point of Mme. Mao making up a clownish exaggeration of a villain as Kissinger in a performance for the guests requires the storyteller singing Kissinger to double. The more you detest Kisinger, of course, the funnier it is. As with “Doctor Atomic,” actual journals and quotes from contemporary interviews were used in the libretto. The only character who is spared some mockery is Chou En-Lai, who at the time of Nixon’s visit was dying of cancer but also ersonally invested in the meeting going well – good reasons to treat him kindly. There is a piece which was contemplated being in the opera but withdrawn which is known as “The Chairman Dances” or, alternatively, “Foxtrot for Orchestra.” (I guess the idea of a mobility challenged Mao dancing for 12 minutes, energetically at that, was simply too much.) I’ve never seen the third opera in the trilogy, because it involves terrorism and ends up getting boycotted. Since I haven’t seen it, I can’t say whether the boycotting is justified, but I suspect it isn’t. Perhaps some day I’ll find out.

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Short Takes –

The Hill – Five takeaways from the Supreme Court’s term
Here are the five: The court is shifting to the right
Still some room for consensus
Religious rights groups extend winning streak
Losing streak continues for voting rights
A ‘warm-up act’?
Click through for details on each.

Yahoo!news – Tropical Storm Elsa is the latest evidence climate change is happening now
I’m not a big fan of yahoo news, but this was the only source I could find quickl which made the link to climate change explicit
Quote – While Elsa, whose maximum sustained winds are 45 miles per hour, is unlikely to inflict the same amount of damage as a stronger hurricane if and when it makes landfall, its formation on July 1 — following Ana, Bill, Claudette and Danny — fits into a pattern in which the changing climate makes conditions for life-threatening storms more favorable.
Click through for the rationale.

Axios – Poll: Americans more worried about restrictive voting laws than election fraud
Yes, I know, this is one of those “file under No Shit, Sherlock” stories. But there’s so much denial of it.
Quote – Why it matters: 67% of Americans — including majorities of Republicans, Democrats and independents — said they believed American democracy is currently under threat, though the survey did not ask what they believed is threatening it.
Click through for details.

Food for Thought

Just a little extra – Smithsonian Trivia for July 4. Their quizzes are generally tough but I managed 4 out of 5 on this one.

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Open Thread for July 2, 2021

 Posted by at 7:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 022021
 

Last night’s opera was “Satyagraha” by Philip Glass, and I think I’ve already written about it. Libretto in Sanskrit from the Bhagavad Gita, the whole first scene take place within Gandhi’s meditation, the second and third acts depict actual events but none outside of South Africa, so that it’a more abut his formation than it is about who he became, but it also looks backward to Tolstoy and forward to Dr. King. Minimal titles, because what’s being sung is not directly related to the action. To say “It’s not your usual opera” is a gross understatement. Yet I find it oddly moving. Plus every time I see it I get new insights.  I may have to break down and get the DVD. In unrelated news, yesterday my favorite browser went down, and when it came back up, it looked different I’m still finding things But, basically, just an annoyance. It shouldn’t be crippling.

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Short Takes –

Former Mueller Deputy Explains Why Indicting Trump Org Matters
Quote – [T]he one point I would make about the press reports of a company being charged — some viewers may think, “Well, what’s the import of that? Who cares? A company can’t go to jail, and that’s not what I’m really interested in.” But just remember, for a company to be found guilty, the government has to prove that at least one individual at the company is criminally liable, so it means more than just a company,
Click through for the rest. And if you are interested in reading C&L’s fluff story about Spiderman and the Pope, click here. 

The Hill – Kagan rips colleagues in blistering 41-page voting rights dissent
Quote – She cited late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia’s dissent in the 1991 case Chisom v. Roemer in which he opined a supposedly neutral law that limited voter registration to only a few hours a week and thus made it more difficult for Black voters than white voters to register because of life circumstances would result in Black people having “less opportunity to participate in the political process than whites.”
Click through to see that she really let them have it. I figured everyone will have seen the indictments by the time this goes up, and voting rights is actually more important at this point.

The 19th – Women in the Biden White House earn 99 cents for every $1 earned by men
Quote – The gender wage gap is typically a “raw” figure that doesn’t adjust for experience, education, title or other factors. It simply looks at median wages. In past administrations, a lack of women in higher-paid positions widened the gap. But in the Biden administration, there is a wider distribution of women across the pay scale, not just in the lowest paid jobs where they have typically been concentrated. About 56 percent of the senior staff in Biden’s White House are women, and about 36 percent come from racially and ethnically diverse communities.
Click through for details. Nice to have some good news.

Food for Thought

Just for the record, here is the actual indictment from yesterday as a pdf file.

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Open Thread for July 1, 2021

 Posted by at 7:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 012021
 

Last night’s opera was “The Ghosts of Versailles” by John Corigliano. It’s based on “The Guilty Mother” which is the third Beaumarchais play about Figaro, the erstwhile barber of Seville. But llike pretty much everything Corigliano does it’s all mixed up with other things. It’s set in Versaille, where the ghosts of Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Beaumarchais himself, and a bunch of scruffy-looking courtiers (all of whom are bored out of their skulls) are to be amused by a new opera (play within a play.) At first it goes well, but then Figaro balks, and Beumarchais has to show him scenes of Antoinette’s kangaroo court trial to convince him she was wronged and deserves to be saved. It’s not as hard to follow as it sounds, even though I am leaving out major plot points. It has a stunning cast, including Renee Fleing, Marilyn Horne, and Teresa Stratas as Marie Antoinette, which is perfect casting -no one ever in opera has been able to convey “fragile” as well as Stratas does. Also yesterday was a Theater of War Zoom production. I didn’t stay for the discussion, but I did want to see the actors.

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Wednesday late night update – indictments have been issued namig the Trump Cprporation andAllenWeisselberg, but will remain sealed untill this afternoon.  So it will be tomorrow before I will post details.  You can probably find some details sooner.

Short Takes –

Wonkette – 17-Year-Old Caught In Deadly Crossfire Between Arkansas Sheriff’s Deputy, Jug Of Antifreeze
Quote – Brittain was an aspiring NASCAR driver from McRae, Arkansas. He’d worked at Hundley Construction for the past few years. His boss, Scott Hundley, described Brittain as a dedicated, hard worker. Brittain had spoken with Hundley the night before he was killed. He explained he was having trouble with his truck but would make every effort to arrive at work on time.
Click through for the rest of what is known, which is not much. Wonkette is (obviously) back from vacation. Seems like they cut it short, but then, they were trying to vacation in Washington state.

AP – GOP donor funds South Dakota National Guard troops in Texas
Quote – Johnson said he approached Noem about making a donation after hearing about Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s border barrier push. He figured Texas “has plenty of money” so he decided to help Noem, who governs a state with a significantly smaller budget. He also said he had no plans to donate to other states to send law enforcement officers to the border. Johnson added that he would have preferred to stay anonymous but that Noem’s office told him they had to at least disclose his name. He declined to say how much he was giving. “America gave a lot of money to get that border wall done,” Johnson said. “It takes private individuals now.”
Click through for more. Beau addressed this (see video thread) and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so angry. He is almost incoherent – especially for him.

19th – ‘There is rarely, if ever, justice’: Advocates and survivors seethe after Cosby is freed
Quote – Christian F. Nunes, president of National Organization for Women, said agreements like these can be made in sexual assault cases without consideration for the humanity of those of have suffered. She added that the issue is bigger than Cosby and speaks to the additional steps that need to be taken to better protect all survivors: women, LGBTQ+ people and men.
Click through for full article.

Food for Thought

This is a petition to all state Secretaries of State to respect the provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment. Besides the petiton itself, there is an explanation of what this implies and why it is important (although that last part is pretty clear.) I honestly don’t know, not being a lawyer, how such action by Secretaries of State would hold up in court. But I don’t see any serious negatives down the road from bringing this up – nor from applying it to other federal elected officials. Probably everyone who reads here has at least one Representative or Senator to whom it might profitably be applied. If you agree, don’t just sign, but also share.

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