Cats – Politics Plus

Open Thread July 20 2026

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:58 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 202026

Wednesday, after watching I Puritani, I ordered a DVD of Lorin Maazel’s opera “1984,” which arrived Saturday. Maazel was best known as a conductor, but he alo played the violin and composed. He (and/or his stage manager and director) was certainly able to pull together a stellar cast – Simon Keenlyside, Richard Margison, Diana Damrau, Lawrence Brownlee, and more. Jeremy Irons (in absentia – he taped it) was the voice on the telescreen. The only less familiar name there is Richard Margison -I’m aware of him because he is agenuine heldentenor who doesn’t look terribly heroic – which makes him perfect for O’Brien. (He’d also be a stunning Peter Grimes, though I can’t find a record of his having sung it.) He’s better known in Canada, his home country, than here. It’s on two DVDs, so I may not watch both in the same day. We’ll see.

I have to throw in that someone referred yo Mitch McConnel as “Schrödinger’s Senator.”

I have a question for y’all. I’m catching up on pet video so I may have a couple of months worth again. As you know, many rescues are of abandoned animals, one I just picked up is if an animal who was “abandoned” because ICE deported his family. Should I put a hanky alert on it (and on similar ones)?

Well, this is close to home for me. There used to be a theory – or a superstition – that events come in threes. I hope that works for this. We could all use a little break. I also hope this victim recovers fully. “Lower body” is pretty vague – and I’m visualizing things lik a broken hip, a broken pelvis, even a broken femur.

I envy anyone who has time or energy for hiking in the woods, or even dealing with a yard. But you may know and care about someone who does. And precaution are always easier than remedies.

Archived from The Guardian. When I read the allegation, I thought, “Oh, he probably donated money to help the starving in Gaza.” Bingo.

Open Thread July 17 2026

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:49 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 172026

Yesterday, Kegsbreath announced that all military personnel would be required to take testosterone level tests, and, if indicated, to get testosterone therapy. If this is not the definition of “toxic masculinity,” I don’t know what would be. (And, as I have often said, saying “toxic masculinity” no more implies that all masculinity is toxic than saying “counterfeit money” implies that all money is counterfeit.

I have no idea what this is all about – but it certainly seems to be odoriferous, not in a friendly way.

I trust no one is surprised by this. Evil people are evil.

I don’t expect anyone to be surprised by this either. I think y’all are paying enough attention that you probably predicted it.

Open Thread July 15 2026

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:07 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 152026

Monday, another killing by ICE. More on it and last week’s tomorrow. Also on Monday, Lindsey Graham’s sister was appointed to finish out his term. I don’t think I’ll hold my breath waiting for another Margaret Chase Smith. I expect to remain fully behind Dr. Annie Andrews. And yesterday – while I often use my new day up for catching up on personl stuff – I managed to strem I Puritani from the Met. It only became available on Sunday, and it will only be available until the 29th, so I knew I had to find time or miss it. I’m so glad I didn’t miss it! Yes, I had heard it on the raio when it was live. But there’s nothing like seeing it.

https://thefuckingnews.substack.com/p/lindsey-graham-noted-country-ruiner
Andy Borowitz’s take on this is amusing, but I think Jonathan Larsen is more level headed. Graham was only 71. I’m in spitting distance of 81, and I think I look younger than he did (although he could move better.) Robert Reich is kinder than either of the others.
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/lindsey-graham-rip

https://steveschmidt.substack.com/p/the-greatest-roosevelt-youve-never
Steve Schmidt knows what he wants to say, and he generally says it well. In this article, he wants to compare and contrast (but mostly contrast) two sets of brothers whose families have something out unusual in common.

https://www.muellershewrote.com/p/breaking-exclusive-fbi-admits-it
For anyone deeply invested, intellectually or emotionally, in the Epstein files, here is this. I hve not watched it as I type, but also have not deleted it, and may well watch it before you see this post. The woman in the screenshot is not Allison – Allison is blonde and has tattoos on both shoulders and both upper arms. She has filed a civil lawsuit against the DOJ on the release (failure to release) the Epstein files, citing professional harm as an independent journalist, and has the go-ahead from a district court that she has standing to sue, so she has a lawyer – apparently a good one. And – od course – there’s a transcript.

Open Thread July 12 2026

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:02 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 122026

Yesterday, the radio opera was The Makropulos Affair, based on a 1922 play of the same name by Karel Čapek – the same guy who populized the word “robot.” The opera is about immortality – and why it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I’ll just stop there and go off to visit Virgil. And check in upon return (which may take a while – it’s supposed to be quite warm.)

I’m always interested in, and often excited by, medical good news. At 80, I don’t expect to benefit personally from this news, but, having empathy, I can appreciate its life changing nature. And – if this can be done with stem cells (and stem cells can be made from other cells), what else will be possible?

This was recorded a day or two before she arrived. So I can tell you she made it – and broke records – by a lot.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelsey_Pfendler

You don’t often see much good news from The Root – and when you do, it’s likely to be bittersweet, as is this one. But I am always inspired by a celebrity stepping in to console and encourage a child.

Short and sweet. And don’t mess with Bella.

I think this is just as sweet as when both are in the military, and they are reuniting.

Open Thread July 10 2026

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:16 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 102026

Yesterday, the CC on Malcolm’s show was whimsical again. This time it came up with “pete headset.” You gotta laugh so you don’t drown in pessimism. ICYMI, we have torn up the MOU and are back at full-scale war.

https://atlblackstar.substack.com/p/why-one-photo-in-the-nolan-wells
I’ve been the only woman in a group of men. I’ve been the only “anglo” in a group of Latinx. Obviously, I lived to tell y’all about it; both felt a bit odd at the time, but I never felt threatened, and I learned a lot from both experiences. But both were decades ago. Also, neither situation was “just a group of friends.” Both were, in different ways, educational settings. Today being today, I would not want to be the only black person in a melanin-deficient space, and particularly not in Georgia or Mississippi. Obviously, the verdict is not in on either of these cases, and may never be. Not that that makes either of them easier.

https://www.allrisenews.com/p/second-circuit-denies-trump-stay
This is another Substack video (of course with a transcript) and I bring it up because of the coverage of the arraignment of Davey Hearn in Superior Court for, among other charges, removing (stealing) a piece of the new coating on the Reflecting Pool. Popok pointed out that for that to be a felony the piece of coating would have to be worth at least a thousand dollars, which he considered ridiculous. I thought “I don’t know – the contract was for $14 million, so it may not be impossible.” So I looked up the pool’s dimentions and did the math, and he was right, and I was wrong. One square foot of the coating would be worth a few pennies over $39.50. Clearly, based on the speed with which it disintegrated, that’s overpriced, but it’s not a thousand dollars per square footoverpriced.

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/supreme-court-chips-away-checks-and-balance
Sometimes we – and the media we trust – get so wrapped up in particular cases that the forest gets blurry while we are staring at the trees. This is longish, and you may want to digest it in pieces, but it’s a good overview.

Open Thread July 6 2026

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:06 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 062026

Yesterday, Trinette was out of town for the holiday weekend, so I didn’t have to be up to welcome her, and slept longer than usual. According to Malcolm’s warcast, Marco Rubio announced that any nation which attended the funeral of Ali Khamenei (the father of the current imam, Muchtaba Khamenei) at any level which receives any kind of aid from the US will have that aid cut off. The Canteloupe Caligula himself said that he coul not understand – was completely baffled – that anyone would shed tears for Khamenei. What a display of sea-bottom-level pettiness combined with rock hard obtuseness of actual human beings. Also on that cast was a picture alleged to show the chief suspect to have put the algae in the Reflecting Pool. I entered it as a replacement for the normal featured image. The cast was cut short on account of audio issues, but they started a second one, primarily to answer questions, but added a bit of additional news, including the fact that the US is in negoiations to, among other things, move US Middle East Central Command from Qatar to Israel. Hoo boy, is that ever going to divide us more than we are already!

If you have been missing John Fugelsang as much as I have, here’s your chance. If not, and if any discussion of any religion at all triggers you, please skip it.

Robert Reich on Democratic primaries. Someone else on Substack who is not an idiot is seriously worried about the result of the Democratic primary in Colorado One. I am not. If it were any other blue district in Colorado, I probably would be. But Colorado 1 contains the University of Colorao Boulder (sometimes jokingly called the People’s Republic of Boulder.) I can’t visualize Democrats there being spooked by the term “Democratic Socialist.”

You can pretty much count on Steve Schmidt to be angry – angry at the Apricot Antichrist, angry at his followers, his de facto slaves, with their poisoned souls – angry at anyone who knows how terrible they are but is not doing enough to oppose them, angry at anyone who is normalizing what’s happening, whether actively or passively. Sometimes angry enough to post a gut punch. This is one. You have been warned.

Open Thread July 4 2026

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

Jul 042026

Yesterday, Adam Klasfeld sent a link to his live reading of Justice Brown-Jackson’s concurrence in the birthright citizenship case, which is now scheduled for today at 12:30 pm Eastern. Generally Substack videos are recorded and available after the livestream ends. I certainly hope this one will be, because the opera will be on, and it doesn’t record. Here’s the link:
https://open.substack.com/live-stream/264623

[Update: It did go live but there was no sound. It did record, and still no sound as of 45 minutes after start. It onlt took 4 minutes 20 seconds so if (and I suspect he will) gets the sound fixed I’ll repost]

Update #2: I got several emails, but the last one, which came up at 12:44 my time (2:44 Eastern) and it is a recording. It is longer than the aborted one – it clocks at 33 minutes 21 seconds Link

By all means laugh at the headline – and laugh more at the subhead about how Robert Reich manages to make it valid.

Not trying to make a hero of John Brennan. But it’s pretty obvious he is not the only innocent (at least of what he’s being slammed with) person in the US who will benefit from the precedent this suit if it is victorious, as it certainly ought to be.

The Root here focuses on black communities, which is fine, because it is a black publication. But poor people of any color are affected pretty much equally, and may be even more invisible. This is why our real fight is not so much a political one as an economic one.

I don’t often post Andy Borowitz, because his articles for unpaid subscribers are usually just one-liners. Consider this a bonus post.

Open Thread July 2 2026

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:54 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 022026

“When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.” – attributed to Jimi Hendrix. Quoted on a banner two people were attempting to fly from the top of the Statue of Liberty. I hope they have survived. I don’t know the whole story as I type – perhaps y’all do by now.

If you know anything about the British Constitution, you know that a King or Queen nactually has far less power than our President – especially this one. The monarch of England, for example, is forbidden by the Constitution to speak publicly about politics. Elizabeth II spent what, over 70 years? – living up to that. I mention this because Robert Reich implies in the video that SCROTUS made our so-called President a King. They did not. They made him into an emperor- or maybe a demigod. An autocrat. A Dictator. But not a King.

This from “We Are The Mighty” is a flashback to World War II which has a happy ending. This quote – “The Nazis took perverse pleasure in trying to destroy anything that their enemies held dear” rings very now to me. Therearestill Nazis – and they are still practicing this.

Archived from the Huff Post. One response to Mike Johnson: “Don’t threaten us with a good time”

I don’t think the subject of this from The Intercept is getting the attention it deserves. Possibly because it doesn’t sound that bad – but the unintended consequences are massive.

sorry the URL is embedded in Paint. But I put it below the image in case you want to read the story and haven’t already seen it.

https://archive.is/ohZGx

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