Open Thread February 12, 2023

 Posted by at 7:20 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 122023
 

Yesterday, the opera was a double bill – Cavalleria Rusticana and I Pagliacci, by Mascagni and Leoncavallo respectively. One is one act (though I could make a case for it being in two scenes; there is no intermission, but there is an instrumental interlude) and the other is in two acts. They are so often perfomred together the duo is known to opera lovers as “Cav and Pag.” There have been some efforts to pair one or the other with something else, but while no audience ever spit in their eyes, none has been successful enough for anyone to try to repeat any of them. Both are from the early 20th century, both are in the style called “verismo,” and both exemplify my quip “Opera – sex, betrayal, murder – what’s not to like?” (And, now that I think of it, in both it is the cheating partner on the receiving end of the knife.) They were played from a single recorded historical performance, the only matinee that Bernstein ever conducted. I’m not sure why that’s so – it wasn’t that he didn’t like opera – he wrote more than one himself, and the recording of his conducting Carmen with Marilyn Horne and James McCracken is legendary. I’d guess he probably just preferred evenings. I can definitely see that. If you leave after a matinee performance, even if it ends as late as 5 ot 6, there is still a fair amount of day ahead of you in which the spell can be broken. The leading singers are again legendary (which makes sense – there are so many recordings in the Met archives, why look for one without legends when there are so many with them?) I don’t really want to start on them; there’s way too much to say, and I need instead to share first, that here is my Superb Owl for the day – this one because he is a ring made from precious stones and precious metals – how could he not be superb? And secondly, that I chose two Colorado stories for today, and at least one of them is not intense. (Also, I promise to greet Virgil from everyone and to check in upon return.)

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The Daily Beast – How an FBI Informant Derailed Denver’s BLM Movement
Quote – “If you post something, a story about me saying supposedly I work for the FBI, I will sue the shit out of you,” Windecker told Aaronson in a voicemail. “I will take you to court and I will break you off in court for defamation of character and slander. I have already notified my attorney about this. My previous landlord notified me and sent me these papers that you put on the old door that I used to live at, stating that I work for the FBI. I do not work for the FBI. I’ve never worked for the FBI. You get proof of me working for the FBI, then I’ll say otherwise, but there’s no proof because I didn’t work for them.” Presented with documents and recordings that showed his work for the FBI, Windecker stopped responding to Aaronson.
Click through for story. I could make the point that in the summer of 2020 this was Trump**’s FBI – but the fact is, there are Nazis everywhere in law enforcement, even when there are sane people at the top.

Colorado Public Radio – ‘Loving nature drove the success of my photography’: John Fielder on donating his life’s legacy to History Colorado
Quote – The 72-year-old Fielder is now donating a gift of the best of those photographs to the state he has called home for nearly half a century. He is giving his life’s work to History Colorado and thus to the people of Colorado. It will be free for anyone who wants to see Fielder’s work digitally. It will also be part of rotating displays at History Colorado. Fielder’s gift includes more than 5,000 photos he selected from his vast trove. It also includes reams of narratives that are part of his 50 books, along with oral narratives explaining what it took to capture some of those photos and Fielder’s thoughts on what drew him to special places. Some of the equipment it took to get there, as well as some of his photography apparatus, will also be part of the display.
Click through for background and a breathtaking sample. Fielder is giving his legacy to Colorado, and I want to pass it on to all of you. The destination site is still under construction, but save the link for when it becomes available.

Food For Thought

“Rocky Mountain elk in the aspens, Arapaho National Forest” by John Fielder.

 

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Open Thread April 4, 2022

 Posted by at 6:46 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 042022
 

Yesterday, I actually managed to place a grocery order in themorning and schedule it for this evening.  And it actually came a little after six (I asked fror a window from 6-8) and by 8 I hadeverything that neded to be put away, put awat.  And no substitutes.  A couple of things missing or shorted, and the dishwashing liquid leaked over a bunch of things, but didn’t actually destroy anything, just made them icky to put away.

Cartoon 04 MLK loaded

Short Takes –

Crooks & Liars – Fortenberry, Convicted Liar And Thin-skinned Bully, Resigns
Quote – Nebraska Republican Congressman Jeff Fortenberry is a convicted liar who has now resigned. Good. But he has never been held accountable for abusing the power of his office to hunt down and threaten the jobs of people who criticized him with a joke. You might remember his Chief of Staff made national news for threatening a state university professor for LIKING a Facebook post of a sign calling him Fartenberry.
Click through for more. While he heeds to be held accountable (and probably won’t) for his bullying, this is still good news. One down, 193 (or thereabouts) to go.

Letters from an American – March 31, 2022
Quote – Today, Judge Mark E. Walker of the Federal District Court in Tallahassee, Florida, struck down much of the new elections law passed by the Florida legislature after the 2020 election. This is the first time a federal court has sought to overrule the recent attempts of Republican-dominated state legislatures to rig the vote, and Walker made thorough work of it…. “This case is about our sacred right to vote,” Walker wrote, “won at great cost in blood and treasure. Courts have long recognized that, because “the right to exercise the franchise in a free and unimpaired manner is preservative of other basic civil and political rights, any alleged infringement of the right of citizens to vote must be carefully and meticulously scrutinized.”
Click through for story and sources. While we can’t depend on this not being appeales, not on keeping the ground gained if it’s appealed, it is still hopeful. Heather, BTW, has been on a roll. I’ll be sharing more of her in the next few days.

CPR – CU Boulder to host UN human rights summit on climate change
Quote – The University of Colorado Boulder will host a global climate summit in partnership with UN Human Rights. Thought leaders attending the gathering will examine climate change as a human rights crisis. CU Chancellor Phil DiStefano talked about the “Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit” in front of alumni and students in Washington, D.C. earlier this week. The idea for the summit came out of the UN climate change conference that took place in Glasgow last year.
Click through for story. This kind of thing is why Colorado MAGAts refer to the city of Boulder as “the People’s Republic of Boulder,” which certainly says at least as much about them as it does about Bloulder.

Food For Thought:

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Open Thread for August 13, 2021

 Posted by at 6:59 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 132021
 

Yesterday my new noise generator came, a day earlier than expected, and I didn’t get it set up yet. So, still “to be contiued.” Although with Mitch in Maine (though he should be back soon, maybe today), Pat away with family for the weekend (grandparents can also have empty nests), and Nameless having refrigerator issues (hopefully resolved soon?) I’m not sure there’s much interest.

Cartoon – (Incidentally, do read yesterdays cartoon again, or look up “quagga” on Wikipedia.  They are being brought back naturally, through selective breeding.  This is only possible because they are not a species but a subspecies.

Short Takes –

Crooks and Liars – New Oath Keepers Indictment Adds Defendants, Charges To Jan. 6 Conspiracy Case
Quote – The release of a fifth superseding indictment against the Oath Keepers involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection—adding two more men, one from Georgia and another from Florida, to what is now a total of 16 co-conspirators in the case, as well as further charges against one of the women already indicted—is stark testament to how the evidence against the Patriot organization’s members for their key role in the attack on Congress that day has been mounting steadily, doubtlessly aided by the participants who have turned state’s evidence.
Click through for deets. I wanted to talk about this, because this is how you handle a case that you need to get a start on even though you may not be ready for court. Each superseding indictment resets the clock on the right to a speedy trial. And that suggests the question, “So why aren’t they doing this with Trump**?” Well, in my opinion (granted, that and $5 will get yu a cup of coffee) they are not doing it with Trump** because his crazy followers would pose a greater public danger if he were locked up than they do if he is merely being investigated (and that very quietly) and blathering. As crazy as the Oath Keepers are, locking up groups of them doesn’t precipitate the same publc hazard, because it’s pretty clear that, if they try, they will also get locked up speedily. MAGAts not affiliated with any particular group, or even with many different smaller groups, are more susceptible to the “They can’t arrest all of us” mentality.

HuffPost – After 8 Months, Cities And States Are Still Sitting On Rental Aid
Quote – The amount is significant: $46.5 billion, a sum that nearly matches the entire annual budget of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. States, counties and cities with populations of at least 200,000 were eligible for the money, which offers up to 15 months of rental assistance to low-income individuals (12 months of past-due payments and three months for the future). But that money has been incredibly slow in getting to the people who need it the most. Through June, only 15 states and the District of Columbia had spent 10% or more of their Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds, which were initially approved by Congress in December.
Click through for story. The bottom line, it appears to me, is that Congress actually DID think of “the people sitting around waiting for money” and authorized this so that low-income people could actually pay them. But instead of goig after this money in their own states and localities, they’d rather sue tobe able to evict people. Am I off-base here? Be honest.

Mother Jones – QAnon Hero Claims to Present Sensitive Election Files at MyPillow CEO Event
Quote – On Wednesday, computer files apparently associated with the Mesa County election system were presented and analyzed live on a giant screen behind the stage by [Ron] Watkins, who beamed into the event via livestream. In a confusing back and forth, Watkins told the crowd that his lawyer instructed him to say that the files were from hard drives taken “without authorization” from [Tina] Peters’ [top Mesa County election official] office, and the hard drives should be returned to the clerk, and “we should stop this data review.” Peters then came on stage and said the the hard drives did not come from her office, “unless it happened during the raid.” Watkins then spoke again, saying that the drives made their way to him via Sheronna Bishop, a right-wing activist from Colorado who was reportedly one of Rep. Lauren Boebert’s campaign managers in 2020.
Click through for more. Mesa County is on the Western Slope, close to the border with Utah and about halfway between the northern and southern borders of Colorado. I’m almosy glad this was Colorado, because I guarantee Jena Griswold will get to the bottom of what happened, and I can’t say that about the secretary of state of every state. But I’ll bet Jena is furious.

Food for Thought –

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Video Thread 4/9/2021

 Posted by at 3:33 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Apr 092021
 

politicsrus – another one that has written narration and snippets of quotes but no CC.

[0:10] (MLK] Mind you, friends your vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have to create a more perfect union. On one occasion a man was asked to count the number of bubbles in a bar of soap. On another occasion a man was asked to count the number of jelly beans in a jar -to keep them from casting their ballot.
[0:30] [Stacey Abrams?] The Governoris signing a bill that affects more Georgians – why are they doing it in private and why do they try to keep elected officials representing us out of this process?
[0:48][Rev Warnock]The Georgia election was certainly free of any consequential fraud. We counted the village not once not twice but three times
[music]
[1:20][Warnock] They don’t like the outcome. So this is democracy in reverse where Politicians have decided that instead of voters picking their representatives, their representatives have a right to cherry pick the voters.
[1:36] Dozens of prominent black business leaders in America, calling for companies to fight against georgia’s controversial voter legislation. We’re asking corporate America to publicly and directly oppose any discriminatory legislation and all measures designed to limit America’s ability to vote.
[2:16] There’s work to be done.

Meidas Touch – Projection…

Now This News – Despite pockets of crazies, I am proud of my state … and certainly proud of out Secretary of State.

Now This News – This is at least promising. We will have to see to what degree the promise is kept.

Republican Accountability Project “Weekend at Mar-a-Lago”

The Lincoln Project – “Stain”

“Ye Old Karen Shanty” – can “Release the Karen” be far behind?

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