Dogs – Politics Plus

Open Thread July 19 2026

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:56 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 192026

Yesterday, the Radio Opera was Boris Godunov, starring Bryn Terfel, in the original 1869 version, which, among other things, has no scene in Poland with an alluring soprano. The main female solo voice are those of Boris’s daughter (who IIRC is around 8-10) and her nanny. (His some is also pre-pubertal, so that’s also in the higher range), and they are only in a couple of scenes. Boris isn’t in every scene (those plotting to bring him down don’t plan in front of him) but he is in most scenes. Mussorgsky wanted it to be in the mold of a Sheakespearean tragedy, so there is some humor in it. At one point a policeman, with a warrant for another character – can’t read -so the guy he’s looking for offers to read it for him, but substitutes another person’s description for his own, so the policeman grabs the other guy. That may not be screamingly funny – but then neither is the porter in MacBeth. I will say the feature in my browser that lets me increase volume betond what a website can do got a workout. That’s not a criticism. A wide range of volume is a good thing and a mark of real musicians. But my house doen’t have the acoustics an opera house has.

This is long, especially for a Sunday, but I found it very rewarding. Thanks to our Mitch for the link.

This may be a bit overdue – but maybe I’m not taking the problems seriously enough. In any case, it’s a good thing – and not surprising in a state which keeps electing Bernie.

https://www.rmpbs.org/news/science-environment/aspen-acres-fire-animal-rescue
Just as Mr. Rogers mother always told him – “[When there’s a disaster] look for the helpers.”

From the 19th. I was lucky – I lived close enough to home that I could just stay there. Most people are not that fortunate. And we as a nation need those people who want the education to get it. We need them much more than we need the “fortunate sons.”

Open Thread July 16 2026

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

Jul 162026

Tuesday was Bastille Day, and all the European leaders were in Paris to honor Ukraine. Of course President Zelenskyy was there with Mrs Zelenskyy and a Ukrainian fighter pilot led the flyover. I wish I could go on and on about it, but I would be remiss not to warn you about the cyclospora outbreak reported by The New Yorker (HHS is not helping.) Just as one example, Michgan generally averages 50 cases a year, but has seen 3000 cases in just a month. The described symptoms remind me of when I was in the hospital – believe me, you do not want this (Yeah, you might lose weight, but there are better ways.) The regular method of transmission is through uncooked produce. So cook all the produce you can (I know that’s not really possible with, say, lettuce) and wash strongly what you can’t cook.

Yesterday, Malcolm’s show (with Jacob and Wahjeeh went for 1.75 hours, most of which was details of how Iran has been pummeling us, and our unnecessary and catastrophic losses – not of people (yet, thankfully) but of equipment and facilities. I would love to hear from some of the women and Black men whose promotions to General were revoked – not what they would say for publication, but what they really think.

Juan Proaño is the CEO of LULAC – think “the Latino NAACP.”) He and Joyce talked about the death of Lorenzo Arauno last week and of Joan Sebastian Guerrero on Monday morning. You can flip through the transcript for such details as that neither was the person ICE were “looking for,” nor was any of the others in Arauno’s vebicle. Or that ICE stripped Arauno of all ID before the ambulance came, so that the hospital had to admit him as a “John DOE,” with the result that when the family arrived at the hospital, the hoapital could not cprroborate his identity, and it wasn’t until the next day that the family could actually learn he was dead. In the case of Guererro – and you won’t find this in the trancript; I had to go hunting for it – ICE claimed it attempted to stop the vehicle, but “the driver kept going. They said the officer feared for public safety when he shot at the vehicle, hitting and killing the driver.” Sure – if you are afraid for public safety, of course you would shoot to kill someone who is actually driving a moving car so you can turn the car into an out of control killing machine /S/.*

Of course the Narcissistic Navel Orange will appeal. But the Supreme Court’s term is over until the first Monday in October – so he may have to wait a while. Meanwhile, this ruling will not stop or suspend any disciplinary proceedings against Blanche and Woodward.

This link is to a conversation between Ken Harbaugh and Kris Goldsmith. They look to be a notably odd couple – but appearances can deceive. Both are veterans. Kris has survived serious PTSD (not that there is such a thing as non-serious PTSD – but some are more serious than others.) Ken may not have- but he gets it. I’ve watched a lot of conversations on Substack which were illuminating. Butthis is the first one I would describe as profound. It’s about 25 minutes (and has, of course a trenscript), so you likely will not want to drop everything anf watch it. But may I suggest? – that, instead of watching or listening to the speech tonight of the Apricot Antichrist, in which he will claim that the elections of Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock were fraudulent because of intervention from Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, among other lies, you consider this instead. Or afterwards as a palate cleanser.

I don’t remember whether I have used the symbol /S/ her before. in case I haven’t it means “Sarcasm” and is called a “snark tad.”

Open Thread July 13 2026

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:03 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 132026

Yestersay, I saw Virgil – we played cribbage – I passed on a greetng from and old friend 9n Florida, and he asked me to pass it back (which I intend to do via Jacquie Lawson.) Oh, yes, and Lindsey Graham suddenly died. There seems to be a lot of discussion about it. If I find one or two that are particularly illuminating, I’ll post them Wednesday.

On Saturday, Common Cause (commoncause dot org) emailed it mailing list (which includes me) to report that since the beginning of the year, they have tracked 149 bills in 38 states calling for an Article V convention. I knew there were numerous crazy people who want to use Article V to tear up the Constitution so they can replace it with an authoritarian document – but 38 states? That’s very unwelcome news. I didn’t put this up on Sunday so as not to contaminate the good news, and the link I provide is to their home page, but they may ask for a donation/ I am not asking. That’s up to you.

This week, Todd Blanche faces confirmation hearings for his nomination to Attorney General. Last Friday, Joyce Vance discussed the potential for these hearings with another former DOJ prosecutor – one who worked with Blanche when he was still sane.The link is to a Substack video, so there’s a transcript. If I had to summarize it, I would say that even after almost 2,000 years, no one still now why a disciple into a Judas (I would argue that it isn’t money – or at least not just money. There’s something else going on.)

And speaking of Todd Blanche, there’s this. Adam is a journalist who specializes in legal news – he’s not a lawyer himself, but a good number of lawyers rspect his judgment when he does proffer an opinion, which he doesn’t here. I personally am not panicking – but this doesn’t exactly help.

This is a bunch of coprolites. Of course it’s pure projection. A black personin the public eye like this has everything to lose and nothing to gain from attacking physically or verbally a white person also in the public eye. God knows it can be tempting is the white person is a ritchbitch (not saying Clark is – I know zero about her.)

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 11 2026

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

Jul 112026

Yesterday, Wajeeh on Malcolm’s show reported that there was a scandal at the camel beauty conrest in Oman had to disqualify several contestants caught using Botox. This is for real, and it’s one more reason why people like Hegseth will never understand the Middle East (or, really, anywhere. He doesn’t even understand us, among whom he has lived his entire life.) And Frank Figliuzzi bumped thw atory of a STEM academy in Minneapolis serving the Somali community had a kindergarten graduation ceremony, and steamed it. I recommend not looking for or at the Prange Ogre’s Truth Social comment on this, nor any of the responses from his black-hearted cult, but if you must, have multiple barf bags on hand. And, not to be outdone, the state of New Hampshire picked now to notify Steve Schmidt that his (absentee) ballot on 2024 was not accepted and not counted, and that, since he therefore did not vote in that election, his name has been expunged from the voter rolls. Steve said this on the Jim Acosta show. I think New Hampshire picked the wrong voter to mess with myself.

Well, it isn’t June in January. Instead, it’s January in July. I wonder whether this murderer will turn out to have been a Jan 6 insurrectionist. I doubt we’ll ever know.

As convenient as the location of my Win10 is in some ways, there is no nearby mini-bookcase where I might put my pocket Constitution, as there was (still is) near my Win8. Oh well, it’s always on the internet, as are the Articles of Confederation which preceded it. In neither did I find the quote I was looking for. Which likely says more about me than it does about the documents. Not that it matters – the 14th would have superseded it anyway. I might just mention that it is possible to impeach judges – and justices – but we need to think about when it is a good idea, and when it is not. It’s not, for instance, a good idea to impeach and convict Thomas now, when the President will just appoint Aileen Cannon as his replacement and the Republican Senate will confirm her. Harry Litman’s take on the Barbara dissents is illuminating – and, like every former DOJ prosecutor who served in a better world, he knows whereof he speaks.

I think that all these officials (except, of course, our Orange Oligarch and his lackeys) have senses of decenct and decorum, as well as an understanding of unintended consequences, and along with self-control. They just aren’t going to spit in his eye or laugh in his face, as much as they might like to. And they all know – the whole world knows by now – that it isn’t possible to talk any sense into him, and that trying to do so results in tantrums. I really do think that good manners, as noncommital as possible, are the best way for foreign leaders to deal with him. At least until and unless there’s a warrant for him from the ICC.

Open Thread July 9 2026

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

Jul 092026

Yesterday, after the resumption of hostilities in the Persian Gulf, Wajeeh described our so-called President as being surrounded by three drama queens (whom he named) – and hilarity ensued. This part of the conversation started at or just after the 30 minute mark, and took just a few minutes, so if anyone wants a good laugh, you can find it and it waon’t take much of your time. Unlike YouTube, I can’t set it to start there, but the timeline is easy to manipulate. Also, I did watch “The Last Class.” After some thought, I think maybe the way to say this is: Robert Reich is the most compact giant who ever existed. He has another movie coming out, and showed a trailer – although I think it’s still in progress – which is appropriate – because the title is “The Work in Progress.” In another also, Graham Platner withdrew his campaign fir the Senate. I have just two words – Al Franken. I’m not trying to say what you probably think I am. I am trying to say that when an aspersion involves money (like cheating on taxes, or embezzlement, or grift) or other types of immorality, we investigate. When an aspersion involves sex we just lose our minds.

Good Grief. Apparently, stupidity, or death wish, or delusion, or all three, or God knows what, is color-blind. “Christian nationalism” is bad enough, but we’re not up against just Christian nationalism, we’re up against White Christian nationalism. Any black (or darker than a brown paper bag) person who buys into that has to be suicidal.

If I were a Black woman in Florida, I would absolutlely fear for my life if a white man started to argue with me. Which is probably why she was carrying in th first place. If we had the statistics of how many people in the US have been killed in arguments over parking spaces, it would probably surprise you. I am confident that Stand Your Ground applies. And equally confident that no court in Florida will accept it from a Black woman. We shall see.

Archived from The Lever. Every time the present regime comes up with a new and innocuous sounding name for a project, it’s a bad sign. This “Task Force” is no exception.

Open Thread July 8 2026

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

Jul 082026

Yesterday, I heard something very disheartening from Malcolm Nance’s warcast – and all three agreed – that the MSM in Europe is parroting Russian talking points as much as ours are. The latest is that Russia is claiming their current strikes are retaliatory (when they’ve been doing the same thing since 2022 – or maybe even 2014.) What’s going on with global oil prices is also not pretty. It is currently artificially low (so keep your tank filled – maybe even some full containers on hand). But we are closer and closer to a real worldwide shortage, and the pricing won’t matter much when there isn’t any to be had. Oh, and in case you were wondering why the Orange Ogre is whining about Greenland again – it could be because, after he bribed or threatened FIFA into lifting a suspension they had imposed on the biggest bully on our team, Belgium beat us anyway – and Denmark was rooting for Belgium.

This is a Substack video – in which Glenn Kirschner is PISSED to the point of 37 minutes and “legal terms” such as “shitshow,” “assclowns”, “grabass” as well as addressing Todd Blanche as “sport.” I don’t really expect anyone to watch it, but, being Substack, there is a transcipt.

I doubt this will surprise anyone here. And it appears to me that most of this increase is initiated by the Papaya Palatine personally. (My apologize to papayas, which alleviate nausea rather than initiating it.)

To me this undersells the contributions of African Americans to the American Republic. IIRC, the first American killed in the Revolution was Crispus Attucks – a Black man, Many more Black men fought for the Union in the Civil War – and in World Wars I and II – and since. And Black women too – if not allowed to fight with arms, by caring for the wounded, gathering intelligence, dealing with mail, breaking codes, and more than I can think of. But I get it – the authors here are more interested in putting together an effecive playbook for a better future than in remembering the past. And they are right. An effective playbook is needed. And so is the will to use it – in people of all colors.

Just as there are decent and kind people in red states – there are monsters in blue states. Washington may be blue – but it still has monsters like these. I’m inclined to hope they are all in debt for the rest of their sorry lives paying for the $17 million they owe – plus interest. Including the school employees.

Open Thread July 5 2026

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

Jul 052026

Yesterday, the radio opera was Aida, by Giuseppe Verdi. It was commissioned to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal. It’s pretty well known even outside the opera world, so I’ll just stop there. I also listened to Adam Klasfeld’s reading of Justice Brown-Jackson’s “Barbara” opinion (which did finally post with sound), and later, to Malcolm Nance’s reading of parts of the Declaation of Independence. He is the third IIRC generation in his family to be career military, and besides the sirect line, there’s an uncle and his two older brothers. I wasn’t surprised he teared up some. Andy Borowitz has a new book out called Profiles in Ignorance – his column on it may be the longest I’ve seen from him since he came to Substack.

This is less a good news story, and more of a bad stuff overcome story. But it is noteworthy when Congresscritters come together in a bipartisan way to help a constituent (of one of them.)

I apologize for all the ads – I hope the story is worth scrolling through them. (it was to me)

This would be better news if we as a nation were livng up to our founding documents. But it’s also not entirely fair to put that burder on the shoulders of athletes alone.

This is good news to me – it probably doesn’t mean much to anyone else. Yes, it should have been done a long time ago, but Leo’s only been Pope a little over a year. I particularly like that he’s starting at the top, the way it should be.

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