Yesterday, what I mostly did was finish two knitting projects – one fair-sized one on which I’ve been working for some time, and one so small I started and finished it after finishing the large one. Not exciting, but there it is
Crooks and Liars has posted a video by Cliff Schecter which really points up the difference between the time when the Republican Party had Joe MacCarthy, and now, when all Republicans are Joe McCarthy. And you may learn something about the Illinois loyalty pledge too. It’s under 7 minutes, and if you watch it at C&L you won’t have to pay YouTube to avoid ads.
Margaret Atwood has been using her Substack to share a multi-part history of what the French Revolution (which she calls “The French Revvie”) was really like. This link it to Part IV – subtitled “The Vengeance.” I used to warn that if we didn’t make some corrections – and quickly – we’d have another French Revolution. And, yet, when I saw it, I didn’t recognize it. Margaret did. No surprise that she is smarter than I am.
Yesterday being a slow Sunday, I had plenty of time to beat myself up over not having accomplished anything. I tried not to, but the fact is I really didn’t accomplish anything. I’ll try to do better so that can pat myself on the back next week (hopefully without breaking my arm, as the saying goes.) It’s not just me – my email is down also.
Joyce Vance did a piece on gun control which is IMO quite pointed. Without saying so explicitly, it demonstrates that we have allowed ourselves to be snookered by thugs using our own Constitution into a position where we really can’t do much without repealing the Second Amendment. Yes, there are people valiantly trying, but our best efforts fall into the category of stable door when steed is gone.What we really need to do is to repeal the Second Amendment, and then adopt military rules on gun safety into federal law. Of course I don’t think that’s going to happen. And, what with ghost guns, it may be too late even for that. However, her column will give you enough information on the Uvalde report and the division at DOJ which produces such reports, to realize that there actually are people trying to do something – anything – to help. But it is, of course, an uphill battle. GOP has stood for “Guns Oveer People” for as long as I can remember.
Yesterday was a quiet day for me. I slept late, while still making sure to get up in time for my grocery delivery, which was mostly accurate, and which the drivers (it was a couple) did help me get into the house so I wouldn’t have to step over the threshhold. There was one odd substitution which I haven’t figured out yet. But they did bring the fresh fruit I ordered (cherries and pears) and it was all in good condition.
Heather Cox Richardson, writing in Substack, has also addressed the brutal murder of a mother and two children by Texas Guardsman, under the eyes of Border Patrol agents, who were prevented from dong anything to save the victims’ lives because “state’s rights.” She has found a very telling quotation to oppose Abbott’s view of state’s rights in the writings of, of all people, Andrew Jackson – one of the last Presidents whom one would call “woke.”
I put Beau second today because I wanted to re-post this from 2021 to demonstrate that I was on the Pope’s side even before the Pope was. I have been since long before I made the graphic even. The problem with early Christian lifestyle and also with Marxist Communism is not their principles, which are sound. The problem is that for a society to actually live that way and sustain it is that everyone involved needs to be too good to live.
But I don’t want to leave out this one today of all days –
Yesterday’s radio opera was “La Bohème,” Puccini’s breakout opera. You will hear people who are into opera claim that one cannot hear it too many times (a few will even claim that it is not possible to hear any of Puccini’s operas too many times.) Although it’s not true for everyone, they’re not totally wrong. Even for someone who still loves it, performance flaws can hit the boredom button. But it still is not unpleasant. And it certainly has proved to be enduring. I assume everyone here knows it was the inspiriation for “Rent,” with AIDS substituted for tuberculosis and of course modern young people for 19th century “Bohemians.” (Though actually a late 19th century opera, it was set in the first half of the 19th century.) My nomination for the best performance, both vocally and visually, is actually available on DVD as well as streaming from the Met. It was recorded on Januaty 16, 1982, and features Teresa Stratas, Renata Scotto, Jose Carreras, Richard Stillwell, Allan Monk, and a very young James Morris. Everything I have seen Stratas in, I have marvelled at how she can sing like that and still project an aura of such fragility. (In the last scene one is inclined to wonder whether she has in fact died – it is that convincing.) And everyone else plays around that perfectly. But I digress. In yesterday’s performance, Rodolfo was played by Stephen Costello, whom I am inclined to like for the same reason that Virgil strongly dislikes Daniel Barenboim (pianist and conductor), because of the circumstances of his divorce from Jacqueline du Pre. In Stephen’s case, it was the circumstances of his divorce from Ailyn Perez. She initiated the divorce and he experienced a psychatric crisis which lasted apparently years (based on his absence.) Yes, i realize du Pre could be difficult (but, dammit, she had cancer, and it killed her, and he had left her), and I’m sure so can Stephen. But he had won the Richard Tucker award a couple of years earlier, and appeared to be promoting her, and then she won the same award – he sang as a guest at her award concert – and it actually was a few years, but seemed like it was the next day she was gone. The optics were – not good. But he is better now and back to opera. And I wasn’t there, and don’t know all the details. So I should probably try to let it go. Now, next week, it will be “Dead Man Walking.” That will be a change.
In other news, Axios broke this – “Scoop: John Kerry to leave Biden administration, help campaign.” Kerry isn’t wrong. Of course it’s not only the climate but the survival of democracy itself which is on the line.
Kerry is welcome by me to continue to be a climate hawk as long as his efforts also help save democracy.
Trinette was over today and helped me get a bunch of trach and recyclables out for pickup – more recyclaeles athan trash really, and they pick up trash twice as often as they do recyclables. Always wonderful to see her.
Yesterday, I was reminded that crazy isn’t always a bad thing. Sure, there’s crazy like Republcans – and that is always bad. But there’s also crazy like your batty old Hungarian vampire Granny, which is – delightful (and especially to raise money for a good cause.) I never tire of good crazy. Is everyone ready for Hallowe’en? I hope everyone will have a lot of fun. Everything doesn’t always have to be fun – but like with no fun at all really isn’t worth living.
Also yesterdayI got the email telling me my ballot has been received. About d*** time. If I hadn’t received that today, i was going to look into a replacement ballot – since it was mailed more than a week ago.
Cartoon –
Short Takes –
Robert Reich – The real reason Biden isn’t getting credit
Quote – One theory is that Trump and Fox News have poisoned their minds…. Which brings me to the second theory about why Biden isn’t getting credit: Biden is terrible at “messaging.”… His speeches aren’t electrifying, to be sure. But he says what needs to be said. He’s truthful. He doesn’t exaggerate. He’s compassionate…. This raises a third theory: Biden doesn’t communicate in ways that today’s media and much of the public are able to hear. I think there’s a lot to this. Click through for full opinion. Biden probably cannot, and certainly should not, attempt to change his own style, IMO. But his “surrogates” – withpoout pressuring rational people to adopt an emotional style, it’s probably possible to bring on some “surrogate” who already have an emotional style, who are not afraid to use it, and who can send an emotional message. (In this connection, today is the day I’m sharing the last version of the emotional cartoon I’ve been working on, and I hope to get feedback on which packs the biggest punch (or whether combining elements from more than one would pack a bigger one.)
The Good in Us – The Quiet One
Quote – Also, because there is literally no such thing as a moderate Republican in Congress, it would have to be either be an extremist or an ultra-extremist. Once Republicans made it clear that having voted to certify the 2020 election was disqualifying (Tom Emmer, we hardly knew you), it would have to be the latter. Besides, Johnson looks and acts the part—he’s a bespectacled, suit-jacketed, quiet, and respectful back-bencher who, according to The New York Times, has a “gentle style.”… And suddenly having a Speaker of the House feels infinitely worse and more dangerous than not having one. Click through for details. Mary Trump has done the deep dive into Mike Johnson so that you and I don’t have to. Unfortunately, it isn’t pretty.
Glenn Kirschner – Mark Meadows gets immunity to testify in federal grand jury about Trump’s crimes: Top takeaways [Yes, it’s long. I made it through, but not without my mind wandering some.]
The Lincoln Project – Last Week in the Republican Party – October 24, 2023
MSNBC – Top House Democrat reacts to Johnson Speaker election: ‘I’m going to take him at his word’ [Nicolle, however, or one of her guests, called him “Jim Jordan with a jacket and a smile.” So we’ll see.]
Founders Sing – WE AIN’T GOIN’ DOWN WITH JIM
This dog’s best friend was abandoned. His dad adopted him and reunited them.
Beau – Let’s talk about 2 questions about Biden’s trip….
