Open Thread December 28 2025

 Posted by at 7:09 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 282025
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was not a single opera, but a compilation of arias, duets, choruses, and overtures from various operas by George Frederick Handel which have been performed at the Met, to honor the 300th anniversary of his opera “Rodelinda.” Compilation episodes like this are always bittersweet – one gets to hear some of the greatest singers of all time – many of whom are retired or even dead – which can lead to grieving their loss all over again. Handel was not Bach, but he was a contemporary of Bach, so there are similarities of style. If you are wondering why a German-born composer transplanted to England wrote so many Italian operas (and oratorios), it’s because at that time in history Italian operas were all the rage in Europe and especially in England – until “The Beggar’s Opera” premiered and made them virtually obsolete overnight. This of course cramped Handel’s style – but eventually he got his revenge with “Messiah.” He didn’t write it to get revenge, and was surprised it became such a success, but it certainly did. Yesterday’s program stuck with opera written as opera, not oratorios, not even oratorios which have subsequently been successfully fully staged. Of course the music was beautiful. I’m not sure Handel could have written anything ugly if he had tried with both hands for a week. Clever, yes, but not ugly. The classic example of his tone painting is from “Messiah” – the chorus “All we like sheep (have gone astray)” – the syllable “stray” seriously goes astray, all over the staff, for several measures. Also, the meme today is a quote shared by Robert Reich last week. Since he appears to have started signing off unrelated columns with “You look great,” I wanted y’all to know why, in case I use one with that signoff. Well, off to see Virgil now.  Will check in upon return.

Referred by The Smile, this story may not fully qualify s good news yet, since it’s still in the “promising” stage as opposed to “confirmed.” But if confirmed, it will be huge good news.

Well, The Root was, at least for me, correct about this story. Maybe at least in part because I’ve been there (except for the broken ribs.) If you’re expecting a Heimlich story – it’s much bigger than that.

From CBS news referred by The Smile. Nice of Bari Weiss to allow it to be published /s. Seriously, I’m not autistic nor am aware of ever having known someone who was (though I did have a co-worker with Tourette’s for a while – didn’t bother me) but I do have enough empathy to be deeply impressed by this story.

Belle

Dog

Share

Open Thread December 27 2025

 Posted by at 10:07 pm  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 262025
 

Yesterday was a slow news day – I’m glad for the respite, but it makes it tough to fill a column. Here is one article on the big story, an opinion piece, and a book report. I didn’t finish the sweater, but I came very close.

Those of us like me who essentially ignore mainstream media and instead get our news from independent news sources such as The Root learned that, not content with murdering Venezuelan fishermen, the Cantaloupe Caligula bombed Nigeria on Christmas Day. I guess he doesn’t know (or doesn’t care) that it’s New Year’s Day that is the big day for fireworks in the world outside the United States. Seriously, this action is not merely certifiably evil, but it is also tone deaf, which someone who cares about polls as much as he does would normally try to avoid.

Robert Rwich‘s interview with Zohran Mamdani, which happened a week before the election. Reich reprints it as he actually takes office. He’s smart, he has a good understanding of real people’s real problems. and good ideas on how to help. But we knew that. What really struck me in the interview was his courtesy.

Colorado Public Radio has been running a “best books of the year” post for several years now, and the one for 2025 is out. This year’s list looks small to me – or it did until I looked at the two previous years.

Share

Open Thread December 26 2025

 Posted by at 10:14 pm  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 252025
 

Yesterday, of course, was Christmas Day. I hope yours was exactly what you wanted it to be. I had a dinner which was special and different without being complicated – and almost finished another sweater (I should easily finish today – and start another.) I’m expecting a package or two – both too large for the mailbox but small enough to bring in easily. But – we’ll see.

From The Lever News. This quote pretty much says it all: “Trump workplace regulators say jobs in entertainment, sports, and other fields are too dangerous to be covered by safety protections.” Of course, there are always derails.

From The Conversation. The story of rapamycin is fascinating. Treating the subjects like objects (grammatical pun intended) was 100% typical of the time frame, and sadly, probably still happens.

Archived from The Intercept. If you thought all those ICE bounties were going to individual disreputable MAGA insurrectionist bounty hunters – which would certainly be bad enough – think again. It’s worse than that.

Share

Open Thread December 25 2025

 Posted by at 1:01 am  Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 252025
 

Yesterday, I watched (but mostly listened to) a conversation with Mary Trump and Ruth Ben-Ghiat (as I’m sure you know, an expert – maybe the expert – on “strong men” governments). It was about 23 minutes – shorter than I expected – but highly informative. (just in case anyone wonders, my substitutes for yoga and getting out into nature are knotting and computer solitaire.)

Well, this is welcome news. Ohio has a Democratic Congresswoman who has a spine. That probably isn’t news to SpyKat. But it’s always nice to see a Congrescritter from one’s own state getting national attention for a righteous reason. I know I was stoked when Jason Crow was on the Jan6 Committee, and again when he was one of the six in what most people probably think of as “Mark Kelly’s video.”

I’m sneaking in a second video by treating this as an article – which, if I hadn’t tripped over a video, I would have had to do as an article. Judge Boasberg appears to be a national treasure. It’s 15 minutes, and worth it.

And here’s another judge who may well be a national treasure. Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw Jr. of Nashville.

Share

Open Thread December 23 2025

 Posted by at 5:37 pm  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 232025
 

Yesterday, I slept quite late again. On Sunday my right shoulder had really been bothering me – not every minute, but with certain motions which I make far more frequently than I had ever imagined. In fact, it took me until today to actually figure out what parts of the shoulder I should be applying arnica to. But by the time I posted this, the shoulder was doing much, much better.

In case anyone wants to dig into the Epstein Files any deeper than you already have, Joyce Vance provides a little material, and a link to the exact spot on the DOJ website where you can search.

From Wolves and Sheep. Many people are still above ground who remember the moment alluded to here. In Fact Robert Reich is singling people out at the rate af about one a week for a “Joseph Welch award.” This article doesn’t even quote Welch in full. But if even one person is inspired to hope and work for an occasion for history to repeat Welch’s accomplishment, it’s worth sharing.

Got children or grandchildren or greats? Know anyone who does? This may be their last chance to phone Santa – if the grinch in the White House finds out about it. I hope I’m wrong.

Most of HCR’s videos are way too long for here. But this one is short – and for Christmas.

Share

Open Thread December 22 2025

 Posted by at 1:06 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 222025
 

Yesterday, I got an email from Jasmine Crockett about a new poll – she is leading the Republican by 9 points, 51% to 43%, and this was just days after she entered the race. Fingers crossed! Also Trinette was by. Always so great to see her. We didn’t talk as much as usual – she is learning to crochet and  I’m doing my best to help make it easier.

ICE Has Domestic Abuser Agent Locked Up In Their Own Facility


When I first saw this story, I hoped o find it in “Law & Order” – but no luck I’d love to see what their take would be. It seems to me wrong on so many levels.

https://archive.is/ICy7q
This (archived) from The Nation is not brand new, but I just received it yesterday from Dose of Democracy. All things considered, it probably should not be surprising, but I hadn’t thought about it. So I was surprised.

https://steveschmidt.substack.com/p/jfk-vs-donald-trump
This is not new either – except to me, probably. I was alive and I believe sentient during the Kennedy Presidential campaign, though not old enough to vote. I graduated from high school that year and started my freshman year of college. And I knew Kennedy had served in the US Navy during World War II. I had heard about PT-109. But I never realized that he and 12 others had been been presumed dead and actually had a funeral service. Steve Schmidt brings it up now to emphasize the contrast between JFK and the Orange Oligarch.

Share

Open Thread December 21 2025

 Posted by at 11:28 pm  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 202025
 

Yesterday, The radio opera was Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” in the abridged version and English translation they put on around Christmas-New Year’s Day every year because the kids are out of school. It’s always fun, and generally as much for the cast as it is for the audience – maybe even more. Although it’s contagious.

From The Borowitz Report. Not terribly funny – more of an “Oregon Leads the Way” story – a story which would have made TomCat even prouder of his city. Am I selectively remembering, or are these Portland heroes mostly sheros? (I couldn’t help but think of “Naked Athena.”

Yes, another veteran story, and a Colorado Springs story at that. (Colorado Springs has a lot of veterans, including even some Navy/Marine vets, although the Air Force Academy proximity along with Fort Carson account for the bulk of us.) And so many are struggling.

This happened on December 16. It should last until the Cantaloupe Caligula finds out about it. I hope it lasts longer. The comments from party leaders are revealing.

Share

Open Thread December 20 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 202025
 

Yesterday, I received three packages – none of the via USPS. I was expecting one, since the shipper told me the day before that it w1qould come yesterday, but for the other two, their arrival was a surprise. Also, I watched a couple of Substack videos which weren’t too terribly long. The first was a conversation between Joyce Vance and Mary Trump about Judge Dugan’s trial, conviction and acquittal, and what comes next. I went to it because it seemed like an unlikely combination, but it turned out to be a good fit. If anyone is interested in a deeper dive into the case, the link is here. The second, also with Joyce Vance , was in her “5 questions” series, which is usually closed to free subscribers. Bu this one wasn’t closed, and I think may still be open. She was speaking with a documentary film maker whose latest film, which debuted this year at Sundance, is called “The Librarians” and is about the movements to ban books from libraries, and the hero and shero librarians who are resisting it.

I’m not about to claim that Colorado grows the best fruit in the country, but they are good enough to bring in a fair amount of revenue to the State, and we would definitely be hurting without them. But of course Republicans think that the earth is perfectly capable of running itself, so doing nothing will work out just fine. If that “working out” includes the human race vanishing, they might be right.

Archived from Forbes, referred by Bowers News Media. Like Chris and probably most of y’all, I had no idea what the Kumquat Kleptocrat was talking about Venezuela stealing from us, but guessed he probably made it up. Unlike Chris, I didn’t research it. Apparently there actually is something (probably exaggerated, but something.)

Huff Post didn’t know it would happen so fast. I did – didn’t you? I suppose it might not have been quite this fast if the Supreme Court had not be so complicit – but we knew they would. At least Huff Post is admitting it now.

Share
 Older Entries  Newer Entries