Open Thread June 30 2024

 Posted by at 5:46 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 302024
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was “The Fairy Queen” by Purcell, which is an adaptation of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” recorded by an early music group in Utrecht, Netherlands. I streamed it – my local radio staion is now broadcasting the summer schedule, but they started a week late, so, if I don’t sream, I’ll miss the last one, and I don’t want to do that. However, The Fairy Queen is just over half the length of last week’s, so when The Fairy Queen ended, I switched over to the radio, just in time for the third and fourth acts. An also just in time for the static it was making earlier to have quieted down. So, the best of both worlds. And today, I’m off to see Virgil. As always, I’ll post a quick comment when I get back.

If you need a lift, and need to see Joe being Joe and apreciated for it, here’s a link to the North Carolina rally from Friday.

This is short, and simple.. Though about a complex issue, it makes it not to difficult to understand. And it’s good news, as far as it goes.

Remember the mayor elected in Alabama with an overwhelming majority, who couldn’t take office because the previous, unelected white mayor (who had not even bothered to run against him) would not turn over the keys? Well. Here’s the latest in that saga – and, hopefully,the last we’ll ever need to hear about it. Though I’m not holding my breath.

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Open Thread June 29 2024

 Posted by at 6:05 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 292024
 

Yesterday, Robert Reich posted episode 5 in his DEBUNK series. Joyce Vance summarized what happened in SCOTUS Thursday, and what didn’t happen (more important actually). And it’s worth reading her post to the end for a little good news. And, SCOTUS told Steve Bannon to go pound sand (they declined yo hear his emergency appeal.) And then there was this: “Supreme Court guts agency power in seismic Chevron ruling.” And finally, Heather Cox Richardson and Robert Hubbell were the only two in my feed who saw the same debate I saw. I’ll let Heather tell it.

If you are looking for actual information about performance-enhancing drugs (which Joe Biden is not taking), I can recommend Evan Hurst’s article at Wonkette, from which I want to share this quote: “Every Republican accusation — literally every one — is a confession. If they’re talking about things, they’re talking about the things they do, and that’s why they know about them.” This weekend I am trying to keep the reference to either good news or funny/amusing. I for one need that break. We’ll see how it works.

This is short and succinct, and absolutely right on target. It hits literally close to home. It might even influence somebody. (and with all that, it’s also amusing.)

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Open Thread June 27 2024

 Posted by at 6:03 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 272024
 

On Tuesday, Ukraine began official accession negotiations with the European Union. It’s nice to have some good news to offset what came out of the Supreme Court yesterday, and the ridiculous number of decisions not yet decided by the same. Also, I learned that Steve Schmidt has a wicked sense of humor, as is shown by his remarks about the Alan Shepard prayer.

I would think that Pete Buttigieg would be among the very last of white people to think that black lives – quality as well as quantity – don’t matter. I’d advise them to go directly to him. But I do realize that’s not as easy as it sounds.

Of course this is a concern, because bullies willalways look stronger to stupid people than they in fact are, and leaders with genuine inner strength will not look strong to stupid people. But if Joe just does what he did in the latest SOTU (and we know he can, bcause we watched him pull it off), people who are not brainwashed will get the point.

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Open Thread June 25 2024

 Posted by at 5:56 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 252024
 

Yesterday was the second anniversary of the Dobbs decision. Two effing years. Here’s a link to what Mary Trump and two of her friends, both of whom have worked on the Lincoln Project but have now founded what’s called The Seneca Project, have to say about it. There’s both a 37 minute video and a full transcript.

Heather Cox Richardson on the rconomy compared and consrasted baased on who wins the election. I am not convince that all those “business leaders” are as smart as Heather appears to think they are (I know for a fact that Elon isn’t). but even a few of them that smart would hlp.

Joyce Vance, because the Supremes aren’t finished for the year. In fact, tere are 12 undecided cases to go/ The earliest we can expect another opinion to drop is Wednesday. (As Joyce points out, and as I have often noticed, anything that happens during a President’s term of office, 17% at least will think is his fault. Or to his credit – it works both ways.)

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Open Thread June 24 2024

 Posted by at 5:45 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 242024
 

Yesterday, Trinette came by. I didn’t have a lot for her to do, but we had a good talk. She says hi to everyone.

This sems like a pretty big deal to me. I hope we are successful in the end – and maybe Nepal can be next.

I haven’t seen all the decisions handed down Friday by SCOTUS, but I did see this report on this one. Despite having lived practically on the banks of the Rio Grande for almost 20 years (in Alamosa), I have no idea whether this is good decision or not. Certainly there are a whole lot of other states which get water from the Rio Grande, and I wouldn’t want those states to get screwed (one of them is mine.) If I knew who the 5 and the 4 were, I’d have a far better idea just from that.

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Open Thread June 22 2024

 Posted by at 5:57 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 222024
 

Yesterday, Robert Reich posted the fourth installment in his DEBUNK series. He posted another article too – he has referred in the past to the one person who protected him from school bullies without being asked, and who was murdered – but yesterday was the 60th anniversary of that murder, so he put up a piece on just that. SCOTUS decided Rahimi, and released the decision first, and Joyce Vance posted about that particular decision.

Talkng Points Memo does not link seperately to seperate artices in its Moring Memo. I chose to share this one because of the lead article, “Quick.. Guide to SCOTUS Malarkey….” including “Decoding the Cloaked Language….” but there are other segments. When you see “Rudy Rudy Rudy,” that’s where my rec stops. But you can certainly continue if you wish. (Yes, it was posted before any opinions dropped.)

I think Saturday is a good day for sharing this article from The Bulwark detaling why you need some kind of a break … and also how to do it without giving up. It’s in three numbered sections, and all are helpful. Section three does a longish digression (as an analogy); it’s clearly marked as a quote, so you can easily skip it. I read it so you won’t have to.

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Open Thread June 21 2024

 Posted by at 6:02 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 212024
 

Yesterday, SCOTUS issued verdicts and opinions in 4 cases (none involving TFG) – Moore, Chaverini, Diaz and Gonzales. I, on the other hand, took in a grocery order and baked cookies. (Given this Court, my accomplishments were orobablly better for the country.) Today, we can expect more verdicts and opinions. My reference for these decisions and more is here.  P.Ss – Tonight is a full moon. And a “strawberry moon” is expected – low in the sky and so bright it is its own light pollution.

The latest Biden-Harris ad, on YouTube. I’m not as convinced as many seem to be of its effectiveness against brainwashed MAGAts. But then, it’s probably not aimed at them, but at independents and undecideds. With them, it should help.

The Daily Beast’s “Obsessed” section is all about entertainment. But this cought my eye as a piece of fiction I would love to be a part of in real life. The protagonist is known as “The girl with the Dragon Tattoo of journalism,” and she takes on evil corporations. I remember when the first Girl with the Dragon Tattoo novel came out – at least one reviewer compared her to “Pippi Longstocking” grown up.” I’m sure part of that was because both were Swedish – but there were other traits they had in common as well.

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Open Thread June 17 2024

 Posted by at 6:07 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 172024
 

Yesterday, I managed to remember it was Father’s Day in time to wish Virgil a happy one. The prison dog’s handler brought him out to say happy Father’s Day to all the visitors. And of course we played cribbage. Two weeks ago the cards were seriusly hot – we were seeing scores up as high as 24. Yesterday not so much. The highest score all afternoon was 16, and there were only 3 hands all afternoon which achieved that score. But who cares – we were having fun.

Before we get too giddy over the Supremes approving mifeprestone (for now), we need to look deeper. Robert Hubell does. There are several topics here, but each has its own large type headline, so it’s not hard to find. And some of the other topics are pretty interesting also.

Yes, it took me a while to get this up. But I try to minimize bad news over a weekend. At least there are influential people who see right through this and are doing their best to spread reality. Unfortunately, the media is not among them.

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