Month: June 2019

Athenae, Immoral Values1 Comment

Don’t Take Advice From People Who Hate You

Allison Hantschel

Just stop it. They hate you. They always have, they always will, and they’re not going to change: pic.twitter.com/XwWqPtki9Z — Gideon Mountain Hunt (@terriermanUSA) June 30, 2019 To recap, the last two Democratic presidents were Bill Clinton, the best Republican president we’ve ever had, and Barack Obama, whose signature piece of legislation was Mitt Romney’s healthcare plan. Republicans impeached the former and despised the latter mostly for being black and having the temerity to exist in the world and occasionally speak to other black people. In response to Clinton, the Republicans staged a minor coup in the state of Florida … Continue reading Don’t Take Advice From People Who Hate You

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media

Not Everything Sucks

Allison Hantschel

Student journalists are out here kicking fucking ass for no money at all, just because they see injustice and want it corrected, raise a glass of something age-appropriate: Ms. Barber-Just, a journalism teacher at Amherst-Pelham Regional High School for more than 20 years, laughed and told her class that it was really hard to do an investigation of that scale while in high school. You don’t have a big Spotlight team, she said. By the next week, a student in her class had begun his own one-month investigation into the school district’s use of prison labor to reupholster all the seats in … Continue reading Not Everything Sucks

Adrastos, Diary, Film, Fog Of History, Music, New Orleans, Odds & Sods, Political Crack, R.I.P., Sports

Saturday Odds & Sods: The Monkey Speaks His Mind

Peter Adrastos Athas
Woman and Monkeys by Henri Matisse.

The leading lights of New Orleans culture keep leaving us. This time it was Dave Bartholomew who died at the age of 100. He was best known for his collaboration with Fats Domino as his arranger, co-writer, producer, and band leader. Bartholomew was a formidable trumpeter in his own right. He was also one of the contenders for the title of father of rock and roll. If nothing else, he was present at the creation.

In her tribute to Bartholomew the fabulous New Orleans music writer Alison Fensterstock wrote about some of his solo recordings including this week’s theme song:

But the sides he did record for himself in the ’50s were masterful and diverse, from the clattering Caribbean rhythms of “Shrimp and Gumbo” to the goofy novelty “My Ding-A-Ling” (which Chuck Berry unearthed for a 1972 hit) to the singular grinding blues “The Monkey Speaks His Mind,” a strange fable that questions whether humans, with all their sin, are truly superior among the primates, and which showcases his bellowing, stentorian baritone.

This week’s theme song is best understood as a parable of the civil rights movement. Did that make Dave Bartholomew rock’s own George Orwell? Beats the hell outta me.

The Monkey Speaks His Mind was written and recorded by Dave Bartholomew in 1957. It’s been recorded by a variety of artists. We have three versions for your listening pleasure:

It’s time to stop monkeying around and brachiate to the break. There will be a banana for everyone willing to take the plunge.

Continue reading “Saturday Odds & Sods: The Monkey Speaks His Mind”

Adrastos, Campaign Notes, Political Crack, Twitter

Tweets Of The Day: Who’s The Real Kook?

Peter Adrastos Athas

People had a lot of fun with new age sage burner Marianne Williamson last night. I was too annoyed by her presence to pile on BUT it’s unclear if she’s actually kookier than the Current Occupant. The first tweet comes from ethics guy Robert Maguire: If you think Marianne Williamson's ideas are kooky, wait til you hear about the guy who says windmills cause cancer, thinks you need to show ID to buy cereal, and doesn't exercise because he thinks the human body is like a battery with a finite amount of energy — Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) June 28, 2019 … Continue reading Tweets Of The Day: Who’s The Real Kook?

Michael F1 Comment

Versus This Guy

mmferry1965

Prior to boarding Air Force One for his trip to Japan, Trump gave us another glimpse into what makes him tick —  voices in his head On Wednesday morning, hours after news broke that special counsel Robert Mueller will testify before Congress in a public setting on July 17, President Donald Trump called in to Maria Bartiromo’s Fox Business show for a lengthy phone interview that was especially unhinged, even by his standards. It was a surreal affair from start to finish. But even during its wildest moments, Bartiromo pretended to understand what Trump was talking about and acted as though he … Continue reading Versus This Guy

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media2 Comments

You Set the Agenda

Allison Hantschel

Something I think our August Media Betters, those who protect us against Democracy Dying in Darkness every day, have utterly forgotten: Put this on a massive sign overlooking the White House. And outside of every white Evangelical church in America. https://t.co/RhebNi5I3i — Samuel Sinyangwe (@samswey) June 24, 2019 I’ll go one better. Run it on every news show. Every night. Every single night until this ends. Every day on the 24-hour networks. All day long. That’s all it is. Stories from the camps. Stories about the camps. People talking about what to do about the camps and I don’t mean … Continue reading You Set the Agenda

Athenae, Uncategorized

Don’t Do Nothing

Allison Hantschel

The Texas Tribune has a list of organizations working to help families at the border.  There are worldwide candlelight vigils against the camps on July 12, mark your calendars, bitches, and get in the streets with us. I’ll be at the Chicago event and/or helping organize one in my own neighborhood. Call your reps. Tell them to close the camps. Even if they’re Democrats, even if they already want to. Make this their issue. Make it yours. A. Continue reading Don’t Do Nothing

Free Republic, Tommy T

Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – last week today edition

Tommy T

All right, everyone – as I mentioned, last week’s Obsession wasn’t doable due to days of lightning storms here in Dallas, so please allow me to serve up some older Freepitude, meant for the post that never was.

First up – going off half-Koched!

Billionaire Kochs to Financially Back Democrats Pushing Amnesty, Free Trade
Breitbart ^ | 6/9/2019 | John Binder

Posted on 6/9/2019, 10:41:02 PM by bitt

The pro-mass immigration Koch brothers’ network of billionaire, donor-class organizations is readying to financially back Democrats, so long as they promise to support amnesty for illegal aliens and vote to advance free trade at all costs.

In a memo to its staff, the Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity (AFP) organization announced that the economic libertarian group is set to back any elected official in Washington, DC, — including Democrats — who support their agenda of amnesty for illegal aliens and endless free trade, and oppose the GOP voter-preferred economic nationalist agenda of less immigration and tariffs to protect American jobs.

The memo read:

The threat of being primaried prevents policymakers from leading on difficult issues and driving principled policy reforms. AFP or AFP Action will be ready to engage contested U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and state-level primary races, including Republican, Democrat, Independent or otherwise, to support sitting legislators who lead by uniting with others to pass principled policy and get good things done. [Emphasis added]

The Koch effort to financially support pro-amnesty, anti-economic nationalist Democrats would come to fruition through the creation of multiple issue-specific Political Action Committees (PACs), all under the larger Koch network umbrella.

Support for free trade absolutism, amnesty for illegal aliens, and an anti-economic nationalist voting record are basic requirements for Democrats and Republicans who want financial support from the Koch brothers, as outlined in AFP’s memo:

(snip)

The initiative is set to put the Koch brothers’ network of donor class organizations in line with Democrats such as Joe Biden — who has backed amnesty for all illegal aliens and continues to support the NAFTA free trade deal that eliminated nearly five million American jobs — and Republicans such as Justin Amash who opposes the use of tariffs and has previously suggested support for an amnesty for illegal aliens shielded from deportation by President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

1 posted on 6/9/2019, 10:41:02 PM by bitt
You see, not so very long ago, it was like this :
To: SeekAndFind

 

The far left has latched onto the “Koch Brothers” as a boogieman. It’s kind of funny. The vast majority (and I mean vast) have never even heard the name much less know anything about them. And yet this seems to be their go to topic this year. It just makes them look paranoid. I hope they stay focused like a laser beam on this…

9 posted on 10/4/2014, 9:59:08 AM by DouglasKC

But all of a sudden…

To: bitt

 

They almost sound like traitors. Keep praying everyone. God doesn’t care how much money they have to throw around. He owns it all . . .including them.

6 posted on 6/9/2019, 10:45:06 PM by Maudeen (Remember . . . Jesus is already in all of your tomorrows.)

And…
To: bitt

 

Koch bros. treason wedded to Soros treason,
Surprise! NOT

10 posted on 6/9/2019, 10:47:38 PM by A strike (Import third world become third world)

And…
To: bitt

 

I thought they reliably always supported R candidates.

What happened to them?

17 posted on 6/9/2019, 10:50:15 PM by Innovative

Offhand, I’d say Trump happened to them.
.
Imagine two museum guards who see someone with a flamethrower running down the hall towards the room where all the Rembrandts are kept.
.
And, finally a Freeper dares to say it :
To: Secret Agent Man

 

Didn’t Freepers used to defend the Kochs?

37 posted on 6/9/2019, 11:31:53 PM by rintintin (q)

DuhNapoleon
More stupid below el-foldo.

Continue reading “Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – last week today edition”

Uncategorized

Not Everything Sucks

Allison Hantschel

In the hellhole that is the internet, Swear Trek and Spock’s Dick remain a bright spot:  With apologies to the Great Bird of the Galaxy, here is the first episode of #SpocksDick pic.twitter.com/bCqi6x3uxl — Swear Trek (@swear_trek) October 26, 2017 For all you young’uns who didn’t experience the glory of Web 1.0, this is basically what it was like all the time, along with some cats. A. Continue reading Not Everything Sucks

Athenae, Congress, Current Affairs3 Comments

What Can You Do?

Allison Hantschel

Children are dying in our camps:  The purpose of the quote, from the commissioner’s point of view, was to establish that the Border Patrol has no choice about this. There are too many migrants for the existing system, at existing funding levels, to detain the children in safe, uncrowded conditions. What Sanders was describing, however, was a choice. If the law requires the Border Patrol to detain migrants in safe and clean conditions, and if it is impossible to provide safe and clean conditions with current funding and current facilities, then the Border Patrol can let the migrants go. The … Continue reading What Can You Do?

Athenae, Bigotry, So Called Liberal Media1 Comment

Who’s Selling Hate to These People?

Allison Hantschel

This story is full of more assholes than a bag of assholes but the biggest assholes in it aren’t named:  Across the state, this network includes conservative radio hosts, think tanks and digital media that focus on anti-refugee news in Minnesota, as well as small community groups like C-Cubed, which repeatedly invite anti-Muslim speakers to town, leading to clashes and protests. Formed in 2017 to support more nativist candidates on the City Council, C-Cubed is a small group of only about a dozen members, but its existence has already changed the city’s political landscape. C-Cubed supported four candidates for City … Continue reading Who’s Selling Hate to These People?

Adrastos, Diary, Film, Fog Of History, Music, New Orleans, Odds & Sods, R.I.P., Sports, Television, Twitter2 Comments

Saturday Odds & Sods: Every Picture Tells A Story

Peter Adrastos Athas
The Sorrows Of The King by Henri Matisse.

It’s a solemn day in New Orleans: Dr. John’s memorial service and second line are later today. There was already an informal, impromptu second line but this is the real deal. Rest in peace, Mac. We’ll miss you.

The news has been relentlessly bleak of late, which is why I’ve turned my attention to the New Orleans Pelicans success in the recent NBA draft. Zion Williamson seems to be a real game changer. While I’m uncertain if he’ll be the next LeBron James, he may be the next Charles Barkley. We needed some good news after the way Anthony Davis pouted his way out of town. New Pels honcho, David Griffin, took the Lakers to the cleaners in trading away AD and seems to have drafted and traded wisely. This pre-draft tweet sums things up quite well:

Here’s hoping the Zion era doesn’t end like the Baron Davis, Chris Paul or Anthony Davis eras. That concludes the inside New Orleans basketball portion of the Saturday post.

I’m “I remember when Rod Stewart was a respected artist and critics darling” years old. This week’s theme song was the title track of Stewart’s 1971 commercial breakthrough album. Every Picture Tells A Story was written by Rod Stewart and Ron Wood. It’s the opening track of one of the best albums of the 1970’s. Unfortunately, Rod the Mod threw it all way artistically when he moved to Los Angeles and released the shitty “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” and other horrendous hits. I hope I didn’t give anyone an earworm.

We have two versions for your listening pleasure: the original and a live medley of Too Bad and Every Picture Tells A Story. The Faces are the backing band in both instances and, as always, they rock hard.

Now that you’ve got the picture, let’s hop into one of those prop planes and fly to the break. I’m reluctant to say jump because I don’t want to bail out on y’all.

Continue reading “Saturday Odds & Sods: Every Picture Tells A Story”

Adrastos, Big Damn Heroes, Music

Not Everything Sucks: David Gilmour’s Guitars

Peter Adrastos Athas

One of my musical heroes, David Gilmour, is a generous man. He auctioned off many of the guitars that he played during Pink Floyd’s heyday raising over $21 million, which he promptly gave away: A day before the auction, Gilmour revealed that the money from the auction would benefit ClientEarth, which funds environmental lawyers and experts in the fight against climate change. “The global climate crisis is the greatest challenge that humanity will ever face, and we are within a few years of the effects of global warming being irreversible,” he said in a statement. “We need a civilized world that goes … Continue reading Not Everything Sucks: David Gilmour’s Guitars

Adrastos, Bigotry, Film, Fog Of History, Immigration, Immoral Values, Language, Political Crack, Stupid Republican Tricks

The Fog Of History: Semantic Antics

Peter Adrastos Athas

Choosing sides between Liz Cheney and Alexandria Ocascio-Cortez isn’t difficult. The latter called Trump’s migrant detention centers, concentration camps, and the former denounced this characterization. It’s a bit rich coming from a woman whose father is a torture fan but … Continue reading The Fog Of History: Semantic Antics

Michael F

What They See

mmferry1965

Here’s as good an example as any of the sort of people Joe Biden thinks we can work with if we’ll only get back to civility. These guys really aren’t even trying to hide how feckless and corrupt they are anymore, are they. On ‘All in With Chris Hayes’ this evening, Republican congressman Sean Duffy of Wisconsin made the argument that a robust economy in Wisconsin during the presidency of Donald Trump means it’s perfectly okay for Donald Trump to commit impeachable offenses. Duffy’s no James Eastland or Herman Talmadge. But do you really think he’ll reach across the aisle … Continue reading What They See