Sunday Serendipity

Nothing represents a warm spring day better than this piece by R Vaughn Williams, The Lark Ascending. He finished composing it shortly after he returned from serving in WWI.

Enjoy, Jack

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40 thoughts on “Sunday Serendipity”

  2. Three friends (Ryan Gosling, Kate McKinnon, Sarah Sherman) are questioned by the NSA and SETI after experiencing another alien abduction.

  3. Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week’s biggest news, like Arizona reinstating an abortion law from 1864.

     

  4. meanwhile…

    Israel ‘ready to do what is necessary’ after massive drone and missile strikes from Iran – Middle East crisis live (theguardian.com)

    05.27 EDT
    The United Arab Emirates has called for restraint to avoid dangerous repercussions in the Middle East, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday, following Tehran’s attack on Israel.
    The UAE also called for resolving conflicts through dialogue and diplomatic channels.
    Russia’s foreign ministry, meanwhile, has expressed “extreme concern over another dangerous escalation” in the Middle East and also called for restraint after Iranian strikes on Israel.

  5. Security Alert #2 U.S. Embassy Jerusalem (April 14, 2024) – U.S. Embassy in Israel (usembassy.gov)

    Security Alert #2 U.S. Embassy Jerusalem (April 14, 2024)

    Location:  Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza

    Event:  Security Alert

    The threat of drone and/or missile barrages has diminished.  Consistent with current guidance from Israel’s Homefront Command, the shelter in place order for U.S. government employees and their family members has been lifted.

    However, the previous travel restrictions on U.S. government employees and their family members remain in place.  Personal travel is limited to travel within and between Tel Aviv (including Herzliya, Netanya, and Even Yehuda), Jerusalem, and Be’er Sheva.

    The U.S. Embassy will continue to closely monitor the security environment.  Schools across Israel remain closed today, April 14.  Many flights have been canceled or delayed, and travelers are encouraged to check with the airline on the status of their flight.  Land border crossings, including Allenby Bridge crossing, are open.

    The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem reminds U.S. citizens of the continued need for caution and increased personal security awareness as security incidents often take place without warning.  The security environment remains complex and can change quickly depending on the political situation and recent events.

    This is provided for your information as you make your own security plans.

    In response to security incidents and without advance notice, the U.S. Embassy may further restrict or prohibit U.S. government employees and their family members from traveling to certain areas of Israel (including the Old City of Jerusalem) and the West Bank.

    U.S. citizens are encouraged to consult the current Travel Advisory and Country Information for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, which advise U.S. citizens to be aware of the continuing risks of travel to Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza due to the security situation and heightened regional tensions and warns against travel to Gaza.

    U.S. citizens can find additional information regarding steps to take in case of mortar and rocket fire in the Country Information for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza:

    [continues]

  6. poor critter babies, cutting short your vacay?  too bad we can’t cut short your salary and bennies for doing nothing but chaos this whole term.

    House changes schedule to consider Israel legislation next week | The Hill

    The House of Representatives will change its schedule to consider legislation to support Israel in light of Iran’s Saturday attack and to hold Tehran accountable, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said on Saturday.
    “In light of Iran’s unjustified attack on Israel, the House will move from its previously announced legislative schedule next week to instead consider legislation that supports our ally Israel and holds Iran and its terrorist proxies accountable,” Scalise said in a Saturday post on X.
    “The House of Representatives stands strongly with Israel, and there must be consequences for this unprovoked attack,” he continued. “More details on the legislative items to be considered will be forthcoming.”
    The statement did not provide clarity as to whether the Louisiana Republican was making a reference to the $95 billion supplemental spending bill which encompasses $14 billion for Israel or the stand-alone bill for Israel.
    The $95 billion supplemental also includes $60 billion for Ukraine, funds for Taiwan and humanitarian assistance. It passed the Senate in February but has yet to be put on the lower chamber’s floor, where the package faces resistance from some hard-right Republican lawmakers since it includes funds for Ukraine. The supplemental bill is also not supported by some progressive House Democrats who oppose sending more money to Israel as the country continues its military campaign in Gaza against Hamas.
    Iran launched missiles as a part of its attack on Israel on Saturday. Most of them were intercepted outside of the country’s territory by defense systems operated by Israel and its allies in the region, according to The Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
    “A small number of hits were identified, including at an IDF base in southern Israel, where minor damage was caused to infrastructure,” the Israeli military said on Saturday.

  7. Russia’s foreign ministry, meanwhile, has expressed “extreme concern over another dangerous escalation” in the Middle East and also called for restraint after Iranian strikes on Israel.

    Russia urging restraint? I think restraint is appropriate, but really – from Russia?  GMAFB. 
     

  8. Let your Republican pals know they’re on Iran’s side whether they like it or not!

    With any luck you can short out their brains before Nov 🤞

  9. https://www.reuters.com/world/us-says-china-is-boosting-russias-war-machine-ukraine-2024-04-12/

    “China is backing Russia’s war effort in Ukraine by helping Moscow in its biggest military buildup since the Soviet era, providing drone and missile technology, satellite imagery and machine tools, senior U.S. officials said on Friday.”

    Careful now, the US will have to ramp up its munitions making and you know what that means. More jobs under Biden’s watch.

  14. Craig – Did they nest on that same window ledge?
     
     
    Rep. Mike Turner was literally choking on his words on MTP.  Clearly, Putin wants Iran to engage Israel, and to have that preoccupy the US while he takes Ukraine and beyond.   Hopefully, all of NATO is prepared or preparing.  On to George at ABC. 

    ps – There’s a Billy Joel concert on CBS tonight, filmed at his Madison Square Garden residency.

  15. Going through books yesterday, I found one by Mike Pappantonio: Resurrecting Aesop – Fables Lawyers Should Remember.
    The forward was by RFKJ:
    “Real success in the form of personal fulfillment, is achieved when we take our eyes off the horizon of pride and personal ambition and focus instead on methodically performing the lite tasks of civility and service.”
     
    What happened to him?  He is very, very lost.  Or, maybe he was always fullavit.
     

  16.  “Do you think I have not just cause to weep, when I consider that Alexander at my age had conquered so many nations, and I have all this time done nothing that is memorable?”
     
    -Caesar, allegedly

  17. Dove have not settled on a spot yet. I almost hope they don’t nest where I can see them, they’ve never successfully raised youngins since we’ve been here. There’s a reason they have one of the worst survival rates in the animal kingdom — they are horrible nest builders.

  18. Trump blames Biden for Iran strike on Israel: “It would not have happened if we were in office”

    It did happen! Iran struck and injured 100 Americans in Iraq and Trump responded with nothing.

  19. I’m glad you all like todays offering , last night it was a debate between it and Copeland’s Appalachian Spring. BTW, I’ve been out doing yard work it is perfect day for either on. Though I’m leaning toward the Copeland piece today.

  20. When I read pieces like this I have to remind myself only two types of people talk to reporters. Idiots and those with an agenda.
    “So Mr/Mrs man on the street, could you be impartial and serve on a jury, judging Donald Trump?”
    I’ve been the person with the agenda, I think I’ve mostly avoided being the idiot, mostly by saying “no”.
    Jack
     
     

  21. To Paraphrase George Carlin, 
    “Think about how dumb the average American is, remember half of them are dumber than that.”
    The way to avoid being in the lower half is to keep your mouth shut, or at least don’t give your name to be printed on a national news paper.
    Jack

  22. they are horrible nest builders.

     
    They’re not brilliant in traffic either, as I’ve gruesomely witnessed firsthand.

  27. Doves seem to do quite well in the wild, maybe it is something about the Urban environment. Too many flat square surfaces that don’t occur in nature?
    Jack

  28. speaking of tortoises/turtles Last month I saw box turtle newly emerged from his/her(how can you tell) hibernation. It still had fresh mud on the shell. I looked around for the hole but couldn’t find it. I have found their exit hole at other times..
    Jack

  29. lol, is that the WaPo premium content i’m missing out on??

    i’m the reason ‘net journalism sucks 😒

    sorry

  31. Jack – I am trying to find where the turtles in my backyard are, they are always getting stuck against a fence or something. There is the Eastern Box Turtle, always finding a fence and the Wood Turtle who was eating worms out of the fountain mud (fountain box broke and mud covered the bottom).   I did find a Smooth Earthsnake when I lifted my weed killer tarp yesterday.  Cute little things, about seven inches long as adults, I usually come across them several times a year. 

  32. Bink
    National Journalism has sunk to the level of the Kansas City local noon news show.
    I’ve not caught any local news in Springfield in the 2 years I’ve been here. If the rest of the world is doing the same , it may explain things
    My current favorite big city newspaper is the LA times. It is LA focused but when they write a national story their editors make sure it is well sourced with good background and well written. I’ve learned a lot reading that paper.
    Jack

  34. I may have started something when I moved here. I brought a lot of rocks that Mrs Jack and I had collected for future garden edges.  The house I bought had no gardens just grass. So I created a few gardens and am planning one in the center of the yard. Currently it is only a crescent shaped rock wall made up of a lot of interesting flat rocks, not any thing permeant. just a way to store the rocks until I figure out what to with them. Mean while my potential new neighbor to the east is going to move into the house that her father has bought and remodeled for her. He just unloaded a dump truck full of very large boulders. Ones that can only be moved with heavy equipment.
    Maybe a little dick sizing going on?
    Any way this is all in a neighborhood that until I moved in was content to just mow the dandelions. 
    Jack

  35. Author of the Day

    Everything you can find from this guy:

    Leo Rosten

    SILKIE,  Story of a hard boiled Jewish detective, with glossary. 

    THE JOYS OF YIDDISH

    THE EDUCATION OF HYMAN KAPLAN
    THE RETURN OF HYMAN KAPLAN

    CAPTAIN NEWMAN M. D.

    A TRUMPET FOR REASON

    ROME WASNT BURNED IN A DAY
     

  36. https://www.kxan.com/news/political-news/ap-a-trump-campaign-stop-at-an-atlanta-chick-fil-a-offers-a-window-into-his-outreach-to-black-voters/

    “How a Black conservative activist arranged Donald Trump’s stop at an Atlanta Chick-fil-A”

     
    https://www.mediaite.com/trump/woman-in-viral-hug-with-donald-trump-is-longtime-conservative-activist-and-blexit-campaigner/

    “Woman In Viral Hug With Donald Trump is Longtime Conservative Activist and ‘BLEXIT’ Campaigner”
     
    “The BLEXIT Foundation is an organization founded by far-right firebrand Candace Owens in 2018 that encourages Black Americans and other ethnic minorities to abandon the Democratic party for Republicans. The organization later merged with the college pro-Trump student activist group, Turning Point USA.”
     
    *Blexit and Turning Point USA have officially merged. 
     
    https://www.wired.com/story/charlie-kirk-tpusa-mlk-civil-rights-act/
     

    “How Charlie Kirk Plans to Discredit Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Act”

    “Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk is preparing to launch a campaign against MLK and the landmark civil rights law he helped enact.”
    “MLK was awful,” Kirk said. “He’s not a good person. He said one good thing he actually didn’t believe.”

    “Closely aligned with Donald Trump, the group has been seen as a way to replace the modern Republican establishment with younger people more aligned with the 45th US president and reactionary politics.”

    “Kirk argues that the Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination on the basis of race, ushered in a “permanent DEI-type bureaucracy,” referring to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
     
     
    “The courts have been really weak on this,” Kirk told the America Fest crowd. “Federal courts just yield to the Civil Rights Act as if it’s the actual American Constitution.” The law is ultimately a way to “re-found the county” and “a way to get rid of the First Amendment,” according to Kirk.

    “A spokesperson for TPUSA, Andrew Kolvet, said that Americans have been fed a “fake history.”

    “A core part of this fake history of America is the elevation of MLK into a saint, whose entire being is beyond reproach and above question,” Kolvet said in an emailed statement. “This sanctified version of MLK strips away his actual views and ignores his actual actions. The real MLK was a complicated person.”

    In this instance, I believe they are using “complicated” as a euphemism for uppity.

    TPUSA – I shall hereafter refer to Charlie Kirk as Old Two-Ply.

    I knew that woman hugging tRUMPsky felt weirdly wrong. Nothing about him is real except his narcissism. Everything is a ruse with this turd. Two-ply and the turd.

  37. Bid
    That sounds like desperation. Why does Charlie think he needs to rally the bigot base?  Maybe because that is all they have?
    Jack

  38. BB
    I’ve never tried to fence in box turtles, I have tried to fence they out of a strawberry patch, they like them. I had mixed success as they can often push their way in.
    It is a weird spring, a bunch early. But, also, I have Irises and daffodils blooming at the same time. I’ve never seen that, there is usually almost a month gap.
    Jack

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