By Jace, a Trail Mix Contributor
A set of pieces that are very near and dear to me. Both poetic and heroic and finely crafted by a master. Enjoy the music and enjoy the day!
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49 thoughts on “Sunday Serendipity”
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User-Supported News Commentary Hosted by Craig Crawford
By Jace, a Trail Mix Contributor
A set of pieces that are very near and dear to me. Both poetic and heroic and finely crafted by a master. Enjoy the music and enjoy the day!
More Posts by Jace
Comments are closed.
Thank You jace. It wouldn’t be Sunday without you ?
Call me Ishmael … Today in 1820 a very unhappy sperm whale rammed a Nantucket whaling ship, the Essex, off the coast of South America. This event helped inspire a certain American literary classic. ?
Remember when networks had weekly made for TV movies/dramas? There was dreck, but there were some pretty good to excellent works too. In the vein of true events inspired books/articles that became movies, A Death In Canaan comes to mind. Intelligent, entertaining television was a good thing.
Ahhhhh. Brahms. You can’t miss with Brahms.
From Wapo.
Richard Spencer, president of the National Policy Institute and popularizer of the term “alt-right,” told reporters in Washington on Saturday that Donald Trump could achieve some of the white nationalist movement’s goals by making Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) his attorney general.
“Jeff Sessions is someone who is not alt-right but seems to see eye-to-eye with us on the immigration question,” Spencer said. “The fact that he is going to be at such a high level is a wonderful thing. What Jeff Sessions is not going to do, in terms of not prosecuting federal diversity and fair housing, I think is just as powerful as what he might do.”
Like I said, Sessions’ nomination was the most frightening move by drumpf so far.
Oh today is also the 71st anniversary of the Nuremberg Trials.
Think we learned anything?
“Think we learned anything?”
sjwny, heil yes.
I learned things can always get worse.
carl Hiaasen:
Our long national IQ test is over. We failed.
Donald Trump, chosen by fewer than half of those who voted, will enter the Oval Office in January as one of the most shockingly unqualified, unprepared presidents in American history.
[….]
But he’ll be our next president because he’s very good at giving a performance, whether he believes what he’s saying or not. The white working-class people that he sought to galvanize bought his act, big-time.
Trump figured out the pandering formula early. He also understood that the currents of discontent dividing this country run so deeply that he could get away with saying and doing things that would have doomed any other candidate.
[….]
For those fearful of a Trump presidency, here’s why it’s too soon to panic. People who’ve known him a long time will tell you that, first and foremost, he’s an actor.
He has no real ideology beyond advancing his brand and fluffing his own feathers. Ironically, this might actually work to the country’s advantage.
[….]
He talked about being flexible, open to compromise and negotiation. Did he mean it? Does he mean anything he says?
Trump the showman now takes the biggest stage in the world. His true personality can’t be changed, but his persona must.
Paradoxically, his monumental ego and vanity could actually move the country toward healing. Trump wants to be widely popular, and he knows he isn’t.
You can be sure he’s been watching the mass street protests on TV.
[….]
Trump might be incapable of humility, but he’s not immune to the fear of going down in history as a divisive, ineffective president.
Like all performers, Trump loves being cheered. The question is if he’ll revamp his performance to appeal to a much broader, more diverse audience. Will he strive to appear more humane, tolerant and thoughtful?
Today is the Transgender Day of Remembrance. Please take time to read the list of transgender people murdered during the last year. It is with great trepidation that most of us face the next president and his henchmen. If you are near a location where a ceremony is held, consider stopping in and joining us.
Hiaasen makes a solid point here: “Trump might be incapable of humility, but he’s not immune to the fear of going down in history as a divisive, ineffective president.”
He has a knack for learning how to succeed, driven by fear of humiliation, so maybe there’s hope he’ll be more reasonable than we think.
Thank you Jace for the beautiful Sunday tradition and a high five to Pogo for putting “Ahhhh Brahms” on the radar.
I wonder what would have happened if the tax cheeto ran as a dem
Got three new hiaasen books yesterday……his are the only books I’ve read this year…..I have to remind myself now and then that it’s quite necessary to read books…..so when I find myself not reading I have to pick up something eminently readable and get back into the habit. Hiaasen works.
The story opens with two tourists from wiscansin on a thousand dollar a day fishing charter in the Keys snagging and reeling in a human arm the hand of which is fixed shooting the bird…..
so far, so good……….BAD MONKEY
Having finally recovered from my post election stupor. I am now able to put into words exactly how I feel.
“He has a knack for learning how to succeed, driven by fear of humiliation, so maybe there’s hope he’ll be more reasonable than we think.”
Craig,
Hope you are right. Trump strikes me as an ends justify the means type. I can easily see him trying to squash a bad economic report or jobs report in order to escape responsibility for it, or worse yet firing the people who produced those reports. Going forward all manner of routine information coming from the White House and various government agencies should be immediately suspect.Like George W. Bush, Trump lacks the curiosity and imagination to ever grow into the job. He is seldom if ever going to let facts stand in the way of his predispositions.
E. J. Dionne once posed the question, and I am paraphrasing here, when does a political party pay the price and have any accountability for being absolutely and completely wrong?
The answer is, They don’t, in point of fact they have been rewarded for it.
There is a lesson in this for democrats if they are willing to learn it. Scorched earth obstructionism is a winning strategy if you play it to the hilt.
So now it is the Democrats hoping Trump will pivot?
Sorry folks it ain’t happening.
We got what we got. As he used everything in his power to defeat enemies in civilian life look for him to do so as president.
the man has demonstrated he is amoral.
Jack
“Trump might be incapable of humility, but he’s not immune to the fear of going down in history as a divisive, ineffective president.”
Craig – Trump comes from the American business world. I would doubt it possible for him to think far enough in the future to worry about his legacy. He’ll be all about the “now” and do they “like me”. For him, it’s not about where his business will be in 3 years, but rather where it will be at the end of the next quarter. And, unfortunately, I believe he thinks of our country as a business – that he is now in charge of.
sturge, loved the monkey in the title. just finished his newest “razor girl” which did his usual hiaasen homage, this time to the ducks of reality tv.
Just listened to Brahms by the fireplace after a very windy cold walk to the grocery. Thanks Jace.
Trump self defines what is winning so no matter what his critics say he will call them names and have them arrested for the crime of being mean
Oh well! Brahms and a fireplace. It doesn’t get any better than that.
For comedy writers, a Trump administration is going to be a target rich environment.
I’m worried about Pence. I mean, his character essentially got questioned by Aaron Burr. Pence should be worried, too. I mean, Aaron Burr once killed a guy.
Corey so nice to see you and your fine wit back after what you been through ole friend
SNL a little too nice to The Condom she agrees with Trump an she hates women especially herself
me too
Current Popular Vote Count 2016:
Hillary 63,541,056 48.0%
Trump 61,864,015 46.7%
Difference 1,697,041 more for Hillary
Others: 7,034,595 5.3% This was not the year to protest
Jamie, I tend to think a whole bunch of the Trump vote was a protest vote.
Craig: You and Hiaasen may be looking at this through rose colored glasses. I still believe that trump is hitler incarnate! “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely” Once he has a taste of this much power he will weild it like a bull whip! And dvitale300 is right, he won’t waste time thinking about the future.
Jamie: “Others: 7,034,595 5.3% This was not the year to protest” I knew that number was going to be big. I called it early on that Hillary would lose because of a big “others” vote.
dvitale300: Right again on the trump vote. I think quite a high % of his votes were probably protest votes.
So it may be that we got the President we deserve for being so callous and playing fast & loose with our right to vote.
Jace, I really liked the Brahms. I suppose the real question should be, What did Clara S think of it?
Flatus,
Me thinks that Clara did heartily and earnestly approve. She undoubtedly played them better than he did.
Jamie, dvitale & granny, another way to read the vote percentages is
53.3% did not want him
52% did not want her
and a whopping 94.7% didn’t want those other dudes
cbs:
“You know, it’s a very close vote. I mean, there’s 52 Republicans. Some of the people that have been put forward I think are not guaranteed to get any Democrat support,” Paul told CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “So they lose my support and a couple of other Republicans … so I think that there are several potential Republican votes against someone like a Bolton. Possibly Giuliani.”
[….]
“I want people that run the State Department who agree with Donald Trump. And so I’m trying to help. I’m trying to be helpful here,” he said. “And the problem — with both Bolton and Giuliani is they’re unrepentant in their support for the Iraq war. They haven’t learned any of the lessons.”
“I think regime change in the Middle East hasn’t worked,” Paul added. “And so I think that it’s important that we get someone in the head of the State Department that understands what Donald Trump said over and over again, the Iraq war was a mistake.”
As for 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney, who met with Mr. Trump in New Jersey on Saturday and who Vice President-Elect Mike Pence confirmed Sunday is under “active and serious consideration” for the State Department job, Paul praised him as “reasonable” and “even-keel.”
“As far as reasonability, if I were to rank Romney up there with someone who I think is a reasonable, even-keel versus a Giuliani or a Bolton, I think Giuliani — Giuliani and Bolton are out there on the extreme,” he said. “I don’t think they’re very diplomatic. And I think you want the chief diplomat to be diplomatic.”
Romney, too, initially supported the Iraq war — and Paul said he would have questions for Romney about his position on regime change, but said unlike Bolton and Giuliani, Romney is not “unrepentant” on the issue.
“I’m not sure I would call him unrepentant. I would say that he is somebody who has supported the Iraq war and I would want to hear more,” he said. “I think we should ask — no matter what the stature of the person, we should ask, “What are your beliefs? Was the Iraq war a mistake? Are you for regime change?”
“…like-minded, free-thinkers and no one else.” If Trump doesn’t think “The Bubble” was poking fun at folks who call themselves liberals, well, why is he watching SNL and why hasn’t someone taken away his phone and shut down his Twitter account? Wasn’t there a big to-do about Obama’s Blackberry in 2008?
patD – The 7 million who voted “other” were the ones who weren’t bullied, shamed or scared into voting against Hillary or Trump.
And, Bernie beat Hillary in many of the same areas that Trump best her. She was reaching those people in, for example, Wisconsin. Bernie would’ve won the general. Those Trump protest votes would’ve gone to Bernie, as well as many of the 7 million votes that went to “other.” Yes, I’m still in my Bernie bubble when I forget that he caved and supported her.
Bernie was the voice of reason this morning; willing to work with Trump on issues that help American workers, but not giving in to bigotry.
Should Trump be required to foot the bill for separate security detail for his wife & young son staying in NY instead of moving into the WH?
The 7 M!LL!ON who voted for toy candidates might as well have left the presidential question blank.
I hope to hell that the illegal alien wife is not given a security clearance for the West Wing.
The 7 million had their say & slept like babies on election night. The 7 million didn’t buy what the media was saying about either side/that there were only two sides.
bId “Bernie was the voice of reason this morning; willing to work with Trump…”
It’s okay with me if he moves over to the right side of the aisle.
I’m just surprised he’s still allowed to be on social media. Isn’t that a security risk? Loose tweets sink ships.
Bernie is smarter than the Dems saying they absolutely refuse to work with Trump. Bernie says he will work with him on the issues that help Americans keep jobs, increase their standard of living, etc. Refusing to work with the prez to make sure he fails, the American people be damned. Now where have we seen that happen before? Oh, yeah.
Had the democrats run against republicans and their policies, instead of running against Trump they coulda won it
I’m sure trump supporters slept well too if that’s what it’s all about.
XR: I agree about the 7mil…a token vote is no vote at all. I know many 3rd party votes were from true believers but most of them were just throw away votes. Sad. As for the alien wife being given security clearance, frightening! I’m also concerned about the children, he’s already asked about security clearance for them. I was horrified that his daughter (surrogate wife?) sat in on the meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister the other day. That’s just not done, unless she’s a translator. The article I read (sorry, lost the link) said that Pence was allowed into the room at the end of the meeting WTF! The daughter is in on the entire meeting but the vp only gets a meet & greet at the end!!!
BiD: the 7 mil could have done their own research instead of using the media for all their information…we see how well that turned out. PS: do you have links to the articles/interviews with “the Dems saying they absolutely refuse to work with Trump.”?
I found the link and there are actually many articles about the meeting. The NY Times article went into the most detail about the possible conflicts of interest. It looks to me that trump is trying to use his position to do business deals. Shocker, I know :/
The politico piece is the one mentioning Pence being let in at the end:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/donald-trump-administration/2016/11/ivanka-trump-shinzo-abe-meeting-231593
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/19/us/politics/ivanka-trump-shinzo-abe.html
Screw 7 million voters, they were and are not the story. Not even a foot note in history. It went down like this.
Comey put his thumb on the scale in a way that was as unprecedented as it was premeditated. Why he still has a job is beyond me.
The balance of Trump voters took this one last opportunity to put a stick in the eye of the man they couldn’t beat in 2008 and 2012.
Sometimes it is not good to overthink things.
“Refusing to work with the prez to make sure he fails, the American people be damned. Now where have we seen that happen before? Oh, yeah.”
BID,
From all appearances it seems that this policy paid huge dividends. If Democrats follow suit perhaps someday they will get to appoint supreme court justices. Of course they won’t. Republicans will fall in line and democrats will fall all over themselves. Hats off to republicans, at least when they have a circle jerk they know what to do, dems. can’t even form the circle.
The best I can figure there wasn’t an appropriate room / or a room with the appropriate infrastructure (the white house is a crumbling) that they could install a dancing pole for the Mrs.!