Sunday Serendipity

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Whskyjack — Today, for Black history month one of my favorite jazz artists/composers. Nina Simone.

Her uncompromising approach to her art is evident in all of her work, In the midcentury “leave it to Beaver’ media world, where composers and artist were encouraged to create a hit, don’t rock the boat, she spoke the hard truths of her world. She did so with the quiet emotions that made them real even for those of us who weren’t part of her world.

There are performers who are smoother singers, musicians who are more technically perfect but nobody tells it like it is, better than Nina. It is why I’m starting my Black history month Serendipity with a play list of her music

Enjoy, Jack

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120 thoughts on “Sunday Serendipity”

  1. Jack, thanks. Good start to black history month. Here’re the song’s lyrics as sung by Nina Simone
    “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free”

    I wish I knew how
    It would feel to be free
    I wish I could break
    All the chains holding me
    I wish I could say
    All the things that I should say
    Say ’em loud say ’em clear
    For the whole round world to hear

    I wish I could share
    All the love that’s in my heart
    Remove all the bars
    That keep us apart
    I wish you could know
    What it means to be me
    Then you’d see and agree
    That every man should be free

    I wish I could give
    All I’m longin’ to give
    I wish I could live
    Like I’m longin’ to live
    I wish I could do
    All the things that I can do
    Though I’m way overdue
    I’d be starting anew.

    Well I wish I could be like a bird in the sky
    How sweet it would be
    If I found I could fly
    I’d soar to the sun
    And look down at the sea
    And I sing ’cause I know
    How it feels to be free

    from wiki:

    “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” is a jazz piece written by American musician Billy Taylor, originally recorded as an instrumental and later released as a song with lyrics by Dick Dallas. Taylor’s original version (“I Wish I Knew”) was recorded on November 12, 1963, and released on his Right Here, Right Now! album (Capitol ST-2039) the following year. His 1967 live version, from the album of the same name, was later used as the theme music for the Film… review programme series on BBC Television.[1]

    Taylor said: “I wrote this song, perhaps my best-known composition, for my daughter Kim.”

  2. a couple of ‘toons for the occasion:

    Attribution: Black History Month by Pat Bagley, The Salt Lake Tribune, UT

    and

    Attribution: Whitewashing Black history by John Darkow, Columbia Missourian

  3. Wonderful example this morning to show why I love this place!

    First Jack, thank you. Nina Simone is a perfect choice. Without pushing play, her voice and that song started playing in my head.
    Second, the always brilliant Patd research and a funny if depressingly accurate cartoon!

  5. for wapo fans and former fans:

    https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/feb/07/washington-post-will-lewis-resigns

    Washington Post publisher Will Lewis abruptly resigns amid criticism of staff cuts
    Departure comes days after newspaper laid off nearly one-third of staff, including more than 300 journalists
    Jeremy Barr
    Sat 7 Feb 2026 18.27 EST

    Will Lewis, the Murdoch media veteran who took over as publisher and chief executive of the Washington Post in early 2024, announced abruptly on Saturday evening that he is leaving the company.
    His departure comes just three days after the Post laid off nearly one-third of its entire staff, citing the need to cut costs and reposition the money-losing publication. Lewis, who did not appear on the all-staff meeting during which the cuts were announced, has faced criticism for his absence and leadership.
    “All – after two years of transformation at The Washington Post, now is the right time for me to step aside,” Lewis wrote in an untitled email to Post staffers obtained by the Guardian. “I want to thank Jeff Bezos for his support and leadership throughout my tenure as CEO and Publisher. The institution could not have a better owner.”
    Lewis then addressed some of the criticism that the Post has received in recent days, including from many current employees. At least 300 journalists were cut from the Post’s newsroom in one of the largest round of layoffs in American media history.
    “During my tenure, difficult decisions have been taken in order to ensure the sustainable future of The Post so it can for many years ahead publish high-quality nonpartisan news to millions of customers each day,” Lewis wrote, signing off: “With gratitude, Will.”
    Jeff D’Onofrio, who only joined the Post in June as chief financial officer, will serve as acting publisher and chief executive.
    “This is a challenging time across all media organizations, and The Post is unfortunately no exception,” D’Onofrio wrote in a memo to staffers. “I’ve had the privilege of helping chart the course of disrupters and cultural stalwarts alike. All faced economic headwinds in changing industry landscapes, and we rose to meet those moments. I have no doubt we will do just that, together.
    “I’m honored to take the helm as acting Publisher and CEO to lead us into a sustainable, successful future with the strength of our journalism as our north star,” he wrote. “I look forward to working shoulder to shoulder with all of you to make that happen.”
    Bezos, who has owned the Post since 2013, and who has received heavy criticism in recent days for his stewardship of the publication, released a statement touting the Post and its new leadership team – without addressing Lewis’s tenure overseeing the company.
    “The Post has an essential journalistic mission and an extraordinary opportunity. Each and every day our readers give us a roadmap to success. The data tells us what is valuable and where to focus,” Bezos said. “Jeff, along with [executive editor Matt Murray] and [opinion editor Adam O’Neal], are positioned to lead The Post into an exciting and thriving next chapter.”
    During an interview last week, Murray defended Lewis when asked about his absence. “Look, Will has been engaged with me very closely on this for a long time,” Murray told Fox News. “And there were a lot of things that the company did and Will was engaged with all across the company, and I wasn’t. He had a lot of things to tend to today.”
    Lewis also faced criticism when a former Post sports reporter published a photo of him at the festivities for Sunday’s Super Bowl, even after the Post largely destroyed its sports section, laying off writers who cover football.
    Lewis, 56, joined the Post after a lengthy career working for Rupert Murdoch’s media properties. Most recently, Lewis had spent six years as chief executive officer and publisher of the Wall Street Journal, departing in 2020.
    Lewis began his career as a journalist at the Financial Times. After working as business editor at the Sunday Times and editor in chief of the Telegraph from 2005 to 2010, Lewis was appointed group general manager at what was then called News International.
    He played a key role in handling the aftermath of the hacking scandal that enveloped Murdoch’s UK media properties as part of the company-created management and standards committee that handled the company’s interactions with police investigating the allegations. Lewis said upon joining the Post that he did not plan to discuss his role in the aftermath of the hacking scandal any further.
    His departure was celebrated by some current and former Post journalists who spoke with the Guardian.
    “Will can put on British charm and knows how to manage up but eventually results matter,” said Glenn Kessler, a former Post journalist who has been critical of the paper’s leadership. “Every initiative he launched failed and he never found a way to boost readers for the Post.”
    “Will Lewis’s exit is long overdue. His legacy will be the attempted destruction of a great American journalism institution,” said the union representing most Post employees. “But it’s not too late to save The Post. Jeff Bezos must immediately rescind these layoffs or sell the paper to someone willing to invest in its future.”

  6. jamie, thanks for the kind words.
    I try but don’t always succeed (most recent example yesterday’s “Super Brawl CCL” was a reach too far even for pun-land)

  7. Watching the women’s downhill from Cortina. Lindsey Vonn crashed and was airlifted off the course – waiting for word on her condition. Breezy Johnson (US) – currently 23rd in WC standings- is in 1st at present, and all of the top 10 skiers in the WC have skied already, so absent a sleeper she should win the gold. One American – Isabella Wright – is still waiting to ski. BTW Lindsey is currently 1st in WC standings by a bunch.

  8. Mega dittos Jamie. Another fine morning wakeup from PatD and Jack.

    Nice to properly celebrate Black History Month instead of looking at racist memes from our racist leader of a racist regime.

    I’m thinking about a video for Echoes Of America series on how it started — 100th anniversary (February 15, 1926): “Negro History” Week begins (later Black History Month)

  11. I know I was up in the middle of the night, but wasn’t there a “Trump sending people to the cornfield” cartoon that now seems to have disappeared?

  12. Well, the women’s downhill is complete. Congratulations to Breezy Johnson for her gold medal win. Jackie Wiles finished just off the podium in 4th. Thoughts for Lindsey Vonn.

  13. lol she always chokes when it matters

    go Canada

    i navigated countless paywalls to eventually see about 3 minutes of NBC’s insufferable coverage, saw that Picabo Street is old now, got depressed, and turned it off

  14. Surprising source – The National Review

    The Corrupt Pardon at the Center of Trump’s UAE Windfall

    By Andrew C. McCarthy
    February 8, 2026 6:30 AM
    14 Comments
    Changpeng Zhao’s contributions to the rise of World Liberty Financial are key.
    Author’s note: This is the second in a series of five posts on the financial ties that have publicly emerged between President Trump and the regime of the United Arab Emirates. See part 1.

    More at link

  15. Anon, you don’t know shit about skiing. Exactly one woman has won more overall super points in alpine skiing than Vonn – and only one man has more than she does.

  17. I skied for thirty years before between hip and knee replacements I gave up skiing 5 years ago. I learned to ski on big boy skis and keep them parallel and independent from the academy’s coaches when I spent 6 years at a ski academy in NH where I taught English and spent my afternoons skiing with the coaches and academy kids.

  19. Jamie, One of my most beloved books going back to high school, probably would be a banned book now. I very recently picked up this copy at 2nd & Charles which keeps a banned book display at the front of the store.

  20. My birthday isn’t until next month, but son got me a present he knew I was lusting after. It is expensive and worth every dime for both utility and beauty. Recommending it for anyone who loves such things and just in case we all have to suddenly decamp to the Trailmix fish camp to start over.

    THE BOOK

  22. The little kids in my family out here are learning to love skiing because they are starting so young. I did not have that opportunity. They are fun to watch.

  23. The Sunday Anti-Sermon: Since I loathe the voice of the Dodo so much I didn’t partake of his “prayer breakfast” offering; therefore not cognizant of the most recent extent of his vileness. Disgusting and sacrilegious beyond words. I’m low on hope that my maggers will see the light anytime soon. Republicanism has become an evil religion.

    Much of today’s evangelical world sees Trump’s viciousness not as a vice but as a virtue, so long as it is employed against those they perceive as their enemies, against those whom they resent and for whom they have a seething hatred. Unless you’ve spent time in the evangelical world, fully appreciating the level of antipathy that exists toward Democrats and progressives is difficult. The only thing that exceeds it is the loathing reserved for the Christians and conservatives who broke with Trump because their commitment to their faith, and to cherished moral truths, required them to speak out against him.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/02/evangelicals-trump-national-prayer-breakfast/685908/?

  25. Unless you’ve spent time in the evangelical world, fully appreciating the level of antipathy that exists toward Democrats and progressives is difficult.

    this echoes my observations

    ty for that blurb from beyond the paywall, btw 🥂

  26. I respect her career. If you think choking is classically Lindsey I stand by my assessment of your knowledge of skiing. I don’t begrudge her – or any of the athletes- making a living on sponsorships – the ones who aren’t paid by countries like China and Russia make their living through them. Ted Ligety published an article last week about how and why the greatest skiers don’t always win the Olympic medals. It’s an interesting read. And you do know one thing about skiing that I can tell. NBC provides shitty coverage of it.

    Ivy, I loved skiing while I could still do it – learned in my early 30s, and working at Waterville Valley I got to ski 100+ days each winter I lived up there. Beat working for a living, and made some great friends on the mountain.

  34. I keep being surprised each time I see the 60th Super Bowl in print. The first was just a few years ago, nobody watched. Joe Namath got us to watch just a couple games back.

  37. I fell going up a manmade hill on a tow rope in Wisconsin.

    I fell off a chairlift in Purgatory. I also got dumped trying to get in a chairlift in Purgatory; my ski got stuck in the chairlift and started dragging me, face first in the snow, up the mountain. They had to stop the lift to extract my ski. The bindings were too tight; lucky I didn’t break anything that weekend.

    Anon – Paywalls for NBC? A cheap, digital antenna might pick up NBC, depending on where you live.

  38. All of the nasty & odd posts, allegedly made by SFB, that then disappear are intentional. It’s not just his dementia. Keeps folks talking.

  39. Based on analyses in 2025 and early 2026, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, led by Elon Musk, is estimated to have cost taxpayers between $10 billion and $135 billion, with some reports highlighting even higher potential long-term costs.
    While DOGE was established to cut government waste, analysts found that the methods used—including massive layoffs, contract terminations, and restructuring—created significant, and sometimes greater, costs for the federal government.
    Here is a breakdown of the costs associated with DOGE:
    Operational and Administrative Waste ($21.7 Billion): A July 2025 investigation by the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) found that DOGE’s actions resulted in $21.7 billion in wasted taxpayer dollars, largely from a “Deferred Resignation Program” that paid approximately 200,000 employees not to work for up to eight months.
    Rehiring and Productivity Loss ($135 Billion): An estimate by the Partnership for Public Service (PSP) suggested that the chaos, staff turnover, and necessary rehiring of staff could cost the government as much as $135 billion in 2025.
    Revenue Loss: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) predicted that “DOGE-driven” cuts to its staff could lead to more than $500 billion in lost tax revenue over the next decade, with a potential $8.5 billion loss in 2026 alone.
    Overstated Savings: While DOGE claimed to have saved over $160 billion, independent analyses found that many of these claims were based on faulty calculations, including counting expired contracts or double-counting, with actual savings estimated to be a small fraction of the claims.
    Initial Budget: By February 2025, the operating budget for DOGE was estimated to be nearly $40 million, funded through transfers from other federal agencies.

  40. bId – so that was you! Just kidding. I had a deep hatred of chair lifts and tow ropes. Of course I was on X-country skis, three pins on the toes of a shoe holding a long, long ski.

  42. Operation Dildo Blitz vs. The Nazi Salute.

    Minneapolis reaches peak surrealism as protesters launch a “dildo blitz” at the Whipple building while a pardoned Jan 6er throws bags of ice at crowds from a U-Haul. We’re breaking down the Twin Cities chaos and the gutting of the DOJ.

    Today’s livestream…
    On The Menu:
    00:00 Intro
    01:15 Minneapolis Whipple Building Protests
    04:30 Operation Dildo Blitz: The Video
    06:45 Jake Lang, U-Hauls, and the Nazi Salute
    10:12 Black History Month: Nina Simone Tribute
    14:50 ICE Statistics and Local Impact
    18:30 Trump’s Crypto Ventures: World Liberty Financial
    22:15 The Gutting of the DOJ Corruption Division
    28:40 Dolly Parton, Elvis, and Publishing Rights
    35:20 The Decline of the Trump Coalition
    42:10 Outro: Feeling Good with Nina Simone

  43. I believe that the first show I watched after subscribing to Netflix was a stunning documentary about the life of Nina Simone. “What Happened, Miss Simone?” is still there. I will see and hear it again.

  45. Joe Savage, The Snake Man I worked for in ‘72 used this song as part of his Snake Show. I used it ever after.

  49. FFS! NBC is broadcasting from Alcatraz & saying this wokk is d best the most expensive real estate if it was for sale. Let’s see if Adolf starts talking about opening it up, again.

    Wait, are they trying to lure SFB into a prison?

    Ha!

  50. Those guys were superb copycats….the old thing, ain’t nothing new and all that. I’m sure the love letter song write/producer were copying too

  53. This is one Bad Bunny

    The Grammys went 68 years without giving Album of the Year to a Spanish-language album. A grocery store bagger from Puerto Rico who refused to sing a single word in English just ended that streak.
    Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio was 22 years old.
    Standing behind a register at an Econo supermarket in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, scanning groceries and bagging them into plastic bags.
    His phone buzzing in his pocket. A producer on the other end.
    He couldn’t answer at the register.
    So he ran to the bathroom, locked the door, and took the call between shifts.
    That’s how his music career started. From a supermarket bathroom.
    His father drove trucks. His mother was a retired schoolteacher.
    They lived in a small coastal town about 30 miles west of San Juan.
    Not poor. Not rich. Just regular.
    Benito sang in his church choir until he was 13.
    Then he started making his own beats in his bedroom.
    Recording tracks alone. Free-styling at school.
    Uploading songs to SoundCloud while studying audiovisual communications at the University of Puerto Rico.
    Nobody was listening. Not really.
    He worked at Econo to pay for school. Hated every shift.
    Later said all he wanted was for his shift to end so he could go home and make music.
    In 2016, he uploaded a song called “Diles” to SoundCloud.
    Within two weeks, it had a million plays.
    DJ Luian from Hear This Music heard it and signed him.
    Noah Assad from Rimas Entertainment became his manager.
    The kid bagging groceries had a deal.
    But there was a problem.
    Every Latin artist before him who wanted global success did the same thing.
    They switched to English.
    Ricky Martin did it with “Livin’ La Vida Loca.”
    Shakira did it with “Whenever, Wherever.”
    Marc Anthony did it.
    Enrique Iglesias did it.
    That was the playbook. The unwritten rule.
    If you wanted to cross over, you had to leave your language behind.
    The American music industry had spent decades making that crystal clear.
    Everyone said the same thing.
    “You have to sing in English to make it big.”
    “The U.S. market won’t accept a Spanish-language artist.”
    “You’ll cap yourself if you don’t cross over.”
    “That’s just how the industry works.”
    He didn’t listen.
    Here’s what Benito knew that everyone else missed.
    The old playbook was dead.
    Streaming had changed everything.
    You didn’t need American radio anymore.
    You didn’t need English-language gatekeepers.
    You needed the internet.
    And on the internet, 500 million Spanish speakers were waiting for someone who refused to compromise.
    So he made a decision that every industry advisor would have called career suicide.
    He would never record a song in English.
    Not one. Not a verse. Not a hook. Not a single word.
    His exact words: “You have to break that thing about the gringos being gods. No, papi.”
    In late 2017, he was barely on the radio.
    But he was earning hundreds of millions of YouTube views.
    Major labels came calling.
    Rimas turned them down.
    “What can they bring to the table that I’m not doing already?” Assad said.
    Then Cardi B called.
    She wanted him on a track called “I Like It.”
    He rapped his verse entirely in Spanish.
    The song went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
    A Spanish-language verse on the biggest song in America.
    But here’s the part nobody talks about.
    The success nearly destroyed him.
    Between 2016 and 2018, Benito struggled with severe depression.
    The overnight fame overwhelmed him.
    He wasn’t enjoying any of it.
    “I didn’t feel well. I wasn’t happy with what I was doing. I was feeling unhappy with all the success, achieving so many things, my dreams coming true… but I wasn’t enjoying any of it,” he later said.
    He put his career on hold.
    Stepped back from everything.
    Dealt with his mental health before the music industry could swallow him whole.
    Most artists at that moment would have crumbled.
    Lost their window.
    Watched the momentum disappear.
    Benito came back stronger.
    In 2020, he dropped “El Último Tour Del Mundo.”
    It became the first all-Spanish album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200.
    Not the Latin chart. The main chart.
    The one dominated by Taylor Swift and Drake and Adele.
    A kid from Vega Baja who never sang a word in English just topped the American album chart.
    In Spanish.
    Then he did it again.
    In 2022, he released “Un Verano Sin Ti.”
    It topped the Billboard 200 for 13 non-consecutive weeks.
    The least-played song on the entire album still had 190 million Spotify streams.
    That same year, he mounted two back-to-back global tours.
    81 shows total.
    Grossed $435 million in a single calendar year.
    Broke Ed Sheeran’s all-time record.
    Four hundred and thirty-five million dollars.
    In one year.
    Singing every word in Spanish.
    Spotify named him the most-streamed artist on the planet.
    Not the most-streamed Latin artist.
    The most-streamed artist, period.
    He held that title for three consecutive years. 2020. 2021. 2022.
    Then reclaimed it in 2025 with 19.8 billion streams.
    But Benito wasn’t done.
    In 2025, instead of touring the world, he did something nobody expected.
    He went home.
    Launched a 30-show residency in San Juan called “No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí.”
    I Don’t Want to Leave Here.
    Over 400,000 tickets sold out in hours.
    The first nine shows were reserved exclusively for Puerto Rico residents.
    Tickets ranged from $35 to $250 when other artists were charging four figures.
    He didn’t gouge his own people.
    He brought the world to them.
    600,000 fans flew to Puerto Rico during hurricane season.
    Moody’s Analytics raised its entire economic forecast for the island because of one artist’s concert series.
    The residency generated nearly $400 million for Puerto Rico’s economy.
    Small vendors earned $5,000 a night selling hand-painted fans outside the venue.
    He deliberately excluded the United States from his world tour.
    When asked why, he was direct.
    He didn’t want ICE showing up at his concerts and detaining his fans.
    Then on February 1, 2026, it happened.
    The 68th Annual Grammy Awards.
    Los Angeles.
    Benito walked into the ceremony with six nominations.
    Walked out with three wins.
    Best Música Urbana Album.
    Best Global Music Performance.
    And Album of the Year.
    “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.”
    The first Spanish-language album to win the Grammy for Album of the Year.
    Ever.
    In 68 years of the award’s existence.
    He beat Kendrick Lamar. Lady Gaga. Sabrina Carpenter. Tyler, the Creator. Justin Bieber.
    In Spanish.
    Every single track.
    He wiped tears from his eyes walking to the stage.
    Thanked God.
    Thanked his mother.
    Spoke mostly in Spanish.
    Then delivered one line in English:
    “I want to dedicate this award to all the people who had to leave their homeland, their country, to follow their dreams.”
    Six days later, he’ll headline the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show.
    The first Latino solo act in the history of the performance.
    In front of 100 million viewers.
    The President of the United States said he’s boycotting the game because of him.
    He doesn’t care.
    Today, Benito has six Grammy Awards.
    Seventeen Latin Grammy Awards.
    Over 85 billion career streams.
    He’s the highest-grossing Latin touring artist in history.
    He’s acted in Hollywood films.
    He’s launched a sports management agency.
    A fashion brand.
    He’s made Puerto Rico the seventh-largest music-exporting country in the world, ahead of Brazil, Sweden, and Japan.
    All because a 22-year-old grocery store bagger from a small town in Puerto Rico refused to sing in English when every artist before him said that was the only way.
    He turned a supermarket bathroom into a recording studio hotline.
    He turned depression into self-awareness that made his music deeper.
    He proved that you don’t have to abandon who you are to become the biggest in the world.
    What part of yourself are you hiding because someone told you the market won’t accept it?
    What language are you speaking that isn’t yours because you think that’s the only way to be heard?
    What compromise are you making with your identity because everyone says that’s just how the industry works?
    Benito bagged groceries and took phone calls from a bathroom stall.
    Dropped out of college.
    Struggled with depression so bad he had to put his career on hold.
    Every Latin superstar before him switched to English.
    He said no.
    The Grammys ignored Spanish-language music for 68 years.
    He ended the streak.
    The President boycotted the Super Bowl because of him.
    He’s performing anyway.
    Because he understood something most people don’t.
    You don’t become the biggest by fitting in.
    You become the biggest by being so unapologetically yourself that the world has no choice but to come to you.
    The people who told you to change aren’t the audience.
    They’re the gatekeepers.
    And gatekeepers lose every time the market speaks louder than the industry.
    Your accent isn’t a liability.
    It’s your signature.
    Your background isn’t a limitation.
    It’s your story.
    Stop diluting yourself to fit someone else’s idea of what success looks like.
    Start thinking like Benito.
    Keep showing up.
    Do the work no one sees.
    Outlast the people who said you had to change to win.
    And never let anyone tell you that the way you’ve always been isn’t good enough for where you’re going.
    Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs come from the people who refused to play by someone else’s rules.
    Because when the gatekeepers say you need to change, the market might be waiting for exactly who you already are.
    Don’t quit.

  54. Uno masso memos

    Many a slow dance was happening during this one on the old Wurlitzer Juke Box down at the Community Center on a Friday night.

  57. “The recording engineer for Ketty Lester’s iconic 1962 version of “Love Letters” was Armin Steiner“

    -robot

  58. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/super-bowl/2026/02/08/green-day-performing-super-bowl-60-when-2026/88579137007/

    When does Green Day play at the Super Bowl?

    Opening ceremony: 6 p.m. ET | 3 p.m. PT
    Green Day will perform some of their hits ahead of kickoff of Super Bowl 60, during the game’s “opening ceremony.”

    The NFL says that Green Day will perform songs of note while “ushering generations of Super Bowl MVPs onto the field.”

    *Followed by:
    Charlie Puth – National Anthem
    Brandi Carlisle – America The Beautiful
    Coco Jones – Lift Every Voice & Sing (which should be the nat’l anthem after the purge)

    *The only thing not on broadcast TV is the tailgate party at 2:50 CST, featuring Teddy Swims; the tailgate is on Peacock.

  60. You listen to spector’s productions and you hear strings going round the bend and back, The strings on that old stuff are a very interesting facet of 50’s 60’s recording….
    The arrangement of strings was so good and precise on “It a Man’s World” by James Brown that when James did as a duet with Pavarotti they just re-used it.

    I think

  65. This whole track was recorded ready and waiting for Medley and Hatfield to come in and turn it into a monster hit. Imus used to talk about being there when they did it.

  67. https://www.newsweek.com/creed-kid-rock-festival-website-line-up-shinedown-turning-point-usa-11482934

    Why Creed Has Disappeared From Kid Rock Festival Website

    Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert James Ritchie and who last had a Top 40 single in 2008, is a vocal conservative and supporter of President Donald Trump, who has visited the White House several times. Fellow headliner Jason Aldean, a country musician, is also a vocal conservative.

    Christian rock band Creed has been quietly removed from the lineup of the Rock the Country festival…

    The cancellation follows multiple artists, including Shinedown and Morgan Wade, withdrawing or being removed from the lineup of the festival organized by Kid Rock.

    The conversation over Rock the Country and bands withdrawing comes at a tense and polarized moment politically, with the group Shinedown saying they decided not the play the festival as they “do not want to participate in something we believe will create further division.” Wade meanwhile withdrew without commenting.

    The festival’s remaining lineup includes Blake Shelton, Hank Williams Jr., Jelly Roll, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Nelly. The festival has seven stops now listed…

    *Noooo, going outside now; can’t handle the tRUMP interview.

    Somewhere on this thread, it said Adolf wasn’t happy with Bad Bunny, so he’s not going.

  73. It’s one of the most legendary power moves in music history: The night Dolly Parton told Elvis (and the Colonel) no.

    In today’s chat we dive into how Dolly protected her legacy, the aggressive estate of Nina Simone, and hiw Paul McCartney spent decades fighting to get the Beatles’ catalog back.

  75. Wouldn’t surprise me if trumpie attacked Cuba during the Super Bowl.

    I just want to say… good luck to both teams. Obviously… I’m rooting for the Patriots. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that they are playing today. And even if they lose… I’m happy with what they accomplished this season.

  76. The dueling Instacart & UberEats ads are good; never used either when I lived in the city & surely won’t now, but entertaining. Although, they could’ve passed some money on to those that actually do the work instead of celebrities and the most expensive air time out there.

  78. https://www.thedailybeast.com/vances-clunky-motorcade-wreaks-havoc-at-winter-olympics/

    Vice President JD Vance’s massive motorcade at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics almost ruined an American athlete’s gold-medal dreams.

    Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu nearly missed her Friday skate in the Milano skating area because the vice president’s massive motorcade was blocking the arena’s parking lot.

    “We almost didn’t make it,” Liu’s coach, Phillip DiGuglielmo, told the Washington Post.

    The VP’s enormous motorcade features dozens of Chevy Suburbans that barely fit on the tiny streets of Milan. Video of the motorcade, taken on Friday by the Italian news outlet Local News, shows one of Vance’s cars nearly colliding with a vehicle bearing an Italian license plate.

    *Ugly Americans

  79. When Local Police Collaborate with ICE, Children Pay the Price

    I know exactly what message the recent deportation of an Austin mom and her 5-year-old sends to kids. They learn that calling 911 is dangerous.

    Editor’s Note: The author of this article is currently one of eight Democrats running in the March 3 primary for state House District 49, the seat vacated by gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa. You can read more about the candidates here.

    grew up undocumented in this country. From an early age, I learned how fear can live quietly inside a child. I learned to listen for sirens, notice unfamiliar cars, and worry whether a normal school day would end with my family separated. For many undocumented children and their parents, life is not defined by safety or stability, but by vigilance.

    That is why what we are witnessing today is so alarming and so familiar. Children are once again being used as political footballs, caught in the crosshairs of immigration enforcement designed to intimidate rather than protect.

    The world now knows the name of Liam Conejo Ramos, the five-year-old apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis. But let’s bring this closer to home. Last month, right here in Austin, 26-year-old Karen Gutiérrez Castellanos, a Honduran national, and her 5-year-old were deported after Austin police alerted Immigration and Customs Enforcement following a 911 call reporting a disturbance in Southwest Austin. An Austin police officer identified an administrative warrant in a federal database and contacted ICE. Soon both mother and child were detained and removed from the country.

    Let that sink in. A call for help triggered a chain of events that ended with the deportation of a mother and her U.S. citizen child. This is not public safety. This is a system that punishes families for seeking help and turns local police into extensions of federal immigration enforcement.

    I know exactly what messages moments like this send to children. They learn that calling 911 is dangerous. They learn that police are not there to protect them. They learn that even citizenship does not guarantee safety when your family is undocumented. And they learn, most devastatingly, that they are disposable.

    Research on child development is unequivocal: Children need safety, routine, and trust to develop socially, emotionally, and cognitively. When those foundations are shattered, children shift into survival mode. Anxiety interferes with learning. Fear disrupts memory and attention. Emotional regulation becomes harder. Long-term trauma becomes more likely.

    More at link

  80. https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/08/wes-moore-race-governors-trump-00770586

    Wes Moore suggests race may be why he was not invited to gov dinner with Trump
    The nation’s only sitting Black governor was not invited to a traditionally bipartisan event involving the National Governors Association and the White House.

    “It’s not lost on me that I’m the only Black governor in this country, and I find that to be particularly painful, considering the fact that the president is trying to exclude me from an organization that not only my peers have asked me to help to lead, but then also a place where I know I belong in,” Moore said.

    *Every Governor (you know, those who aren’t racist sh/twits) who is going to this event should make their plus-one a POC.

    Republicans are afraid of Moore running for POTUS. Military, executive experience being a governor, and something no Republican is – likable in that way decent humans are usually.

  81. “Operation Dildo Blitz” was a raging success.
    Minneapolis goes peak surreal as protesters launch projectiles at federal vehicles to “We Will Rock You.”
    See our live chat footage from the Whipple Building.

  82. Renee, very good of you to offer good luck to both teams. I will be pulling for your Pats, but I’ll be happy no matter which team wins. Should be a good game. I’ll watch it instead of mixed doubles curling.

  83. lol JD lives “experiencing” in fun and exotic locales on your dime

    “can i pweeeeeez go to Disneywand and dee Owympics daddy i mean Mister President pweeeez”

    heartbeat away 😱

  84. Watching game but can’t root for anyone. Sixty years in California with side trips has me wedded to the Rams. Anyone else is “okay you’re there” in the Super Bowl. Looking forward to the commercials and half time.

  86. is this person in the epstein files

    “Based on the released Epstein court documents and, as of early 2026, the ongoing releases by the Department of Justice, Gavin Newsom is not listed as a close associate, frequent flyer, or in any records suggesting wrongdoing related to Jeffrey Epstein.
    In fact, the available information shows the opposite:
    Political Critic: California Governor Gavin Newsom has been a vocal critic of the handling of the Epstein files, using his social media to pressure the Trump administration to release more, non-redacted documents.
    Targeting Trump: Newsom has used his platform to highlight connections between Donald Trump and Epstein found within the documents.
    Context: While many prominent, high-profile individuals (such as former presidents and celebrities) were listed in the court documents released in 2024 and 2026, Newsom has not been identified as one of them.
    Some misinformation or miscontextualized headlines appeared in early 2024 regarding a 2002 trip to Mexico involving Bill Clinton, which in some instances wrongly grouped Newsom in with that specific report, but he is not in the actual flight logs or document dumps as an associate of Epstein. ”

  87. The Mike Tyson ‘anti-processed food ad’ was up against ads from Lay’s chips, Kraft Mac & Cheese, alcohol, and probably most things delivered by UberEats.

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/02/08/what-is-maha-mike-tyson-super-bowl/88577832007/

    The ad was paid for by the nonprofit MAHA Center, an advocacy group led by one of Health and Human Service Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s allies, Tony Lyons.

    *MAHA should look into nutrition deficiency at US concentration camps, grocery prices, food deserts, and MAGAts making it harder for folks to get SNAP.

    Also, ALLLL of the ads for AI!!! We didn’t ask for, nor do we need AI. The Ferris Bueller ad was on point; let AI do your work and you can leave your desk. It was an ad for white collar job destruction!

    ***
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Lyons

    In 2023, Lyons joined the Board of Directors of the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to defending freedom of thought, inquiry, and expression from censorship.[26] NCAC represents 59 national education, publishing, arts, and civil liberty organizations and provides resources to resist censorship and promote free expression.

    *Who is Tony Lyons? Strange bedfellows…or he has rolled over for cash & proximity to power like RFKJ.

  89. https://people.com/toddler-hospitalized-returned-to-ice-detention-denied-prescribed-medication-family-says-11902278

    After a toddler at an ICE detention center in Texas was rushed to the hospital with respiratory failure, pneumonia and more, federal agents brought her back to the center — where she was allegedly given PediaSure in place of the medication doctors had prescribed her.

    Amalia struggled to breathe, was vomiting often and suffered from diarrhea, according to the lawsuit.

    The toddler’s parents took her to the facility’s medical clinic multiple times, but they were only given basic fever medication, the lawsuit alleges.

    On Jan. 18, the 18-month-old, who was suffering from life-threateningly low oxygen levels, was rushed to a San Antonio children’s hospital, where she was diagnosed with and treated for pneumonia, COVID-19, viral bronchitis, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and severe respiratory distress.

    As the toddler’s mom prayed by her daughter’s hospital bed for 10 days, scared she might die, officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) supervised the pair constantly, NBC News reported, citing both the lawsuit and Elora Mukherjee, the attorney who filed the petition seeking the family of three’s release from the ICE detention center.

    Upon discharge, immigration officers did not allow Amalia or her mom to return to El Paso. They instead brought the mother-daughter pair back to Dilley, despite medical experts’ warnings that the 18-month-old was still medically vulnerable and at high risk of reinfection, according to the lawsuit.

    *They only care about white kids, and even then their folks had better have money.

  92. https://sfist.com/2026/02/03/offensive-billboards-appear-in-sf-promoting-ice-as/

    Some hastily put together, pro-ICE electronic billboard ads, paid for by a shady outfit with no known donors, have appeared in San Francisco ahead of the Super Bowl, and maybe in other cities as well.

    But a group calling themselves American Sovereignty, with no on-the-record spokesperson or disclosed donors, has launched what they say is a multi-million-dollar ad campaign in a questionable effort to bolster public perception of ICE agents. It’s a version of crisis PR — and not a particularly good one! — at a moment when public opinion of ICE is reaching new lows. (There are still, disturbingly, 37% of respondents to that poll who say ICE’s recent actions are “about right” or “not enough.”)

    *Craig – I did not see the Super Bowl ad, but DHS said they were spending $100 million on ICE recruitment…so are we, the taxpayers, the “donors”?

  93. https://www.forbes.com/sites/hannahabraham/2026/02/08/pedro-pascal-cardi-b-and-a-massive-surprise-every-guest-star-on-stage-at-bad-bunnys-super-bowl-halftime-show/

    Bad Bunny’s choice of guests was deliberate. He could have focused solely on musical collaborators, but instead assembled a group that represented different facets of Latin excellence:

    Ricky Martin: The pioneer who opened doors in the ’90s
    Lady Gaga: The mainstream pop icon validating Latin music’s cultural moment
    Karol G: The next generation carrying the movement forward
    Cardi B: The Afro-Latina who brought Latin trap to hip-hop’s mainstream
    Pedro Pascal: Latin representation in Hollywood at its peak
    Together, they painted a picture of Latin culture not as a niche or trend, but as a fundamental part of American entertainment across music, film, and television.

    *I thought the power poles were an interesting addition, pointing out the problems with/lack of infrastructure. We had a sales rep in Puerto Rico, and the power outages were a thing, especially after Hurricane Maria.

    I think Bad Bunny hit all of the right notes, in that they will grate in racist nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard.

    The end, with the flags of all of the Americas, (South, Central, and North) was a perfect ending…and moving south to north, ending with Canada, so the US is surrounded by other countries and cultures.

    The football read: TOGETHER WE ARE AMERICA

  94. I asked Silas:

    During tonight’s Super Bowl LX halftime show, Bad Bunny (Benito) did indeed hand one of his Grammys to a young boy on stage while a clip of his “ICE out” acceptance speech played on a TV in the background. By choosing a child who resembles his younger self but placing him in a scene that directly references the “ICE out” speech and the story of kids like Liam Ramos, Bad Bunny managed to make a statement that was both deeply personal and highly political.
    He didn’t just give the award to a “fan”—he gave it to a symbol of the future he was defending in his speech.

  96. https://www.cloudwards.net/deep-dives/the-kessler-syndrome-starlink-and-the-closing-of-the-sky/

    Orbital debris strikes aren’t shocking anymore. They’re becoming routine. So are the constant maneuvers satellites perform to avoid them. In just six months of 2025, Starlink’s 9,000 satellites executed 144,404 collision avoidance maneuvers [3]. That’s over 400 dodges per week, every week, just to keep one constellation operational.

    A decade ago, a debris strike on a crewed spacecraft would have prompted international emergency meetings. Now? It’s just background noise.

    We’ve normalized conditions in orbit that most people would consider a crisis if they understood them.

    Each new satellite multiplies collision risk exponentially. At some point, the math stops working. One collision creates hundreds of fragments. Those fragments cause more collisions. The cascade becomes self-sustaining.

    That point has a name: the Kessler Syndrome. And we’re closer to it than most people realize.

    Sure, the universe is vast. But the useful part of orbit where satellites actually work? That’s a thin shell about 1,200 miles thick surrounding Earth. And we’re filling it up fast.

    *Elon has money for Starlink ads, but his satellites are like disposable pens, only now the landfill is in space. We will be so surrounded by debris (read the link, it already impacted China’s space station. Ironically, or stupidly, Elon’s space junk will make going to Mars impossible because we won’t be able to launch a craft through it. Trapped on an Earth destroyed by data centers for AI and crypto.

    *There was an ad for Dunkin’ that morphed into/bled into a crypto. com ad.

  99. Yep, they had that post prepped in advance.

    The sex predator certainly didn’t think the dancing was “disgusting especially for young children,” considering the horrific stuff in the files…the remaining files must be worse…and then there are the videos with children that Bondi spoke about on undercover tape.

  100. Playing the CALIFORNIA card again. As a teenager, I rode on the back of a motorcycle across the border to TJ because that’s what we did. As the cousin of the country cousins at the raisin ranch, we hit the camps of braceros for morning tortillas. As an adult, of course, we gather together to make the Christmas tortillas. Ensenada means fresh from the sea fish tacos and really great Chinese food (long story). I don’t speak Spanish but hand me a Spanish newspaper and I’ll figure it out.

    Bad Bunny hits a beat and let the chair dancing begin. They have been part of us from the 1500s (Florida to Texas to New Mexico) before there was a U. S. We have to work this out. In the meantime, we can’t abuse the folks who are here.

  101. In 4 years, Bad Bunny will be old enough to be POTUS. Puerto Ricans are US citizens.

    As a prank, I kind of want to say that’s the scuttlebutt in my circles, but I value what peace I have here too much. Still, it’s fun to think about.

  103. *The TP USA show v the Super Bowl halftime; their cult is small. I wonder what the ratings were for each?

    https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/what-are-the-lyrics-to-kid-rocks-cool-daddy-cool-controversy-explained/

    Kid Rock released “Cool, Daddy Cool” with Joe-C in 2001. Later in the song, Rock proclaims that he likes “underage” women.

    “Young ladies, young ladies, I like ’em underage,” the lyrics read. “Some say that’s statutory (But I say it’s mandatory)”

    While Kid Rock has not addressed the latest “Cool, Daddy Cool” controversy, he’s long defended his music. “I really didn’t change, like, I came out with middle fingers on my CDs, running my mouth,” Rock said on Theo Von’s “This Past Weekend” podcast in 2024. “I always say, and I sound redundant probably, but I haven’t changed — the times have changed. I’ve been doing the same thing since Day 1.”

    (Turning Point is putting on the concert to “celebrate faith, family and freedom” in contrast to Bad Bunny’s performance on the main broadcast.)

    *Hmmm, there was an engagement, a wedding, a child who was treated well, community, a celebration of life. Faith, family & freedom all on display in Bad Bunny’s show.

  104. The DOJ public corruption unit: 100 people down to 4.

    While crypto looters in Trumpco run wild, the systems of accountability are quietly vanishing. We’re breaking down the math of the gutting.

  108. So many inaccuracies and insecurities in that post. Maybe SFB did write it, but preloaded.

    https://people.com/super-bowl-2026-trump-lashes-out-bad-bunny-halftime-show-11902396

    The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER!,” Trump wrote. “It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence.”

    “Nobody understands a word this guy is saying…”

    Search Assist:
    Spanish Speakers in the United States
    Current Statistics
    Total Spanish Speakers: Approximately 44.9 million people aged five and older speak Spanish at home, which is about 14% of the U.S. population.
    Broader Estimates: Including native speakers, heritage speakers, and second-language speakers, the total number of Spanish speakers in the U.S. is around 59 million, or roughly 18% of the population.
    *And because the Super Bowl isn’t only viewed in the US:
    Number of Spanish Speakers Worldwide
    Total Spanish Speakers
    Total: Approximately 636 million people speak Spanish globally.
    Native Speakers: About 520 million are native speakers.
    Non-Native Speakers: Around 92 million people speak Spanish as a second or third language.
    Students: Approximately 24 million are actively studying Spanish.

  109. https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/patriots-news-robert-kraft-latest-jeffrey-epstein-files-release

    As the latest Jeffrey Epstein files got released over the weekend, the owner of the New England Patriots, Robert Kraft, popped up in a few spots.

    Kraft wasn’t the only NFL owner named, as the likes of New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch and Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris were also named. Kraft was urged to hire lawyer Jack Goldberger by Epstein in 2019 after his misdemeanor charge for solicitation of prostitution.

    According to the emails, Goldberger noticed that Kraft got arrested. “Should take local news away from us,” he wrote to Epstein, who responded, “Yes[.] I’m trying to have him hire you.”

    Epstein and Goldberger go way back. According to The Sports Rush, Golberger helped Epstein reach a non-prosecution deal with the Miami U.S. Attorney’s office in 2008 after an investigation of his sexual abuse of more than 40 victims.

    *I don’t like it when the mashed potatoes touch the peas & carrots, but this timeline doesn’t have a compartment tray; everything touches everything else.

  114. My top 5:

    Prince
    Kendrick Lamar = Bad Bunny
    Beyoncé
    Lady Gaga

    Didn’t realize Bad Bunny was in the Shakira/JLo halftime show. I guess tonight was Gaga’s second show, too.

  116. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trumps-10-billion-suit-government-go-sideways-rcna257483

    Here, his suit demands a sum of money that exceeds 80% of the IRS’ budget last year.

    How Trump’s $10 billion suit against his own government could go sideways

    The Trump complaint holds that the damages he endured from the leak were “irreparable.”

    Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., plans to introduce legislation next week to prohibit Trump from receiving any payout from the lawsuit, according to spokesperson Ryan Carey. The bill would propose a 100% tax on any litigation proceeds and settlement in the case, Carey said in an interview.

    On Thursday, the watchdog groups Common Cause and the Project on Government Oversight, along with four former federal officials, submitted a 23-page friend of the court brief asking the court to consider delaying the case until Trump leaves office in January 2029, among other requests.

    The brief contends that “the conflicts of interest make it uncertain whether the Department of Justice will zealously defend the public [treasury] in the same way that it has against other plaintiffs claiming damages for related events.”

  117. ok i got my veg and flower seeds going in cardboard boxes, ya just put the whole box in the garden after last frost, lets go

  118. Hey, great idea!

    The numbers for concurrent viewers of TP USA’s KKK show keep increasing: 4 million, 5 million, 6 million.

    However, someone said the live chat couldn’t be refreshed, so it was a fake ~live~ chat and the audience numbers were cooked up…just like the audience for Melania or the buyers for SFB’s book.

    I mean, that post sounds like even SFB watched Bad Bunny instead of the TP halftime show.

  119. LawFuel – Singer Scott Stapp has won a court battle to prevent the rel…

    Singer Scott Stapp has won a court battle to prevent the release of a hard-core film showing him engaging in wild behaviour with Kid Rock.

    Stapp, a former Creed vocalist, reached a settlement with WW Red Light District – an adult film company famed for releasing raunchy unapproved celebrity videos – to prevent the release of the 1999 sex tape, filmed during a joint tour in Miami.

    *Whaaaaat?

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