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The Ledes

Saturday, May 18, 2024

New York Times: “Dabney Coleman, an award-winning television and movie actor best known for his over-the-top portrayals of garrulous, egomaniacal characters, died on Thursday at his home in Santa Monica, Calif. He was 92.”

The Wires
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The Ledes

Friday, May 17, 2024

AP: “Fast-moving thunderstorms pummeled southeastern Texas for the second time this month, killing at least four people, blowing out windows in high-rise buildings, downing trees and knocking out power to more than 900,000 homes and businesses in the Houston area.”

Public Service Announcement

The Washington Post offers tips on how to keep your EV battery running in frigid temperatures. The link at the end of this graf is supposed to be a "gift link" (from me, Marie Burns, the giftor!), meaning that non-subscribers can read the article. Hope it works: https://wapo.st/3u8Z705

Marie: BTW, if you think our government sucks, I invite you to watch the PBS special "The Real story of Mr Bates vs the Post Office," about how the British post office falsely accused hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of subpostmasters of theft and fraud, succeeded in obtaining convictions and jail time, and essentially stole tens of thousands of pounds from some of them. Oh, and lied about it all. A dramatization of the story appeared as a four-part "Masterpiece Theater," which you still may be able to pick it up on your local PBS station. Otherwise, you can catch it here (for now). Just hope this does give our own Postmaster General Extraordinaire Louis DeJoy any ideas.

The Mysterious Roman Dodecahedron. Washington Post: A “group of amateur archaeologists sift[ing] through ... an ancient Roman pit in eastern England [found] ... a Roman dodecahedron, likely to have been placed there 1,700 years earlier.... Each of its pentagon-shaped faces is punctuated by a hole, varying in size, and each of its 20 corners is accented by a semi-spherical knob.” Archaeologists don't know what the Romans used these small dodecahedrons for but the best guess is that they have some religious significance.

"Countless studies have shown that people who spend less time in nature die younger and suffer higher rates of mental and physical ailments." So this Washington Post page allows you to check your own area to see how good your access to nature is.

Marie: If you don't like birthing stories, don't watch this video. But I thought it was pretty sweet -- and funny:

If you like Larry David, you may find this interview enjoyable:


Tracy Chapman & Luke Combs at the 2024 Grammy Awards. Allison Hope comments in a CNN opinion piece:

~~~ Here's Chapman singing "Fast Car" at the Oakland Coliseum in December 1988. ~~~

~~~ Here's the full 2024 Grammy winner's list, via CBS.

He Shot the Messenger. Washington Post: “The Messenger is shutting down immediately, the news site’s founder told employees in an email Wednesday, marking the abrupt demise of one of the stranger and more expensive recent experiments in digital media. In his email, Jimmy Finkelstein said he was 'personally devastated' to announce that he had failed in a last-ditch effort to raise more money for the site, saying that he had been fundraising as recently as the night before. Finkelstein said the site, which launched last year with outsize ambitions and a mammoth $50 million budget, would close 'effective immediately.' The New York Times first reported the site’s closure late Wednesday afternoon, appearing to catch many staffers off-guard, including editor in chief Dan Wakeford. As employees read the news story, the internal work chat service Slack erupted in what one employee called 'pandemonium.'... Minutes later, as staffers read Finkelstein’s email, its message was underscored as they were forcibly logged out of their Slack accounts. Former Messenger reporter Jim LaPorta posted on social media that employees would not receive health care or severance.”

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Tuesday
Jul142015

Scott Walker's Announcement Speech -- Abbreviated & Annotated

When Kevin Drum of Mother Jones abbreviated Hillary Clinton's economic speech to include only her specific proposals (see link in Tuesday's Commentariat), he inspired me to abbreviate & annotate the policy prescriptions in Scott Walker's speech announcing his run for the presidency. I easily whittled the speech from six full pages to a half-page, including his his lead-in & closing.

I love America. [CW: Does that include Canada & Mexico? How about Venezuela?]

The federal government needs to support strong families by ending the marriage penalty.... [CW: The “marriage penalty” does not affect low-income workers, & it usually benefits families where one parent stays home to care for the kids. Does Scottie know that?]

First, we must repeal ObamaCare.... [CW: Too bad if you get sick & can't afford medical attention.]

We need a President who will approve the Keystone pipeline on the very first day in office.... [CW: Sorry, environment.]

No Common Core.... [CW: But let's all use those Texas textbooks.]

We need to terminate the bad deal with Iran on Day One, put in place crippling economic sanctions and convince our allies to do the same.... [CW: Busy Day One, Scottie!]

That means lifting the political restrictions on our military personnel in Iraq so they can help our Kurd and Sunni allies reclaim land taken by ISIS.... [CW: So, declaring war before Day One. Okay.]

There should be absolutely no daylight between [the U.S. & Israel].... [CW: That is, the U.S. should allow Israel to dictate our international policy. Welcome, Co-President Bibi.]

That begins with rebuilding the Defense budget at least to the levels recommended by Secretary Gates.... [CW: Wherever will we get the funds to do that, Scottie? I'll bet I know.]

We need to … give [the military & veterans] the quality and timely healthcare they deserve when they return home.... [CW: So the only way to get government-assisted health care is to join the military. Uncle Sam wants you, poor people!]

God bless you. God bless our troops. And may God bless the United States of America. [CW: Which she will, because God told me, Scott Walker, to run for president.]

Comments Off

Reader Comments (9)

If you think you're sick of Scott Walker, just imagine living here in Wisconsin where the media is so excited about our local pol running for President! They are all Walker all the time now.

My questions at the moment:

His supporters call him smart and articulate, which I think is easily disproven by his quotes. But what I really have trouble wrapping my head around is that some of them call him photogenic. To an unbiased person, can this possibly be true?

Will some MSM type note the irony of Walker calling for war on more fronts while his perfectly healthy 19 and 20 year old sons stand behind him, having taken time off from college not to serve in the military, but to campaign for their dad?

I fervently hope that once the next clown (Kasich?) announces, the media will move on.

July 14, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterNadd2

@Nadd2 If you question Scott Walker's photogenic aspects, just for laughs go Google his name and click on the Images link! His candids are quite amusing.

I know we have been warned not to get snarky about Hillarys' fashion taste (tho' she'd vastly improved since the last run!) but since...The Donald is open game....I have to confess,
Scott Walker's hair comb is odd, too! It's that disproportionate mass of hair on his left side that makes his head appear strangely off balance.

July 14, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterMAG

On the morning commute, I listened to Tonette Walker's introduction of her husband, and she actually referred to him as "Fearless Leader."

I have been thinking of Boris, Natasha, Moose and Squirrel off an on all morning. Must be some kind of juvenile flashback.

July 14, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterPatrick

See Borowitz:

"Poll: Pain Would Bring Much-Needed Dignity to Republican Field"

http://links.newyorker.mkt4334.com/ctt?kn=2&ms=NzkwMjIwNgS2&r=MjczNzc0ODkyMDQS1&b=0&j=NzIxNzUyNDU3S0&mt=1&rt=0

July 14, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterD.C.Clark

Scotty was selected by the Koch brothers as their stand-in precisely because he can be completely molded in their image. A vote for Scotty is a vote for the Kochs. He is breathtakingly ignorant and socially retarded. Scotty could not pour piss out of a boot without carefully enunciated audio directions.

He is an especially pathetic little man, ripe for the using.

July 14, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterDiane

@Diane: Re: Piss & Boots, the Koch boys wrote the instructions on the heel.

Marie

July 14, 2015 | Registered CommenterMarie Burns

Marie - because the instructions are written on the heel, I'm guessing that is the reason that Diane said he needs clear audible instructions. Also, he could probably somehow mess up a ball-bearing welded to the deckplate. And someone would have to explain to him what those three holes are for on a bowling ball. You know ... moron.

July 14, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterPatrick

@Patrick, no doubt you're right on all counts.

Marie

July 14, 2015 | Registered CommenterMarie Burns

Marie,

Nice job translating Scottie's bilge from the original weasel speak.

We're going to have to compile quite a gloss to help decipher the actual meanings of speeches from this cadre of presidential wingnut losers. In addition to Walker Weasel Speak, we have Jeb! Speak, Trumpy Trumpetings and so on down the line. When I think of it, there isn't a single intelligent sounding, able public speaker in the lot.

It's just sad to think of the linguistic abilities of past presidents (including the present one) and compare them with this pack of barely literate monkeys.

If, as Nadd indicates, Walker's followers really do think he's articulate, they must be spending way too much time at the bar in the pool room.

"America is a can-do kinda country. And fortunate....we have a wash....in Washington....we have a...."

Tripping over your own tongue and being unable to even read a prompter correctly doesn't fill me with optimism about Walker's ability as a public speaker, or thinker of deep thoughts. Pericles he ain't. Seriously, if you fuck up something like an announcement that you're running for president, what hope is there?

Christ.

But here's a caveat. It won't do, this time, to trust that voters will be able to see or care that this guy is an empty suit, a dumb shit, and a right asshole. We we were all in shock after the Bush-Gore debates to hear that so many people thought Bush had won. I suppose seeing a chimp not fall off the stage was considered a great victory. But don't take this guy for granted. He may be stupid, but stupid is the GOP calling card these days. Fox has made millions suspicious of anyone who can spell prestidigitation. So don't misunderestimate this moron. He has billions behind him and he'll have plenty of help changing or disappearing votes when the time comes.

July 14, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus
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