Hello, 911? I'd like to report a murder of senatorial dignity in the GA-SEN Debate. Update... lol!

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Wednesday October 28, 2020 · 9:47 PM PDT

2020/10/28 · 21:47

ossoff9fe2e2ede7.image.jpg — One of the next two Democratic United States Senators from Georgia

Nevermind Powdermilk Biscuits, this will give you the strength to do what needs to be done these next five days. Let’s bring this one home, y’all!

“This is so beneath the office of a U.S. Senator...” begins the 151 shot:

Sen. David Perdue is a man without vision or integrity.

Instead of leading and inspiring, he stoops to mocking the heritage of his political opponents.

Georgia is finished with David Perdue.https://t.co/zi5Wxg0VYr pic.twitter.com/am9Gh18gUY
— Jon Ossoff (@ossoff) October 29, 2020

And the Everclear chaser:

Sen. David Perdue doesn't deserve to be re-elected. pic.twitter.com/S7Zi3dsnik
— Jon Ossoff (@ossoff) October 29, 2020

I don’t remember that I had ever seen Ossoff speak before. You can definitely see where his film making background informs his presentation here. He has a very incisive, methodical sense of pace and timing, and a very keen eye for drama. There was nothing for David Perdue to do other than stand there looking sheepish as he got pwned.

I am not normally one to write about Politics as Bloodsport. However, given the circumstances, I am all out of my usual gentility. They’re not getting it again until they earn it back, on an individual basis with contrition, humility, and a move toward real integrity. If this motivates you, dear reader, to donate, phone bank, call your friends and family, or whatever else you see fit to bring these bastids to justice, you have my blessing.

camlbacker

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Tuesday April 07, 2020 · 6:41 PM PDT

2020/04/07 · 18:41

Per Rolling Stone…

John Prine, One of America’s Greatest Songwriters, Dead at 73

Grammy-winning singer who combined literary genius with a common touch succumbs to coronavirus complications

John Prine, who for five decades wrote rich, plain-spoken songs that chronicled the struggles and stories of everyday working people and changed the face of modern American roots music, died Tuesday at Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He was 73. The cause was complications related to COVID-19, his family confirmed to Rolling Stone.

This disease, the lack of preparation for it, and poor corrupt reaction to it, has already decimated so much of our human capital. We will not ever be the same; we must become better...

Musical shares are appreciated. I wasn’t as familiar with his work as I should have been, and I find myself often these days learning to appreciate people more after they’re gone. So too here….

Sorry, to be the bearer of such bad news, y’all. I know he deeply touched a lot of lives in this here community.

camlbacker

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Monday September 30, 2019 · 3:16 PM PDT

2019/09/30 · 15:16

You don't have to be an expert in body language to know who owns whom here

Per the Guardian: release of summaries or transcripts “only possible with the mutual agreement of both sides” --Peskov

The Kremlin has said it would need to give permission for Donald Trump to release details of his one-on-one conversations with Vladimir Putin, a likely target of Democratic lawmakers in an upcoming impeachment inquiry.

Speaking with journalists on Monday, the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, said that the release of summaries or transcripts of the two leaders’ discussions – details of which have remained a closely guarded secret – is “only possible with the mutual agreement of both sides”.

“Diplomatic practice does not allow for the publication [of these records],” Peskov said, according to the Interfax news service. “So if the Americans send us signals, then we’ll discuss it.”

Go read the whole thing; it’s short. It seems someone is trying to send someone a message.

Boating, Not Busing (Trigger Warning): We've Seen This Sh*t Before

camlbacker

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Sunday July 21, 2019 · 10:52 AM PDT

2019/07/21 · 10:52

We Still Have Many Bridges To Cross Together To Get To The Promised Land

I have been a close observer and participant in American politics since I was about 12. It had been many years since I had heard the subject of busing brought up by an elected official or someone running for public office, so when Sen. Harris and Fmr. Vice President Biden had their back and forth about it at their recent debate, it brought back a memory that had been filed in the bowels of my political memory for around 35 years. Around 1983-4, when I was a young teenager, my brother brought home a flyer he had gotten from one of his “asshole buddies” entitled Boating, Not Busing. I googled, or in my case DuckDuckGo-ed the flyer to recall exactly what it said and the relevant time period (c.1972). The first link that came up was from the Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries Social Welfare History Project. It’s a little bit different than I remember, but the spirit of the words on the paper is exactly the same as it was all those years ago. And I don’t remember The National Socialist White Peoples Party of Arlington, VA (complete with snail mail address) being on the bottom of the flyer. The events of the subsequent three weeks or so have made the content of the flyer all the more relevant. I will quote some of the less “colorful” but still relevant parts of the flyer below the fold, as well as posting the Boating, Not Busing (Let’s get Blackie back to Africa) flyer in its entirety. Be forewarned, the language in the flyer itself is not only deeply racist and anti-Semitic, but very terse. But the spirit of it has not one iota of difference between it and what Trump has been fomenting his entire time in public life. Have a look… (Edit: I will not be quoting the flyer at all, because to quote less “colorful” parts of it will leave it devoid of important context. Just read it for yourself if you have the stomach for it. It’s important to understand how much closer we are politically and spiritually as a country to the realization of some of the key political program goals of the National Socialist White Peoples Party):

*****

images.socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/...

I’m not even going to embed the flyer itself in the diary. You may find it at the link if you wish to read it.

As the old saying goes: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Kudos to VCU for preserving this important artifact. It’s an important piece for a contextual understanding of why we are hearing “Send Her Back” and how normalized open racism has become in our society. This didn’t just happen. It’s been fomented and cultivated over a period of many decades. If you have ever been inclined to believe that the racism that Trump has consistently expressed in the open is merely codswallop to “gin up the base” as it were, you may want to reconsider that. This is who Trump is and what he does, and very deliberately. When Stephen Miller goes on the Sunday shows and talks about concepts like upholding “the principles of Western Civilization” this is EXACTLY what he means, and there are numerous examples of policies being implemented to that end. I remember my own reaction when I saw that flyer all those years ago: I thought to myself that no one really believes this shit anymore except in a few places like north Georgia and Mississippi. Having grown up in the suburbs of Detroit, I was much more used to the quiet, more subdued bigotry of “I’m not a racist, but...” that I had heard a thousand times by the time I was fifteen and have heard a million times since. I didn’t take it seriously enough then, and for this, I was wrong. But we all have to take it seriously now.

Joao Gilberto, Founding Father of Brazilian Jazz and Bossa Nova 1931-2019

camlbacker

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Sunday July 07, 2019 · 10:58 AM PDT

2019/07/07 · 10:58

Joao Gilberto, father of Bossa Nova, has died in Rio de Janeiro at the age of 88.

I fell in love with Bossa Nova and Brazilian Jazz from my very first exposure to it. My appreciation for Gilberto came somewhat later as I came to understand the depth of his contributions to my own musical pastiche through his daughter Bebel, Charlie Byrd, and numerous others. Gilberto was one of those people who influenced so many other people that, for me, coming to appreciate the musical and cultural enrichment that he has brought to my life will be a lifelong endeavor.

His most famous recording was Girl From Ipanema, which introduced his then partner, Astrud Gilberto, to the world. That album, Getz/Gilberto, won the Grammy in 1964 for best album. It’s still some of my favorite Sunday listening music…

YouTube Video

For those who might have a little less time:

YouTube Video

Here he is in a duet with his daughter, Bebel, c.1979-80 singing Chega de Saudade

YouTube Video

Another version by Yo-Yo Ma and Rosa Passos:

YouTube Video

His influence lives on in many others. Here is his daughter, Bebel, singing another Brazilian classic many years later. This song gave me an appreciation for the beauty of the Portuguese language long before I learned to speak it. Some of you may remember this from the movie Eat, Pray, Love:

YouTube Video

The piece that inspired my lifelong love of Bossa Nova:

YouTube Video

Al DiMeola is an unusual way to have been introduced to Bossa Nova, but also a reminder that so many things in life are inextricably intertwined. Joao Gilberto, thank you for everything you did. Obrigado por tudo… descanse em paz, Mestre!

As I did the research for this diary, I was reminded again of how much he influenced so much of the Brazilian music that has become an indelible part of who I am, and yet how cursory my knowledge of his music truly is.

Contributions in the comment section are highly encouraged and appreciated…

Update: thank you to everyone for the contributions and for the Rec List. I feel like a big part of the reason the world is the way it is today is because we have lost much of our sense of connection to each other. Much of my sense of connection to the world has been learned and expressed through music, so I hope to rekindle that sense of connectedness in whatever way I can for whomever I can.

Former Senator Richard Lugar R-Indiana has died

camlbacker

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Sunday April 28, 2019 · 9:32 AM PDT

2019/04/28 · 09:32

Per USA Today:

WASHINGTON – Former Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar, a foreign policy leader in the Senate who received the Defense Department's highest civilian award for his efforts to secure and destroy weapons of mass destruction after the collapse of the Soviet Union, died Sunday, according to his family.

He had been a leading voice for decades on foreign policy, helping create a highly respected program to reduce the chance of nuclear annihilation. He also tried to mitigate hunger around the world and in schools, and to warn about the national security consequences of fossil fuel dependence.

One of the last Republican statesmen. RIP and may his memory be a blessing to all who loved him.

camlbacker

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Wednesday May 06, 2015 · 12:32 PM PDT

2015/05/06 · 12:32

Ruben Gallego, AZ-7 (central Phoenix)'s newly minted U.S. representative, has an op-ed in the Huffington Post detailing why, as the headline says, Marco Rubio would be wrong for Arizona. He starts out by acknowledging the power of Rubio's oft told (ad nauseam) personal story:

Marco Rubio has built his political career on the narrative of an up-from-nothing immigrant kid who achieves the American Dream.
Rubio's personal story is indeed powerful, and one I know well. Like Rubio, my parents came to the United States from another country with little more than hope for a better future for their kids.

and then proceeds to channel Meteor Blades:

Personal stories can inspire action, but ultimately each of us serving in public office should be judged more by what we actually do than the story we can tell.
Rubio has been successful at selling his story. The same isn't true when it comes to advocating for those who want to follow his path.

In front of a largely Latino audience in Miami on April 27, 2010, Rubio warned that Americans would be uncomfortable with a "police state" in Arizona. Less than two weeks later, Rubio told an ultra-conservative website that he would have voted for the final version of the law, even though there were still concerns over forcing immigrants to show papers.
The fight over SB1070 wasn't just about a single state's immigration law; it was a defining moment for the immigration reform movement. Rubio not only failed to eventually choose the right side, he tried to have it both ways.

Poll

47 votes Show Results

Marco Rubio is wrong for Arizona...

47 votes Vote Now!

Marco Rubio is wrong for Arizona...

Yes

10 votes

0 votes

11 votes

Geez, Camlbacker... this is a really stupid question. Of course he's wrong for Arizona. You don't need a big nose to smell Rubio's bad baloney

26 votes

Nicaragua, Hidden Jewel of Central America: A Photo Diary

camlbacker

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Saturday March 29, 2014 · 8:03 AM PDT

2014/03/29 · 08:03

no image description available — Carriage in front of the Cathedral of Granada. This cathedral is probably the most photographed building in Granada. Needless to say, I couldn't resist either.

Carriage in front of the Cathedral of Granada. This cathedral is probably the most photographed building in Granada. Needless to say, I couldn't resist either.

View of Volcan Concepcion, Ometepe Island. Ometepe is the largest island in Lake Nicaragua, and is formed of two volcanoes, Concepcion and Maderas. It is also the largest island formed inside a lake in the world, and at 5,280 feet is the highest lake island in the world. And yes, Concepcion is still active. This place is even more magnificent in person. Photos couldn't begin to do it justice.

Map of Nicaragua, for those who are into that kind of thing, like I am

In recent years I spent a total of two months in study abroad programs in Nicaragua. The first program, in 2010, was a development economics class covering a wide range of topics related to poverty and development, at both a macro and micro level, and especially focusing on the intersection of economics, politics, and sociology. The second was a Spanish immersion and cultural exchange program run by a favorite Honors professor of mine, who is an anthropologist by training, but in the Honors program is given wide academic freedom to teach the subject matters of his choice. We connected as both civil libertarians and as students of the way that all things and subjects in life are inextricably intertwined. He said he was often called a dilettante by his more academically rigid colleagues, a label he wore as a badge of pride and honor. In his defense, in our Legacy of Censorship class together, he gave an hour lecture on the collapse of the financial system that was the finest lecture I attended in three years at the University of New Mexico and a formative experience for all who were there.

Many of my experiences in Nicaragua are far beyond the scope of this diary and several deserve a diary all their own. My purpose in writing is primarily to give a bit of background about myself, the reasons for my trips, and to provide context for the photos. The beauty of Nicaragua is what this diary is really about. I hope you enjoy. Please do follow me over the jump...

Poll

38 votes Show Results

This diary made me want to visit Nicaragua

38 votes Vote Now!

This diary made me want to visit Nicaragua

Yes

18 votes

1 vote

I'm on my way!!!

6 votes

Go back to Nicaragua, you communist!!!

0 votes

Vigoron pie

2 votes

I need more information, do another diary

11 votes

NC-Sen Co-chair of Women for Tillis is Principle Co-founder of Planned Parenthood in NC

camlbacker

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Wednesday March 26, 2014 · 1:05 PM PDT

2014/03/26 · 13:05

Courtesy of TPM:

When House Speaker Thom Tillis (R-NC), the leading candidate in the GOP primary to face Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC), released the names of the women serving as co-chairs of his Women for Tillis Coalition one name stuck out: Dr. Mary Susan Fulghum.
The Tillis campaign listed Fulghum as a "retired OB-GYN who is very active in the Raleigh community." The campaign noted that Fulghum serves on a number of boards and committees and graduated from the University of North Carolina.

There was, however, no mention of Fulghum's involvement in Planned Parenthood. Fulghum, in fact, happens to be one of the principle founders of the Planned Parenthood Health Systems headquarters in Raleigh, which was first started in 1980. She's listed as a principal founder on Planned Parenthood's website today.

(emphasis mine) Read More

Breaking: Paco de Lucia, Spanish Flamenco Guitarist Has Died

camlbacker

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Wednesday February 26, 2014 · 3:58 AM PST

2014/02/26 · 03:58

Per HuffingtonPost:

MADRID (AP) — Paco de Lucia, one of the world's leading guitarists who dazzled audiences with his lightning-speed flamenco rhythms and finger work, has died in Mexico, Spanish officials said Wednesday. He was 66.
A spokeswoman for the town hall of de Lucia's native Spanish town of Algeciras said de Lucia family members had told them the artist died of a heart attack. She said he began to feel unwell while on a beach in Cancun with his child and died while being taken to a local hospital.

camlbacker

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Monday January 27, 2014 · 10:50 PM PST

2014/01/27 · 22:50

It's a sad day indeed. Sometimes you think they're going to live forever. RIP, Pete...

Pete Seeger, the singer, folk-song collector and songwriter who spearheaded an American folk revival and spent a long career championing folk music as both a vital heritage and a catalyst for social change, died Monday. He was 94 and lived in Beacon, N.Y.

Full article here.

Non-paywall obituary from USA Today at the link. http://www.usatoday.com/... A commenter made a good point that Pete probably wouldn't appreciate his obit being behind a paywall. I suspect not.

The world sure isn't going to be the same without him.

I remember listening to him with my dad over thirty years ago and thinking he might be the only guy older and leftier than my dad was. And that sure took some doing. I'm sure that many of our older Kossacks could do his life and legacy far more justice than I could. Please feel free to share... and a few choice quotes below the jump.

camlbacker

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Friday January 24, 2014 · 3:09 PM PST

2014/01/24 · 15:09

Just in per NYT:

Judge Orders Hospital to Remove Life Support From Pregnant Woman

FORT WORTH — A Texas judge ruled on Friday that a Fort Worth hospital must remove the life support of a pregnant, brain-dead woman, siding with the husband and family in a case that has drawn national attention.

With urgency, no less:

The judge, R.H. Wallace Jr. of State District Court in Tarrant County, ordered John Peter Smith Hospital to pronounce the woman, Marlise Muñoz, dead, and remove her from life support by 5 p.m. on Monday.

Full article here. Let's hope justice prevails on this one.

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Hello, 911? I'd like to report a murder of senatorial dignity in the GA-SEN Debate. Update... lol!

John Prine is Gone

Kremlin: Release of Trump-Putin transcripts needs Russian approval

Boating, Not Busing (Trigger Warning): We've Seen This Sh*t Before

Joao Gilberto, Founding Father of Brazilian Jazz and Bossa Nova 1931-2019

Former Senator Richard Lugar R-Indiana has died

Ruben Gallego (AZ-7): Why Marco Rubio Is Wrong for Arizona (This one's gonna hurt!)

Nicaragua, Hidden Jewel of Central America: A Photo Diary

NC-Sen Co-chair of Women for Tillis is Principle Co-founder of Planned Parenthood in NC

Breaking: Paco de Lucia, Spanish Flamenco Guitarist Has Died

Breaking, NYT: Pete Seeger, Songwriter and Champion of Folk Music, Dies at 94

NYT: Texas Judge Orders Brain Dead Woman to be Removed from Life Support