Good evening, Kibitzers!
I was idly scrolling through my enormous “liked videos” list on YouTube, looking for some category of thing that could be assembled into a reasonable diary by someone who didn’t leave nearly enough time for that task. I noticed a video about blue, and then another one. And then a lizard eating blueberries. And some songs.
Well, I guess I know a theme when I see one. And now I can put one of my favorite spring poems in here.
Blue-Butterfly Day
Robert Frost
It is blue-butterfly day here in spring,
And with these sky-flakes down in flurry on flurry
There is more unmixed color on the wing
Than flowers will show for days unless they hurry.
But these are flowers that fly and all but sing:
And now from having ridden out desire
They lie closed over in the wind and cling
Where wheels have freshly sliced the April mire.
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Here’s the first video I came to on the list — it’s about the color blue physically occurring in nature. The blue butterflies figure into it. [8:27]
Whereas this one is about people developing the cultural concept of “blue”. [15:14]
The Victoria & Albert Museum offers a look at how blue fabric is produced in India by traditional methods. [2:39]
And here’s this little guy eating blueberries. He skitters around scarfing them up so fast, you can almost not see there was a blueberry at the spot before it’s gone. [0:42]
If that makes you hungry for blueberries, Martha Stewart has this nice, easy-looking recipe for blueberry scones. Printed recipe here. [1:48]
I have no idea who Carla is, other than that she made this blueberry-ginger pie video for Bon Appétit, but I love her and now I want to see everything she does. Printed recipe here, but seriously, you want to watch Carla when you have time. [13:15]
I really tried to keep a lid on the music videos. Obviously, when you consider “blue” and “blues”, you could fill endless diaries. I’m sure you’ll have favorites I’ve left out to add in the comments.
Joni Mitchell ftw with the title. [3:25]
I’d never seen this Beatles video before. It’s not the album version of the song, but/and it’s fun to watch them play. [2:46]
Blueberry Hill already made it into the Dominoes diary, but don’t worry, Fats has more. [2:14]
Ella — the scat — so awesome. [3:47]
This is a live Allman Brothers performance at SUNY Stonybrook in September 1971. [11:20]
Someone in the YouTube comments asserts that the Marcels learned this song in one day, and this is their second take. [2:11]
Angel Blue is the actual birth name of a terrific young soprano who’s starred at leading opera houses. I do not know why 2014 found her singing Gershwin in the back of a London music store in front of the banjo, but who knew somebody’s cell phone video would have the best sound of any I looked at? [2:19]
I know this is Stephen Stills’ song; I just like Bonnie’s version better. [3:34]
How to wrap up the blue(s) theme properly? B.B. King, live at Farm Aid 1985. Note that from about 3:35, as he sings, he simultaneously replaces his broken string. Well, Lucille’s broken string. [5:54]
Today’s Political and Other Short Subjects:
So first of all, there’s a new Randy Rainbow. [2:56]
Of course we have a couple of takes on Matt Gaetz. This one’s from the Meidas Touch. [0:56]
And Founders Sing has this song, which was inevitable, really. [2:15]
So, somebody sent me this. I have zero interest in starting a pie fight about whether Al Franken should have resigned or not; that’s not the point. The point is that this is the clearest, easiest to understand account I’ve heard of what the deal is with the filibuster — what it is, why it’s a problem, and what are the possible solutions Democrats can pursue. I found it helpful, and I sent it to some people who needed an explanation. Maybe it will be useful to you. [8:52]
As a palate-cleanser, Weird Al has a little trick up his sleeve. [0:16]
Finally, Margo the cat gets an annual birthday coupon for a free treat from her local frozen custard stand, and here she is on her way to celebrate her 29th birthday. (The internet says this is equivalent to 132 people-years.) [3:31]
Stay safe! 💙💙💙💙💙
🌟 Democracy Docket 🌟
The Democracy Docket website, founded by formidable our-side attorney Marc Elias, carries breaking news about current election law, more in-depth articles, and, always, information plus all available legal documents (as PDFs) about every active election law case.
Marc Elias and Democracy Docket on Twitter are good sources of current news about election law, including all the voter-suppression crap coming up. You can subscribe to the Democracy Docket email newsletter here to get the latest updates. Democracy Docket also has a YouTube channel.
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We have come to the point where Chef José Andrés’ worldwide relief organization is so ubiquitous that I’m just giving it its own box here. I can’t even link all the places they’re working. They’re feeding people who need meals wherever they find them, for whatever reason and by whatever means, including supporting local restaurants by contracting with them for meals. Pretty much every tab at that website will tell you something amazing.
You can always donate or volunteer at their website, but it may not be up on the very latest news. For that, check Twitter for Chef Andrés and for World Central Kitchen.
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It has been 1,294 DAYS SINCE HURRICANE MARIA MADE LANDFALL IN PUERTO RICO ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2017.
Full power has never been restored there, and many homes still have blue tarps for roofs. The island has been hit by two more hurricanes this year, and has dealt with ongoing earthquakes, coronavirus, and a severe drought, but they have still not seen anything like the relief money Congress voted for them.
We’re hopeful, but we’re not out of the woods yet.
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🦠 COVID-19 🧫
Missing some past entry? My past diaries list, where the older purple boxes still live.
NEW: In the latest SciShow video, host Hank Green discusses why some vaccines require booster shots later and some don’t. See also their playlist of Covid updates on what we’re learning.
NEW on variants: 🦠 Dr. Fauci talks with Seth Meyers about the new virus variants and how much danger they pose. 🦠 A video from the Wall Street Journal (whose news division, remember, is good) goes into more and geekier detail about how the variants work. 🦠 A Vox video reviews how smallpox was eradicated, and discusses the roadblocks to fighting Covid in the same ways.
NEW articles: The Atlantic has listed their ongoing virus coverage here, and none is behind a paywall. They add new articles often, including these two newest: The Urgency of Vaccinating Kids, and Vaccine Cheat Days Are Adding Up.
xaxnar’s diary (with its comment thread) discusses neurological impacts seen in “long-haul” Covid sufferers. wilderness voice’s KosAbility diary (and comment thread) offer further discussion of long Covid, its symptoms, and their relationship to ME/CFS.
This tweet by Joseph Allen links to a NY Times visual presentation about how we can change the airflow in classrooms to make it safer. There’s also a link from there to an Instagram “augmented reality” classroom visit.
The Washington Post is maintaining this page that tracks vaccine arrival and distribution state by state. Note this is NOT paywalled.
This virus spread tracking site also has an excellent “wiki” page on virus information/misinformation, proper mask use, symptoms, etc. h/t eeff!
This excellent video explains clearly how viruses are killed by washing with soap. h/t Sara R!
A doctor shows how to quickly alter a disposable mask to get a safer fit.
CDC chart shows how to remove gloves properly to avoid contamination.
The lung exercises in this diary are still good for anyone, sick or not.
Note about the masks below: As you probably know, Sara R is ill with cancer and will be unable to work for some time. The community is making her a quilt, made by BeadLady and with your good wishes hand-transcribed on the back by ericlewis0. As a fundraiser to help Sara and Ann get by, donations for adding such a message are asked to Sara’s Paypal, suggested $20 but any amount is gratefully accepted. See the most recent diary here for full information. I imagine at this point, it’s best to kosmail Eric with your message, rather than leave it in an old diary.
If you’d like some attractive handmade facemasks, see Sara’s latest diary here, or the website here, to order a set made by Sara R and WInglion from various cotton quilt fabrics: $40 + $7.75 Priority Mail shipping for a set of 5 (or other quantities at $8 each). It’s $1 more per mask to add in-seam aluminum nosebars that fit the mask more tightly against your face. You can contact Sara R to discuss your special needs or preference in fabrics.
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Senator Rand Paul said that he is opposing President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan because it “infringes on bridges’ constitutional right to crumble.”
“Decay, deterioration, and collapse are all a part of the natural process of entropy,” Paul said. “It is not the job of government to play God and interfere with that.”
Warning of the “slippery slope of government overreach,” Paul said that the Biden plan is “threatening our infrastructure’s precious freedom to disintegrate.” ...
— The Borowitz Report, at The New Yorker
This Week in Boredom:
- NASA News: The Ingenuity Mars helicopter has successfully survived its first Mars nights away from the Perseverance rover, after spending the time since landing attached beneath the rover. Overnight temperatures can reach -130°F, potentially damaging the battery or electrical components. The 1.5-pound (on Mars) craft is expected to begin test flights no sooner than April 11. (Article has a 3D interactive model.) ✨ The monthly NASA-JPL skywatch video shows what to look for in the sky in April.
- Astronomy Picture of the Day: Night-sky photo from Nova Scotia features Mars and the Pleiades. ✨ Also this week: The black hole in the center of galaxy M87 emits polarized light (or actually, radio waves). ⭐ The camera on Perseverance’s robotic arm caught a picture of the Ingenuity copter hanging below the rover, just before being set down on the surface. ⭐ A photo near Saturn from the Cassini spacecraft sets up an interesting find-the-moons game.
- Live cam: New York Harbor and the east side of lower Manhattan, seen from Brooklyn.
- Zooniverse: Last week, prompted by a Mark Sumner diary, we migrated from the Smithsonian to a website called Zooniverse, in search of new research projects that ordinary people can help with by doing relatively time-intensive tasks like transcribing, sorting, and classifying. They’re typically tasks that are not very hard for people, but too subtle for AI. Mark's diary can give you a sense of the kinds of things available to participate in. 📖 Here’s one: The PELIcams project looks at many images captured over several years by wildlife cameras on Gunnison Island, a large breeding ground for American White Pelicans in the northern part of the Great Salt Lake. Low water levels have made this island susceptible to predators like coyotes. Volunteers examine photos and identify pelicans, their nests and behaviors, and other birds and animals. The data collected is used to study the impacts of climate change and predators, and to learn more about pelican behaviors that are seldom seen.
- Smithsonian Online Exhibition: Art, photographs, and other related works about birds, from the collections of various Smithsonian museums.
- Tasting History: Join Max Miller as he explores the history of food, including some ancient recipes. Today, he discusses the dubious history of the Sally Lunn bun in Bath, England, and of course makes the buns.
- Individual coffee-mug cake substitute: We’re waiting for a new mug cake; meanwhile, we have these small-batch blondies that microwave in 2 minutes. Pan shown is 6½ inches square — any roughly similar-size microwavable container will work, or (it’s suggested) divide among mugs.
- Time machine: U2 perform Sunday Bloody Sunday. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 1983.
- Obama White House video: At the 2012 White House Easter Egg Roll, Chef Marcus Samuelsson teaches kids to make shrimp and vegetable tacos, with help from Michelle Obama and Al Roker.
- Ukulele Duet: These German brothers play under the name Ka1a1aika; today’s selection is Pachelbel’s Canon in D.
- The Frick Collection’s “Cocktails with a Curator”: Discussion of a marble bust by the fifteenth-century artist Francesco Laurana. His birthplace in Dalmatia, a region of Croatia on the Adriatic coast, inspires this week’s complementary cocktail, the quite interesting-looking Dalmatian. (New videos in this series post at 5 pm ET on Fridays, with the week’s cocktail recipe posted in advance. They run around 15-20 minutes.)
- The Metropolitan Opera is still streaming free operas daily. YOU CAN ALSO attend special 75-minute livestream concerts for which you must buy a $20 ticket. The livestream occurs at a certain time, but is available for ticketholders to view (and re-view) at any time in the ensuing two weeks. The next concert is soprano Angel Blue in New York, for which they still don’t have a date. There’s further information at the link about how it works. The Met does not plan to re-open physically until September 2021. The entire 2020-21 season, through June, is very wisely canceled.
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