But I needed this: Yes–it’s four years old, and everyone youtube-savvier than me has already seen it, but it’s still wicked awesome, and a temporary escape from all of that from which we crave escape. And if we’re going to respite, let’s respite hard. Have some bonus Tikka: And how about a redwing blackbird harassing …
Respite, Con Brio
This made me grin…a lot: These are wretched times to be sure. But I am amazed and so grateful to all the incredibly inventive folks who have gone to enormous lengths to share a bit of joy amidst the gloom. What else? How about some swans (and, in an in-joke for the 02138 set, …
Beardless Respite
Paul Krugman highlighted this performance in his email newsletter recently, and I thought y’all might enjoy it: Thought we needed some more thread, so have at it, folks.
On This Day Seventy Five Years Ago…
VE day happened. The formal closing of the European Theater of Operations came on May 8th, 1945, when German representatives, signed unconditional surrender documents for a second time, now in Berlin. The same surrender had been completed the day before at Eisenhower’s headquarters in Reims–but the point had to be made to stick, as it …
I, Too, Loathe The Scumbaggery Infesting The Republic…And So:
I turn for (more) respite to the glorious inanity of a couple of very funny women. First up, in a clear concession to readership capture, SNL At Home’s brilliant Kate McKinnon: Next up, the incomparable Catherine Tate, ably straight-manned by “I’m Not A Doctor” David Tennant: There is a back story to that …
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Happy DNA Day!
ETA: Well…as long as the previous post baited and switched, here’s something a bit different: Sixty-seven years ago today, three papers appeared in the scientific literature. One was by Maurice Wilkins, Alexander Stokes and Herbert Wilson, on the “Molecular structure of deoxypentose nucleic acids;” one was authored by Rosalind Franklin and Raymond Gosling–“Molecular configuration in …
Condiments! (Respite)
So, as a break from the always enjoyable pastime of Grey Lady bashing, how about a little food respite. One thing that has struck me as we’ve stayed home is that though my spouse and I don’t eat out much relative to the published figures for American households, in normal (sic!) times we do pretty …
Weaponizing Bullshit, Chattering Classes Edition
A couple of weeks ago (a gazillion years in COVID time, I know), former intellectual Niall Ferguson published a piece in the Sunday Times, asserting that the Chinese government had allowed travel from Hubei province for international destinations after banning such trips to destinations within China, adding, As far as I can tell from the …
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We Might Want To Discuss This…
It really isn’t 2016 anymore: WASHINGTON (AP) — Bernie Sanders endorsed Joe Biden’s presidential candidacy on Monday as he made a joint online appearance with the former vice president. “I am asking all Americans, I’m asking every Democrat, I’m asking every independent, I’m asking a lot of Republicans to come together in this campaign to …
Wait For It…
Respite, you want? Respite we got: I bellowed at the punch line. This thread (and–stay safe–not our towns and byways) is open.
Fuck
John Prine died today of complications of a coronavirus infection. Let me be as clear as I can be: Donald Trump and his criminal associates who through incompetence and a criminal disregard of the clear and imminent danger in service of a campaign advantage opened the US to this virus. He and they share direct …
The Measure Of An Epidemic: New Coronavirus Units
Let’s review: The first confirmed COVID-19 death on US soil occurred on March 1, 2020. four p.m. EDT on April 2, 2020, the United States’ cumulative coronavirus death toll hit 5,808. Four days later, that number crossed the 10,000 line. There’s a long history behind the saying that while any one death is a …
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Sunday Afternoon Silliness/Tikka Ain’t Got Time For Trump’s Nonsense
So, this picture (taken yesterday) expresses both Tikka’s and my contempt for our current leadership: And here he is, the Right Hon. Tikka, about to testify to Trump’s manifold failures, swearing his oath on the text of his choosing: And last, a challenge for y’all. Context, and shared pain: my sibs and I are addicted …
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Captain Courageous (Largely Outsourced To Mr. Pierce)
Charles Pierce said it all about what Trump and his acting (of course) Navy Secretary did to the captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The Roosevelt, you’ll recall is the aircraft carrier that suffered a coronavirus outbreak while on deployment. It is essentially impossible able to isolate infectious patients on naval vessel. US carriers are huge–the Roosevelt …
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It Could Be Worse (Gallows Humor, Kinda-Not-Really Respite)
There are actually worse ways to respond to the epidemic than those attempted by serial sexual criminal and bankrupt Donald Trump. He’s bad; terrible. But Belarusan President Alexander Lukashenko is undeniably worse. As death tolls have skyrocketed globally and many countries have closed their borders and shut down nonessential businesses, Lukashenko has advanced his own …
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