Home » Open thread 1/18/24

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Open thread 1/18/24 — 28 Comments

  1. And this one’s for …well, ye’ know who ye’ are….
    “A BLAST FROM RICHARD KEMP”—
    https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2024/01/a-blast-from-richard-kemp.php

    + Bonus (even if it’s nothing we don’t know…)
    “Top Israeli figure says Hamas spending on tunnel system deprived Gazans of much needed aid;
    “Oren said that civilians in Gaza are not allowed to go into the tunnels for protection, all while Hamas uses them during the war.”—
    https://justthenews.com/world/middle-east/wedtop-israeli-figure-says-hamas-spending-tunnel-system-deprived-gazans

  2. Heat Wave! It is up to 44 degrees at my House. 4 days ago it was -16. We are having what are called Chinook Winds. Warm winds coming down the side of the Mountains. Mild right now, weather channel says 6mph (I think higher here), but they can blow at much higher mph. Snow is melting.

  3. Barry Meislin, I’m watching the Pakistan-Iran thing with some interest. Iran is Shiite, Pakistan mostly Sunni, and the ancient hatreds are being expressed with bombings and now missiles. My view is, let ‘er rip, guys; we’re not going to try to stop either one from trying to destroy the other.

  4. “See the article by Andrew McCarthy.”

    • Another recent perspective is this RCP article: Only Trump Can Save America

    “I believed that Republican voters were ready for a new post-Trump chapter of the America First movement. I now believe I was wrong.

    Those of us who backed Ron DeSantis – or the other Republican candidates – should read the room. Former President Trump winnowed the field effortlessly and then crushed the remaining three candidates in Iowa. He leads in the polls everywhere else. It is time to coalesce and unite behind the clear preference of the GOP grassroots, Donald John Trump.

    We do not have the luxury of further internal strife and instead must gird for an epic battle this autumn against our opponents who are inflicting daily damage upon America. Any further time, capital, and effort spent attacking the frontrunner, especially with Democratic Party-like talking points, only dilutes the power of our cause as we head toward November.”

    ***

    “So, what is the solution to this present crisis? How do we save America?

    It is time to unify behind former President Trump as he leads the battle against the ruling class and the oligarchs intent on destroying the American way of life. I implore all patriotic populists to join as I pledge to do all I can to work for Trump’s cause, just as I proudly did in 2016 and 2020.

    With the America First movement acting fully in concert, we will win a historic electoral victory that leads to a full restoration of American greatness.”

    https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2024/01/17/only_trump_can_save_america_150329.html

    • Of note is that it was written by Cortes, who has been affiliated with both DeSantis and Trump.

  5. Saw Dennis Miller on Fox yesterday. He has some good ideas. Mainly though he thinks Trump should apologize for some of his past remarks. He should tone it down, admit he made mistakes and will do better if reelected. Couldn’t hurt could it.

  6. I think the Pakistanis are waiting for the Saudis to make an offer so as to make it worth their (the Pakistani’s) while.
    If this is so then I wouldn’t hold my breath for any of this to heat up…
    …but one never knows…
    (Honor/shame is a tricky thing. )

  7. The aid al adl are baloch splinter from jundallah tribal ties are as significant as sectarian ones

  8. (SHIREHOME) Mainly though he thinks Trump should apologize for some of his past remarks. He should tone it down, admit he made mistakes and will do better if reelected. Couldn’t hurt could it.

    Sure, I’d love for Trump to do something like that, but realistically given everything I know about him I very highly doubt he will. It’s never been his way to apologize.

    I strongly disagree with the whole “never apologize” philosophy. To be clear, I know damn well that in many cases people are far too quick to apologize when they’ve done nothing wrong. This is especially true of many Republican politicians as we all know. Which is why it’s been refreshing to have a guy like Trump who doesn’t cave in when he’s been mischaraterized and outright lied about time after time. But to never apologize even when you’re definitely in the wrong is just silly. And Trump has definitely unfairly mischaraterized some of his Republican opponents.

  9. Chopin, to me, has a jazzy touch. That is, a precursor of jazz.

    Saw Dennis Miller on Fox yesterday. He has some good ideas. Mainly though he thinks Trump should apologize for some of his past remarks. He should tone it down, admit he made mistakes and will do better if reelected. Couldn’t hurt could it

    Even Trump supporters as I have to admit that Trump has put his foot in his mouth, on occasion. However, there is a problem with an apology. The Demos ALREADY are of the opinion that anything Trump says necessitates an apology. Demos live for forcing mea culpas on their opponents. Don’t want to play that game.

  10. Yes, Trump should apologize for things he said, but not before the Dems et. al. apologize for Russia collusion, two phony impeachment trials, the staged 1/6 insurrection, the stolen 2020 election, Covid hysteria, plus all the vicious lies spewed by the MSM, and all the other trash they threw at him since November 2015. Fair enough?

  11. Chopin, to me, has a jazzy touch. That is, a precursor of jazz.

    Gringo:

    I think I know what you mean. I think of Bill Evans in particular, a white pianist with a classical background who played with Miles Davis on “Kind of Blue,” one of the ultimate jazz albums of all time.

    But it’s Evans’ “Waltzing for Debby” which takes me to a Chopin place, jazzes it up and kills me every time:

    –Bill Evans, “Waltzing for Debby”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH3GSrCmzC8

    Chick Corea’s “Piano Improvisations” can do a Chopin thing too.

  12. Richard Cook, so Maine is about to join California and a couple of other states in defining refusal to chemically castrate and physically mutilate children as “child abuse,” when that’s the opposite of the truth. Madness and evil have overtaken these states.

  13. Kate

    Madness and evil over took us some time ago. It’s just removing the mask now. We are well on our way to a violent end point.

  14. Re: Chopin Waltz Op. 64 No. 2 in C Sharp Minor

    neo, AesopFan:

    I’m now sure this was the Chopin piece my mother used to play which has haunted me since I was five.

  15. RE: UFOs

    Who are some of the individuals whose views/ideas/information about the UFO Phenomenon I pay attention to and give some credence?

    David Grusch—Former Air Force Major with service in Afghanistan, very high level intelligence officer with extremely high clearances, who worked at both the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, and the National Reconnaissance office, and who was tasked with ferreting out any secret UFO crash retrieval and reverse engineering programs.

    Grusch was NRO’s representative to the UFO Task Force and, subsequently, to AARO, and is the first major UFO whistle blower from the IC to testify under oath before Congress in public session.

    Lou Elizondo—long time intelligence agent and former head of ATIP, who resigned in protest after he was not allowed to present his concerns about the reality and seriousness of UAPs to the Secretary of Defense.

    Chris Mellon—former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, who has many government connections.

    (Both Elizondo and Mellon also apparently responsible for a lot of the behind the scenes work pushing the UFO issue back into the public’s consciousness and to Congress’ attention, plus much of the progress on this issue since 2017.)

    Jacques Vallee—French scientist, inventor, and dedicated UFO researcher for over 30 years, who the French scientist in Spielberg’s “Close Encounters” was modeled on, and author of many books on the subject, including his ground breaking analysis, “Passport to Magonia.”

    Richard Dolan—Very well informed, intelligent, and canny full time UFO researcher for over 30 years, author of many books on the subject, including his two volume study, “UFOs and the National Security State,” a chronology and history of the government’s involvement with the UFO phenomenon.

    Dr. Garry Nolan—eminent Stanford pathologist and inventor who has examined both the brains of people who have been exposed to UFOs, and also supposed UFO materials.

    Founder of the new SOL Foundation, which is researching the UFO Phenomena, and formulating position papers to guide officials in the post Disclosure environment.

    Dr. Dianne Pasulka—Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and author of the recent best seller “American Cosmic,” who is bringing her religious knowledge and viewpoint to bear on the UFO phenomenon.

    Dr. Kevin Knuth—University of Albany Physicist who is applying scientific analysis to the recent confirmed videos of UFOs.

    Ross Coulthart–Australian investigative journalist who has been following and reporting on the UFO phenomena for many years, and who did the groundbreaking first interview with David Grusch.

    Leslie Keene–an independent journalist, who has followed the UFO and other high strangeness phenomena for many years, and was a co-author of the blockbuster December 2017 New York Times article, which revealed the existence of secret continuing government research on UFOs, of the ATIP organization, it’s head Lou Elizondo, and which opened up discussion of the UFO phenomena to a much wider prominence and general audience.

  16. @ huxley > “I’m now sure this was the Chopin piece my mother used to play which has haunted me since I was five.”

    I’m glad you got some closure on that mystery!
    It’s a lovely piece no matter who is playing it, and I think y’all are right about the jazz vibes.

  17. huxley: Is there a relationship between Chopin and jazz?

    ChatGPT: Yes, there is a relationship between the music of Frédéric Chopin, a Romantic era composer, and jazz, a genre that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. While Chopin did not directly influence jazz as it developed (since he lived earlier, from 1810 to 1849), his music has had an indirect impact and shares some similarities and connections with jazz:

    Harmonic Complexity: Chopin’s compositions are known for their rich and innovative harmonies, which can be likened to the harmonic complexity found in jazz. His use of extended chords, altered chords, and unexpected modulations bear resemblance to the harmonic language used in jazz.

    Rhythmic Nuance: Although Chopin’s music does not swing in the jazz sense, his use of rubato and other rhythmic nuances shares the jazz sensibility of playing around with time and rhythm for expressive purposes.

    Improvisational Feel: Chopin was a renowned improviser. His ability to spontaneously create music is a foundational element of jazz. Many of Chopin’s written compositions have an improvisational quality to them, much like jazz solos.

    Influence on Jazz Musicians: Many jazz pianists have been influenced by Chopin’s music. They are drawn to his expressive depth, technical mastery, and the fluid, lyrical quality of his piano writing. Jazz musicians like Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, and Chick Corea have been known to incorporate elements of Chopin’s style into their playing.

    Chopin in Jazz Repertoire: Some of Chopin’s works have been directly adapted or referenced in jazz. His melodies, themes, and even structural elements have been used as a basis for jazz arrangements and improvisations.

    Emotional and Expressive Depth: Both Chopin’s music and jazz place a strong emphasis on emotional expression and individuality. This focus on conveying deep feelings and personal expression creates a spiritual kinship between the two.

    In summary, while Chopin’s music and jazz come from different historical and cultural contexts, there are notable similarities in their use of harmony, rhythm, and emphasis on expression and improvisation. These elements have fostered a relationship where jazz musicians often draw inspiration from Chopin’s works, recognizing and adapting his innovative musical language within the jazz idiom.
    ___________________________________

    Chat is spooky good at these kinds of questions, though I’m not sure of the direct claim that Bill Evans et al. were known “to incorporate elements of Chopin into their playing.” I’m sure it’s true in a general sense…

    I realize I’m being didactic. But you will be using AI within the year.

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