Rep Mike Turner (OH) is on Face the Nation right now. His "talk" is the equivalent of looking down while walking the streets of NYC to make sure he's not stepping in dogshit.
"In a surprise statement that left diplomats choking on their coffee, Ursula von der Leyen reportedly announced that the EU is “open” to recognizing Alaska as Russian territory if it helps settle the whole Crimea thing once and for all. “Look, the Americans barely use the place except for reality TV and bears,” she allegedly said, shrugging as if she were trading Pokémon cards and not chunks of sovereign land.
"According to sources, she concluded by noting that “this is how grownups negotiate,” before pointing out that if Trump can hand out Europe like party favors, she might as well join the fun.
"The Kremlin was said to be “deeply intrigued,” mostly because they hadn’t even asked for Alaska yet, but appreciated the enthusiasm. Washington, on the other hand, responded with its usual composure.
"Experts agree the whole episode highlights the new era of diplomatic innovation, where global leaders spontaneously auction off territories they don’t own in exchange for ones they also don’t own, all in the noble pursuit of “peace” or at least a quieter news cycle."
I have no X account, so cannot access the link and am wondering if this is satire. It certainly seems to me as if von del Leyen is poking the bear. Not sure she's seriously advocating this trade, but instead is bringing it up to make DT realize what it would be like if someone did to him what he's allowing Russia to do to Ukraine.
Thank you Simon. I'm giving to Eileen Higgins for the second time this week and to Aftyn Behn for the the 3rd time this week.
This morning I ran across this gem from Permaculture gal. What a fine nine minute treatise on the psychology of anxiety and doomerism and its antidote. So this is for any doomers reading today, and for all you Hopiates, send it to your doomer network. And there is a message for all of us about worry and anxiety for our future.
I watch many of her videos. In this one, she makes the "antidote" seem so trite and matter-of-fact. "Hey guys... just do this." Uh huh.
To supplement this, I would highly recommend the documentary of a rigorous Buddhist meditation program introduced in a maximum-security prison in Alabama. The Dhamma Brothers. Real shadow work is extremely difficult and takes tremendous courage.
We all have choice of dominion over our own response, even if we can't control the facts on the ground. It's simple, but it's not necessarily easy. I particularly like the section that explains if we don't give into doomerism, i,e, that the regime is in control of the future, then it empowers us to be co-creators of the world we live in, and that imagination and creativity are essential ingredients.
I firmly believe that, and in my experience, it not only makes this era tolerable, it makes me grateful to live in a time where I have such an opportunity. It is not only speaking truth to power, but how I interact with other people and nature, that provides most of the meaning in my life.
Was not trying to "debate" -- but offering a real-life take on people at the most desperate part of their lives speaking of their experience of noble silence and relection. Asserting "dominion" over our own responses ties in with shadow work to me -- self-reflection -- and that is more difficult for people in cultures that don't engage in it, especially from an early age.
LOL... so many contradictions. The obsession to control is behind the obsession not to control. I wish it was easy.
Creativity is absolutely necessary and will require breaking out of left-brain, binary mode. If there's another approach besides the centuries-tested method of self-reflection, I have no idea what that would be.
Agreed about self reflection, it is central. I also include a sense of purpose (I choose to be an agent for pro-democracy) and then be aware of opportunities that arise to which I can respond to advance that cause. That is the opportunity for co-creation. I am not in charge, but I am a player on the field.
When the sh*t hits the fan and we are rocked by circumstances we can not control, then self reflection and remembering we have choice in our response to circumstance, is the only way through. By response I don't necessarily mean action. Sometimes the response is to go deep within to self reflection and silence to wrestle with and be present to our emotional body.
Michael Baer, thanks! I watched the video. Her insights resonate. Later today, I’ll get back to my copy of Snyder’s “On Freedom” and re-read about unpredictability.
BeeBee, Having attended the Kennedy Center for years ever since my GWU days (when we students lined up to get great prices on everything, as we sat on the floor outside the Box Office reading our Washington Post on Sunday mornings,) I was and am still mortified about Trump's takeover of the KC. But I have not let that stop me from attending concerts and operas there. In my view, that only hurts the actors and employees, and deprives our city of a much beloved institution of the arts. In fact, KC has huge cadre of volunteers, many of whom I got to know over the years. It was always considered a huge honor to volunteer there. Many of these have, of course, left.
KC is in financial trouble, big time. There have been articles in WaPo about how much they are suffering financially through the decrease in ticket sales ever since the idiot took over. This is even further evidenced by the fact that they are now offering 50% off tickets to many of their events ...something I have rarely seen, if ever, in my 45 years here.
I will be attending Handel's Messiah in December with the NSO and the local Univ. of MD choir, where one of my best friend's daughter attends and sings. However, I made sure to checkout where the fool's awful picture is hanging so that I don't have to walk past it. Fortunately, I'm told it's not in the main lobby area where everyone mulls about before entering the theatres.....JFK's bust is still intact, thank God.
Yes,Claire. I do understand and can appreciate your position.
My background in non profits and interfacing with boards has me drawing a hard line to send a message about leadership and practices, not much different from boycotting any entity asking for my money, in which innocent people may pay the bigger price.
Let's hope there's an end to this soon. I very much appreciate your thoughts on this.
I’m on the fence about this whole knock-down-the-ballroom thing. It’s important to a lot of people but it’s also symbolic and would cost a lot of money.
I’d be fine with a more practical solution like take down the gold and ugly chandeliers and whatever else and make use of the space.
I’m also fine with taking it down, but the last thing people need under a Democratic administration is more of our hard-earned tax money being spent on symbolic things far away that don’t improve our material conditions in any way.
Our social safety net is outdated and has been gutted. Minimum wage doesn’t cover rent. People can’t afford to raise children yet it’s mandatory for many women and girls in states with abortion bans. I want to see the people’s money invested in the people once again. Like FDR did. Once regular Americans have access to a dignified standard of living again, then money can be spent on symbolic things or more of the usual handouts for the rich and ruling classes.
I’m pleased to see major stories coming from NYT, WaPo, and WSJ. As Trump weakens, I guess legacy media is coming back again, in terms of journalistic integrity. But I won’t forget the ways they’ve let us down anytime soon.
Hassett and his ever-present grin are on Face the Nation now. He's talking about "great" numbers for Black Friday and Saturday.... People really spending money for the holidays.
Wonder if he's going to mention what the banks/credit card companies are reporting -- esp in a month from now when the credit card bills are due.
I'm not terribly educated about things economic. I am sensible and rational. I've been suspicious about Hassett and his grin. In my view, much of what he states/cites is specious; I think the devil is in the details, something we're all aware of.
Were there people out in droves buying crap this weekend?
Yeah, I'm sure. That's what Americans do this time of year.
Did they pay cash? Did they charge it to their credit cards, and will they continue to charge for the holidays? Probably. That's what Americans do. We're famous for it.
Will there be trouble in January/Feb? It doesn't take much to predict that.
But Hassett didn't talk about how they'll pay or where the economy/job market will be in the throes of a 2026 winter when the bill comes due.
After No Kings ppl talked about a non-shop Black Friday, I'm wondering how many non-shopped. Anecdotal evidence on the radio - that I heard - only interviewed shoppers.
I have stopped shopping since last Tuesday, Nov 25th and will only be buying groceries and shopping at small, local businesses these next 4 weeks. No Target, no Walmart, no Home Depot (ever), no Amazon (a hard one for me, but I don't care), and we decided to go small this Christmas with fewer gifts, and put our money towards helping food banks. I also contributed some money to Aftyn Behn's Hopium fund.
I will tell my Dem reps that they should pick up on Hassett talking points and do a spin. People are spending loads of money this holiday season because they know Dems will be retaking the House and possibly the Senate by this time next year.
Ariella Elm pointed out that there was not a distinction made between shopping big box/online/the malls and buying local. Don't know how much difference that could have made. However, I didn't get the sense that the Don't Shop Black Friday movement got enough traction in the general public.
Yes, this was on my mind. And the up-in-the-air cost of healthcare in coming months.
I myself don't buy a lot of "things," but I am a dangerously slavish patron of the live arts. I can tell you that live-event ticket prices, courtesy of the devilish Ticketmaster/Live Nation, are at levels I've not seen. And for a variety of financial and logistical reasons, those are mostly purchased via credit cards these days.
Oooh and you’re in NYC, right? Do you go to The Met Opera? Huge opera nerd here. I did a bucket list trip to NYC in ‘17 and saw Domingo, Barton and Thomas in Nabucco. Also saw Cate Blanchett in Chekhov’s The Gift on Broadway. Amazing stuff.
Well, Lincoln Center/ constituent organizations are decent about price-setting; these are membership organizations with seasonal subscribers. You buy tickets through them (except maybe Lincoln Center Theatre), and there are lots of ways to get discount prices on most offerings. New Yorkers are pretty savvy about these things.
But where Telecharge and Ticketmaster are concerned, and with dynamic pricing, that's another story altogether.
I got into the Ring Cycle during Covid lockdown. San Francisco Opera offered a free stream of it and I was quickly hooked. Yes, mind blowing. I went deep into all things Wagner after that and got into Strauss and modernism from there.
I highly recommend Alex Ross’ book Wagnerism if you ever want to fully explore the rabbit hole. Ross is (or was?) a music critic for the NYT as I recall.
But yes, the ring (and Tristan and Isolde) blow my mind every time.
There's a TKTS booth in Times Square that sells discounted tix to Bway and Off-Bway shows on 'day of'. Especially at this time of year, it's worth standing in line and then seeing which shows you can pick from when you get to the ticket window. Fall is when all the best shows are playing, as it's approaching awards season. https://www.tdf.org/discount-ticket-programs/tkts-by-tdf/
I wrote to @NYTimes regarding their Dealbook Summit happening this week in NYC commenting on their skewed view of "business leaders." On the list are many with "conflicts of interest" ranging from cabinet members to contractors (Scott Bessent, Palantir, Black Rock). Most puzzling is the inclusion of Erika Kirk who is not a CEO of .merit. Note: Gavin Newsom is included.
"Of all the speakers listed, Erika Kirk is the only person whose identity is described as inheriting a CEO post due to a politically-motivated assasination, and is without a significant business accomplishment to merit a seat on the dais. There are many women working for the public good in fields of pharma, health and education who are challenged by politically-motivated defunding that merits DealBook Summit's gaze or is the intention to incorporate controversy?"
-----------
DealBook Summit PANEL LIST:
Dario Amodei is the C.E.O. and co-founder of Anthropic.
Brian Armstrong is a co-founder of Coinbase.
Mary Barra is the chair and C.E.O. of General Motors.
Halle Berry is an actor, director, producer and advocate. She is a co-founder of the production company HalleHolly and the founder of Respin, which offers menopause symptom care programs.
Scott Bessent is the Treasury secretary. Previously, he was the C.E.O. and chief investment officer of Key Square Capital Management, a global hedge fund that he founded in 2015.
Jimmy Donaldson is the architect of the YouTube channel MrBeast, which has more than 450 million subscribers.
Jeff Housenbold is the president and C.E.O. of Beast Industries, the entertainment company behind MrBeast’s content and philanthropic work.
David Ellison is chairman and chief executive officer of Paramount, a Skydance corporation.
Larry Fink is the chairman and C.E.O. of BlackRock.
Alex Karp is the C.E.O. and a co-founder of Palantir.
Erika Kirk was appointed as C.E.O. and chair of the board of Turning Point USA after the killing in September of her husband, Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and a founder of Turning Point USA.
Thank you for keeping us up to date on the horrific crimes of this bunch and how more Republicans are joining the few who have already stepped up and are finally, at long last, starting to do their jobs. Same for some MSM. BTW, perhaps add malevolent Miller to your list? Called my rep and Senators Friday and donated a few more times to Aftyn. Appreciated your comments in the USA Today article.
Hegseth should resign but if he doesn't he should be impeached. Doubt he has a lot of support in the House. Hearings should lead to impeachment. Could be a domino effect should he be impeached leading Bondi, Noem & Patel along with others deciding to resign rather than endure an impeachment hearing for all of us to watch.
Monday morning assignment for me is to call Congress and demand Hegseth be impeached.
Simon, on these leading disasters, still favor various Dem orgs--DNC, DSCC etc--funding reglar (4x a week say) Tik Tok/Insta/FB/Bluesky friendly 2 minute videos highlighting the costs and consequences of 4 or 5 big issues. Do the white board thing, clever graphics. Feature a rotating cast of the willing--certainly Kelly, Booker, Ossof, Hakeem, AOC, Bernie, Schiff, etc. Another leg of our new media strategy. Have guests. Even Chuck Schumer can get into the mix.
I’m getting ready to post information on and a request for support for state Democratic parties on my social media accounts. This is my draft below. I will tag Simon in the version I post and link the YouTube video of his interview with the Maine Chair.
If there is an inaccuracy here, please let me know. Here goes:
This is an unpaid political announcement!
Many of us are asking ourselves right now about what is the best way to support a positive electoral outcome in ‘26. And by positive outcome, I mean a blue wave that completely repudiates the damage that the Trump administration is doing to our democracy.
One of the ways to prepare for that, before we have candidates, it to support our state Democratic parties. The state parties work year-round to prepare the landscape for winning campaigns. As examples of the work they do, they fight voter repression actions, such as the one that the Maine Democratic Party just won, they provide candidates with the tools to run a campaign, and they ensure that voter registration is ongoing and that the rolls are accurate.
Hopium Chronicles, led by Simon Rosenberg, has identified five state parties that any contribution you might make would have a large impact. Three of those parties are small, Alaska, Iowa, and Maine, yet an election win there would have outsized advantages. Two of the parties, Florida and Texas, are places that we cannot afford to write off, and we have to start winning in those states.
So anything that you might do right now to support state Democratic Parties, such as as volunteering or sharing their information on social media or donating, is a great way to do something positive.
I’m attaching Simon’s interview with the Chair of the Maine Democratic Party, and there is a link that will take you to a place to donate for all five parties if you choose.
This fundraiser is for automobiles equipped with drone-jamming technology. Russia uses drone strikes to murder injured soldiers who are stranded (does this sound familiar, looking at Hegseth) and the civilians and medics who try to rescue them. Drone-jamming autos make safe and successful rescues possible.
Scroll to the bottom of the article to find the donate link.
NATIONAL SECURITY, NATIONAL SECURITY, NATIONAL SECURITY!
“Again, it all goes back to I think the person running the country right now is a DEAD PEDOPHILE [emphasis mine].”
- Professor Scott Galloway (NYU), Founder of Prof G Media
Folks:
This month, there were significant electoral successes by focusing on the new term in the vocabulary of Dolos: AFFORDABILITY. So, relative to cult experts, one of the best ways to deprogram folks is to have them understand (i.e. without being condescending) that they have likely been deceived (lied to, scammed, bamboozled, etc.): https://freedomofmind.com/the-cult-of-trump/ . It is also true that “TARIFF” is just another term for “TAX,” even if Dolos and his team continue to lie about this fact.
Rep Mike Turner (OH) is on Face the Nation right now. His "talk" is the equivalent of looking down while walking the streets of NYC to make sure he's not stepping in dogshit.
EU Floats Trading Alaska for Crimea
"In a surprise statement that left diplomats choking on their coffee, Ursula von der Leyen reportedly announced that the EU is “open” to recognizing Alaska as Russian territory if it helps settle the whole Crimea thing once and for all. “Look, the Americans barely use the place except for reality TV and bears,” she allegedly said, shrugging as if she were trading Pokémon cards and not chunks of sovereign land.
"According to sources, she concluded by noting that “this is how grownups negotiate,” before pointing out that if Trump can hand out Europe like party favors, she might as well join the fun.
"The Kremlin was said to be “deeply intrigued,” mostly because they hadn’t even asked for Alaska yet, but appreciated the enthusiasm. Washington, on the other hand, responded with its usual composure.
"Experts agree the whole episode highlights the new era of diplomatic innovation, where global leaders spontaneously auction off territories they don’t own in exchange for ones they also don’t own, all in the noble pursuit of “peace” or at least a quieter news cycle."
https://x.com/Microinteracti1/status/1994464816556048860
(Apologies for the link to Elon’s Xitter.)
LOL, thanks A.S.
I have no X account, so cannot access the link and am wondering if this is satire. It certainly seems to me as if von del Leyen is poking the bear. Not sure she's seriously advocating this trade, but instead is bringing it up to make DT realize what it would be like if someone did to him what he's allowing Russia to do to Ukraine.
Satire
Good thing. Satire and real life are too close together for me these days. Thanks.
Thank you Simon. I'm giving to Eileen Higgins for the second time this week and to Aftyn Behn for the the 3rd time this week.
This morning I ran across this gem from Permaculture gal. What a fine nine minute treatise on the psychology of anxiety and doomerism and its antidote. So this is for any doomers reading today, and for all you Hopiates, send it to your doomer network. And there is a message for all of us about worry and anxiety for our future.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3u3GMGrkkc
I watch many of her videos. In this one, she makes the "antidote" seem so trite and matter-of-fact. "Hey guys... just do this." Uh huh.
To supplement this, I would highly recommend the documentary of a rigorous Buddhist meditation program introduced in a maximum-security prison in Alabama. The Dhamma Brothers. Real shadow work is extremely difficult and takes tremendous courage.
"This was harder than being on death row."
Thomas, I appreciate the debate.
We all have choice of dominion over our own response, even if we can't control the facts on the ground. It's simple, but it's not necessarily easy. I particularly like the section that explains if we don't give into doomerism, i,e, that the regime is in control of the future, then it empowers us to be co-creators of the world we live in, and that imagination and creativity are essential ingredients.
I firmly believe that, and in my experience, it not only makes this era tolerable, it makes me grateful to live in a time where I have such an opportunity. It is not only speaking truth to power, but how I interact with other people and nature, that provides most of the meaning in my life.
Was not trying to "debate" -- but offering a real-life take on people at the most desperate part of their lives speaking of their experience of noble silence and relection. Asserting "dominion" over our own responses ties in with shadow work to me -- self-reflection -- and that is more difficult for people in cultures that don't engage in it, especially from an early age.
LOL... so many contradictions. The obsession to control is behind the obsession not to control. I wish it was easy.
Creativity is absolutely necessary and will require breaking out of left-brain, binary mode. If there's another approach besides the centuries-tested method of self-reflection, I have no idea what that would be.
Agreed about self reflection, it is central. I also include a sense of purpose (I choose to be an agent for pro-democracy) and then be aware of opportunities that arise to which I can respond to advance that cause. That is the opportunity for co-creation. I am not in charge, but I am a player on the field.
When the sh*t hits the fan and we are rocked by circumstances we can not control, then self reflection and remembering we have choice in our response to circumstance, is the only way through. By response I don't necessarily mean action. Sometimes the response is to go deep within to self reflection and silence to wrestle with and be present to our emotional body.
It is simple, but not easy.
Michael Baer, thanks! I watched the video. Her insights resonate. Later today, I’ll get back to my copy of Snyder’s “On Freedom” and re-read about unpredictability.
I will vote in the primary for the candidate who promises to knock that ballroom down and restore the East Wing.
I got a fundraising email from the Kennedy Center and responded to the Development office: "Really?"
BeeBee, Having attended the Kennedy Center for years ever since my GWU days (when we students lined up to get great prices on everything, as we sat on the floor outside the Box Office reading our Washington Post on Sunday mornings,) I was and am still mortified about Trump's takeover of the KC. But I have not let that stop me from attending concerts and operas there. In my view, that only hurts the actors and employees, and deprives our city of a much beloved institution of the arts. In fact, KC has huge cadre of volunteers, many of whom I got to know over the years. It was always considered a huge honor to volunteer there. Many of these have, of course, left.
KC is in financial trouble, big time. There have been articles in WaPo about how much they are suffering financially through the decrease in ticket sales ever since the idiot took over. This is even further evidenced by the fact that they are now offering 50% off tickets to many of their events ...something I have rarely seen, if ever, in my 45 years here.
I will be attending Handel's Messiah in December with the NSO and the local Univ. of MD choir, where one of my best friend's daughter attends and sings. However, I made sure to checkout where the fool's awful picture is hanging so that I don't have to walk past it. Fortunately, I'm told it's not in the main lobby area where everyone mulls about before entering the theatres.....JFK's bust is still intact, thank God.
Yes,Claire. I do understand and can appreciate your position.
My background in non profits and interfacing with boards has me drawing a hard line to send a message about leadership and practices, not much different from boycotting any entity asking for my money, in which innocent people may pay the bigger price.
Let's hope there's an end to this soon. I very much appreciate your thoughts on this.
I’m on the fence about this whole knock-down-the-ballroom thing. It’s important to a lot of people but it’s also symbolic and would cost a lot of money.
I’d be fine with a more practical solution like take down the gold and ugly chandeliers and whatever else and make use of the space.
I’m also fine with taking it down, but the last thing people need under a Democratic administration is more of our hard-earned tax money being spent on symbolic things far away that don’t improve our material conditions in any way.
Our social safety net is outdated and has been gutted. Minimum wage doesn’t cover rent. People can’t afford to raise children yet it’s mandatory for many women and girls in states with abortion bans. I want to see the people’s money invested in the people once again. Like FDR did. Once regular Americans have access to a dignified standard of living again, then money can be spent on symbolic things or more of the usual handouts for the rich and ruling classes.
Ballroom delenda est.
And make those who donated to build it foot the bill to raze it to the fucking ground.
On this matter there can be no compromise. No terms but unconditional surrender.
The ballroom, if it ever gets built, can be repurposed.
It can be repurposed as a vacant, buildable lot, upon which an appropriate East Wing building can be erected.
Ballroom delenda est.
We need to go Cato the Elder on this bullshit.
I’m pleased to see major stories coming from NYT, WaPo, and WSJ. As Trump weakens, I guess legacy media is coming back again, in terms of journalistic integrity. But I won’t forget the ways they’ve let us down anytime soon.
Exactly my sentiments.
Still not subscribing. Maybe never again.
Hassett and his ever-present grin are on Face the Nation now. He's talking about "great" numbers for Black Friday and Saturday.... People really spending money for the holidays.
Wonder if he's going to mention what the banks/credit card companies are reporting -- esp in a month from now when the credit card bills are due.
is there any substance behind their talk about black friday?
I'm not terribly educated about things economic. I am sensible and rational. I've been suspicious about Hassett and his grin. In my view, much of what he states/cites is specious; I think the devil is in the details, something we're all aware of.
Were there people out in droves buying crap this weekend?
Yeah, I'm sure. That's what Americans do this time of year.
Did they pay cash? Did they charge it to their credit cards, and will they continue to charge for the holidays? Probably. That's what Americans do. We're famous for it.
Will there be trouble in January/Feb? It doesn't take much to predict that.
But Hassett didn't talk about how they'll pay or where the economy/job market will be in the throes of a 2026 winter when the bill comes due.
After No Kings ppl talked about a non-shop Black Friday, I'm wondering how many non-shopped. Anecdotal evidence on the radio - that I heard - only interviewed shoppers.
Not sure the Non-Shop Friday reached many beyond those of us addicted to Indivisible.
I have stopped shopping since last Tuesday, Nov 25th and will only be buying groceries and shopping at small, local businesses these next 4 weeks. No Target, no Walmart, no Home Depot (ever), no Amazon (a hard one for me, but I don't care), and we decided to go small this Christmas with fewer gifts, and put our money towards helping food banks. I also contributed some money to Aftyn Behn's Hopium fund.
I will tell my Dem reps that they should pick up on Hassett talking points and do a spin. People are spending loads of money this holiday season because they know Dems will be retaking the House and possibly the Senate by this time next year.
Ariella Elm pointed out that there was not a distinction made between shopping big box/online/the malls and buying local. Don't know how much difference that could have made. However, I didn't get the sense that the Don't Shop Black Friday movement got enough traction in the general public.
Two good metrics to track are auto-loan defaults ... and mortgage foreclosures (up by nearly 40% in the past year.)
Yes, this was on my mind. And the up-in-the-air cost of healthcare in coming months.
I myself don't buy a lot of "things," but I am a dangerously slavish patron of the live arts. I can tell you that live-event ticket prices, courtesy of the devilish Ticketmaster/Live Nation, are at levels I've not seen. And for a variety of financial and logistical reasons, those are mostly purchased via credit cards these days.
Oooh and you’re in NYC, right? Do you go to The Met Opera? Huge opera nerd here. I did a bucket list trip to NYC in ‘17 and saw Domingo, Barton and Thomas in Nabucco. Also saw Cate Blanchett in Chekhov’s The Gift on Broadway. Amazing stuff.
Well, Lincoln Center/ constituent organizations are decent about price-setting; these are membership organizations with seasonal subscribers. You buy tickets through them (except maybe Lincoln Center Theatre), and there are lots of ways to get discount prices on most offerings. New Yorkers are pretty savvy about these things.
But where Telecharge and Ticketmaster are concerned, and with dynamic pricing, that's another story altogether.
I wonder if you have seen the operas that comprise Wagner's "Ring cycle."
I was not an opera fan starting out, but those operas totally blew my mind.
I got into the Ring Cycle during Covid lockdown. San Francisco Opera offered a free stream of it and I was quickly hooked. Yes, mind blowing. I went deep into all things Wagner after that and got into Strauss and modernism from there.
I highly recommend Alex Ross’ book Wagnerism if you ever want to fully explore the rabbit hole. Ross is (or was?) a music critic for the NYT as I recall.
But yes, the ring (and Tristan and Isolde) blow my mind every time.
:)
There's a TKTS booth in Times Square that sells discounted tix to Bway and Off-Bway shows on 'day of'. Especially at this time of year, it's worth standing in line and then seeing which shows you can pick from when you get to the ticket window. Fall is when all the best shows are playing, as it's approaching awards season. https://www.tdf.org/discount-ticket-programs/tkts-by-tdf/
I wrote to @NYTimes regarding their Dealbook Summit happening this week in NYC commenting on their skewed view of "business leaders." On the list are many with "conflicts of interest" ranging from cabinet members to contractors (Scott Bessent, Palantir, Black Rock). Most puzzling is the inclusion of Erika Kirk who is not a CEO of .merit. Note: Gavin Newsom is included.
"Of all the speakers listed, Erika Kirk is the only person whose identity is described as inheriting a CEO post due to a politically-motivated assasination, and is without a significant business accomplishment to merit a seat on the dais. There are many women working for the public good in fields of pharma, health and education who are challenged by politically-motivated defunding that merits DealBook Summit's gaze or is the intention to incorporate controversy?"
-----------
DealBook Summit PANEL LIST:
Dario Amodei is the C.E.O. and co-founder of Anthropic.
Brian Armstrong is a co-founder of Coinbase.
Mary Barra is the chair and C.E.O. of General Motors.
Halle Berry is an actor, director, producer and advocate. She is a co-founder of the production company HalleHolly and the founder of Respin, which offers menopause symptom care programs.
Scott Bessent is the Treasury secretary. Previously, he was the C.E.O. and chief investment officer of Key Square Capital Management, a global hedge fund that he founded in 2015.
Jimmy Donaldson is the architect of the YouTube channel MrBeast, which has more than 450 million subscribers.
Jeff Housenbold is the president and C.E.O. of Beast Industries, the entertainment company behind MrBeast’s content and philanthropic work.
David Ellison is chairman and chief executive officer of Paramount, a Skydance corporation.
Larry Fink is the chairman and C.E.O. of BlackRock.
Alex Karp is the C.E.O. and a co-founder of Palantir.
Erika Kirk was appointed as C.E.O. and chair of the board of Turning Point USA after the killing in September of her husband, Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and a founder of Turning Point USA.
Gavin Newsom is the governor of California.
Thank you for keeping us up to date on the horrific crimes of this bunch and how more Republicans are joining the few who have already stepped up and are finally, at long last, starting to do their jobs. Same for some MSM. BTW, perhaps add malevolent Miller to your list? Called my rep and Senators Friday and donated a few more times to Aftyn. Appreciated your comments in the USA Today article.
Hegseth should resign but if he doesn't he should be impeached. Doubt he has a lot of support in the House. Hearings should lead to impeachment. Could be a domino effect should he be impeached leading Bondi, Noem & Patel along with others deciding to resign rather than endure an impeachment hearing for all of us to watch.
Monday morning assignment for me is to call Congress and demand Hegseth be impeached.
We need to call the billionaires benefiting from grift and greed what they are: OLIGARCHS - Trump , Kustner, Bezos, Musk, Zuckerberg, Witcoff, etc
Simon, on these leading disasters, still favor various Dem orgs--DNC, DSCC etc--funding reglar (4x a week say) Tik Tok/Insta/FB/Bluesky friendly 2 minute videos highlighting the costs and consequences of 4 or 5 big issues. Do the white board thing, clever graphics. Feature a rotating cast of the willing--certainly Kelly, Booker, Ossof, Hakeem, AOC, Bernie, Schiff, etc. Another leg of our new media strategy. Have guests. Even Chuck Schumer can get into the mix.
I’m getting ready to post information on and a request for support for state Democratic parties on my social media accounts. This is my draft below. I will tag Simon in the version I post and link the YouTube video of his interview with the Maine Chair.
If there is an inaccuracy here, please let me know. Here goes:
This is an unpaid political announcement!
Many of us are asking ourselves right now about what is the best way to support a positive electoral outcome in ‘26. And by positive outcome, I mean a blue wave that completely repudiates the damage that the Trump administration is doing to our democracy.
One of the ways to prepare for that, before we have candidates, it to support our state Democratic parties. The state parties work year-round to prepare the landscape for winning campaigns. As examples of the work they do, they fight voter repression actions, such as the one that the Maine Democratic Party just won, they provide candidates with the tools to run a campaign, and they ensure that voter registration is ongoing and that the rolls are accurate.
Hopium Chronicles, led by Simon Rosenberg, has identified five state parties that any contribution you might make would have a large impact. Three of those parties are small, Alaska, Iowa, and Maine, yet an election win there would have outsized advantages. Two of the parties, Florida and Texas, are places that we cannot afford to write off, and we have to start winning in those states.
So anything that you might do right now to support state Democratic Parties, such as as volunteering or sharing their information on social media or donating, is a great way to do something positive.
I’m attaching Simon’s interview with the Chair of the Maine Democratic Party, and there is a link that will take you to a place to donate for all five parties if you choose.
Thank you for listening.
Excellent. Thanks Melissa. Add a link to www.hopiumchronicles.com
I want to send support to the Ukrainian people. Does anyone know a legitimate nonprofit org working directly within Ukraine that I can support?
Tim Snyder here on Substack posted a link in one of his articles recently to a fundraiser. Lemme see if I can find it. 👀
Here ya go. :)
This fundraiser is for automobiles equipped with drone-jamming technology. Russia uses drone strikes to murder injured soldiers who are stranded (does this sound familiar, looking at Hegseth) and the civilians and medics who try to rescue them. Drone-jamming autos make safe and successful rescues possible.
Scroll to the bottom of the article to find the donate link.
https://open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p/freedom-is-action-a-campaign-for?r=3nbt2u&utm_medium=ios
done! thx for suggestion! grt idea!
Thank you for the link Pam. I donated.
Thank you Pamela! I just made a donation.
Hi John - I’m sure there are many but Razom for Ukraine is one I’ve used- they have an excellent rating from Charity Navigator.
https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/464604398
And Tim Snyder highlighted Razom months ago.
I have used Razom as well
Thank you John P! I just made a donation.
I have no doubt we can hire a gang of brilliant creators--and they're going to want to do it.
Look what Newsome has done through his brilliant staffer to worm inside MAGA's Satanic skin.
Donated to Eileen Higgins
RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA!
M.A.G.A. is really M.A.R.L.: Make America Russia Like!
“[I]f it were up to [Stephen] Miller, there’d only be 100 million people in this country, and they’d all look like Miller.” - Donald J. Trump (2024)
Here are Professor Barbara Walter’s five suggestions for fighting authoritarianism:
https://barbarafwalter.substack.com/p/the-hidden-battle-that-decides-whether .
https://barbarafwalter.substack.com/p/authoritarian-power-is-mostly-performance .
https://barbarafwalter.substack.com/p/how-dictators-lose-control-of-the .
https://barbarafwalter.substack.com/p/4-storms-and-streets-break-regimes .
https://barbarafwalter.substack.com/p/5-how-to-break-a-tyrant .
EPSTEIN, EPSTEIN, EPSTEIN!
BLACKMAIL, BLACKMAIL, BLACKMAIL!
NATIONAL SECURITY, NATIONAL SECURITY, NATIONAL SECURITY!
“Again, it all goes back to I think the person running the country right now is a DEAD PEDOPHILE [emphasis mine].”
- Professor Scott Galloway (NYU), Founder of Prof G Media
Folks:
This month, there were significant electoral successes by focusing on the new term in the vocabulary of Dolos: AFFORDABILITY. So, relative to cult experts, one of the best ways to deprogram folks is to have them understand (i.e. without being condescending) that they have likely been deceived (lied to, scammed, bamboozled, etc.): https://freedomofmind.com/the-cult-of-trump/ . It is also true that “TARIFF” is just another term for “TAX,” even if Dolos and his team continue to lie about this fact.
So, here is a GREAT TOOL (nonpartisan from industry) FOR DEMOCRATS to use with their constituents, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises in their districts: https://tariffs.flexport.com/?entryDate=2025-11-30&country=CN&value=10000&advanced=true&modeOfTransport=OCEAN&htsCode=9503000013&FIELD_CHOSEN_HTS_CODES=%7B%2299030121%22%3Afalse%2C%2299030130%22%3Afalse%2C%2299030134%22%3Afalse%7D&FIELD_CHOSEN_SPIS=%7B%7D. As an example, I put in “baby stroller.” Just let people experiment with the items that they most want to BUY in this HOLIDAY SEASON (remember Dolos would suggest “dolls”). Marketers and teachers both know that experiential learning and product placement are the best ways to get a message across. Do you agree?
CARTHAGO DELENDA EST (via nonviolence).
P.S.: Do the following now! FIRST, TEACH CIVICS. Second, register voters. THIRD, TEACH CIVICS. Rinse. Repeat.