August 20, 2017

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Random Memory: St. Patrick's School in Salamanca was changing "Fathers", and to the outgoing one they had us students sing "Hasta Manana / 'Til We Meet Again / Don't Know Where / Don't Know When / Father Our Love is Much too Strong to Die / We'll Find a Way to Make a New Tomorrow".

Turns out that's a slightly tweaked Abba song. But that's a... pretty generous translation by the second line of the first... guess they just went for the sound and not the sense of the Spanish.

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"These people are doing it right.

Violence allows Nazis to pretend to be victims.

Tubas just make them look like the dumbfucks they are."

--http://twitter.com/Mikel_Jollett

August 19, 2017

Darn fine time play with BABAM, thousands of peaceful and enthusiastic counter-protesters.

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Dammit, thanks to Islamic terrorists and alt-right dingbats - also terrorists - it's going to be harder to enjoy watching the Blues Brothers drive the Bluesmobile through the parted crowds and then over the bridge making all in the Illinois Nazis jump in the water.

But I still hate Illinois Nazis.

August 18, 2017

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At around 1:50 they are doing some great Sousaphone flips-- I remember in high school, the older guys could do that one thing where in one fluid motion you lift up the horn, flip it around your back and replace it... never learned how to do it. Not sure if it's possible with my brass horn Scheiny, and potentially expensive (in repairs or medical bills) for this 40-something to find out!

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TIL: Trump frickin' made up a Civil War battle so he could put up a plaque about it on his golf course.

Telling quote: "Many great American soldiers, both of the North and South, died at this spot" - an earlier form of that "both sides" shtick we've heard from him lately.

FAKE HISTORY. Awesome.

August 17, 2017

I remember growing up in upstate NY and we'd have those Lender bagels, the ones in a bag... I figure we must have had them with blueberry jam along with the cream cheese, because this Greek Yogurt w/ Blueberry brings back such strong sense memories it's kind of uncanny...

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Another take from the Economist on a response to that leaked Google discrimination memo

August 16, 2017

"We're all just future cadavers, right?"
--Emmett FitzGerald on 99% Invisible's Episode on the Stethoscope. (Inventor René Laennec worked with sick patient before and after they died to learn more about what the sounds could tell us...)

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Was thinking about doing a snarky comparison with Trumps "I like winners" view on McCain set against his tolerance for statues of Robert E. Lee. Skimmed the wikipedia page on Lee. I guess the case is made that he, himself, wasn't a big defender of slavery. I mean, I'm not sure it matters; this cultural fight takes place about a lot of really important ideas, ideas that go down to the roots of what this country stands for, and how we must treat each other if we want humanity to thrive, with liberty and justice for all; but maybe it's sometimes useful to remember that sometimes specific fights are mixing up the map with the territory.

August 15, 2017

Blender of Love

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"There's a line from a Russian poem. It says: 'We love just once in a lifetime. And spend the rest of our lives looking for something similar.'"
--Man from St. Petersburg, Russia (via humans of New York) -- crazy sad tale

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No Nazis - No KKK - No Fascists USA -

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"You can't be anti-participation trophies and pro Confederate statues. They are the world's biggest participation trophies."
--http://twitter.com/DragonflyJonez

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"In the past, empires were ruled by emperors, then kingdoms were ruled by kings. Now we have countries."
--/u/IhaveBlueBoogers

August 14, 2017

Well, despite the bad news of neo-nazi dorks planning their upcoming "free speech" rally in our lovely city, in the meanwhile we can feast on the tears of yankee fans.

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I admit I'm getting a little FOMO with not going to full-eclipse-land.