Mitch McConnell retires as Minority Leader

Senator McConnell hasn’t died, but trust me, I’m going to resist saying anything good about him. He elevated the filibuster to a regular weapon, meaning nothing can pass the Senate without 60 votes. That obviously enables the minority to halt anything it doesn’t agree with. That’s the first thing I hold against him. The second …

Continue reading ‘Mitch McConnell retires as Minority Leader’ »

The Night Before

Day 24, Christmas music. No, no, not The Beatles’ song. ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, of course! Without further ado, we’ll listen as Michele Obama reads “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” Clement Clark Moore’s wonderful 1823 poem. Moore didn’t acknowledge his authorship until he published a book of poems in 1844. There’s apparently an ongoing …

Continue reading ‘The Night Before’ »

Distant cows eat where?

Day 23, Christmas music Judy Collins looks Away in a Manger Posted by linkmeister on 15 December 2017, 8:31 pm Ms. Judy Collins sings “Away in a Manger” from her 1994 album “Come Rejoice! A Judy Collins Christmas”. It’s beautifully sung, with spoken readings from the Gospel as well. Collins is still touring, by the …

Continue reading ‘Distant cows eat where?’ »

Phantasma

Day 22, Christmas music The Phantom sees the deity Posted by linkmeister on 20 December 2017, 8:55 pm Here’s Michael Crawford (yes, the Phantom of the Opera) singing “O Holy Night,” from a 1993 NBC TV special called “David Foster’s Christmas Album.” It was recorded and is available. The song was composed by a man …

Continue reading ‘Phantasma’ »

The Velvet Fog sings his own creation

Day 21, Christmas music I’ve seen chestnuts roasting. Really. Posted by linkmeister on 21 December 2018, 8:00 am When I lived in Japan I saw 50-gallon drums turned on their ends and repurposed as charcoal grills on several street corners. I could buy a handful of hot grilled chestnuts for a couple of hundred yen. …

Continue reading ‘The Velvet Fog sings his own creation’ »

Instrumentally speaking, it’s a Silent Night

Day 18, Christmas music This is the instrument for which this beautiful song was composed. Softly, softly Posted by linkmeister on 22 December 2018, 8:00 am Tom Caulfield performs an instrumental version of “Silent Night” on guitar. From Wikipedia: The song was first performed on Christmas Eve 1818 at St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, …

Continue reading ‘Instrumentally speaking, it’s a Silent Night’ »

All you coastal elites are about to suffer this, if the weatherbeings are correct

Day 17, Christmas music All you coastal elites are about to suffer this, if the weatherbeings are correct Shovel, shovel, shovel Posted by linkmeister on 23 December 2017, 8:05 pm Here is Ella Fitzgerald singing “Let It Snow” from “Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas,” first released in 1960 but remastered and with artwork modified …

Continue reading ‘All you coastal elites are about to suffer this, if the weatherbeings are correct’ »

First past the post

Day 16, Christmas music Bob’s no Bing Crosby, but his role here is to be Marilyn’s foil. The original “Silver Bells” was in a movie Posted by linkmeister on 16 December 2017, 8:51 pm “Silver Bells” made its first appearance in the film “The Lemon Drop Kid” in 1951, sung by Marilyn Maxwell and Bob …

Continue reading ‘First past the post’ »