Climate consequences

Freak Storms and Butterfly Die-Offs: Welcome to the Future We've Been Warning You About: http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/136367533/0/alternet~Freak-Storms-and-Butterfly-DieOffs-Welcome-to-the-Future-Weve-Been-Warning-You-About

Good people

Northwest Volunteers Want To Help Restore Malheur Refuge http://www.opb.org/news/series/burns-oregon-standoff-bundy-militia-news-updates/northwest-volunteers-restore-malheur-refuge-occupation-oregon/

Not so super

I thought you might like this story from The Washington Post.
These global sporting events totally dwarf the Super Bowl
http://wapo.st/20MGGoh

Terrific

Number of Victims of Female Genital Mutilation is 70 Million Higher Than Thought: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Truthdig/~3/8lEddJOp9No/

Left press

There's increasing meanness in the almost universal attacks on Hillary in the progressive press. The earlier more civil tone is gone. This may come back to haunt Democrats.

Two months ago it looked impossible to me that the next President would be Republican. By the time S and C get done with each other, Republicans may be the favorite.

Jock as egomaniac

I thought you might like this story from The Washington Post.
Cam Newton is brilliant and beautiful. Just ask the Carolina Panthers QB.
http://wapo.st/1S5JfQW

Troubled jock

I thought you might like this story from The Washington Post.
Johnny Manziel dropped by agent, as father fears for quarterback’s life
http://wapo.st/1TJgMzK

Area of my disagreement

I thought you might like this story from The Washington Post.
Bernie Sanders has deep faith in the American people
http://wapo.st/1K2NLNF

The Coen films

I thought you might like this story from The Washington Post.
Our definitive ranking of every Coen brothers film
http://wapo.st/1Pb4AVf

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I came to Portland in the late 1970s after the breakup of my marriage. This is the first of my plays to be done here, starting a decade plus love affair with Portland theater, during which I was the resident playwright at two companies. In 1988 a retrospective was done of my work, a theater dedicating its season to my plays, ending with a new one commissioned by the Oregon Arts Commission -- and this amounted to a wake. I was dead in Portland thereafter. But no matter, by then I was obsessed with hyperdrama and writing for a European market.

 

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I don't consider myself a poet. I began writing poems because they were in my head when I woke up in the morning. I decided to set them down. I have no idea how they got there.

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An autobiographical novella. Yes, Baumholder was really like this! The ultimate compliment, a fellow linguist gave copies to his sons so they could share his military experience.

Elephant in the room

The real issue for the Democrats is Capitalism. Sanders is against it, Clinton is for it. I'm against it, too. But Sanders can't come out and say it. He's pushing his beliefs through the back door, and Republicans will skewer him for it later.

If Sanders can turn blacks and Hispanics against Capitalism, he can win. Sanders' greatest foe is American mythology.

Clinton's best shot is to embrace Capitalism straight out but argue it has been hijacked. Clinton's greatest strength is style. Sanders comes off as a grumpy one issue old man. Right or wrong is irrelevant in politics.

Sanders needs a very active Elizabeth Warren on the ticket. She has great style. He should appoint her NOW so she can campaign for him.

It will be a fun battle to watch. Political theater.

Gee, I wonder why

Gun deaths in the US are 25 times higher than elsewhere: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheRawStory/~3/iAgfJqEhXM8/

Racism

America isn't more racist. It's just shouting it instead of whispering

http://gu.com/p/4ge35?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Bloggeroid

Quitting football

Quitting The Gridiron When Football Runs Through The Family http://www.opb.org/news/article/npr-quitting-the-gridiron-when-football-runs-through-the-family/

Idealism v Pragmatism

My best friend and I argued endlessly about the 1968 election ... I was for Dick Gregory and the Peace and Freedom Party. Dick argued this was a vote for Nixon against Humphrey. I said principles trumped results. Dick said this was political masturbation.

I lost big time. And I lost more painfully backing McGovern in 1972. I began to question idealism in American politics.

All this taints my view of Sanders' run. I don't trust "the people" much any more. I think there is a very practical reason Republicans are drooling for Sanders to be the candidate. They can red wash him with his own words out of context and tons of stupid folks will buy it. Clinton, on the other hand, has been in the Republican fire for so long it's old, boring news.

I think Sanders has a real good shot to get the nomination. I don't think he has a chance in hell to win.

Debate

Looked to me a lot like idealism v. pragmatism. My heart likes the first, my brain moves to the second. Too simple, of course. Sanders was great but I think Clinton made some headway, turning black/white to gray . I might vote the gender card.

"The People"

Sanders has a great deal of faith that "the people" will follow his lead to have "a political revolution." Woody Guthrie had a similar faith that the people could act in their own self-interest. So did Thornton Wilder.

Once upon a time, so did I.

But no longer. I think that too large a portion of the citizenry is too ignorant of too much to do more than knee jerk cliches of American mythology. The "educated citizenry" that Wayne Morse believed essential to our national well being does not exist today.

As a result, I think the election will be determined by compromises and coalitions and might even go to the House if Representatives, so divided is the angry nation. In this context, I think Clinton is more electable than Sanders, clearly the more progressive candidate.

But I'm not betting on the Dems to win.

Losing the Bern

I think Sanders is right that we need a political revolution. I think it's wishful thinking that it can happen in America now. There's a reason Republicans lay off him -- as one commentator noted, they're already painting hammers and sickles on posters.

I don't think he's electable.

Corporate sports call shots

Super Bowl protests flare up over plight of San Francisco’s homeless residents

http://gu.com/p/4gd55?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Bloggeroid

Key endorsement

Highlighting Bernie Sanders’ Broad Appeal, Former NAACP Head Readies Key Endorsement: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Truthdig/~3/1X4BdLV-7Wg/

Non white voters will make or break Sanders.

Writing historical fiction

https://newrepublic.com/article/128877/can-historical-novel-also-serious-literature

Joan Didion, writer and legend

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2016/02/joan-didion-writer-los-angeles#8

Newsweek on right wing extremists

http://www.newsweek.com/2016/02/12/right-wing-extremists-militants-bigger-threat-america-isis-jihadists-422743.html

About time

Oregon militia faces conspiracy charges over 'force, intimidation and threats'

http://gu.com/p/4gex7?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Bloggeroid

Let me outta here!

I thought you might like this story from The Washington Post.
Buzz Aldrin: The next giant leap for space exploration
http://wapo.st/20GJoMf

Variation

This last loaf of rye bread is my best ever. I doubled the rye flour and dropped the caraway seeds. A keeper.

"Heaven, I'm in heaven ..."

Insomnia

The mind is a drunken uncle
repeating bad jokes at Thanksgiving
making lewd remarks to the women
throwing gasoline on family feuds
who snickers through the prayer
who coughs on the food
who farts at the table
who annoys everyone
who won't go away

for whom no one gives thanks

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R.I.P.

I thought you might like this story from The Washington Post.
Bob Elliott, master satirist of radio fame, dies at 92
http://wapo.st/1JYuCMI

Book hypes

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2016/02/why_are_book_trailers_for_literary_fiction_so_self_loathing.single.html

A worry

Oregon ranchers fear impact of militia standoff: 'We all look like crazies'

http://gu.com/p/4gb7f?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Bloggeroid

Senior moment

Sitting in my basement office today -- and sudden panic! My bookshelves, largely filled with my own books, were bare! Gone, too, the three wonderful hand-crafted statuettes for Best New Play in the 1980s. Had I been robbed?

Took about 10 minutes before I explored a little and found a stack of packed boxes labeled Office Stuff. Cracked one open, yep, there it is. Jumping the gun, I guess.

Old age!

Perspective

Professor Who Exposed Flint Crisis Says Greed Has Killed Public Science: http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/02/03/professor-who-exposed-flint-crisis-says-greed-has-killed-public-science

Funky day

Manuscript printed to mail to L in LA, some tax return prep, a few more rewrites of one act, cooking, west coast jazz, counting my blessings.

Irrational feeling this will be a good year for me.

Good news and bad news

A Record Number Of People Were Exonerated In 2015 For Crimes They Didn’t Commit - http://huff.to/1X2av20

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