Pronouns: The Musical is continue its trek this weekend featuring songs with She in the title. Curtain time is Saturday at 1:00 am (Eastern US).
Earlier this week we watched Carpool Karaoke: When Corden Met McCartney Live in Liverpool (on CBS). That was fabulous – so I encourage interested readers to watch it. Did you see it? For those wanting to know more about the show, watch this short news report.
For those who enjoy piano solos (and especially those who can read music), here’s a maddening piece only for highly skilled pianists … and to think we saw it performed live.
Our electric company gave us a report saying that last month, 54% of our usage was for cooling, 13% kitchen, 13% lighting, 9% electronics, 5% laundry, and 6% other.
This Tuesday is a special day, so I hope you stop by here.
Most of the talk about the Mueller investigation is just that – talk. Other than issuing indictments, news directly from the investigation team has been minimal. As I wait for the final report, I continue to ignore President Trump, his partisans, his partisan opponents, and much of the media’s conjecture. We will know want the special prosecutor knows when the special prosecutor issues the final report.
After the Paul Manafort verdict, President Trump boldly proclaimed, “Where’s the collusion?” An FYI to him and his Trumpian loyalists: the trial was not about any aspect of collusion. Although my advice to the president includes be careful what you ask for, Democrats should also remember both the initial FYI and the previous short.
President Trumps says, “[Cohen] makes a better deal when he uses me, like everybody else,” Trump said. “And one of the reasons I respect Paul Manafort so much is he went through that trial—you know they make up stories. People make up stories. This whole thing about flipping, they call it, I know all about flipping.” I respond with, click here.
Democrats have high hopes on gaining control of the House of Representatives. If they do so, I wonder if they are wise enough about handling impeachment.
Former CIA Director John Brennan’s description is right: President Trump is “drunk on power.”
“Truth isn’t truth” – good one Rudi!
To lead you into this week’s dose of satirical headlines, The Onion lists pros and cons for the Trump-proposed Space Force.
Weekly Headlines from The Onion (combos welcome)
Man guessing he’s stared at Giant Sequoia long enough to appreciate it
Girlfriend slowly becoming radicalized by new skin-care blog
Man feeling pressure to give mom grandchildren while she still around to raise them
Young girls creeped out by older scientists constantly trying to lure them into STEM
Minotaur wondering if there’s more to life than bashing in head of those who dare wander into labyrinth
Interesting Reads
History of the Electoral College
Required reading for all?
Explaining on the phone and on hold
Conclusions from errors in thinking
State of the news media
(Photos) Aretha Franklin’s life
To send you into the weekend and continuing the summer theme, here’s Michael Bublé with a Sinatra classic – Summer Wind. In the words of Garrison Keillor, Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.
A Frank Angle 
I did see Carpool Karaoke: When Corden Met McCartney Live in Liverpool. You are right. It is fabulous. Best thing I’ve seen for a while. It is on YouTube now. https://youtu.be/QjvzCTqkBDQ
LikeLiked by 1 person
John,
Hooray .. another reader here saw it. Caution – that link is the bit that Corden did on his show – not the entire show of this past Monday. The mistake would be Obama’s fault.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, I see that now. Still excellent.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great as usual. I loved the Aretha photos–so sad she is gone. And the pros and cons on space force were so fun! Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Patti,
You just made me happy because he visited The Onion link – that’s a regular portion of this post that I wasn’t sure how it was received/used!
LikeLike
How wonderful that the electric co gives you a breakdown of your usage. That made me curious but we don’t get such service. Usually your headlines from the Onion leave me wondering about the differences between our societies. But I found one this time that gave me a smile: “Man feeling pressure to give mom grandchildren while she still around to raise them”.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Shimon,
This is the first time I’ve noticed the electric usage stats. They have been giving us a usage graph that shows our use compared to other groups …. so we know we do much better than others. Meanwhile, I’m glad The Onion made you grin today!
LikeLike
I saw the shorter version John mentioned above of the McCartney-Corden thing. It was great.
Mueller seems to be extremely methodical. But only the true Trumpettes can deny at this point that dt has surrounded himself with corrupt and often incompetent people. We will have to wait and see where it leads.
There was certainly a variety of answers for the required reading question in the Atlantic article!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Merril,
Trumpians continually ignore information in order to validate something themselves. I do wonder when will Mueller release his report.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Worth reading as usual! The Onion is always fun. I don’t know what “truth isn’t truth” means either. Have a good weekend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jo,
Thank you. The Onion provides great satire – including political (which I try to avoid for my pages here).
LikeLike
You find really interesting “reads,” Frank. I just stopped to read the article you linked to “Conclusions from errors in thinking.” Very interesting! I was drawn to read that one, before I knew what it related to, because I’ve been thinking lately about “errors in thinking.” Potentially, my own errors! I have such strong and almost immovable thoughts about our current political “collision course,” yet I have to continually remind myself that I don’t, in fact, know the truth. I’ve been wrong before. LOL! I hate to admit that even to myself, but of course I can’t know where we’re going here! And as to your question about what will happen if Dems take control after the November election. My guess? All hell will break loose. It’s hard to be happy about that, even if I feel like I could then say a few “I told you so’s.” I’m really attempting to let things unfold without adding so much emotion to it all. That’s hard for me, but I really appreciate your thoughtful perspective. I do listen to it. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Debra,
Thanks for sharing your insight and appreciation for the thinking article and it’s application to the current situation. My fear of the Dems taking control is that they would play into his hand, therefore strengthening his grip. It’s my contrarian nature.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Unfortunately, I think your “contrarian” nature is probably right on the nose this time!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My contrarian is also staying relatively mum about Mueller … therefore not jumping to any conclusions.
LikeLike
Thanks for your inclusion of “Regard de l’Esprit de joie” (Contemplation of the joyful Spirit), which I hadn’t listened to since college when I had to analyze the chord structure for a graduate course. It is the 10th movement of the incomparable “Vingt Regards sur l’enfant-Jésus” (Twenty contemplations on the infant Jesus) a suite of 20 pieces for solo piano by the French composer Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992). The work is a meditation on the infancy of Jesus. It was composed in 1944 for Yvonne Loriod. A typical performance lasts about two hours. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vingt_Regards_sur_l%27enfant-Jésus
Considering what’s now unfolding for the White House on a daily basis, I totally agree with your comment that the Democrats will have to be wise about impeachment if they gain control of the House of Representatives.
It is AT OUR PERIL that we avoid reading the Pew Research Center’s “5 facts about the state of the news media in 2017.”
A splat from the first Onion.
LikeLike
Tim,
Interesting that you had to analyze the Messiasen piece at CCM. The piece is maddening … so I don’t hear a joyful spirit. Regarding my statement if the Dems gain control of the House, notice that I didn’t state what I would advise. Wow – the Pew article about the news media must have hit of a nerve – but not enough to prevent a splat.
LikeLike
Messiaen’s music, especially the joy part, is, admittedly, an acquired taste.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cincy,
I just do not, cannot, will not pay much attention to the myriad trials that have, are, will happen during this administration. It really feels as if we have been subjected to one after the other, and really, what WILL come of them? Other than more of the same?
I LOVED Flipper! Perfect choice for all this flipping business. That has to become a skit, somewhere, lol. Maybe with a couple of short order cooks in the kitchen flipping burgers and having an in depth discussion about flipping.
Summer Wind . . . Buble knocks the classic out of the park.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Marc,
I try to not get caught up in the stuff – there’s a fine line between staying informed and becoming consumed … especially by a partisan. As I await the Mueller report, I hear so much conjure by the talking heads and the partisans – so I wait. So I wait with several thoughts in mind – the man is a pathetic person and an even worse leader – and whatever complaints people have about the media, I continue to say, “He brings it upon himself.” Cheers to Buble!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, let’s cheer Buble and relegate all that other business to the trash. At least for this weekend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Right on!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Truth isn’t truth and a crime isn’t criminal. These guys are destroying the government and all word sensibility.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Personally, I remain calm.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Frank, I share your misgivings about Democrats having enough wisdom to govern well. I think it was Will Rogers who said, “I don’t belong to any organized political party, I’m a Democrat.” Republicans plan corruption and malfeasance circumspectly. (John McCain was an exception.) Democrats just fall into trouble naturally, and sometimes actually express shame when caught! Nevertheless, there are good ones and they often wear their hearts on their sleeves. Given that, I choose the lesser evil.
The “Space Force” idea is spectacularly awful. I can only imagine the incredulity in the Pentagon. That 40% of the population seem to think wacky stuff like this makes sense makes me wonder if our Republic is finally going to founder for good.
LikeLike