Fleetwood Mac delivered a great show at last weekend’s aFa Weekend Concert. Reminder – no concert this weekend – but it returns next weekend with the Queen of Soul: Aretha Franklin!
Due to a hectic personal schedule, I’m unsure about the timing of the next post.
With baseball spring training in progress, 2019 will mark the 150th anniversary of the Cincinnati Reds franchise – the oldest in Major League Baseball.
As a whole, the dress on Oscars night disappointed me enough to mention it here. Actually, many were head scratchers, but thumbs up to Amy Adams, Constance Wu, Tina Fey, Amandla Stenberg, Regina King, Jennifer Lopez, and Julia Roberts.
I imagine most readers here are not familiar with Sister Rose Ann Fleming – so a Cincinnati legend, so this is a good story.
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With the final Mueller report seemingly being on the near horizon, my skeptic side feels the narratives are already established – therefore, changing nothing with the Democratic narrative and the Republican narrative are set. The unknown question is how will voters react? Then again, by the time November 2020 arrives, will voters even remember?
I normally don’t read columns by Marc Thiessen (Washington Post) because of his partisan nature. However, something compelled me to read this one, and I smiled.
A friend asked me if I thought Joe Biden could beat Donald Trump in November 2020. I said YES, but added I’m not sure he can get the Democratic nomination.
To lead you into the weekly dose of satire, The Onion looks back at the biggest Oscar snubs in history.
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Weekly Headlines from The Onion (combos welcome)
Teen on verge of either joining ISIS or getting super into rollerblading
Unclear why stagehand wrote heartfelt little notes to everyone in cast
Poor attendance at intervention a wake-up call
Bouncer who is not that big must be crazy
Chef makes hamburger
Interesting Reads
The US-EU trade war with olives
Evolution and humans drinking milk
Fats Domino
A Holocaust story
Verona + gnocchi = gnocchio
Correlating personal happiness and leisure time
(Photos) Iconic views
(Photos) Elton John through the years
To send you into the weekend, let’s go back to the time of Linda Ronstadt. In the words of Garrison Keillor, Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.
Great post Frank. I love Linda Rondstadt and this is a favorite. Ironically I saw her a documentary about her two nights ago !
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Holly,
Thank you. What’s the name of the documentary? Where did you see it?
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I saw it on Reelz. She was interviewed and went into detail as to when she first knew she was having a problem and how she was dx with MS.
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Thank you!
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Frank I would not be surprised oof you found it on you tube under Linda Ronstadt.
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I’m in agreement with you, once again, about Biden! I think he’d win. But I think the Dems are going to shoot themselves in the foot. Crazy times! I stopped and read two of your articles as soon as I saw the titles. I’m interested in the olive tariff and resulting trade issues. Very interesting article. And I couldn’t resist the one on the Holocaust. What an article. I hope many people stop to read this. I’ll eventually probably read more from your interesting list. I always look forward to seeing what you’ve found for us! 🙂
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Debra,
The Dems missed a layup on 2016 and may be willing for a repeat performance in 2020. Who can united them? Who knows – but unity may force a candidate to be who they aren’t – and that’s seldom a good recipe for success. Thanks for letting me know you found some good reads!
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it’s going to be a bumpy ride, I fear, Frank, but interesting. I am never bored–exhausted, but not bored! LOL!
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Definitely going to be bumpy … especially now that the left is pushing hard against the party moderates (just like the Tea Party did to the GOP moderates).
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JLo looks fab but that disco ball dress? I dunno. And oh. em. gee. What was up with Charlize Theron’s curtain-dress-thing and dark hair?
Sigh. I’ll be patient for Aretha 😉
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I’ll be patient, too. Why aren’t the stars wearing Art gowns? 😀 ⚡️💥:D
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I agree … They need to call you!
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Really. Get your butt out there and show ’em something worthwhile! 😊🧞♀️👗😘
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Dale,
Charlize Theron looked horrible (dress and hair)!
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Awful… Mick would have been so disappointed in his “Babe”…
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That feeling is such a downer. Do you think he would have dethroned her from her lofty status?
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I think it might have taken a bit more…😊😉
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Love The Onion–always, but especially its take on past Oscar snubs. Thanks for the usual fun of your Opinion in the Shorts. Looking forward to the Aretha Franklin concert. Have a good weekend.
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Patti,
The Onion sure provides many laughs … and many political ones that I seldom use here.
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I read the Holocaust article, too.
It made me think of Elijah Cummings’ closing remarks about what did you do in 2019. People are becoming very accepting of the new normal.
Have a good weekend, Frank.
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Merril,
Glad you found a read of in the list … and well stated about the new normal. How sad.
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I totally share your – ‘Will the voters even remember?’ worries, especially after last Wed. watching on TV what was truly the mother of all political circuses, as the U.S. House of Rep. Committee Members grilled former Trump personal attorney Robert Cohen. I can only hope that Robert Mueller’s boa constrictor-like, follow-the-money strategy, will in the end save the Republic.
Last year I made it to “Fat Tuesday” in New Orleans. Why not “Gnocchi Friday” in Verona, Italy in 2020!
Hoping to find enough time to read “Correlating personal happiness and leisure time.”
Be assured that I’m digging into my jazz archives for your Aretha Franklin fest.
No splats.
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Tim,
Congressional hearings are more about show than discovery with one side feasting as a feeding frenzy – the other acting to circle the wagons for protection. This one was no different than the past … and sadly … the future probably will be no different.
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Happy weekend, Frank and a joyful March!!!!!!! Yamas!
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Marina,
Hope you have had a good weekend so far!
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Cincy,
I don’t know if Biden will get the nomination either, but I hope he does. Because we will have found someone who won’t back down or be thrown off by the Trumpian strategy of throwing shit at a wall and waiting to see what sticks (Pun intended).
WHAT a story! I bookmarked it, and thank you!
Interesting how the Cohen hearings are reported depending on who you watch. On the eve of Cohen appearing before Congress, Don Lemon and his guests were reading over the talking points of what Cohen would say. Pretty damning stuff. So at the commercial break, I turned to Fox News. Crickets.
More reason to want Biden.
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Marc,
Biden will determine punch and counterpunch! About the Cincinnati nun, if you want, there are more stories out there about her.
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I might need to start dishing up requests for these Friday heroes. It seems my nose for news does not like delving in the feel good stuff. I think Darth Vader really did a number on me when I was young and impressionable.
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I think you original intent was Heroes … especially the unsung ones. So, I’m out there watching for you. 🙂
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You da man!
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The primaries will be nothing if not entertaining. I think there are a lot of Dems trying to get out there just to secure whatever wind in their sails they can should Uncle Joe toss his hat in the ring. With Jay Islee’s entry, it’s getting interesting…at least if you’re contemplating viable VP candidates. 😉
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Monika,
The Dems race will be a three-ring circus … well, at least at in the early stages. Once the contenders are identified, will be interesting to see what happens. Meanwhile, I will sit their race out.
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I think both parties will have ‘candidate problems’ and if people don’t get better informed, we’ll continue to have the same caliber of candidates and officials.
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A large block of people determine their vote by party affiliation, not by individuals. It’s always been that way, and unfortunately, will always be … and with the divide getting larger, no end in sight (in my opinion).
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Didn’t know that about the Reds. Maybe they’ll have a stronger team this year. Re narratives: somewhere there are facts, some narratives are true, others not. The truth part always makes the difference for me.
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Bumba,
Yep – that history is a source of local pride in Cincinnati. Teams have struggled in recent years … and a long draught without a playoff win (besides not many appearances). On paper, this year’s team is better – but time will tell.
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Congrats to the Cincy Reds. OPne of the greatest teams ever The Big Red Machine; is not high enough on all time lists. I have always believe they were one of the greatest team ever.
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Drew,
Absolutely. The Big Red Machine was one of the all-time bests … and anyone not thinking so is clueless. At least you know better.
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Morgan, Bench, Rose…..
They crushed my Yankees in ’96 and I was in awe.
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That was a great team. Unknown factoid – Reds have won 9 World Series games in a row.
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Yes, they have. I believe the PInella led Reds swept Oakland in the early 90s. The sweep of ther Yanks in ’76 and game seven in one of the best series ever against the Boston Red Sox in 1975.
I am a baseball nut.
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You are on it!
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I’m glad you can discuss the Reds in terms of age. At least that is one thing. 😀
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John,
No kidding because this franchise has struggled in recent years. Horrible!
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Linda Ronstadt, one of my all time favorite female voices. So sad she can no longer sing.
How interesting about Biden, I’ve heard others express the same opinion, that he can beat Trump but he may not get his own party’s nomination. I wonder what that says about the Democratic party.
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George,
Glad I was able to make you smile with my Ronstadt selection. Not that long ago I saw a fabulous interview with her … I think it was on CBS (so it’s own there on YouTube). Meanwhile, the Dems are going through their own internal issues – especially now that they have an energized version of their Tea Party.
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Yes, I saw the same interview. It was very interesting.
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I think Thiessen gives Trump too much credit when he assumes Trump’s goal is to obtain a Wall. The Wall itself is finished or not is secondary to pandering to his 80% GOP base. Trump the reality TV man is selling the sizzle, not the steak.
I found the “read” on human evolution and milk interesting. The researcher’s statement about milk containing vitamin D however is misleading in the evolutionary sense. Commercially produced milk does contain significant amounts of it because it is added but the natural stuff contains only “trace amounts.”
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Jim
As always, thanks for letting me know you found something interesting in my list of reads. As a columnist, Thiessen is very partisan, but at least this time he got on Republicans!
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They should be wearing Art Gowns at the awards!
Love the Linda vid!
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Resa,
Absolutely … have you ever been contacted?
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Not!
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😪
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Love the choice of Music Frank.. and enjoy your Baseball season.. Good thing I ate lunch, or this post could have started hunger pangs! 😀
Enjoy Sunday and your week ahead Frank 🙂
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Sue,
LOL … I was thinking, why would this post stimulate hunger? … then I remembered the images! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed a bit of Linda Ronstadt!
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🙂 🙂
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