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Opinions in the Shorts: Vol. 420

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Only one more concert remaining for 2019. Coming to the stage this weekend, Songs of Broadway. Note:

  1. Only one song per musical, so include the musical’s name and the song title.
  2. The Producer will allow other songs from the musical only as a reply in the original string of the musical. The concert begins this Saturday (14 December) at 1:00 AM (Eastern US)

Thanks to an upset in another game, the Benevolent Impalers (my fantasy football team) finished the regular season in first place. It’s onto the playoffs as the #1 seed in the semifinals of the championship bracket.

November and December are busy times for the handbell choir. We normally play at a service once a month, but last weekend was your third time in the past four weeks – and two songs at that. (Christmas services are next on the schedule.) One piece – Cathedral Windows – was very interesting. Very easy in terms of the notes – but the nuances make the difference. Listeners will notice the switches from bells to chimes to bells. Hope you listen here.

The other song we played is a more lively piece, again with handbells and chimes.

This we we saw Dark Waters at the movie theater. A good drama about a battle between members of a community and a large chemical company. For those who will see the movie, I grew up in a town on the Ohio River about 65 miles (105 km) downstream from the chemical company. As for the movie, Thumbs Up!

Kennedy Center Honors is one of my favorite shows of the year – so for me, the pre-recorded telecast is a holiday tradition. The actual event this year honoring Earth, Wind & Fire, Sally Field, Linda Ronstadt, Sesame Street, and Michael Tilson Thomas happened last weekend. CBS is televising it this Sunday night. Check your local listings.

I recently mentioned the situation of a young child falling to her death from her grandfather’s arm while on a cruise ship. I shake my head at the news of charges against the grandfather, and I shake my head again at the this week’s news of the family filing suit against the cruise line citing negligence.

To lead you into the political section, I like this headline from The Onion that is perfect for the season and the situation. Click here to see the headline.

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I fearfully wonder if America is heading into a new presidential era – one where presidents will be impeached if the opposing party controls the House of Representatives.

I would find it interesting IF after the House Judiciary Committee draws up and approves the articles of impeachment, Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) holds back an official vote until the key people that President Trump is blocking from testifying actually testify. Personally, that would increase public approval for impeachment. Therefore, I don’t think that will happen.

On a lighter note, Stephen Colbert made me laugh with this one. (IMO, it’s worth the one minute)

To lead you into this week’s satirical headlines, The Onion provides a timeline to the first president impeachment – one of Andrew Johnson (1868).

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Weekly Headlines from The Onion (combos welcome)

Terrifying New Therapist Asks Why You Chose That Chair
Invasive restaurant franchise spreads to third state
Free-thinking cat shits outside the box
Summarians look on in confusion as God create world
Washboard Player In Jug Band Tired Of Spoons Guy Getting All The Chicks
World Wildlife Fund Apologizes After Years Of Working With Well-Known Whale Pedophile

Interesting Reads

Wondering about apostrophes
Thoughts about the future of work
World War II: A costly, unproductive battle
Gene editing and evolution
The dark side of recycling
(Graphic) The Jeff Bezos empire
(Photos) What warmth looks like
(Photos) British Ecological Society photo competition

To send you into the weekend, here’s a song about Tuesday (which isn’t on a weekend). In the words of Garrison Keillor, Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.

30 thoughts on “Opinions in the Shorts: Vol. 420”

  2. We’ve seen trailers for Dark Waters a few times, and it is one I want to see. That Stephen Colbert bit was funny. There’s no doubt in mind that dt is guilty of both charges–and more–and I also know the GOP will not convict him. I stated recently that he could murder someone in front of witnesses, and they would just try to spin it. I’m so disgusted.

    I love the Kennedy Center Honors, too, and I’ve already set the DVR in case I don’t get to it that night. It’s nice of them to broadcast it for my birthday. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Merril,

      It’s your birthday weekend, and I know you’ll won’t be idle! Enjoy … and Happy Birthday to a fellow Kennedy Center Honors lover!

      Dark Waters was partially film in Cincinnati, nearby Hamilton (for parts of Parkersburg), and in Parkersburg. Done well, sure with a political bent, but it didn’t bother me like the Dick Cheney movie.

      Glad you enjoyed the Colbert bit. At least I know someone watched. Thanks! In my opinion, if the past three years hasn’t convinced anyone of the pathetic nature of Washington, I wonder if anything will.

      Liked by 1 person

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  3. Cincy,

    That video . . . talk about vintage!

    As for the Benevolent Impalers, in the words of Bill “Spies Like Us” Belichick, it’s on to Cincinnati! Best of luck to you.

    Dark Waters looks good. I recently watched The Irishman, which I liked very much.

    Your Broadway concert should be fun!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Marc,
      I’ve heard multiple recommendations for The Irishman, so thanks for yours. What service is it one?

      Vintage is a good word for music video at the end. Did you know the song is about the time when new songs were released … Tuesday Afternoon.

      Bengals-Pats this weekend should be a joke, but the “spying” news made me laugh – OMG – worst team in football? Maybe they prepping Steve Grogan to play.

      Meanwhile, the top-seed Benevolent Impalers got off to a good start Thursday night, but will still need a good Sunday effort to move onto the finals.

      Liked by 1 person

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      • It’s quite long, but there are multiple points at which you can break it up if you didn’t want to watch the whole thing in one sitting. And it’s on Netflix.

        I did NOT know that about the song. I love it when I learn something new about a song.

        LOL! Yeah, you would think an organization whose reputation for such things is dubious at best would be more careful. The head coach insists he wasn’t aware of the video being made, but that’s not good enough. You’re the Boss, you HAVE to know these things.

        The Impalers are en fuego!

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  5. In my opinion, it would have been better had Pelosi begun the process with open hearings. The public would then be able to better decide if the facts of the case warranted impeachment. As it is, we now have a “he said/she said” situation. Also, the evidence of fact of the two articles have corresponding evidence of fact that makes the cases a question mark in a lot of people’s mind. Not having the vote and then calling witnesses would look more like political motivation rather than a constitutional mandate.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • John,
      Thanks for your thoughts, but I must respectfully disagree because Congressional hearings typically start with a series in private before going open/public phase. On the other hand, here’s where we agree – the actions of both sides are political with only one side upholding their Constitutional duty – but that’s only because doing the right thing happens to fall in their favor.

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    • Jo,
      Hooray … another person watched the Colbert video! I agree – these hearings have cemented the pathetic nature of Washington today. I’m disgusted with the whole bunch. Meanwhile, keep smiling.

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  7. Alrighty… the musical. Must try to stay awake tonight (I am not working as I am fabulously ill) – so, say, someone takes a song from “Oklahoma” and you have a song from the same musical, you can add it but under the other comment, that it? I like this idea, actually. Very cool. You are a smart cookie, yanno that?

    Congrats on your fantasy team! Whoot! Who’d a thunk, eh?

    Lovely handbell pieces.

    I want to see Dark Waters coz I love me some Mark Ruffalo and of course, it’s like an Erin Brokovitch with a flip.

    Sue-happy Americans. I swear. It’s not the Cruise Line’s fault, it was a horrible accident that the poor Grandfather will have to live with for the rest of his life. Suing will do what in the end?

    I don’t get American politics, either. I don’t remember the impeachment process being so out of this world for Clinton? Then again, I probably was paying even less attention than I am now. Everything seems to be drawn out and full of crap.

    Holy vintage video, Frank!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Dale,
      The idea for Broadway was easy, but I kept thinking about the other good songs many musicals have, then the idea came to me. I’ve tried to give examples with my early replies. But time will tell if it works and The Producer stays out of the picture.

      Brokovitch is an excellent comparison for Dark Waters. … and woo hoo … someone listened to the bells!

      From what I remember, the Clinton process was a long process. It started with investigating Whitewater, but couldn’t find anything conclusive. But various relationships were discovered. If I recall, the House Committee filed 4 counts of impeachment, but the full House approved only 2 that went to the Senate. On the other hand, some will also say that that process was a witch hunt that found something to hang there hat on.

      Oh well … see you at the musical.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  8. Calmed by the handbell piece “The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came,” interested in the reviews of the film “Dark Waters,” awakened by the splat “Invasive restaurant franchise spreads to third state,” invigorated by the 1st place finish of the “Benevolent Impalers,” worried about the demise of the apostrophe, and appalled by the GOP’s response to the House Judiciary Committee’s Articles of Impeachment against Trump brought on by his actions against Ukraine, I patiently await OITS Vol. 420 while savoring the 202 comments (so far) for “Songs from Broadway.”

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  9. The politically ratcheting up by both parties has been in effect since at least Clinton and with each successive election, gets amped up more. Personally, I think the Dems overplayed their hand. Had we not gone through months of them hanging their hats on the Mueller Report to affect support for #45, this latest bout of corruption might have actually gotten some traction. Now they look like sore losers. And yet…what do you do with a president who thinks laws don’t apply to him?

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