I Can Dream About You

Another great track from the "Streets of Fire" soundtrack.

On Mrs Robinson & The Writing of History

In the category of writers using, creating and playing with history, there's this:

When Paul Simon met Mickey Mantle on “The Dick Cavett Show,” the Mick asked him why he didn’t use his name instead of DiMaggio’s. “Wrong amount of syllables,” Simon told the Yankee star.

Simon continues: “Can you imagine, just the irony of it, I write this line, I don’t know where it comes from, about a ballplayer who I know is really famous but he’s not my favorite guy — and I end up, number one, writing one of the main obituaries . . . and then singing the song in centerfield at Yankee Stadium. I mean, our attachment was so powerful because of that song.”

from: https://pagesix.com/2014/03/07/paul-simon-clears-mystery-behind-joe-dimaggio-lyric/

On Alternative Stories & False Narratives

" Of all the harmful misinformation spread over the past couple of years, one of the most disturbing false narratives was targeted at the Nobel Prize winning HUMAN medicine, Ivermectin. We produced this short film (link below) to correct the narrative and to reveal the motive behind the smear campaign against one of the safest and most effective medicines of this era."   Mikki Willis,  author of Plandemic.    

https://plandemicseries.com/thetruthaboutivermectin/

What shows up as the stone-cold, follow-the-money heart of the matter? "For the FCA to issue an EUA (Emergency Use Authorization--issued for the Covid 19 vaccines) there must be no adequate , approved or available alternative to the candidate product for diagnosing, preventing or treating the disease or condition." 

The Man Who.....

 

General George Armstrong Custer walked into the hotel room in Washington and the notables gathered therein jumped up as though Jesus himself had entered. They looked at his as Jesus since he would have to save them. Because he was the only hope the Democratic Party had of winning the Presidency in the upcoming election in the centennial year of 1876.

The only potentate who did not rise was the nominal canid ate Governor Samuel J. Tilden of New York who had been selected by the convention to carry the banner of the Democratic party. A handsome individual in expensive clothing with a diamond stickpin in his cravat he looked at the strutting gamecock with a jaundiced eye. He had been designated as the candidate by the convention but the party bosses wanted to what you should never do. Change horses in midstream. They wanted to replace him with the Hero of the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

Bayard and Thurman who had been among the bitter rivals that had contested the nomination were leading the charge. Even Hendricks who Tilden had taken on as his Vice-Presidential nominee was in on the attempt to steal the nomination. The only one who refrained was General Winfield Scott Hancock who thought if a general was to be the nominee it could only be him.

The problem was that the “soft money” contingent led by John Kelly from his own state of New York wanted to abrogate his victory and turn to a successful general to combat the dominance of the Republican Party ever since the War Between the State. They wanted to flood the nation with greenbacks instead of going back to the gold standard that Tilden embraced. This strutting peacock would be their puppet in this since he knew about as much about economics as a dog did about Latin. It is the rest of the duties of a President that would be the rub.

“Gentlemen thank you for inviting me to meet with you today. I have just arrived from the Dakota’s where we put paid to the savages as you well know.” Custer stood tall in his fringed buckskin jacket and battered felt hat like he had just ridden in from the battlefield. He was a theatrical presence of that there could be no doubt. He couldn’t even appear in his correct dress uniform. If these idiots thought they would control this vainglorious lout they had another thing coming. There was no doubt that he would take them into another war.

“Please sit down General and we can put our proposal to you.” John Kelly motioned to a seat in the middle of a circle of chairs that had been set up for the group to discuss their plans. It seemed that the New York Tammany Hall ward heeler had been chosen to be the spokesman for the group. Which was bad news for the Governor since his bitter break with Tammany Hall had poisoned the well. Now the Sachem would have his revenge by stealing the nomination.

Senator Bayard of Delaware took up the torch. “General we are faced with a conundrum. You know the efforts the party has made to break through the prejudice that the nation feels towards our great party because of the late unpleasantness. General Grant has run his course and is not the candidate. We need a general of our own to compete and we need someone of your demonstrated bravery and competence to once more lead the charge.”

General Custer sat back in his chair and asked the obvious question. “I am sorry but I thought the convention is over and Governor Tilden has accepted the nomination? Or have I been misinformed?” Tilden leaned forward and said “Yes there is that Bayard.” “Now Samuel you know that we have discussed this. A unanimous vote of the committee can allow us to change the nominee. We have the votes. I had hoped you would acquiesce. For the good of the party. For the good of the Nation. A General especially a hero of both the War and the ongoing conflict with the Indians would be a far easier matter than a mere governor. Sorry to be so blunt but there it is.”

Governor Tilden was incensed at the caviler treatment of his candidacy by this cabal of fat cats and corrupt politicians. A reformer who fought the good fight, he was not going to surrender without a fight. “I was fairly elected as the Democratic Candidate for President and I have no intention of stepping down.”

General Custer turned to look at the group and did not say anything. He was here at their invitation and knew enough to be discreet. Finally, a voice in the corner spoke up.

“You have to realize Samuel. They have the votes, and they are determined. If you try to fight it you will lose and maybe sink any chance we have of finally defeating the Republicans,” said Horatio Seymour which was a stab in the back. Tilden had managed his campaigns including his losing” campaign for President. For Seymour to tell him there was no chance meant that it was true.

“Et tu Horatio,” Tilden sighed. “I will not stand in the way of the party. We need to defeat the Republicans at all cost. We cannot let their continual subjugation of the South to continue. If we do, we are in danger of the hostilities breaking out once again. But I learned long ago not to buy a pig in a poke. We need to ask the General what his plans are since I am not aware of him ever announcing them to the public at large.”

“That is a very astute observation,” Senator Bayard said quickly. “General if you are to be our candidate can you share you views with us.”

One Man ......Twelve Stories

 

I am currently reading this anthology called "Spear Havoc." It is twelve different stories about William the Conqueror the Norman Bastard who conquered England in 1066.

Each story imagines a different outcome if this or that changed in the history of this notable historical figure. You know the "Great Man" theory of history. I thought this was a great concept. The stories themselves are very well written and interesting. Short enough to hold your interest but long enough to make you think. I highly recommend the book which is free if you have Kindle Unlimited.

It got me thinking of what would happen if you did the same thing to other historical figures. Abe Lincoln. JFK. Nixon. Trump. Biden?

I do find it interesting that in almost every alternative history where JFK doesn't get assassinated, we end up in a nuclear war with Russia and America is destroyed. Every single one! That tells you something.

I do concede it will be very difficult do one about Biden as America is being destroyed piecemeal and we aren't even in a war. How can you improve on history?

Still maybe I might try my hand at this. I just have to come up with the right figure. I was thinking either George Armstrong Custer or Alexander Hamilton.

Who would you pick?

Goin' Nowhere Fast

One of my favorite movies of all time. A retelling of "The Searchers" with the music of Jim Steinman who wrote all of the songs on Meat Loaf's "Bat Out of Hell" album.

Williman Defore plays Raven who is the stand in for Scar with a creepy belligerence that is very entertaining.

Diane Lane as the luscious Ellen Aim in the Natalie Wood role.

Michael Pare plays Cody the John Wayne roll.

Amy Madigan plays the Walter Brennan part.

Great action. Great Music. A Great Movie in my book.

I watch it at least five times a year.

Ireland memorializing the death of the Queen Elizabeth,

That bullshit is over.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programing.

Trans A.J. Soprano

Those who doubt me....

On Flips, Forks & Pokes

 

And a poke in the name of Levity for the OG who runs this place:

Never invest in anything that eats

                        

I recently read a book entitled "The Deadwood Bible", put together by Matt Zoller Seitz. It tells the story of how the television show "Deadwood" came to be, and focuses on the work of David Milch, who was also involved in several other television shows, such as "NYPD Blue". 

Milch was a spoiled and damaged child who was highly intelligent but deeply flawed. He excelled at writing and had some good teachers. He also developed self-destructive addictions such as gambling and ingesting heroin. 

Now he is demented and lives in a care facility. My take away from his life story is as follows - he was smart enough to amass a one hundred million dollar fortune and stupid enough to squander it. The book delves into the psychology of why he went broke, but none of that rings true. My guess would be idiocy.

Opiates remove pain - I get that. Being pain-free is perhaps desirable but pain is also useful. 

Gambling is based on the self-delusion that one can predict the future. Guess what, that's a losing bet.

The subtitle of the book is "A Lie Agreed Upon" which is based on a quote attributed to Napoleon "History is a set of lies agreed upon". And while that is true, it's not clear that he ever said it. We currently live in an age where the lies are promulgated by the media and swallowed whole by the braindead masses. I won't list them here, but I will mention one popular lie of omission - leftists like to spout "Hitler burned books!!!11!!" but they never mention the titles nor the content nor the authors of those books. I will leave that research to the reader.

On Whiffs & Complements

Given how many times the photo of the girl/babe/woman with the machine gun sticking out of her/its hind end has been tacked up and used here at Levity and elsewhere to accompany whiffs of perverted poetry and other assorted thoughts, I laughed when I saw this one in the Powerline collection.  It came through as the perfect complement, the blown-up version of swords to plowshares. 

On Silence & Lost Minds

 

On Sticks & Stoned

 

Lots of Pillow Action and pokes at Organized Crime over on Powerline's THE WEEK IN PICTURES: MARTHA’S VINEYARD AGONISTES EDITION, with these two found there falling into Pointed Ponderings On Reversals category. 

On Dopes & Raids of One Kind or Another

 

"Mexico and China are the primary source countries for fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked directly into the United States"

On Evolution, Involution & Where to from Here?

 

As I see it, based on personal life experience with public, private and homeschooling alternatives, school choice for all is the best, most reasonable and I'd go so far as to say most workable answer, for a time such as this. 

On Stumbling & Walking Uphill

"Queen Elizabeth II passed away hours before Dr Jordan B Peterson would give a public lecture. At this event, he was asked, “How could the death of the Queen affect the boundaries between English communities around the world?” His answer was honest and thought-provoking. He explores the weight and grandeur of the monarchical system, the legacy of its longest-reigning Queen, and the great loss so many have to bear."

Not only was it helpful to hear him explain the role of the monarchy and the weight of symbolism in a political system with four divisions of power, using a story about his experience of Donald Trump at the Kentucky Derby, I also appreciated his close with this ending, which came through to me as an admonition and encouragement for us in our country, as he addressed it to those who are part of another:

"So what do we think?  What’s going to happen with the Commonwealth?  Well.  Maybe we’ll wise up and recognize that we have something absolutely precious to guard, and then maybe we’ll guard it.  But to do that we’re going to have to defend ourselves against unwarranted accusations of guilt, not that there’s not something to be guilty about.  Because we’re all the beneficiaries of the atrocities of history and we have to atone for that in our personal behavior.  But by the same token, man,  you’re supposed to separate the wheat from the chaff and not just call it all chaff.  And when you look at your own history, you think, we stumbled plenty but we still walked uphill.   And you, in your country, you can say that more than most."

On Problem Tracking & Recognition

 

On Sights & Smells; Thoughts & Prayers

Once again, Insty came through with what I needed yesterday by presenting a link to a post entitled: I Was In Manhattan 9/11/01, The Sights And Smells Are Still Fresh In My Mind, written by Jeff Dunetz.

At the close of that written recollection of memories and thoughts, Dunetz included a prayer (copied below), in which a blessing of intelligence, honor, compassion and love for the constitution is asked for on behalf of those who lead.  I was taken aback when I read it, unwilling at first to give up my belief in the impossibility of any of those traits showing up in those mentioned.  Not at this stage of the game. 

"The chance of that happening," I inwardly harrumphed (going back to the words at the start of the prayer), "would be as likely as a road in the sea or a path in mighty water!"  It then took another moment to connect Dunetz's mention of going to a synagogue with the dawning awareness the notion and improbability of a road in the sea was probably linked to the story of the parting of the Red Sea as recorded in the Torah.  (With that unusual save, as the story goes, followed by 40 years of wandering around before any promised land was reached!).  At which point I realized I've also seen, in almost 70 years of wandering around, enough unexpected moments of goodness showing up outside and beyond my control to affirm roads and paths can and do turn up in unlikely ways and places.  

One of the scenes that's stayed with me from 9/11/01 involved watching the live feed from a TV reporter who'd run into the studio breathless and covered in debris.  She was close to overwhelm as she took the mic and described running ahead of the dust cloud, and how as it was almost upon her, when a fireman pushed her into a doorway and covered her with his body and coat.  She didn't know who he was, but she believed he'd saved her life.  She was so moved (and in shock) she could hardly speak about it.  There in the midst of all that horror, one unknown person who'd dedicated himself to help and save others, had done so and made a difference.  It was an act of good that mattered and to this day serves as a touchstone and a reminder to me of the difference one person, one selfless act can make. 

Here's the prayer.  Though not my style, I appreciated the focus and opportunity for refocus it offered, and was willing to read it as a request.   

Lord who grants salvation to kings and dominion to rulers, Whose kingdom is a kingdom spanning the entire universe and all eternities; Who places a road in the sea and a path in the mighty waters – may you bless the President, the Vice President, and all the constituted officers of government of this land. May they execute their responsibilities with intelligence, honor, compassion and love for the constitution wonderfully crafted by our founding fathers. May you grant them the understanding that the threat of terrorism still exists, and the knowledge of how to eradicate it from the world you created. May you always bless these United States and provide our leaders with the comprehension of your role in making this republic the land of the free and the home of the brave.

On Unusual Images & Listening to Words

"Images have power, as do words, and while most of the world lives daily in a bath of distraction (social media and otherwise) just now people are paying attention. They’re taking in unusual images. They’re listening to the words. They are being subjected to rhetoric, and not the sort of bombastic, spittle-flecked, politically-motivated and agenda-driven ranting that has become part of our daily dyspeptic fare but a rhetoric of reassurance, offered in calm tones by well-modulated voices — the rhetoric of continuance that is uniquely British in character and pronouncement. Emotion, the cheap and inefficient fuel that drives so much in the 21st Century, is here capped and tucked away. The trumpeters breathe out a fanfare; the Lord Mayor makes a pronouncement; the Prime Minister signs a form in silence. The new King speaks clearly, directly and with a gravity few have expected from him. While his speech is widely praised as being “note-perfect”, its greatest eloquence comes from his blue, narrow-set eyes, which lower at times with a touching humility that catches us off-guard, exposing a controlled yet naked grief each time they are raised. We are reminded that this new-yet-elderly king (who once referred to himself as an anachronism), is after all a man, and one with faults like all of us. He is a man who had a mother and a father who very likely failed him in many ways (as all parents do), giving him acquaintance with the ache and confusion of a love that comes with lessons, and even with expectations.

It is the love that trips all of us up, whether we are parents or children — the love that gives all of us a soft underbelly of vulnerability to each other and (if we are lucky) keeps us human, and humane. One needn’t be a monarchist in order to be moved by the recognizable signs of grief that are common to all of us."

From the Anchoress, on The Power and Value of Words, received via a recent link on Insty.  

Boris also managed to sort-of control his hair and deliver with dignity another set of appropriate and powerful words, in which he acknowledged personal grief, recognized the sense of loss the British Nation was experiencing, and conferred honor as he expressed his regard for the character of the Queen and the historical role she served in their Constitutional Monarchy.  

From Hells Heart I Stab At Thee

 Stop starring at my tits!

On Big & Little Deals

Powerline came through with a set in their God Save the Queen Edition this week that made me smile and nod along until I reached the Close to Unbelievable photo at the bottom of this post which fell into the Wonders Never Cease category of Big and Little Deals.  It solicited a burst of outright laughter and left me with a lingering sense of OMG incredulity.   

"This week in tablecloth fashion: she’s either running again, or hiding the Lindberg baby."

On closer inspection, do those bursts bear a striking resemblance to Covid Balls???  How weird is that? Who you gonna believe?  Her, or the sick patterns surrounding her as she parades around looking like a walking symbol of toxicity and outright lies?   And the hat???  That alone warrants another chorus of Ding Dong when this sideshow posed as the main event come to an end.  

On Different Angles & Points of View

 

These are the two photos I saw used in online articles yesterday and today, with the second showing up in a memorial collection presented by a prominent British paper.  My favorite of this series, however, reveals something good in both of them, portraying a moment of what appears to be genuine delight and shared laughter. 

 

Ding Dong the Witch is Dead

On Priorities & Strategy

 

House of the Dragon - Tourney Jousting

The first few episodes have been ok.

The jousting in the first episode was particularly well done. They spent a lot in the pilot which is not reflected in later episodes. But it is easier to follow than the original GOT. So, there's that.

I will keep watching for now. 

Abe Vigoda on ee cummings

 

mr youse needn't be so spry

concernin questions arty
each has his tastes but as for i
i likes a certain party
gimme the he-man's solid bliss
for youse ideas i'll match youse
a pretty girl who naked is
is worth a million statues

but i don't care

because i look like jim from the office

in my younger days.

Sailing

 This is what Gavin McInnis has been doing. Some thought he was under arrest. Only his development as a man has been arrested:

On Small & Large Realities from There to Here

 Sometimes it takes awhile for the humor to percolate and filter through the initial dismay, disbelief and sense of disempowerment I experience in the face of the political distortions, twists and gaslighting currently being used to deflect from reality these days.   Though I wasn't in the mood to do much laughing over the joke of the nonreducing Inflation Reduction Act when it was first approved, these two from Powerline's Week in Pictures: Leni Riefenstahl Edition, made it through today as hitting the mark, along with my appreciation of scale with regard to other small and large realities.

On Weapons, Wallpaper & Loose Cannons

 

Elsewhere, the word malevolent comes up as a descriptor:

Definition of malevolent

1: having, showing, or arising from intense often vicious ill will, spite, or hatred

2: productive of harm or evil

Breaking news

I hope Trooper can withstand the shock:

On Prepping for Prime Time & Unity, You Fascist