Motley Kamuka

Stringer facing 3 women alleging he was inappropriate, assaultive. Stringer, "who, along with some of his top supporters, has preached a zero-tolerance message in other instances of allegations against public officials..." I had Stringer #4 on my list, I put the women up top. Who do I let onto the list? Adams or Yang? I could just have 4. I don't like Yang because he hasn't worked in government. Perhaps he could work in government and then run. And Adams, while leading an impressive life, brags about being a poor student and says he's going to out-white whites. Not sure what that means, but somehow I take umbrage. I have Donovan at #4 now, because he's worked in government and know about housing a big issue. I don't like any of the other candidates. McGuire is like Yang, never worked a lick in government and thinks he can just waltz into the top position. I guess putting Adams as #5, he blocks the unqualified Yang.  Honestly I won't be heartbroken if ...

Eyes that make mine lower   Des yeux qui font baisser les miens  A laugh that is lost on his mouth  Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche  Here is the portrait without retouching  Voilà le portrait sans retouches  From the man I belong to De l'homme auquel j'appartiens When he takes me in his arms  Quand il me prend dans ses bras  He whispers to me  Il me parle tout bas  I see life in pink Je vois la vie en rose He tell me love words  Il me dit des mots d'amour  Everyday words  Des mots de tous les jours  And it does something to me Et ça me fait quelque chose He has entered in my heart  Il est entré dans mon cœur  A slice of happiness  Une part de bonheur  That I know the reason Dont je connais la cause It's him for me, me for him in life  C'est lui pour moi, moi pour lui dans la vie  He told me, swore it for life Il me l'a dit, l'a juré pour la vie And as soon as I see him  Et dès que ...

Here's a good video podcast on the role of abolitionism in the Concord Transcendentalist, with playwright Tamara Rose, and historian Richard Smith . I couldn't get into the Sojourner Truth autobiography and just couldn't grind too much on Frederick Douglass' biography. Even though I've wandered (gotten sidetracked by Dante ), I am still interested in the Transcendentalists. And these two people are running a facebook group that I'm following. They talk about A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin , which is the research Stowe put into her novel. Next topic is James Very and mental health, and I'm looking forward to May. I've never heard of Julia Ward Howe, so I might be sitting out June, but July is Walden!

I read the first canto of The Divine Comedy 's Paradiso . Of course it's a Christian fantasy, but I'm looking for ideas for Pure Lands. I thought that was the first book, but it starts with the Inferno . I thought it was those two, but there's Purgatorio . "It is widely considered to be the pre-eminent work in Italian literature and one of the greatest works of world literature." My grandmother thought she would have wings when she went to heaven.  Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) was born in Florence. He was exiled, and that caused him to write his poems. Similar to Machiavelli, who was also banished. Or Montesquieu who simply retired to the country. Getting into the Christian system, albeit with an eloquent writer, feels like it could be a slog. Like reading Freud to get his whole system, it's just quite a lot, and it's not a coherent system. I'm OK with the systems of Taoism and Buddhism because they don't feel that huge, drawn out, though I don...

You couldn't have a better title to a memoir in these times. You can read about Humbert Humbert, and other male narratives, but the female narrative of the statutory rape is fulfilled by this book. I feel slightly ill while reading this book. What she goes through is off, and it's hard to put a finger on it besides  Hebephilia . All the collaborating details from her mother, to her doctors, to her father. Vanessa Springora will be remembered for other things, she is a director and a publisher. I'm not sure if  Gabriel Matzneff will be remembered for other things. At least not on this side of the pond. I do have a kind of jealousy for the appreciation of the intellectual life in France.  Matzneff cites Lewis Carroll , and others as having the appreciation for youth. I read his Wikipedia page. That led to other questions about photographers who take pictures of their children. That led me down a creepy path. As much as Springora tries to not make it sexy, I wonder ho...

Milan is the biggest city in Italy and the 3rd largest in the EU. It is part of the blue banana . It's going to host the olympics in 2026. I'm not really into fashion: "In the 1980s, with the international success of Milanese houses (like Armani, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana), Milan became one of the world's fashion capitals." NYC is one too, so much for that. The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci resides in Milan.  Giampietrino made a copy, which is in London. At 9am NYC time, International Milan , or Inter, will be playing against Verona. I read this book that explained all the world's problems through soccer teams. Reading the book I further confirmed my love for Barca, and chose Inter as my team in Italy. I'm going to dip into the game today, and travel to Milan virtually. Part of my Eat, Pray, Love virtual tour, learning about my interests in the world during the Covid Quarantine. The game is at San Sero . I would love to go there sometime. If I...

I read half of Citizens by Schama in the 90's but I've been enjoying history more in my middle age, and I picked up Ian Davidson's book on the French Revolution . I want to list podcasts, and lectures, verbal opportunities to learn for free on the internet. History Extra Podcast episode of French Revolution (48 minutes) Wikipedia Links French Revolution  had a major impact on European and Western history, by ending feudalism and creating the path for future advances in broadly defined individual freedoms. Reign of Terror  an attempt to eradicate alleged "counter-revolutionaries". Storming of the Bastille  occurred in Paris, France, on the afternoon of 14 July 1789. The medieval armory, fortress, and political prison known as the Bastille represented royal authority in the centre of Paris. The prison contained only seven inmates at the time of its storming, but was seen by the revolutionaries as a symbol of the monarchy's abuse of power; its fall was the flash...

 I think Crab, my dog, be the sourest-natured dog that lives: my mother weeping, my father wailing, my sister crying, our maid howling, our cat wringing her hands, and all our house in a great perplexity, yet did not this cruel-hearted cur shed one tear: he is a stone, a very pebble stone, and has no more pity in him than a dog (2GV 2.3 4-11)

 This video is cool because it discusses the various depictions of Jean d'Arc . I find her fascinating since I became obsessed with her after reading Henry IV plays by Shakespeare. Recently I watched most of Luc Besson's The Messenger . Jovovich got a Razzie, but I didn't think she was that bad.  Anyway, the video asks, "which one is your favoirte?" I quite like many of them, but for some reason this one strikes me by Albert Lynch : Jules Bastien-Lepage 's would be my second pick. That one's supposedly at the Met, I should go see it.

I'm struck, entering the dating scene in my 50's, that I'm a quirky fellow.  I had a dream that I was explaining my undergraduate philosophy experience to a teacher as I went for a PhD. I woke up and was disappointed because I couldn't finish my circumstantial narrative. But I don't like American philosophy, though I fought it mightily when I was trying to get into it. I'm more partial to a wider exploration of life's questions that includes literature and psychology.  I read through Shakespeare recently and I've started on a second run through. I'm into Thomas Pynchon.  Meanwhile I'm looking through dating profiles where she likes the beach, being treated like a lady, honesty and animal lovers. I'm pretty sure I've missed the happiness boat. That's fine, meaningful was what I was shooting for. But it's an unpopular narrative.  My son has the same problem. He's got all kinds of ideas about video games and movies. I have sympat...

Well, just through a video  (2020) (16 Minutes): Patrick's Hill, Grand Parade, Site of the Former Tax Office, South Mall, The Elysian, Anglesea Street, Cork City Hall. I saw a sculler on the river (Lee?). Lots of bridges, Patrick's Bridge, Shandon Bridge, North Gate Bridge, Mardyke Bridge, Dailey Bridge.  Sunday's Well , Old Water Works and Weir, Cork County Hall, Saint Anne and Saint Kevin's, Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral, Sullivan's Quay, Nano Nagle Bridge . There's obviously a lot of construction going on. Nothing stays the same anywhere, and if it doesn't that really a change. Peace Park, The Lough. Blackrock seems to have a lot of rowing and sculling. The Marina, the Glen seems like nice walk. Church of Ascension, Fair Hill, Firkin Crane, Shandon  with a fish on top of the clock tower. St. Mary's and St. Anne's Cathedral.   And a Wikipedia article . There's a live camera you can watch of O'Connell Street, the post office. Also Inchydo...

GR above, CoL49  

Saw the Perks Of Being A Wallflower the other day, and I loved the scenes where they did the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I never went to one that elaborate, but I waited in line with friends and enjoyed the show many times at midnight.  Watched Rocky Horror Picture Show yesterday, the way I watch most things now. I put it on in the background while I look at my phone. But I did notice a few things. One is that there's a song that's not on the album, about how Janet needs to wise up. I found it on a few tribute albums. I read the Wikipedia page on it. Riff Raff was one of the authors. They wrote another one called Shock Treatment that I want to see. Not successful in the same way. I never realized how "Don't dream it/Be it" is a self help slogan.  Then I watched Blade Runner . I never really noticed how rapey the relationship with Decker and the android was. We've learned about consent since the movie was made. I recently saw Made For Love , 8 episodes, with a...

 It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) - Bob Dylan  Darkness at the break of noon   Shadows even the silver spoon   The handmade blade, the child's balloon   Eclipses both the sun and moon   To understand you know too soon   There is no sense in trying Pointed threats, they bluff with scorn   Suicide remarks are torn   From the fool's gold mouthpiece   The hollow horn plays wasted words   Proves to warn that he not busy being born   Is busy dying Temptation's page flies out the door   You follow, find yourself at war   Watch waterfalls of pity roar   You feel to moan but unlike before   You discover that you'd just be   One more person crying So don't fear if you hear   A foreign sound to your ear   It's alright, Ma, I'm only sighing As some warn victory, some downfall   Private reasons great or small   Can be seen in the eyes of those that call   To make all that should be killed...

Thomas Pynchon isn't an easy read, but he's funny and inventive. Part Joyce in his obscurity, part Kafka in the disorientation you feel. I read the Pinchon wiki to pick up on obscure references, before, during and after reading a chapter.  Quote: "... he began to narrate for their entertainment a surfer orgy he had been to a week before, involving a five gallon can of kidney suet, a small automobile with a sun roof, and a trained seal." I really liked the book. The complex sentences, the obscure references, the absurd names and characters. Links: Pynchon  Wiki  with its lovely notes.  " In essence, the reason Pynchon rejects interviews regarding the subtext of his literature is based on Driblette's monologue as he, like Pynchon, describes the writing is in his head, yet the paradox is that his esoteric phrases leaves one to go in depth to understand what he is saying." Chapter 3 notes "As ever with Pynchon's writing, the labyrinthine plots offe...

 I’ve seen a lot of female orgasms lately: Bridgestone, Dickinson, Made for love. Makes me so sad that Heddy Lamar was tight cast as the sexy vixen. I assume, never saw a movie of hers. Can’t tight cast every woman. The depiction of desire is changing. Saw a video how sexual liberation was intended to smash the patriarchy but was neatly folded into helping you to tolerate other repressions.

How a Place Becomes Holy, by Yehoshua November Sometimes a man   will start crying in the middle of the street,   without knowing why or for whom.   It is as though someone else is standing there,   holding his briefcase, wearing his coat. And from beneath the rust of years,   come to his tongue the words of his childhood:   “I’m sorry,” and “G-d,” and “Do not be far from me.” And just as suddenly the tears are gone,   and the man walks back into his life,   and the place where he cried becomes holy.

Veep 3:2  The reddit discussion is archived, so you can't join in. Yardbarker ranks it #14

Took them long enough . Let the evisceration begin. I want to see his wife. If his wife is cool, that would be a point for him, though I think his policies are going to wreck him in liberal New York. Not sure what the problem with unlicensed vendors. The ones that I know sell yummy things, and I like them. Like the tamale lady in Jackson Heights. Pretty sure that's not a problem where I live. There are some legal carts, but it's not so populated to justify them, I worry about them freezing in the cold, waiting, waiting... The law and order candidate in NYC isn't really going to slice it these days. "Yang said Monday he regretted the tweet and his intent was not to antagonize street vendors." He also gave up his dog?! But for good reasons, the dog was re-homed because his son was alergic.

We're living in uncanny times, and Resident Alien expresses that. It's a dangerous gambit to make an alien learning to ways of America, the gimmick can get old quick. There have been some interesting lines, and funny moments. I also like it that the female stars don't have Cameron Diaz proportions. But when the muslim girl makes friends with the boy who sees the alien, that gets me wet in the eyes. Hey I just got why the British call being emotional "wet". They had the stiff upper lip in World War 2, and had to get saved by their children. Americans have rugged individualism but it's so they can be nihilistic partiers.  Resident Alien has 10 episodes. It's a little Mork and Mindy, it's a little X-Files, it's a little Eureka and Northern Exposure, and part Our Idiot Brother. I don't like the day drinking jokes. I wonder if there's an uptick in human moments since Darth Vader was our president.  I wonder if we're increasing our tolerance...

Blossom by Mary Oliver In April   the ponds open   like black blossoms,   the moon   swims in every one;   there’s fire   everywhere: frogs shouting   their desire,   their satisfaction. What   we know: that time   chops at us all like an iron   hoe, that death   is a state of paralysis. What   we long for: joy   before death, nights   in the swale - everything else   can wait but not   this thrust   from the root   of the body. What   we know: we are more   than blood - we are more   than our hunger and yet   we belong   to the moon and when the ponds   open, when the burning   begins the most   thoughtful among us dreams   of hurrying down   into the black petals   into the fire,   into the night where time lies shattered   into the body of another.

wright is a maker or builder. write is what you do with letters.

Ranked choice means you need to know how you would rank all the candidates! June 2021 Primary will essentially decide the mayoral race. How many do you rank?  There are quite a few people running.  Here is the latest list I could find. You get to rank 5 candidates. The following isn't ranked in any order, just the order I considered them which wasn't organized. Andrew Yang  (46): I like the idea of a universal income so instead of housing vouchers the poor have choices. And $167 would feed me for a month. That would actually have the biggest impact on my life. "Yang is a lawyer. He has worked at startups, ran a school-testing firm and founded and ran a nonprofit training people to be entrepreneurs in struggling cities. He has always had a job. And he has lived in New York for a quarter-century." Links: NY Post  Headline: NYC insiders ramping up attacks against Andrew Yang because he states the obvious. As the front runner he's getting attacked: “Andrew Yang just ...

The subtitle is: "If we insist on holding cultural history to contemporary standards, what will we have left?" I'm not sure if I agree with that as an argument. The other argument I'm not sure I'm on board with is in the article by Katha Pollitt is that racism and whatnot exists in our society, so it's going to be in art works. The author doesn't write the headlines. Rewriting the Hardy boys to make it not racist just makes sense. Like it's some stain that can't be removed. I'm not sure if it blots out the beauty of every work. It mars the beauty and I hate to say it, but racism in fiction, rooted in an author's imperfections, might not stop me from reading Laura Ingalls Wilder.  I feel like Shakespeare is dramatic enough so that he can portray racism, anti-semitism, sexism in his current society, but he's not necessarily condoning, perhaps showing the tragedy.  Also, I don't feel sad that the family who owns the copyright pulls l...