Monday Open Thread: July 23 is The Birthday of Haile Selassie

July 23 is the 204th day of the year, there are 161 days left

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Tis Prickle-Prickle, Confusion 58, 3184 YOLD

Haile_Selassie_-_1953.jpg

Today's number is 23

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23 is
The 9th prime and the sum of 3 consecutive primes; 5, 7 and 11
The atomic number of Vanadium
The number of chromosomes in a human sperm or ova (haploid)
The number of times that Julius Caesar was stabbed.

The 23 enigma is the belief that most incidents and accidents, events and happenstances, and stuff, are somehow directly connected to the number 23. Robert Anton Wilson, William S. Burroughs, The Illuminatus! Trilogy (fnord), Principia discordia, etc. Like this open thread, for example.

The exponent in 6.02 x 1023

Title 23 of the US Code is Highways Coincidence? You decide.

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23 BCE
was the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Varro
Herod the Great allegedly built a palace in Jerusalem.
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23 CE was the Year of the Consulship of Pollio and Vetus
The Greek geographer Strabo finally published his "Geography", a work describing the world known to the Romans and Greeks in Emperor Augustus' day. No similar works of similar antiquity exist.
Pliny the Elder, a Roman scientist and writer, was born.
Liu Xuan, a descendant of the Han Dynasty overthrew Wang Mang and ended the Xin Dynasty. Restored the Han Dynasty, he did.
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On this day in:

1829 - William Austin Burt patented the typographer, an ancestor of the typewriter
1840 - The Province of Canada was created *
1881 - The Boundary Treaty of 1881 between Chile and Argentina was signed
1885 - Ulysses S. Grant died
1914 - Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to the Kingdom of Serbia about the assassination of Franz Ferdinand
1929 - The Italiant government banned the use of foreign words
1936 - The Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia was founded
1942 - The Treblinka extermination camp opened.
1952 - The Free Officers Movement overthrew King Farouk
1961 - The Sandinista National Liberation Front was founded
1962 - Telstar relayed the first publicly transmitted live trans-Atlantic TV show
1962 - The International Agreement on the Neutrality of Laos was signed. **
1967 - The Detroit Riots started.
1968 - Glenville shootout and subsequent Glenview riots went down.
1992 - The Vatican pronounced that limiting the rights of homosexuals wasn't discrimination based on gender
1992 - Abkhazia declared independence from Georgia.
1995 - Comet Hale-Bopp was discovered

* This entitled Canadians to claim and use the honorific "provincials"
** It was almost immediately broken by the US, which never intended to respect it.

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Born this day in:

1886 - Walter H. Schottky, physicist
1888 - Raymond Chandler, author
1892 - Haile Selassie, Ethiopian emperor, Lion of Judah
1914 - Virgil Finlay, illustrator
1923 - Amalia Mendoza, singer and actress
1928 - Vera Rubin, astronomer, discovered the galaxy rotation problem
1929 - Danny Barcelona, drummer, aka "The Little Filipino Boy"
1931 - Te Atairangikaahu, Maori queen
1942 - Madeline Bell, singer and songwriter
1943 - Tony Joe White, singer, songwriter, and guitarist
1944 - Dino Danelli, drummer
1946 - Andy Mackay, oboe player and composer
1948 - John Hall, politician, musician and songwriter (Orleans)
1950 - Blair Thornton, guitarist and songwriter
1952 - John Rutsey, drummer, replaced by Neil Peart
1952 - Janis Siegel, singer (The Manhattan Transfer)
1961 - Martin Gore, singer, songwriter, and guitarist
1965 - Slash, guitarist and songwriter
1971 - Alison Krauss, fiddler, singer and songwriter
1980 - Michelle Williams, singer, songwriter, producer, and actress

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Died this day in:

1403 - Thomas Percy, 1st Earl of Worcester, rebel leader, twice, Hotspur's bro
1584 - John Day, printer
1757 - Domenico Scarlatti, composer and harpsichord player
1875 - Isaac Singer, inventor and businessman, improved the sewing maching
1885 - Ulysses S. Grant, occupant of Grant's tomb
1955 - Cordell Hull, father of the UN
1972 - Esther Applin, geologist and paleontologist
1980 - Keith Godchaux, keyboard player and songwriter
1980 - Mollie Steimer, activist *
1983 - Georges Auric, composer
2001 - Eudora Welty, author
2002 - Chaim Potok, author
2005 - Ted Greene, journalist and jazz guitarist
2007 - Ron Miller, songwriter (for once in my life, etc.)
2010 - Daniel Schorr, journallist
2011 - Amy Winehouse, singer & songwriter
2012 - Sally Ride, physicist and astronaut

* Convicted of Sedition for producing leaflets denouncing the U.S. military action in Russia opposing the Bolshevik revolution

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Holidays, Holy Days, Festivals, Feast Days and such:
National Vanilla Ice Cream Day
International Yada, Yada, Yada Day
Hailie Selassie's Birthday (Rastafarians)

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Tellstar

Haile Selassie

Danny Barcelona

Madeline Bell

Tony Joe White

Dino Danelli

John Hall

Blair Thornton

Janis Siegel

Alison Krauss

Domenico Scarlatti

Keith Godchaux

Ted Greene

Ron Miller


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picture: Lion of Judah

It's an open thread, so do your thing

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New head of California political watchdog agency says it is moving on after period of tumult
New head! She's funny.

She plans to hold some FPPC meetings outside of Sacramento to help voters understand what the agency does “so that they have faith when they go to the election booth that their vote is not bought and that the playing field is level and that the basic part of democracy is working for them,” she said. “I’m not convinced right now that a lot of citizens both in California and around our country believe that, and that’s the beginning of the end of a democracy.”

The "basic part" is working for who now? LOL what about the other parts? parts r parts

By enforcing campaign finance laws against violators, Germond thinks the panel can provide a needed assurance to voters.

“I think there is a misperception that they are all a bunch of crooks,” she said of politicians. “My experience is most people are in this for the right reasons, because they really care, and I want our electorate to know the FPPC is enforcing that so they have faith in it.”

Because no propaganda ever came from Hollywood, ever. heh More useless bureaucrats, tax dollars at work.

Germond comes to the panel after spending decades in the political trenches. She was deputy campaign manager for Brown’s gubernatorial campaign in 1978. She also was the national vice-chair for Brown’s failed presidential campaign in 1980, and has played leading roles in the campaigns of Democratic presidential candidates Bill Clinton, Gary Hart and Michael Dukakis.

She was the Democratic National Committee’s national secretary from 2002 to 2013.

Germond said she will abide by the rules that prevent commissioners from actively supporting candidates.

Critics accuse Gov. Jerry Brown of neglecting California's poor

"I'd say, we're not going to adopt the socialist system with Leninism and all the rest of it.... The modern economy is based on individual reward, with most of the money moving toward the top. That's the system."

I am like a broken record, someone move the needle.

He added, "We try to mitigate that."

"Do or do not, there is no try"
Yoda back at ya Jerry, look at the homeless you are retiring away from, to your 2500 acre ranch up north. "That's the system." D-ASSHOLE

Peace

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enhydra lutris's picture

@eyo
aware than anybody else. "Fair Political Practices Commission", just prse tht, a word at a time. Don't start with (throws up hands here) "Commission". How about "Fair Political"? Politics ain't fair. As Jerry or Nancy would say, "that's the system". Maybe the second "P" should be "Propaganda", as in Propagandizing the Populace that the Process is on the up-and-up. As you note, there is a 24/7/265 propaganda machine in place, or, more truthfully, many; not to mention that "fake news" is a nonsense phrase. Fake news, really? As opposed to what?

Even the most basic matters, eh? --

so that they have faith when they go to the election booth that their vote is not bought and that the playing field is level and that the basic part of democracy is working for them

Zo, Ms. Commissioner, where and how do the homeless vote? How does that work for them?

Jerru, Jerry, Jerry. Tsk. Socialism - nobody can define it, so nobody can consider adopting it. Jerry is better educated that than. Socialism isn't necessarily Leninism, and it isn't necessarily a specific package. And, as a practical matter, it needn't be all or nothing: public education? - socialism, public roadways? - socialism, Das Ahnold's massive grant for hydrogen power development? - corporate welfare for the least needy among us (Chevron). And, no surprise, we're going the wrong way, with public highways having pay as you go restricted access lanes, charter schools, public assistance for private religious schools, etc. Basic minimum income? Impossible? Why?

Ahhhhh, have a good, good day, eyo. Might as well, it is a small victory over the bastards in charge to have a good day in spite of them.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

@enhydra lutris thanks for sharing my lulz. Someone should post something light and breezy about California, I can't do it. Try California Sing.

I remember Mama Cass. What a voice, I loved her gogo boots. 27club

peach

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Lookout's picture

....oops, Mr. Peabody's coal train has hauled it away.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEy6EuZp9IY]

Have a good day everybody. Find what peace you can.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

enhydra lutris's picture

@Lookout
or was the timber train, or (pick a resource).

Did you get your road done ok?

Have a good day, with no washouts.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

WoodsDweller's picture

Calving event, east Greenland, 22 June, 2018. Time lapse, 30 minute event, no sound.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tyfSlnMe8E]

You've probably already seen this one. Filmed in 2008.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC3VTgIPoGU]

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"The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function." -- Albert Bartlett
"A species that is hurtling toward extinction has no business promoting slow incremental change." -- Caitlin Johnstone

enhydra lutris's picture

@WoodsDweller
don't recall seeing the prior. Latest news I saw, deeply buries, says that the Atlantic conveyor is slowing down. Not worth headlines or even comment, I suppose, after all, who wants to try to explain it to everybody. Total global disaster? Can't happen here.

Have a good one.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Raggedy Ann's picture

It’s also my daughters birthday. 43 today - hard to believe!

Still laying in bed as I’m off today.

Have a beautiful day, folks! Pleasantry

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

enhydra lutris's picture

@Raggedy Ann
Just laying around a bit is good for the soul, enjoy and appreciate. Can't do it every day, so "get it while you can".

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

detroitmechworks's picture

And if you thought Marx was a radical...

Seriously, two thousand years before Marx, and Communism is being advocated. No kidding. Complete with the abolishment of personal property, landholding in collectives, and abolishment of male line paternity.

The last one is interesting, because the attitude towards sex was extremely open. Of course, greek comedy was often about sex. Many jokes are made about horny old guys lusting after young women that they can't satisfy, etc... Seriously, half of the jokes I've seen before, and done much, much more poorly. Even the phallus jokes are still in use... just badly done.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

enhydra lutris's picture

@detroitmechworks
... abolishment of male line paternity, but of course, It's adoption is a major trapping of patriarchy and a major source of war, conflict and strife, right along with the ascension of male "boss-ape" gods. It is also myth, farce and fraud. Sometimes even the mother isn't sure of the paternity, but in all other cases, she has a far greater likelihood of knowing the truth with certainty than the clown who bought her from her dad. If I recall correctly, that's the Hebrew/Jewish tradition, even though their are otherwise relatively patriarchial. If your momma is Jewish, you're a Jew; hard to argue.

The humor and slapstick is timeless but aware. Speaking of awareness -- ἀπὸ μηχανῆς θεός (apò mēkhanês theós) = deus ex machina, openly known and understood, requiring a willing suspension of disbelief to accept, unlike today where the intellectual and/or psychological equivalent is constantly sneaked in on the sly with nobody the wiser.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

detroitmechworks's picture

@enhydra lutris @enhydra lutris if you can imagine the delivery of the lines properly. For those who have trouble, I always suggest imagining Nathan Lane or Zero Mostel in a Mel Brooks production. It works well to get close to the right mindset.

And honestly, I have taken a swipe at Male line paternity in my poetry, specifically the "Logos of Hera." Smile And since I'm plugging, new Logos is up! Last piece of the play, "The Logos of Hestia". Smile

Edit: And checked out the Wikipedia article on that play after I read it. Of course, it's a full throated denial that the play had anything to do with what it was talking about, and instead claims that it was CLEARLY satire against effeminate men, and that Aristophanes was trying to instead claim that manly leadership was necessary. Which is exactly how somebody who read Aristophanes entire library LOOKING for that would read it.

Instead, If you read it as a Mel Brooksian style comedy, it becomes much more interesing. Think "A Black Sheriff?" in the 70's.

OF course, I've also spotted several STAGE DIRECTIONS that are put down as lines by bad translators, so It seems to me that people are relying on what people tell them to think about books instead of just reading the damn thing and letting the author speak for himself.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

detroitmechworks's picture

@detroitmechworks I just realized who would have a great motive to portray all of the comedies of Aristophanes as Paeans to the establishment. The people who CONQUERED Greece.

Yup, the Romans. Same assholes who lied about everything else, so we should not take their word for it. Thinking about it, I'm amazed how Roman opinions are still considered a valid appeal to authority.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

WoodsDweller's picture

From the Guardian

So far, so good...

The sheer ordinariness of Trump’s coalition is impossible to overstate. Data from the Voter Study Group show that more than 80% of his votes came from men and women who voted for Republican nominee Mitt Romney just four years before. This group contains the usual suspects among American Republicans: tax-cut advocates, religious evangelicals and Catholics, gun rights supporters and business types eager for deregulation

Boy, if we could just get those suburban, moderate Republicans to vote for us...

The 2016 exit poll showed that Trump won because he decisively beat Clinton among the 18% of Americans who did not like either candidate. These voters tended to be suburban, college-educated, Republican-leaning men.

Here it comes...

Democrats have done nothing since Trump’s election to reduce these feelings. On issue after issue the Democratic party has moved to the left, catering to a progressive base outraged at Trump’s election and seething at how the Democratic establishment foisted a fatally flawed candidate upon them.

There you have it, the New Democratic strategy in a nutshell. Fuck your base, what you need to do is make Republicans comfortable enough to vote for you. By being Republicans. Not running a fatally flawed candidate is just crazy talk.

Comey on twitter 22 July:

Democrats, please, please don’t lose your minds and rush to the socialist left. This president and his Republican Party are counting on you to do exactly that. America’s great middle wants sensible, balanced, ethical leadership.

"Please make the Democratic Party a safe haven for moderate Republicans who can't quite bring themselves to vote for extremist Republicans. Don't be Democrats! Be the Other Republican Party!"

Or, maybe moderate Republicans could vote for Socialists or just stay home. That's OK too.

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"The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function." -- Albert Bartlett
"A species that is hurtling toward extinction has no business promoting slow incremental change." -- Caitlin Johnstone

enhydra lutris's picture

@WoodsDweller
that old piece of discredited silliness. Most of the rank and file and nearly all of the elites spout it daily. What was it they told the blacks in every decade since emancipation? "Go slow" (stfu and siddown). Nothing changes, and that is the way the mainstream likes it because they all want more and fear for losing some of what they have, even where they have little or nothing beyond grief, strife, worry and toxins.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

smiley7's picture

Have a good day and week, el, and everyone!

edit to cut off auto-play

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enhydra lutris's picture

@smiley7

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Lily O Lady's picture

get lost.

One commenter said, “I’m as likely to take political advice from James Comey as I am to wash my face in turpentine and dry it with a cheese grater.”

Certainly many blame Comey for Hillary’s defeat due to the server investigation, but they don’t seem disposed to take his advice. So they are either spurning the Republicans they have been courting, or (could it be?) they are being worn down by us. The latter seems unlikely, but who knows?

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"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"

enhydra lutris's picture

@Lily O Lady
HER are uniquely responsible for her loss, and for selecting an unelectable candidate. Her fan base, being fans, cannot understand that she was unelectable because they idolize her and can't think rationally about her, her politics and her chances.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

enhydra lutris's picture

@Lily O Lady
other reply)

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Arrow's picture

Who's buried in Grant's tomb? For 12 years the answer was nobody(and technically still is). Grant was interred there in 1897.(couldn't let that go by.)

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I want a Pony!

enhydra lutris's picture

@Arrow
course, correct, though Groucho used to give sort of a consolation prize for that answer. Ulysses and the Missus, are entombed above the ground and not buried.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --