Signal Wave

Hey, guys.

I know I keep changing things up on y'all, but, like I said last week, someone made the suggestion that I take my two series--Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue and Outside the Asylum--out of the Open Thread part of the site and into the main site proper, and make the Open Thread more, well, Open Threadlike. The idea, which came from someone whose initials are CS, :-), was that the essays are meaty enough that they should get a wider audience than that which comes into the OTs.

Also, I am switching times with enhydra lutris, so that on the week of Sept 12, the Wednesday morning slot will be occupied by EL, and the Sunday morning slot will be occupied by me. This will facilitate my workout schedule (it's good for me and my workout partner to go to the gym on MWF mornings, and I don't like being away from the OT for over an hour and a half). I've been trying to get a new set of healthier habits established. At 50 years old, it's pretty important.

So from here on out, the OT will be a lot simpler and less thematic. I'm thinking I'll post a book, some music, and a movie or tv show I'm watching. Is there anything you all would like to see in that simpler vein?

For now, here's what I'm reading--or rather, just finished:

dog.jpg

I'm not usually into mixing detective fiction with animal narrators, but J.F. Englert makes it work. It's not as good as that paragon of dog-narrated fiction, The Art of Racing in the Rain, but what is? Randolph is an engaging narrator, and I didn't actually know who the killer was until pretty late in the book. It's always nice when a mystery actually manages to keep me guessing.

Here's an old favorite I've been listening to. I highly recommend it, particularly for anyone under stress. I wrote a great deal of my dissertation in Panera Bread (back when I frequented such places), listening to this on my earphones. The playlist here has much of the album. I don't generally pimp products, but if you have the spare change, it's well worth buying!

How I wish I could go back to the days when my dissertation was what stressed me out.

Here's what I'm watching.

As you all know, I have a peculiar attraction to most things Turkish. One year, I was watching a movie by a Turkish filmmaker about the relationship between a Turkish person and a German, which was also about the relationship between Turkey and Germany. The filmmaker included footage of his aunt working in the tea fields near the Black Sea. I immediately felt a strong attraction to that particular place (which makes no sense; I have no connections to Turkey). Later, I got interested in Istanbul/Constantinople/Byzantion; it has been inhabited for so long, by so many different kinds of people, that it contains a high concentration of human civilization. As someone devoted to both the maintenance and the study of human civilization, I found the city intriguing.

So recently, I've been watching Turkish programming on Netflix. I had watched a sort of magical realist soap opera called Shubat, which I thought was well done, if you could get used to people bursting into song or montages bursting into the narrative accompanied by lots of singing at moments of intense emotion. I've long been done with Shubat, which got me through pneumonia earlier this year, and I was casting about for something new to watch. I found two Turkish television shows.

One was a detective show set in 19th-century Istanbul, and I was delighted. It had four marks for it: it was Turkish, it was set in Istanbul, it was a period piece, and it was detective fiction. But at the beginning they put a dedication to the glorious martyrs of the Ottoman Empire, which ruled the world with justice for hundreds of years...

You get the picture. Actually, I couldn't believe my eyes. I didn't think that sort of uncritical celebration of empire was possible at this late date. Usually, nowadays, people have to pretend that empires are something else: republics, or just wars to save helpless victims from atrocity, or morally neutral business dealings. But there it was. I wanted to watch the show, but I just couldn't. Perhaps that's stupid, but I simply can't assent, even in a way nobody would know about, to a rah-rah hooray, wasn't our empire great! And I like the Turks, and I know they weren't alone in having an empire that committed atrocities, and I'm sure the Ottoman Empire did other things that were good--like concentrate knowledge and encourage the arts--but I've gotta say, the Ottoman Empire is still pretty powerfully hated to this day. I'm willing to believe that the truth is more complex than "Those horrible monsters, they destroyed my home," but I'm not going to join in the rah-rah hooray wasn't the Ottoman Empire spiffy!

So, ironically enough, I ended up watching a show called Magnificent Century, which is about Suleiman, probably the Ottomans' greatest leader and empire-builder. I'd say that the show celebrates Suleiman and the empire, but at least it has some understanding of the fact that the empire also did some rotten things. The other main character is Alexsandra, or Hurrem, a Russian slave brought into the harem to be a concubine, and she's got a lot of justified anger. Of course, she also falls in love with Suleiman, eventually, so this may turn out to be an apologia for empire as well. But it doesn't feel that way. It feels more like the show is saying This is the way it was rather than saying You outsiders *think* it was bad but it was good! really really good!

For better or worse, here it is:

How are y'all today?

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Arrow's picture

Great stuff. I had a friend Attaturk who I helped find a website he could download the episodes from. I think we found an Albanian site that had Greek captioning. He had to have his prime time high production value soaps. Smile

Anyway...have a great day all.

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I want a Pony!

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@Arrow I *love* soaps like that. But I can't usually find them on American TV. The British do it well.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

j/k, obviously.

I am so sorry to read that OT's don't get enough attention. Whenever I come to the site, I read the OT first, although I may not always comment. This site is blessed to have wonderful writers doing the OT each day, with each OT having its own personality.

As for what I want to see in your OT, I am sure that your OT will be great, no matter what you choose to write about. And, it will also be "meaty" because that emanates from you, not from your topic. Even when you write about street entertainers, it's "meaty."

I don't share a fascination for things Turkish, though my son loves Turkish paste. As far as age, Damascus, itself once occupied by Turkey, is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. (Any reference to Syria these days makes my eyes watery.)

Today would have been the 82nd birthday of John McInsane--one of the many names given him by Democratic posters in 2007-08 and beyond. They also posted of his crashing planes because he was drunk, his sexism, his racism (like Goldwater, McCain voted against Martin Luther King Day on the odious, odoriferous ground of "state's rights.")

But, now, the same posters I knew then to be posting the Democratic Party line, whether or not they believed it, are unanimous in their praise of him. Why? Part of the Democratic Party's glorification of all things military, which is necessary propaganda for those who wage perpetual war? There's no such thing as a bad neocon? Why?

Today also would have been the 60th birthday of Michael Jackson. Here's a song from one of the birthday boys.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxV9oCUPeSc]

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@HenryAWallace

I wonder if he had to ask permission, like Bernie?

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

@Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal

to run for the Senate as a Democrat, Democrats recruited him so to do. (Reminds me: Truman tried to recruit Eisenhower to run as a Democrat. The more things change, the more they don't.) And because Webb's Republican opponent couldn't keep his racism (or his mom's) in his pants, Webb won. (Well, either that or someone accidentally miscounted votes.)

I recall zero flap over Senator Webb's or Governor "Système MétriqueMetrics C'est Moi" Chafee's running (or making an exceptionally lame pretense of running) against the Queen of Losers. Then again, when did New Democrats ever object to a Democratic candidate's being too far to the right? BTW, did you know that only leftist Democrats lose elections to Republicans? Just ask Bart Stupak.

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@HenryAWallace LMAO! It's good to know somebody else remembers that incident.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@HenryAWallace I feel the need to counter this with a song from another one of the birthday boys.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

@Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal

laugh about bombing innocent Iranians. Pffft.

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@HenryAWallace you're really on a roll, today HAW.

Still LMAO

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

@Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal

In my imagination. (-;

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@HenryAWallace Even when you write about street entertainers, it's "meaty."

LOL it must be the years of academic training. After a while, you can't turn it off.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

@Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal

Or self-styled academics, anyway.

Some even seem to have have an overweening tendency to the Appeal to Authority logical fallacy, with themselves being the alleged Authority, as in "I have forty two doctorates in this (implied: which "obviously" means I can't possibly be wrong).

I hasten to add that I've not noted any of the above in Caucusers.

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Wink's picture

"just went back home."
@HenryAWallace
{points finger toward sky}

I'm beginning to think most of our rock gods are "them."
{points finger toward sky}

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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

@Wink

which direction to point (or with which finger to point).

Fun fact: The only Grammies Elvis ever won were gospel songs.

Yes, of many great music videos, one may say, "I see dead people." Part of it is attrition, part of it life on the road and part of it an apparent affinity to abuse of controlled substances. And a few suicides, like Cobain and Bennington, some apparently connected to abuse of controlled substances.

All members of Green Day are still alive, though, right?

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1OqtIqzScI]

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Makes a lot of sense. A funny one this AM from Lee Camp...

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/how-to-create-a-u-s-backed-government-...

On the corporate airwaves you won’t hear about U.S.-backed anything. If the U.S. military backed up a truck, CNN wouldn’t mention it

Cheers

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Whatever makes you happy. I usually drop in, but I don't always comment. Whatever you do will be great. I just can't thank all of the contributors enough.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@dkmich No problem, dk.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

is stuck on the words "Bring me that insolent girl down there."

Is she talking about me?

LOL

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Raggedy Ann's picture

Change is the only constant in our lives. Always read - rarely comment - good to know the new schedule! I love those favorite tunes - great to start my morning.

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

the bag, I want to make sure I comprendo the start dates. I start ding Wednesdays on the 12th. I ws thinking that you pick up Sundays on the 9th - is that correct?

As to your new format, I'm sufficiently sure that anything you put up there will be both great and meaty, as noted by HAW (supra).

Have a wonderful day.

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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 --

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@enhydra lutris Hey, EL, yeah, I do the 9th, you do the 12th, and we get to Scotland around the same time. Smile

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Lookout's picture

Got out early to mow and just came in to chill a bit. I've got a four blade bush hog that roars. I wear earplugs. Always have to be careful. My neighbor was looking back at his mower and the front wheel of the tractor lifted and pivoted a dead tree and drove it into him. Almost was his death.

And of course Merle Watson, Doc's son, rolled his tractor killing him. I read somewhere farming is the most dangerous profession...seems odd doesn't it?

It's been pea pickin' time here too. We like to watch a mystery and shell peas in the evening. Shelling is one of those tasks I'm glad to have done, but ain't wild about the doing. We're slowly working through "Vera"..someone's posted them all to youtube. They'll last a little while before the copyright algorithm gets her.

We've been dry all week. I think it only the second dry week all summer. Really an unusually mild summer here this year. Showers are due tonight or tomorrow...hence the mowing today.

Well have a good day everybody! Good luck with the transition to Sunday, CStMS.

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

@Lookout
this seems appropriate:

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CS in AZ's picture

I didn’t know this was a thing — but I did once read a series called Chet and Bernie, which is about 6 or so books, mysteries in first person from Chet’s hilarious canine point of view. Bernie is a PI, Chet is a washout from K9 training to be a police dog, due to an unfortunate incident on graduation day (there was a cat involved). Bernie and Chet are partners in the PI business. Chet gets into a lot of trouble and I often felt that Bernie was putting him in excessive danger. So although I loved Chet’s style and humor, and the mysteries were pretty good, I did not like Bernie much. He’s kind of an asshole.

Hadn’t thought about those books for a long time. The cover on the one you posted is funny... I’m almost tempted to give it a try. Well as usual on Wednesday mornings, it’s time for me to get going to work, no more time to play right now. Good morning and good day everyone. I’m avoiding the news as much as possible this week, so as not to OD on the McCain hagiography.

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The Aspie Corner's picture

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Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.

Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.

mhagle's picture

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

mhagle's picture

where ever they are. Thanks!

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@mhagle Thank you, Marilyn. Smile

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Unabashed Liberal's picture

it's a good idea to post some of your more involved (or meaty, as HW says) content in a stand-alone essay, aside from your weekly OTs.

We are super fortunate to have excellent OT posters, who provide us a wealth of valuable information, day-after-day. For instance, EL's interesting and entertaining 'numbers-oriented' OTs led me to begin picking up similar desk calendars, every year. But, as someone who usually can't make it by C99P during the very early morning hours when OTs routinely publish, I normally settle for just reading and rec'ing them later in the day. This comment is a good example! Wink

Anyhoo, whatever you do, I'm sure it'll be great!

Blue Onyx

“At the end of the day people won't remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.”
~~Maya Angelou

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Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.