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OT ~ Welcome to Saturday Morning!

Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 6:05am

Sit-a-while

on swinging porch

where tin-dippers and

sweet water

in cool touches

meet lips

from hand dug wells.

Good morning good people!

Writing on the fly this morning; early risers may post away...

Morning news is morning humor: "I'll trade you one Arctic oil lease for two Middle Eastern countries." Translators say, "we are fucked." News writes, "What does that handshake mean?"

Morning theatre:: An old true story of an afternoon matinee performance of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon after an all night party which began across the street at the Dirty Duck, the Black Swan, where Peter O'Toole once broke the world record time for consuming a yard of ale.

In revolving repertory, the play was in its second season, the stage filled with actors. In the third act the stage goes quiet, every actor frozen; several seconds go by and no one moves or says anything, a lifetime on stage--in movies cars chase each other for minutes but that doesn't work in theatre.

Audience members begin to move a little, looking around in their seats and then from backstage, they faintly hear the stage manager riffling through a cue script that they hadn't needed for months, pages shuffling in the silence; then a soft voice could be heard from stage right, backstage, reading out a line--no actor moves or speaks--the voice grows louder, still no reaction on stage and then in full voice the cue rings throughout the house.

Center stage stood Dame Judi Dench, she turns her head to stage right and says. "We know the line, love, we just don't know who says it."

Morning music:

“A day spent without the sight or sound of beauty, the contemplation of mystery, or the search of truth is a poverty-stricken day; and a succession of such days is fatal to human life.”
~ Lewis Mumford

The floor is yours!

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Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 7:04am
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sorry, I'm late.

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Submitted by eyo on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 7:50am

Guardian this morning: 'Neither of them wanted to stop': Trump and Putin enjoy successful 'first date'

Now all they have to do is sign on to the UN nuclear ban. let peace break out all over. /delusional

It is a blossoming bromance. In what one US-based critic called a “first Tinder date”, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin talked for two and a quarter hours on Friday instead of their scheduled 30 minutes.

“I think there was just such a level of engagement and exchange, and neither one of them wanted to stop,” US secretary of State Rex Tillerson said afterwards. “Several times I had to remind the president, and people were sticking their heads in the door. And they sent in the first lady at one point to see if she could get us out of there, and that didn’t work either.”

There were sighs of relief in Washington that Trump, an erratic and volatile president with little foreign policy experience, had avoided a major gaffe. The news website Axios summed it up: “Trump survives the Putin meeting.”

Is twitter on fire yet? How many memes can one man spawn? LOL, go Trump!

Blessed are the peacemakers.
P.S. Why don't they talk about securing Bill Gates shitty software, or using public key encryption everywhere? That would be more productive than griping over idiot politicians and their friends clicking on things they shouldn't. Gates is a billionaire due to government granted monopoly, it's not like U.S. taxpayers don't pay the price for having only one operating system to choose from, deployed at the highest levels of government. But then what would spies do if the software became secure? What would advertisers do if users gained total control over their systems?

Another thing, I notice the photobucket extortion has hit C99s FB graphic. Why doesn't FB provide free hosting for their clicky thing? I don't know, to me photobucket is another indicator of coming clampdown. Pretty soon every little thing will be charged for, because why not. What other choices are there.

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Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 8:13am
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@eyo
The system overwhelms as we attempt to cave out a better way, known to most, ignored by the powerful; is as it's forever been, it seems.

Fight on, I suppose, no other choice works; must admit to enjoying the riot police chasing the young folks across Hamburg.

Not enough memories of 1968 in this country of ours.

Not a member of twitter or facebook, although, my friends, here in the mtns. presently encourage me to join facebook for friendly sharing and daily knowings of what's going on as I miss opportunities for get 'togethers' and so on.

Been reluctant as a journalist--though not publishing anything in about two years, health bringing freelancing to a standstill--to join up as 'enemies' may latch on and I don't wish to engage in spewing hatred.

But, am giving it consideration as I miss out on my son's daily life, too. He and his wife are active on facebook.

May give it a try and hopefully by mid-fall, i can crank out a few articles in hopes of future publication and much needed revenue and to reengage the fight.

Just not sure, yet, about the privacy trade offs.

Have a good one.

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Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 9:32am
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@eyo @eyo @eyo
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/09/western-civilisation-appia...

Not bad, a few quibbles here and there as the author overreaches in places, but it is worth contemplating.

I do recall the giant book used for years at universities far and wide, Western Civilization and recall thoroughly enjoying the course, taking multiple semesters with a great professor on the 'Hill."

Later, i studied the history of ideas at The New School, a wonderful, eyeopening experience taught by a protege of Lewis Mumford's--unfortunately the young professor was gunned-down on 14th street in a freak shooting--anyways, the study broadened my horizons and complimented my MFA in theatre, knowing more about the history, the setting so to speak of plays, period plays i worked in or produced. To this day, I read Mumford on occasion, one of the greatest minds of the 20th Century, imho.

Never keep a copy of his many volume as I've always run into a young person on this journey expressing a desire to learn and I give them Mumford's books i have on hand; good thing one of my best friends runs a used-book store and occasionally saves me another book when one comes in.

Thanks for the tip to the Guardian.

edit for typo, not editing my work very well this morning, see a couple of others around, but letting them go as edits always scroll to top of comments.

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Submitted by eyo on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 12:45pm

@smiley7 what a great article, thanks.
...
This piece of art made me go look up and learn more about the Renaissance period when I was a kid, spoiled by art and culture all around me growing up. Helps to have artists on the family tree. Lucky me.
jewelsofthemedicis.jpg
Jewels of the Medicis
Oil on three canvas panels, installed on a projecting corner,
4' x 8' left wall and 3' x 3' right wall. Courtesy of the artist.
From: Ben Cunningham, a retrospective
church fine arts gallery
university of nevada | reno
21 September - 26 october; 1973
...
Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance

Between 1300 and 1600 the Western world was transformed.

An extraordinary wave of artistic and cultural innovation shattered medieval society and brought European culture reluctantly into the modern era.

This was the Renaissance.

In art…

Artists discovered how to paint in three dimensions, bringing new life and realism to their subjects. Breaking away from the religious traditions of the medieval world, they created entirely new genres of art, rich in drama and emotion. Radical new techniques were invented, like painting with oils, and perspective. Artists such as Botticelli, Gozzoli, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Ghiberti transformed the way we saw our world.

Love your poems smiley7, all your words seem poetic and kind. Thanks.

Edit: I before E, except after C. I do turn spell check off a lot, so auto correct stays off my last nerve, that one I just couldn't leave hanging.
Edit 2: in case no one follows the link that series and current political issues seems sort of familiar, like PR, Machiavelli, and total war:

In politics…

Liberated from the exclusive grasp of the Catholic Church, education filtered down to the upwardly mobile middle classes. Ancient texts, unread for more than 1,000-years, were devoured and debated. With the invention of printing, ideas swept across Europe faster than ever before, and thinkers and writers shared their opinions with the general public. Vasari recorded the lives of artists and the contribution of the Medici, in a precursor of today's PR.

Machiavelli, the Godfather of Realpolitik, wrote the first modern manual for leadership, “The Prince”, visualizing a pragmatic world in which the end always justified the means.

Throughout Italy, republics and duchies blossomed under the glow of creative achievement. Around Europe, kings and princes turned their sights on the jewels of Italy and an era of total war was soon unleashed.

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Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 10:15am
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@eyo

Children need to see, visualize and understand movements like the Renaissance and art in general and comparatively speaking, dirt farm boy i am, lucky as hell for many reasons and as time runs out, i feel a need, a push to share before walking on; concerned i won't find the dedication as daily life demands so much for survival.

I appreciate our conversations here on c99p, very much; write on, a pleasure to share with you and your kindness, too. Smile

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Submitted by enhydra lutris on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 8:41am
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let alone present when your OT posts - hell, some days I never get here at all. Love the Judi Dench story. As to FB and tweeter, I'm still opting out. MS was actually adopted by the government in violation of their own rules requiring open standards, ah well, $ talks.

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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 --

Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 9:17am
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@enhydra lutris @enhydra lutris @enhydra lutris
Thanks, good advise; been away so much of late on Saturdays, it's good to be around this morning.

Especially enjoyed your reference this week to "Book of Five Rings," and master swordsman Miyamoto Musashi; we've more in common, many of us, than realized.

Happy you enjoyed Judi's story, she shared it with me and others in a master class we lucky young devils consumed dearly in drama school where one of our theatres was named in her honor.

Talking a lot about me this morning, hope i'm not sounding narcissistic or boastful, just is, that's all.

Have a great day on that other coast!

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Submitted by on the cusp on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 10:33am

@smiley7 I enjoy reading about peoples lives, and the stories of their lives. You have had a remarkable life. Sharing it allows you to live forever.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 11:25am
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@on the cusp

my ego has gotten the best of me, mostly in earlier days, but we do learn when listening; appreciating my son's insights more and more, he evens out my hard edges now that he's reached the 'warrior' stage of life and understands.

Recently, in an assessment meeting with staff at a rehab facility, chosen by the hospital where mother was first placed--one facility i've an axe to grind with in future for their capitalistic BS and general lack of caring, a fight for a latter day or let it go as Mother is thankfully settled in long-term care facility i can see from my winter's work, a caring staff with nurses all around--when a staff member crossed the line at that first facility, and asked how i was going to use Mom's modest assets, i paused at the privacy intruded vulgar question and countered by sharing with the board table room that Mother, as many other folks with special nursing needs, has grown beyond personal responsibilities and has become a community challenge, the shared responsibility we all have to each other, all 3 plus billion of us.

After my controlled tirade, they stopped attempting to sell their corporate product, a couple of department leaders nodding their heads in agreement with what i said.

And in all this, that community responsibility circles in my head, re-awaking in a tense time what the whole journey has been and is about: the sharing and caring and living of life each human deserves a chance to have, a lesson surely in need of repeating.

As Shakespeare said, hopefully, we are not too old as we may learn.

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Submitted by on the cusp on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 11:59am

@smiley7 He also said the quality of mercy is twice blessed. (I have used that in final summations to juries to at least some positive effect!)

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 12:48pm
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@on the cusp

The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth like the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.

— The Merchant of Venice, Act 4, Scene 1

Memories of my beautiful ex-wife: met in a restaurant on 36th street and soon played opposite lead to her at the Provincetown Playhouse on Washington Square, more about this in coming morning theatre; she is Portia in many ways to this day and her rendering in New Orleans of the quality of mercy and "You see me Lord Bassanio where I stand, such as I am"...monologues rang true; made my entrance in same production on a Vespa motorcycle as Gratiano Smile

Thanks on the cusp!

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Submitted by riverlover on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 9:23am
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@enhydra lutris I now have "friends" in places like Algeria, where it has recently been blistering hot, 53 C in the shade. My adult offspring are more into Instagram where I am not.

Another cool day, up to 22C. Cloudy. Rain chances have dissipated. My broken face still pains me, now three bits of shrapnel I can feel. So I try to not touch my face.

Starting a course on herbal collection and preservation.

Happy Saturday!

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Submitted by enhydra lutris on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 1:07pm
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@riverlover

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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 --

Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 9:37am
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sending healing thoughts and good wishes for a pleasant day; cool i like, not enduing the heat of the Piedmont's in the South anymore when i drop down there, can't breathe.

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Submitted by eyo on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 10:36am

I didn't know Volvo was owned by Geely now, thought it was still Ford. Used to know someone who owned a Volvo dealership in the Bay Area, conservative and pretty pretty wealthy. What Geely did after purchase sounds exactly like what was needed according to that dealer's opinions. They brought back the better designs, and improved. Cool! Pun totally intended. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_Cars#Geely_era

Under Geely ownership, Volvo has refocused its product lineup. The manufacturer has developed a new line of 3- and 4-cylinder diesel and petrol engines while eliminating larger engines. It has also developed a new vehicle platform, the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), and re-introduced an expanded -90 series of models, including the S90 sedan and V90 wagon in addition to a redesigned XC90 SUV.

In July 2017, the automaker announced that beginning in 2019, all of its new models will include an electric motor in their powertrain. Implementation of the announcement could mean Volvo becoming the first manufacturer to end production of internal combustion-only vehicles, with all vehicles hybrid or electric powered. Between 2019 and 2021, Volvo plans to launch 3 electric cars under the Volvo brand and 2 more under the Polestar performance brand.

LOL, go China! I guess I am pissing off a lot of different people cheering on communists and oligarchs, but hey it could help us stop frying to death maybe. Could be worse. I am not so worried about China's bubble after reading Naked Capitalism lately either.
Then there is this: Gov. Jerry Brown to call for a 2018 global climate summit in San Francisco.

Brown has embraced a global role in his climate advocacy. He most recently traveled to China as America's unofficial climate ambassador, and hosted the president of this year's United Nations conference on climate change, Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, at the governor's mansion in Sacramento.

Closer to home, Brown has trained his energies on reauthorizing cap and trade, California's signature program to combat climate change, which requires companies to buy permits to release greenhouse gases. But so far, a proposal that would secure a supermajority vote in the Legislature has proved elusive.

We'll see. There are a lot of cars in California, and a lot of pollution in China, those two things I do know. What about Elon Musk though? I read he is already planning to build cars in China, kinda still seems like a global society to me, not very nationalistic.

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Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 11:30am
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@eyo
saying move out of the way backward, greed-dripping people, the future is in your way!

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Submitted by dkmich on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 11:39am

Still up north on Lake Huron with great weather and lots of sunshine. Anytime the flies aren't biting, nary a fly in sight, it is a great day up north.

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

Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 12:58pm
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@dkmich
and that you've a beautiful place to spend the days; never made it to Huron, but my ex was from Milwaukee and Lake Michigan, especially Washington Island and Door County were frequented and greatly enjoyed.

Cool day here in Appalachians, with Summer rain showers, most days.

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Submitted by HenryAWallace on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 12:56pm

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Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 1:01pm
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@HenryAWallace
and posting good works. Long live our c99p and the 99 percent.

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Submitted by HenryAWallace on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 1:17pm

@smiley7

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Submitted by gjohnsit on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 1:35pm

TSA

When put to the test, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport failed 95 percent of security tests conducted at the airport last week, according to Fox 9 sources.

Last Thursday, what’s referred to as the “Red Team” in town from Washington D.C., posed as passengers and attempted to sneak items through security that should easily be caught.

In most cases, they succeeded in getting the banned items though. 17 out of 18 tries by the undercover federal agents saw explosive materials, fake weapons or drugs pass through TSA screening undetected.

Two sources said that the tests carried out Thursday were eventually stopped after the failure rate reached 95 percent.

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Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 2:12pm
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@gjohnsit @gjohnsit @gjohnsit
discouraging, it is: Osama wins, not that we conquerors don't deserve the comeuppance as Joseph Conrad and others attempted to educate us about, had we only spread his wisdom in a broader way?

edit for sp

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Submitted by native on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 2:58pm

@gjohnsit
to intimidate everyone, not just terrorists. It's done a pretty good job of doing that.

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native

Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 4:05pm
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@native
so right and by intent, agreed.

Good to see you, enjoy the evening.

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Submitted by native on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 4:27pm

@native .
I think it's important for people to recognize the pattern of events that have followed from 9/11. Very little of this has been accidental.

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native

Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 3:29pm
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In a sense, the Towers were a great unifying force for New Yorkers—they brought all, high and low, rich and poor, together to hate. They were hated by Jacobs and Lewis Mumford, by architects, by Art Deco aficionados, by Homer Simpson, and by people on the street who could hardly walk past without getting blown away by the winds that whipped around them.

To build the center, the Port Authority needed the approval of the governors of New York and New Jersey. Nelson Rockefeller, New York's governor and David Rockefeller's brother, backed the project. (Later critics of the WTC mocked this fraternal connection by calling the Twin Towers "David and Nelson.")

A good read: http://gothamist.com/2016/09/08/wtc_twin_towers_flashback.php#photo-1

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Submitted by mhagle on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 4:02pm
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I am usually too busy on Saturday morning to get on c99, so this was a fabulous treat. Love the poetry and every comment was special too.

I appreciate you all. Smile

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 07/08/2017 - 4:07pm
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@mhagle
love back at you!

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