Tuesday, March 03, 2020

Joni Mitchell, Woody Allen, the race for the presidential nomination

Does this surprise you?

Breaking: Ex-FBI unit chief blows whistle on Comey, McCabe over warrantless spying. Agent says warnings were ignored, program may have been abused for political espionage


Doesn't surprise me at all.

Doubt it does you.

The cherry on top of a glorious news day: Chris Matthews Is Over If this doesn’t make you do a happy dance, I don’t know what will!


That's good news.  A note had to be added to Ava and C.I.'s "TV: The future is out there" about that.  In fact, THIRD's new content is up:


In an e-mail, Lynda asked what I was listening to?  I'm always listening to music.  Right now?

Love came to my door
With a sleeping roll
And a madman's soul
He thought for sure I'd seen him
Dancing up a river in the dark
Looking for a woman 
To court and spark.

Joni Mitchell's COURT AND SPARK (that's from the title track).

On music, George asked if my favorite Joni album is FOR THE ROSES "because it's Elaine's favorite."  George is right, it is Elaine's favorite.  While I love BLUE, COURT AND SPARK, DOG EAT DOG, SHINE and HEJIRA one and all, I really do love FOR THE ROSES best.  It takes you to the outdoors, you can feel the tide coming in and going out on those songs. 

Here are some Tweets about FOR THE ROSES:

  1. 🌺 Joni Mitchell - For the Roses via
  2. 5. Joni Mitchell - For The Roses (1972) Genre: Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter Rating: ☆☆☆☆
  3. Replying to 
    For the Roses by Joni Mitchell. Im building up a playlist of songs i consider 10/10 and i realized i consider every song on it to be perfect.
  4. Joni Mitchell - Judgement of the Moon and Stars ( Ludwigs Tune) For The Roses
  5. Joni Mitchell - For the roses (live 1972).
  6. Replying to 
    Jethro Tull- Thick as a Brick and Benefit CSN&Y - Dèjá Vu The Band Joni Mitchell- For the Roses
  7. Replying to 
    For the Roses - Joni Mitchell For Everyman - Jackson Browne For No One - Emmylou Harris Tea For One - Led Zeppelin Up For the Down Stroke - Funkadelic Song For the Gypsies - Gay & Terry Woods For Emily Wherever I May Find Her - Simon & Garfunkel For Your Precious Love - J. Butler
  8. Replying to 
    Joni MitchellFor the Roses” purchased in NY state.
  9. Early Christmas present to myself. Joni Mitchell ~ For the roses on vinyl. 🙂Thank you me, I love it!🥰
  10. Replying to 
    7 albums to know me: 1. Madonna - Rebel Heart 2. Joni Mitchell - For The Roses 3. Cyndi Lauper - Hat Full Of Stars 4. Eric Terino - Champagne & Childhood Hunger 5. Yoko Ono - Approximately Infinite Universe 6. Kate Bush - Hounds Of Love 7. Dean Lewis - A Place We Knew
  11. Replying to 
    Lou Reed: The Blue Mask; Legendary Hearts; New Sensations Joni Mitchell: Blue; For the Roses; Court and Spark
  12. I think that “For The Roses” is one of Joni Mitchell’s more underrated albums, while it does include one of her most famous hits “You Turn Me On, I’m a Radio”, it is rarely included in discussions about her /great/ albums. In this essay I will


Other news? Next month, Woody Allen's autobiography comes out.  It's called APROPOS OF NOTHING.  I'll be purchasing it.

I love his films.  My top ten in this order:

1) LOVE AND DEATH

2) SLEEPER

3) MATCHPOINT

4) ANNIE HALL

5) BROADWAY DANNY ROSE

6) MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY

7) SMALL TIME CROOKS

8) WONDER WHEEL

9) SCOOP

10) ZELIG

If you're someone who believes Dylan's claims, that's fine.  I don't.  I don't believe her at all.  She may think she's telling the truth. I believe, as one group found, that she was coached by Mia.

I don't believe Woody molested her. 

Sorry.

I like Woody's movies and I will be buying his book.

And that top ten?  It's not my only favorites.  BANANAS, TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN, MANHATTAN, HANNAH AND HER SISTERS and several others would make the list of top 20.  I enjoy the bulk of his movies.  The only one I can't stand is that one he did with Will Ferrell.

So Pete's out, Amy's out and Tom's out.  Who'll be the next to drop out of the race for the presidential nomination?

I have no idea.  But my choice continues to be Bernie Sanders.


I do not believe we will defeat Donald Trump with a candidate like Joe Biden who supported the Iraq War.
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 I agree.


Here's C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:"

 
Monday, March 2 ,2020.  Two depart the race for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination and a prime minister-designate in Iraq announces he's out.



And then there were . . . how many?  As the race for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination continues, it continues with two less candidates.  Saturday, Tom Steyer dropped out after coming in third in the South Carolina primary.  Yesterday, Pete Buttigieg dropped out.

Though Tom ran a campaign on issues, you'd never know it to watch the laments that followed.  With regards to Tom, immediately various 'leaders' spoke up to inform the country how Tom could now best use his own money. Pete ran a campaign devoted to assisting the corporations.  The post-Pete drivel was all about how he'd proven so much and he'd inspired so many and this was the first in a long line of campaigns to come.

Really?  Well let's hope in future campaigns that he does better than 8.2% of the voters.

It goes without saying that it was the Neera crowd lamenting Pete.  The White-White crowd.  Realizing how far she'd gone, one White former actress felt the need to Tweet a photo of one of her adopted children.  No word on whether, like last time, she Googled her name and "black child" to find the photo this time.

Some tried to insist that Pete would make a great Secretary of Veterans Affairs.  This group wasn't a group of veterans or a group representing veterans.  As we noted here throughout his campaign, Pete didn't register with veterans.  That's because he never spoke of veterans issues.  Also, it's because he's really not a veteran.  He's a cut-in-line guy who avoided the boot camps and other requirements by who he knew.  He wanted a title and, when he could be given one, he signed up.  Real veterans don't tend to respect the Toy Soldiers.

Pete hurt his case further by never knowing what a veterans issue was.  US House Rep Tulsi Gabbard and US House Rep Seth Moulton both had the respect of their fellow veterans.  Whether that would translate into votes or not, other veterans did look at the two and know that they were fighting for all veterans.  And Tulsi and Seth actually saw combat.

All Pete had was the laughable 'Vote Vets' -- a hideous and partisan front group that might be in trouble with the FEC.  No candidate had less experience than Pete.  But Steve Bullock dropped out without getting the easy praise.  Kamala Harris was not treated like a hero when she dropped out.  He never happened but the press is still trying to make him happen.

Tomorrow is Super Tuesday.  NPR provides a run down of what that means.  The following Tweet goes to what it means for most Americans.

This single 45-second video explains the difference between and . In a 5-day period, Republicans tried to cut Social Security. You’ll see which side Bernie and Joe were on. Take 45 second to watch it — and retweet.
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In Iraq, Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi will no longer attempt to become prime minister.   Ghassan Adnan and Isabel Coles (WALL STREET JOURNAL) report, "Iraq’s prime minister-designate withdrew his candidacy for the position on Sunday, saying he faced obstruction from some political factions over reforms, deepening political turmoil in the country as it faces a growing coronavirus challenge."

: Iraqi Prime Minister designate Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi announces his withdrawal after failing to secure parliamentary support for his cabinet selection.
 
 



Abbas Kadhim offers this take.



Prime Minister Candidate Mohammad Tawfik Allawi withdrew his nomination after the passing of his constitutional 30-day deadline to secure a CoR vote of confidence. (1)
 
 
  • Mr. Allawi blamed the “corrupt partisan politicians” for his inability to form a government. That is true in part. But, on the other hand, he submitted a partial cabinet whose members are completely unsatisfactory. (2)
     
     
  • Some of Mr. Allawi’s proposed ministers are accused of acts which, if true, should disqualify them from office and call his judgment into question. Others are too old and/or not in touch with for a long time. (3)
     
     
  • Mr. Allawi made several mistakes, other than the bad selection. He accused MPs of conspiring to bring him down, calling those who didn’t support him corrupt & essentially dishonorable. (4)
     
     
    This development will bring ’s President Dr. back to the drawing board to nominate another candidate in the next 15 days, as PM ’s govt. continues its caretaker role for up to 45 days, or more if no new PM is confirmed. (5)
     
     




    THE DAILY SABAH notes:

    Allawi's withdrawal a month after having been selected plunges the country into further uncertainty at a critical time, as the country weathers troubled times, including ongoing anti-government protests and the constant threat of being ensnared by festering U.S.-Iranian tension. Allawi's departure leaves President Barham Saleh with 15 days to propose a new candidate, whom he could name unilaterally without consulting parliament. According to political sources, the president intends to propose intelligence chief Mustafa al-Kazimi.


    This is not the first time that it's been rumored Saleh will back al-Kazimi.  Back in December, AFP reported Saleh was considering al-Kazimi "who is seen to have US backing."


    And the protests continue.


    Teachers in march in protests to underscore the peacefulness of the revolution, a day after announced withdrawing his candidacy for prime minister amid public rejection |
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    protesters in Al-Tahrir square, , chant "the people want the fall of the regime" after withdrew his candidacy for prime minister | Telegram Channel:
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