CBS Sunday Morning is a favorite of mine. This week was especially amazing with the Christine Baranski interview. Would say she’s my favorite Polish American but hopefully I have a potential son in law who will claim this title.
Acadia National Park at Sunrise
All that aside the John Hopkins University stats showed promising vaccination rates:
The former Governor of Alaska, and Vice Presidential candidate is heading to court with the New York Times. Why? Well this pro gun, former Tea Party gal, (another remember that), is suing an editor at the paper for defamation. Apparently, she was inaccurately linked in the article to the 2011 shooting at a site where Rep Gabby Giffords, and others were speaking to constitutents.* Article stated her PAC circulated the location of certain politicians who were against her beliefs.
The NY Times has apologized, but guess that wasn’t enough.
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And the last WHY?
She now lives in Arizona and probably wants to run again…..Spare US please…..
When visiting the Lincoln Center complex go early as often there are pop-up museum pieces which are priceless. You won’t see them anywhere else. On my way to the loo discovered these notables. Let’s start with the actor/directors and their signed portraits.
Liked this George Clooney pic as it captures another side, pensive.
Ava Duvernay – apologize for me in the background, didn’t realize till later. Kind of ghostly.Sofia Coppola – gosh there I am again!
Then the posters..
What a fun rainy Sunday afternoon, makes one glad the sun didn’t shine.
On this rainy weekend explored the Lincoln Center area. Besides the Metropolitan Opera, NYC Ballet, and Film at Lincoln Center, discovered the Lincoln Center Theater with its limited engagement of Flying Over Sunset.
Anxious to see another James Lapine production I attended. Tickets were reasonable at this Vivian Beaumont Theater which supports and honors ongoing creativity. The venue is modern, comfortable, and easy to navigate.
Great Stage, Audience Seating
This fictitious romp concerned itself with a 1950’s LSD trip of notables – Aldous Huxley, Clare Boothe Luce, Cary Grant and Gerald Heard. All had documented “trips” during this time when LSD was legal. While humorous it provoked questions regarding life’s journey, and the ultimate question, “Why??” Acting, dancing, and singing was superb, as with any NYC performance. The plot line was loose, however as the Program Note stated one needed to connect the dots. Good performance for a rainy weekend..
Next: Parallel Mothers with Penelope Cruz directed by Almodovar
Interesting movie with many twists and turns. Penelope is a woman left pregnant by her lover who befriends a young woman in the hospital as they both give birth. Upon hospital departure they continue a friendship. The lover of Penelope returns. He is a forensic archaeologist and issues of World War II occur in the movie. With the background of Spain’s beauty the movie entices, especially with this Europhil who always yearns for Europe, but will say no more so as not to give away the movie “secrets.”
There was much promotion with this movie and when this occurs always wonder…. However, acting was fair to intense, as was story line, and it was a perfect diversion on this rainy January day. Recommend attendance as it gives insight to many issues and a historical perspective on the pain of World War II.
Note: This Lincoln Center Theater is in the Julliard complex across the street from the Lincoln Center Movie Theater.
Since 2015 Muriel Bowser has held the reigns of a very challenging post as Mayor of Washington D.C. This 49 year old previously represented the 4th Ward of the District of Columbia from 2007-2015.
With wise decisions to protect her City during the January 6, 2021 insurrection, she is grace under fire. Having experienced her eloquent speaking style during a Bloomberg campaign stop, she is knowledgeable, charming, and well versed. In her position she oversees an 8.8 billion dollar budget, and is strong on covid protections. She announced on November 4th that she will run for another term, which will not be a problematic fight as in the last election she received 76% of the vote.
Go Muriel!
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Three Highlights For Today
Russia continues to threaten the Ukraine.
New tr investigation and charges in Georgia voting and election results
Becoming Mayor in 2019 this 59 year woman has handled many battles with Chicago school teachers, cops, and the like with tenacity. In her current battle over keeping kids in school, (70% of Chicago students get fed via the school program), during covid she has remained strong and come to reasonable compromise with an often challenging group.
Coming from private legal practice she held various government positions in the police and criminal justice arena. Born in Ohio, educated at the University of Michigan, then a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School, she is a well educated negotiator who has earned her the title of “Kick Ass Trial Attorney.”
Three Highlights for Today
republican senators block voting rights legislation – guess Stephen Colbert was right let’s get rid of the senate – they are a do nothing group
Surprise – Supreme Court allows trump information to be given to the Insurrection Committee
Biden mask and testing give away has begun – did you receive your email?
Val Demings was one of the women on President Biden’s short list for Vice President. She is the representative from Florida’s 10th District which is the area around the Orlando theme parks. Beginning her career as a police officer with the Orlando Police Department she rose through the ranks becoming their Chief of Police from 2007-2011. This year she began a grass roots campaign to unseat republican Marco Rubio.
She is nationally recognized in the law enforcement community and known for her sharp questioning skills. During the first trump impeachment hearings she served as one of the seven House impeachment judges. She is a gal to watch..
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Three Highlights for Today
Subpoenas go to the trump family, and rudy guiliani to present information at the Insurrection Committee
Bronx home gas explosion and fire killing one, injuring several others as well as fire fighters and police
Federal Voting Rights Law has potential vote today
For Martin Luther King’s birthday will be honoring amazing black women who are involved in American politics this week. And what better gals to begin with: Michelle Obama and Stacey Abrams.
Michelle Obama – The wife and First Lady to our 44th President, Barack Obama, Michelle is a lawyer, author, and a gal from the south side of Chicago who also loves to garden. As First Lady her main initiatives were service members and their families, higher education, and international education for adolescent girls.
She graduated from Princeton, and Harvard Law. As a Chicago lawyer she met her future husband when he interned at her law firm. As a private citizen she continues her role working tirelessly for women, and is beloved by a majority of the American people.
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Stacey Abrams is an American politician, lawyer, voting rights advocist, who served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2007-2011, then as minority representative from 2011-2017. This 48 year old is also an author of several best selling fictions. A Yale law school graduate, she currently is running for Governor of Georgia, a post she lost under suspicious conditions by only several thousand votes in the last election. To donate to her Governor campaign: http://www.staceyabrams.com.
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Three Highlights for Today:
Texas synagogue shooting – people question how a gun was obtained, what a laugh it’s Texas..
Major winter storm in southeast – 2 inches per hour in some states, lights for 1000’s out, Climate change strikes again…… Another storm due this weekend, stock up Americans.
Omicron – far from over and the potential for another variant is on the horizon.
While Saturday is the actual date of Martin Luther King’s birthday we celebrate today. Why? A law was passed to give folks a three day weekend. Other than that I am unsure.
However on the celebration this year we have little to celebrate. Nineteen states have enacted thirty- three laws making it more difficult to vote. Why don’t these states be honest and say they only want white rich folk to vote. While white, I don’t fall in this category and even if I did , it disgusts me as:
In diversity there is strength.
No diversity here, only fear what could be lost. However can you imagine what could be gained?
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Being a travel nurse residing in Florida I vote by mail. Cannot tell you how many hoops I had to jump through as they inspected my voter registration card. And why? Well, I am a registered Democrat in a red state. Isn’t red communism? That was another blog. I digress..
While a college graduate I had difficulty with their queries, and quite frankly I was being harassed. They questioned my responses with such scrutiny I had to enlist of the support of several others to get my voter registration card approved and this took much time……………………
New voter laws passed since the Big Lie change everything from limiting voting times, number of ballot boxes, how to sign the ballot envelope, notarization of ballot, limiting water consumption while waiting in line to vote, etc… And from what I’ve seen current lines can have up to a 6 hour wait. It’s dam hot and humid in the south during this time, and if a senior voter it’s life threatening.
One is greeted by Tiffany stained glass upon floor entry…
Dawn in the Woods in Springtime and Sunset in Autumn Woods, 1905
This stained glass is from All Souls Universalist Church in Brooklyn, and is a flawless piece of a Tiffany artistry with its brilliant colors.
Desk with Statutes
More Tiffany – kind of dull though, don’t you think???
Austrian Glass
A Conglomeration
Art Deco: Rockefeller Reception Room
Baserra Khan: I am an Archive
This artist is the recipient of the Brooklyn Museum UOVO prize for emerging artist. His art reflects his Muslim heritage. Interesting dynamic.
A Crack in the Hourglass: An Ongoing Covid 19 Memorial
This was a fascinating yet eerie display.. Created by Mexican artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, this work uses sand, glass, a robotic platform, cameras, computers, and the like, to depict pictures of those who have passed due to covid 19. Individuals can submit pictures of their departed to the site and the picture of the individual will be cast into sand.
The process begins with the hourglass which holds sand.
Then a picture is drawn using the sand.
The picture in the middle is completed and the one to the right is currently being drawn in sand.
Wall of Covid victims with their sand pictures.
Further information/explanation of this work.
Closing……
This piano plays at the entrance to The Crack in the Hourglass exhibit
Young Retiree Needs a Life 