As ever, I'm sticking with my broad tar brush and, uh, broadly painting them all as pathological, in the more relevant case for being wedded to a past that's pretty much dead.
So likewise the cultural POV for them: the new is unacceptable unless it's the same old thing done by newer, younger, breathing people.
It's necrophilia, really.
And the desperation from worshipping the dead as it were, sure, will make them weirder. All the death so to speak will make them more unhinged and, pursuant to that, weirder.
And speaking of RWNJ culture, this attributed to a no talent whose claim to fame is a song that was a mash up of two far better songs:
I forgot the religious thing of some which, to again overly generalized, involves letting the world go to shit because dies and goes to heaven which, you know, is heaven.
While in London I picked up at the Imperial War Museum a whole package of replica ephemera from the Blitz, and, while it's fascinating to look at in a historical context, it also drives home how willfully murderous the "face diaper" contingent was during COVID. And, also, the respective attitudes each country, even now, has towards the public.
You're always on point when you work the culture beat, Roy.
Fascism is by definition anti-culture, as it's central tenet is conform, conform, conform. So it makes sense that any "entertainment" that isn't in tribute to and aligned with the man leading the charge to conform would be suspect.
AI slop came to the fore at exactly the right political moment, as talented painters who want to pay tribute to Trump are thin on the ground. But AI will give an old man in failing health six-pack abs with just a few keystrokes.
Seems like we're back to where we were at the 2016 inauguration when nobody (except nobodies) could be persuaded to perform. I'm surprised Tubby hasn't tried to dig his hooks into the slippery Dolly Parton, who has managed thus far to stay above the fray and remain popular all across the political spectrum by being apolitical. You'd think he'd be threatening to destroy her career if she didn't bend to his will and endorse him as the second coming of Jesus. I can just see him resorting to such tactics as he continues to spiral out of control.
I like to imagine Republican Congressmen running for re-election and the forehead-slap they deliver themselves when they open their browser and see "Trump says he doesn't care about Americans financial struggles" or "Trump sets up fund to pay Jan. 6 rioters." Gee, thanks, THAT'S really gonna help.
As the rightful ruler of Canada (in exile), I can tell you this: any harm done to Dolly Parton will be met with the full fury of the Kingdom of Canada. We will rain hell on you, the likes of which the world has never seen! Thank you for your attention to this matter!
It's not really a holiday. I just made that up. I was watching it last night and a character was talking about it was June 1st . I said " Damn" and declared it a holiday.
This is really, really good, Roy. Have no more to add that that. Just well-done on every point. Why, take the word "tits" out, and it could run in the NYT! EDITED TO ADD: That pic of Kid Rock in the Oval is really revelatory of what a piece of white trash that guy is. He's aging like raccoon roadkill on a hot day. In fact, he looks likes that's what he eats every day.
The Kid is a lot like Steve Jobs, in that he took a bunch of other people's ideas and packaged them up and sold them as his, with similar shameless showmanship. Unlike Jobs, he had no other ideas after that one, and has fallen into the country music trap of pandering to what's left of his audience for attention and relevance.
I have a hobby/FB acquaintance from Texas who is an evangelical Christian. Yesterday she posted a pastor's polite, point-by-point Biblically-based rebuttal of Talarico's theology. Was the implication that she therefore supported Paxton, because his beliefs were more truly Biblical (despite years-long evidence of his unbiblical *behavior*)? I had to sit on my hands to keep myself from commenting, reminding myself that I really don't want to spoil it when I see this nice lady at the annual meeting in August. Let the Texans take up this fight.
As far as the message of the Prince of Peace is concerned, the Godly (especially the southern variety) are a dead loss. We have to rely on atheists, cafeteria Catholics, and the not-churched-so's-you'd-notice Christians. (And of course true hearts like yours, as many as we can get.)
He finds a thing that is corrupt and corrupts it even more to the point where it becomes farcical. Whatever credibility it may have once had lies in tatters. You could apply this to Evangelical Christianity, myself I'd apply it to university administrators.
Sometimes I wonder why they bother. Trump voters aren't looking for "arguments" to support their vote. Argumentation isn't really their thing, unless you count "fuck you" as an argument.
Like, for example, Kevin Hasset's desperate efforts to sell us on the Wonderful Trump Economy. Who asked for it? Kevin does it because it's his job, but if you're still with Tubby at this point what would you even do with it? Can you imagine some guy sitting around at the diner with his fellow MAGA-heads, saying "Kevin made a really good point the other day..."
We've reached Brezhnev-era Soviet Union, if anyone is keeping track. Propaganda is produced to meet the quota, nobody - least of all the people producing it - believes it and nobody consumes it.
Pretty much what a family friend who grew up in the USSR said after 2016. "It'll be like Brezhnev. You don't express opinions; you have your family, you go to concerts..." Except, no subsidies for symphonies and ballet for us.
What I loved about that was this: How would any of the mouth-breathing evangelicals that flocked to it know it was actually in Aramaic? It could have sounded like Popeye mumbling to himself and they wouldn't have a clue. I suppose Mel was going after the lucrative Aramaic-speaking demographic.
His next movie was about the Mayans and they all spoke Mayan. He took great care to make it all as authentic as possible. It's commendable, I'd say. Same with the Christ film, though not my cup of tea to put it mildly, and the choice to do Matthew with Gibson's anti-semitic history was definitely problematic, but I don't fault him for the language.
One of the benefits of my Methodist (social justice wing, thank you) upbringing was hearing a couple of lectures from a local upholsterer, who as it happened had also helped translate the Dead Sea Scrolls earlier in his life. Gave me quite the perspective on how the word of god made it into modern languages. Working for Robert Funk's Scholar's Press (albeit as the shipping guy) didn't hurt my perspective either.
I wouldn’t call it lack of response. It’s just that punching down has more visible results. People at the top, with a few obvious exceptions, can more easily shrug off being ridiculed. Some poor schmuck who’s struggling just to keep head above water? You can see him go under when you punch him. Makes a much easier and therefore more satisfying target if that’s the sort of thing you’re looking for.
Think Tyson-level boxer who frequents dive bars so he can punch out chumps who push back on his bullying.
Great insight more broadly about the way promotion and bashing work in our culture and our creatures. Us/Them but also peer belonging and how the crowd differs from the lone individual making moves outside the critical or approving eyes and voices of others.
Many good points to ponder here. But I have all these windows to wash. Leave your hat on. I'll be back.
Yeah, that concert bill was awesome - I recalled dancing, or "dancing" you might say, to Bust a Move at a cousin's wedding like 35 years ago and I had to hit up Google: "Young" MC is 59.
Perhaps it is Harry getting married and the mention of his brother Larry is simply incidental. Harry may not be as close to his brother Larry as he is to his best friend. The real question: Is Young actually rapping to himself or is he just giving general busting advice to others, as suggested in the opening when he says that this is a "jam for all the fellas?" It would be odd if it is indeed the latter as the discussion of the brothers is pretty specific. Either way, being asked to stand up for a wedding taking place in a mere five days might be considered poor form because of the short notice. We need more details.
"Originally designed by Saddam Hussein, self-proclaimed artist-dictator, each arch is made up of two giant forearms/fists, emerging at a 45-degree angle from the earth, each gripping an enlarged replica of the sword of Qadisiyya; the two swords cross to form an arch 40 meters above the ground. The bronze forearms of the monument were modeled from the arms of the Ba’ath President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein. The swords and flag of the monument were made from the melted-down weapons of Iraqi “martyrs” who fought in the Iran-Iraq war. Some 2,500 helmets, riddled with bullets, cascade down from the base of each forearm. These once belonged to Iranian soldiers."
Of course it's easier for the sculptor, make the same sculpture twice, rotate the right arm through 180 degrees to make the "left" arm. Did Saddam notice the artist had cheated like this?
Trump’s pivot from “the greatest artists” to “washed up trash” just embodies how he views everything: if it’s pro-Trump, it’s great, if it’s not, it sucks. It’s the simplest world view imaginable, which is in keeping with his generally subpar intelligence and oversized ego. Since this entails his shit-canning anyone who isn’t 100% butt-licking loyal, you have to marvel at the minuscule self-respect of the cabinet and, in time, every MAGA voter who fails to reelect him in 2028.
"They’re just gonna get weirder. You watch."
As ever, I'm sticking with my broad tar brush and, uh, broadly painting them all as pathological, in the more relevant case for being wedded to a past that's pretty much dead.
So likewise the cultural POV for them: the new is unacceptable unless it's the same old thing done by newer, younger, breathing people.
It's necrophilia, really.
And the desperation from worshipping the dead as it were, sure, will make them weirder. All the death so to speak will make them more unhinged and, pursuant to that, weirder.
And speaking of RWNJ culture, this attributed to a no talent whose claim to fame is a song that was a mash up of two far better songs:
https://substack.com/@kevin932764/note/c-268633226?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=hdnf
Now, for that maybe I'd pray a little.
Which dead, specifically, do they worship?
Can’t say the culture is progressive, the politics is death worshipping policy-wise and their yeoman past is dead or close to it.
All of which they’re incapable of letting go.
Oops, almost forgot the bette noire: Spreading Covid in the name of a perversion of freedom.
Oh, death itself. King Mort.
Makes sense. The life to which they would condemn us all would be far less worth living -- less peaceful, less healthy, less flavorful.
But wait, it gets worse.
I forgot the religious thing of some which, to again overly generalized, involves letting the world go to shit because dies and goes to heaven which, you know, is heaven.
While in London I picked up at the Imperial War Museum a whole package of replica ephemera from the Blitz, and, while it's fascinating to look at in a historical context, it also drives home how willfully murderous the "face diaper" contingent was during COVID. And, also, the respective attitudes each country, even now, has towards the public.
"we’re not gonna let that happen"
The Imperial We
Also, the 'we' of the mondo fascisto administration
Also, the implied 'we all of us, me and you MAGAs'
The Dude knows how to roll...
You're always on point when you work the culture beat, Roy.
Fascism is by definition anti-culture, as it's central tenet is conform, conform, conform. So it makes sense that any "entertainment" that isn't in tribute to and aligned with the man leading the charge to conform would be suspect.
AI slop came to the fore at exactly the right political moment, as talented painters who want to pay tribute to Trump are thin on the ground. But AI will give an old man in failing health six-pack abs with just a few keystrokes.
He, and his superfans, don't really do effort.
I know we’re being all serious today but still, I can’t stop laughing at “looks like he ran face first into a big rock.” That’s just perfect!
Seems like we're back to where we were at the 2016 inauguration when nobody (except nobodies) could be persuaded to perform. I'm surprised Tubby hasn't tried to dig his hooks into the slippery Dolly Parton, who has managed thus far to stay above the fray and remain popular all across the political spectrum by being apolitical. You'd think he'd be threatening to destroy her career if she didn't bend to his will and endorse him as the second coming of Jesus. I can just see him resorting to such tactics as he continues to spiral out of control.
Even Trump can figure out that a move to compel Dolly Parton to support him would not be a good look.
Since when has he ever taken into consideration what would not be a good look?
I like to imagine Republican Congressmen running for re-election and the forehead-slap they deliver themselves when they open their browser and see "Trump says he doesn't care about Americans financial struggles" or "Trump sets up fund to pay Jan. 6 rioters." Gee, thanks, THAT'S really gonna help.
Plus, her lawyers are *much* better than his.
Oh really? How many parking garages have they represented?
I assume she pays hers.
Nobody fucks with Dolly Parton. Nobody.
Just look what she and Lily Tomlin did to Dabney Coleman!
Speaking of tits…
Yes, I LIKED this. I hate myself, of course. Still...
A Chicago-area DJ got fired because he just would NOT shut up about Dolly Parton's ta-tas.
As the rightful ruler of Canada (in exile), I can tell you this: any harm done to Dolly Parton will be met with the full fury of the Kingdom of Canada. We will rain hell on you, the likes of which the world has never seen! Thank you for your attention to this matter!
I, for one, am too busy appreciating the subtle nuance and craft Sydney Sweeney brings to her roles to appreciate her tits.
Remember to celebrate! Today, June 1st , is Wild Strawberries Day. A celebration of Ingmar Bergman's classic film, which takes place on June 1st .
A free clean copy with which to celebrate!
https://youtu.be/B-_-YdvFTvU?si=23DkUMGEkSl27ti-
Thanks!
It's not really a holiday. I just made that up. I was watching it last night and a character was talking about it was June 1st . I said " Damn" and declared it a holiday.
I can do that, right?
Yes. As I always tell the kids, Every Day is Day of Wrath Day.
Dreyer is ...difficult. I liked Ordet. Vampyr is very , very strange. Passion is very, very sad. And yes, Every day is a Day of Wrath -
Sure, the 20th of May is Liza Doolittle Day.
Liza set a date. Pirate Jenny left things as happening when you least expect it.
June 4th is the resident brat's SECOND birthday!
That's a VERY long time to spend in the vaginal canal. No wonder his mother hated him.
One festive tuna cake (hold the candles) coming up?
While the person bearing them (or, hopefully, baring them) may be political, tits are not political at all. I salute them all, large and small!
Today is Oscar the Grouch's birthday.
Always an upvote for my 2nd favorite movie ever.
What’s number 1? I choose Orphee’ .
Bertolucci's The Conformist. Every single shot is like a great Renaissance painting, and the story is so sad and tragic.
This is really, really good, Roy. Have no more to add that that. Just well-done on every point. Why, take the word "tits" out, and it could run in the NYT! EDITED TO ADD: That pic of Kid Rock in the Oval is really revelatory of what a piece of white trash that guy is. He's aging like raccoon roadkill on a hot day. In fact, he looks likes that's what he eats every day.
It's THAT dull? Guess tomorrow has to be another pornographic fantasia.
I like to remember that if you take off the ridiculous paraphernalia, wig, hat, and stubble, Kid Rock looks like Gale Gordon.
That's hilarious. "MISSIZZ CAR-michael..."
Once I saw it, it was all I could see
Kid Wreck. Rusted-out 1970 Dodge Polara on its way to the shredder.
The Kid is a lot like Steve Jobs, in that he took a bunch of other people's ideas and packaged them up and sold them as his, with similar shameless showmanship. Unlike Jobs, he had no other ideas after that one, and has fallen into the country music trap of pandering to what's left of his audience for attention and relevance.
I have a hobby/FB acquaintance from Texas who is an evangelical Christian. Yesterday she posted a pastor's polite, point-by-point Biblically-based rebuttal of Talarico's theology. Was the implication that she therefore supported Paxton, because his beliefs were more truly Biblical (despite years-long evidence of his unbiblical *behavior*)? I had to sit on my hands to keep myself from commenting, reminding myself that I really don't want to spoil it when I see this nice lady at the annual meeting in August. Let the Texans take up this fight.
As far as the message of the Prince of Peace is concerned, the Godly (especially the southern variety) are a dead loss. We have to rely on atheists, cafeteria Catholics, and the not-churched-so's-you'd-notice Christians. (And of course true hearts like yours, as many as we can get.)
He finds a thing that is corrupt and corrupts it even more to the point where it becomes farcical. Whatever credibility it may have once had lies in tatters. You could apply this to Evangelical Christianity, myself I'd apply it to university administrators.
Sometimes I wonder why they bother. Trump voters aren't looking for "arguments" to support their vote. Argumentation isn't really their thing, unless you count "fuck you" as an argument.
Like, for example, Kevin Hasset's desperate efforts to sell us on the Wonderful Trump Economy. Who asked for it? Kevin does it because it's his job, but if you're still with Tubby at this point what would you even do with it? Can you imagine some guy sitting around at the diner with his fellow MAGA-heads, saying "Kevin made a really good point the other day..."
They are told to lie their asses off and they do. That's it. Doesn't have to be convincing.
We've reached Brezhnev-era Soviet Union, if anyone is keeping track. Propaganda is produced to meet the quota, nobody - least of all the people producing it - believes it and nobody consumes it.
Pretty much what a family friend who grew up in the USSR said after 2016. "It'll be like Brezhnev. You don't express opinions; you have your family, you go to concerts..." Except, no subsidies for symphonies and ballet for us.
Hearted but oof.
Hey, the credit card companies aren't hurting yet.
Not to mention the payday-loan stores and the car-title-loan stores, which are all doin' a booming business! America is BACK, baby!
Also I hear plasma sales are up.
Usually one SMELLS plasma before one hears it.
It's a plasma miasma!
I don’t credit anyone’s exegesis of the New Testament’s meaning who hasn’t read it in the original unexpurgated Greek, the one without the gannet.
ἀμήν.
Hey, Mel Gibson made a whole movie in Aramaic, you gotta trust that.
What I loved about that was this: How would any of the mouth-breathing evangelicals that flocked to it know it was actually in Aramaic? It could have sounded like Popeye mumbling to himself and they wouldn't have a clue. I suppose Mel was going after the lucrative Aramaic-speaking demographic.
His next movie was about the Mayans and they all spoke Mayan. He took great care to make it all as authentic as possible. It's commendable, I'd say. Same with the Christ film, though not my cup of tea to put it mildly, and the choice to do Matthew with Gibson's anti-semitic history was definitely problematic, but I don't fault him for the language.
Jesus’ accent was terrible, like he was from the Midwest, not the Middle East.
"Hey, whachoo money changers doin' in dat temple dere, hey?"
One of the benefits of my Methodist (social justice wing, thank you) upbringing was hearing a couple of lectures from a local upholsterer, who as it happened had also helped translate the Dead Sea Scrolls earlier in his life. Gave me quite the perspective on how the word of god made it into modern languages. Working for Robert Funk's Scholar's Press (albeit as the shipping guy) didn't hurt my perspective either.
I wouldn’t call it lack of response. It’s just that punching down has more visible results. People at the top, with a few obvious exceptions, can more easily shrug off being ridiculed. Some poor schmuck who’s struggling just to keep head above water? You can see him go under when you punch him. Makes a much easier and therefore more satisfying target if that’s the sort of thing you’re looking for.
Think Tyson-level boxer who frequents dive bars so he can punch out chumps who push back on his bullying.
When your whole life is based on hate and spite? Where does the surprise come in?
Great insight more broadly about the way promotion and bashing work in our culture and our creatures. Us/Them but also peer belonging and how the crowd differs from the lone individual making moves outside the critical or approving eyes and voices of others.
Many good points to ponder here. But I have all these windows to wash. Leave your hat on. I'll be back.
I am sincerely looking forward to the 5th of July.
Maybe THIS will be the year the Xists land. July 5th, 7:00 am!
Yeah, that concert bill was awesome - I recalled dancing, or "dancing" you might say, to Bust a Move at a cousin's wedding like 35 years ago and I had to hit up Google: "Young" MC is 59.
"Your best friend Harry has a brother Larry
In five days from now he's gonna marry
He's hopin' you can make it there if you can
'Cause in the ceremony you'll be the best man"
I still wanna know why Larry didn't ask Harry to be the best man. He must have dated the bride first.
Perhaps it is Harry getting married and the mention of his brother Larry is simply incidental. Harry may not be as close to his brother Larry as he is to his best friend. The real question: Is Young actually rapping to himself or is he just giving general busting advice to others, as suggested in the opening when he says that this is a "jam for all the fellas?" It would be odd if it is indeed the latter as the discussion of the brothers is pretty specific. Either way, being asked to stand up for a wedding taking place in a mere five days might be considered poor form because of the short notice. We need more details.
The five days always stuck in my craw as well.
Will we reach peak weirdness? We’re about to find out, unless there is no peak weirdness.
Like the Himalayas, peak weirdness continues to rise
And then we all die of oxygen deprivation, but I hear a brief period of euphoria comes before the blackout.
I died as I lived, as so much frozen litter atop a frigid mountain scape
Why, just yesterday I was thinking of this:
"Originally designed by Saddam Hussein, self-proclaimed artist-dictator, each arch is made up of two giant forearms/fists, emerging at a 45-degree angle from the earth, each gripping an enlarged replica of the sword of Qadisiyya; the two swords cross to form an arch 40 meters above the ground. The bronze forearms of the monument were modeled from the arms of the Ba’ath President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein. The swords and flag of the monument were made from the melted-down weapons of Iraqi “martyrs” who fought in the Iran-Iraq war. Some 2,500 helmets, riddled with bullets, cascade down from the base of each forearm. These once belonged to Iranian soldiers."
https://marinaroy.ca/writing/saddams-arms/
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair, indeed. And "self-proclaimed artist-dictator" is a perfect fit.
The thing I just noticed is that they're two right arms. Did Saddam not have a left arm?
Of course it's easier for the sculptor, make the same sculpture twice, rotate the right arm through 180 degrees to make the "left" arm. Did Saddam notice the artist had cheated like this?
Trump’s pivot from “the greatest artists” to “washed up trash” just embodies how he views everything: if it’s pro-Trump, it’s great, if it’s not, it sucks. It’s the simplest world view imaginable, which is in keeping with his generally subpar intelligence and oversized ego. Since this entails his shit-canning anyone who isn’t 100% butt-licking loyal, you have to marvel at the minuscule self-respect of the cabinet and, in time, every MAGA voter who fails to reelect him in 2028.