tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22185127952981804202024-02-19T03:06:16.401-05:00Ed's talkdiscussions about music in general, computer music, my website, politics and, yes, religion.Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.comBlogger335125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-51843703860190837022018-04-10T16:40:00.000-04:002018-04-10T16:40:18.691-04:00I am trying to get my blog back on Safari but so far haven't been successful.<br />
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I'd wanted to write about my mentor at Yale, Mel Powell, who was very helpful to me in my earlier days there. At that time, I was writing atonal music and even wrote my Masters thesis on "Rhythm in the Muaic of Anton von Webern".<br />
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I have long since returned to tonality when I left Yale with my Masters degree. I have not found that atonality has been a sustaining means of creative endeavor.<br />
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Nevertheless, more recently I have been a help in updating Mel's Wikipedia page with the help of others.<br />
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<br />Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-38919638683895415552018-03-19T10:46:00.004-04:002018-03-19T10:52:03.163-04:00My 3/18/2018 comment on Times web siteI like to think that Maureen, in her previously snarky columns on “Barry” Obama and Hillary Clinton has perhaps regretted writing them and with her pushing DFT as “entertainment” for us plebes after realizing what a monster she had helped create!<br />
But though looking to Robert Mueller to correct the situation, while thinking of it as still a possibility, I have been thinking it less and less likely as time goes by.I hope I am proven wrong but 45’s willingness to fight as dirty as necessary to save his own backside as shown recently in the case of Andrew McCabe’s firing shows what we are up against.<br />
Only the ballot box shows what we should do and hope we are clever enough to avoid the result of the last election.<br />
I like to think that we should vote as Americans and not as followers of “Vlad the Impaler”.Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-7126905390264156952018-03-14T11:26:00.000-04:002018-03-19T10:49:27.886-04:00The death of Stephen HawkingI first heard of Hawking's death last night on the TV and I found it shocking, even though Hawking was a long time survivor of ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.) which generally kills its vicims much earlier than it killed him.<br />
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(There have even been doubts that Lou Gehrig was killed by "Lou Gehrig's disease"!)<br />
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Despite his many years in a wheelchair and his severe physical limitations, he was the most famous physicist and scientific thinker of our time as, for example, Albert Einstein was of his.<br />
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And, appropriately as scientists, they both expressed skepticism concerning the existence of god, a skepticism which I share and which my parents also shared with me.<br />
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My utter lack of interest in the evangelist Billy Graham after his recent death stood in contrast to these more recent deaths, even with the persistent and puzzling attention to it played by the media.Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-85190332807967233632018-02-14T22:11:00.000-05:002018-03-09T17:09:36.278-05:00Still another school shooting in Florida at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FloridaIt seems that Wikipedia that earlier gave more information on the suspected shooter Nikolas de Jesus Cruz.<br />
"At approximately 2:40 p.m. EST on February 14, 2018, a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_shooting" title="Mass shooting">mass shooting</a> occurred at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjory_Stoneman_Douglas_High_School" title="Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School">Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkland,_Florida" title="Parkland, Florida">Parkland</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida" title="Florida">Florida</a>, in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_metropolitan_area" title="Miami metropolitan area">Miami metropolitan area</a>. At least 17 people were killed and 14 others were hospitalized. The alleged shooter is in custody of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broward_County_Sheriff%27s_Office" title="Broward County Sheriff's Office">Broward County Sheriff's Office</a>. He was taken to a local hospital before being incarcerated.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjory_Stoneman_Douglas_High_School_shooting#cite_note-5">[5]</a></sup> The mass shooting is among the deadliest in modern U.S. history.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjory_Stoneman_Douglas_High_School_shooting#cite_note-6">[6]"</a></sup><br />
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Update: March 7th, 2018: It seems that this shooting has finally gotten some of our young people to respond wi†h their own "never again" reaction and I hope †hey will stick to their own guns (no pun intended!) and continue to oppose the NRA and the do-nothing pols in Congress who hope the whole thing goes away.<br />
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<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6"> </sup> Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-11048193597693649772018-01-25T18:40:00.000-05:002018-01-25T19:31:47.129-05:00further on the current sex scandalsMy posting on WQXR is shown above but with a Wikipedia photo, for copyright reasons.<br />
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I can attest to the fact that Gelb initially tried to kill the story but couldn't. I can also say that the story is really quite an old one and has only become current due to other stories which persist on the internet involving Hollywood, starting with Harvey Weinstein, as well as the world of music, politics and other fields.<br />
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As victims, females have come first (the "Me-too movement") and here, our President himself who cannot keep his mouth shut if his life depends on it, has boasted about his successes with women especially on the "Access Hollywood" footage.<br />
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But males of all ages have also been victims, not only of Levine and Kevin Spacey but of religion as well and one can only hope that Pope Francis can eventually allow priests to marry a mature spouse of their gender choice. Nothing else will do!<br />
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It won't completely solve the problem but it ought to help! <br />
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<br />Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-85674980132270141192018-01-25T17:14:00.000-05:002018-01-30T20:59:06.137-05:00<div class="l-constrained">
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James Levine in the News: Perspectives from Classical Music Critics</h1>
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E.G. from New York City</h1>
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This is definitely no "witch hunt". </div>
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Going back to the early years of Levine's tenure, many of us have been aware that the Met board has been buying the silence of the young victim's families by paying them off to remain silent as well as buying the silence of the police. </div>
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Even most recently, Mr. Gelb seems to have tried initially to silence criticism of the Met's handling of the long-running scandal, having only given up that attempt after the drip, drip, drip of accusations became a torrent.</div>
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It is time for the Met to act responsibly towards its public as well as its artists!</div>
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Jan 25, 2018, 3:47 PM</div>
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Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-26145050228576878372018-01-17T15:28:00.003-05:002018-03-07T15:28:18.168-05:00Le Nozze di Figaro from post-Levine Met<br />
I had many reservations about this production of “Le Nozze di Figaro” including the unnecessary added visuals which included the servant girls “cleaning and setting up the stage” during the overture but, considering the many other ”sins”, this may only have been a minor rather than a “cardinal “sin”!, (I have never liked the Met’s modernization of time periods, sets, costumes and attitudes.)<br />
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But I was impressed with the Met’s physical setup as I hadn’t been there in many years, and was very much taken with the revolving sets.<br />
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I thought the Count (the baritone Mariusz Kwiecień ) was underpowered (especially compared to the greatest exponent of the part, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau who unfortunately can no longer sing the part having died in 2012 ) but liked the Susannah of Sierra and especially the Countess of Ailyn Pérez. The Figaro (Russian bass Ildar Abdrazakov) was just ok in the part. At one point (we were sitting close to the stage) he repeatedly shined his flashlight (!) directly into my eyes but I think he eventually spotted me and stopped shining it. (an example of my own audience participation?)<br />
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Maybe Marcellina (Katarina Leoson) could have been made up to look like the old crone she is supposed to be, as is necessary to the later plot developments. (Yes, I am now deliberately avoiding a major “spoiler”!)<br />
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Isabel Leonard was very satisfactory in the famous “trouser role” of the perpetually lovesick Cherubino and handled the musical, acting and athletic demands of the role adeptly.<br />
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Where we sat, I felt that conductor Harry Bicket did overpower the smaller voices at times, but mostly kept the ensemble under control.<br />
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But, by and large, I don’t think we are living in the golden age of great voices!!!<br />
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Addendum, March 7th, 2018: After asking several more experienced opera-goers, I found that they mostly seem to think the best place to sit at the Met is towards the first row of the balcony even if these seats are not inexpensive. But I suppose that, in addition to avoiding Figaro's notorious flashlight, one hears a bettter sound mixture and experiences fewer visual obstructions that seem inevitable while sitting in the orchestra seats.<br />
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<br />Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-10580708593123311272017-11-04T15:15:00.000-04:002017-11-13T20:00:32.384-05:00The Trump crime familyTrump was a somewhat unknown factor in this new administration but, having been president for several months, his abilities as well as their utter lack are now known by the whole world.<br />
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He has not been able to do anything right and, in some ways, this is fortunate. In other ways, his inability to keep his mouth shut has led to the inability of anyone to get full justice (Bowe Bergdahl for example). and has even led to many deaths ·note his utter mishandling of the Puerto Rican hurricane recovery in which his most memorable action was his throwing out of paper towels to the victims.<br />
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And note, as well, his cabinet which is partly made up of his family members and his administration's criminal connection to Russia and especially to Vlad the Impaler. (Putin) There is almost no exception to this among his cabinet including Don Jr., Jared Kushner his son-in-law, as well as his Attorney general Jeff Sessions, Paul Manifort his campaign manager, now under indictment, and several others who have now turned state's evidence. (Popadopolous or whatever his name is!)<br />
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And I must add that with all the recent news about sexual abuse by actors and politicians, let us not forget the sexual abuse by Donald Trump our "esteemed" leader of the "free" world who has proudly boasted repeatedly about his own offences towards women over the years! Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-4321180146039584002017-04-13T11:01:00.000-04:002017-04-13T11:01:00.381-04:00The Trumps now; anyone guess!The President’s sudden and unexpected decision to send Tomahawk missiles to a Syrian airfield as a response to Assad’s gassing of their population has been advertised as a humanitarian but measured response to send a message to Assad. (The damage to only one of the airstrips was apparently minimal.) This sudden action has had the result of making Trump finally look “Presidential” for the first time.<br /><br />Donald’s “explanation” of this action which he read from a teleprompter, goes along with this view mentioning “God” more than once. The fact that the real Donald never gave any indication that he ever listened to any “god” other than himself or perhaps other members of his alt-right staff is totally contradicted here and the rather mild “responses” from Russia and others makes it seem to me that this was planned and deliberate rather than in any way “quixotic”!<br /><br />Considering that Trump is under suspicion of having stolen the 2016 election with the help of at least one foreign power (see Putin), I have to think that this is further “help” from the same sources and I don’t think we should be “suckered” into this “explanation”!<br /><br />I think this is an attempt to short-circuit and distract from any pending investigation much as Trump’s fact-free charge that he was wire-tapped by the Obama administration.<br /><br />I’m not claiming that the preceding is now untrue but the “truth” is always changing with the Donalds and now the worsening relations between the Trumps and the Russians may be a fact or not. I think nobody now knows. Not even the Donalds!<br />Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-88604966999653865662017-03-24T09:54:00.000-04:002017-03-24T10:04:37.353-04:00The death of Joseph Dillon FordMy Eulogy on Joe Ford’s Facebook page:<br />
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Joe,<br />
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I'm shocked that you didn't survive your illness and my condolences to your family. and all the other members of the Delian Society whose lives you touched.<br />
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I am honored to have been chosen by you as a founding member of the Delian Society and had hoped that you would survive me.<br />
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Perhaps I can show my gratitude by writing something in your memory. Or perhaps we can do the same by a collaborative collection in your memory similar to those we did in the past.<br />
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RIP,<br />
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Ed Gold<br />
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Joe was, not only a frequent commentator on my own Facebook page, but also an occasional contributor to this blog.<br />
The musical project I mentioned above is beginning to take shape and I am hoping to contribute to it if my age and mental condition will allow it.Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-46496334818544566722017-01-24T13:12:00.000-05:002017-01-29T13:30:42.708-05:00The Donald in our future<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zIVpnP5KuWzOX9T6PqlEGWZ44HTNj-biMQATvIQ4eYh8yLWC5E-SR1LWmRS3RSFfnuRJff4h4-GkJLH-vljviCqxtv-ZBbyWzICWlcFLKB-pAASQH6qM1S6XgWvEM5XALGY0FSuwgSk2/s1600/Womens_March_on_Washington.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zIVpnP5KuWzOX9T6PqlEGWZ44HTNj-biMQATvIQ4eYh8yLWC5E-SR1LWmRS3RSFfnuRJff4h4-GkJLH-vljviCqxtv-ZBbyWzICWlcFLKB-pAASQH6qM1S6XgWvEM5XALGY0FSuwgSk2/s320/Womens_March_on_Washington.jpg" width="213" /></a>That the "election" of Trump was a result of many factors including interference in the election by more than one foreign country, Putin's Russia and Bibi Netanyahu's orthodox Israeli government immediately come to mind. And, yes, FBI director James Comey's ill-timed investigation of Hillary's emails which eventually came to nought after that damage had already been done.<br />
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We are also told that liberals have in Roger Cohen's Times opinion piece <span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">"lost sight of their country."</span></span><br />
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but I say we are not guilty of putting this completely unqualified and downright dangerous fool in charge of our country and I would have to say that his "election" was in no way legitimate after looking at the real facts!<br />
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After all the many countrywide and global protests which I expect to persist during Trump's tenure, I and many others have to ask "What now?"<br />
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Will it be what the little 6-7 year old I recently encountered who said "impeach" and who later left no doubt who he was talking about by giving his name or will they simply "fire" him after he stops being useful to them?<br />
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While I wish him no harm I simply don't want him as my president and there are many who agree!<br />
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<br />Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-47265257200401741502016-11-16T08:48:00.001-05:002016-11-16T10:53:31.619-05:00Wagner's Parsifal and our electoral aftermath<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2218512795298180420" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>I think my last post turned out to be rather prophetic and possibly shows that I saw it coming!<br />
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And it's not only Trump but an almost worldwide turn to the right. For instance Marine Le Pen, the extreme right wing candidate in France now thinks it quite possible that she and her party will take over the French government.<br />
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Lest you think I'm not taking this fiasco seriously, I can only say I feel like Amfortas in Wagner's "Parsifal" who has a wound which won't heal.<br />
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But I don't think it can be healed by an impure fool, if you know who I mean!<br />
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<br />Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-55912297411865195802016-09-16T03:41:00.000-04:002016-09-16T03:41:09.318-04:00<br />
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Now Hillary is tied with Trump!!! How did that happen?<br />
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I've always thought that she has an absolute talent for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory!<br />
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I will not ever vote for Trump and Hillary has been an energetic and fine public servant over the years. But she has apparently been a lousy candidate!!!!<br />
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I recall years ago that I left our YMCA one rather drizzly evening and walked north. I approached Bed, Bath and Beyond (?) and, as I did, I saw a blonde lady running out of it followed by a man with an umbrella who was unable to keep up with her and she ran into a waiting limousine and drove away quickly.<br />
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I am quite certain this was Hillary and I believe she and Bill lived to the west of Broadway.<br />
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If she can not beat Donald in the debates, there is no hope.<br />
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How do you lose to an absolute phony like The Donald?<br />
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Perhaps she has found a way!Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-55465164434186830652016-07-28T11:52:00.000-04:002016-07-28T11:52:25.718-04:00<br />
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Having watched a good part of the speeches last night at the Democratic National Convention after the formal nomination of Hillary Clinton, allow me to share my thoughts on them.<br />
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What they all had in common, of course, were attacks on Donald Trump, the Republican nominee and, perhaps most interestingly considering his position as an independent and a billionaire, those by Michael Bloomberg.<br />
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Mr. Bloomberg has hardly been a favorite of mine over the years especially because of his self-serving opportunism in allowing himself a third term as Mayor of New York City after which he restored the status quo of the two-term limitation.<br />
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But I can almost forgive him when he endorsed Hillary at the DNC and exposed the Donald as the total fraud and sociopath that he is! (And anyone, like Donald who suggests that Russia hack Hillary's emails is engaged in an act of near-treason!)<br />
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From other viewpoints, the speeches by the others were equally effective especially those by Vice President Joe Biden, Tim Kaine the VP nominee, and President Obama's final speech as President before the DNC.<br />
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<br />Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-16876881523993853912016-07-03T14:09:00.000-04:002018-03-07T11:06:28.791-05:00The making of the modern Jewish identity<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSQVZJUjb-hpoW0KGe16kQ1AVbPaURzahkhG8VPezwlzsEGi8uOgrCM3mkXUCwyHSSll7dVSLRJRnpPA9ulooIMNiE0kXAv42XCwUN3A64BkC4OAF402itjecH5AJKauXFaLJ0ScNIQzo/s1600/Buchenwald_Slave_Laborers_Liberation.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSQVZJUjb-hpoW0KGe16kQ1AVbPaURzahkhG8VPezwlzsEGi8uOgrCM3mkXUCwyHSSll7dVSLRJRnpPA9ulooIMNiE0kXAv42XCwUN3A64BkC4OAF402itjecH5AJKauXFaLJ0ScNIQzo/s400/Buchenwald_Slave_Laborers_Liberation.jpg" /></a><br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">from Wikipedia:<br /><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buchenwald_concentration_camp" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-decoration: none;" title="Buchenwald concentration camp">Buchenwald concentration camp</a><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">, photo taken April 16, 1945, five days after liberation of the camp. Wiesel is in the second row from the bottom, seventh from the left, next to the bunk post.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elie_Wiesel#cite_note-10" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;">[10]</a></sup></span></h2>
<br />
This may seem a rather radical viewpoint but hear me out:<br />
<br />
What brought these thoughts on was the death at 87 yesterday of Elie Weisel, the Nobel prize winner, Holocaust survivor and, in some respects. most important chronicler of the Holocaust.<br />
<br />
I often get questions about whether being Jewish refers to religious beliefs, being a Zionist or just some other, vaguely cultural, factors.<br />
<br />
And though I consider myself Jewish, I have not, for all my life, believed at all in any god and this was true of both my parents even if both my maternal grandparents were devout. And I've never been a Zionist nor have I ever been to Israel. Although it is true that much of my family was wiped out in the Holocaust some did find a refuge in Palestine-Israel.<br />
<br />
But I did go to Hebrew School and had a Bar-Mitzvah. When asked by the Hebrew School principal if I wanted to become a rabbi, my mother firmly answered no!<br />
<br />
No, I think modern Jewish identity was largely shaped by the Holocaust!!<br />
<br />
When the Nazis came to power they found a handy scapegoat, mostly but not entirely, in the Jews and, besides murdering countless numbers of Jewish men, women and children, banned the outputs of Jewish writers, composers, and other artists. Even composers, for example, who converted in order to have careers such as Mahler or whose families earlier converted like Felix Mendelssohn's, were banned. ( And if you doubt Felix himself resented this forced conversion, you don't know enough about him including his correspondence with his sister Fanny as well as his setting of Goethe's "Die erste Walpurgisnacht"<br />
<br />
In short, for better or for worst, the definition of modern Jewish identity would agree with Uncle Adolph's as anyone who was born Jewish or who had any Jewish ancestors!<br />
<br />
<br />Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-38566660942562186342016-06-02T10:07:00.000-04:002016-06-02T10:07:26.010-04:00absurdities and fools rushing in, updated<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQccBRbvx2ZXqyX_xwh6USfnmtcHURp6qrIAGzB5kHscKHtuFLLcymaKhSmKsQbxlrIvtWWogz6s5q_UU9LCxKXennGVtK_zLYCB4GQPUQ24Hj3KM-_0Ky61iratR1kqSEI7UD9XsgucE/s1600/Limbaugh_Award_cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQccBRbvx2ZXqyX_xwh6USfnmtcHURp6qrIAGzB5kHscKHtuFLLcymaKhSmKsQbxlrIvtWWogz6s5q_UU9LCxKXennGVtK_zLYCB4GQPUQ24Hj3KM-_0Ky61iratR1kqSEI7UD9XsgucE/s320/Limbaugh_Award_cropped.jpg" width="225" /></a><br />
<br />
No, this is not about opera plots or overly seductive piano players!<br />
<br />
This is about the most idiotic statements from the right-wing area of politics.<br />
<br />
Rush Limbaugh is wondering why "Harambe was still an ape" Harambe being the gorilla who had to be shot because of parenting failures by those of the 4 year old boy who fell into a gorilla enclosure.<br />
<br />
Now it seems that we cannot expect Rush to have any concept of how evolution works but couldn't we at least expect him to keep his yap shut rather than expose his vast store of ignorance?<br />
<br />
Down the line, we keep getting equally-"brilliant" statements from those other folks who have been long discredited such as Michele Bachmann whose husband Marcus "cures" gay people ("Physician, heal thyself"). And also the GOP front-runner who is not so much a religious nut as an advanced lifelong con-man who takes advantage of this political environment.<br />
<br />
If Donald destroys the GOP, he will do a great service to the country.<br />
<br />
If he were to become its President, he can only be expected to be a complete disaster!Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-34897686931675553812016-05-30T10:15:00.001-04:002016-05-30T12:56:17.562-04:00<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8w3cbICfd9jUNlsel30J6Xj1-bWHZHJbg_gCztGxvfccjJCu2bSn2J97j7H5Gko_WxdbTtBeCrnpGK86gwL4Kx_tO-3bZyO4qJmPnaq1nB0fK652Pze2sdY91ZmMjYrASkv8HKM-rNBM2/s1600/220px-Caruso_in_The_Pearl_Fishers_1916.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8w3cbICfd9jUNlsel30J6Xj1-bWHZHJbg_gCztGxvfccjJCu2bSn2J97j7H5Gko_WxdbTtBeCrnpGK86gwL4Kx_tO-3bZyO4qJmPnaq1nB0fK652Pze2sdY91ZmMjYrASkv8HKM-rNBM2/s400/220px-Caruso_in_The_Pearl_Fishers_1916.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
After much confusion, I was able to watch this opera yesterday (5/29/16) only on the TV with rather inferior picture and sound. (If NET had provided the opportunity to watch it on the computer, both would have been infinitely better but I suppose they'd prefer to do their fund raising.)<br />
<br />
However, the production suffered from the usual problems of the Gelb Met opera. After proudly displaying and later explaining how they did the opening "underwater" intro, they seem to have largely run out of steam.<br />
<br />
Unless they are using an older production such as Zefferelli's, it is impossible to tell the time frame of any production even if this opera was originally set in a mythical Ceylon.<br />
<br />
The tenor Matthew Polenzani especially had his modern tattoos, cigarette and modern beer bottles on display and if he does actually smoke, this is a poor habit for anyone, let alone a singer to get into.
The baritone Mariusz Kwiecień, who carries the most dramatic role in the opera, has one of his most important scenes apparently set in a backstage area, complete with filling cabinets etc., and in a modern costume of t-shirt and trousers. Why?
<br />
<br />
If I were he, I'd sue!!!<br />
<br />
The singing seemed very satisfactory and Diana Damrau was an excellent Leila even though in appearance she looked more like Diana Dammerung. (But that is ungracious of me to even mention so I won't. ;-)
Anyway, she sang well, whether veiled or not.<br />
<br />
I won't go into the absurdities of the plot which is largely based on amazing coincidence all around (including Zurga's necklace and pearl!) and which no production can cure.<br />
<br />
The photo at the top shows the most famous tenor to ever sing the part of Nadir.
Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-21628679440842005952016-05-16T11:24:00.000-04:002016-05-17T16:03:20.885-04:00Fools rush in (where angels fear to tread)!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSUeJisFLT1pJKpuh6iAgoVgjiNmvfp9sYor9ELwmooYrlq_plcHg82qE3Ic9bqC750AzW2CNFUr4IqfDj3B1Bu3AxueVV9J3N5v7S08tepEu6MwtiFdCJ04bA7_2ealzVjatefFous37/s1600/Beethoven.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSUeJisFLT1pJKpuh6iAgoVgjiNmvfp9sYor9ELwmooYrlq_plcHg82qE3Ic9bqC750AzW2CNFUr4IqfDj3B1Bu3AxueVV9J3N5v7S08tepEu6MwtiFdCJ04bA7_2ealzVjatefFous37/s320/Beethoven.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
<br />
I'm afraid that this is really my indictment of, in this case, the classical pianist industry. After a discussion concerning, who I would consider "the Britney Spears" of classical pianists, Yuja Wang, I turned on radio station WQXR to hear her live recital at Carnegie Hall. When I realized I could also see it on Medici TV, I unwisely left the self-serving comments that two men gave on the recital in time to see her play the "Hammerklavier" Sonata which is usually considered to be the "Mt. Everest" of the classical piano repertory and was "treated" to see Ms. Wang in her "stripper's outfit" handily dispatching this work at a speed and efficiency which others could only dream of!<br />
<br />
At the age of 29, it hardly seems seemly to play this work in public and, at that age, could hardly be able to probe its depths. And she didn't!<br />
<br />
Yes, she waited a long time before coming out to play a mess of encores when, after that, she shouldn't have played any.<br />
<br />
I think it all boiled down to a lack of respect! But maybe she thinks her undoubted talent is not enough to get ahead in an overcrowded field of classical pianists. And maybe she's right!<br />
<br />
.<a href="http://www.medici.tv/#!/yuja-wang-brahms-schumann-beethoven-carnegie-hall">http://www.medici.tv/#!/yuja-wang-brahms-schumann-beethoven-carnegie-hall</a><br />
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<br />Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-28708477951354137392016-05-02T08:36:00.000-04:002016-05-02T08:47:04.175-04:00Elgar's "Enigma"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-VD0JPRhUTCTWuaHF2bgRZP-HW4JB7fgcUchkUDGCWOuf93VjfUwTiZc_aj0BCr_-J2R2-Aqulp2fE37Mu228m1TNbm2S-b878uUZ_qSJq9EbJQmj04PLBs5O6uMNP7A5157q0m50ZnR-/s1600/Elgar-Alice-c1891.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-VD0JPRhUTCTWuaHF2bgRZP-HW4JB7fgcUchkUDGCWOuf93VjfUwTiZc_aj0BCr_-J2R2-Aqulp2fE37Mu228m1TNbm2S-b878uUZ_qSJq9EbJQmj04PLBs5O6uMNP7A5157q0m50ZnR-/s400/Elgar-Alice-c1891.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
Much ink has been spent trying to figure out where Elgar got his original theme from to no avail. One person (no names please!) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GjOtzkvhvg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GjOtzkvhvg</a>especially has made himself perfectly obnoxious with his absurd and, to my mind, forced theories. Yes Sir Edward was a mystifier but he was not suffering from foolishness! So "Ein Feste Burg" is not the one in my opinion.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GjOtzkvhvg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GjOtzkvhvg</a><br />
<br />
The facts are these: Elgar had earlier in the day heard Mozart's "Prague" Symphony<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._38_(Mozart)">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._38_(Mozart)</a><br />
<br />
and was improvising on the piano when his wife remarked that it was a good tune and what was it? Elgar replied that it was nothing but that something might be made of it.<br />
<br />
In the slow movement of the Symphony, a second theme (after about 2 minutes in.) is heard and, though the Enigma theme is in the minor, it seems likely that this is the source and not "Ein Feste Burg", "Auld Lang Syne" or even Pi!<br />
<br />
It seems that Sir Edward, early on, understood the value of free publicity!<br />
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<br />Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-49978896535239681282016-02-22T10:27:00.000-05:002016-02-22T10:27:02.555-05:00The last of the Bushies; the disappearance of JebWith the withdrawal of Jeb from the presidential race, we have the final squawk of a dynastic family that gave us 2 presidents: George H.W. Walker Bush and the notorious George W. Bush who brought us both the Iraq quagmire and the utterly evil sociopath Dick "Darth" Cheney known either and appropriately as "Vice" or "the true president of the administration"! It has always been said that Bush "lied us into Iraq" and, in so doing, permanently destabilized a vast region of the world.<br />
<br />
It was with amazing "Chutzpah" that brother Jeb even chose to run having wasted his time, energy and money on a fruitless quest.<br />
<br />
Their mother Barbara had it right when she said some time ago "No more Bushes".<br />
<br />
Would that the family had stuck to that!Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-11682665402625641752016-02-16T18:19:00.000-05:002016-05-17T16:12:05.007-04:00<br />
<br />
Antonin Scalia, who passed away February 13th 2016, is being praised for his brilliant intellect. In fact, he had a more complicated character then his critics often gave him credit for as shown, for example, by his friendships with Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, his comments supporting lower grade college education for the supposed "inferior intellects" of black people made him a racist and his anger at the passing by the Supreme Court of support of same-sex marriage made him a virulent homophobe.<br />
<br />
To say nothing of his opposition to the Affordable Care Act and his disgraceful remark about "jiggery-pokery"!<br />
<br />
In short, an incredible and condescending hypocrite!<br />
<br />
In his lifetime, he caused great harm to this country and afterwards he will continue to do so in the looming battle of appointing his successor.<br />
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<br />Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-72146429322077593302015-12-17T09:57:00.000-05:002015-12-17T09:57:27.147-05:00Martin Shkreli arrestedNo, not for his outrageous behavior in buying up older meds including one to treat AIDS and then raising the price:<br />
<br />
From Wikipedia:<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Shkreli received widespread criticism when Turing obtained the manufacturing license for </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daraprim" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-decoration: none;" title="Daraprim">Daraprim</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">, and raised its price by 5,500 percent (from $13.50 to $750 per tablet).</span><br />
<br />
but for an unrelated fraud case. (as if the preceding wasn't shady enough! And note the name of his company "Turing" Pharmaceuticals. Guess which "Turing" the company was probably named after!)<br />
<br />
Karma?Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-52576891194327335292015-12-08T20:52:00.002-05:002015-12-09T19:20:00.458-05:00Yes, again!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvm-qgAN1pN_DJbhLCNXUM9ijJb3zTUtjztQjak88g4fYAytpdrIuAkTVU75Svyjv_yKJaqYHgMTmg4-Xl5FlUm8gS-pzzIGbCEiWdGJPnqedlAZ6CKJ0GEepGEPQRj-1qGwaDoXj7wqVd/s1600/Donald_August_19_%2528cropped%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvm-qgAN1pN_DJbhLCNXUM9ijJb3zTUtjztQjak88g4fYAytpdrIuAkTVU75Svyjv_yKJaqYHgMTmg4-Xl5FlUm8gS-pzzIGbCEiWdGJPnqedlAZ6CKJ0GEepGEPQRj-1qGwaDoXj7wqVd/s400/Donald_August_19_%2528cropped%2529.jpg" /></a>There seems no way to avoid this person if you turn on the TV or your computer so even if you try, as I have done, you are domed (sic) to utter failure. (But that's neither hair nor there!)<br />
<br />
But at least I try not to <b>trump </b>et his name because we've heard it much too often!<br />
<br />
No Sir, you're Fired!Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-51308404161055140112015-12-03T23:42:00.000-05:002015-12-03T23:42:04.850-05:00No, it's not terrorism?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zzSEJmK9IMr-JlilSWi0Oi091xLbnInNOo_kPvJ0_YJdiVjP_c2bO9_G3BWiaXqNRAT5-2mTIDSWwpALSv1yLtnuNSOUBfH0Zx1ujIir2zKRohscL0am-zTQVc_hh4ojkYKlPxUBTbvH/s1600/220px-IOF-32-REV-1.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zzSEJmK9IMr-JlilSWi0Oi091xLbnInNOo_kPvJ0_YJdiVjP_c2bO9_G3BWiaXqNRAT5-2mTIDSWwpALSv1yLtnuNSOUBfH0Zx1ujIir2zKRohscL0am-zTQVc_hh4ojkYKlPxUBTbvH/s400/220px-IOF-32-REV-1.JPG" /></a>Of course, the Republican-controlled US Senate voted to do nothing about controlling gun violence, as usual.<br />
<br />
Business as usual.<br />
<br />
Prayers as usual!<br />
<br />
Condolences as usual!!<br />
<br />
All to no avail.<br />
<br />
Thanks loads, lawmakers!!!<br />
<br />
Zip-A-dee-doo-dah!!!!Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218512795298180420.post-67255901663132728112015-12-03T11:06:00.000-05:002015-12-03T11:06:13.309-05:00The U.S. becomes a daily shooting gallery<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSBFiGgNUSRTozUABBN1vNSJZ4cljEArLFY2ftss8NpqeZsUC3tFFmnzxPTCk205-dj8IWKvJRqAMHBp04HM8sTy68snRx1F4g90IeffYJGZv2PLQqxY4E3b_ijuy0QHZM3JBDj1FIGa4/s1600/Wayne_LaPierre_by_Gage_Skidmore_2_%2528cropped%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSBFiGgNUSRTozUABBN1vNSJZ4cljEArLFY2ftss8NpqeZsUC3tFFmnzxPTCk205-dj8IWKvJRqAMHBp04HM8sTy68snRx1F4g90IeffYJGZv2PLQqxY4E3b_ijuy0QHZM3JBDj1FIGa4/s400/Wayne_LaPierre_by_Gage_Skidmore_2_%2528cropped%2529.jpg" /></a>We receive word daily of major (San Bernardino, California) and minor (Savannah Georgia) incidents, of which the first type receives enormous amounts of news coverage and the second gets little or none. And yet, we do nothing.<br />
<br />
And why? because we are still living in mortal fear of the powerful gun lobby NRA.<br />
<br />
But until our lawmakers overcome this fear, we will continue to do nothing and innocent people will continue to get murdered or wounded at an alarmingly increasing rate of frequency.<br />
<br />
The National Rifle Association has, as its goal, the desire to sell more guns and is not interested in stopping these shoot-em-ups. (Wayne LaPierre is not interested in your welfare.)<br />
<br />
Come on lawmakers: You know what you have to do. Now do it!!!<br />
<br />
I'm tired of saying this too many times!<br />
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<br />Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15387484095874320325noreply@blogger.com0