The Littlest Big Winner and Then, Their Pants Exploded and The Sesame Seed Backlash of 2023 and America’s Secret, Tasty World War II Weapon? and Why Can’t Californians Buy This Snack?
Abortion rights
The Supreme Court’s decision last summer that overturned the federal right to an abortion sent Rachel Sweet into overdrive focused on two states (Kansas, Kentucky) that share traditionally conservative values.
“With those [successful] campaigns behind her, Sweet has had time to reflect on the lessons learned from those hard-fought victories, including what many activists on her side of the issue misunderstand about voters who are persuadable on abortion rights.”
(The takeaway here is that one should not be so quick to pigeonhole people who could turn out to be your political allies on some issues.
People have been talking about Buffalo, the second-largest city in New York State, a lot recently. Part of it has to do with the deadly weather; folks there are used to snow but not that. Some of it surely with the near-death on national television of Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin, coincidentally, the first game I started watching from the beginning all season. There’s been a lot of “the city’s been through a lot this year,” going back to the shooting deaths of ten black folks at a supermarket in May 2022.
I’m not unhappy about it. It’s just that I hope we can show such concern for each other when there’s no crisis. I know this is an unrealistic ideal.
The U.S. Census Bureau recently announced the release of Census Business Builder version 5.0, which combines the Regional Analyst Edition and the Small Business Edition into a single, convenient tool.
Librarian and author earns a following after venting about a book signing
DeMane Davis on How Ava DuVernay’s Decision to Hire All Female Directors Offered “Life-Transforming Opportunity
Trevor Noah Urges Viewers to Remember the “World Is a Friendlier Place” Than It Seems in Emotional ‘Daily Show’ Farewell
A U.S. Track Star and the 30-Foot Long Jump That Didn’t Count
The State — and Future — of Free Ad-Supported Streaming
ME
On December 11-12, Albany, NY, received about 6.5 inches of snow, the biggest snowfall of the 2022-23 season. It’s only about six feet (1.8 meters) less than what fell in western New York during last month’s storm.
J. Eric Smith put me on his Best Of My Web 2022 list. I’m fairly blushing.
Most of the JEOPARDY “controversies” I see online aren’t all that. But this question in Final Jeopardy, during the Tournament of Champions, no less, did irritate me. In the category The New Testament: Paul’s letter to them is the New Testament epistle with the most Old Testament quotations
From here: “The internal evidence presented by the book of Hebrews itself indicates an author other than Paul.” So Amy’s answer of Hebrews is suspect, and Sam’s choice of Romans – my first answer upon reading the question – is more likely correct. The question cost Sam the game. If the question read: This letter to them… would have been acceptable.
Now I Know
The Zoo That Made Itself Look Like a Donkey Why The Government Hid Billion of Dollars Worth of $2 Bills How an Oddball Saved an Island of Little Penguins He’s The Type That Likes Numbers? The Best Medicine is… A Room With A View?
MUSIC
Homeward Bound: Christine McVie (July 12, 1943 — November 30, 2022); 5 Great Fleetwood Mac Songs Written by Christine McVie
Coverville 1422: Joe Walsh Cover Story and Christine McVie Tribute and 1423: Covers, Actually
John Aniston, ‘Days of Our Lives’ Star and Father of Jennifer Aniston, Dies at 89. I started watching DOOL, and the evil Victor, in 1990 for about three years.
KFC apologizes after its German Kristallnacht promotion
Russel Kwong, a student worker at Cornell Program on Applied Demographics, has updated New York State reference maps with names and locations of incorporated villages, cities, towns, and American Indian reservations. They are now based on 2020 Census geographies.
She Spent a Decade Writing Fake Russian History. Wikipedia Just Noticed.
Descendants and sponsors traveled from a dozen states to participate in the abolition symposia and inductions of three abolitionists to the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum in Peterboro, NY. Mary Liz Stewart and Paul Stewart nominated and presented Stephen Myers on behalf of the Underground Railroad Education Center (UREC) in Albany, NY. The UREC is located in the 19th C home of Stephen and Harriet Myers. Two descendants of the Myers joined the Stewarts on stage for the unveiling of the banner which will be installed in the Hall of Fame.
Also inducted were Rev. Robert Everett and Calvin Fairbank.
Incidentally, UREC is deactivating its Twitter account “in response to irresponsible decisions at its highest level. Tweets supporting unsubstantiated reports, allowing hate speech, and allowing accounts to be held by dangerous individuals are not acceptable.”
MUSIC
Rebecca Jade has just been nominated for Smooth Jazz Network’s 2022 “Breakout Artist of the Year”! You can vote DAILY from now until December 2nd! Vote HERE. Also, she will be joining Dave Koz and Friends for a very special 25th Anniversary Christmas tour from November 25 to December 23. Tickets HERE.
Drive My Car – Peter Sprague featuring Rebecca Jade
Music from The Story of an Unknown Actor by Alfred Schnittke
Coverville 1419: The Herman’s Hermits Cover Story II
This past week in healthcare investigations: Fentanyl Hidden in Cocaine; Missed Breast Cancer Diagnoses; Calling Out Racism
Upstate NY Habitat plans 25-unit condo; thought to be a world first
The Rev. Calvin Butts left behind a legacy of prayer and political activism
How Audley Moore Created a Blueprint for Black Reparations
Jules Bass, Producer Behind the ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ and ‘Frosty the Snowman’ TV Specials, Dies at 87; Remembering the Rankin-Bass Catalogue
Marvel, DC Among Last Bastion for Supersized Movie Paydays
Now I Know: The Marketing Stunt That Vacuumed Up a Whole Company and The Lady Who Made a Living By Smashing Booze and The Unheard Words of the Star Trek Theme Song and The Odd History (Perhaps?) of the Malaysian National Anthem and The 21-Year-Old Irish Woman That Saved D-Day and The First Curfews and Why Is This Panda Rowing a Giant Pumpkin?
WORDS
NYT: In praise of y’all, the most inclusive pronoun, which I supported 11 years ago
Rebecca Jade, Death Cafe, and the embarrassing Herschel Walker
Angela Lansbury was in the movie Mutiny (1952), set during the War of 1812. She’s on the cover of Movie Love #16, only rarely offered by Heritage Auctions
The Onion advises the Supreme Court’s ‘total Latin dorks’ on parody
Decomposing HUMAN remains can legally be used as compost from 2027 thanks to new California law aimed at tackling climate change
Someone is pretending to be me, and Internet Trolls Have Tormented This Sci-Fi Writer for Years—and He Can’t Stop Them
Cheating scandal at an Ohio tournament rocks the competitive fishing world
NY-CT Border Disputes and The Kidnapping of Freedom-Seeker Peter John Lee
Against All Odds – Building Albany’s Free Black Community in the Early 1800s
The U.S. Just Renamed 650 Sites Around the Country—Here’s Why It Matters
MAD magazine’s oldest active artist is still spoofing what makes us human. Sergio Aragonés has drawn for the publication since he arrived in New York from Mexico 60 years ago. At age 85, he’s contributed to its 70th-anniversary issue: “Drawing has become like walking.”
Charles Fuller, Playwright, and Screenwriter Behind A Soldier’s Play, Dies at 83
Robbie Coltrane, Comic Performer Who Played Hagrid in Harry Potter Movies, Dies at 72
Now I Know: When a Lot of Wine Had to Defend Itself in Front of the Supreme Court, and How a Lot of Typos Led to Late Emails and The Intentionally Bad Song That Accidentally Worked and We Are All Invisible Pinocchios
POLLY TICKS
The Making and Remaking (and Remaking) of MAGA Heir Ron DeSantis
What is a MAGA Republican? and Racism, Lies, and Hypocrisy Are Now Seen as Electable Qualities in GOP Candidates
Herschel Walker says forget about him holding a gun to his wife’s head because Jesus and Does anything matter?
Democrats Warn That Republicans Will Turn US Into a Fascist Hellhole If GOP Prevails in Midterms
Speaking Out Against Hate: SPLC Intelligence Project Director tells a congressional panel that white supremacy threatens communities, education, and democracy
Inside the S–tshow That Was the Trump-Biden Transition
Why ‘Veep’ and ‘The West Wing’ Plotted a Crossover Reunion (Hint: to Save Democracy)
Someone named Gregory purchased http://www.governorgregabbott.com/ and built for him his very own (not very complimentary) website. “More content is on the way.” He also bought the following: EliseStefanik2022.com KevinMcCarthy2022.com TheLaurenBoebert.com GymJordan2022.com SenatorRonJohnson.com SenatorMarcoRubio.com OfficialSCOTUS.com DevinNunes2022.com
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Bolsonaro, Brazil’s terrible leader
Loretta Lynn, Feisty First Lady of Country Music, Coal Miner’s Daughter, dies at 90. Living in her America. Over her long career, she documented the highs and lows of rural life in an incredibly complex emotional register.
Official release date of Rebecca Jade’s newest album, A Shade of Jade
For more than 40 years, taxpayers funded the FBI’s fruitless surveillance of Aretha Franklin
Linda Ronstadt on Her New Memoir, Feels Like Home, and Her Mexican American Heritage
Questlove and Black Thought Know Much More Than Music
DEATH CAFE in Albany, NY
The parking lot in the back of the Library and the street parking meters are free on Saturdays.
Learn more about this international movement at DeathCafe.com
Folks will break into small groups of 4-6, as always. Please wear a mask inside until you are seated with your small group, and your group chooses to be masked or not. Homemade treats and cold and hot water for tea; feel free to bring your own mug and/or beverage.
As always – it is not a support group. We just talk about whatever our group chooses and respect each other’s views. Please RSVP by emailing to DeathCafeAlbany@gmail.com
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Can conservatives be allies against 
Descendants and sponsors traveled from a dozen states to participate in the abolition symposia and inductions of three abolitionists to the 
Some Controversial 
The parking lot in the back of the Library and the street parking meters are free on Saturdays.