As the NPR News Hour played on our computer last night, I remarked to Eileen that it was really the Bizarro Fox news.
Low on content and high on noise. A bit like Fox news, but calmer with inverted content or at least approach. Being an informed US citizen is a difficult task. And since we have descended into the reality TV world of President Trump and his corrupt cronies (the ones applauding him in the Rose Garden yesterday as he announced withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords), since this is our environment, fact based discussions are hard to find.
But they can be found. I keep flitting back and forth between US news sources, Journalism critiques of these sources and the BBC.
Today’s is Thomas Hardy’s birthday. Years ago I began reading my way through his complete poems. This morning I discovered I was on poem # 803. I do find him a bit like an old easy chair, familiar and comfortable.
I heard about his birthday on today’s Writer’s Almanac. I sometimes wonder why they use such bad poetry for “Here’s a poem for today” section. I listen to this pod cast daily to time my five minute wait before taking my Blood Pressure. I like to learn about anniversaries and birthdays. Sometimes, the poem for the day is good. Usually not.
Speaking of poetry, I impulsively checked out a couple of books yesterday.
Odes by Sharon Olds and The Last Shift by Philip Levine.
I loved Old’s book of poems about her father, The Father. I loved her brutality in those poems. Since then, I have been disappointed in much of her work I have read. Odes looks pretty good.
I haven’t read much Levine. But he died recently and graduated from Wayne State University when it was Wayne University. I think that’s why he’s on my radar. I had to return two books of poetry I was working my way through by Stephen Dunn and Hayden Carruth. I had renewed them as much as could. When that happens I make a note and then re-check them out at some point.
A 2016 Review: Why Key State Polls Were Wrong About Trump – The New York Times
Some information about how polls are conducted and their accuracy. I have often wondered that since the land line is disappearing how people are contacted. I remember Eileen’s father asking everyone if they have ever been contacted for a poll. He seemed to think that was proof they weren’t accurate. I always silently thought he was missing the whole deal.
Steady Jobs, With Pay and Hours That Are Anything But – The New York Times
I know a couple of people personally who are at the mercy of their employers. This seems very unfair to me.
ChurchPublishing.org: A Failure of Nerve, Revised Edition, 10th anniversary edition
This came in my email. I do love Friedman. Not sure I need another copy of this, however.
David Lewiston, Who Recorded Indigenous Music Far and Wide, Dies at 88 – The New York Times
I didn’t know about this guy. I hope to check out some of his recordings online.
John Mace, 97, Voice Coach and Campaigner for Same-Sex Marriage, Dies – The New York Times
This kind of obit, a good story, is one reason I like to read obits.