Have you read "All the Beauty in the World" by the Met's former security guard, Michael Bringley? I thought of that right away of course, just finished reading it a couple weeks ago. As a visual artist I enjoyed it in a similar way to PHC... audio, or written word, painting a vivid, visual picture of a place. He spends much of the book observing how others observe art.
Isn’t it grand? I’m not an artist in the sense of what most consider “making art.” And the observations were so rich. He expressed what I’ve always wondered: what the guards experience and observe. My 91 yo “really an artist” who frequents the Met too loved the book.
Speaking of observation, I tried something unusual at the PHC show in Scranton, to observe and sketch the stage performers while being an audience member. Different and fun!
PS I just realized I typed Michael Bringley, meant Patrick Bringley. Would edit but I'm not sure if that's an option. Sorry to Mr. Bringley, but seems like everyone gets that it's you I meant.
You write, “the Most Famous Living New Yorker” but did you really mean “the Most Infamous Living New Yorker”? The bully, the blowhard, the big complainer ex-President of the United States of America who wants to drive conflict and division into this united land to cause controversy and hatred to this country so he could control its population with an iron fist like his buddy Vladamir Putin. It is such an old trick, hopefully the majority of us in this great country will see through this scam and stop this huckster.
I understand your choice of juxtaposition, but I could have done without the imposition of Trump's ass onto a beautiful story about youth and hopefulness. I still think that the country and the entire world is going to hell in a handbasket, but the visions of young people singing and dancing and glimpsing great art and being appreciated by oldsters like us was such a sweet diversion from my usual foreboding until you brought 2020 and all the asses that year brought us into my reverie. Oh well . . .
Wowza. As my long dead grandmother in Mississippi might say, “Tip Top, Mr. Keillor.”
Thank you for what is so often an inspiration at start of day. That column, plus Dylan Thomas’s poem in WA which offers up a similar observation, have set me quite to rights.
Thank you to that diligent jury. Thank you to the museums of our lives. And thank you for a recentering point of view, sir. Tip Top.
Would that a (potentially young) sculptor of this grifter/conman formerly known as "45" depict him characteristically corpulent with a silver spoon and venom choking him while attempting to lean on a bended sword incapable of holding his girth.
Kudos to the Met for the forsight of enhancing its and opera's future for providing for such a venue that you have described!
It doesn't bother you that the d.a. on this case won his position by stating that if elected he was going to get trump? The precident has been set. Anyone is fair game now. Someone takes offense at something you write just because their last name is Tolefson or you reference some unlikely situation that happened to their Aunt Thelma in the 1960s, plagiarism charges can come crawling out of the woodwork if some D.A. Has a vendetta against you. And you can forget about being innocent until proven otherwise. Hope you enjoy the new jurisprudence!
Finally! Someone whose head isn't stuck in the sand, and can see the Satanism trying to destroy this nation on this site. Thus, even believe this was "justice" when the actual law & procedure were violated throughout! Pure election interference!
I know there are a few us who are not lost in the obfuscation and propaganda of their chosen party and their choice to be led by the MSM. The old axiom of Repeating something over and over again until "they" Believe it is True certainly comes into play here! Each of us has to realize, that even IF a Lie is repeated, stated, printed, etc., 10,000 times over and over, it is STILL a Lie!!!
Bruce Hartnett, you say this website is full of "Satanism trying to destroy this nation." You are a perfect illustration of why trump is so dangerous, and why thinking Republicans, Independents and Democrats must join forces to outnumber those willing to give unlimited power to a criminal, a scoundrel, known by some of his followers as Republican Jesus, a guy whose only concern has always been himself. The continued existence of our democracy and any hope for "American exceptionalism" depends entirely on whether sane people will outnumber you and your fellow cult members at the polls. "When you're a star they let you do it. They let you do anything"? You may be okay with that, but most of us aren't.
And those "believers" believe every thing the MSM puts out, editing reality, rather than even try to look at what was in reality a whole lot different!!!
They can't even see their own destruction in the future! As Stalin described them, Useless Idiot"! The first ones to be eliminated by the PTB!
Bill Schwan, that's absurd. There's not a shred of validity to your comment. It was the trump DOJ that started the investigation into the pornstar hush money case in 2017. Michael Cohen was convicted and served prison time. trump, aka unindicted co-conspirator number 1 in the case, shut down the investigation and fired the prosecutor in charge, Geoffrey Berman. In contrast, Hunter Biden is on trial right now because Joe Biden has not interfered in another case started by the trump DOJ. Fortunately, the Manhattan DA put together and won his solid case when it appears the three other criminal cases against trump have been successfully stymied for now. If anyone thinks Bragg's case was unfair, the record is transparent and available to us all. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is shamefully delaying its decision on presidential immunity even though we were all taught in high school that former presidents are not immune from criminal charges. One of the justices who would give trump carte blanche flew the American flag upside-down in support of the January 6th insurrection. I suggest you take your fake outrage to Truth Social, the only social network where—since it was created by donald trump—any lie is literally a Truth™.
I don't do plagiarism, sir, and I the examples you cite do not cross the boundaries that I'm aware of. I do, however, hope that you will recuse yourself from my jury if I'm brought up on 34 felony counts.
After listening to a rather depressing and alarming radio program about the political lies that are spreading and becoming cemented in the minds of almost half of the population. I said to my husband " I think we are too old to move to another country but if the T is elected......(sigh)?" Your words brought on a chuckle, and I said to my husband (who was feeling about the same) "Garrison wrote a great piece...check it out." We are fortunate to live in an absolutely beautiful place and need to remind ourselves of the joy it brings us. We also have a great science museum for kids "Explora" ...we need to go watch some kids. Thanks
I feel the same way, but one problem would be choosing a country to move to. The European Parliament elections are coming up, and it appears far-right parties may do very well. The inexplicable fascination with authoritarianism/fascism is a global phenomenon. On the bright side, Polish voters finally booted the "Law and Justice" party from power. We just need to make sure trump doesn't win. And even if he wins, we can never buy what he's selling. We'll be far from the first humans living under a criminal tyrant.
Finally you tell it like it is! The repubs (and uncommitted) behind and w/ the yellow guy don’t believe in or perhaps dont understand our system, rule of law and all the rest - really they don’t care about all that! What do they care about? - retaining power and wealth, their right to do what they want when they want, reducing women and non-whites to subservient classes or invisibility.
Garrison, even you have expressed concern about the direction of this country. Each political side is at fault and uncaring. Each side is being lead by old men and women who have long passed the time that they should have left trying to lead this country. Our youth is worrisome because of the state and control of social media on them. There has to be a reckoning and only God can make this right.
I am sorry, do you mean that bothsidesism is unwarranted and inappropriate because only one side is to blame? "Destroying American democracy" is a media emotional and over reach declaration. Trump is old, untrustworthy and lacks leadership. Biden is old, untrustworthy and lacks leadership. Both of us have a lot of work to do to straighten this country out. Fighting with each other will not solve our problem. Garrison offers good guidance most of the time. We need moderates.
The claim that our democracy is seriously threatened is by no means an "over reach declaration" with trump insisting that he can't possibly lose an election, claiming that the criminals who broke into and vandalized the U.S. Capitol are "hostages," making all manner of inflammatory accusations that put the lives of public officials in danger, etc., etc. There is no equivalence to trump on the "other side" and in no way is it extremism to point any of this out, especially when almost the entire Republican party has given its stamp of approval to all of trump's outlandish and dangerous claims. No campaign uses phrases like "unified Reich" by accident. It's deliberate, and it should be totally unacceptable to every single one of us. But if you're okay with "unified Reich," "fine people on both sides," "stand back and stand by," "poisoning the blood of our country," "vermin," "when you're a star they let you do it," etc., etc., there's not much that anyone can say to clarify the issue for you, because these expressions should outrage any patriot, "moderate" or otherwise.
Well.....Never Mind! ......as Gilda Radner's character used to say..... You made it look like the old comments format was going away. So disregard my whine on Monday last. It was refreshing to open today's up to a chorus of attaboys and awshits coming from the extremes of your very diverse fan base. As a general reflection of that fan base the attaboys outnumber the awshits by about 8 to 1. Of course it takes 10 attaboys to erase 1 awshit. The attaboys insist that our judicial system has worked just as it's supposed to, while the awshits say that system is failing and politically driven. That summarizes our political insanity in a nutshell. I feel a vote for RFK Jr. coming on. No....that's just nuts!! What to do!!?? Where's Liz Cheney when we need her??
Come on. trump is arguing in court that he has right to use the military to assassinate political rivals. He says any future election he loses will necessarily have been rigged. He says the people who defecated on the floor of the U.S. Capitol are "hostages." His campaign put out a video touting an aspirational trump economy bolstered by a "unified Reich"—something that simply doesn't happen by accident. That's on top of all his "poisoning the blood," "vermin" and "very fine people on both sides" garbage. You have two choices, and the correct one is clear. I'm sorry, but a comment like yours comes across as a comment of a trump apologist. If that's not what you are and if you really do see that trump has to be defeated, please stop telling people that this is a decision that's in any way difficult. For now, all you've done is add another notch to your "awshit" tally. P.S. Liz will be voting for Biden, because she's a patriot.
As a past NYCitier, I learned long ago that " the Most Famous Living New Yorker, a 77-year-old conman from Queens, a humorless huckster who’s seldom seen smiling, only grimacing, and ............" was exactly that, so it was easy to assume that this most famous living New Yorker could never become #45. Another lesson learned, which has caused me to be on the brink of becoming a cynic, which could turn me into a "snarling dog." Not exactly what an Octogenarian wants to become in life's Autumn years. So, I work hard to lean into the side of Hope, with hopes that on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, my legacy isn't "snarling dog"!
I agree that Trump is a selfish egomaniac but the court case was a bad way to get rid of a bad guy who threatens an even worse guy, and our hero’s are often lousy dudes, more like Samson than Joseph. What you wrote about Joy was a welcome balm to the clamor for and against. I like how you write sir, even when we disagree.
Well I don’t know either man personally and so passing judgment on their character, even public figures such as they are, is a good way to fill my eyeballs with lumber, but it seems to me Mr. Biden presents himself as a good Catholic while pretending that men can be women, or that killing inconvenient babies is a human right, or that petting uncomfortable underage females from behind is appropriate, or that allowing the world to waltz unhindered across the southern border is love, or that black Americans should live in the same fear as they might in the 50’s. Granted Mr. Trump is arguably no better to be left alone with a beloved sister, and I dare say abortion wouldn’t bother him like we think it should, but what he thinks is what he says, good or ill. There is no pretending to be something other than what you see. Again, I don’t know either man personally, but I don’t know you either and I like you. You focus on joy and simple pleasures and humor and self deprecation, and a disagreement shouldn’t stop anybody from getting along.
We don't have any "heroes" like trump. What "lousy dudes" are American heroes? I can't even believe anyone would make such a claim. Biden "pretends that black Americans should live in the same fear as they might in the 50s"? What on earth are you even alluding to? The court case was a bad way to get rid of trump? Who on earth is rid of trump? Do you realize how many other charges trump is facing, or that the trump DOJ started the pornstar hush money investigation in 2017 and labeled trump unindicted co-conspiritor number one? Do you realize trump is arguing before the Supreme Court that presidents should have total immunity against criminal charges, even if they use the military to assassinate their political rivals? Weren't you taught in school that presidents are not allowed to be criminals in this country? Have you taken a close look at the pornstar hush money trial? The record is transparent and it's all there for you to read. Killing babies a human right? Nobody believes that! I guess trump had you in mind when he said "When you're a star they let you do it. They let you do anything." This isn't about lumber in your eye. trump is supposed to be a leader. Leaders must have some integrity in a democracy. Insisting that the person you vote for for president of the United States have a decent character is your duty as a citizen. Passing judgment on the character of a political candidate is what you're supposed to do. Please, for God's sake, use some judgment.
Mr. Biden chooses not to impose the Church's doctrine on non-believers: I don't see this as equal to your man's denial of his loss in 2020. Or his contempt for the law. And "petting underage females from behind"? Where do you get this nonsense? You strike me as a hater and so you have no business liking me.
As for the people I like, that is entirely my business. And I’m not a hater, I’m sorry I strike you as such. Mr. Biden’s creepy propensities for petting females hair and hugging them when they don’t want to be hugged is not nonsense, it’s well documented. And as far as respect for the law, in his speech to Morehouse college he bragged about canceling student debt after the Supreme Court told him he couldn’t. Why do these comments have to end with, you are a blank and so I dismiss you? I don’t love or idolize Trump, I just think he is more obviously who he is than Mr. Biden. A snake or a snake in the grass. Both snakes.
Creepy propensities? What a claim to make for someone who prefers a candidate who's been found liable to the tune of more than $90 million for sexual assault and defamation. Biden apologized when accused of overly familiar hugging (not petting underage females from behind). The one woman who accused him of anything more has changed her story many times and has praised Biden on social media many times in recent years. She also defected to Russia about a year ago and was interviewed by state media there along with convicted Kremlin spy Maria Butina. And you're offended by what he said at Morehouse, because the Supreme Court "told him not to"? Your words are indeed those of a hater.
Please understand that I am only speaking for myself. I would never presume to speak for Garrison Keillor. I believe you can also write to Post to the Host privately, if you prefer.
I like how you started writing about our wonderful young folks, and then finished writing about them again in the end of the article.
If you listen to media about the next generation of young adults, you might not be that enthused about our country’s future. But if you put yourself in the middle of them you may see wonderful things.
I was very fortunate and somehow got involved in a collegiate/high school high powered model rocket competition (while I am a scientist, I am not a Rocket Scientist!). 50 colleges, 15 high schools and a smattering of clubs like the 4H, Boy Scouts, and some home-school classes. It took 9 months for the teams to design the rockets. Throughout the design process the teams had to pass three intensive technical reviews. Good designs are critical as these 5,000 foot target altitude rockets are not toys and could easily injure or maim somebody.
The day of the competition was magical, but just a little chaotic. Safety and technical discipline are critical around high powered model rockets. And that is not easy to manage with about 1,000 students with their chaperones, 50 subject matter experts, and 50 volunteers all packed into a launch site in the middle of big corn field. But at the end of the day all the rockets had been fired, most met their objectives, and everyone was safe and very tired. But the most amazing part of the competition was not the rockets shooting up to 5,000 feet. It was the 1,000 young people!!! They were totally engaged and excited with their engineering and technology!! Getting all the details ready for the firing of the rocket, then retrieving them after they landed. Yes some had to admit to defeat, but that did not stop them from remaining positive. Cell phones? Some of the teams used cell phones to collect data on their rockets, but other than that, I did not see any socializing on phones.
At the end of the day, I too was extremely tired. I got out to the site at 6:00am to set up cones and help to get things ready. At 5:00pm after all the rockets were fired, and the teams were packing to go home (some had to drive half way across the country), I felt that this young generation is simply amazing. I was so proud of them. They can do amazing things. And I felt very relieved that this generation will do just fine. Sometimes you just have to get in the trenches with them to realize this.
Have you read "All the Beauty in the World" by the Met's former security guard, Michael Bringley? I thought of that right away of course, just finished reading it a couple weeks ago. As a visual artist I enjoyed it in a similar way to PHC... audio, or written word, painting a vivid, visual picture of a place. He spends much of the book observing how others observe art.
I just ordered it. Thanks.
Very nice. When you're done, if you're interested, I wrote my thoughts here.
https://open.substack.com/pub/zoungyart/p/book-review-all-the-beauty-in-the?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=3abtxo
Isn’t it grand? I’m not an artist in the sense of what most consider “making art.” And the observations were so rich. He expressed what I’ve always wondered: what the guards experience and observe. My 91 yo “really an artist” who frequents the Met too loved the book.
Speaking of observation, I tried something unusual at the PHC show in Scranton, to observe and sketch the stage performers while being an audience member. Different and fun!
PS I just realized I typed Michael Bringley, meant Patrick Bringley. Would edit but I'm not sure if that's an option. Sorry to Mr. Bringley, but seems like everyone gets that it's you I meant.
And I forgot to say 91 yo "aunt" in mine. We'll call it even!
You write, “the Most Famous Living New Yorker” but did you really mean “the Most Infamous Living New Yorker”? The bully, the blowhard, the big complainer ex-President of the United States of America who wants to drive conflict and division into this united land to cause controversy and hatred to this country so he could control its population with an iron fist like his buddy Vladamir Putin. It is such an old trick, hopefully the majority of us in this great country will see through this scam and stop this huckster.
As an old Republican, I am a worrier too. Thanks for this story.
I understand your choice of juxtaposition, but I could have done without the imposition of Trump's ass onto a beautiful story about youth and hopefulness. I still think that the country and the entire world is going to hell in a handbasket, but the visions of young people singing and dancing and glimpsing great art and being appreciated by oldsters like us was such a sweet diversion from my usual foreboding until you brought 2020 and all the asses that year brought us into my reverie. Oh well . . .
Wowza. As my long dead grandmother in Mississippi might say, “Tip Top, Mr. Keillor.”
Thank you for what is so often an inspiration at start of day. That column, plus Dylan Thomas’s poem in WA which offers up a similar observation, have set me quite to rights.
Thank you to that diligent jury. Thank you to the museums of our lives. And thank you for a recentering point of view, sir. Tip Top.
Would that a (potentially young) sculptor of this grifter/conman formerly known as "45" depict him characteristically corpulent with a silver spoon and venom choking him while attempting to lean on a bended sword incapable of holding his girth.
Kudos to the Met for the forsight of enhancing its and opera's future for providing for such a venue that you have described!
Right on G!!!!
It doesn't bother you that the d.a. on this case won his position by stating that if elected he was going to get trump? The precident has been set. Anyone is fair game now. Someone takes offense at something you write just because their last name is Tolefson or you reference some unlikely situation that happened to their Aunt Thelma in the 1960s, plagiarism charges can come crawling out of the woodwork if some D.A. Has a vendetta against you. And you can forget about being innocent until proven otherwise. Hope you enjoy the new jurisprudence!
Wow!
Just wow!
Finally! Someone whose head isn't stuck in the sand, and can see the Satanism trying to destroy this nation on this site. Thus, even believe this was "justice" when the actual law & procedure were violated throughout! Pure election interference!
I know there are a few us who are not lost in the obfuscation and propaganda of their chosen party and their choice to be led by the MSM. The old axiom of Repeating something over and over again until "they" Believe it is True certainly comes into play here! Each of us has to realize, that even IF a Lie is repeated, stated, printed, etc., 10,000 times over and over, it is STILL a Lie!!!
Bruce Hartnett, you say this website is full of "Satanism trying to destroy this nation." You are a perfect illustration of why trump is so dangerous, and why thinking Republicans, Independents and Democrats must join forces to outnumber those willing to give unlimited power to a criminal, a scoundrel, known by some of his followers as Republican Jesus, a guy whose only concern has always been himself. The continued existence of our democracy and any hope for "American exceptionalism" depends entirely on whether sane people will outnumber you and your fellow cult members at the polls. "When you're a star they let you do it. They let you do anything"? You may be okay with that, but most of us aren't.
And those "believers" believe every thing the MSM puts out, editing reality, rather than even try to look at what was in reality a whole lot different!!!
They can't even see their own destruction in the future! As Stalin described them, Useless Idiot"! The first ones to be eliminated by the PTB!
Bill Schwan, that's absurd. There's not a shred of validity to your comment. It was the trump DOJ that started the investigation into the pornstar hush money case in 2017. Michael Cohen was convicted and served prison time. trump, aka unindicted co-conspirator number 1 in the case, shut down the investigation and fired the prosecutor in charge, Geoffrey Berman. In contrast, Hunter Biden is on trial right now because Joe Biden has not interfered in another case started by the trump DOJ. Fortunately, the Manhattan DA put together and won his solid case when it appears the three other criminal cases against trump have been successfully stymied for now. If anyone thinks Bragg's case was unfair, the record is transparent and available to us all. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is shamefully delaying its decision on presidential immunity even though we were all taught in high school that former presidents are not immune from criminal charges. One of the justices who would give trump carte blanche flew the American flag upside-down in support of the January 6th insurrection. I suggest you take your fake outrage to Truth Social, the only social network where—since it was created by donald trump—any lie is literally a Truth™.
I don't do plagiarism, sir, and I the examples you cite do not cross the boundaries that I'm aware of. I do, however, hope that you will recuse yourself from my jury if I'm brought up on 34 felony counts.
After listening to a rather depressing and alarming radio program about the political lies that are spreading and becoming cemented in the minds of almost half of the population. I said to my husband " I think we are too old to move to another country but if the T is elected......(sigh)?" Your words brought on a chuckle, and I said to my husband (who was feeling about the same) "Garrison wrote a great piece...check it out." We are fortunate to live in an absolutely beautiful place and need to remind ourselves of the joy it brings us. We also have a great science museum for kids "Explora" ...we need to go watch some kids. Thanks
I feel the same way, but one problem would be choosing a country to move to. The European Parliament elections are coming up, and it appears far-right parties may do very well. The inexplicable fascination with authoritarianism/fascism is a global phenomenon. On the bright side, Polish voters finally booted the "Law and Justice" party from power. We just need to make sure trump doesn't win. And even if he wins, we can never buy what he's selling. We'll be far from the first humans living under a criminal tyrant.
Beautiful GK!
Finally you tell it like it is! The repubs (and uncommitted) behind and w/ the yellow guy don’t believe in or perhaps dont understand our system, rule of law and all the rest - really they don’t care about all that! What do they care about? - retaining power and wealth, their right to do what they want when they want, reducing women and non-whites to subservient classes or invisibility.
Bravo for speaking the truth, please keep it up.
Garrison, even you have expressed concern about the direction of this country. Each political side is at fault and uncaring. Each side is being lead by old men and women who have long passed the time that they should have left trying to lead this country. Our youth is worrisome because of the state and control of social media on them. There has to be a reckoning and only God can make this right.
With all due respect, bothsidesism is unwarranted and inappropriate at this stage. trump is a criminal who is trying to destroy American democracy.
I am sorry, do you mean that bothsidesism is unwarranted and inappropriate because only one side is to blame? "Destroying American democracy" is a media emotional and over reach declaration. Trump is old, untrustworthy and lacks leadership. Biden is old, untrustworthy and lacks leadership. Both of us have a lot of work to do to straighten this country out. Fighting with each other will not solve our problem. Garrison offers good guidance most of the time. We need moderates.
The claim that our democracy is seriously threatened is by no means an "over reach declaration" with trump insisting that he can't possibly lose an election, claiming that the criminals who broke into and vandalized the U.S. Capitol are "hostages," making all manner of inflammatory accusations that put the lives of public officials in danger, etc., etc. There is no equivalence to trump on the "other side" and in no way is it extremism to point any of this out, especially when almost the entire Republican party has given its stamp of approval to all of trump's outlandish and dangerous claims. No campaign uses phrases like "unified Reich" by accident. It's deliberate, and it should be totally unacceptable to every single one of us. But if you're okay with "unified Reich," "fine people on both sides," "stand back and stand by," "poisoning the blood of our country," "vermin," "when you're a star they let you do it," etc., etc., there's not much that anyone can say to clarify the issue for you, because these expressions should outrage any patriot, "moderate" or otherwise.
Thank you. This was necessary and so true that "truthing" or re-"truthing" it on Truth Social would surely get a person banned.
Well.....Never Mind! ......as Gilda Radner's character used to say..... You made it look like the old comments format was going away. So disregard my whine on Monday last. It was refreshing to open today's up to a chorus of attaboys and awshits coming from the extremes of your very diverse fan base. As a general reflection of that fan base the attaboys outnumber the awshits by about 8 to 1. Of course it takes 10 attaboys to erase 1 awshit. The attaboys insist that our judicial system has worked just as it's supposed to, while the awshits say that system is failing and politically driven. That summarizes our political insanity in a nutshell. I feel a vote for RFK Jr. coming on. No....that's just nuts!! What to do!!?? Where's Liz Cheney when we need her??
Relaxin Rog - L.A.
Come on. trump is arguing in court that he has right to use the military to assassinate political rivals. He says any future election he loses will necessarily have been rigged. He says the people who defecated on the floor of the U.S. Capitol are "hostages." His campaign put out a video touting an aspirational trump economy bolstered by a "unified Reich"—something that simply doesn't happen by accident. That's on top of all his "poisoning the blood," "vermin" and "very fine people on both sides" garbage. You have two choices, and the correct one is clear. I'm sorry, but a comment like yours comes across as a comment of a trump apologist. If that's not what you are and if you really do see that trump has to be defeated, please stop telling people that this is a decision that's in any way difficult. For now, all you've done is add another notch to your "awshit" tally. P.S. Liz will be voting for Biden, because she's a patriot.
As a past NYCitier, I learned long ago that " the Most Famous Living New Yorker, a 77-year-old conman from Queens, a humorless huckster who’s seldom seen smiling, only grimacing, and ............" was exactly that, so it was easy to assume that this most famous living New Yorker could never become #45. Another lesson learned, which has caused me to be on the brink of becoming a cynic, which could turn me into a "snarling dog." Not exactly what an Octogenarian wants to become in life's Autumn years. So, I work hard to lean into the side of Hope, with hopes that on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, my legacy isn't "snarling dog"!
I agree that Trump is a selfish egomaniac but the court case was a bad way to get rid of a bad guy who threatens an even worse guy, and our hero’s are often lousy dudes, more like Samson than Joseph. What you wrote about Joy was a welcome balm to the clamor for and against. I like how you write sir, even when we disagree.
I'd like to know how you see Joe Biden as "worse"? Factually, I mean.
Well I don’t know either man personally and so passing judgment on their character, even public figures such as they are, is a good way to fill my eyeballs with lumber, but it seems to me Mr. Biden presents himself as a good Catholic while pretending that men can be women, or that killing inconvenient babies is a human right, or that petting uncomfortable underage females from behind is appropriate, or that allowing the world to waltz unhindered across the southern border is love, or that black Americans should live in the same fear as they might in the 50’s. Granted Mr. Trump is arguably no better to be left alone with a beloved sister, and I dare say abortion wouldn’t bother him like we think it should, but what he thinks is what he says, good or ill. There is no pretending to be something other than what you see. Again, I don’t know either man personally, but I don’t know you either and I like you. You focus on joy and simple pleasures and humor and self deprecation, and a disagreement shouldn’t stop anybody from getting along.
We don't have any "heroes" like trump. What "lousy dudes" are American heroes? I can't even believe anyone would make such a claim. Biden "pretends that black Americans should live in the same fear as they might in the 50s"? What on earth are you even alluding to? The court case was a bad way to get rid of trump? Who on earth is rid of trump? Do you realize how many other charges trump is facing, or that the trump DOJ started the pornstar hush money investigation in 2017 and labeled trump unindicted co-conspiritor number one? Do you realize trump is arguing before the Supreme Court that presidents should have total immunity against criminal charges, even if they use the military to assassinate their political rivals? Weren't you taught in school that presidents are not allowed to be criminals in this country? Have you taken a close look at the pornstar hush money trial? The record is transparent and it's all there for you to read. Killing babies a human right? Nobody believes that! I guess trump had you in mind when he said "When you're a star they let you do it. They let you do anything." This isn't about lumber in your eye. trump is supposed to be a leader. Leaders must have some integrity in a democracy. Insisting that the person you vote for for president of the United States have a decent character is your duty as a citizen. Passing judgment on the character of a political candidate is what you're supposed to do. Please, for God's sake, use some judgment.
But that’s my point Dana, I am using judgment, and Biden pretends to be a good guy when he’s not.
Mr. Biden chooses not to impose the Church's doctrine on non-believers: I don't see this as equal to your man's denial of his loss in 2020. Or his contempt for the law. And "petting underage females from behind"? Where do you get this nonsense? You strike me as a hater and so you have no business liking me.
As for the people I like, that is entirely my business. And I’m not a hater, I’m sorry I strike you as such. Mr. Biden’s creepy propensities for petting females hair and hugging them when they don’t want to be hugged is not nonsense, it’s well documented. And as far as respect for the law, in his speech to Morehouse college he bragged about canceling student debt after the Supreme Court told him he couldn’t. Why do these comments have to end with, you are a blank and so I dismiss you? I don’t love or idolize Trump, I just think he is more obviously who he is than Mr. Biden. A snake or a snake in the grass. Both snakes.
Creepy propensities? What a claim to make for someone who prefers a candidate who's been found liable to the tune of more than $90 million for sexual assault and defamation. Biden apologized when accused of overly familiar hugging (not petting underage females from behind). The one woman who accused him of anything more has changed her story many times and has praised Biden on social media many times in recent years. She also defected to Russia about a year ago and was interviewed by state media there along with convicted Kremlin spy Maria Butina. And you're offended by what he said at Morehouse, because the Supreme Court "told him not to"? Your words are indeed those of a hater.
It’s so annoying when someone other than the person you’re addressing answers for them.
Please understand that I am only speaking for myself. I would never presume to speak for Garrison Keillor. I believe you can also write to Post to the Host privately, if you prefer.
Two more words for you, Leyton Peterson, words you want to ignore: "unified Reich"
Thanks, I guess. I thought you were a real person for a minute there.
Garrison,
I like how you started writing about our wonderful young folks, and then finished writing about them again in the end of the article.
If you listen to media about the next generation of young adults, you might not be that enthused about our country’s future. But if you put yourself in the middle of them you may see wonderful things.
I was very fortunate and somehow got involved in a collegiate/high school high powered model rocket competition (while I am a scientist, I am not a Rocket Scientist!). 50 colleges, 15 high schools and a smattering of clubs like the 4H, Boy Scouts, and some home-school classes. It took 9 months for the teams to design the rockets. Throughout the design process the teams had to pass three intensive technical reviews. Good designs are critical as these 5,000 foot target altitude rockets are not toys and could easily injure or maim somebody.
The day of the competition was magical, but just a little chaotic. Safety and technical discipline are critical around high powered model rockets. And that is not easy to manage with about 1,000 students with their chaperones, 50 subject matter experts, and 50 volunteers all packed into a launch site in the middle of big corn field. But at the end of the day all the rockets had been fired, most met their objectives, and everyone was safe and very tired. But the most amazing part of the competition was not the rockets shooting up to 5,000 feet. It was the 1,000 young people!!! They were totally engaged and excited with their engineering and technology!! Getting all the details ready for the firing of the rocket, then retrieving them after they landed. Yes some had to admit to defeat, but that did not stop them from remaining positive. Cell phones? Some of the teams used cell phones to collect data on their rockets, but other than that, I did not see any socializing on phones.
At the end of the day, I too was extremely tired. I got out to the site at 6:00am to set up cones and help to get things ready. At 5:00pm after all the rockets were fired, and the teams were packing to go home (some had to drive half way across the country), I felt that this young generation is simply amazing. I was so proud of them. They can do amazing things. And I felt very relieved that this generation will do just fine. Sometimes you just have to get in the trenches with them to realize this.