Month: February 2021

by wj I came across this article in the Washington Post today: We’re having trouble recognizing each other in masks, and it’s getting awkward I confess my immediate reaction was: Welcome to my world! There are some people, me being one, who are really terrible at recognizing faces. It doesn’t necessarily rise to the level … Read more

by liberal japonicus Commentariat regular nous wrote New Mexican apple pie (with hatch chilis, piñon streusel, and cheese in the crust) is the pinnacle of apple pie as far as I’m concerned. Found some recipes, here’s one https://www.newmexico.org/nmmagazine/articles/post/an-official-new-mexico-state-pie/ Favorite dishes or ones you want to try, with or without recipes. My daughter is coming home … Read more

by liberal japonicus Thought I’d crack open a quasi open-thread with two links This one, from TPM, has some great info about the current energy systems crisis in Texas. And this one from lifehacker, entitled How to Take Time Off Without Screwing Over Your Coworkers, leads with a picture of Ted Cruz. Have at it!

by liberal japonicus This is a side story and it seems to have only been picked up by the San Francisco outlets, but to me, it says a lot. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) threatened Vice President Kamala Harris with a potential impeachment trial in an appearance on “Fox News Sunday.” The interview, conducted one day … Read more

by liberal japonicus Picking up an earlier thread, this article may be of interest https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/The-Big-Story/Decoupling-denied-Japan-Inc.-lays-its-bets-on-China Not sure if you read it on your phone, you bypass the paywall or I was within the maximum of free visits, but here are some grafs TOKYO — In 1978, when Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping visited a factory belonging … Read more

by liberal japonicus The first of two, count ’em, two open threads. I have been following it thru the lens of the Guardian, whose interface I like https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/10/capitol-attack-videos-trump-impeachment Feel free to add your links and commentary.

by liberal japonicus A bit of a less serious post here. Perhaps all of you are familiar with this picture of samurai warriors visiting the Sphinx, but if not, enjoy! What prompted this was looking up the Bowery in Wikipedia and the note there that Lorenzo Da Ponte, the librettist for 3 of Mozart’s most … Read more

by liberal japonicus A piece from Talking Points Memo editor Josh Marshall that is behind their paywall, but this paragraph gives a taste As the QAnon phenomenon becomes more central to critical political and public safety questions, I realize we need a new vocabulary to describe this and similar phenomena. Q is not a “conspiracy … Read more

by liberal japonicus Before I had some health problems that made travel difficult, I was in Myanmar doing some teacher workshops. I also had a very dear colleague, an economics professor from Myanmar, who also put me in touch with people. He passed away in January, and I believe it was from COVID as the … Read more