by Nomad
Top Story
This week, unsettling news on a national level wiped clean last week's story about the gruesome murder of Saudi exile Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul.
In an escalation of America's dangerous political climate, packages containing crude pipe bombs were sent to these critics of President Trump and several others. In all, fourteen packages were sent but, in a stroke of good fortune, all failed to explode.
Whether he was actually inspired by Trump's unprecedented rhetorical attacks on his critics has not yet been determined.
Instead of commending the swift work of the FBI, President Trump complained that the pipe bomb mailings might have impaired Republican chances of winning in the upcoming mid-terms. He also called for national unity but undermined his half-dignified statements by refusing to call out the incident as an act of domestic terrorism.
He told reporters:
Monday - A Great Mind
Tuesday - Cover-up
Wednesday - Despicable Acts
Thursday - Boring
Friday - This "Bomb" Stuff
Saturday - Enough is Enough
As if all those events were not abhorrent and demoralizing enough, on Saturday morning, a shooter walked into the Tree of Life Congregation Synagogue in Pittsburgh, reportedly shouted "All Jews must die" and began firing upon worshippers.
CNN reported that eight confirmed fatalities- later updated to 11. More were injured, including six law enforcement officers. The shooter, identified as Robert Bowers, was reportedly armed with an AR-15 rifle and multiple handguns, was taken into custody after surrendering.
Bowers, 46, seems to have been motivated by hatred of Jews and immigrants, according to online postings attributed to him.
Said one member of the local community:
From 1971 right through to today, Prine has sung with Midwestern humor, honky-tonk sadness, and a touch of absurdity. I became a fan sometime around 1978 when I bought his fifth album, Bruised Orange. I almost wore that LP out.
Here's an excerpt from the title track.
A funny thing happened on the way to putting together this particular Sanity Sunday. To get a real headstart, I started making the playlist on Monday and had decided it was going to be John Prine.
In an escalation of America's dangerous political climate, packages containing crude pipe bombs were sent to these critics of President Trump and several others. In all, fourteen packages were sent but, in a stroke of good fortune, all failed to explode.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday condemned the attempted attacks, calling the acts "despicable" and pledging that "anyone responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,"By Friday, a suspect had indeed been arrested. Fifty-six-year-old Florida resident, Cesar Altieri Sayoc Jr.. was taken into custody. It was immediately clear that Sayoc was a fervent Trump supporter.
Whether he was actually inspired by Trump's unprecedented rhetorical attacks on his critics has not yet been determined.
Instead of commending the swift work of the FBI, President Trump complained that the pipe bomb mailings might have impaired Republican chances of winning in the upcoming mid-terms. He also called for national unity but undermined his half-dignified statements by refusing to call out the incident as an act of domestic terrorism.
He told reporters:
"I think I've been toned down, if you want to know the truth. I could really tone it up because as you know the media's been extremely unfair to me and to the Republican Party."The review of the week as it unfolded is brought to you by WTF Just Happened Today? read by Joe Amditis.
Monday - A Great Mind
Tuesday - Cover-up
Wednesday - Despicable Acts
Thursday - Boring
Friday - This "Bomb" Stuff
Saturday - Enough is Enough
(courtesy of NPR)
As if all those events were not abhorrent and demoralizing enough, on Saturday morning, a shooter walked into the Tree of Life Congregation Synagogue in Pittsburgh, reportedly shouted "All Jews must die" and began firing upon worshippers.
CNN reported that eight confirmed fatalities- later updated to 11. More were injured, including six law enforcement officers. The shooter, identified as Robert Bowers, was reportedly armed with an AR-15 rifle and multiple handguns, was taken into custody after surrendering.
Bowers, 46, seems to have been motivated by hatred of Jews and immigrants, according to online postings attributed to him.
Said one member of the local community:
“Enough is enough. We should be together. No one should be afraid to worship.”As a devotee of the NRA, Trump's solution was as predictable as it was nonsensical: armed guards at the entrance of every house of worship. But as the staff writer at the Atlantic,David Frum asked:
Must this nation worship only behind bars and guards?Left up to Trump, the answer is yes. Somehow the shameless Trump has, said Krum, "found a way to use this crime to add to his own accumulating shame."
Musical Sanity Break
Since folk singer John Prine isn't planning on getting any younger, I thought it was as good a time as any to honor one of America's most underrated talents.From 1971 right through to today, Prine has sung with Midwestern humor, honky-tonk sadness, and a touch of absurdity. I became a fan sometime around 1978 when I bought his fifth album, Bruised Orange. I almost wore that LP out.
Here's an excerpt from the title track.
You can gaze out the window get mad and get madder,Good advice during these trying times.
Throw your hands in the air, say "what does it matter?"
But it don't do no good to get angry,
So help me I know.
A funny thing happened on the way to putting together this particular Sanity Sunday. To get a real headstart, I started making the playlist on Monday and had decided it was going to be John Prine.
So I spent a few hours debating each song. Some sad songs, some funny songs, and some poetic songs. Finally, got it all done and up come jcinco and lefty_lucy talking about how much they both loved John Prine!
Despite that, I somehow managed to keep my piehole shut and not reveal my choice for this week. I sincerely hope you enjoy the music.
The playlist consists of:
Have a wonderful Sunday, my friends.
The playlist consists of:
- Chain of Sorrow
- Hobo Song
- Lets Talk Dirty In Hawaiian
- Paradise
- That's the Way the World Goes Round
- Angel From Montgomery
- People Puttin' People Down
- Hello In There
- Some Humans Ain't Human
- Sabu Visits The Twin Cities Alone
- If You Don't Want My Love
- Fish & Whistle
- Dear Abby
- Beautiful World
- Day Is Done
- That's How Every Empire Falls
Have a wonderful Sunday, my friends.
