Theatre of dreams

W.G. Sebald, The Rings of Saturn, trans. Michael Hulse (New York: New Directions, 1998).

Related reading
All OCA Sebald posts (Pinboard)

“The Real Lesson of September 11”

Seventeen years ago, staring at that picture of Mohammad Atta, I wanted revenge against the people who killed my brother. But what I finally realized was that the people who killed my brother died the same day he did.

Joe Quinn, a United States Army veteran, writes about “The Real Lesson of September 11” (The New York Times).

#strawberries

The Washington Post explains The Caine Mutiny’s influence on the drafting of the Twenty-fifth Amendment. Who knew?

Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus

Coming in November: Jazz In Detroit / Strat Concert Gallery / 46 Selden, a 5-CD/5-LP set of Charles Mingus performances, recorded in 1973. The announcement may have come too late for the recent New York Times article on unreleased jazz recordings.

And speaking of unreleased recordings, the seven-minute Lionel Hampton-led “Dinah” alone justifies buying The Savory Collection.

[Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus is the title of a 1963 LP.]

Bill Daily (1927–2018)

Astronaut, pilot, neighbor: the actor Bill Daily has died at the age of ninety-one. The New York Times has an obituary.

Recently updated

The Avital Ronell story Now there’s an account from the former chair of the NYU German department.

Today’s Saturday Stumper

Is it in fact Saturday? Because today’s Newsday Saturday Stumper, by Frank Longo, is not stumpy. Or would that be stumping? I don’t know. But it’s a highly solvable crossword today, Saturday.

Two clues that I especially like. 22-Across, five letters: “Straight to the left.” And 10-Down, seven letters, “Heavy wind.” No spoilers: the answers are in the comments.

Potrzebie

[Zippy, September 8, 2018.]

Little Zippy and Little Wernick are trying to decide whether to admit Little Zerbina, “a lapsed Unitarian,” to their clubhouse.

Do you recognize potrzebie? Explanation here.

Related reading
All OCA Zippy posts (Pinboard)

Obama in Illinois

Barack Obama, speaking at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign this morning, describing the present moment: “It did not start with Donald Trump. He is a symptom, not the cause.”

*

And: “It’s not conservative. It sure isn’t normal. It’s radical.”

And: “What happened to the Republican Party?”

And: “Better is always worth fighting for.”

And: “Vote.”

Sad to say, I’m not sure there’s anyone in view for 2020 who can make the case against the Republican Party as succinctly and powerfully as Obama is making it this morning.

*

Here’s a “rush transcript” of Obama’s speech.

[I’m thrilled to see that Obama us speaking in Foellinger Hall, where Rachel and Ben had their graduation ceremonies.]

Remembrance of spam past

Spam used to come from the most improbable and wonderful names, names I collected as the spirit moved me. I just found an old file of spam names and curated — yes, curated — the best ones. Enjoy:

Thaddeus G. Blankenship : Larue Caridad : Son Dawkins (a bluesman-spammer?) : Pearlie G. Dukes : Fortunato (“For the love of God, Montresor!”) : Jesus Goldberg : Rosemarie Ham : Vonda Lamb : Agamemnon Sandra : Benito Shoemaker

With the exception of Fortunato, these names seem to have been made from lists, one from column A, one from column B. Thus Jesus Goldberg. Middle initials may have been meant as a touch of realism, but “Thaddeus G. Blankenship” sounds like someone from a W.C. Fields film.

Related posts
Mr. Berenguer Bolivar Basilio : Smog Q. Carafe and others : Horace Fish, Madge Herring, and others : Coley Georgette and others : Lothario Vanvliet and others

[Ipswich Nordisk might join these names from the past.]