There is NOTHING like happy cats for a mental health break. Maybe we could start worshipping them as the Ancient Egyptians did - they were probably onto something!
I very much like the display I saw of Ancient Egyptian Cats at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. There was a feeling of reality. I don't recall if it was a temporary display, but you can order photos from them. I used to go there all the time when I was in school nearby, and that display is for me the most memorable. Pick up the literature in their bookstore. Eat lunch and read.
If you're in Boston you might want to check out the Ancient Egyptian Cats display at the Museum of Fine Arts. I saw it a few years ago, but I don't know if it was permanent. They sell photos there too.
SO glad I signed up for this free edition! Great reading!! Noticed something you may want to fix. Her name is Heather Cox Richardson, not Helen. I’m sure it was probably just ‘spell check’ raising it’s ugly head, but since I’ve been reading her since the beginning of her Letters from an American, I know her first name is Heather. Looking forward to more from you!
Thank you, Mary, for providing background for these names. I'm saving this information for future reference. May I/we live long enough to see each one leave the limelight in one way or another.
Thank you for researching this. Don’t think I’d have the stomach for it, I barely do for reading it! It’s disturbing on so many levels. But it’s good (and important) to know. The cats are adorable!
Important to know, but I can't help thinking that mainstream media, cable, and social media, in all their forms, give too much press to these folks. Aren't we expanding their platform by sharing them and the type of propaganda, projection, and lies they continually put out? I keep thinking there has to be a better way to be informed. The way you have presented it, in this format, is the best I have seen, Mary. But still...
I think the coverage they get is uncritical, which is the problem. That plus the both-siderism which confers legitimacy upon them. But we need to know how much impact they're having--as well as what they're getting away with--in order to fight back effectively.
Thank you for all that research Mary! I think most Americans have been facing life & death catastrophes for two years and really don’t have the time & energy to engage in the public opposition of the extremist right organized assaults on local government. I wonder why the DNC doesn’t help fund radio & podcast media content producers to facilitate communications on accomplishments & pending legislation details! I really enjoy The Stephanie Miller Show, combining interviews with prominent political commentators like Malcolm Nance & Glenn Kirschner and comedic relief to lighten the mood!
Chaos and distraction work for the Republicans and they know it. It's hard to combat that in the middle of a pandemic they purposely made worse. But the more of our voices are out there the better.
I didn't consider myself a cat person. Sure, I've had cats but dogs have always been my soul mates (sorry Alan). Then Mitzi wandered into the shop where my husband works and attached herself to him. The cutest little black Calico kitty I've ever seen. I ran out to the shop to meet her. Adorable! Sweet little voice, loves to be held, perfect. That is until we get her home. Within 3 days she's turned into Hell kitty. She's in heat. She was in heat for two months. This was during Covid so it was almost impossible to get an appointment with our vet. Two months we lived with this thing of evil (thank you for the descriptive Mr. King) that had been such a sweet, cuddly soft voiced kitten. Long story short, she's back to the sweet voiced, maybe not so cuddly kitty I met. Then the white husky found me... Your kitties are so adorable Mary, they always look so cute when they're eating! So how in the hell did we get to the point where liars, conspirators, white supremacists and just basically the worst humanity has to offer, gain such a voice?How is it that the voices of sanity and reason are so few and the voice of hatred and sedition are so many? What can we do to combat this? Where do we start to lessen their impact. Let me know and I'm there as I'm sure millions of us would be as well. We need more action and less talk.
I'm so happy that kitten found you--and that she's gotten past the horrors of being in heat. I'm hoping I can avoid that with Cap.
I think it's very important to keep in mind that there are many more voices of sanity and reason. We just happen to live in a time when the liars and conspiracists get amplified by propaganda outlets like Fox and social media outlets like Facebook. We're going to have to get louder and more organized. It would really help if we could get COVID under control.
The strategy to combat hate starts with knowing how it began and after learning the art of advertising propaganda, in 1978, by the marketing genius behind America's iconic department stores, I am grateful to have studied the evolution of it as a late-in-life student at Penn State. So...
How the government took our Art away… and dumbed us down
As an adult student, one of the most important and validating things I learned in American Theatre History class at Penn State (Class of 2010) was how the United States government programmed us into thinking that the Arts were “fluff”. Useless, unnecessary and only attainable by the elite.
Roosevelt's "New Deal" had put self-trained artists to work, a respected trades occupation in those days, until WW II when all the men went to war. Many artists were also unjustly accused of Communism and were black-balled from the industry, but after the war, the artists and musicians, who made it home, no longer had a valid purpose in society and were forced to go work in the factories.
Alcoholism and addiction became rampant, as painters had no work and musicians ended up working in the many veteran established private clubs that sprouted across the landscape. Woody Guthrie is a good example of this, and the timing for the history of "friends of Bill" or the roots of Alcoholics Anonymous solidifies this theory.
Country music was developed and marketed (45s & LPs) as a way to keep white people out of the clubs, or “juke joints”, where the best original music was happening… on the wrong side of the tracks. The only family entertainment to be found was on TV. The only place to sing was church.
Meanwhile, the art and music we Boomers so loved in elementary school were offered less and less over the years as Sputniks, now STEM, became the stars. Athletics, more profitable, were promoted, and creativity was eliminated as an element on the teacher's learning pyramid.
The evolution and exploitation of sports, first little league, then college, and professional sports came with the advent of satellite TV. Our JoePa (Joe Paterno) was a pawn for this.
Think of us as “the Campbell's Soup Kids” when you consider our kids' very human traits of logic and intuition, their souls, their spirits, have gradually been stripped away and, even though no one wants to admit it, I understand why we are a nation full of messed up kids. Lost cowboys, I call them.
Remember the boys being called “cowboy” as a kid? While some cool male relative was bopping them around like the 3 Stooges, calling it play, they were told to toughen up... like the cowboys. Note. There are more fake cow pokes out there today than there ever were real ones. Wannabe bikers too.
“Constructed knowledge teaches constructed knowledge” and the US is working on 4 generations of TV as America's babysitter and educator . We invented it. We canned the art. We glorified it in a piece of furniture and made it our “sacred cow” and today our number one export (entertainment) is, unlike all other civilized nations, rooted in something (Art!) that our government does not support.
Quite the revelation for this natural "girl" artist raised with centenarian, great Grammy's orphans. Not accepted into the upper crust's arts community, I got to study it, after growing up in one of America's first small town Cable TV experiments in the "Home of Little League Baseball".
And I've lovingly dubbed my historic hometown, Williamsport, PA... "The Bully Capital of America".
I think regulation will help, but not without an anti-trust action to break up Facebook and its hammerlock on both social media and messaging platforms.
Facebook knows that its platform is being used for great wrongs and they have the resources to do something about it, they just don't.
I know there are millions of us compared to them and there are so many amazing groups and individuals doing great work but there is no coordination in an attempt to out shout the bad guys. We need to start a new action group! What should we call it?!
As I recently heard someone mention that America used to be the pretty girl like at a high school. But now everyone thinks what the heck has now happened.
There is NOTHING like happy cats for a mental health break. Maybe we could start worshipping them as the Ancient Egyptians did - they were probably onto something!
I totally agree. The Ancient Egyptians got a lot of things very wrong but they were entirely right about cats.
I very much like the display I saw of Ancient Egyptian Cats at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. There was a feeling of reality. I don't recall if it was a temporary display, but you can order photos from them. I used to go there all the time when I was in school nearby, and that display is for me the most memorable. Pick up the literature in their bookstore. Eat lunch and read.
If you're in Boston you might want to check out the Ancient Egyptian Cats display at the Museum of Fine Arts. I saw it a few years ago, but I don't know if it was permanent. They sell photos there too.
I already do, and dogs too, they provide the solace I need right now as all unravels in politics.
SO glad I signed up for this free edition! Great reading!! Noticed something you may want to fix. Her name is Heather Cox Richardson, not Helen. I’m sure it was probably just ‘spell check’ raising it’s ugly head, but since I’ve been reading her since the beginning of her Letters from an American, I know her first name is Heather. Looking forward to more from you!
Thank you, Katie. I read Heather's newsletter every day. Autocorrect is the bane of my existence.
Ditto.
Mine too, so know how you feel!
Thom Hartmann has a wonderful progressive podcast! A remarkable historian!
Thom Hartmann is excellent and really knows his stuff.
Thank you for the recommendation Jill!
You’re very welcome Laurie.
Thank you, Mary, for providing background for these names. I'm saving this information for future reference. May I/we live long enough to see each one leave the limelight in one way or another.
That is a good thing to hope for, Marian.
Where have all the flowers gone? Long time passing😢
When will we ever learn?
Thank you for researching this. Don’t think I’d have the stomach for it, I barely do for reading it! It’s disturbing on so many levels. But it’s good (and important) to know. The cats are adorable!
Thanks, Ronda--they really are.
This research isn't pleasant but I think it's important. Hope it helps.
Important to know, but I can't help thinking that mainstream media, cable, and social media, in all their forms, give too much press to these folks. Aren't we expanding their platform by sharing them and the type of propaganda, projection, and lies they continually put out? I keep thinking there has to be a better way to be informed. The way you have presented it, in this format, is the best I have seen, Mary. But still...
I think the coverage they get is uncritical, which is the problem. That plus the both-siderism which confers legitimacy upon them. But we need to know how much impact they're having--as well as what they're getting away with--in order to fight back effectively.
Thank you for all that research Mary! I think most Americans have been facing life & death catastrophes for two years and really don’t have the time & energy to engage in the public opposition of the extremist right organized assaults on local government. I wonder why the DNC doesn’t help fund radio & podcast media content producers to facilitate communications on accomplishments & pending legislation details! I really enjoy The Stephanie Miller Show, combining interviews with prominent political commentators like Malcolm Nance & Glenn Kirschner and comedic relief to lighten the mood!
Love the kitties Mary! 😻🐾
Chaos and distraction work for the Republicans and they know it. It's hard to combat that in the middle of a pandemic they purposely made worse. But the more of our voices are out there the better.
Evan Osnos wrote a profile about Dan Bongino who had been severely abused by his step-father as a child. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/01/03/dan-bongino-and-the-big-business-of-returning-trump-to-power This article is a frightening eye opener about the power people like him hold over others, and the monetary benefits of what he does.
It is quite terrifying how much grievance, rage, and stoking fear pay.
I didn't consider myself a cat person. Sure, I've had cats but dogs have always been my soul mates (sorry Alan). Then Mitzi wandered into the shop where my husband works and attached herself to him. The cutest little black Calico kitty I've ever seen. I ran out to the shop to meet her. Adorable! Sweet little voice, loves to be held, perfect. That is until we get her home. Within 3 days she's turned into Hell kitty. She's in heat. She was in heat for two months. This was during Covid so it was almost impossible to get an appointment with our vet. Two months we lived with this thing of evil (thank you for the descriptive Mr. King) that had been such a sweet, cuddly soft voiced kitten. Long story short, she's back to the sweet voiced, maybe not so cuddly kitty I met. Then the white husky found me... Your kitties are so adorable Mary, they always look so cute when they're eating! So how in the hell did we get to the point where liars, conspirators, white supremacists and just basically the worst humanity has to offer, gain such a voice?How is it that the voices of sanity and reason are so few and the voice of hatred and sedition are so many? What can we do to combat this? Where do we start to lessen their impact. Let me know and I'm there as I'm sure millions of us would be as well. We need more action and less talk.
I'm so happy that kitten found you--and that she's gotten past the horrors of being in heat. I'm hoping I can avoid that with Cap.
I think it's very important to keep in mind that there are many more voices of sanity and reason. We just happen to live in a time when the liars and conspiracists get amplified by propaganda outlets like Fox and social media outlets like Facebook. We're going to have to get louder and more organized. It would really help if we could get COVID under control.
Dear Auntie Trump,
The strategy to combat hate starts with knowing how it began and after learning the art of advertising propaganda, in 1978, by the marketing genius behind America's iconic department stores, I am grateful to have studied the evolution of it as a late-in-life student at Penn State. So...
How the government took our Art away… and dumbed us down
As an adult student, one of the most important and validating things I learned in American Theatre History class at Penn State (Class of 2010) was how the United States government programmed us into thinking that the Arts were “fluff”. Useless, unnecessary and only attainable by the elite.
Roosevelt's "New Deal" had put self-trained artists to work, a respected trades occupation in those days, until WW II when all the men went to war. Many artists were also unjustly accused of Communism and were black-balled from the industry, but after the war, the artists and musicians, who made it home, no longer had a valid purpose in society and were forced to go work in the factories.
Alcoholism and addiction became rampant, as painters had no work and musicians ended up working in the many veteran established private clubs that sprouted across the landscape. Woody Guthrie is a good example of this, and the timing for the history of "friends of Bill" or the roots of Alcoholics Anonymous solidifies this theory.
Country music was developed and marketed (45s & LPs) as a way to keep white people out of the clubs, or “juke joints”, where the best original music was happening… on the wrong side of the tracks. The only family entertainment to be found was on TV. The only place to sing was church.
Meanwhile, the art and music we Boomers so loved in elementary school were offered less and less over the years as Sputniks, now STEM, became the stars. Athletics, more profitable, were promoted, and creativity was eliminated as an element on the teacher's learning pyramid.
The evolution and exploitation of sports, first little league, then college, and professional sports came with the advent of satellite TV. Our JoePa (Joe Paterno) was a pawn for this.
Think of us as “the Campbell's Soup Kids” when you consider our kids' very human traits of logic and intuition, their souls, their spirits, have gradually been stripped away and, even though no one wants to admit it, I understand why we are a nation full of messed up kids. Lost cowboys, I call them.
Remember the boys being called “cowboy” as a kid? While some cool male relative was bopping them around like the 3 Stooges, calling it play, they were told to toughen up... like the cowboys. Note. There are more fake cow pokes out there today than there ever were real ones. Wannabe bikers too.
“Constructed knowledge teaches constructed knowledge” and the US is working on 4 generations of TV as America's babysitter and educator . We invented it. We canned the art. We glorified it in a piece of furniture and made it our “sacred cow” and today our number one export (entertainment) is, unlike all other civilized nations, rooted in something (Art!) that our government does not support.
Quite the revelation for this natural "girl" artist raised with centenarian, great Grammy's orphans. Not accepted into the upper crust's arts community, I got to study it, after growing up in one of America's first small town Cable TV experiments in the "Home of Little League Baseball".
And I've lovingly dubbed my historic hometown, Williamsport, PA... "The Bully Capital of America".
This speaks very poorly of our country right now, I’m sad to say.
It does--but speaks worse of our media and the Republican Party. We need to have this information, though, in order to fight back effectively.
True.
Thank you, Mary, for facts. Your cats are enchanting.
Thanks, Caroline!
Have known for years that Facebook loves Shapiro and Bongino and restricts our reach at Occupy and it is very frustrating.
It's incredibly frustrating--which is why Congress really needs to figure out a way to regulate social media. Those algorithms are going to kill us.
I think regulation will help, but not without an anti-trust action to break up Facebook and its hammerlock on both social media and messaging platforms.
Facebook knows that its platform is being used for great wrongs and they have the resources to do something about it, they just don't.
https://anchor.fm/dworkinreport/episodes/Reporter-reveals-Facebook-paid-Eastern-European-troll-farms-and-the-sinister-secrets-behind-its-algorithm-e18iuv6
Thanks for this. Slight correction: Heather Cox Richardson
Get her spayed as soon as you can!
I know there are millions of us compared to them and there are so many amazing groups and individuals doing great work but there is no coordination in an attempt to out shout the bad guys. We need to start a new action group! What should we call it?!
She's going to the vet in a couple of weeks--she's still so little.
We definitely need to coordinate our efforts. I'm working on it!
As I recently heard someone mention that America used to be the pretty girl like at a high school. But now everyone thinks what the heck has now happened.
Ouch!