lilham

january 15th - mlk jr day

I used to live next to his burial place Basilica di Santa Croce in Firenze/Florence, where Michelangelo and Machiavelli are also buried.

Singer/actress Halle Bailey (The Little Mermaid, The Color Purple) had a baby: https://people.com/halle-bailey-welcomes-first-baby-with-boyfriend-ddg-8407563 The rumor was her son was born in November, but she doesn't specify yet. Father of the child is youtube rapper, DDG. They spent the whole year denying the pregnancy, while posting videos of her obviously pregnant, in order to get DDG youtube views. Both of her films are potential Oscar nominees.

January 7th at 1211am 35 The Beach Boys — God Only Knows 34 The Kinks — Waterloo Sunset 33 The Rolling Stones — Nineteenth Nervous Breakdown 31 The Troggs — Wild Thing 29 Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich — Bend It 27 Los Bravos — Black Is Black 27 The Monkees — Alternate Title (Randy Scouse Git) 26 Manfred Mann — Semi-Detached Suburban Mr. James 25 Traffic — Hole In My Shoe 25 The Lovin’ Spoonful — Daydream 25 The Spencer Davis Group — Gimme Some Loving 25 Cat Stevens — Matthew And Son 25 Donovan — Sunshine Superman 24 The Mindbenders — A Groovy Kind Of Love 23 The Hollies — Stop Stop Stop 22 The Move — Flowers In The Rain 22 The Hollies — I Can’t Let Go 21 The Seekers — Morningtown Ride 20 The Move — Night Of Fear 18 The Beatles — Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields Forever +4 14 The Mamas And The Papas — Dedicated To The One I Love 12 The Troggs — I Can’t Control Myself 08 Crispian St. Peters — You Were On My Mind  07 Keith West — Excerpt From A Teenage Opera -6

you were very clearly not American, and do not know how American government works, nor understand every day American concerns. Nor do you seem curious to. What the fuck is Biden going to do with the nuclear briefcase? Do you think he has to carry it around everywhere, and is going to stumble and fall and blow up the world? lol. It's not like he gave a speech a couple months ago about bombing Mexico.

I feel my brain atrophy every time I listen to Trump, so normally I don't. But I don't understand what kind of policy people are trying to derive from this. Like why does he even feel compelled to explain magnets? No one asked him to? I watch Biden's speeches when they deal with a policy that impacts me directly (ie: student loans, women's healthcare), and I follow him fine and know what his positions are. If one feels fulfilled by anything Trump says, I'm suspecting they either do not have any cares in the world or they severely lack an ability in identifying what their cares are. (or they just really passionately hate other people so damn much, and see Trump as Just the Man to fuck up everyone's life).

Like this is from yesterday: Trump: All I know about magnets is this, give me a glass of water, let me drop it on the magnets, that’s the end of the magnets Like why was he even talking about magnets?

The polls have been off 10-30 points in some areas. Notably the ABC/Wapo ones, which they admit that there seems to be a flaw in the data, but they love the headlines too much so will continue irresponsible journalism. Elections scholar Rick Perlstein started a column analyzing the journalism and polls being off: https://prospect.org/politics/2024-01-03-you-are-entering-the-infernal-triangle/ He offers another example from 1980, when the pundits and pollsters didn't want to acknowledge the rise of the evangelicals. I wouldn't trust the press's definition of "average American." I remember in 2008, Cokie Roberts saying that the average American would find Obama going to Hawaii to visit a dying relative as too exotic and it would be more relatable for him to take a trip to Kansas instead. Nevermind that he had no family to attend to in Kansas, and no American vacations there, that would just somehow be more relatable to us. There's like, a million more examples of the press doing this. The primary appears to be there as some kind of fail-safe haphazardly put together by the party. The Koch family is pouring money into Nikki Haley, and it's the Colorado Republicans that tried to punt Trump from their ballot and bringing the issue before the Supreme Court. I don't think it ever looked exciting or competitive; that was another invention by the press to create a horse race.

January 6th at 507am 32 The Kinks — Waterloo Sunset  28 The Rolling Stones — Nineteenth Nervous Breakdown 28 The Monkees — Alternate Title (Randy Scouse Git) 28 Cat Stevens — Matthew And Son 27 Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich — Bend It 27 The Beach Boys — God Only Knows +1 25 The Mamas And The Papas — Dedicated To The One I Love 25 Donovan — Sunshine Superman 25 The Spencer Davis Group — Gimme Some Loving  25 The Beatles — Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields Forever +3 24 Traffic — Hole In My Shoe 24 The Troggs — Wild Thing 24 Los Bravos — Black Is Black 23 The Mindbenders — A Groovy Kind Of Love 22 The Hollies — Stop Stop Stop 22 Manfred Mann— Semi detached Suburban Mr James 22 The Move — Flowers In The Rain 22 The Lovin’ Spoonful — Daydream 21 The Dave Clark Five — Everybody Knows 21 The Seekers — Morningtown Ride 21 The Hollies — I Can’t Let Go  20 The Troggs — I Can’t Control Myself 20 The Move — Night Of Fear 17 Crispian St. Peters — You Were On My Mind 15 Keith West — Excerpt From A Teenage Opera 04 The Who — I’m A Boy 00 Tom Jones — I’m Coming Home -6

I gave it a 4. From what I recall was that it shed some light on his ghostly characters and what those inspirations may be. I visited Henry James's grave in January 2020, and it had quite the energy. It was an unseasonable 70 degrees out. He's buried in Cambridge, Massachusetts, across from the much nicer cemetery, Mt. Auburn.

Could be that revival symptom people have often before death. https://www.amnhealthcare.com/blog/nursing/travel/how-to-explain-the-surge-before-death-to-a-patients-family/

All I could think during the first round was holy shit, the Beatles were necessary for the charts. The situation was dire. Their presence shepherded a lot of other good things on there.

Went with Ethel Kennedy... we're having a snowstorm up in Massachusetts starting tomorrow night.

january 15th - mlk jr day

What did you think of the Master by Colm Toibin?

May 5th at 136am 31 The Kinks — Waterloo Sunset 30 Donovan — Sunshine Superman 30 The Rolling Stones — Nineteenth Nervous Breakdown 28 Cat Stevens — Matthew and Son 27 The Mamas And The Papas — Dedicated To The One I Love 27 The Spencer Davis Group — Gimme Some Loving 26 The Monkees — Alternate Title (Randy Scouse Git) 24 The Dave Clark Five — Everybody Knows 24 Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich — Bend It 24 The Hollies — Stop Stop Stop 24 The Troggs — Wild Thing 24 The Beach Boys — God Only Knows 23 Crispian St. Peter’s — You Were On My Mind 23 The Mindbenders — A Groovy Kind Of Love 23 Los Bravos — Black Is Black  22 The Move — Flowers In The Rain 22 Traffic — Hole In My Shoe 22 The Lovin’ Spoonful — Daydream 21 Keith West — Excerpt From A Teenage Opera 21 The Seekers — Morningtown Ride 20 The Hollies — I Can’t Let Go 20 The Troggs — I Can’t Control Myself 20 Manfred Mann — Semi-Detached Suburban Mr. James 20 The Move — Night Of Fear 18 The Beatles — Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields Forever +4 16 Tom Jones — I’m Coming Home 11 Val Doonican — What Would I Be 09 The Who — I’m A Boy 00 Tom Jones — I’ll Never Fall In Love Again -6

I went with Jimmy Carter, even though I went with Noam Chomsky last time. I have Carter on my list, and Noam as an alternate so I need them to go in order, to maximize my points.

january 12th i always try to choose a significant date... this one is the first payday of 2024 lol

Hit with Glynis Johns Add Sub Noam Chomsky

I think her manager, Cade Hudson, is submitting rumors about collaborations in order to generate press and then refuting them. (In this case, Charli XcX. It was telling if you read the original rumor saying they had never met, etc. -- prior to that it in the past couple months it was Reese Witherspoon and Margot Robbie who seemed genuinely confused to have their names mentioned). So actually, I don't think she is in the clear of imminent death as Cade is playing her as a media puppet because the dude needs cash. The last two singles she had in the past 1.5 years, she doesn't even seem to be aware of, saying she retired several years before that. One was with Elton John and he made mention that he'd never do a project again where he was not in studio with the artist, only conversing via emails. The other one was that single "Mind Your Business" she dropped with Will.I.Am that sounds like an outtake from her Britney Jean album (2013). And notably, "backup singer" Myah Marie gave an interview years ago talking about singing the primary vocals; that song was not known at the time and she says the title, so I think it's accurate. I think they tuned Myah's voice with AI and it's not Britney. This is Cade Hudson: https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-caa-agent-20171209-story.html CAA agent accused of offering sex in exchange for access to directors and a Hollywood star Cade's the one who pressed the false assault charges against Victor Wembanyama's bodyguard over the summer.

Is Derek Draper well-liked? I just read his wiki page and I would block his number if I knew him. He reminds me of Andrew Breitbart, and apparently his Labourlist was an early affiliate of Breitbart's co-founded Huffington Post.

January 4th at 1201am 27 The Mamas And The Papas — Dedicated To The One I Love 27 The Troggs — Wild Thing 27 The Beach Boys — God Only Knows 27 The Rolling Stones — Nineteenth Nervous Breakdown 27 The Kinks — Waterloo Sunset 26 Donovan — Sunshine Superman 25 The Beatles — Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields Forever +4 24 The Spencer Davis Group — Gimme Some Loving 24 Cat Stevens — Matthew And Son 23 The Monkees — Alternate Title (Randy Scouse Git) 23 Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich — Bend It 22 Traffic — Hole In My Shoe 22 Los Bravos — Black Is Black 22 The Hollies — Stop Stop Stop 22 The Lovin’ Spoonful — Daydream 21 Crispian St. Peters — You Were On My Mind 21 The Mindbenders — A Groovy Kind Of Love 21 The Move — Flowers In The Rain 20 The Hollies — I Can’t Let Go 20 The Troggs — I Can’t Control Myself 20 Manfred Mann — Semi-Detached Suburban Mr. James 20 Val Doonican — What Would I Be  20 The Seekers — Morningtown Ride 20 The Move — Night Of Fear 20 Keith West — Excerpt From A Teenage Opera 20 The Dave Clark Five — Everybody Knows  17 Tom Jones — I’m Coming Home 17 The Who — I’m A Boy 14 Tom Jones — I’ll Never Fall In Love Again 10 The Beach Boys — Sloop John B 10 Vikki Carr — It Must Be Him 10 Harry Secombe — This Is My Song 01 Vince Hill — Edelweiss -6

I did a search for "Posner" and didn't see his name mentioned anywhere on this board, so excuse me if this is repeated information. Judge Richard Posner has had Alzheimer's since 2017; however, he lost a lawsuit a few months ago saying he was too incapacitated to enter into a contract and pay wages in 2018. https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/former-judge-richard-posner-loses-latest-bid-dismiss-wage-lawsuit-2023-09-26/ He's a guaranteed NYT obit when he passes away as he's supposedly the most cited US legal scholar in history. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Posner He is currently 84 years old. He presided over the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals and taught at the University of Chicago School of Law.

She hasn't told her son RFK Jr to shut up in like 2.5 years, and he's been a trainwreck this year. The other Kennedys did the duty. It did seem as if he was uninvited to their Fourth of July, and Ethel is wheelchair bound. I do think Ethel is a good pick.

This reminds me of the 90s with Marky Mark and his funky bunch.