April 21, 2024

Things I talked about with Meade this morning.

1. How Tucker Carlson told Joe Rogan that Bari Weiss is a fraud and not honest at all. She called Tulsi Gabbard a "toady" and she didn't know what "toady" meant.

2. The similarities and differences between the Bob Dylan song "You Got to Serve Somebody" and the Band song "Unfaithful Servant."

3. The use of the tuba in popular music recorded in the last 60 years and why it matters if they had an actual tuba player in the studio as opposed to a digitalized tuba sound.

4. "Tuba players now rehearse around the flagpole."

5. Whether flags of foreign countries should be waved by members of Congress and how the use of the flag may mean different things to different people.

6. It was Richard Nixon who originated the wearing of a flag lapel pin and how everyone followed along and now they can't stop.

7. The way some people these days are calling their loved one "my person." I heard it in Salman Rushdie's new book "Knife" and I opened The New Yorker at random and saw it in a Roz Chast cartoon.

8. Some people call a dog's owner the dog's "person," and that seems related to the old joke "Are you walking him or is he walking you"?

9. Bill Maher asked why people want drag queens reading to children and said it would be better to have disabled people reading, but drag queens are entertainers and disabled people are not. 

10. How little children shouldn't be exposed to overly exciting entertainment and even peekaboo can be too intense for young minds.

11. How it's already too late to go south for warmer weather and we are better off here in the north, where there was frost on the grass this morning.

12. How fluent and funny Tucker Carlson was describing his boss at the New York Post who had a hairy back that he would rub against the door jamb while he talked to Tucker and the 5 or 6 ways that Tucker could have known that the man had a hairy back.

13. What a big part of life hairiness is — for the lower animals and for us, the humans. 

14. Was the hairy-backed man John Podhoretz? Carlson mutters the name.

15. The annoyingness of Carlson's laugh and how hard you have to commit to do a good enough imitation of it.

16. The energy Joe and Tucker had. Doesn't Tucker wear a hairpiece and Joe just shaved off all his hair.

17. Meeting for coffee and not an entire meal so you're free to leave whenever you want and how some people have trouble getting out of small-talk conversations and this one simple trick that's all you need.

18. The perception that a conversation can't end until both participants want it to end and the way some people keep adding new topics as if keeping a conversation going is a game.

19. The very low level of tennis playing that has you just trying to keep the ball in play as long as possible.

20. How all this talk is taking the place of writing on the blog, but I could just make a blog post out of all the topics that didn't make it onto the blog because I was talking about everything with Meade.

146 comments:

Dave Begley said...

What is that one simple trick?

Aggie said...

Tucker Carlson wears a hairpiece? But: Bari Weiss is the phony.

Enlighten-NewJersey said...

Tucker does not wear a hair piece.

Clyde said...

Strippers are also entertainers, and like drag queens, inappropriate for children.

Ampersand said...

J Podhoretz and Carlson despise each other. Yes, Carlson was referencing J Podhoretz.

One of the recurring miseries of my tennis career (such as it is)is the agile opponent who gets to everything and launches high deep soft shots that extend the rally until the point is won or lost by a shot from me that is riskier than I prefer. Players like that only seem to have low tennis ability. They are effective players because they are willing to win ugly. I'm far too willing to lose pretty. There may be a life lesson in this, but I resist the thought.

And how can anyone not be talking this morning about the NYT front page headline "Will a Mountain of Evidence Be Enough to Convict Trump?"
More "just the facts" reportage from the blazing center of the credibility bonfire.

Doug Hasler said...

Priceless. Just priceless.

Yancey Ward said...

Is Weiss a fraud:

Maybe, or maybe she is just a progressive who found herself on the outside because of her ethnicity, but her core beliefs are still extreme left. I suspect the exact same thing about Berliner. In any case, Weiss's work since she moved to Substack is significantly more balanced than it was when she worked for the NYTimes, so she gets some credit from me- I don't automatically, any longer, simply dismiss anything her name is attached to.

Tucker's laugh is extremely annoying. I don't know if that is just the way he laughs, or it is deliberately done that way as a part of branding on his part- when you hear it, you know who it is laughing.

Do people without hairy backs not get itches that need scratching? You can probably spot men with hairy backs because they likely have hairy arms and necks.

The "my person" thing: I first heard this phrase on the television show "Gray's Anatomy"- it probably didn't start there, but that is where I first heard it.

Only perverts want drag queens reading to children. If you support this sort of thing, then you are a sexual pervert.

Congressmen should be forced to wear the branding labels of any corporation or government that has given them campaign money, or has employed any of their relatives in any way.

Tuba: The only song I can think of off the top of my head where I know there is a tuba playing is "Tusk" by Fleetwood Mac. I think there is one in "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" but aren't sure. Also, maybe, in Berlin's "You Take My Breath Away", but, again- I can't be sure that is a tuba, an electronic version, or some other brass horn. I think there are probably lots of others, but it isn't a question I have thought about much.

Yancey Ward said...

Interesting- is there a tuba sound in "Unfaithful Servant", too?

R C Belaire said...

This list is longer than the number of items my wife and I discuss in a week. Perhaps we have communication issues after 54+ years of marriage. Or, maybe we've said everything that needs saying...

The Vault Dweller said...

the way some people keep adding new topics as if keeping a conversation going is a game.

I laughed at this one. I also enjoyed seeing how one topic flowed into another in your morning conversation. It kind of highlights one of the big differences between written and spoken communication. Spoken can be very free flowing and moving from one topic to another that are only marginally connected. Whereas written tends to be much more focused, you know unless you are Jack Kerouac. Now here's a question. Was your recitation of your morning conversation all from memory or were you jotting down conversation points along the way?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

The NYT had a piece on UFO’s?

Mentioned in the Rogan Tucker podcast.

Ann Althouse said...

"And how can anyone not be talking this morning about the NYT front page headline "Will a Mountain of Evidence Be Enough to Convict Trump?" "

I have had that open in a tab for hours. I don't like the sense of obligation about any one thing. I like the spontaneous flow, which Meade and I had in real-time conversation. A good way to get me not to talk about something is to say how can you NOT talk about this? I loathe the feeling of coercion and you might think I'm supposed to blog every morning, but I've always done it for the intrinsic reward and not out of a sense of obligation.

Trump is obligated to sit there in the courtroom, but we are not obligated to watch. I could see writing a blog post about the expression "mountain of evidence." It's perverse and stupid.

Narr said...

My wife and I discussed her Wordle, and she showed me some video of a mama and baby capybara.
Awwwww.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Agree Tucker's laugh is no good. Stop it, man.

in other news:

Biden Admin’s Title IX Rewrite Obliterates Female Spaces, Free Speech, And Due Process

"he Biden administration’s Department of Education unveiled a sweeping set of rules on Friday that effectively erase protections for sex-based spaces by expanding the Title IX prohibition against sex discrimination to include “gender identity” — a term that’s never mentioned in the original law.

A majority of Americans agree that males who claim to identify otherwise should not be allowed to infiltrate girls’ and women’s sports teams. As of now, some 25 states have laws or regulations aimed at keeping boys and men out of female-only spaces, on and off the field.

Yet, come Aug. 1, the Democrat regime’s radial redefinition of “sex-based discrimination” poses a threat to sex-based protections and welcomes males into female spaces including athletic competitions, locker rooms, and sex-specific clubs such as sororities, despite state laws.

“The final regulations will help to ensure that all students receive appropriate support when they experience sex discrimination and that recipients’ procedures for investigating and resolving complaints of sex discrimination are fair to all involved,” the rules claim.

The regulations do even more damage, however, such as by undoing Trump-era due process safeguards for those accused of sexual misconduct, which could include merely using accurate pronouns. They also encroach on parents’ rights and threaten academic free speech by incentivizing schools to censor students and teachers with traditional views on sex and marriage so they don’t lose federal funding."

Biden puppets = child abusing women haters

Yancey Ward said...

What mountain of evidence is there in this trial? Trump paid the money for the NDA- an action that is legal itself- it was paid via Michael Cohen, Trump's attorney at the time. Trump paid it out of his own funds in the end- Cohen was reimbursed in full. None of these facts are disputed but that is the end of the actual evidence- is that a mountain? The only real issue is whether these personal funds can be considered as coming from "campaign funds" since Trump was a self-financing candidate in 2016. The difference between this case and the one John Edwards skated on is that Edwards was actually using donated campaign funds to pay off his mistress.

This trial is a joke- paying for an NDA isn't illegal. Paying it via your lawyer isn't illegal. Calling it legal fees isn't illegal- that sort of declaration is completely subjective. And New York State has no jurisdiction over federal campaign finance law- in other words, they couldn't even charge Trump with violating campaign finance law, and it seem fucking obvious that Trump didn't violate campaign finance law because he didn't pay Daniels off with campaign funds- this is why the DoJ passed on the case- he hadn't broken any law.

Ann Althouse said...

"Tuba: The only song I can think of off the top of my head where I know there is a tuba playing is "Tusk" by Fleetwood Mac. I think there is one in "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" but aren't sure."

According to Wikipedia, there is tuba in the Band's "Unfaithful Servant": " During the second verse, Garth Hudson adds his soprano saxophone and producer John Simon kicks in on tuba, and DeRiso describes their effect as enriching the song's emotion 'by a series of mournful moans.'"

Narr said...

I guess I should add that I'm not much for socializing of a morning.

My wife's last act before bed, and first act in the morning (excluding calls of nature) is to check her smartphone. I like a few hours of unconnection at both ends.

And I've always respected the Prof for not taking requests.

Kate said...

#10 -- I've always thought tickling a child is cruel. Anyone getting tickled will laugh because the sensation is overpowering. An adult might think a child likes getting tickled because of that. In the meantime, the child can't escape. They're laughing and trapped. And there's mom or dad laughing with them, and so they're also gaslit that they should submit and enjoy what is basically torture.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Corrupt democrat party and their corrupt media are using "Betsy DeVos" as the excuse for ramming 1500 page pile of anti-woman - pro-trans + pro-pronoun police down our throats.


Say goodbye to Title 9, gals.

Yancey Ward said...

It's weird- I thought of "They Drove Old Dixie Down" without even noting that The Band was involved with "Unfaithful Servant"- it is song I am completely unfamiliar with. I just now listened to it, and I can hear the tuba in the second verse.

Ice Nine said...

>Doesn't Tucker wear a hairpiece<

Yeah, no, he doesn't.

Or...if he does, he went unlikely bald at a very early age because even in his pix from his twenties he had the proverbial "great head of hair."

Wilbur said...

To me, it's not a proper polka band without a tuba.

rhhardin said...

Carlson's laugh is fake, a nervous laugh. Usually when he says something fake.

gspencer said...

Man, that's a LOT of things to talk about. Must be tough to get a sip of coffee in between all those topics.

rhhardin said...

Strippers aren't entertainers to children, who are not interested. Kids' sex magazine is "Piddle."

rhhardin said...

"Okay" is the warning on telephone calls that the conversation is over unless you have something else to add. The third okay ends the call.

Interested Bystander said...

The wife and I were just discussing the squirrels chasing each other across the roof. It sounded like a herd of horses.

Yancey Ward said...

You end a conversation with someone with a white lie if you have to, like "I have to go, I am late for...." fill in the blank.

Interested Bystander said...

Tuba?
"Those Were The Days" I believe there's some polka-sounding tuba in there.
"Maxwell's Silver Hammer" if I'm not mistaken. Too lazy to check for sure. There's probably some tuba in "When I'm Sixty-four" if not, somewhere in the Sergeant Peppers album.

Pillage Idiot said...

How about a future post on trombone players?

I think Ms. Althouse would enjoy watching Peet Montzingo torture his poor dwarf mother with his trombone playing - and making her chuckle every day!

narciso said...

I dont think shes a fraud it takes great willpower to get out of your confort zone

Just an old country lawyer said...

My lovely wife has the habit of adding topics to the simplest of conversations, as you noted. So does our next door neighbor. I joked to his wife, Jean, that whenever I need Anne out of the house for twenty or thirty minutes, I just send her next door to ask Larry a yes or no question.

Big Mike said...

10. How little children shouldn't be exposed to overly exciting entertainment and even peekaboo can be too intense for young minds.

Oh good Gawd! This has to have come from someone who has no idea whatsoever about real, living, breathing, little children.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

I think there is one in "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" but aren't sure

There is one in The Last Waltz live version, but there isn't in the original studio recording.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dDbnwQlCek

Tusk has the USC Marching Band, so that would be Sousaphones not tubas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATMR5ettHz8

Old and slow said...

Perfect Day by Lou Reed has tuba, of course. I LOVE the tuba.

Breezy said...

Alan Dershowitz advised Trump lawyers to challenge the dictat that Trump must sit in the courtroom every day or face arrest. According to Dershowitz, it’s the defendant’s call to do so, to face their accusers, not the courts’s nor the prosecutor’s call to require it. Is that true?

In any case, it seems sitting the courtroom is working to Trump’s advantage now. Maybe they don’t want to challenge it.

Now I have to go comb through that Rogan-Carlson podpourri.

Noynac said...

Boy in the Bubble by Paul Simon has a tuba or tuba synthesized sound throughout. Lasers in the jungle indeed.

David53 said...

Frank Zappa used some tuba players on several albums but I guess his music is not considered popular music.

Original Mike said...

I've never been into talking in the morning.

Lucien said...

Twenty items, but nothing about how listicles are a thing of the past?

RCOCEAN II said...

Yeah, what's that one simple trick. I hate it when people send mixed signals in a "small talk conversation", seemingly wanting the converstation to end, but then going on and on. I don't like being rude, but some people can't send a clear message..

As for J-Pod, I wasn't surprised Carlson doesn't like him, or thinks he's gross. Everything about the guy screams mediocre, self-entitled, obnoxious censor-totalitarian. Put him back in the old USSR, and you can see him signing off on execution orders with Stalin, or stuffing his face while millions of Ukrainians starve to death. If his father had been Joe Smith from Nebraska, no one would know who he is.

As for flag-waving. The DC Democrats have to be the biggest bunch of scum I've ever seen in my entire life. If they're not waving Ukrainian flags they're waving Israeli ones, or Mexican ones. They are 100 percent against protecting the USA from invasion. Literally 50 million Zulus could move here and they would approve. But then, like all libtards, they don't really care about the country nor do they have any principles. They have no religion but will fake it.

They just follow the party line. And love the graft and the money. If they really care about anything, its sticking up for their "community" assuming they have one. Jewish, Black, Gay, or whatever. The White ones from the Northeast Colorado, or the West coast are just out for $$$.

Humperdink said...

Re: Conversations without end. I went to a negotiating seminar some time ago. Instructions if you want end an uncomfortable or otherwise extended telephone conversation: In the middle of one of your sentences hang up. Don't call back or answer the return call. Uncouth? Maybe, but effective.

Tuckers laugh annoying? Oh yes.

Speaking of annoying laughter .... if one listens to the 8 minute Bill Maher diatribe posted earlier, at the end of each joke you will one guy shout "wooo" nearly every time. Sounds fake.

John henry said...

17 how about soup? If I just have soup is it a "meal"? Some say yes, others no. Maybe it depends on who pays?

If I eat soup with a stand up comic, will it tasre funny?

John Henry

Joe Smith said...

Throw in the meaning of life and you can rest easy.

Ann Althouse said...

"I also enjoyed seeing how one topic flowed into another in your morning conversation. It kind of highlights one of the big differences between written and spoken communication. Spoken can be very free flowing and moving from one topic to another that are only marginally connected. Whereas written tends to be much more focused, you know unless you are Jack Kerouac."

The flow you are seeing is not the order of the conversation but my memory of it. Much is left out, and the connections are more about remembering as I was writing than about how we progressed. It wasn't continuous conversation. It involved my normal process of reading various things in the morning, but this particular morning, I hadn't been moved to write any posts, and I was dissipating writing energy by talking a lot. We usually end up talking a lot, though.

"Now here's a question. Was your recitation of your morning conversation all from memory or were you jotting down conversation points along the way?"

All from memory.

Wince said...

How did this scene about women's sports from "The American President" age?

"It's a world gone mad."

Ann Althouse said...

"This list is longer than the number of items my wife and I discuss in a week. Perhaps we have communication issues after 54+ years of marriage. Or, maybe we've said everything that needs saying..."

Try reading side by side and being open to sharing things (as opposed to anything like a rule against interrupting a reader).

Display Name said...

I was talking with my spouse this morning that this post should be a recurring feature on this blog.

Yancey Ward said...

"Tusk has the USC Marching Band, so that would be Sousaphones not tubas."

Same sound though, right, or am I wrong about that, too?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Tucker probably had a tough time in school. The nervous laugh may be an attempt to say, I joke, I’m not above it all. It’s out of fear.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mary Beth said...

I like Bari Weiss. I don't think she's a fraud, but I think she is experiencing conflict between what she has always believed and supported and how things are actually turning out. I listen to her podcast and don't always agree with her/think she let's some questionable comments by guests go by unchallenged, but, keeping her biases in mind, I trust her reporting.

I think the waving of the Ukraine flag on the floor of Congress was inappropriate. It makes me wonder who they think they are working for. Funding foreign wars and not securing our border was also inappropriate.

Boing Boing called Carlson's laugh "adorable". I know because I had to look up "Tucker Carlson's laugh". I don't watch his show, so I'm not familiar with it. It's not as weird as Jimmy Carr's.

Kate is right, tickling is torture. Not all tickling - a quick poke in the ribs or a quick tickle, if done sparingly is okay. continuing to do it shows a lack of respect, IMO, for the child's control over their body.

ceowens said...

My late brother would stop by occasionally, out of the blue. I probably had not seen him for six months of so. We would discuss motorcycles, construction methods and materials, common acquaintances etc., like we saw each yesterday. When he was done, he was done. I'm not sure he even said "good by." Turn around and he was gone.

loudogblog said...

"drag queens are entertainers and disabled people are not. "

That is true, but we're not talking about entertainment; we're talking about education.

Drag Queens are specifically skilled at providing adult-oriented, highly sexualized entertainment.

Also, you shouldn't assume that handicapped people can't read aloud as good, or better, than drag queens.

Ann Althouse said...

"Alan Dershowitz advised Trump lawyers to challenge the dictat that Trump must sit in the courtroom every day or face arrest. According to Dershowitz, it’s the defendant’s call to do so, to face their accusers, not the courts’s nor the prosecutor’s call to require it. Is that true? In any case, it seems sitting the courtroom is working to Trump’s advantage now. Maybe they don’t want to challenge it."

His presentation to us is that this is persecution. Look what they are doing to him! To sit there silently makes his argument. He is the protagonist, with all the forces of government massed against him. And when people who hate him point at him and laugh at him for being in that position, it will backfire. It is not good to laugh at a criminal defendant. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks of the mockery of Christ. That's what persecution looks like.

Cogitor said...

From Wikipedia: "The Real Thing is a double live album by Taj Mahal, released in 1971. It was recorded on February 13, 1971, at the Fillmore East in New York City and features Taj Mahal backed by a band that includes four tuba players."

Quaestor said...

"Bill Maher asked why people want drag queens reading to children and said it would be better to have disabled people reading, but drag queens are entertainers and disabled people are not."

I sincerely doubt that parents who take their children to a "drag queen story hour" do so to entertain them.

tcrosse said...

For my sins, I was a tuba player in high school. I had been drafted because the bandmaster needed a certain number of bodies to carry tubas, even if they can't play the damn things. At least I knew which end to blow into.

Oligonicella said...

My minds' been on circuitry recently so when I read a list of 20, I automatically divided (doing resister work) that into 3-5 hours of discussion. Comes down to 9 minutes per at 3 hours. Sounds reasonable for a decent discussion. Even at 2 hours (6), as some of those were probably toss-offs. Anything less starts to look like conversational pot shots.

As I enjoy conversation or just sitting with friends saying not a thing, there's no meaning attached. It's just what blew by my thoughts abacus-like as I finished your post.

Ann Althouse said...

"You end a conversation with someone with a white lie if you have to, like "I have to go, I am late for...." fill in the blank."

Well, that's half of it. The trick is that along with some version of "I've got to go," you add a compliment, something like "It was great seeing you again" or "I love that story about [whatever]" or "I'm so glad you [went somewhere, got something, etc]." Just one compliment based on the conversation and go.

Ann Althouse said...

I asked ChatGPT and got:

"Here's a playlist featuring a variety of popular songs that prominently feature the tuba:

"When the Saints Go Marching In" - Louis Armstrong: This iconic jazz standard showcases the tuba's role in Dixieland jazz, providing a steady bassline throughout the song.
"Stars and Stripes Forever" - John Philip Sousa: While not a popular song in the traditional sense, this classic march composition prominently features the sousaphone, demonstrating its importance in marching band music.
"Take Me to the River" - The Commitments: This soulful rendition of the Al Green classic features a funky tuba bassline that adds depth and groove to the song's rhythm section.
"Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" - They Might Be Giants: In this quirky cover of the Four Lads' song, the tuba plays a prominent role in the arrangement, providing a playful and distinctive bassline.
"Seven Nation Army" - The White Stripes: While the bassline in this rock anthem is famously played on a distorted electric guitar, it has been recreated using a tuba in various covers and arrangements, showcasing the instrument's adaptability across genres.
"Baby Got Back" - Sir Mix-a-Lot: This hip-hop classic features a sampled tuba bassline that gives the song its distinctive groove and adds a touch of humor to the arrangement.
"Low Rider" - War: The tuba plays a key role in this funk rock hit, providing the deep bassline that drives the song's infectious groove.
"Thrift Shop" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz: In this hip-hop track, the tuba takes center stage, providing the catchy bassline that underpins the song's playful lyrics about thrift store fashion.
"Roll Out (My Business)" - Ludacris: This rap song features a tuba bassline that adds a unique and unexpected element to the track's production, standing out amidst the typical electronic beats and synthesized instrumentation of the genre.
"Hypnotize" - The Notorious B.I.G.: While primarily driven by a sampled bassline from Herb Alpert's "Rise," the tuba's deep, resonant sound adds depth and richness to the song's production."

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

Yancey Ward said...

Same sound though, right, or am I wrong about that, too?

From a stand point of them both being bass horns, yes. The tuba directs it sounds upwards, the Sousaphone directs the sound forward so there will be some difference in perceived sound.

Ann Althouse said...

Here's what I got from Grok:

:I've compiled a list of songs recorded in the past 60 years that prominently feature the tuba in their mix, based on the provided information and a bit of extra research:

"Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen
"Save Your Tears" by The Weeknd
"Thank U, Next" by Ariana Grande
"Shape Of You" by Ed Sheeran
"Believer" by Imagine Dragons
"Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes
"Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
"Magnolia Stroll" by Tuba Skinny (a notable original composition from their 2022 album)
"The Munsters" Theme Song (a fun and iconic example of tuba use in TV theme music)

These songs span a range of genres and eras, from rock and pop to jazz and beyond, showcasing the versatility of the tuba in modern music."

"Another One Bites the Dust"... perfect!

mccullough said...

The best way to have a tennis rally is to try to hit hard (but not your hardest) forehands over the middle.

Watch the pros warm up with each other right before the match.

Try and do that.

Ann Althouse said...

"Another One Bites the Dust".... seems like electric bass to me and I think it would be funny if people started to imagine they were hearing tuba on all sorts of rock songs.

Anyway... I'm reading that in the early days of jazz, tuba was used for playing outdoors where a standup bass would be used indoors.

Quaestor said...

"What a big part of life hairiness is — for the lower animals and for us, the humans."

One part of hairiness is itchiness, but hair isn't a necessary component of itchiness,
the hairless itch too.

A few years back I visited the Smithsonian National Zoo where I got into a conversation with one of the handlers in charge of the Komodo dragons. To the extent they enjoy anything apart from eating, they enjoy being groomed with a stiff brush. Some fish enjoy a good back scratch as well.

Brian McKim and/or Traci Skene said...

"Boy in the Bubble?"

That is likely a fretless bass or an lambic bass. Sounds Jaco Pastorious-like.

Political Junkie said...

Tricky Dick leads the way.
Just hitting the tennis ball back and forth with a friend is great.

Oligonicella said...

I have a friend who's over 6'2". He giggles like a girl, played rugby and has an even temperament. Who, besides a purposeful idiot, would judge someone's personality by their laugh?

Go tell Mike Tyson his laugh is silly.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Imagine my shock and surprise to hear that the NYT is printing UFO conspiracy theories.

Eva Marie said...

How similar is the Tucker Carlson laugh to the Kamala Harris laugh?

Oligonicella said...

Another One Bites the Dust", Queen, bass guitar.

Digital remaster of original. Still an electric bass.

Wiki entry. No mention of tuba. You are correct, electric bass.

Political Junkie said...

Since Tucker was on the list....I disagree with Tucker that Harry Truman was wrong to drop the bomb on civilians. Harry did it to save hundreds of thousands of American deaths from a land invasion. Japs started it. FDR, Truman, Ike, MacArthur finished it.

tcrosse said...

The way to end a telephone conversation is to hang up while you're talking.

EAB said...

The tubas in my alma mater, Cal Berkeley, marching band were (still are) the beloved rockstars of the band. For such a lefty school, the band is extremely traditional and quite popular.
Tucker Carlson used to be charming, but he seems to have gone off the deep end.
I like Bari Weiss. I likely disagree with her on a lot, but she’s a very good interviewer and has high standards for her profession. She’s built something good in The Free Press.

Iman said...

Nothing sez rock and roll like a tuba (/sarc), but these songs would be lesser without it.

Dove the Band of Love have their own version of “Serve Somebody”, extra enjoyable seeing them doing it live.

Rabel said...

"How Tucker Carlson told Joe Rogan that Bari Weiss is a fraud and not honest at all. She called Tulsi Gabbard a "toady" and she didn't know what "toady" meant."

Judge for yourself. I'd say Carlson was wrong. By the criteria he used to label Weiss a liar he would also qualify as a liar. I don't think he is any more than anyone in broadcasting but he made a serious assertion that was not factual.

Carlson

Weiss

Narr said...

Shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I attended a concert of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. They played our national anthem, for which I stood (of course), as well as the Ukrainian song, for which I sat (of course).

I can't be certain, but I may have been the only person who didn't participate.

Nothing against Ukraine or their struggle, but I'm not a political jack-in-the-box.

Smilin' Jack said...

I watched some of the Rogan-Carlson thing, but I guess I didn’t get as far as you did. They started with a discussion of whether UFOs are alien spaceships or ghosts, then Carlson got into his spirituality and why evolution is wrong, then they agreed that Covid vaccines are an evil conspiracy, etc. I didn’t feel like following them further into cloud-cuckoo land, so I tuned out.

Bruce Hayden said...

“I like Bari Weiss. I don't think she's a fraud, but I think she is experiencing conflict between what she has always believed and supported and how things are actually turning out. I listen to her podcast and don't always agree with her/think she lets some questionable comments by guests go by unchallenged, but, keeping her biases in mind, I trust her reporting.”

Cognitive Dissonance. Surprising how much of it is going around in the (former) principled left. Alan Dershowitz Is probably another in that category.

gadfly said...

Tucker Carlson is a fascist.

In late February 2022, then Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson, in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, began a pro-Russia monologue urging his audience to ask themselves the question: “Why do I hate Putin so much?” The gist of Carlson’s comments about Russia’s leader is that Putin should not be regarded as an enemy. Instead, the real enemies of America are those who call white Americans racist, those who teach so-called critical race theory in schools, business elites who ship jobs abroad, and those who imposed Covid lockdowns on the United States.

Historian Timothy Snyder agrees: "As in the 1930s, democracy is in retreat around the world and fascists have moved to make war on their neighbors. If Russia wins in Ukraine, it won’t be just the destruction of democracy by force, though that is bad enough. It will be a demoralization for democracies everywhere. Even before the war, Russia’s friends — Marine Le Pen, Viktor Orban, and Tucker Carlson — were the enemies of democracy. Fascist battlefield victories would confirm that 'might makes right'; that reason is for the losers, and that democracies must fail."

WK said...

If you have the opportunity attend a “Merry Tuba Christmas” concert. Nothing but tubas.

wild chicken said...

I can't remember the last time I could talk about things like that with anyone, much less my husband.

What I Learned From Marriage: STFU.

Leora said...

When I was a child I was encouraged to read to elderly people. That was more educational than having stories read to me.

Child oriented performances of standards including drag (Peter Pan and Cinderella's ugly step-sisters for example) have not been uncommon for more than a century but the drag queen story hours are a typical raiding of public funds for radical agendas. I have nothing against commercial drag events that people pay for voluntarily.

Narr said...

Twain's "The Stolen White Elephant" is available at Project Gutenberg (PBUI).

I'm out of breath from laughing--it's as funny as I recall, and I'm only on page two.

Paddy O said...

One of the many things I like about the now old Steve Martin movie LA Story is the key role that tuba playing has in it.

Also a good,or even mediocre, Octoberfest will always have some tubas present. Why do only the Germans keep the tuba contributions going?

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

gadfly - you do not understand the meaning of the word "fascist"

moron.

Hassayamper said...

The tubas in my alma mater, Cal Berkeley, marching band were (still are) the beloved rockstars of the band. For such a lefty school, the band is extremely traditional and quite popular.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the greatest rock star in the entire universe of tuba/sousaphone playing. That is the senior sousaphone player at THE Ohio State University who gets the honor of "dotting the I" in the famous "Script Ohio" routine performed by the marching band at halftime of the Ohio State-Michigan game each year.

He and the drum major stand aside while the march is completed, then high-five and prance theatrically together to the top of the I. The drum major whacks the spot with his baton, and the player prances over to take his place there, dances a little more, then doffs his cap and bows to the crowd. It's greatly amusing to watch. Would love to see it in person.

The fun starts at about 2:00 in this clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-TQcqRWbDA

RCOCEAN II said...

Gadfly is just a stupid libtard. Nothing he says is of interest. Copies it from the MSNBC or the WaPo.

See Gadfly watch MSNBC
See Gadfly Squawk out the party line.
Squawk, Squawk says Gadfly.

He's not a "Gadfly" he's just a Parrot.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

1:03 Rabel

thanks.
Watched both clips. Rogan is trying the hardest to rise above the over-the top "OMG - that person is a fraud!" based on one poor judgment moment.

Rogan for the win. We should all try to do what Rogan is doing. Many have lost that ability.

Mr. D said...

“Wild Billy’s Circus Story” by Bruce Springsteen, from his second album, has a tuba.

Marcus Bressler said...

Me: Uh, my phone is dying, I gotta go ...
FWB: WTF? We're talking face-to-face
Me: Well, it was worth a try.

ALSO: (while on the phone) Just hang up in the middle of your sentence and blame the drop out on your one-bar-or-less reception (when they call back)

JK Brown said...

Every time I see Tucker Carlson where he's the guest or person being interviewed, I notice how uninformed he is. His shows are a performance written by others. He doesn't keep apprised of the world. Nice way to live I suppose, but he can't go off script.

I noticed this when he was on Fox and he would leave many good points on the table simply because he wasn't knowledgeable enough about current affairs to notice a good follow-up question.

Yes, they are all scripted but at least most of the others hide it better.

JK Brown said...

Every time I see Tucker Carlson where he's the guest or person being interviewed, I notice how uninformed he is. His shows are a performance written by others. He doesn't keep apprised of the world. Nice way to live I suppose, but he can't go off script.

I noticed this when he was on Fox and he would leave many good points on the table simply because he wasn't knowledgeable enough about current affairs to notice a good follow-up question.

Yes, they are all scripted but at least most of the others hide it better.

stonethrower said...

Really nice post.

Narayanan said...

Congressmen should be forced to wear the branding labels
=================================
where on their anatomy?
for cattle > The preferred place to brand is high on the upper hind leg/hip area.

John henry said...

Dave Von Ronk's Red Onion Jazz Band made very effective use of a real tuba.

I seem to recall that his Hudson Dusters group did as well.

Obligatory Bob connection:

In von Ronk's bio he tells a story about a group, including Dylan, sitting in a Cafe in about 63. They didn't think Dylan could write songs. He said "hold my beer" (paraphrasing) went off in a corner and in 15 minutes had written music and words to "if I had to do it all over again, babe, I'd do it all over you" it's on the Red Onion Al um with lots of tuba.

https://youtu.be/SpfPTps6CYQ?si=tyE-4Qg9FlbF6qP4

Wince said...

I know a musical dentist who could put the toothpaste back in the tuba.

John henry said...

Harry did it to save hundreds of thousands of American deaths from a land invasion.


And probably millions millions of Japan women and children's lives.

Bear in mind also that Hiroshima was a major ija hq.

And that even after the Japanese emperor surrendered there were still 1,385,000 army plus 500m Japanese civilians in mainland China whose surrender was not assured.

As William Manchester said "Than God for the Atomic Bomb"

John Henry

AMDG said...

Two songs that have tubas that I know of are:

“Wild Billy’s Circus” from Springsteen's “The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle from 1973. This is the worst song on Springsteen’s best album.


“Wake the World” from the Beach Boys’ “Friends” album from 1968.

AMDG said...

John Podhoritz gave Carlson his first job at the Weekly Standard back when Carlson’s persona was that of a Bill Buckley wanna be.

Podhoritz states that Carlson is a brilliant writer but he laments Carlson’s transformation from a conservative to an anti-Semite.

Bob said...

LOL and Bravo!

WK said...

Leon Redbone had quite a few songs with a tuba player in the backing band….
Diddy Wa Diddie. https://youtu.be/H2dCkF_Nunk

tim maguire said...

Doesn't Pual Simon's Boy in the Bubble have a tuba? It sounds like it does.

Christopher B said...

Don't know if anyone mentioned this but if you are judging Bari Weiss by her SubStack postings be aware that in addition to Bari, her partner Nellie and several other people write articles for her now, so check bylines.

lonejustice said...

The problem with Tucker Carlson is that Trump supporters, here and mostly elsewhere on the Internet, believe everything he says. Even if he is defending Russia and multiple conspiracy theories. He can be informative, but oftentimes he is just plain nuts. At least he is not as bad as Alex Jones. For now at least.

The Real Andrew said...

Another Paul Simon song: “Cool Papa Bell” has a tuba.

So does another song from The Band: “Rag Mama Rag.”

Leland said...

Blogger Mary Beth said...
I like Bari Weiss. I don't think she's a fraud, but I think she is experiencing conflict between what she has always believed and supported and how things are actually turning out. I listen to her podcast and don't always agree with her/think she let's some questionable comments by guests go by unchallenged, but, keeping her biases in mind, I trust her reporting.


That’s what I think about Bari Weiss as well.

The last time I watched Tucker Carlson was on Dancing with the Stars, and he was a bit stiff even then.

Hassayamper said...

As William Manchester said "Than God for the Atomic Bomb"

My dad always said the same thing. In the summer of 1945, while he and the rest of his fighter squadron were training for the invasion of the Japanese home islands, the intelligence officer for the squadron told them that the high command expected 90 percent of their pilots to be shot down in the attempt.

Drago said...

LLR-democratical lonejustice: "The problem with Tucker Carlson is that Trump supporters, here and mostly elsewhere on the Internet, believe everything he says."

LOL

The problem with LLR-democraticals is that they have zero understanding of what actual republican base voters believe, thus the lies the LLR-democraticals offer up come off every bit as moronic as those of a typical MSNBC-cultist.

The Real Andrew said...

@Interested Bystander said...

“ "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" if I'm not mistaken. Too lazy to check for sure. There's probably some tuba in "When I'm Sixty-four" if not, somewhere in the Sergeant Peppers album.”

There was a very funny SNL skit in which the fifth Beatle was a trombonist. I can’t find it online, though.

I also thought that maybe “When I’m 64” had a tuba. But I checked, and it was a bass clarinet.

mezzrow said...

Did someone mention Tubas? Nobody has gone HBCU bands yet?
Time to fix that right now. Go low or go home:
Jackson State Tuba Fanfares

The Real Andrew said...

Concerning whether Truman was right to drop the bomb, see Paul Fussell’s “Thank God for the Atom Bomb.”

https://www.uio.no/studier/emner/hf/iakh/HIS1300MET/v12/undervisningsmateriale/Fussel%20-%20thank%20god%20for%20the%20atom%20bomb.pdf

If the link doesn’t work, just Google the title, and “The New Republic.” One of the best articles I’ve ever read. (I haven’t read the book which the article summarizes.)

MadisonMan said...

The only flags that members of Congress should be waving is the American one.

The Godfather said...

Dear Althouse, this isn't why I read this blog, but I think that you are entitled to a day off (partly off), and you have attracted some interesting commenters. So thanks for today.

"Whether flags of foreign countries should be waved by members of Congress" Say, flags of Britain after Pearl Harbor? Anyone think that was wrong?

Today, flags of Israel? No, I don't object, I support nationalism and decency. I used to have and wear a US/Israel flag pin. I don't remember what happened to it. But I would still wear it if I had it.

I don't favor imprisoning people who peaceably object to the existence of Israel. But I ask them to to wake up and smell the coffee.

Oligonicella said...

As long as people are talking bass - Elephant's Memory - Brief Encounter.

Sax (I think) but back then it inspired me to purchase a Hohner Bass Harmonica (very expensive) and learn the part (very hard on a bass harmonica - no inhale and two banks of reeds). Finally got it though, played it once on stage.

Bass starts ~2:10

Mason G said...

There's a lot of brass in Simon and Garfunkel's "Keep The Customer Satisfied", could be a tuba in there somewhere but I'm not a musician and I can't be sure. FWIW, Wikipedia says there's a tuba in "The Boxer", from the same album (Bridge Over Troubled Water).

Clark said...

@Hassayamper: The video you link to at 2:05 PM is definitely worth a watch. There is a certain is this a great county or what vibe about it. And I say that as someone who was taught to think "Oh how I hate Ohio State."

MadisonMan said...

I had a Tubby The Tuba LP as a youngster. Kinda wondering what the music sounds like. I hope it's on YouTube.

gilbar said...

John henry said...
Harry did it to save hundreds of thousands of American deaths from a land invasion.
And probably millions millions of Japan women and children's lives.

Bear in mind also that Hiroshima was a major ija hq.

But WAIT! it gets BETTER!
The ONLY Reason that Hiroshima and Nagasaki (AND Kokura) were still there; was because the LeMay's 20th Air Force was ORDERED NOT to target them for Meetinghouse firebomb raids. They were being saved so that the A-Bombs could hit virgin targets. By the way, This Pissed LeMay off..

If there weren't A-Bombs going to be dropped on those three cities; Those three cities would have long before been reduced to ash..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_raids_on_Japan#Firebombing_attacks

Jonathan Burack said...

I am depressed that (unless I missed it) no one brought up Tucker's outrageous interview promoting the views of a Bethlehem pastor claiming that Israel mistreats Christians. In so doing, he sought to drive wedge between Israel and Christian supporters of Israel. It was thoroughly disgraceful. In a fact not clearly or at all indicated in Carlson's interview, Bethlehem is ruled by the Palestinian Authority, not Israel. On X, David M. Friedman summed it up this way: "Before the Palestinians took over Bethlehem pursuant to the Oslo Accords in the mid-1990’s, Bethlehem was under Israeli control and its population was 80% Christian. It was one of the centers of the Christian world. Since Oslo and the resulting Palestinian rule, Bethlehem became 80% Muslim and Christians are afraid. But they don’t speak out against the Palestinian Authority because you just can’t and survive." I don't know what got into Tucker in all this, but he's playing with fire. Podhoretz can, I agree go on and on too much. Otherwise, he's A-okay. Bari Weiss has it over Tucker Carlson by a ton.

tonyg said...

Howard Johnson: Tuba player extraordinare. The Band’s “Rock of Ages” and “The Last Waltz”. Gil Evan’s “Priestess” (which is an incredible album). SNL bandleader.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/14/arts/music/howard-johnson-dead.html

tcrosse said...

In the Dies Irae section of the Requiem there's a movement Tuba mirum spargens sonum.

pacwest said...

"Things I talked about with Meade"

That is the stuff of marriage. Small talk that doesn't amount to much as individual items, but being able to share what's on your mind. Someone to listen to it that knows you. I just lost my wife of 50 years a few months ago and having someone to talk to about silly simple stuff is what I miss the most.

RCOCEAN II said...

Reasonable people can differ on whether the A-bombing of Hiroshima was neccessary.

The problem is Truman wanted Japan to surrender unconditionally. The IJA did not want surrender without guarantees the Emperor would be kept. And obviously, Hirotito didn't want to surrender if it meant him hanging by the end of a rope.

Had Truman made it clear the Emperor would be kept, Japan probably would've surrendered after the Russian declaration of war.

BTW, there are 2 of the better books on the subject are: Downfall by Richard Frank. And The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb by Gar Alperovitz. The last book shows that King, Eisenhower, MacArthur, Forestahl, Leahy, and Nimitz all thought dropping the A-bomb was either unneccessary or wrong. Hoover, Grew, and Stimson all tried to get Truman to get off the "Unconditional Surrender" formula and make it clear the Emperor would be kept on his throne.

The firebombing of Dresden which nobody seems to care about was a bigger atrocity than Hiroshima. Churchill declared it was probably a war crime and demanded an explaination for it. Unlike Hiroshima which can be justified as helping to end the war, Dresden was bombed for no other reason then a desire to keep the bombers busy.

JAORE said...

"Harry did it to save hundreds of thousands of American deaths from a land invasion."

My father was in the European Theater. He was expecting to be sent to the Pacific heater until the surrender.

I'm glad we had the bomb.


SteveWe said...

"The Stolen White Elephant" -- Thank you, Narr

Ann Althouse said...

I’m sorry to hear about your wife, pacwest.

Dr Weevil said...

tcrosse (7:11pm):
The 'tuba' in the Dies Irae is a trumpet; tuba is the Latin word for trumpet, and the inventor of what we call a tuba confused things (at least for Latinists) when he borrowed the name for a very different instrument.

Dr Weevil said...

The demand for unconditional surrender was a reasonable reaction to the aftermath of World War I. The Germans made peace in 1918 without their army being forced to surrender in the field, or their territory being invaded. That made Hitler's "stab in the back" claim that they hadn't really lost the war but been betrayed by their leaders very effective. The World War II allies insisted on total and unconditional surrender to make sure that couldn't happen again.

SteveWe said...

Tucker Carlson grew up in La Jolla CA. (So did I, but a generation earlier.) Tucker wears loafers without wearing socks. Tucker giggles. Tucker went to a private prep school in LJ. Tucker loves his hair, especially when it's long and needs to be cut. Tucker's clothing looks like all of it was purchased at the Ascot Shop. (Is it still there on Girard?) IMO, Tucker's a phony.

Temujin said...

Late to the show today. But I have to say, I enjoyed this post immensely.
I like this new stream of consciousness Althouse, with an assist from Meade

I wasn't going to listen to a long podcast with Joe Rogan and Tucker Carlson. I can take them both only in small doses. But...I may give this one a try.

Narr said...

Enjoy, Steve We.





Roger von Oech said...

Great potpourri of topics.

You and Meade should publish a similar list on the Third Sunday of Each Month.

What would be interesting: what you two talk about on your long road trips. Or is the car time filled with podcasts and Audible readings?

What do you reckon is the median age of your readers? Do you guys ever talk about how you can increase your Gen Z readership?

Based on what you know about your audience, how (by %) do you think your commenters will vote in November: Trump, Biden, RFKjr, Other Independents?


Aggie said...

I've always thought that Fox News' excellent production team were what made Tucker Carlson a household name. Their ability to support his broadcast monologues and story lines with sharp phasing and good editing and excellent supporting material, were what made him famous and rich. And without this close support, this light reining, he's lost much of his 'zing'. His recent choices of guests, his production values, the content quality - they all show the loss. And listening him talking on Joe Rogan, geez. He comes across a little like a sophomore - a lot of passion and arm-waving, profound issues with an equal dose of earnestness and vapidity. I sympathize with a lot of his viewpoints and share quite a few of them too, but - I think his career has taken a turn down a dirt road, in a few ways. But - on the other hand - I think he doesn't mind much. He's probably having more fun.

Readering said...

Growing up I attended RC school in UK when H+N as close as 9/11 today. Discussed WW2 allied bombing in religion class, but focus was on night bombing of German cities. Always felt too much was made about the atom bombs, given the immorality of firebombing German and Japanese cities. Truman can be understood thinking, what's the difference? I appreciate there's a difference, but not in the scale of lives snuffed out in a single raid. Since then it has been largely understood to be unacceptable to use the H bomb as another weapon in the arsenal, but also no one anymore assembles 1000 bomber fleets either.

BudBrown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Blair said...

"...Tucker's outrageous interview promoting the views of a Bethlehem pastor claiming that Israel mistreats Christians"

People got all butthurt about this, but it's almost as if Christians in the Holy Land... don't like Jewish rule! It's almost as if they'd rather be ruled by fellow Middle Eastern Arabs than European Ashkenazi interlopers.

Don't shoot the messenger here!

I am Antiochian Orthodox, and I've yet to meet an Arab Christian who thought the Jewish State was just swell. And every time that's pointed out to American Dispensationalist Protestants, they're all "la la la can't hear you!" It's almost comical.

As for Bethlehem being governed by the Palestinian Authority, nice try. Bantustan governments don't count.

boatbuilder said...

I recall a summer back in the late 70's when our neighbors were desperately trying to get their not-particularly stellar 17 year-old into college, and came up with the idea of having him learn to play the tuba (because every band needs a tuba player).

Some of the most godawful sounds I have heard before or since. Amusing in retrospect.

(I forget where he ended up. I think his parents just made a large donation to wherever it was).

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

I am proud to say I have never purchased a Bruce Springsteen album.

Nice said...

#17. Leaving a Coffee, which I don't drink, easy. However, it's not so easy to ditch Tea. I'm not talking Lipton Instant. I'm talking about a formal Tea service with little sandwiches, petites fours and so forth. If a Hostess/Host goes to the trouble of arranging a Tea Party, money is put forth for venue, decor etc, obligations of guests are iron clad.

Miss Manners just had an inquiry about whether a Host/Hostess can bill Invitees for Party expenses. I imagine guests who vacate early, without permission or explanation, might be reasonably expected to shoulder the costs.

Birches said...

All these tuba comments and no one has mentioned Bandas. So. Much Tuba.

Charlie said...

I once saw The Band in 1976 do a show with their tuba player (Howard Johnson) playing the Rick Danko bass parts. Danko wasn't there because he failed to make through customs earlier in the day due to......well you know why.

It was an amazing show.

Art in LA said...

I play a lot of tennis and oftentimes, when we drill, our goal is to hit to each other with pace and precision. The idea is if we can hit it to each other, trying to keep the ball within one step of hitting it, we are able to hit winners in a real match because our placement is so good. I wouldn't describe this as "low level" ... it's pretty tough to hit 50 shots in a row!

Josephbleau said...

Frank Zappa was profligate in tuba usage, the whole Freak Out lp, and Billy the Mountain. And more.

My New England Kitchen said...

I like Carlson, I doubt his laugh is some affectation, but rather some holdover perhaps from childhood or something. I had a public speaker teacher in junior high who had an annoying exaggerated sounding high pitched sneeze that was similarly annoying. As to his talking about his former boss having a hairy back, I had a really awful teacher who had a a very hairy back you could see it (his hair was dark) through his shirts Leftists like Weiss, etc.. including the few fired college professors given a home of sorts among conservatives are still leftist, I have no doubt of that, we have to be sure we don’t take everything they say as gospel.