From the “Nobody asked me, but ...” file, after the jump …………..
But first: Top Comments appears nightly, as a round-up of the best comments on Daily Kos. Surely ... you come across comments daily that are perceptive, apropos and .. well, perhaps even humorous. But they are more meaningful if they're well-known ... which is where you come in (especially in diaries/stories receiving little attention).----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Send your nominations to TopComments at gmail dot com by 9:30 PM Eastern Time nightly, or by our KosMail message board. Please indicate (a) why you liked the comment, and (b) your Dkos user name (to properly credit you) as well as a link to the comment itself.
During the late 1970’s and on past the 1980’s: it looked like the world of championship tennis was going to the teens. Just look at some of these figures from the four Grand Slam tennis championships (along with their age):
Men’s champions
Mats Wilander (17), 1982 French Open — Michael Chang (17), 1989 French Open — Boris Becker (17), 1985 Wimbledon — Stefan Edberg (19), 1985 Australian Open.
Women’s champions
Tracy Austin (16), 1979 US Open — Monica Seles (16), 1990 French Open — Martina Hingis (16), 1997 Australian Open — Maria Sharapova (17), 2004 Wimbledon
That’s why it seemed so strange to see the finals of the recently completed Australian Open …… maybe tennis life doesn’t have to end at twenty-five?
Men’s finals — Roger Federer (age 35) defeats Rafael Nadal (age 30)
Women’s finals —Serena Williams (age 35) defeats her sister Venus (age 36)
Back to the Future?This week, we lost an eclectic comedian in ‘Professor’ Irwin Corey— who did not get cheated, departing this Earth at the age of 102. As the Washington Post obituary noted, his “nonsensical monologues aped blowhard pundits, pompous academics and other know-it-alls”.
Irwin Corey (1914—2017)Growing up in suburban New York, he was a staple of offbeat humor: when a complicated law was passed (no recollection what it was) an Op-Ed piece(!) by the Professor attempted to “explain it” for us. Two of my favorite jokes of his:
"When I tried to join the Communist Party, they called me an anarchist."
(At his 100th birthday party in 2014) — "Ten years ago, we had Johnny Cash, Bob Hope and Steve Jobs. Today, 10 years later: there's no cash, there's no hope, there's no jobs."
Here is a short TV ad featuring him, cabaret singer Bobby Short and (I think?) Lainie Kazan in an ad for offtrack betting on horse races in New York — a big deal in the 1970’s. That was my first impression of him …. and the manic image fit.
x YouTube VideoAs a railroad buff: Travel by Edna St. Vincent Millay is a favorite poem of mine:
The railroad track is miles away, And the day is loud with voices speaking, Yet there isn’t a train goes by all day But I hear its whistle shrieking. All night there isn’t a train goes by, Though the night is still for sleep and dreaming, But I see its cinders red on the sky, And hear its engine steaming. My heart is warm with the friends I make, And better friends I’ll not be knowing; Yet there isn’t a train I wouldn’t take, No matter where it’s going.Just releasing his 66th album is the bluesman John Mayall— who formed his first major band in London fifty-three years ago, and featured many future stars (such as Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, the founders of Fleetwood Mac, Mick Taylor of the Rolling Stones, Andy Fraser of the band Free plus many others. At age eighty-three he is still going strong, still makes 100+ tour dates around-the-world each year, and his new album has a guest appearance from Joe Walsh of The Eagles.
Born in Manchester, EnglandSomething that Sean Spicer said really unnerved me (yeah, more than normal) ….. after attending C&J meet-ups, hosting at Drinking Liberally and other events … I dutifully turn-in one of these (with original receipts) …. yet I have never received the Soros Money the right-wing believes is out there. Is it a wrong address?
My figures cross-foot, too.Actually, when a different Sean (Hannity) went to a commercial break, floating the same idea (“Who financed these protesters?”) ….. this prompted a reply from the "Shark Tank" cable TV show cast member (and wealthy Dallas Mavericks basketball team owner) who — I believe(?) — concludes with a reference to Trump acolyte Stewart Rahr (a/k/a ‘Stewie Rah Rah’).
xIt's me Sean. I had the TriLateral commission pitch in, then i went to the Illuminati. They were really cheap, so Stewie covered the rest https://t.co/Eg4Ra36K2K
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) January 31, 2017I got the biggest laugh out of the reference to the Trilateral Commission— founded by David Rockefeller in 1973 — the equal-opportunity conspiracy theory of the 1970’s, detested equally by the left and the right. Thanks to Mark Cuban for bringing a smile to my face.
Let’s close with my favorite solo piano piece of all time.
x YouTube VideoNow, on to Top Comments:
From MikeTheLiberal:
In the front-page story about the judiciary in North Carolina ruling that the GOP legislature usurped the power (of the incoming Democratic governor) — I’d like to recommend this comment from elizawhig1 — After I wished a little too much ill on North Carolina, and being reminded from several residents of the purpleness of their state, elizawhig1 made an excellent point of what change does to people, and in their case being “too much, too fast”.From belinda ridgewood :
In Jen Hayden's diary about Kellyanne Conway's ethics issue, Penguinn speculated about Kellyanne's future, and elfling made a prediction that absolutely captured the tone of this "administration".
From brillig:
I am nominating this comment made by Gooserock (and the reply by Dr Moreau) from Jen Hayden's front-page story,"Republicans on the run: Alabama congressman canceled town hall because the event sold out" … because it is an excellent way for us to highlight just how unrepresentative of (all of) the PEOPLE Republicans are.
From Jon Sitzman:
In the diary by Walter Einenkel about the former Army Ranger who arranged for a former Afghan interpreter colleague to be flown here before the Administration has a chance to extend its previous travel ban to even more countries — this comment by Apprenticegeezer speaks for itself. Poignant, pithy…. and it made me choke up. More eyes please! And thanks for all you do!And from Ed Tracey, your faithful correspondent this evening ........
In the diary by DaisiesArePretty about the mild chastisement that Kellyanne Conway has received (so far) on plugging Ivanka products ….. Crashing Vor raises the question of a previously offered family foodstuff … and thereupon chicago minx picks-up the ball and runs with it.And lastly: yesterday's Top Mojo - mega-mojo to the intrepid mik ...... who rescued this feature from oblivion:
1) not my usual fare, I admit. The collection is my … by bubbanomics +189 2) I'm no longer scared. I'm focused and engaged in … by Brubs +158 2) i wish he weren’t so understated. by bubbanomics +158 4) They still Do. Not. Get. It. The majority of the … by ncarolinagirl +143 5) He is an unemployed person’s idea of what an eff … by Dillonfence +142 6) True, but let the record show that in any case, … by Greek Goddess +135 7) Not that I should be surprised, but the WH has N … by BrowniesAreGood +132 8) [embed] by DRo +131 8) Nevertheless she persisted by maggiejean +131 10) Nevertheless she persisted by maggiejean +129 11) Trump is a sick motherfucker to threaten people’ … by yet another liberal +126 12) Typical stump speech letter, you can tell he/sta … by proudliberal4life +124 13) Couple more ( well one is not a person but somet … by Vita Brevis +123 13) Awesome! Thanks for doing this! Perfect campaign … by progressive2016 +123 15) Found a good one: by ericlewis0 +120 16) [embed] by Catte Nappe +115 17) Nevertheless, she persisted. by blue aardvark +112 18) This very large statue of Sojourner Truth is in … by cfk +110 19) Sorry. Should have done. … by bubbanomics +109 19) Did you go to any of the “Women’s Marches”? I di … by gchaucer2 +109 21) I knew somebody had to get to it before a Breitb … by Tommy T +108 22) Probably a form letter from ALEC (misspelling gr … by dewtx +107 23) Nevertheless, she persisted. by nspguy +106 23) to which i say, loudly: you ain’t seen nothin’ y … by greenbird +106 25) Yes, they should fear her because she speaks up … by cfk +103 26) worse...the by cfk +99 27) Thanks. I'll join you in wishing hell and damnat … by Black Max +95 28) I also live in Indiana and got the EXACT same le … by Catalaya +96 29) I fear Lorne Michaels may have to lay off some o … by gchaucer2 +95 30) It is not terrorism if they are white. by AppleP +94