Japanese tea garden, Golden Gate Park, July 2024

Jigsaw puzzle #1, Golden Gate Park, July 2024

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Breaking news: baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has vetoed the US/Russia prisoner swap that would have brought home Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. Manfred ruled that the deal was finalized after the July 30 trade deadline, so before he can be traded, Russia first needs to put Gershkovich on waivers and see if any other country wants to claim him. Another blow for US general manager Joe Biden; the guy just can't catch a break.

https://blackscatbooks.com/2024/08/01/seven-is-heaven/
Issue #7 of the avant-garde journal TYPO is now available from Black Scat Books. I have one piece in this issue: "All Chimey From Verbs", an imaginary translation of Arthur Rimbaud's "Alchimie du Verbe". More info/order at link above. #poetry

My best of 2024 (so far) playlist is updated regularly and can be found here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDJeO4dNUaIn2mN9hFpBK1szGAA07d8pq&si=ZVqklnxTIwkgAQKq
#music

https://youtu.be/UvroAMlwIh8
2. Emilia Sisco and Cold Diamond & Mink – "Lemon & Lime Sours". I'm definitely a sucker for retro-soul, so the Funk Brothers-style drum intro on this track had me hooked. Did not expect to learn the artists and label are based in Helsinki, Finland, but OK! #music

My Top 2 Songs of the Week (2024 Week 29):
https://youtu.be/sQrek-eogPg
1. A Place to Bury Strangers – "Disgust". Hypercaffeinated, aggro shoegaze from Brooklyn's veteran noise dealers. The adrenaline rush from this could get addictive. #music

UPDATE: Let's hope I'm wrong!

Joe Manchin calling for Biden to drop out is all the evidence I need to see that Biden dropping out would be good for Republicans, bad for Democrats and bad for the country.

My best of 2024 (so far) playlist is updated regularly and can be found here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDJeO4dNUaIn2mN9hFpBK1szGAA07d8pq&si=ZVqklnxTIwkgAQKq
#music

https://youtu.be/QaXe9zAa3r4
5. Jessica Pratt – "Life Is". Reminds me (in a good way) of that single Nico recorded with Jimmy Page, pre-Velvet Underground ("I'm Not Sayin' " / "The Last Mile"). Folky but with a pop sensibility. #music

https://youtu.be/WWYjGH6fW5c
4. Wunderhorse – "Silver". The English band sticks with a successful formula on this followup to "Midas" – crunchy indie-rock guitar riff and lyrics that explore trauma. #music

https://youtu.be/bInHFf4NFbY
3. Fcukers – "Homie Don't Shake". Followup to Brooklyn indie club crew's "Bon Bon" is another irony-drenched, hip head-nodder that winks at Beck's "Devil's Haircut" (or is it Them's "I Can Only Give You Everything"?) #music

https://youtu.be/525gClcVEfA
2. Hamish Hawk – "Men Like Wire". Literate, deep-voiced Scottish indie rock in the vein of Franz Ferdinand. Name-checks '80s soul-pop band King ("Love and Pride") and says of its eponymous singer "He was different, that one…he did an uncanny Frankie Valli." #music

My Top 5 Songs of the Week (2024 Week 28):
https://youtu.be/tSeJqLyeCeE
1. Laura Marling – "Patterns". A lovely fingerpicked guitar pattern reminiscent of Nick Drake's "From The Morning" with string accompaniment suggestive of earlier Drake records, and beautifully sung. "Forward leaning at first, abstract / You soon contract into form." #music

https://www.ballastjournal.com/issue-23-table-of-contents
I'm happy to announce that my ode to the Honolulu skyline, "cloudcradled", has found a home in the latest issue (2.3) of ballast. You can check it out at the link above, and I urge you to browse around afterward and see what else the editors have assembled. #poetry

I think we're too quick to diagnose medical conditions based on things we see on TV occasionally when there are other possible explanations, and medical experts examining the guy up close who are apparently coming to those other conclusions.

As you can read for yourself by following the link above, Biden had a thorough medical checkup in February (which we know because he publicly releases the results of those, unlike Trump) and his doctors didn't see evidence of decline that they were concerned enough about to order further tests.

whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Health-Summary-2.28.pdf

I know we were all shocked at the way Biden behaved at the debate, and how tempting it is to jump to the conclusion that he's got dementia, or Parkinson's, or Alzheimers, or whatever. But despite knowing something about these conditions and how they present, most of us aren't doctors, and even more of us aren't *his* doctors.