BlueMTexpat
BlueMTexpat's JournalHas anyone viewed "The Looming Tower?"
It was originally streamed on Hulu, which I do not subscribe to. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Looming_Tower_(miniseries)
But my cable TV package here in Switzerland does provide BBC2, which began airing this series last night.
It's based on Lawrence Wright's book "The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Route to 9/11." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Looming_Tower
Jeff Daniels and Tahar Rahim, who play FBI Agents John O'Neill and Ali Soufan respectively, are both excellent so far.
If you haven't yet seen it and are able to do so somehow, I highly recommend that you do.
Remembering Charles Aznavour
who died yesterday at 94. He was one of the all-time international greats.
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-45709541
Rest in peace! You brought me countless hours of joy!
Not ALL of Montana is red, thank heavens!
My second youngest sister sent me a clip of herself and my youngest sister at yesterday's protest in Billings, MT against Orange Herr Twitler's zero tolerance and family separation policies.
They are captured in the second photo here (Bethany Baker credit). While they are sitting on the grass in the photo, my sister said that they were truly inspired, even though the photo may not capture their inspiration, LOL.
https://billingsgazette.com/news/local/photos-protesters-gather-for-the-families-belong-together-rally-at/collection_25e23d2a-3b0e-5ab6-afe2-ac06eac7a0df.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share#anchor_item_2
This is great to see. Marches took place in Billings, Missoula, Bozeman, Helena and even - Great Falls!!!
Here's a report from the march in my beloved MIssoula: https://www.missoulacurrent.com/government/2018/06/immigrant-march-missoula/
“I think the Missoula community has been watching pretty aghast at what’s been happening at the borders,” said Rebecca Weston, co-director of Montanans for Immigrant Justice. “I think this is both an opportunity to share our rage, but also then to continue the demand that we actually want real change.”
As a psychotherapist, Weston said she knows the trauma children experience when they are forcibly separated from their families.
“I know deeply what this means to kids,” she said. “My mom was a refugee at age 3 and was in an orphanage. I know deeply what it means and the consequences that are generational.”
Democrat Kathleen Williams won Montana's House primary slow and steady, county by county
I am so thrilled for Kathleen Williams and hope that her winning run continues. There were some excellent Dem House candidates, but she was the one who prevailed. If they all encourage their supporters to join in to support her (Heenan and Kier already have), she may very well be able to rid the House of one of its more loathsome GOPer scumbags, Greg Gianforte (R-Felon).
But what Williams lacked in money she made up in time. With her slide-in camper fitted to the bed of her pickup, Williams zigzagged 1,100 miles of Montana back roads in a week. Wherever she was invited to speak, she went. Wherever she wasn’t invited, Markoff called to book a room.
“I kid you not," Markoff said, "When we were scheduling a meet and greet in Ekalaka, the first person I asked to help me set up the event laughed at me. He said, ‘Are you serious? You’re actually going to send your candidate to Ekalaka?’ I had to assure him I wasn’t faking it or losing my mind. There are parts of the state that don’t see candidates frequently, and showing up makes a big difference.”
There are 6.8 Montanans for the each of the state’s 147,040 square miles. In some places, the concentration is much more. In Carter County, where Ekalaka is the county seat, the density is far less. Tucked away in southeast Montana, the county’s emptiness is used for flight training by B1-Bombers from nearby Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. Williams' trip there earned her a commanding 57 percent of the Carter County vote. That’s 16 votes of Williams' statewide total of 37,146. There were a lot of county victories like that in Williams’ win column.
https://billingsgazette.com/news/government-and-politics/democrat-kathleen-williams-won-montana-s-house-primary-slow-and/article_a06d5f14-519a-5e4d-be22-5b84dfb4c5a1.html
Williams is one of the many Dem candidates in 2018 who understand that it isn't just about the money (although money always helps!). It's about meeting the people and listening to their concerns so that they really feel that they have a say in how their government works.
Bravissima, Kathleen!
Former Vice President Joe Biden energizes Democrats at sold-out event in Helena
http://helenair.com/news/government-and-politics/former-vice-president-joe-biden-energizes-democrats-at-sold-out/article_51617ffc-1808-550a-8a0c-34251270669c.htmlBiden took the stage late Saturday night, calling U.S. Sen. Jon Tester an authentic person and "a guy who looks like he can lift an ox out of a ditch."
...
The event is the main Democratic gathering and fundraiser each year and was broadcast to the party's central committees around the state, executive director Nancy Keenan said.
...
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock told the crowd Democrats have a "heck of a lot to celebrate," but said Republicans in the state Legislature are "acting more and more like Republicans in D.C." He called on voters to flip the GOP-dominated body and show up for Tester in November. He also told attendees it was important to vote out U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte.
Good for Biden to get MT revved up! Jon Tester has been a good Senator for MT! There are some excellent Dems vying in the primary to go against Gianforte! I like Kathleen Williams but can't vote in MT as I'm no longer a resident. But two of my younger sisters are supporting John Heenan as they know him personally.
Gov Bullock will be termed out in 2020, which could make him an ideal Dem candidate to run against Daines (R) in the Senate. Bullock has already won two statewide elections, even when most of the state voted red for other candidates.
But MT also needs to turn the state legislature blue. Hopefully the DNC and top national Dems - as in the Howard Dean era - will step up there as well.
Thank you so much for the lovely heart!
Having had my own heart thoroughly broken by the results in Nov 2016, but encouraged by the Women's Marches in 2017 and 2018 (in which I participated) - as well as by all the recent Dem election successes and the wonderful women candidates putting themselves forward in 2018, I haven't been on DU too much lately.
I was thus delighted to receive a heart from some wonderful person sometime in the past couple days. Thank you for making my day!
I've been traveling since Sat night and am now returned to my Trump-less Swiss haven, where I refuse to listen to or watch any news program that mentions his name.
My reading material on my flight eastward was the wonderful 2016 novel, "The Underground Railroad," by Colson Whitehead.
If you haven't read it, please do.
Just watched the outstanding Netflix movie "Mudbound."
It is excellent and well worth a watch.
Here is one review: http://time.com/5030321/mudbound-movie-review/
Sadly, we seem to have learned too little over the years.
Liberian refugee elected mayor of Helena
http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/montana/liberian-refugee-elected-mayor-of-helena/653475208Along with all the other good news from yesterday's elections, this one is a real gem ... and a major victory.
****************
Wilmot Collins ousted four-term Helena Mayor Jim Smith 51 percent to 48 percent Tuesday in the mail-in election for the non-partisan post.
Collins campaigned for more affordable housing, addressing homelessness among military veterans and teens and for increasing staffing for the police and fire departments.
Collins is a state child protection specialist and an adjunct instructor at Helena College - University of Montana. He is also a member of the U.S. Naval Reserves. He fled the civil war in Liberia in the early 1990s.
Congratulations, Mayor Collins!
Hillary Clinton to visit Swansea for university honour
A good friend who is Welsh and who is excited about this visit just called to tell me this news after hearing Hillary interviewed, so I looked it up for myself. As it happens, in my own American "mutt" heritage, one of my earliest New World ancestors was also Welsh.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-41611316
It recognises her commitment to promoting the rights of families and children around the world.
Mrs Clinton's great grandparents were from south Wales.
Vice chancellor Prof Richard Davies said the university was honoured to present the award to the former first lady, the wife of former US president Bill Clinton.
More at the link.
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The world STILL appreciates this great woman.
Roger Federer survives first round scare against 70th-ranked Frances Tiafoe
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/29/tennis/us-open-first-round-federer-tiafoe/index.htmlAs a fan of watching tennis (I am no player myself, but my husband is and he has educated me on the finer points) and a fan of the great Roger Federer (as a resident of Switzerland, it's almost an obligation to be, LOL), I watched last evening's thrilling first round US Open tennis match and was very impressed with the playing and general demeanor of Frances Tiafoe. While Roger literally hung on by a thread to win, Tiafoe looks to be one of the most impressive American men's tennis players right now and should have a brilliant career ahead of him if he keeps on the way he has begun.
I am posting this CNN article because it is one with more details about the young man himself. IMO, they make him even more impressive.
The elder Tiafoe helped build, and later became the custodian of, the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Maryland, where Frances has trained since he was a child.
While working around the clock, his father was forced to move into a vacant storage room at the tennis center, where his two boys would stay with him, sleeping on a massage table, while their mother worked night shifts as a nurse.
...
At just 15 years old, Tiafoe won the prestigious Orange Bowl, becoming the youngest boys' singles champion in the tournament's history -- a remarkable feat considering the list of previous champions, which includes Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Ivan Lendl, Jim Courier, John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg.
While many junior prodigies have come and gone, Tiafoe's unique background and work ethic set him apart from the rest. He said of his parents, "with them trying so hard, I felt like I didn't want to let them down. I felt like I didn't want to let the opportunities go for granted."
He's someone I'll be paying attention to from now on and I wish him ALL success!
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Gender: FemaleHome country: USA
Current location: Switzerland
Member since: Wed Oct 29, 2008, 04:01 PM
Number of posts: 15,544